Oregon coast salmon sportfishing should be good this summer ...

Chinook salmon seasons open Thursday off the Oregon coast between Cape Falcon and Port Orford, with high expectations as high returns surge home to the Rogue, Klamath and Sacramento rivers.
?
At least some of those fish are already feeding off central coast ports.
?
The Pacific Fishery Management Council, bolstered by the good news, released three recreational fishing scenarios last week for discussion in public hearings March 26 in Coos Bay and Westport, Wash., and March 27 in Eureka, Calif. Final season decisions will be made in Seattle, April 1-6.
?
All three options allow offshore chinook salmon fishing through at least the end of September between Cape Falcon, near Manzanita, and Humbug Mountain, south of Port Orford. Two of the options continue fishing through the end of October.
?
Coho options are more limited, but two are similar to last year's season off the central coast, shortened a few days by an early closure before reopening last September for limited all-salmon fishing, including retention of wild coho. One of the options would skip an all-July coho season suggested in the other two options and instead lengthen the days for all-salmon fishing in September.
?
Seasons off the mouth of the Columbia would open June 23 or 30 for chinook and coho and close Sept. 30, depending upon which option and quota are decided. That's similar to last year's fishery, which didn't close early.
?
Buoy 10 sportfishing won't be decided until after the council rules on offshore fishing. Coho numbers into the Columbia river this fall are expected to be about the same or slightly lower than last year.
?
Halibut seasons will also be decided at the April meeting in Seattle.

Jack waits for Jill: The daily fish count on the Washington side of Bonneville Dam recently showed minus one under the chinook column.
?
Minus one? On the threshold of the predicted fourth-highest spring chinook run on record?
?
True, said John Dalen,? a biologist for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and it's been that way, on and off, for several weeks.
?
Seems that a jack chinook salmon, a late fall-run fish, took up residence inside the fish ladder instead of following its cousins upriver. It goes back and forth several times a day and each time it's counted, as either a plus or minus.
?
The net count is usually zero, Dalen said, but on this day it ended up on the downstream side of the window.
?
"He's small and getting pretty thin," Dalen said. "When the spring run gets here, he'll fall right in and head upriver."

Boat ramp will (mostly) stay open: With the Republican presidential debate at Oregon Public Broadcasting looming on Monday, March 19, organizers are concerned about both security and logistics of the national media. Trucks, equipment and satellite systems all must find a large area to set up shop.
?
It will likely be nearby Willamette Park, where the first inclinations tipped toward a park closure, perhaps even for one or two days before the debate.
?
That, however, would have shut down the only boat ramp for several miles up and down the Willamette River, just as the first spring chinook salmon are being caught in some of the river's best fishing holes.
?
Portland Parks and Recreation officials now say the boat ramp will remain open Saturday, Sunday and Monday morning before the debate. A closure, if necessary, will only be Monday afternoon.

Prizes up the ante: There's more than just a driftboat at stake for anglers who turn in their Oregon harvest tags by May 18.
?
The Department of Fish and Wildlife is adding 99 (albeit it far less expensive) outdoor products to its annual drawing for a driftboat package from the names of those who meet the deadline for returning their salmon, steelhead, sturgeon and halibut tags.
?
The department is partnering with Bi-Mart to sweeten a pot of products to be distributed after a June 8 drawing.
?
Return your tag to any department office, fishing and hunting license agent, or mail it to: ODFW Tag Returns, 3406 Cherry Ave. NE, Salem, OR 97303.

Speaking of drawings: Apply for an Oregon controlled hunt tag by March 15 and your name will be entered in another drawing for 2013 Sports Pacs (a $164.75 value).
?
If you've already applied for a controlled hunt, your name is already in the drawing (assuming you didn't already win). Only one entry is allowed per hunter.
?
One drawing was already held and two more are scheduled, for 30 Sports Pacs for those who apply by March 15, and 20 Sports Pacs for those who apply by April 15.

-- Bill Monroe

Source: http://www.oregonlive.com/sports/oregonian/bill_monroe/index.ssf/2012/03/oregon_coast_salmon_sportfishi.html

earthquake today droid razr oklahoma news earthquake map geoffrey mutai fred davis fred davis