Post by Admin on Jun 3, 2015 10:31:15 GMT
The recreational opportunities listed on the webpage for Sand Lake are brought to you by wwww.clamdigging.info for the benefit of the members of the Clam Digging and Crabbing Community. Sitka Sedge State Natural Area at Sand Lake is Oregon's newest State Park.
Sitka Sedge State Natural Area is all about the views--of open water, tidal flats, saltwater marshes and forested wetlands of Sand Lake estuary; of the estuary animals, birds and plants; and for those willing to hike, beach views stretching from Haystack Rock to the south and north to Cape Lookout. The park's name comes from a beautiful native grass-like plant found in pockets throughout the property. Sitka Sedge (Carex aquatilis v. dives) reflects several of the unique characteristics of this new park. Graceful. Ecologically important. Natural.
Visitors can hike the 3.5 miles of trail, including the 1/2-mile-long Beltz Dike Trail leading from the parking area west through the estuary to loop trails in the coniferous forested dunes, or continue through the dunes to the beach. Note: no cell phone service is available within the park.
Taking plants, animals, or cultural resources from the park is not allowed. Please see the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife regulations for clamming and fishing information.
Whalen Island County Park at Tillamook County Parks. The County Park is open for camping. For the latest information call the Camp Host at 503 965 6085. The campground is scheduled to close on 12/01.
Managed by the U.S. Forest Service the Sand Lake Recreation Area is one of the agencies that offers access the natural beauty that encompasses Sand Lake. The Sand Lake Recreational Ares is located along Oregon's North Coast, 15 miles southwest of Tillamook, OR between Cape Lookout and Cape Kiwanda. It covers 1,076 acres of open sand dunes, surrounded by forests and adjacent to the Pacific Ocean. The Sand Lake Recreation Area is popular with OHV riders but offers a variety of recreational opportunities. Do not attempt to cross the bar at Sand Lake. Avoid boating in the lower reach of Sand Lake during the outgoing tide.
Sand Lake 8.4 north 25.9 south
Sand Lake is one of the gems of the Three Capes Scenic Loop. The natural wonder of the tidal basin is its most outstanding attribute. The fishing and crabbing is consistent because rainfall has little effect on the salinity of the water because the basin does not have a large continuous source of freshwater. The presence of perch, flounder and crabs in Sand Lake is governed by the tides. The bar at Sand Lake is too dangerous to attempt to cross. Access is gained to Sand Lake by turning west onto the Whelan Park Road at actual highway mile 8.4 on Sand Lake Road. The county park is a full service park. It is wonderful place for a family vacation. The north spit of Sand Lake is threatened by erosion as a large portion of the north spit has recently washed into the sea. Motor vehicles are allowed in most areas of the area beaches from Nestucca Bay to Sand Lake. Check with local State Park officials for areas of the beach open to motor vehicles and seasonal closures.
Low and high salt marshes are the most prominent tidal areas in Sand Lake. They are the first areas to become exposed on an outgoing tide and the last to be covered by the incoming tide. The high and low salt marshes in this publication are shown as extended shoreline or as islands. Much of the tidal area extending from the Shore of Sand Lake is salt marsh. The bridge to Whalen Island has been repaired.
Sand Lake crabbing ranges from slow to fair to good for most of the year inside the entrance to the tidal basin south and to the west of Whalen Island. Crabs are taken by crabbers from the bridge to Whalen Island on the incoming tide. The crabbing is consistent because rainfall has little effect on the salinity of the water because the basin does not have a large continuous source of freshwater.
On 06/09 and O8/29 there were no crabbing activity noticeable at Sand Lake. Conclusion: crabbing is slow.
On 03/11 My friend Walter shows off two of the three Dungeness crabs caught at Sand Lake. We crabbed with 3 Crab Max crab traps for about an hour and a half prior to high slack. The crabber in the background caught 1 keeper Dungeness crab using a Crab Hawk. Click on the image to enlarge it.
On 04/28/16 No crabbers were crabbing. Conclusion: crabbing is slow.
On 04/13/15 clam digger Don and family report: We decided on Saturday to run to Sand Lake to try our hand at purple varnish clams and did quite well. We walked away with about 2-3 limits of clams. The clam size was small to medium with a lot of very young dime sized clams that we left for next time. Plenty of fun for everyone.
On 01/10/15 I stopped by Sand Lake on my way home from Tillamook via Netarts and spoke to 3 guys putting their boat on their trailer at the boat ramp to see how they did crabbing and they said the crabbing was slow.
On 08/28/14 I spoke to 2 crabbers loading up the boat at the boat ramp and they said the crabbing was fair, whatever that means. I take their comments to mean they were going home crabby. The launch conditions at Sand Lake are way bad and in serious need of improvement. Primitive boat ramp and the parking area flood at high tide. The signage warning boaters of the flooding was placed there in response to our request and the good work of Tillamook County Commissioner, Tim Josi.
On 08/19/14 Caught loads of crab in a couple of hours at the day use area two hours into the incoming tide. A couple of females were pushing 7 inches, and I kept 11 nice full mails, two in a Danielson square trap and the rest on homemade snares and crab hawks. Got two good dinners for two and a quart of picked meat for freezing. Actually threw back 4-5 keepers when I caught bigger ones. Completely filled a 5 gallon HD bucket.
On 05/19/14 Crabbers were doing poorly crabbing from the now 1 lane bridge to Whalen Island.
On 05/19/14 My clam digging buddy Walt and I toured the tidal flats of Sand Lake digging many holes as we went not finding any clams keeper size clams.
On 11/03/13 My friends Gary and Jan took 5 nice rock hard Dungrness crabs from the entrance to Sand Lake during the last series of Neap tides one hour prior to low tide usning their Crab Max crab traps.
On 08/22/13 I stopped by the Whelan Island Bridge to crab only to be greeted by several crabbers who were leaving becusase crabbing was slow. Lots of crabs but no Keepers
On 07/11/13 At our request the boat launch at Sand Lake now has a sign warning boaters and well as other users of the parking area that the area floods on the incoming tide. Thank's to Tillamook County Commissioner and clam digger, Tim Josi.
On 06/05/11 1 boat, 3 crab pot = 6 Dungeness crabs taken at the bridge to Whalen Island with no other crabbers in sight. Granted a catch of 6 crabs for 3 crab pots is not a lot of crabs, but the catch is a lot better than it has been in some other of Oregon's other bays.
Clean crabs in seconds rather then minutes. I watched Zach from the Big Spruce instruct some crabbers on the method he uses to clean crabs for cooking. Zach's method is fast and efficient and cuts the drudgery out of cleaning crabs.
Click on the following video clip to view a professional crab shaker Picking Dungeness crabs. Using this method cuts the time to pick a crab in half.
Additional Information for Crabbing From the Coastal Waters of the Pacific Rim:
Click on the following links for additional information about taking crabs in the Pacific Northwest. Click on ODFW's website crab page or click on Washington State's information on recreational crabbing or click California's information on recreational crabbing. Click on Alaska's comments on Dungeness Crabs and on permits and regulations for SE Alaska. Click on Dungeness Crabs at Netarts Bay. Click on Species Profile for Dungeness Crabs PDF file. Click on Species Profile for Red Rock Crabs to view PDF file. Click on Dungeness and Red Rock Crabs to view information on taking crabs from Oregon's Bays and ocean water.
Clam Digging:
Sand Lake clam digging is limited to purple varnish clams and a small population of cockles. Raking for cockles in the cockle beds located in the south channel has declined, but the purple varnish clams in the tidal flats associated with the north channel are not as abundant as they once were. The tidal flats are dominted by small clams. We suggest raking cockles at Netarts Bay rather than Sand Lake.
The Sand Lake Recreational Area is a multifunctional use area for off road vehicle use, hiking, fishing, crabbing and clam digging. The Sandlake Recreation Area on the north shore is popular and busy with off-highway vehicles especially on weekends. There are 3 developed campgrounds: Sandbeach (101 sites), East Dunes (51 sites), and West Winds (20 sites). Day use parking at North Winds.
Internet Links of Interest fo Sand Lake:
NOAA tidal projections for Sand Lake. We use the tidal projections at the at the entrance of Nestucca Bay to estimate the tidal projections for Sand Lake. Click on the following link to view the NOAA tidal projections for the Nestucca River.
Recreational Advisories:
Always call the Oregon Shellfish Hotline at (503) 986-4728 or 1-800-448-2474 toll free outside of Oregon before harvesting clams or mussels for messages listing the areas closed to harvesting shellfish due to high levels of marine toxins.
Fish and Shellfish Consumption Advisories and Guidelines In mid July the State issued shellfish advisories for elevated levels of arsenic in soft shell clams and gaper clams. The CDAO does not recommend consuming contaminated clams or fish species of any species. The Oregon Health Authority has prepared a series of asked and answered questions about the soft shell clams taken from Oregon's Bays. Click on Questions and Answers (pdf).
However the purple varnish clams common to most of Oregon's Bays have tested free of contamination from arsenic; and to date the clams have not been contaminated by Domoic Acid or PSP that have closed the Oregon Coast to the taking of razor clams and mussels.
Oregon's Beach Monitoring Program is a part time program that occurs between Memorial Day in May and Labor Day in September.
Oregon's Beach Monitoring program helps protect people who come into contact with beach water contaminated with elevated levels of fecal bacterium called enterococcus. The program does regular water testing to look for high levels of bacteria and issues a public health advisory when bacteria counts exceed acceptable risk levels.. Beginning in 2017 the EPA has implemented new higher standards to requiring Oregon to issue an alert notifying the public of the health risks.
New Beach Action Value for the 2017 beach monitoring season
The Oregon Beach Monitoring Program (OBMP) is beginning a process to adopt a new beach action value (BAV) for bacteria of 70 MPN that will be used as the basis for public health advisories at Oregon beaches starting in 2017. The 2015 and 2016 monitoring seasons will remain unchanged and continue to use the current BAV of 158 MPN.
What type of bacteria? Ocean waters are tested to see if a fecal bacterium called enterococcus is present. Enterococcus is found in the intestines of warm blooded animals, including humans. High levels of these bacteria show there is fecal material in the water and that microscopic disease-causing organisms may be present.
How does the water become contaminated? Fecal contamination can be due to multiple causes near anybody of water. Some of the reasons of contamination are due to: animal feces deposited by domestic animals and all wild animals including beavers, seals, migratory waterfowl and seabirds , swimmers with diarrhea, children not properly cleaned after using the bathroom, the improper disposition of diapers, the vomiting or fecal matter in the water, agricultural and storm water run-off, sewage treatment plant spills, inadequate or the absence of public septic systems, failing or leaking of both public and private septic systems or the improper disposal of boat waste. The list of offending agents is seemingly endless. Do your part it reduce contamination of our waterways.
The Algae Bloom Surveillance program advises the public when a harmful algae bloom has been detected in a lake or river. Not all blooms are harmful, but some species of algae, such as cyanobacteria or blue-green algae, can produce toxins that can cause serious illness in pets, livestock, wildlife and humans.
Please see the Oregon fish consumption guidelines for more information abut the health benefits of fish and how to make healthy fish choices.
Fishing in Sand Lake
Redtail surfperch, pileperch, walleye surfperch, silver surfperch and striped seaperch enter the tidal basin in small numbers throughout the year. They enter the tidal basin with the tide feeding heavily on intertidal animals. Fishing is usually fair depending on the tide, time of year and the weather conditions. The best fishing for perch and all species occurs from May through October during the incoming tide in the deepwater channels adjacent to the tidal flats in the lower part of the tidal basin south and west of Whalen Island.
Starry Flounder fishing at onetime was the dominate fishery in Sand Lake. Today the fishing ranges from poor for most of the year to fair at best in the spring.
Chinook salmon stray into Sand Lake in small numbers and several are caught in the tidal basin each year.
Cutthroat trout return to Sand Creek from late July into September but the greatest numbers return in August. Fish in Sand Lake during the incoming tide trolling Doc Shelton spinners rigged with night crawlers.
Coho salmon are occasionally are caught in Sand Lake.
The Sand Lake County Park at Whalen Island is where the crabbers, clam diggers and fishermen camp. The county park at Whelan Island is closed for camping from December 1st to May 1st but is open on the honor payment system in the open area next the boat launch. For the latest information call the Camp Host at 503 965 6085.
Mile by Mile Guide from Sand Lake to Nestucca Bay
8.4 north 25.9 south Sand Lake is one of the gems of the Three Capes Scenic Loop.
6.1 north 31.8 south – Tierra Del Mar Beach is located north of Cape Kiwanda below the entrance to Sand Lake on the Three Capes Scenic Loop along Sand Lake Drive. The fishing for surfperch is outstanding on the Tierra Del Mar Beach and at the entrance to the Sand Lake tidal basin. Motor vehicles are allowed on the beach all year except they are prohibited north of the entrance from May to September 30, days all year. Driving south, Sand Lake Drive becomes Kiwanda Drive.
3.8 north 34.1 south – Cape Kiwanda is located 1.2 miles north of Pacific City. From the south turn left from Brooten Road onto Pacific Ave and right onto Kiwanda Drive after crossing the Nestucca River. From the north turn right onto Hungry Harbor Dr. from Kiwanda Drive. The fishing is excellent for all species at Cape Kiwanda. Cape Kiwanda provides boats protection from northwesterly winds that predominate during the summer months. Anglers use to crowd onto the steep sided sandstone cliffs, but now, private development on the Cape prevents access. Refer to the Oregon Sport Fishing Regulation restricting the taking of shellfish within the Cape Kiwanda Marine Garden. There is ample parking at the beach access site of Pacific City’s famous Oregon dory fleet on Kiwanda Beach. Click on image to enlarge it.
The spirit of adventure is embodied in anglers who are courageous enough to charter a dory for an early morning fishing trip to the inshore reefs. It is a trip that will stimulate every red blood cell in your body. The adventure begins as the dory clears the surf to the open ocean. The angler is in store for some of the best fishing for shallow water rockfish and lingcod the ocean has to offer. The return to the beach is thrilling as the dory races through the surf to the beach
.
Kiwanda Beach extends from the Nestucca Bay sand spit on the north shore of Nestucca Bay to Cape Kiwanda. The fishing for redtail surfperch is excellent from late spring through summer. Access to Kiwanda Beach gained through Pacific City. Drive to Pacific City from the north via Three Capes Scenic Loop on Kiwanda Drive and from the south by exiting Highway 101 at milepost 90.4 onto Brooten Road. Drive to Pacific City turn left at Pacific Ave. Cross the Nestucca River and turn left onto Sunset Dr. and follow the signs 0.5 miles to Bob Straub State Park Wayside. The wayside is a day use park with ample parking for all vehicles.
Sitka Sedge State Natural Area is all about the views--of open water, tidal flats, saltwater marshes and forested wetlands of Sand Lake estuary; of the estuary animals, birds and plants; and for those willing to hike, beach views stretching from Haystack Rock to the south and north to Cape Lookout. The park's name comes from a beautiful native grass-like plant found in pockets throughout the property. Sitka Sedge (Carex aquatilis v. dives) reflects several of the unique characteristics of this new park. Graceful. Ecologically important. Natural.
Visitors can hike the 3.5 miles of trail, including the 1/2-mile-long Beltz Dike Trail leading from the parking area west through the estuary to loop trails in the coniferous forested dunes, or continue through the dunes to the beach. Note: no cell phone service is available within the park.
Taking plants, animals, or cultural resources from the park is not allowed. Please see the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife regulations for clamming and fishing information.
Whalen Island County Park at Tillamook County Parks. The County Park is open for camping. For the latest information call the Camp Host at 503 965 6085. The campground is scheduled to close on 12/01.
Managed by the U.S. Forest Service the Sand Lake Recreation Area is one of the agencies that offers access the natural beauty that encompasses Sand Lake. The Sand Lake Recreational Ares is located along Oregon's North Coast, 15 miles southwest of Tillamook, OR between Cape Lookout and Cape Kiwanda. It covers 1,076 acres of open sand dunes, surrounded by forests and adjacent to the Pacific Ocean. The Sand Lake Recreation Area is popular with OHV riders but offers a variety of recreational opportunities. Do not attempt to cross the bar at Sand Lake. Avoid boating in the lower reach of Sand Lake during the outgoing tide.
Sand Lake 8.4 north 25.9 south
Sand Lake is one of the gems of the Three Capes Scenic Loop. The natural wonder of the tidal basin is its most outstanding attribute. The fishing and crabbing is consistent because rainfall has little effect on the salinity of the water because the basin does not have a large continuous source of freshwater. The presence of perch, flounder and crabs in Sand Lake is governed by the tides. The bar at Sand Lake is too dangerous to attempt to cross. Access is gained to Sand Lake by turning west onto the Whelan Park Road at actual highway mile 8.4 on Sand Lake Road. The county park is a full service park. It is wonderful place for a family vacation. The north spit of Sand Lake is threatened by erosion as a large portion of the north spit has recently washed into the sea. Motor vehicles are allowed in most areas of the area beaches from Nestucca Bay to Sand Lake. Check with local State Park officials for areas of the beach open to motor vehicles and seasonal closures.
Low and high salt marshes are the most prominent tidal areas in Sand Lake. They are the first areas to become exposed on an outgoing tide and the last to be covered by the incoming tide. The high and low salt marshes in this publication are shown as extended shoreline or as islands. Much of the tidal area extending from the Shore of Sand Lake is salt marsh. The bridge to Whalen Island has been repaired.
Sand Lake crabbing ranges from slow to fair to good for most of the year inside the entrance to the tidal basin south and to the west of Whalen Island. Crabs are taken by crabbers from the bridge to Whalen Island on the incoming tide. The crabbing is consistent because rainfall has little effect on the salinity of the water because the basin does not have a large continuous source of freshwater.
On 06/09 and O8/29 there were no crabbing activity noticeable at Sand Lake. Conclusion: crabbing is slow.
On 03/11 My friend Walter shows off two of the three Dungeness crabs caught at Sand Lake. We crabbed with 3 Crab Max crab traps for about an hour and a half prior to high slack. The crabber in the background caught 1 keeper Dungeness crab using a Crab Hawk. Click on the image to enlarge it.
On 04/28/16 No crabbers were crabbing. Conclusion: crabbing is slow.
On 04/13/15 clam digger Don and family report: We decided on Saturday to run to Sand Lake to try our hand at purple varnish clams and did quite well. We walked away with about 2-3 limits of clams. The clam size was small to medium with a lot of very young dime sized clams that we left for next time. Plenty of fun for everyone.
On 01/10/15 I stopped by Sand Lake on my way home from Tillamook via Netarts and spoke to 3 guys putting their boat on their trailer at the boat ramp to see how they did crabbing and they said the crabbing was slow.
On 08/28/14 I spoke to 2 crabbers loading up the boat at the boat ramp and they said the crabbing was fair, whatever that means. I take their comments to mean they were going home crabby. The launch conditions at Sand Lake are way bad and in serious need of improvement. Primitive boat ramp and the parking area flood at high tide. The signage warning boaters of the flooding was placed there in response to our request and the good work of Tillamook County Commissioner, Tim Josi.
On 08/19/14 Caught loads of crab in a couple of hours at the day use area two hours into the incoming tide. A couple of females were pushing 7 inches, and I kept 11 nice full mails, two in a Danielson square trap and the rest on homemade snares and crab hawks. Got two good dinners for two and a quart of picked meat for freezing. Actually threw back 4-5 keepers when I caught bigger ones. Completely filled a 5 gallon HD bucket.
On 05/19/14 Crabbers were doing poorly crabbing from the now 1 lane bridge to Whalen Island.
On 05/19/14 My clam digging buddy Walt and I toured the tidal flats of Sand Lake digging many holes as we went not finding any clams keeper size clams.
On 11/03/13 My friends Gary and Jan took 5 nice rock hard Dungrness crabs from the entrance to Sand Lake during the last series of Neap tides one hour prior to low tide usning their Crab Max crab traps.
On 08/22/13 I stopped by the Whelan Island Bridge to crab only to be greeted by several crabbers who were leaving becusase crabbing was slow. Lots of crabs but no Keepers
On 07/11/13 At our request the boat launch at Sand Lake now has a sign warning boaters and well as other users of the parking area that the area floods on the incoming tide. Thank's to Tillamook County Commissioner and clam digger, Tim Josi.
On 06/05/11 1 boat, 3 crab pot = 6 Dungeness crabs taken at the bridge to Whalen Island with no other crabbers in sight. Granted a catch of 6 crabs for 3 crab pots is not a lot of crabs, but the catch is a lot better than it has been in some other of Oregon's other bays.
Clean crabs in seconds rather then minutes. I watched Zach from the Big Spruce instruct some crabbers on the method he uses to clean crabs for cooking. Zach's method is fast and efficient and cuts the drudgery out of cleaning crabs.
Click on the following video clip to view a professional crab shaker Picking Dungeness crabs. Using this method cuts the time to pick a crab in half.
Additional Information for Crabbing From the Coastal Waters of the Pacific Rim:
Click on the following links for additional information about taking crabs in the Pacific Northwest. Click on ODFW's website crab page or click on Washington State's information on recreational crabbing or click California's information on recreational crabbing. Click on Alaska's comments on Dungeness Crabs and on permits and regulations for SE Alaska. Click on Dungeness Crabs at Netarts Bay. Click on Species Profile for Dungeness Crabs PDF file. Click on Species Profile for Red Rock Crabs to view PDF file. Click on Dungeness and Red Rock Crabs to view information on taking crabs from Oregon's Bays and ocean water.
Clam Digging:
Sand Lake clam digging is limited to purple varnish clams and a small population of cockles. Raking for cockles in the cockle beds located in the south channel has declined, but the purple varnish clams in the tidal flats associated with the north channel are not as abundant as they once were. The tidal flats are dominted by small clams. We suggest raking cockles at Netarts Bay rather than Sand Lake.
The Sand Lake Recreational Area is a multifunctional use area for off road vehicle use, hiking, fishing, crabbing and clam digging. The Sandlake Recreation Area on the north shore is popular and busy with off-highway vehicles especially on weekends. There are 3 developed campgrounds: Sandbeach (101 sites), East Dunes (51 sites), and West Winds (20 sites). Day use parking at North Winds.
Internet Links of Interest fo Sand Lake:
NOAA tidal projections for Sand Lake. We use the tidal projections at the at the entrance of Nestucca Bay to estimate the tidal projections for Sand Lake. Click on the following link to view the NOAA tidal projections for the Nestucca River.
Recreational Advisories:
Always call the Oregon Shellfish Hotline at (503) 986-4728 or 1-800-448-2474 toll free outside of Oregon before harvesting clams or mussels for messages listing the areas closed to harvesting shellfish due to high levels of marine toxins.
Fish and Shellfish Consumption Advisories and Guidelines In mid July the State issued shellfish advisories for elevated levels of arsenic in soft shell clams and gaper clams. The CDAO does not recommend consuming contaminated clams or fish species of any species. The Oregon Health Authority has prepared a series of asked and answered questions about the soft shell clams taken from Oregon's Bays. Click on Questions and Answers (pdf).
However the purple varnish clams common to most of Oregon's Bays have tested free of contamination from arsenic; and to date the clams have not been contaminated by Domoic Acid or PSP that have closed the Oregon Coast to the taking of razor clams and mussels.
Oregon's Beach Monitoring Program is a part time program that occurs between Memorial Day in May and Labor Day in September.
Oregon's Beach Monitoring program helps protect people who come into contact with beach water contaminated with elevated levels of fecal bacterium called enterococcus. The program does regular water testing to look for high levels of bacteria and issues a public health advisory when bacteria counts exceed acceptable risk levels.. Beginning in 2017 the EPA has implemented new higher standards to requiring Oregon to issue an alert notifying the public of the health risks.
New Beach Action Value for the 2017 beach monitoring season
The Oregon Beach Monitoring Program (OBMP) is beginning a process to adopt a new beach action value (BAV) for bacteria of 70 MPN that will be used as the basis for public health advisories at Oregon beaches starting in 2017. The 2015 and 2016 monitoring seasons will remain unchanged and continue to use the current BAV of 158 MPN.
What type of bacteria? Ocean waters are tested to see if a fecal bacterium called enterococcus is present. Enterococcus is found in the intestines of warm blooded animals, including humans. High levels of these bacteria show there is fecal material in the water and that microscopic disease-causing organisms may be present.
How does the water become contaminated? Fecal contamination can be due to multiple causes near anybody of water. Some of the reasons of contamination are due to: animal feces deposited by domestic animals and all wild animals including beavers, seals, migratory waterfowl and seabirds , swimmers with diarrhea, children not properly cleaned after using the bathroom, the improper disposition of diapers, the vomiting or fecal matter in the water, agricultural and storm water run-off, sewage treatment plant spills, inadequate or the absence of public septic systems, failing or leaking of both public and private septic systems or the improper disposal of boat waste. The list of offending agents is seemingly endless. Do your part it reduce contamination of our waterways.
The Algae Bloom Surveillance program advises the public when a harmful algae bloom has been detected in a lake or river. Not all blooms are harmful, but some species of algae, such as cyanobacteria or blue-green algae, can produce toxins that can cause serious illness in pets, livestock, wildlife and humans.
Please see the Oregon fish consumption guidelines for more information abut the health benefits of fish and how to make healthy fish choices.
Fishing in Sand Lake
Redtail surfperch, pileperch, walleye surfperch, silver surfperch and striped seaperch enter the tidal basin in small numbers throughout the year. They enter the tidal basin with the tide feeding heavily on intertidal animals. Fishing is usually fair depending on the tide, time of year and the weather conditions. The best fishing for perch and all species occurs from May through October during the incoming tide in the deepwater channels adjacent to the tidal flats in the lower part of the tidal basin south and west of Whalen Island.
Starry Flounder fishing at onetime was the dominate fishery in Sand Lake. Today the fishing ranges from poor for most of the year to fair at best in the spring.
Chinook salmon stray into Sand Lake in small numbers and several are caught in the tidal basin each year.
Cutthroat trout return to Sand Creek from late July into September but the greatest numbers return in August. Fish in Sand Lake during the incoming tide trolling Doc Shelton spinners rigged with night crawlers.
Coho salmon are occasionally are caught in Sand Lake.
The Sand Lake County Park at Whalen Island is where the crabbers, clam diggers and fishermen camp. The county park at Whelan Island is closed for camping from December 1st to May 1st but is open on the honor payment system in the open area next the boat launch. For the latest information call the Camp Host at 503 965 6085.
Mile by Mile Guide from Sand Lake to Nestucca Bay
8.4 north 25.9 south Sand Lake is one of the gems of the Three Capes Scenic Loop.
6.1 north 31.8 south – Tierra Del Mar Beach is located north of Cape Kiwanda below the entrance to Sand Lake on the Three Capes Scenic Loop along Sand Lake Drive. The fishing for surfperch is outstanding on the Tierra Del Mar Beach and at the entrance to the Sand Lake tidal basin. Motor vehicles are allowed on the beach all year except they are prohibited north of the entrance from May to September 30, days all year. Driving south, Sand Lake Drive becomes Kiwanda Drive.
3.8 north 34.1 south – Cape Kiwanda is located 1.2 miles north of Pacific City. From the south turn left from Brooten Road onto Pacific Ave and right onto Kiwanda Drive after crossing the Nestucca River. From the north turn right onto Hungry Harbor Dr. from Kiwanda Drive. The fishing is excellent for all species at Cape Kiwanda. Cape Kiwanda provides boats protection from northwesterly winds that predominate during the summer months. Anglers use to crowd onto the steep sided sandstone cliffs, but now, private development on the Cape prevents access. Refer to the Oregon Sport Fishing Regulation restricting the taking of shellfish within the Cape Kiwanda Marine Garden. There is ample parking at the beach access site of Pacific City’s famous Oregon dory fleet on Kiwanda Beach. Click on image to enlarge it.
The spirit of adventure is embodied in anglers who are courageous enough to charter a dory for an early morning fishing trip to the inshore reefs. It is a trip that will stimulate every red blood cell in your body. The adventure begins as the dory clears the surf to the open ocean. The angler is in store for some of the best fishing for shallow water rockfish and lingcod the ocean has to offer. The return to the beach is thrilling as the dory races through the surf to the beach
.
Kiwanda Beach extends from the Nestucca Bay sand spit on the north shore of Nestucca Bay to Cape Kiwanda. The fishing for redtail surfperch is excellent from late spring through summer. Access to Kiwanda Beach gained through Pacific City. Drive to Pacific City from the north via Three Capes Scenic Loop on Kiwanda Drive and from the south by exiting Highway 101 at milepost 90.4 onto Brooten Road. Drive to Pacific City turn left at Pacific Ave. Cross the Nestucca River and turn left onto Sunset Dr. and follow the signs 0.5 miles to Bob Straub State Park Wayside. The wayside is a day use park with ample parking for all vehicles.