More opportunities open for ocean anglers

Aug. 5, 2009



NEWPORT, Ore.– As summer winds down, the opportunities for saltwater fishers is heating up on the Oregon coast: all-depth Pacific halibut fishing reopens Friday (Aug. 7), coho fishing is the best it’s been in years, salmon fishers north of Cape Falcon may now keep two chinook per day and this may be one of the best tuna years on record.

The summer all-depth season Pacific halibut season off the central Oregon from Cape Falcon to Humbug Mountain is open every other Friday through Sunday, Aug. 7-9, Aug. 21-23, Sept. 4-6, Sept. 18-20, Oct. 2-4, Oct. 16-18, Oct. 30-31 or until the remaining sub-area catch limit of 43,278 pounds is taken, which ever comes first. Off the Columbia River, from Leadbetter Point to Cape Falcon, fishing for halibut is open Friday through Sunday until Sept. 27 or the subarea remaining catch limit of 4,469 pounds, whichever comes first.

Halibut are still being caught inside the 40-fathom line on the central coast. This fishery continues to be open seven days a week until a separate remaining quota of 6,891 pounds is attained or Oct. 31, which ever comes first.

As of Aug. 1, the daily bag limit for chinook salmon north of Cape Falcon increased to allow up to two chinook salmon. The daily bag limit between Cape Falcon and Leadbetter Pt., Washington is now two salmon per day, and all retained coho must have a healed adipose fin clip. Fishing has been very good for coho with most anglers catching their limit of salmon.

Coho fishing is good with catch rates around two fish per angler on the central coast where the bag limit remains three fin clipped coho . Anglers are reminded to examine their coho for a fin clip before netting the fish, and any coho that isn’t clipped should be released carefully without netting.

Entering its fifth week, tuna fishing off the Oregon coast is on track as the second best year since ODFW started keeping records. Albacore tuna linger off Oregon through September and often into October giving anglers plenty of opportunity to pursue this hard-fighting fish.

For more information on the halibut or salmon season.

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Contact:
     

Brandon Ford (541) 867-4741

Fax:          (541) 867-0311



http://www.dfw.state.or.us/news/2009/august/080509b.asp