New regulations for winter steelhead angling in Rogue, South Coast areas


by OR Department of Fish & Wildlife Staff
12-4-2022
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CENTRAL POINT, Ore – New steelhead angling regulations begin Jan. 1 in the Rogue and South Coast rivers.

In this area, a winter steelhead season (Dec. 1 – Apr. 30) is now established with the 2023 initial season being Jan. 1 – Apr. 30. During this season, a new validation is required to fish for steelhead. Anglers who want the opportunity to keep wild winter steelhead must also purchase a harvest tag.

Check myodfw.com for full details on the new regulations. Anglers can begin purchasing these products Jan. 1, 2023 through ODFW's Electronic Licensing System or a point-of-sale agent.

ODFW and public stakeholder teams developed these requirements during the Rogue-South Coast Multi-Species Conservation and Management Planprocess. The new regulations have broad support from the stakeholders who represented anglers, conservationists, guides, and other local agencies.

The validation and harvest tags will give ODFW biologists more accurate angling and harvest data and help fund wild winter steelhead monitoring in the Rogue-South Coast area.

Wild Salmon Center's Tim Elder represented conservationists on both stakeholder teams.

"We [the stakeholders] recognized the need for more information on wild winter steelhead in the planning area and gave wide-ranging support for the validation and harvest tag," he said. "The new regulations will give ODFW information on where people are steelhead fishing and harvesting wild winter steelhead. The regulations will also financially support wild steelhead monitoring."

Leonard Krug of Oregon Anglers Alliance agrees. Krug represented the angling community on the South Coast stakeholder team.

"Dedicating steelhead validation and harvest tag monies will provide much needed and accurate data to further support sustainable harvest opportunities. All funding from validation and harvest tag sales will be specifically used for Rogue-South coast winter steelhead," Krug said. It's a win-win for the public, and especially for winter steelhead."

The new regulations also close a daily license loophole.

ODFW heard from anglers who said some people repeatedly bought daily paper licenses to harvest wild winter steelhead, potentially allowing them to exceed the three-fish annual bag limit. The new regulations close this loophole because an individual ODFW Identification Number is needed to purchase the harvest tag and validation. Those purchases cannot be made through "guest checkout" which doesn't include an identification number.




More Reports

OR Department of Fish & Wildlife Reports
for Thursday, December 1st, 2022
: ODFW Recreation Report
Ana River: Ana River Report
Chewaucan River: Due to cold temperatures much of this river is under ice
Fourmile Lake: Snow is likely blocking access into Fourmile Lake
Gerber Reservoir: The reservoir is likely frozen
John C Boyle Reservoir: The reservoir is freezing and thawing depending on the weather
Upper Klamath Lake: The lake was mostly frozen but strong winds opened some areas
Klamath River - Upper - OR: Klamath River Report
Lake Of The Woods: The lake is still ice free at the resort
Lofton Reservoir: Lofton Reservoir Report
Miller Lake: Snow is likely blocking access
North Fork Sprague River: Access is difficult due to snow
South Fork Sprague River: Fishing not recommended
Sun Creek: Sun Pass State Forest Gate is now locked
Sycan River: Flows are low near the mouth at 7 cfs
Willow Valley Reservoir: The Reservoir is likely frozen
Alsea River: Winter steelhead are starting to show up in the Alsea
Necanicum River: This could be a good bet for the weekend
Nehalem River: Nehalem River Report
Nehalem River- North Fork: The North Fork would be a good bet for steelhead fishing this weekend
Nestucca River: Nestucca River Fishing Report
Salmon River: Winter steelhead will start to show up soon in the Salmon River
Siuslaw River: Siuslaw River Fishing Report
Trask River: The Trask is between runs
Wilson River: Wilson River Fishing Report
Yaquina River: Yaquina River Fishing Report
Clackamas River: Though there are still some late returning wild fish in the system
Henry Hagg Lake: Henry Hagg Fishing Report
Sandy River: Low numbers of coho continue to trickle through Sandy hatchery
Santiam River ( North Fork) : River is currently running around 2,930 cfs at the gauge in Mehama

Applegate Reservoir Report
Applegate Reservoir

11-30-2022
The elevation of the reservoir is dropping close to the 1,875-foot mark and the surface temperature is 47oF. Check up-to-date...... Read More