The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) is hosting a free youth angling event this Saturday, September 26, at West Salish Pond in Fairview.
According to an ODFW press release, the pond will be stocked with 1,200 legal size rainbow trout and 1,000 larger trout. Additionally, the department will also supply fishing gear including rods, reels, bait, tackle, and fish bags for use by young anglers who do not have their own fishing equipment. ODFW staff and volunteers will be on hand from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. to answer questions and offer assistance to less experienced anglers.
The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) is hosting 14 pheasant hunts for youth (17 and under) during the month of September. Additionally, youth 15 and under have the opportunity to participate in a youth-only waterfowl hunt September 26-27 (before the official opening of waterfowl season in October). All the hunts will include a review of safe hunting practices and most will offer the chance to practice shotgun skills prior to going hunting.
In order to participate in the bird hunts, youth must have passed a certified hunter education class and must be accompanied by an adult (21 and older) who may not hunt during the event. Participants are encouraged to bring their own hunting gear, however, extra blaze orange clothing and eye protection will be available at all events.
Anglers, salmon season on the Columbia River is here! And with the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) predicting a generous number of returning coho and chinook salmon, there’s no better time to fish.
A staggering 700,000 coho salmon are expected to return this fall as well as 500,000 chinook salmon. If estimates are correct, this will be the largest coho return since 2001.
This week has been a hot one in the Pacific Northwest! And with extremely warm summer temperatures, the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) is asking anglers to take special care when catching and releasing fish.
“Fish mortality can increase drastically when water temperatures reach 74 degrees,” explained ODFW officials. “Since warm water does not hold as much oxygen as cooler water, fish are getting less oxygen while they are being caught, and take longer to recover once they are released.”
Oregon and Washington extended the white sturgeon fishing season in the lower Columbia River, giving anglers a chance to catch the 4,100 fish still available under the season’s harvest limit.
Now, anglers will have two additional opportunities to legally fish white sturgeon on the Columbia. The first three-day retention period will take place Friday, July 10 through Sunday, July 12. The second period will take place Friday, July 17 through Sunday, July 19.
The all-depth sport halibut fishery off the central Oregon coast will be open July 2 through 4, said an Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) news release. Additionally, the fishery may continue on one or more of the following days (if quota is not met): July 16-18 and 30-31.
“The weather did not cooperate during a portion of the previous opening which kept anglers in port or fishing for other species, leaving sufficient quota to keep the fishery open,” said Lynn Mattes, sport halibut assistant project leader for ODFW.
The Imnaha and Wallowa rivers in Northeast Oregon will open to hatchery spring chinook fishing Saturday, June 13, announced the Oregon Department of Fish and WIldlife (ODFW).
From June 13 through July 12, anglers may fish for spring chinook from the mouth of the Imnaha River upstream 45 miles to Summit Creek Bridge. The Wallowa River will be open from the deadline at the lower end of Minam State Park upstream to the mouth of the Lostine River.
