The OCA Christmas Trees for Salmon Project has been completed, just before the rain started, yea. Thanks to all who helped out with our seventh tree project. I’d like to name all the volunteers, but am afraid I’d leave someone out. We loaded the trees by hand (200 trees, approximately) and the project went pretty smoothly. There were a number of trailers, I think five. Wayne Rocha’s sixteen foot dump trailer and Ean Wright’s huge dump truck held approximately 75% of all the trees. Dump trailers and dump trucks make unloading really easy. Evan Leonetti and Eric Himmelreich, ODFW Biologists from Roseburg, supported our project and assisted in jamming the trees under rock and tree structures. A special thanks to Jerry Noel for cleaning the mess left in the Les Schwab parking lot, and welcome to Bill Harris, a new OCA member helping us with the tree project.

Watch for an article about our project in The World Newspaper. John Gunther, Sports Editor for the World, was at Camp Creek taking notes and pictures. John even pitched in and helped move trees to the creek bank.

OCA purchased sandwiches from “Back to the Best” restaurant in Reedsport. Ruth Dibala assembled some very nice sandwiches for us and the guys were very appreciative.

Notices

I attended the ODFW public input meeting for Halibut angling on February 8th. Good news, the International Pacific Halibut Commission held halibut quotes at the same level as last year. Many of us at the meeting (ZOOM meeting) made the same comment. For the last two years Oregon anglers were unable to catch all of the halibut quota, so go with the most open days possible.

Eric Schindler, Oregon Ocean Salmon Manager was at the meeting and stated that ODFW expects the best Coho Salmon run that we’ve had in years. I’ll be on the Ocean Salmon Industry Group Meeting on February 25th to hear more and request the best possible angling opportunity.

The ODFW Southern Zone CMP is completed and a draft plan has been published. I’ve reviewed it and think it is a good deal for anglers that want to harvest a winter wild Steelhead, a much better deal than anglers got for the Umpqua River. I remind you that the Umpqua River lies within the Southern Zone. Some stakeholders didn’t get all that they would have liked. The Native Fish Society preferred that no wild Steelhead be harvested. The cost to fish for steelhead will go up, due to new permits and tags required. Revenue from these fees is to be used for intensified monitoring, hatcheries and more, all benefiting more fishing opportunity. Please review the draft CMP and provide feedback to me.

A letter from Bob Reese, Executive Director, NW Guides and Anglers Association

The Oregon Farm Bureau is pushing back against ODF&W’s applications for instream water rights for fish in SW Oregon. This letter is a show of support for this initiative, because who (besides the farm bureau) doesn’t want stable fish populations in SW Oregon. Attached is Bob’s letter of support for ODFW, which I think OCA should support, as well. If you have an issue with OCA supporting this initiative, please reply to me.

Jeff Wilmarth, Pacific Pond Charters Ling Cod Derby

Jeff Wilmarth has organized a Ling Cod fishing derby scheduled for February 27th. OCA will donate a bottom fishing rod and reel worth $125.00 to benefit this fishing tournament.