The Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission approved dozens of changes to the 2001 angling regulations last week that protect fish populations while giving Oregonians many fishing options.

The commission reviews the entire set of fishing rules every four years. Public meetings were held earlier this year to gain public input. In addition, the commission heard public testimony Friday and received dozens of written comments.

Below is a summary of the significant changes made to Oregon's sport fishing regulations. Many other changes were made to clarify regulations, make normal date shifts and, in some cases, to change seasons for conservation reasons. The new fishing
regulations will be distributed to license agents in December and will take effect Jan. 1, 2001.

Statewide:


All species: It is illegal to retain a fish with a radio tag inserted for research purposes. The
fish can be identified by an antenna trailing from its mouth or body.

Salmon/Steelhead: Anglers may not fish for jack salmon after they retain a limit of adult salmon or steelhead. The rule closes a loophole that allowed anglers to continue fishing for jack salmon with the same gear used for adult salmon and risk hooking adult salmon.

Bullfrogs: No angling license is required to take bullfrogs, a species non-native to Oregon.

Northwest Zone:


Rainbow trout: Two adipose clipped rainbow trout 16-20 inches may be harvested per day. This change allows anglers to harvest hatchery-reared large rainbow trout (sometimes called "jack steelhead") that have spent one year in salt water. Previously,
this had not been allowed because of concerns over sea-run cutthroat trout.

Coastal Cutthroat Trout: Fishing opportunity was expanded to allow a harvest of two trout per day with an 8-inch minimum in the mid-coast area (south of the Salmon River) in the summer fishing season. Bait is not allowed above tidewater.

The rule change allows harvest of both resident and sea-run cutthroat trout. Biological surveys show that healthy cutthroat populations are present throughout mid-coast streams and can sustain a limited harvest. Sea-run cutthroat trout do not actively feed when they return from the ocean, which reduces the risk to the adult population from angling.

Bass: A limit of one bass per day, any size, was established for Cape Mears Lake, Lake Lytle, Neoxie (Sunset) Lake, and Town Lake. Two limits may be in possession.

Yachats River Chinook: The catch limit for chinook was reduced to one chinook per day and five per year from two per day and 20 per year. The more restrictive limits were instituted to reduce risk to the depressed coastal coho population in the basin, increase consistency with the Yachats Basin Plan and increase the number of chinook spawners.

The Commission rejected more restrictive proposals because chinook returns have increased in recent years.

Nestucca River: All proposals related to the Nestucca River were withdrawn in August. A work group will be established to discuss fish management issues and present conclusions to the Commission next year for implementation in 2002.

Southwest Zone:


Cutthroat Trout: The Commission approved opening Umpqua Basin tributaries to cutthroat trout angling from late May through September 15. The bag limit is two trout per day, 8-inch minimum; flies and lures only.

Upper South Umpqua River, Steamboat Creek, Rock Creek, and Mill Creek will remain closed. The Umpqua Basin mainstem rivers and estuary fisheries are catch and release only from late May through October 31. Bait is allowed with hook restrictions.

The lower South Umpqua River, estuary streams, and the Smith River will be closed in September.

Coastal streams will open to catching two trout per day, 8-inch minimum from late May through October. This new rule only applies to those streams currently open to trout angling.

Rogue River Gear Restrictions: Several changes were made to Rogue River gear restrictions. From Foster Creek to Grave Creek, bait is no longer allowed Sept. 1 through Oct. 31. From the Gold Ray Dam to Cole Rivers Hatchery, the existing barbless, artificial fly restrictions Sept. 1-Oct. 31 remain unchanged. In August, November and December, the regulations allow artificial flies and lures. Jan. 1-July 31, bait is allowed with hook size No. 1 or larger.

Coquille River: The mainstem will be open for salmon seaward of Hwy 101 in July, where it had previously been closed. The remainder of the mainstem up to the South Fork remains open all year. Open dates for the finclipped coho fishery in the mainstem change slightly to Aug. 1 - Oct. 15.

Umpqua River Basin: Several changes were made to rules in this basin.

  • Striped bass: Angling allowed all year in the tidewater areas of the mainstem and tributaries of the Umpqua River. Bait is allowed with hook restrictions.

  • Cutthroat Trout: See above.


North Umpqua Fly Area gear restrictions: Currently, angling is restricted to the use of a
single, barbless artificial fly. From July 1 through Oct. 31, angling is now restricted to a single, barbless, unweighted fly and a floating (unweighted) fly line or monofilament line.

Willamette Zone:


Bass Catch Limits: The daily bag limit was reduced to no more than one bass longer than 15 inches from a previous limit of three in Bybee Lake and canal and Smith Lake and canal. In Henry Hagg Lake and St. Louis Ponds, the limits were reduced to allow the
harvest of one bass per day. In Foster Reservoir, the Willamette River above Albany, the Santiam River, and Calapooia basins, the daily bag and size limits were eliminated to reduce competition with native fish.

Foster Reservoir Seasons: A proposal to change the season from year-round was withdrawn after strong public opposition was voiced at a public meeting earlier in the month.

Henry Hagg Lake: A proposal to open the popular Portland-area lake year-round was withdrawn after an agreement could not be reached with Washington County Parks Department. The Parks Department opposed the proposal due to lack of funds to keep the park open all year. The Commission directed ODFW staff to meet with Washington County officials to negotiate an extension of angling seasons at Hagg Lake.

Sandy River: A proposal to allow angling from a floating device through Oxbow Park and the mouth of the river was rejected.

Long Tom River, mainstem Marys River, Mosby Creek, Row River above Dorena Reservoir, Willamette River, Coast Fork above Cottage Grove Reservoir: Expanded
catch and release trout seasons were established for winter months.

Hackleman Creek, Hidden Lake tributaries: A catch-and-release fishery with flies and lures only was established. The season is open late April through October.

St. Louis Ponds: Ponds will be open all year.

Trail Bridge Reservoir: Bait is no longer permitted, and all trout must be released unharmed.

Willamette Salmon and Steelhead: Anglers will be able to harvest two adipose-clipped rainbow trout (8-20 inches) per day. This change allows the harvest of fish that are sometimes called hatchery jack steelhead. Anglers may not continue fishing after
retaining their daily limit of adult steelhead.

McKenzie River: In sections 1 and 2, a fishery was established for adipose-clipped chinook salmon Jan. 1-Aug. 15. In section 3, a catch and release winter trout and steelhead fishery using artificial flies and lures was established. From April to December, anglers may harvest five adipose-clipped trout per day and bait is allowed.

Central Zone:


Trout season for streams: Catch limits changed to two trout per day, flies and lures only, open late May to October. Only one trout longer than 20 inches may be kept per day. No size or catch limits on the number of brook taken per day. The zone is closed to bull trout angling, except as noted in special regulations. The change simplifies the rules and provides additional protection for native trout.

Crooked River Trout: From Lake Billy Chinook to the South Fork, the river will be open all year with a two trout per day limit. Bait is allowed May-October. Angling is restricted to artificial flies and lures the remainder of the year.

Ochoco Creek upstream to Ochoco Dam: Will be open all year.

Crane Prairie Reservoir: Three proposals to change angling rules for Crane Prairie Reservoir were rejected. The current rules of five trout per day (no more than one over 20 inches), five bass per day (no more than three over 15 inches) and no limits on other warm-water game fish will stand. ODFW biologists recommended reviewing the rules again in four years.

Deschutes River: From Wickiup Reservoir to Crane Prairie Dam and from Crane Prairie Reservoir to Little Lava Lake, the adopted rules allow a two-trout-per-day limit from late May to Aug. 31. Existing rules did not allow the retention of rainbow trout in the two river reaches.

Davis Lake: Proposals to limit the harvest of wild trout were rejected.

Southeast:


Redband (rainbow) trout: Catch limits changed to two trout per day, artificial flies and lures only in many streams in southeastern Oregon to protect wild stocks. Previous rules allowed bait and a daily catch limit of five trout in most of the affected water bodies.

Water bodies affected include: Home Creek, Chewaucan River and its tributaries above Paisley, Spencer Creek, Sprague River upstream from Chiloquin Dam, Sycan River, Deming Creek, Goose Lake Basin streams, Fort Rock Basin streams, and Warner Basin streams.

Chewaucan River: Below the town of Paisley, the season is open late May through October. Bait is allowed and a two-trout-per-day limit was established. Upstream of Paisley, the river and tributaries are open year-round for angling with artificial flies and lures. The same two-trout-per-day limit applies.

Blitzen River Basin: The mainstem Blitzen, east Canal and tributaries upstream of Blitzen Crossing will be open all year, with a two-trout limit late May through Oct. 31 and catch and release Nov. 1 through late May. Artificial flies and lures only. The Little Blitzen River is catch and release all year, using artificial flies and lures.

Lahontan Cutthroat trout: A catch-and-release, year-round fishery was re-established for native Lahontan cutthroat trout in Whitehorse Creek and Willow Creek drainages because the populations have rebounded in recent years. Angling is restricted to artificial flies and lures.

Brook trout: A limit of five trout, including brook trout, was instituted in Pine Creek and the Power River. Previously, there were no limits on brook trout, but anglers had difficulty distinguishing between brook trout and native bull trout.

Williamson River: Angling allowed late May through Oct. 31 using artificial flies and lures only. Previous rules allowed bait from late May through July.

Bass: Size and catch limits were removed for smallmouth and largemouth bass in Klamath Basin lakes, Warner Basin lakes and Thompson Valley Reservoir to protect native species.

Wood River Basin: Proposals to change the season opening date in the Wood River Basin were withdrawn.

Northeast:


Brook Trout: Harvested brook trout will be included in the five-trout daily limit in streams. No new limits were imposed on brook trout in northeastern Oregon lakes. Many anglers were unable to distinguish between non-native brook trout and the native
bull trout.

Bass: A slot limit will be added for bass in the John Day River upstream of Tumwater Falls to the North Fork to increase the number of large smallmouth bass. Of the five-bass daily limit, no more than one may be over 16 inches and bass between 12 and 16 inches
must be released.

Lookingglass Creek and Minam River and tributaries: Angling is restricted to artificial flies and lures to reduce incidental hooking mortality of bull trout.

Umatilla River: Open to spring chinook salmon fishing mid-April through June with a catch limit of two per day and a 10-adult-spring-chinook limit per year. The river will be closed to fishing for warm-water species upstream of the footbridge in the City of Umatilla mid-April through late May.