Anglers, particularly boaters, should use extreme caution when fishing local waters. Many roads are blocked or damaged and large amounts of debris are present in most rivers. Log jams or other hazards may be present in many places. Silt and other debris will make launching boats difficult at some ramps until they can be cleaned up.

Mid-coast lakes

The rainbow trout stocking season is underway and will extend into June. Here is a list of lakes to be stocked in February with approximate stocking dates and number of fish to be released:

€ Carter Lake, Feb.11, 1500 trout at 3 fish per pound;

€ Munsel Lake, Feb. 11, 1500 trout at 1.5 fish per pound;

€ Alder, Buck, Dune Lakes, Feb. 12, 850 trout each at 3 fish per pound;

€ Elbow Lake, Feb. 12, 600 trout at 1.5 per pound;

€ Georgia, North Georgia Lakes, Feb. 12, 150 trout each at 3 per pound;

€ Lost Lake, Feb. 12, 750 trout at 1.5 per pound;

€ Perkins Lake, Feb. 12, 400 trout at 3 per pound;

€ Siltcoos Lagoon, Feb. 12, 850 trout at 3 fish per pound;

€ Cleawox Lake, Feb. 13, 3000 trout at 3 fish per pound and 150 trout at 0.5 fish per pound;

€ Thissel Pond, Feb. 14, 500 trout at 1.5 fish per pound;

€ Big Creek Reservoir 1, Feb. 20, 1000 trout at 3 per pound;

€ Big Creek Reservoir 2, Feb. 20, 100 trout at 0.5 per pound and 2000 trout at 3 per pound;

€ Olalla Reservoir will not be stocked until late February and/or until the reservoir becomes more readily fishable.

Alsea River: Winter steelhead - fishing continues to be fair to good mostly from the junction with Five Rivers on up. Both drift boat and bank fishing is productive as flows allow. Good numbers of fish are returning to the Alsea Hatchery. Most fishing pressure is occurring along the N. Fork and around the Alsea Hatchery. River conditions may be high at times as rain is expected throughout the week. During high murky flows, anglers should concentrate in the upper basin as river conditions improve faster.

Current river levels: http://www.nwrfc.noaa.gov/river/station/flowplot/flowplot.cgi?TIDO3

Big Creek: Steelhead - angling for winter steelhead has been fair. The number of hatchery fish available is dropping off.

Gnat Creek: Steelhead - winter steelhead angling is fair. Expect low, clear water after recent dry weather. Fish are available throughout the river below the hatchery, although the number of hatchery fish is declining.

Kilchis River: Steelhead - winter steelhead angling has been fair. The number of wild fish in the system is increasing, and fish are spread throughout the river. Water conditions have been good.

Necanicum River: Steelhead - winter steelhead angling has been fair. The number of hatchery fish is dropping off, and more wild fish are showing in the catch. Boaters should use extreme caution. Log and debris jams may be present in one or more locations. The Kloochy Creek Park bridge is closed to vehicle access.

Salmon River: Winter steelhead - catch-and-release fishing for wild winter steelhead fishing is fair to good.

Siletz River: Winter steelhead - winter steelhead fishing slowed during recent low flow and cold weather but is expected to be fair to good this week as rains events pulse through. Drift boat angling from Moonshine Park to Morgan Park (as river conditions allow) and bank fishing around Moonshine Park and the lower gorge should be good with favorable. Floating and/or back bouncing fresh baits, jigs and lures can be very productive. During high murky river conditions, anglers should concentrate in the upper basin as fish will continue to move upstream.

Siuslaw River: Winter steelhead - winter steelhead are showing up in good numbers with fair to good fishing in the upper river as conditions allow. Drifting from Whittaker Creek down to Linslaw Park should continue to produce fish. Bank fishing around Whittaker Creek has been productive and should continue to be good. During high and murky river conditions anglers should concentrate in the upper basin as conditions improve faster.

Yaquina River: Winter steelhead - winter steelhead fishing has been fair to good in Big Elk Creek starting just above tidewater all the way to the fishing deadline bridge at Grant Creek. Bank fishing works the best along the Big Elk using a variety of lures, jigs and egg-type flies. There is a mixture of public and private lands along this stretch, anglers should use caution to avoid crossing private property.

Northwest zone hunting

Open: Cougar, goose (Saturdays and Sundays in parts of Tillamook Co. only)

New: Northwest permit goose hunters, the Pacific Flyway Council is taking public comments on a draft Dusky Canada Goose management plan through Feb. 29. The draft plan puts more emphasis on increasing dusky production on breeding grounds. Send comments or questions to Bradley.D.Bales@state.or.us

Goose - Hunting reopened in Tillamook County for Northwest Oregon Special Permit holders and runs on Saturdays and Sundays thereafter through early March 2. Check the game bird regulations for special closures, bag limit, checkout and other information regarding goose hunting on the north coast.

Cougar - All indicators point to the north coast as having relatively low cougar densities, when compared to most of the rest of the state. However, they can still be located, especially if hunters are dedicated to using calls as their primary strategy. Cougar are probably most effectively hunted by long and persistent calling with a predator call. Hunters continuing to hunt cougar into 2008 are reminded to get their new cougar tag and 2008 hunting license.

Northwest zone viewing

Shorebirding - Some shorebirds spend the winter along Oregon’s coast and can be seen for much of the year. During the winter look for Semipalmated Plover, Black Turnstone, Surfbird, Sanderling, Least Sandpiper, Dunlin, and the Common Snipe, among others.

Bald Eagle Viewing - The winter season is a great time to see bald eagles. On the north coast, bald eagles can be seen in estuaries such as Tillamook Bay, Young’s Bay, and Netarts Bay. Three Arch Rocks, Sand Lake, and Twilight Eagle Sanctuary are also good viewing locations. To get started, look for a white spot among the tall conifers at the edge of the bay. The white spot will be the eagle’s white feathered head. Bald eagles are often found near water with large numbers of waterfowl or fish.

Marine Zone

Fishing

Large swells and strong wind kept most anglers off the ocean this past week. February often offers good fishing during periods of calmer weather with lingcod moving into shallower water to breed. Species illustrations and descriptions are in The Oregon Sport Fishing Regulations booklet (page 98) and The Red Rockfish Identification Guide. The minimum length for lingcod is 22 inches, for cabezon it is 16 inches and for greenling it is 10 inches. Fishing for cabezon from a boat reopened Jan. 1.

The marine daily bag limit for 2008 is six fish (including rockfish, greenling and other marine species) and two lingcod and 15 surfperch. Remember: yelloweye rockfish and canary rockfish may not be retained. Also, the Stonewall Bank Yelloweye Rockfish Conservation Area approximately 15 miles west of Newport is closed to the harvest of rockfish, lingcod and flatfish. Complete regulations, including waypoints for the Stonewall Bank YRCA, are in the 2008 Oregon Sport Ocean Regulations for Salmon, Halibut and other Marine Fish Species and online at http://www.dfw.state.or.us/resources/fishing/

The 2008 Oregon Sport Fishing Regulations are available from license vendors and ODFW offices and online at http://www.dfw.state.or.us/resources/fishing/

Seasons and restrictions for ocean salmon are set in April. Catch limits and seasons for Pacific halibut are set in March. Seasons and regulations for all other marine fish are the same as in 2007.

Crabs

Sport crabbing is open in the ocean, bays and estuaries. Crabbing in coastal bays and estuaries remains poor. Ocean crabbing was somewhat better, but only a few reports were available. For more information on sport crabbing visit http://www.dfw.state.or.us/MRP/shellfish/

For sport crabbers the minimum size for Dungeness crab is 53/4 inches measured in a straight line across the back immediately in front of, but not including, the points. For a photograph and diagram see page 101 of the Oregon Sport Fishing Regulations booklet.

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