Bass fishing on the rise on Umpqua

Douglas County offers many options to the angler at this time of year, from chinook salmon, smallmouth bass and shad in the main Umpqua River to rainbow trout and brook trout in the high lakes of the Cascade Mountains to the east.

Following are reports from sources who deal with the fisheries on a daily basis.


“Fishing for smallmouth bass has been really good on the main Umpqua and it’ll only get better. We’re seeing some 4- to 5-pound smallmouth caught.

“A large number of shad are also being caught.

“Some chinook are being caught in the Scottsburg and Scott’s Creek areas, but it’s been really hit and miss on them. There’s some pretty good numbers of them moving upriver, but you have to get into the schools. Guys have gotten into them good for a couple of days, but you have to be there at the right time. I haven’t heard of any big ones. They’ve been from 5 and 6 pounds up to 22 and 23.

“The springers are coming across the (Winchester) dam good, but not many are being caught.

“The South Umpqua and most all the tributaries are open for trout fishing, but check the fishing regs. There are springers on the South, but you can’t fish for them. Only trout and smallmouth bass can be fished for on the South right now.

“Up at the high lakes, a creel census on Sunday at Diamond Lake saw two fish per angler. The fish are ranging from a half pound up to 7 pounds.

“Lemolo fishermen have been doing pretty well on browns. A saw a 4 and a half pounder that was caught there. Fishing at Toketee has also been good.

“Just a reminder that the road into Soda Springs Reservoir is closed and the only access to Soda Springs is by foot via Medicine Creek bridge.

“ODFW stock trout in Hemlock Lake and Lake of the Woods in the last week and you’re able to drive to both places.

“The fishing has been fairly good for brook trout in other high lakes.”

<b>Sam Moyers
Fish biologist
Oregon Dept. of Fish and Wildlife
Roseburg</b>


Following is the weekly Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife fishing report that is compiled by regional fishery biologists.

<b>Southwest</b>

Free fishing weekend is June 9-10. No angling license is required that weekend.

CHETCO RIVER: The river opened to trout fishing over the weekend. No reports were received, but conditions are excellent. This time of year cutthroat are focusing on Chinook fry and sculpins. Some of the best fishing is early morning or evening.

COOS COUNTY LAKES: Trout and warmwater fish are available in local lakes. The Millicoma Interpretive Center youth fishing pond has been very productive for kids. Fishing equipment is available for kids to use at the Millicoma Pond. Warmwater fishing is good with many nice bass being caught at Tenmile Lakes. Powers Pond is a good choice for trout and bass anglers. It is located at Powers Park and has lots of bank access.

COOS RIVER BASIN: A few shad have been picked up and fishing should improve over the next few weeks. Most shad fishing takes place on the lower Coos and Millicoma Rivers where anglers troll or cast shad darts. Trout angling is open with anglers restricted to flies and lures only if fishing streams above tidewater. Surf perch and other marine fish are available in Coos Bay. Anglers should concentrate around rock structure or pilings.

COQUILLE RIVER BASIN: Striped bass are available in the Coquille estuary, anglers usually do better fishing after dark. Shad fishing should be improving now with afternoons typically the most productive. Most angling occurs around Sturdivant Park where anglers typically use shad darts.

DIAMOND LAKE: Boat anglers are catching limits of fish. The fish have spread throughout the lake, with the best fishing occurring on the west side of the lake. Some fish are being caught near Silent Creek. Boat anglers were doing well anchored up and waiting for the fish to find the bait. Power bait has been the most effective. Anglers need to remember that the limit is five fish per day, and only one trout over 20 inches may be harvested per day.

PACIFIC OCEAN & BEACHES: The nearshore Pacific halibut season is open. The remaining all-depth halibut dates for Cape Falcon to Humbug Mountain are June 1-2, and 7-9. Halibut fishing was great last weekend with many boats getting out and lots of fish caught. Bottom fishing in the ocean has been good when the weather cooperates. Bay angling has been good for rockfish and perch. A few ocean salmon are starting to get picked up although effort is still low. Surfperch fishing has been fair for anglers casting bait from the beach. Sand shrimp, clam necks, mussels, and marine worms are all popular choices for bait. Good areas for surfperch include Horsfall Beach and Whiskey Run Beach south to Bandon. Look for steep beaches or small streams entering the ocean. Surfperch can also be found along jetties and pile structures. Striped bass occasionally surprise surf fishers also.

ROGUE RIVER, LOWER: Spring Chinook fishing is winding down. Water temperatures are expected to jump this week with warming valley temperatures. Anglers targeting spring Chinook should fish at first light. The first reported summer steelhead came in last week. Anglers can expect summer steelhead fishing to be fair in June, with August and September the best months.

ROGUE RIVER, MIDDLE: Angling for spring chinook has improved this past week as more fish are moving through the middle river. Flows were 3,300 cubic feet per second at Grants Pass as of Monday morning. The Rogue River is now open to trout angling; however, only adipose fin-clipped rainbow trout may be kept.

ROGUE RIVER, UPPER: Angling for spring chinook has improved dramatically this past week as fish started passing Gold Ray in good numbers. A total of 3,470 spring chinook salmon and 49 summer steelhead have been counted at Gold Ray Dam as of May 25. The counting of winter steelhead concluded on May 15 with a season total of 13,238. The outflows from Lost Creek Reservoir were 3,016 cubic feet per second and the outflow temperature was 51oF as of Monday morning. The Rogue River is now open to trout angling; however, only adipose fin-clipped rainbow trout may be kept. Salmonflies are starting to emerge along the upper Rogue, which should create good opportunities for fly anglers.

ROGUE RIVER, ABOVE LOST CREEK DAM: Legal-sized rainbow trout were stocked last week at most of the campgrounds and major access points along the river between Prospect and Minnehaha Creek week of May 21. Brook trout and a few brown trout are available as well.

SODA SPRINGS RESERVOIR: Soda Springs reservoir is open all year round for brown and rainbow trout. The road to Soda Springs dam is currently closed due to a high volume of dump trucks and heavy equipment. At this time the only access into the reservoir is at Medicine Creek bridge.

SMITH RIVER: Stripers are being caught in the Smith River estuary. Most striper fishing is done by boat in the lower ten miles of the estuary. Trout season is open on Smith River and fishing should be good. Small spinners and rooster tails generally work the best. Mainstem Smith River below Sisters Creek is catch and release only on trout. Tributaries and the mainstem above Sisters is open for harvest of trout

TOKETEE LAKE: Fishing is open in Toketee all year round. As water temperatures slowly increase German Brown fishing will improve.

UMPQUA ESTUARY: Sturgeon fishing has been slow, some green sturgeon are being picked up in the Big Bend area. Pink fin perch fishing has been slow, but will improve as more pink fin move into to spawn.

UMPQUA HIGH LAKES AND FOREBAYS: A number of the high lakes, with truck access, have been stocked. Fishing in these lakes should be good and there should be large numbers of holdovers also. Many of the wilderness lakes are open and fishing for eastern brook trout is good. Check with the local Forest Service ranger districts on road conditions.

UMPQUA RIVER MAINSTEM: For those who have stuck with it on the mainstem spring chinook fishing finally picked up last week. A large school of spring chinook moved through last week and anglers were rewarded for their patience. Water flows are high enough to provide good access to most spring chinook hole by drift boat or sled. Shad fishing has been very good. Anglers are catching shad from Sawyers Rapids to River Forks. Smallmouth fishing is also picking up, with a number of large fish being caught around Elkton. Fishing for shad will last into August. Remember this section of the river is closed to wild steelhead retention.

UMPQUA RIVER, NORTH: Spring chinook and summer steelhead numbers crossing at Winchester Dam are slow. Chinook fishing at Amacher Park is sporadic, with some chinook being caught. Boat anglers need to remember to fish below the deadline, if anglers are caught fishing above the deadline they will be ticketed by OSP. Fishing remains sporadic. Last week fishing picked up in the Rock Creek area with a number of spring chinook being caught. This is a good time to visit and see spring chinook and steelhead in the viewing windows at the dam. Winchester Dam counts show that 1969 spring chinook and 127 summer steelhead have passed over the dam through May 19th.

UMPQUA RIVER, SOUTH: The South Umpqua is open for trout season.

WINCHESTER BAY: Crabbing has been slow but should improve as smaller crabs grow to legal size. Sturgeon fishing has also been slow but should improve as more food enters the estuary.