Leaburg Hatchery continues to make fish news as it faces environmental issues caused by an overheated water discharge from the facility. The water then flows directly into the McKenzie River, just below Leaburg Dam, where summer season water discharges exceed the 60-degree threshold. The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife[Read More…]
Outdoors
Word of warning: Invasive fish are already here
It was the lead story on every televised newscast leading up to the Christmas holiday. A dead pond Koi had been spotted in the McKenzie River at Armitage Park. The fish was bright orange, a bit tattered, and weighed about 3-4 pounds. Of course, the fish stood out like a[Read More…]
Column: An early-season gift for winter steelheaders
Winter steelhead appeared in a handful of streams on the far north portion of the Oregon coast a few days before Thanksgiving. Gnat Creek and the Klaskanine River are both lower Columbia River tributaries. Also, the Necanicum River and the North Fork Nehalem, which drain directly into the Pacific, all[Read More…]
Final chance for ‘free fishing’ and time for salmon watching
The final Free Fishing Days of the year are the weekend of Nov. 29-30. On these days, folks do not need a fishing license or harvest tags to retain salmon, steelhead, or shellfish. This is an excellent opportunity to introduce family and friends to the sport. If, by chance, you[Read More…]
Angler’s Log: Without a plan, you’re just fishing …
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…]
Scenic drives: It’s time to take advantage of fall
Is there anyone not humming along? That classic masterpiece by Mercer, Kosma and Prevert, has been an all-time favorite of many, even though there’s a good deal of nostalgia in it. The second stanza even more so, in fact, downright sad, so we won’t go there. Falling leaves are indeed[Read More…]
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…]
Photo Gallery: Shooting the Stars in the Willamette Valley with Bob Williams
Enjoying the Outdoors: Leisurely drive around South Lane
Leaving home, I had one goal—to take a nice, leisurely drive around Dorena Reservoir, that pretty little lakelet just south of Cottage Grove. Having taken that short journey many times, I had no specific purpose other than enjoyment unless I was working. I would usually be irrationally happy just to[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…]
