FISHING

MID-COAST LAKES: In Siltcoos and Tahkenitch Lakes the wild coho salmon fishery has slowed recently but good numbers of coho are expected to keep returning to the lake over the next couple weeks.

SMITH RIVER: Anglers have been catching Chinook hit or miss in the lower river.

WINCHESTER BAY: Fishing is picking up a little for sturgeon. Angling for both coho and Chinook in the bay is open.

LAKE MARIE: No recent reports, but the lake has been stocked with 4,000 trout this year.

UMPQUA RIVER MAINSTEM: Chinook fishing is fair but Chinook caught are tending to be large. Several 40- to 50-pound Chinook have been reported.

TENMILE BASIN: There are still holdover rainbow trout in Tenmile Lakes.

Largemouth bass fishing is slowing down.

DIAMOND LAKE: Closed to fishing until April 25, 2009. The area is open to other winter sports.

COOS COUNTY LAKES: Trout fishing is still decent in many area lakes.  Bradley Lake, Saunders Lake, and Empire Lakes all were stocked with trophy trout in October.

COOS RIVER BASIN: Fishing for fall Chinook salmon is all but done and people are starting to think of winter steelhead fishing. There have been a couple reports of a few steelhead lurking around but no reports of any steelhead being caught yet. The West Fork Millicoma River is a good place to fish for early season steelhead. ODFW is anticipating a low return of hatchery steelhead to the Coos River Basin this winter. 

Crabbing in Coos Bay is still good. Many boats are coming back with limits or near limits of Dungeness crab.

COQUILLE RIVER BASIN: The fall Chinook run is almost over with and anglers are thinking of winter steelhead fishing. There have been no reports of steelhead being caught in the basin yet, but the lower South Fork Coquille River is a good place to try and catch early-season steelhead.

BEN IRVING RESERVOIR: Ben Irving Reservoir, west of Winston, has been stocked with about 4,000 trout to date.

ELK/SIXES RIVER: Conditions are low and clear.  Anglers will want to target Elk River when the river gauge at Elk River Hatchery is reading 5 feet and dropping.

GARRISON LAKE: Rains this month have really improved water conditions and put the trout on the bite.

LIBBY POND: No reports.

ROGUE RIVER, LOWER: With most of the fall Chinook in the tributaries spawning, anglers are turning their attention to winter steelhead.

SOUTH COAST STREAMS: Trout season in the Umpqua tributaries, Smith River, South Umpqua, North Umpqua tributaries below Soda Springs Reservoir and Cow Creek basins is closed.

PACIFIC OCEAN AND BEACHES: Rockfish daily bag limit has returned to six fish and is open to the 40-fathom line. Sport anglers may still retain two lingcod but cabezon may no longer be retained by boat anglers.

HUNTING

SOUTHWEST ZONE HUNTING: Fall turkey, waterfowl (see regulations), archery deer (certain units only; see regulations), forest grouse, California and mountain quail, bear, cougar and crow seasons are still open. 

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Information from the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife.