Fat ladys about to sing

[pirk fan]

The ODF&W salmon checker at the Newport marina put out the word that the ocean coho season will likely end Thursday, July 19

Ocean was flat today, lots of salmon at 170 feet or so, even hooked a couple on rockfish jigs after limiting on trolling gear.

[Salmonator]

Three of us limited today off seal rock in 60ft of water. The coho down there are as thick as stocker trout in a holding pen at the hatchery. They were breaking the surface chasing baitfish everywhere. Also boated 30 blacks and blues and a canary in the same area. Lots of whales and porpoises milling around. It was basically a wildlife show. Wish I didn't have to work tomorrow...

[RKB]

She just sang!!!

Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife
Internet: www.dfw.state.or.us

For Immediate Release July 18, 2001

Central Oregon Coast Closes to Coho Angling Thursday
Commercial Troll Season Amended

PORTLAND - A successful fishery on hatchery coho off the central Oregon coast will close at 11:59 p.m. Thursday, July 19 because the quota will have been met, state and federal agencies decided today in a teleconference. The general "all salmon except coho" season reopens Friday, July 20.
The season on adipose fin-clipped coho began June 22 from Cape Falcon to Humbug Mountain with a 55,000 fish quota. The estimated catch through July 17 is 47,550 and fishery managers expect the retained catch to reach 53,500 fish by Thursday. At current catch rates, there is not enough fish for another day without exceeding the quota. The season was scheduled to close July 31 or when the quota had been reached.
"We took a precautionary approach because we don't want to go over the quota and risk impacts to wild coastal coho," said Sam Sharr, a biologist with the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife. The "encounter rate" of salmon caught (includes all salmon released and retained) was the highest since 1986, according to Sharr. Throughout the season, anglers retained an average of 1.2 fish per day and were limited to a two fish per day catch limit.
In addition to the sport fishing closure, the National Marine Fisheries Service, the states of Oregon and Washington, the Pacific Fishery Management Council and troll salmon fishers decided to alter the commercial troll salmon season opening Friday from the Queets River in Washington to Cape Falcon. Vessels will be limited to no more than 65 chinook per each four-day open period to ensure that the chinook guideline is not reached ahead of the coho quota. Troll fishers have a 7,600 chinook guideline and a 73,700 fin-clipped coho quota, which includes some fish that went unharvested from earlier seasons.
The central coast will remain open for chinook sport fishing following the closure of the coho season. A summary of the open ocean sport fisheries follows:
LEADBETTER PT. (WA) TO CAPE FALCON: Open for all salmon through Sept. 3 or quota reached. Two salmon per day, but only one chinook may be retained and all coho must be adipose fin-clipped. Open Sunday-Thursday. The area from Tillamook Head south to Cape Falcon closes Aug. 1.
CAPE FALCON TO HUMBUG MT.: Open for all salmon except coho from Apr. 1-Oct. 31. Two fish per day, no more than six fish in seven consecutive days. No more than two single-point, single-shank barbless hooks may be used.
TILLAMOOK AREA: The Terminal Area is open Apr.1-Nov.15 for chinook salmon. Catch limits are two adult chinook and five jack salmon per day; four adults in seven consecutive days; 10 adults per season. The Triangular Control Zone at the mouth of Tillamook Bay remains closed until Sept. 1.
HUMBUG MT. SOUTH TO HORSE MT. (CA): Re-opens July 24 for all salmon except coho, seven days per week, until Sept. 3. Daily bag limit of two fish, no more than six fish in seven consecutive days. No more than two single-point, single-shank barbless hooks. Closed within the Klamath River Control Zone during August.
More information is available at www.hmsc.orst.edu/odfw.

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