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For the first time in recent history, the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife will open the upper Snake River for fall chinook harvest on September 1.
The chinook fishery will open to sport fishing seven days a week, running with the annual Hell’s Canyon steelhead fishery. The river will be open from the Oregon / Washington border to the deadline below Hells Canyon Dam and will remain open until Oct. 31, or until a closure is announced.
The daily bag limit is two adipose fin-clipped fall chinook salmon per day, only one of which can be an adult salmon longer than 24 inches. Regulations call for only using barbless hooks when fishing; be sure to consult the 2010 Oregon Sport Fishing Regulations for other applicable regulations.
Fishery managers predict Continue reading Snake River Fall Chinook Season Starts Sept 1 in Oregon
If you fish in Missiouri, you can earn money for catching fish. NO, not bass or any other trophy fish. Cash for catfish.
That’s right, anglers love telling fish stories, and now, the Missouri will pay anglers for their fish stories.
In its continuing effort to put catfish management on a firm scientific footing, the Missouri Department of Conservation has tagged thousands of blue and flathead catfish in lakes and streams throughout the state. In years past, those tags carried rewards ranging from $25 to $50 for anglers who reported catching tagged catfish. More recently, the agency upped the ante, offering as much as $150 for some tagged catfish.
<h3>Tagged Catfish Helps Data Gathering</h3>
Fisheries biologists have long used tagging studies to learn how long fish live, how fast they grow, where they move and other information that is useful in setting fishing seasons and creel limits. However, tagging accomplishes nothing unless anglers report catching tagged fish.
Each time an angler finds a tag and reports it by calling the phone number printed on the tag, fisheries managers get a clearer picture of fish population dynamics. The more data that is gathered, the clearer the picture becomes.
The percentage of tagged fish reported by anglers helps biologists estimate what percentage of the overall fish population is caught by anglers each year. Such estimates are helpful when establishing fishing regulations.
Tag returns from anglers can underestimate the actual harvest, however. Some anglers are glad to report tagged fish in return for information they receive about the fish they caught. For others, however, even a $25 reward is not enough to make a phone call.
So the department put its money where its mouth is. Congratulations Missouri. Determining non-returns is a key part of every fish tagging study. So is estimating the number of non-returns accurately.
To get a better handle on the number of non-returns, the Conservation Department offers a $150 reward for some tags. The assumption is that almost every angler will return a tag for that amount. Comparing the rate of return on $25 and $150 tags will give researchers a good idea what percentage of fish with $25 tags are not reported when anglers catch them.
Conservation Department workers have tagged more than 7,000 flathead and blue catfish that are 12 inches and larger in recent years. The “dangler” reward tags are small plastic ovals attached just under the dorsal fin on the tops of fishes’ backs.
Most of the tags have rewards of $25. The reward amount and the phone number for the angler to call are printed on the tags. Anglers also are asked to report when, where and how they caught each fish, along with its length and whether they kept or released the fish.
Tagged catfish are swimming in parts of the Fabius, Gasconade, Grand, Lamine, Marmaton, Platte, South Grand rivers, the upper Mississippi River near Hannibal and the Missouri River around the mouths of the Platte, Grand, Lamine and Gasconade rivers.
“Anglers don’t have to keep a fish to get the reward,” said Resource Scientist Zach Ford, who oversees the catfish harvest evaluation project. “If they catch a tagged flathead or blue catfish and choose to release it, all they have to do is clip off the tag, call the phone number printed on the tag and mail it in. They will get the reward amount marked on the tag, along with a letter describing when and where the fish was originally tagged. They get the tag back, too. Some people like to have them for keepsakes.”
To learn more about the Conservation Department’s catfish management work, visit mdc.mo.gov/7228, and click on “How we manage them.”
The oil spill cleanup continues and will continue for some time. While it continues, anglers and boaters are warned to travel slowly around the cleanup. Florida recently issued a release indicating such.
Because of the large number of oil-containment booms and cleanup equipment being deployed around the state in response to the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s (FWC) Boating and Waterways Section is asking boaters to slow down where oil cleanup is under way.
This reporter continues to be amazed at how our Gulf Coast is getting crushed by this catastrophe, yet not enough attention is being paid to this crisis. Hopefully, the spill is going to be contained in the upcoming days and the cleanup can begin in earnest.
The FWC encourages all boaters to operate at slow speed within 300 feet of all authorized booms. Boaters operating near any oil-containment booms or cleanup equipment should exercise extreme caution and comply with all applicable navigational rules. Oil-skimming equipment is large and cumbersome, and it is restricted in its ability to maneuver. As a result, boaters should be prepared to stay clear of these vessels when operating near them.
Failure to operate at slow speed in these areas could result in injury, damage to vessels and damage to the containment booms. Additionally, the wake that results from a vessel operating above slow speed in areas where a boom has been deployed can reduce the effectiveness of the boom, resulting in further environmental damage.
FWC officers and local marine units will be on the water encouraging boaters to operate at slow speed in those areas where cleanup efforts are under way.
The Imnaha and Wallowa rivers in Northeast Oregon will remain open to hatchery spring chinook fishing until further notice, fishery managers announced today.
“So far this year, unseasonably high water has really limited fishing opportunities,” said Jeff Yanke, ODFW district fish biologist in Enterprise. “This means we’re able to extend the season so anglers and local communities can benefit from this strong salmon run.”
With local runs complete at Bonneville Dam, ODFW biologists now estimate 8,000 adult spring chinook will return to both the Imnaha and Wallowa Rivers. Approximately 75 percent of the total return to each river will be marked hatchery fish available for harvest.
Current fishery regulations will apply through the extension period. Anglers are reminded to ask permission before entering private property to fish, and to pick up trash when leaving. In addition, anglers are asked to respect tribal members that may also be fishing for spring chinook using traditional methods.
“The duration of the fishery will depend on environmental conditions and angler success, both of which we will be monitoring carefully”, said Yanke. “Our goal is to optimize the fishing opportunity while meeting our conservation responsibility”.
The Arizona Division of Fish & Game advised anglers that because of unanticipated problems with the July 1 channel catfish stockings, only 10 out of the 20 Urban Fishing Program lakes received fish. Consequently, fishing conditions at some lakes for the July 4 holiday weekend will only be fair to poor. Below is a listing of waters that were and were not stocked.
Urban Fishing Program waters STOCKED with catfish in fair condition include:
- Lakeside Lake (Tucson)
- Kennedy Lake (Tucson)
- Silverbell Lake (Tucson)
- Sahuarita Lake (Sahuarita)
- Red Mountain Lake (Mesa)
- Water Ranch Lake (Gilbert)
- Veterans Oasis Lake (Chandler)
- Kiwanis Lake (Tempe) (50 percent of normal)
- Alvord Lake (Phoenix) (50 percent of normal)
- Desert West (Phoenix)
Waters NOT STOCKED include:
- Desert Breeze Lake (Chandler)
- Riverview Lake (Mesa)
- Rio Vista Pond (Peoria)
- Chaparral Lake (Scottsdale)
- Evelyn Hallman Pond (Tempe)
- Cortez Lake (Phoenix)
- Encanto Lake (Phoenix)
- Papago Ponds (Phoenix)
- Steele Indian School Pond (Phoenix)
- Surprise Lake (Surprise)
The division indicated that many of the 1.5- to 3-pound catfish arrived in Arizona in a stressed, weakened condition early July 1. The vendor that has been delivering excellent fish for more than seven years explained that his fish pond supplier apparently hadn’t taken the usual measures to ensure the 14,000 pounds of catfish were strong, fit and unstressed at the point of loading into the two large delivery trucks. Consequently, the 8,000 fish grew weaker as they travelled the 1,600 miles over two days to get to Arizona Urban lakes.
Game and Fish biologists worked relentlessly with the delivery crews to sort out the strongest fish for release into the lakes, but many fish had to be removed from the lakes at the point of stocking.
The Division expects that the catfish vendor will return to Arizona next week around July 7-9 with a fresh load of catfish to stock all waters that did not get fish, and to add more fish to Alvord, Kiwanis and Veterans Oasis Lakes.
This is the first catfish delivery out of the last 36, spanning a three-year period, in which all lakes were not successfully stocked as scheduled. The Division publicly stated that they apologize for not being able to provide anglers with the high-quality level of fishing you would expect at our Urban Program Lakes this 4th of July weekend.
California’s Department of Fish and Game (DFG) completed the release of 16.5 million young Sacramento Fall-Run Chinook salmon in northern California on June 15. The majority of the young salmon, called smolts, were placed into acclimation pens in San Pablo Bay prior to release, while others were released in rivers that flow to the bay.
Smolts that survive to adulthood will return in two to four years to spawn in Central Valley rivers, boosting the recovery of the species in California waters.
“We hope this year’s above-average water flow and the use of a variety of release sites will improve the overall survival of the smolts and increase the return of adult salmon to their home rivers,” said Neil Manji, DFG Fisheries Branch Chief.
On June 8, the last major release of 650,000 Sacramento Fall-Run Chinook smolts took place near Mare Island Straits adjacent to San Pablo Bay. They were trucked from Nimbus Hatchery in Rancho Cordova to the site, confined in net pens to acclimate and towed out into the bay and released on the outgoing tide. The acclimation pens are operated by the nonprofit Fishery Foundation of California (FFC).
Part of A Larger Effort
Since the collapse of the Sacramento Fall-Run Chinook salmon stocks in 2007, DFG has stepped up acclimation efforts and selected new release sites to help improve survival rates. This year, new sites for release included the mouth of the American River (to boost returns to the American River) and Eddos Harbor on the San Joaquin River near the Antioch Bridge (to boost returns to Mokelumne and Merced rivers).
“The releases went well,” said Biologist Kari Burr, FFC Acclimation Project Manager. “Once adults return and information is collected, biologists will be able to fine-tune release locations for the coming years.”
At release sites in the San Pablo Bay and Eddos Harbor, acclimation pens provided safe haven for the 3- to 5-inch-long salmon when they were released from pitch-dark transport tanks into bay and river waters. The pens allow the smolts to adjust to their new surroundings inside the safety of the net pens.
The release sites were selected in order to minimize in-river losses due to predation, pollution and other causes, and to help minimize the number of salmon that return to a different river than the one where they were raised.
The salmon smolts were raised at and trucked in from four DFG-operated Central Valley hatcheries.
A Long Road Ahead
Smolts that survive to adulthood will return in two to four years to spawn in Central Valley rivers, boosting the recovery of the species in California waters. “We hope this year’s above-average water flow and the use of a variety of release sites will improve the overall survival of the smolts and increase the return of adult salmon to their home rivers,” said Neil Manji, DFG Fisheries Branch Chief.
You’ve got to love it when a Department of Fish and Game gets on the forefront and releases a cool mobile application. Who isn’t going to benefit from mobile communications more than anglers?
Looking to learn where to go, what to catch and how to catch it? Besides cool sites like The Local Fisherman, how are you going to find it when you’re actually out and about?
California just came up with the solution.
The California Department of Fish and Game (DFG) has released a mobile Fishing Guide web application that provides access to fishing locations, latest fish planting sites and fishing license sales locations. The web app, which is optimized for iPhone, Android and Blackberry smartphones, Continue reading CA DFG Releases Mobile App
The Arizona Game and Fish Department recently announced that the spring catfish stocking season that includes eight deliveries of fish every other week will end the week of June 28-July 3. Every stocking, 14,000 pounds of 14-20 inch channel catfish, are delivered from Arkansas to Arizona’s 20 “Urban Fishing Program” waters in the Phoenix and Tucson areas.
Coming from fish ponds in Arkansas, the fish farms drive a total of over 50,000 miles on their large rigs to truck catfish into Arizona’s park lakes during the spring stocking season.
Warming lake temperatures and air temperatures make it impractical to haul live fish into Arizona’s Urban Lakes and Ponds during the heat of the summer. Consequently, the state stops scheduling fish stockings for July, August, and the first half of September.
Catfish stockings resume again in mid-September when lake and air temperatures cool enough to safely transport fish across the hot desert and into the Urban waters. Anglers can still fish for catfish, bass and bluegill at Urban waters throughout the summer, but the action is generally slower.
The Chinook season is now open on several Idaho rivers, according to the Idaho Fish and Game Division. All seasons continue until further notice.
The upper Salmon and South Fork Salmon rivers opened on June 12.
Upper Salmon
- Ellis Area – from the cable car crossing at the USGS flow gauging station about 150 yards downstream of Island Park in Salmon, upstream to the posted boundary about 20 yards above the mouth of the Pahsimeroi River in Ellis.
South Fork Salmon River
- Lower – from the U.S. Forest Service bridge on Forest Service Road 48 – East Fork South Fork Road-Lick Creek Road – that crosses just upstream from the confluence with the East Fork South Fork Salmon River – upstream about 16 miles to a posted boundary about one mile upstream from Fourmile Campground. (About two miles downstream from Poverty Flat Campground).
- Upper – from a posted boundary about one mile from Fourmile Campground, upstream about 17 miles to a posted boundary about 100 yards downstream from the Idaho Fish and Game South Fork Salmon River weir and trap.
On these waters, the daily limit is five Chinook salmon, only three of which may be adults, and the possession limit is 15 Chinook only nine of which may be adults. Adult Chinook salmon are 24 inches or more long, jacks are less than 24 inches in length.
The following are also open:
Clearwater River, mainstem:
- Upper – from the Orofino Bridge upstream to the South Fork Clearwater River.
South Fork Clearwater: From its mouth to the confluence of the American and Red rivers.
Middle Fork Clearwater: From the South Fork upstream to the confluence of the Lochsa and Selway rivers.
On the Clearwater, the daily limit is three salmon per day, no more than one of which may be an adult; the possession limit is nine, no more than three may be adults.
Lower Salmon River
- Pine Bar – From the Rice Creek Bridge upstream to the posted boundary about 200 yards downstream of the Hammer Creek boat ramp. This is a new section added this year.
- Hammer Creek – From a posted boundary about 200 yards downstream from the Hammer Creek boat ramp upstream to the U.S. Highway 95 Time Zone Bridge.
- Park Hole – From the Time Zone Bridge upstream to a posted boundary at the mouth of Short’s Creek, about 1.4 miles upstream of the mouth of the Little Salmon River.
Little Salmon:
- Lower – From the mouth to a posted boundary about 200 yards upstream of the mouth of the Rapid River.
- Upper – from the posted boundary about 200 yards upstream of the Rapid River upstream to the U.S. Highway 95 Bridge near Smokey Boulder Road.
On the Lower Salmon and Little Salmon, the daily limit is five salmon, only three of which may be adults; the possession limit is 15, only nine may be adults.
Snake River: From the Dug Bar boat ramp upstream to Hells Canyon Dam.
The daily limit is four salmon per day, no more than two of which may be adults; the possession limit is 12 salmon, no more than six may be adults.
Lochsa River: From its mouth to the Twin Bridges immediately upstream from the confluence of Crooked Fork and Colt Killed Creeks. The daily limit is three salmon per day, no more than one of which may be an adult; the possession limit is nine, no more than three may be adults.
Other Chinook Season Openers
Opening June 19:
Lower Salmon:
- Vinegar Creek – From posted boundary at the mouth of Shorts’ Creek upstream to the uppermost boat ramp at Vinegar Creek. The daily limit is five salmon, only three of which may be adults; the possession limit is 15, only nine may be adults.
Opening July 3 through July 5:
Upper Salmon: from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m.
- Stanley reach – on July 3 and close July 5 from the posted boundary about 20 yards upstream of Valley Creek in Stanley, upstream to the posted boundary 100 yards downstream of the weir at Sawtooth Hatchery. The daily limit is three Chinook salmon, only one of which may be an adult; the possession limit is nine Chinook, only three of which may be adults.
The statewide limit for adult Chinook has been raised to 40 for the year.
For additional rules and restrictions, please refer to the 2010 Spring Chinook Salmon Seasons and Rules brochure, or check the Fish and Game Website at: http://fishandgame.idaho.gov. All salmon anglers 14 years old and older must have a 2010 Idaho fishing license and salmon permit.
Idaho Fish and Game, in cooperation with the Panhandle Bass Club, has planned youth fishing clinics at Rose Lake for Saturday, June 19.
For safety, Fish and Game wants all anglers not involved in the clinic to know that the main boat launch at Rose Lake will have limited availability before 5 p.m. on June 19.
The Fish and Game Department is encouraging anglers to avoid Rose Lake before 5 p.m. on Saturday if they plan to use the main boat launch. Fish and Game suggests anglers use the Medimont launch on other nearby lakes such as Cave and Medicine. Nearby Killarney Lake is also recommended to avoid long waits for boat ramp access. After 5 p.m., boat access to Rose Lake should return to normal.
While Fish and Game holds numerous hunting and fishing events, this is the first time Fish and Game has offered this particular clinic. The focus is to encourage youngsters to participate in outdoor activities and perhaps choose fishing as a lifetime sport.
“We are very excited with the response,” Fish and Game Regional Conservation Officer Craig Walker said. “Within a couple of days of announcing the event in the local media, all 60 spaces were full.”
The number of participants in the event is limited, as the Panhandle Bass Club will be providing boats and individual instruction for young anglers. All spaces are taken. The clinics are full and there is a waiting list. No additional registrations are being accepted.
Fish and Game hopes this will become an annual event and hope they will be able to provide this opportunity to additional new, young anglers every year.
Fishing continues to be a solid sport for children and something that anglers cherish. Programs like this show that it’s still working.
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