Road Damage Limits Idaho’s South Fork of Salmon River’s Road Travel

Just days before the salmon season opener on the South Fork of the Salmon River, three days of heavy rain in early June transformed the otherwise placid South Fork into a boiling tempest. The swollen river quickly carved out a 400-foot swath of roadway that will limit travel for months to come.

This will impact the entire season on the Salmon River, Idaho Fish and Game Division are indicating.

Because the damage occurred on Payette National Forest lands, the U.S. Forest Service will be responsible for managing repairs and regulating travel. Updated travel information is available on the U.S. Forest Service Web site at: http://www.fs.fed.us/r4/payette/. Anglers are encouraged to reference the site for current information.

The roadway damage occurred near milepost 23 just downstream of Buckhorn Creek, about 1 mile upstream from Buckhorn Campground. Within the 400-foot stretch, about half of the South Fork Road’s width was washed away, forcing its immediate closure.

With the South Fork’s salmon season opening on June 12, Fish and Game has been working with the Forest Service to accommodate anglers as effectively and safely as possible.

The Forest Service is allowing motorcycles and ATVs to traverse the damaged roadway below Buckhorn Creek; the road remains closed indefinitely to larger vehicles.
Camping will not be allowed at Buckhorn Bridge as this area will be used for traffic turnaround.
Anglers who want to fish the South Fork below Buckhorn Creek should plan on accessing this area via Yellow Pine. Lick Creek Road out of McCall remains closed due to snow and will remain closed for at least two more weeks.
Additional road restrictions could be imposed by the Forest Service.

Even with the season opener set, anglers have no compelling reason to venture out; Fish and Game staff reports that the South Fork still remains unfishable.

“The South Fork is still running high with a large amount of debris moving downriver,” Fish and Game fisheries manager Dale Allen said. “We have no indication that salmon have yet moved into the river and with more rain in the forecast, opening weekend will not be the time to fish for salmon.”

The best thing to do? Before fishing this stretch, first check to see if it’s passable, then see if it’s fishable. In time, it will be. Just be patient.

Illinois Holding Urban Fishing Clinics All Summer Throughout State

Most of us that are on a site like this love to fish. While we may initially want to keep the sport to ourselves, the more that love fishing, the more we can have our voice heard with conservation issues that are critical to keeping good fishing opportunities.

Learning how to fish is fun, easy and free for youngsters and families throughout Illinois this summer, thanks to the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) Urban Fishing Program. Free fishing clinics are planned at more than 30 locations throughout the state.

“Fishing is a great way for families to spend time together outdoors, and each summer our urban fishing clinics give thousands of children a chance to experience the fun of fishing,” said IDNR Director Marc Miller. “The clinic instructors provide basic instruction on how to fish, and with those lessons we expect a lot of kids will become hooked on fishing.”

The free Urban Fishing Program clinics are targeted toward children, ages 16 and younger, but anyone interested in learning basic fishing techniques are welcome to attend.

What a great program — aimed at kids, those that will help continue the sport. We need to have more of these programs throughout the state. The best part about it? It encourages bringing the family together.

“Parents and grandparents are urged to come along and attend any of our programs with their children,” said IDNR Central Illinois Urban Fishing Program Coordinator Herb Dreier. “Their experiences will create excitement that will provide many memorable family discussions.”

Fishing clinic instructors present information on fish and other aquatic life, rules and regulations for fishing, as well as basic instruction on baiting a hook, tying a knot, casting, important tactics on how to catch fish and how to handle and return fish to the water. As part of each clinic, participants are provided with rods, reels, bait and tackle for 90 minutes of catch-and-release fishing.

Statewide Fishing Clinics

Urban Fishing clinics are presented on weekdays during the late spring and summer months at 38 locations throughout the state. In addition to the scheduled clinics outlined below, fishing clinics can also be arranged for scouts, seniors, civic clubs and groups with special needs.

Science and physical education teachers interested in starting a fishing program in their schools can also contact the IDNR Urban Fishing coordinator in their area to get more information.

“Fishing is truly an activity that can develop into a lifelong hobby. Once a person knows the basics of fishing including how to catch fish, it can be an exciting and addictive activity,” Dreier said.

The Illinois Urban Fishing Program was introduced in Chicago in 1985 to teach individuals of all ages to fish, to provide better local fishing opportunities and to give participants an understanding of and a greater appreciation for natural resources. Urban Fishing Program coordinators also hold non-fishing conservation education programs and visit schools during the fall, winter and spring.

In addition to the fishing clinics, the IDNR provides fishing opportunities to anglers of all ages through the popular Access to Fishing initiative in which fishing gear can be borrowed at more than 155 locations statewide. The loan program provides the opportunity to borrow rods, reels and tackle packs. Participating loaner locations include many public libraries, park and forest preserve districts, bait shops, recreation departments and other locations. A list of sites offering access to fishing gear is available by checking the web site at www.ifishill inois.org or by phoning the IDNR Urban Fishing Program at 217/782-6424.

The schedule of 2010 Urban Fishing clinic dates, locations and contact information is listed below:

Chicago Area
June 23 – August 20
Chicago Park District Lagoons
Columbus
Gompers
Humboldt/Douglas
Jackson
Marquette
McKinley
Sherman
Washington
(Contact: Chicago Fishing Coordinator Brenda McKinney, 847/294-4137)

Northern Illinois
June 17 – August 11
Glen Oak Park Lagoon, Peoria (Peoria Park District, 309/681-2865)
Levings Lake, Rockford (815/625-2968)
Big Pond, Boone County Conservation District, Belvidere (815/624-2968)
Mill Race Ponds, Belvidere (815/625-2968)
(Contact: Region I Fisheries Administrator Dan Sallee, 815/625-2968)

Central Illinois
June 7 – August 6
Miller Park, Bloomington (309/434-2260)
Crystal Lake Park, Urbana (June 14 – August 6 only; 217/367-1544)
Fairview Park, Decatur (217/422-5911)
Washington Park, Springfield (217/753-6224)
(Contact: Central Illinois Coordinator Herb Dreier, 217/935-6860 ext. 238 or 217/622-4266)

Southern Illinois
June 7 – August 6
Veterans Park Lake, Mt. Vernon (June 7 – July 2 only, 618/242-6890)
Foundation Park Pond, Centralia (July 6 – August 6 only, 618/532-4311)
SIU Campus Lake, Carbondale (June 7 – August 6, 618/453-6088)
Jones Lake at Kenneth Hall Park, East St. Louis (618/874-3600 or 618/444-0388)
Gordon Moore Park Lake, Alton (618/462-1181)
(Contact: Southern Illinois Coordinator Mark Yehling, 618/462-1181 ext. 155)

Illinois State Fair
August 13 – 22
Conservation World – five clinics daily
(Contact: Herb Dreier, 217/935-6860 ext. 238 or 217/622-4266)

Du Quoin State Fair
August 27 – September 6
Conservation Village Aquatic Area – daily clinics
(Contact: Mark Yehling, 618/462-1181 ext. 155)

Southern Illinois Hunting and Fishing Days
September 25 – 26
IDNR Aquatic Area, John A. Logan College, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. both days

Several additional clinic opportunities will again be available this year. Prospective participants should phone ahead for information on the following clinic locations and schedules:

Northwest Illinois Clinics
Lost Nation Lake, Dixon (Jerry Sellers, 815/652-3761)
Lutheran Outdoor Ministries Camp (LOMC), Oregon (Tim Benedict, 815/732-2220)

Central Illinois Clinics
Charleston Park and Recreation Department, Charleston (217/345-6897)
Kennekuk Cove County Park, Danville (217/442-1691)
Human Resources Center, Paris (217/465-4118)
McLean County Conservation District, Hudson (309/726-2022)
Pittsfield Park District, Pittsfield (217/285-4484)
Quincy Parks Department, Quincy (217/223-7703)
Watseka Park District, Watseka (815/432-3931)
Weldon Springs State Park, Clinton (217/935-0373)
Heartland Community College, Normal (Janet Beach-Davis, 309/268-8513)

Southern Illinois Clinics
Granite City Park District, Granite City (618/877-3059)
O’Fallon Parks and Recreation, O’Fallon (618/624-0139)
Shawnee Community College “Fish Tales”, Ullin (618/524-2270)

Oregon Drops Bag Limit for Thief Valley

The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife) announced that it is dropping the higher trout bag limit implemented at Thief Valley Reservoir because of recent rains. Effective June 11, 2010 the trout bag limit at Thief Valley Reservoir will return to the regular daily bag limit of five, with an 8-inch minimum length. All other regulations for Thief Valley Reservoir are unchanged.

In early May, Oregon’s Division liberalized the bag limit at Thief Valley Reservoir because they though that the summer reservoir levels would be low due to below average snowpack. The heavy rains in recent weeks have changed the water outlook for the summer, meaning that the reservoir will likely not reach ritically low levels which could lead to high losses of the trout. The Department is returning the daily bag limit to 5 trout to protect the crop of large trout from over-harvest. This should provide excellent fishing for large trout through next spring, according to the Division.

Thief Valley Reservoir is located on the Powder River near Baker City in the Southeast Oregon fishing zone.

Oregon Halibut Season Extended by Three Days

Fishery managers added three days to the all-depth sport halibut fishery off the central Oregon coast. Fishing for Pacific halibut will be open June 17 through 19 at all depths.

“Weather kept many boats in port during several of the all-depth halibut days this spring, resulting in sufficient quota to allow the fishery to continue,” said Lynn Mattes, halibut project leader for the Oregon Division of Fish & Wildlife.

Oregon’s spring season for the central coast area – from Cape Falcon (30 miles south of the Columbia River) to Humbug Mountain (south of Port Orford) – opened May 13 on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays only. It could have closed as early as June 5 if the 105,948-pound quota had been taken.

At current, the DFW is indicating that the fishery will be open June 17-19 and may continue on one or more of the following days: July 1-3, 15-17 and 29-31 until the quota is met.

“These dates were set pre-season in case quota remained after the fixed dates,” Mattes said.

Open dates will be announced on the National Marine Fisheries Service hotline (1-800-662-9825) and posted on the ODFW Marine Resources Program Web site at: www.dfw.state.or.us/MRP/.

Summer Season Starts August 6

The central coast all-depth fishery summer season opens Aug. 6 and is scheduled to be open every other Friday and Saturday until the combined spring and summer season all-depth quota of 141,265 pounds is taken or Oct. 31, whichever comes first.

The high-relief area of Stonewall Bank is closed to halibut fishing to reduce incidental catch of yelloweye rockfish and canary rockfish. Both species are considered over fished and must be released immediately. The closed area is defined by latitude and longitude waypoints, which are available on the Marine Resources Program Web site: http://www.dfw.state.or.us/MRP/regulations/sport_fishing/stonewall.asp

The daily bag limit is one fish and there is no minimum length for Pacific halibut. The possession limit is one daily limit at sea and three daily limits on land. The annual limit per angler is six fish.

Remember when fishing for halibut that possession of groundfish is not allowed north of Humbug Mountain when a Pacific halibut is aboard their vessel during all-depth Pacific halibut dates. The exceptions are Pacific cod (true cod, not lingcod) and sablefish (black cod). These fish can be kept with halibut between Humbug Mountain and Cape Falcon.

Other non-groundfish species, such as tuna and salmon during authorized seasons, may be possessed with halibut on open all-depth Pacific halibut days.

These regulations can be tricky, so make sure that you’re up-to-speed with them. More details on regulations can be found at: http://www.dfw.state.or.us/MRP/finfish/halibut/seasonmaps/Halibut%202010%20regs%2003152010.pdf or in the 2010 Oregon Sport Ocean Regulations for Salmon, Halibut and other Marine Species booklet. General regulations can be found in the 2010Oregon Sport Fishing Regulations booklet.

Salmon Seasons Opening On Idaho’s Upper Salmon & South Fork

Idaho’s Fish & Game announced that the chinook salmon seasons open Saturday, June 12, on the South Fork Salmon River and on parts of the Upper Salmon River. A short season will open over the 4th of July weekend in the Stanley area.

The South Fork Salmon River will be open from 5:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. starting Saturday, until further notice. However, much of the river is unfishable because of recent rains and runoff.

The lower South Fork Salmon River will be open 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).

The upper South Fork Salmon River will be open 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.

Limits are five Chinook per day, only three of which may be adults; the possession limit is 15 in possession, 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 Upper Salmon in the river section referred to as the Ellis Area will be open from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. MST starting June 12 until further notice. The Ellis area is open 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.

The daily limit is five Chinook salmon, only three of which may be adults; the possession limit is 15 Chinook, only nine of which may be adults.

The upper Salmon near Stanley will open from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. only on July 3, 4 and 5. It will be open 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 Fish and Game Division has stated that the season is short in this reach because of the small number of harvestable fish returning to the upper Salmon River. The daily limit is three Chinook, only one of which may be an adult, and the possession limit is nine Chinook, only three of which may be adults.

Other Chinook salmon stocks are returning to Idaho hatcheries in significant numbers. In typical years, more than 1 million smolts are released from Sawtooth Hatchery.

The Fish and Game Division has indicated that this year’s fishery is mainly supported by four-year-old fish returning from the 2008 release when only 174,000 smolts were released. To get the most out of the fish returning to the hatchery, none were marked for harvest. Therefore, this upper river fishery will be supported exclusively by a few five-year-old fish and jacks.

The statewide limit for adult Chinook is 40 for the season.

Pennsylvania Fish Kills Results In Do Not Eat Advisory for Pymatuning Reservoir

A recent fish kill in Pennsylvania’s Pymatuning Reservoir has resulted in a Do Not Eat advisory issued by the Federal Government. The Department of Environmental Protection issued this consumption advisory for all species of fish taken from the Pymatuning Reservoir in Crawford County while officials investigate the cause of a large fish kill that has occurred over the past two weeks.

The advisory was issued after approximately 2,500 dead fish were found in various locations in the reservoir beginning on Saturday, May 15.

Water samples have been collected and are being tested at the DEP laboratory in Harrisburg. Fish samples are being tested by the Fish and Boat Commission and at Cornell University. The Ohio Department of Parks is assisting in the investigation.

The Do Not Eat consumption advisory will remain in place until investigators can determine that there is not a danger to public health and safety.

New Mexico Fishing Report: Tough Fishing in Some Places, Great Fishing Elsewhere

We got a pretty comprehensive report from the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish and The Fish Phone. Overall, action varies depending on the location, but as you head south, the fishing seems to get better. Get out there and fish if you can — there’s nothing like being outside and landing a lunker. Good luck!

Northwest

In the Northwest, many impoundments were high and muddy or murky, making fishing difficult. Some walleye were taken by anglers.

Animas River – The flow is at 2,860 cfs. The water is high, muddy and not fishable.
Chama River – Upper section flow is at 1,810 cfs and the water is still high and muddy. Fishing is poor. Below El Vado Dam, the flow is 400 cfs and the water is green, high and murky. Fishing is fair to good for 17-21 inch browns on night crawlers or gold and black Panther Martins. Stocker size rainbows are good with salmon eggs.

Continue reading New Mexico Fishing Report: Hit or Miss Fishing As Trout Rule the Reports

How much carbon is stored by the oceans? Putting robots on the case

How much carbon is stored by the oceans? Putting robots on the case
Marine plankton convert a huge portion of the carbon in seawater into seafood. Exactly how much of this biological carbon is stored in the oceans has a tremendous impact on future climate scenarios. Jim Bishop, a Berkeley professor of earth and planetary science, has designed robots that can measure ocean carbon in all seasons and weathers.
Read more on UC Berkeley NewsCenter

Oyster Task Force Discusses Fishing Closures
One of the biggest delicacies impacted by the oil spill has been oysters. Members of the Louisiana Oyster Task Force got together Tuesday to try to get answers about their futures.
Read more on WDSU New Orleans

Fishing for deals
Lincoln Blanco Fishing can become a pretty expensive lifestyle. From boats, to bait and tackle. What we end up investing in fishing, most people can retire on.
Read more on Kern Valley Sun

New Mexico Fishing Report

There’s plenty of fish being caught in New Mexico. While some rivers are currently seeing high and muddy water, other impoundments are seeing great fishing. Find a good place and get in on the action.

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Northwest New Mexico Fishing Report

Animas River – The flow is at 1,510 cfs and water is high and muddy. No report.
Chama River – Upper section flow is at 2,960 cfs and the water is high and muddy due to runoff. Fishing is poor. 284 rainbows were stocked last week. Below El Vado Dam, the flow is 952 cfs and the water is green, high and murky. There has been light pressure with a few reports of browns caught on Pistol Pete’s or night crawlers. Fly-fishermen might try streamers. Last week, 355 rainbows were stocked below El Vado. Continue reading New Mexico Fishing Report

Oil spill throws fishing tournaments into the lurch

Oil spill throws fishing tournaments into the lurch
This could be devastating to the fishing industry — watch for all developments as they become available.

The oil is already wreaking havoc on plans for summer fishing tournaments. Gorenflo’s cobia tournament, which was scheduled for this weekend, has been rescheduled for Memorial Day weekend, and other events hang in the balance as well. Sylvia Hall spoke to the people behind the tournaments about what the oily seas could mean for the rest of the summer’s events.

The Local Fisherman

Road Damage Limits Idaho’s South Fork of Salmon River’s Road Travel

Illinois Holding Urban Fishing Clinics All Summer Throughout State

Oregon Drops Bag Limit for Thief Valley

Oregon Halibut Season Extended by Three Days

Salmon Seasons Opening On Idaho’s Upper Salmon & South Fork

Pennsylvania Fish Kills Results In Do Not Eat Advisory for Pymatuning Reservoir

New Mexico Fishing Report: Tough Fishing in Some Places, Great Fishing Elsewhere

Northwest

How much carbon is stored by the oceans? Putting robots on the case

New Mexico Fishing Report

Northwest New Mexico Fishing Report

Oil spill throws fishing tournaments into the lurch

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Northwest

Northwest New Mexico Fishing Report

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