The heavy rainfall on my roof reminds me of an old saying that goes something like this, “Even the worst day on the river is better than being anywhere else.” I’m pretty sure that the saying originated from some angler sitting out in the freezing rain on some western Oregon[Read More…]
Author: FRANK ARMENDARIZ for The Chronicle
Willamette Valley fishing forecast: Lots of silver and chrome
After an enjoyable period of early fall weather, things are about to change. The possibility of an extended period of rain, generated by a building atmospheric river out over the Pacific, has popped up in our forecast. If it continues to build, the moderate storm, with predicted periods of heavy[Read More…]
The Angler’s Log: Biologist shares fish forecast for Willamette Valley region
Jeremy Romer is the assistant managing fish biologist for the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife’s southern Willamette district, and the Office is in Springfield. A graduate of Eastern Oregon University, Romer, pictured at left, went on to achieve his Master’s in fisheries biology at Oregon State University in[Read More…]
The Angler’s Log: Waterborne illnesses on the rise in warmer weather
It was early in the summer that I shared an alert from the Oregon Health Authority that “blue green algae” cyanotoxins were confirmed in a number of Oregon waterways. That advisory has since been lifted but it was widely reported that the contamination was the result of the unseasonably high[Read More…]
Despite the heat and forest fires, angling remains strong throughout the area
Dry lightning limits access The brief cool-down from the scorching hundred-degree temperatures brought relief to many of our local fisheries. Also, the higher humidity that accompanied the weather shift has also been a blessing for the thousands of wildland fighters who have descended on our state and other western states[Read More…]
ODFW: Low returns prompt McKenzie salmon closure
It was no surprise when last week the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife shut down spring Chinook fishing on the McKenzie River for the remainder of the season. The number of returning hatchery salmon, as expected, had been pitifully low and meeting the production quotas for next year’s run[Read More…]
Historic McKenzie Landing reopens
After a delay in part due to the rough weather that swept across western Oregon this spring, the McKenzie River Trust, owners of several parcels of land along the banks of the McKenzie River, recently announced that its Finn Rock boat landing is again open to the public. In past[Read More…]
Get ready! Best steelhead run in years is heading our way
By the end of May 2022, approximately 14,000 spring Chinook had passed over the Willamette Falls at Oregon City, making their way to the hatcheries of their origin that are situated on several of the upper Willamette River tributaries. It turned out to be a fair run that eventually built[Read More…]
As chinook run slows, steelhead action strong
Memorial Day has always marked the beginning of the summer season. But it’s important not to overlook the significance of the Memorial Day observance and what it means to Americans. The day was set aside in the late 1800s, originally called “Declaration Day” to honor Civil War veterans. Then it[Read More…]
Talking trout, a slippery subject
As the most common fish species in Oregon, trout have historically thrived in the southern Willamette Valley and many other Oregon regions. Both cutthroat and rainbow trout are indigenous to Oregon and you will find native populations of both “cuts and bows” in every stream and river that drains all[Read More…]