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Post by Admin on Jun 3, 2015 10:09:06 GMT
The recreational opportunities listed on the Siuslaw River Estuary are brought to you by wwww.clamdigging.info for the benefit of the members of the Clam Digging and Crabbing Community.
The Port of Siuslaw is located in the City of Florence on the north shore of Oregon’s eighth largest bay. Florence was named after the sailing vessel Florence, which sunk offshore during a storm in November 1875. Today the bar at the entrance to the bay can be dangerous to cross and the small boater has to use caution when considering crossing the bar or fishing in the jetty channel. The waves generated by the wind and/or the current from a strong outgoing tide can sink a small boat. Call the Coast Guard station, (541) 902-7792 for recorded weather and bar conditions before considering boating in the jetty channel or crossing the bar. For other business call the Coast Guard Station at 1 997 2486.
  
NOAA's Bar Observation Website for Oregon's Bays. Check the NOAA Bar Observations website for updated closures and restrictions.
Know your harbor. Familiarize yourself with the conditions at the bar. Click on the Oregon State Marine Board and click on Forms Library Scroll down to Publication for download (Many publications no longer in print). Click on Siuslaw River Bar Hazards The interactive PDF file webpage describes the navigational hazards that boaters encounter when crossing the Siuslaw River Bar.
Shoal water on the northeast side of the channel has a depth of two to three feet at high tide which extends from C"7" to G"9". Shoal water on the south side of the channel, extends from buoy #6 to buoy #4 and approximately 50 yards out toward the south jetty tips.
Outer end of south jetty. Breakers are almost always present. When the seas are from the southwest or west, breakers may extend to the entrance buoy.
Outer end of north jetty. Breakers are almost always present. When the seas are from the west, the breakers may extend to the entrance buoy.
Siuslaw River channel lies along the northern half of the river entrance. Water depth ranges from 6 to 20 feet. When swells are running from the northwest, boaters should stay in the channel. When the swells run from the west or southwest, stay closer to the south jetty until clear of rough water. When conditions are questionable, contact the Coast Guard station for advice on VHF channel 16 or 22A, or CB channel 9. The USCG are heavy users of the Marine VHF Channels; Channel 16 is reserved for distress, safety and calling, while channel 22A is utilized for special warnings, Marine Safety and other announcements. Once inside the bar, head for the channel. Ranges mark the preferred depth channel, but depending on conditions they do not mark the best route to follow.
Siuslaw River bar has a very narrow channel extending out past the jetties. Unlike larger bars on the Oregon coast, the Siuslaw River bar may be rendered impassable for small boats by a moderate swell, particularly at ebb tide. Boaters should use extreme caution when operating near this bar. Due to shoaling and jetty extensions, bar conditions are unpredictable. When the bar is rough, expect continuous breakers 50 to 100 yards off the jetty tips.
Bridge: Clearance beneath the Siuslaw River Bridge is low. Use caution when crossing under the bridge on the flood tide to avoid damaging superstructure such as antennas and troll poles.
Rough bar advisory sign is positioned on the Coast Guard tower facing 150½ true.
Crabbing Siuslaw River:
The Siuslaw River Estuary: Crabbing at Siuslaw River Estuary is extremely good in the lower bay and in the ocean during normal late summer and fall river levels. Crabbing from the City Docks ranges to fair in late summer and fall with lots of juvenile crabs in the mix. The crabbing from Siuslaw Bay public crabbing dock located at the end of the South Jetty Road is excellent from late spring until the freshwater from winter rains force the crabs out into the ocean..............
On 08/08 Crabbers report fair crabbing from the South Jetty crabbing dock. The Crabber took 4 Dungeness crabs during on the incoming tide on successive days of crabbing.
Bill from the Sportsman shares one of his favorite crabbing locations at the North Jetty fish ladder access point for crab divers. An old fish ladder off of N. Jetty road in Harbor Vista park provides good SCUBA access, locally known as "the crab hole"..
It seems as though the Sportsman has been serving customers since the founding of Florence in 1875. Today is no difference, they strive to fulfill your recreational needs by answering your questions about local resources or selling you a box of hooks or a State of the Art off road vehicle. Whatever your recreational needs may be, the Sportsman can fulfill them. The Sportsman is located at 249 Hwy 101 on the west side of the highway Florence Oregon 97439 {541 997 3336) Click on the following video clip to view the products they sell or the outstanding collection of trophy animals they have taken throughout the years. On 10/27 Bill reports: Crabbing is good from the City Docks with near limits being taken and good from the Crabbing dock at the South Jetty.
On 08/06/14 my buddy Walt and I crabbed from the crabbing dock located on the south shore of the Siuslaw River Estuary. We did not catch any keeper sized crabs but only 2 keeper sized crabs were taken while we were there.
How to humanly kill Dungeness and red rock crabs is the question my wife wants me to answer. She can't stand to see anything suffer. Striking the Thoracic ganglion with a crab mallet kills the crab immediately. The crab does not suffer as it would if submerged in boiling water and neither does my wife. Killing and backing the crabs prior to cooking them shortens the total time it takes to cook and clean large numbers of crabs.
 Click on the following video clip to view a professional crab shaker picking a Dungeness crab. 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.
My website, Dungeness and Red Rock Crabs has a lot of useful information about crabbing along the Oregon Coast.
Clam Digging Siuslaw River:
Clam Digging in the Siuslaw River Estuary is limited to a huge populations of softshell clam accessed by boat or by car from Hwy 126 east of Florence at the confluence of the Siuslaw River and the North Fork of the Siuslaw River. Purple varnish clams are dug from the tidal flat located just east of the crabbing dock on the south jetty while razor clams are common to Heceta Beach and Baker Beach.
Lane County requires parking permits to park in the day use parking areas at most of the county parks. The permits are available at the Sportsman Sporting Goods store located on HWY 101 just north of the HWY 101 bridge over the Siuslaw River Estuary. The Sportsman is one of two family owned and operated sporting goods stores on the Oregon Coast that carry a complete line of equipment that will satisfy your recreational needs.
On 04/20/15 I went to both the beach at the North Jetty and the beach at the Driftwood Shores Resort to dig razor clams. the surf was rough and I managed to dig only one medium sized razor clam.
Razor Clams: At one time excluding the Clatsop Spit Beaches the digging of razor clams at Heceta Beach was considered the best place to dig razor clams in Oregon ahead of Agate Beach and Meyers Beach. According to local diggers digging productivity varies from poor to very good depending on the tidal range and surf conditions.
Heceta and Baker Beach Razor Clams: Last summer ODFW reported some razor clams were dug from the northern reach of Baker Beach.
Lane County requires parking permits to park in the day use parking areas at most of the county parks. The permits are available at the Sportsman Sporting Goods store located on HWY 101 just north of the HWY 101 bridge over the Siuslaw River Estuary. The Sportsman is one of two family owned and operated sporting goods stores on the Oregon Coast that carry a complete line of equipment that will satisfy your recreational needs.
There are some parking permit required to park at the beaches north of the North Jetty of the Siuslaw River. Parking is free at the North Jetty and at the public beach access parking area immediately south of the Driftwood Shores resort. A Lane County parking permit is required to park at the end Heceta Beach Road. There is a day use fee to park at the Sutton Lake Recreational area on the west side of Hwy 101 just north of Florence except for holders of the Golden Eagle pass program. The recreational area at Baker Beach via the Baker Beach Rd requires a day use fee or displaying the passes of the Golden Eagle program.
Baker Beach Rd. is the northern most access road to the beaches located north of the North Jetty except for the trail that leads to Baker Beach from the turnout overlooking the beach from Hwy 101..
Softshell clams are the primary clams of interest in the Siuslaw River Estuary. Piddocks clams are dug from the exposed tidal flats on the north side of the channel some distance from the Harbor Vista R/V Park. Some cockles are raked and some gaper clams are dug on the tidal flats below the Harbor Vista R/V Park.
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Post by Admin on Jun 9, 2015 23:46:16 GMT
Fishing in the Siuslaw River Estuary:
Siuslaw Bay is best known for the quality of the coho salmon fishing. Fishing in the bay and main stem of the Siuslaw River has posted some of the highest fish counts for coho salmon recorded for any of Oregon’s bays.
Coho salmon of the Siuslaw River have one of the best runs of coho salmon on the Oregon Coast. The Coho salmon return from late September, peaking in October and runs into November. Fish for Cho salmon early in the run trolling with the incoming tide in the lower bay with plug cut herring, chartreuse hoochies or streamer flies. Troll these baits behind a diver or wire spreader in the upper half of the water column. Trolling with rainbow, chartreuse or pink colored spinners or spinner bait combinations is an effective option. Troll these baits throughout the bay and in tidal reach of the river channel. Be sure to troll a plug cut herring with a tight spin at speeds between 3 and 5 knots.
Information Report 2001-02. Nickelson, T.E. 2001. Population assessment: Oregon coast Coho salmon ESU.
Information Report 2000-04. Zhou, S., and R. Williams. 2000. Escapement goals for Siletz River and Siuslaw River fall Chinook based on stock and recruitment analysis.
Information Report 98-4. Nickelson, T.E. 1998. A habitat-based assessment of coho salmon production potential and spawner escapement needs for Oregon coastal streams.
Information Report 88-1 Chinook Populations in Oregon Coastal River Basins. Description of Life Histories and Assessment of Recent Trends in Run Strengths
Chinook salmon begin returning in small numbers to Siuslaw Bay in September peaking in early October and running into November. The average catch rate has been increasing for the last 25 years and is dominated by a high percentage of 5 year old fish and some 6 year old fish. The majority of the Chinook salmon returning to the Siuslaw Basin return to Lake Creek with fewer Chinook returning to the Siuslaw River and the North Fork of the Siuslaw River respectively.
The best fishing for newly arriving fall Chinook salmon occurs in the lower bay during the incoming tide of the major tidal exchange of spring tides or neap tides especially when the incoming tide coincides with sunrise or sunset. The next most productive fishing period occurs at sunrise or sunset during the incoming tide of the minor tidal exchange in the daily tidal cycle. Daybreak is that magical time of day when Chinook salmon bite the best. Be sure to have the bait in the water one half hour before sunrise. Fishing is most productive from ½ hour before sunrise to midmorning and from late afternoon until ½ hour after sunset.
Early in the run trolling a plug cut herring with the incoming tide through high slack tide or with outgoing tide in the lower bay from the jetty jaws to the Highway 101 Bridge is the most productive method to catch early returning fall Chinook salmon. The velocity of the tidal current in the lower bay can require the use of heavy sinkers up to 16 plus ounces to keep the bait in the Chinook’s strike zone.
As the run develops troll a plug cut herring with the tide in the upper bay from the Highway 101 Bridge past Old Town to the confluence of the North Fork of the Siuslaw River. Troll a plug cut herring or spinners with the tide from the confluence of the North Fork to the Dairy Hole at the confluence of the Duncan Inlet or from the confluence of the North Fork with the main stem Siuslaw upriver to Bender Landing located on the North Fork of the Siuslaw River. Troll the spinners on the bottom utilizing a wire spreader with the spinner tied to a 72 inch 35 plus pound test monofilament lead and an 18 inch break away dropper. If the Chinook are rolling on top flat line the spinner by trolling it without using weight.
Fish in the tidal reach of the Siuslaw River from the Dairy Hole below Duncan Inlet upriver to the Dollar Hole located at the head of tidewater above Mapleton or in the upper tidal reach of the North Fork of the Siuslaw River from Bender Landing up river to Haring Creek or for the more adventurous to the head of tide at Condon Creek using the following methods: Troll with the incoming tide through high slack tide or back troll or back bounce with the outgoing tide using bait wrapped Flatfish lures, spinners or spinner bait combinations. Drift with the tidal current back bouncing a walnut sized gob of salmon eggs topped with a sand shrimp or drift with the tidal current using a free sliding bobber to fish a walnut sized gob of salmon eggs topped with sand shrimp suspended just off of the bottom at a depth of 8 to 10 feet. Bobber fishing is productive in the holes upriver from the Dairy Hole at Duncan Inlet, at the hole below the confluence of Sweet Creek, the Pipe Bridge Hole just below Mapleton Landing and in the holes above Mapleton Landing to the Dollar Hole just below the head of tide at Farnham Landing. Vertical jigging with a Buzz Bomb in the deeper holes upriver form the Pipe Bridge Hole can be productive. The most popular Flatfish lure has a silver body with chartreuse head or Hot Tail finish. The most productive spinner is No. 6 chartreuse Bolo spinner with silver and copper blades followed by a rainbow colored Yaquina Slammer spinner. Fish during low slack tide by trolling a No. 6 rainbow colored Yaquina Slammer spinner or by casting a No. 5 chartreuse Bolo spinner with silver and copper blades. Anchor up current above the deeper holes and fish with bait wrapped Flatfish lures, bait sweetened Spin–N–Glos, spinners, wobblers, spinner bait combinations, a walnut size gob of salmon eggs or bobber fish with salmon eggs and/or sand shrimp during the outgoing tide through low slack.
Steelhead in the Siuslaw Basin broodstock program incorporate the tendency to return later than traditional coastal hatchery stocks.
Typically steelhead return from late January and peak from late January through February and last well into March. There also is an extended fishery in the Siuslaw River from Whittaker Creek downstream to 200 yards below the mouth of Wildcat Creek through April 15.
The Siuslaw River near the Whittaker Creek campground offers good boat and bank access and is where a target of 70,000 winter steelhead smolts are released each spring. A good portion of the returning hatchery fish collected at this site is released back into the fishery. This area can be heavily fished during the peak season by boat and bank anglers, particularly on weekends.
Lake Creek and its major tributaries can be a productive catch-and-release fishery for wild steelhead, and provide opportunities to catch hatchery steelhead near the town of Deadwood, where 15,000 hatchery winter steelhead smolts are released into Green Creek.
Popular techniques used from a drift boat include side drifting, pulling plugs or drifting a bobber and jig. Effective bank fishing techniques are flow dependent but include swinging spinners and spoons across riffles, drifting a bobber and bait or jig, plunking, and bouncing a corky and bait along the bottom. Some early season scouting during lower flows to learn which technique will work for an area can pay off.
Cutthroat trout return to the Siuslaw River Basin anytime from the first week of July through first middle of August. Fishing for cutthroat is productive at the confluence of the North Fork and the main stem Siuslaw Rivers and upstream to Mapleton trolling Doc Shelton spinners rigged with night crawlers. Fish in the upper tidal reach of the Lake Creek and the Siuslaw River above Mapleton trolling Doc Shelton spinners rigged with a night crawler, casting spinners or by anchoring above the deeper holes and fishing on the bottom with night crawlers, crawfish tails or by casting spinners.
Striped bass enter Siuslaw Bay from the middle of March during the years when the striped bass population is at its highest. Fish along the tidal flats associated with the confluence of the North Fork, Cox Island, South Inlet or Duncan Inlet.
Black rockfish, blue rockfish and copper rockfish enter Siuslaw Bay early as March but usually from April through October withdrawing from the bay during periods of heavy seasonal freshwater runoff in winter and to deeper water during the daylight hours. Fishing at night in the jetty channel along the south jetty and the finger jetties is excellent from spring into early fall.
Pileperch, striped seaperch, redtail surfperch, walleye surfperch and white seaperch enter the bay in late spring. Striped seaperch are the dominate perch species followed by pileperch but the fishing really heats up when redtail surfperch enter the bay. Good fishing for perch starts in the jetty channel along the finger jetties just inside the entrance of the bay and gets better as the perch move up the bay to Cox Island. The fishing can be exceptional during June and July along the tidal flats adjacent to the deepwater channels from the city docks in Florence to the North Fork of the Siuslaw River, Cox Island and the South Inlet. The fishing ranges from fair to excellent through fall depending on the tides and the weather conditions.
Kelp greenling, whitespotted greenling and rock greenling enter the bay with the tide from late spring through fall. The best fishing occurs during July and August among the submerged structure of the north, south and finger jetties at the entrance to the bay.
Lingcod spawn along the north and south jetties from late January throughout March. Fishing is fair to excellent during the spawning period.
Cabezon are present throughout the year with the best fishing occurring along the south and north jetties in March during the spawning period, but the fishing for cabezon ranges from fair at the end of the jetties for most of the year.
White sturgeon enter the bay in fishable numbers from December to June. Fish for them in the holes in tidal reach of the river channel during the last two hours of an outgoing tide through slack tide. The sturgeon fishery is a small but viable one that is subject to over fishing. Concentrate fishing in the deeper holes from the confluence with the South Inlet upstream to Mapleton.
Sand Sole enter the bay in small numbers from April through August.
The Siuslaw Bay public fishing pier is located at the end of the South Jetty Road. The fishing for perch is excellent from spring through summer. The crabbing is excellent from late spring until the freshwater from winter rains force the crabs out into the ocean. The fishing for salmon from the pier is productive in late August and September as the salmon enter the river.
The Siuslaw Jetties – The best fishing is from the south jetty, which has a larger population of rockfish and access to the Siuslaw Bay public fishing pier. The south jetty has finger jetties to control erosion. The fishing for bass, greenling and perch should be good along these areas. The south jetty is accessed by traveling south on Hwy 101 across Siuslaw Bay for approximately 1.4 miles, turn right on the south Jetty access road and follow the sign. The north jetty is accessed from Hwy 101 via Heceta Beach Drive; turn left on Rhododendron to the North Jetty.
Internet links of interest:
Tbone Tidal Projections for the entrance to the Siuslaw River Estuary.
Tidal Projections:Click on at entrance of the estuary to view the NOAA tidal projections for the entrance to the Siluslaw River Estuary, or click on City Dock to view the tidal projections for the city dock. The tide at Florence occurs 55 minutes later than at the entrance to river jetty.
Click on the River Gage at Mapleton to display the height of the river level for the Siuslaw River – Near Mapleton
Click on the Northwest Forecast River Center and scroll down and over the icon for the water level gauge station of choice. Click the river gage station icon to display the river gage station information.
Click on the Marine Forecast to view the marine forecast from Florence to Cape Blanco featuring Small Craft Warning.
Click on navigational hazards to avoid when crossing the Siuslaw 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 Softshell clam advisory for Oregon Coast. The CDAO does not recommend consuming contaminated clams or fish species of any species. However the purple varnish clams in Siuslaw River Estuary like the estuaries that are monitored should be free of contamination from arsenic; and 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.
Always Check Oregon's Beach Monitoring Program. The Oregon Public Health Division conducts several activities to protect people living, working and playing near Oregon's beaches, rivers, lakes and other water bodies.
Oregon's Beach Monitoring Program helps protect people who play in the coastal waters. The program does regular water testing to look for high levels of bacteria and lets visitors know when there is a health concern.
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.
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Post by Admin on Jul 13, 2015 20:46:46 GMT
Places to go and things to see in and around the Siuslaw River Estuary at Florence Oregon. 178.2 Heceta Head Lighthouse at the Devil’s Elbow is located between Cape Creek and Heceta Head. The entrance to the parking area for the Devil’s Elbow and the Heceta Head Lighthouse is located immediately south of the service entrance to the lighthouse. The lighthouse was built in 1884 and it cast a light 21 miles seaward. The lighthouse is the most photographed landmark on the Oregon Coast. The best location from which to photograph the lighthouse is from one of several turnouts on Highway 101 south of the Devil’s Elbow. The ghost of the lighthouse keeper’s daughter is rumored to walk the halls of the light keeper’s house. Heceta Head is named after Spanish Explorer Bruno Heceta who discovered the headland in 1775. The fishing for pileperch, striped perch, sea trout, shallow water rockfish and lingcod is excellent during spring from the basalt rocky shelves that are only exposed during an outgoing tide or at low tide.  Oregon's Sea Lion Caves is located on Highway 101 eleven miles north of Florence
Sea Lion Caves were discovered in 1880 by a local seaman, Captain William Cox, who entered the grotto through the western channel in a small boat on a calm day. He reportedly returned to explore the caves a number of times and on one occasion was marooned for several days because of stormy weather and rough ocean. He reportedly sustained himself by shooting a young sea lion and eating the meat of its flippers. Regardless of the incident's authenticity, it is established that Captain Cox purchased the land in 1887 from the State of Oregon. His family owned the property until 1926. Source Wikepedia. Darlingtonia Gardens - located just off of Hwy 101 north of Florence - is the only Oregon state park property dedicated to the protection of a single plant species. Concurrently, the plants it protects are the only carnivorous flora in the system.
The Sportsman 249 Highway 101 Florence, OR 97439 - 7628. Phone 541-997-3336 for all of you outdoor recreational needs in the Florence area, the gateway to the Oregon Dunes National Recreational Area.
Family values, a man and his dog. Click on the image to enlarge it.
The Oregon Dunes National Recreational Area extends for 40 miles along the Oregon Coast from Florence to Coos Bay. Formed by the ancient forces of wind, water and time, these dunes are like no others in the world. These are the largest expanse of coastal sand dunes in North America and they hold numerous opportunities for adventure and solitude..
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Post by Admin on Jul 20, 2015 16:57:29 GMT
Mile by Mile Guide Between the Siuslaw River Estuary and the Umpqua River Estuary. featuring the natural resources of the Oregon Dunes National Recreational Area.
The Oregon Field Guide video clip shows the beauty and functional values created by Mother Nature within the sand dunes associated with the Oregon Dunes National Recreational Area Area sand dunes are the largest collection of coastal dunes in the world and are the most popular recreational area on the Oregon Coast.
The area offers visitors unlimited recreational opportunity to fulfill their expectations. The clam digging, crabbing and fishing is exceptional. Fishing in the surf for redtail surfperch is exceptional between Umpqua Bay and Coos Bay. There are numerous lakes in the area, the most notable being Siltcoos, Tahkenitch and Tenmile, all of which offer exceptional fishing, boating or water skiing. There are hiking trails that offer varying degrees of difficulty from a casual walk along the beach to a heart–pounding climb through the dunes. Dune buggy enthusiasts enjoy a level of participation that is comparable to their abilities. Vehicles entering the ocean beaches and the sand dunes in the Oregon Dunes National Recreational Area must be in compliance with beach access regulations. The beach associated with the Oregon Dunes Recreational Area is patrolled by the Marine Patrol and the patrol issues costly tickets to the owners of vehicles who violate regulations. Access to the sand dunes or to the beach by off road or by four wheel drive street legal vehicles requires an off road vehicle permit. Area merchants and the Oregon Department of Motor Vehicles issue off road vehicle permits. All vehicles both street legal and off road must display a red flag on the end of a nine foot whip antenna and carry a class–A fire extinguisher to access the off road areas of the Oregon Dunes National Recreational Area. Off road access to the beach by motor vehicle gives the angler ability to move often to locate feeding surfperch and striped bass. Be sure to park above the high tide mark and in an area where you don’t become stuck in the sand. Check with the Oregon Dunes National Recreational Office to confirm the sandy dunes and the beach areas open to vehicles. Other nearby recreational attractions such as the Kentucky Falls and the Deans Creek Elk Viewing Area are another compelling reason to visit the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area. The dunes within the Oregon Dunes National Recreational area stretch southward from the south shore of Siuslaw Bay to North Beach on the north shore of Coos Bay.
191.7 The South Jetty Road is located 1.4 miles south of Florence and is the northern entrance to the Oregon Dunes National Recreational Area. The ocean beach offers excellent fishing for redtail surfperch and the occasional striped bass and productive digging for razor clams. The south jetty crabbing dock is located at the end of the five mile long South Jetty Road. There is ample parking for all vehicles in the parking areas along the South Jetty Road. Motor vehicles are only allowed on the sand dunes south to the Siltcoos Beach Road.
198.1 Siltcoos Beach road is the access to the beach associated with the Siltcoos River. Turn west from Highway 101 into the Siltcoos entrance of the Oregon Dunes National Recreational Area. The beach north of the Siltcoos River is renowned for catching redtail surfperch. The best surf fishing is located on the beach 1 to 2 miles north of the Siltcoos River. Motor vehicles are prohibited on the beach from Siltcoos Beach Road to Sparrow Park Road.
198.7 Carter Lake Campground and Taylor Dune Trailhead is handicap accessible. The first quarter mile of the Taylor Dune Trail is handicap accessible. Follow the beach trail to the beach to fish for redtail surfperch.
200.8 The Oregon Dunes Overlook offers the visitor two viewing platforms that are connected by boardwalks that are completely handicap accessible. The platforms provide the visitor with a scenic view of the dunes. Follow the 1 mile trail to the beach. The entire beach offers excellent fishing for redtail surfperch and for the occasional striped bass.
202.3 Tahkenitch Creek Trailhead to the beach is accessed by parking at the Tahkenitch Creek Trailhead and hiking along the Tahkenitch Dunes Threemile Lake Loop to the beach. The entire beach offers excellent fishing for redtail surfperch and for the occasional striped bass.
207.5 Sparrow Park Road is the access road to the beach south to the North Jetty of Umpqua Bay. Sparrow Park Road is located 1.5 miles north of Gardiner. The fishing is excellent for redtail surfperch and striped bass and the beach south to the North Jetty is a productive location to dig for razor clams. R/Vs and trailers should avoid the long narrow and winding road to the beach. There is a turn around at the end of the road, but the only parking available is on the beach. Motor vehicles are only allowed to travel on the beach south to the north jetty; however, motor vehicles are allowed access through the sand dunes to the west shore of Umpqua Bay on Clam Bed Road. Local fishermen use ATVs to access the beach south to the North Jetty to fish this hotspot for redtail surfperch and striped bass. Fishing for cutthroat trout in Three Mile Lake is an option for those fit enough to make the hike.
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Post by Admin on Oct 5, 2019 19:13:09 GMT
The recreational opportunities listed on the Siuslaw River Estuary are brought to you by wwww.clamdigging.info for the benefit of the members of the Clam Digging and Crabbing Community.
The Port of Siuslaw is located in the City of Florence on the north shore of Oregon’s eighth largest bay. Florence was named after the sailing vessel Florence, which sunk offshore during a storm in November 1875. Today the bar at the entrance to the bay can be dangerous to cross and the small boater has to use caution when considering crossing the bar or fishing in the jetty channel. The waves generated by the wind and/or the current from a strong outgoing tide can sink a small boat. Call the Coast Guard station, (541) 902-7792 for recorded weather and bar conditions before considering boating in the jetty channel or crossing the bar. For other business call the Coast Guard Station at 1 997 2486.
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NOAA's Bar Observation Website for Oregon's Bays. Check the NOAA Bar Observations website for updated closures and restrictions.
Know your harbor. Familiarize yourself with the conditions at the bar. Click on the Oregon State Marine Board and click on Forms Library Scroll down to Publication for download (Many publications no longer in print). Click on Siuslaw River Bar Hazards The interactive PDF file webpage describes the navigational hazards that boaters encounter when crossing the Siuslaw River Bar.
Shoal water on the northeast side of the channel has a depth of two to three feet at high tide which extends from C"7" to G"9". Shoal water on the south side of the channel, extends from buoy #6 to buoy #4 and approximately 50 yards out toward the south jetty tips.
Outer end of south jetty. Breakers are almost always present. When the seas are from the southwest or west, breakers may extend to the entrance buoy.
Outer end of north jetty. Breakers are almost always present. When the seas are from the west, the breakers may extend to the entrance buoy.
Siuslaw River channel lies along the northern half of the river entrance. Water depth ranges from 6 to 20 feet. When swells are running from the northwest, boaters should stay in the channel. When the swells run from the west or southwest, stay closer to the south jetty until clear of rough water. When conditions are questionable, contact the Coast Guard station for advice on VHF channel 16 or 22A, or CB channel 9. The USCG are heavy users of the Marine VHF Channels; Channel 16 is reserved for distress, safety and calling, while channel 22A is utilized for special warnings, Marine Safety and other announcements. Once inside the bar, head for the channel. Ranges mark the preferred depth channel, but depending on conditions they do not mark the best route to follow.
Siuslaw River bar has a very narrow channel extending out past the jetties. Unlike larger bars on the Oregon coast, the Siuslaw River bar may be rendered impassable for small boats by a moderate swell, particularly at ebb tide. Boaters should use extreme caution when operating near this bar. Due to shoaling and jetty extensions, bar conditions are unpredictable. When the bar is rough, expect continuous breakers 50 to 100 yards off the jetty tips.
Bridge: Clearance beneath the Siuslaw River Bridge is low. Use caution when crossing under the bridge on the flood tide to avoid damaging superstructure such as antennas and troll poles.
Rough bar advisory sign is positioned on the Coast Guard tower facing 150½ true.
Crabbing Siuslaw River:
The Siuslaw River Estuary: Crabbing at Siuslaw River Estuary is extremely good in the lower bay and in the ocean during normal late summer and fall river levels. Crabbing from the City Docks ranges to fair in late summer and fall with lots of juvenile crabs in the mix. The crabbing from Siuslaw Bay public crabbing dock located at the end of the South Jetty Road is excellent from late spring until the freshwater from winter rains force the crabs out into the ocean..............
North Jetty fish ladder access point for crab divers. An old fish ladder off of N. Jetty road in Harbor Vista park provides good SCUBA access, locally known as "the crab hole".
On 10/05/19 Bill from the Sportsman reports: Crabbing inside the lower Siuslaw River Estuary from the south jetty crabbing dock and from the City docks is Slow due to clam digging tides. Fishing in the lower estuary has improved and will get better during the current series of Neap tides.
It seems as though the Sportsman has been serving customers since the founding of Florence in 1875. Today is no difference, they strive to fulfill your recreational needs by answering your questions about local resources or selling you a box of hooks or a State of the Art off road vehicle. Whatever your recreational needs may be, the Sportsman can fulfill them. The Sportsman is located at 249 Hwy 101 on the west side of the highway Florence Oregon 97439 {541 997 3336) Click on the following video clip to view the products they sell or the outstanding collection of trophy animals they have taken throughout the years.
On 08/06/14 my buddy Walt and I crabbed from the crabbing dock located on the south shore of the Siuslaw River Estuary. We did not catch any keeper sized crabs but only 2 keeper sized crabs were taken while we were there.
How to humanly kill Dungeness and red rock crabs is the question my wife wants me to answer. She can't stand to see anything suffer. Striking the Thoracic ganglion with a crab mallet kills the crab immediately. The crab does not suffer as it would if submerged in boiling water and neither does my wife. Killing and backing the crabs prior to cooking them shortens the total time it takes to cook and clean large numbers of crabs.
Click on the following video clip to view a professional crab shaker picking a Dungeness crab. 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.
My website, Dungeness and Red Rock Crabs has a lot of useful information about crabbing along the Oregon Coast.
Clam Digging Siuslaw River:
Clam Digging in the Siuslaw River Estuary is limited to a huge populations of softshell clam accessed by boat or by car from Hwy 126 east of Florence at the confluence of the Siuslaw River and the North Fork of the Siuslaw River. Purple varnish clams are dug from the tidal flat located just east of the crabbing dock on the south jetty while razor clams are common to Heceta Beach and Baker Beach.
Lane County requires parking permits to park in the day use parking areas at most of the county parks. The permits are available at the Sportsman Sporting Goods store located on HWY 101 just north of the HWY 101 bridge over the Siuslaw River Estuary. The Sportsman is one of two family owned and operated sporting goods stores on the Oregon Coast that carry a complete line of equipment that will satisfy your recreational needs.
On 04/20/15 I went to both the beach at the North Jetty and the beach at the Driftwood Shores Resort to dig razor clams. the surf was rough and I managed to dig only one medium sized razor clam.
Razor Clams: At one time excluding the Clatsop Spit Beaches the digging of razor clams at Heceta Beach was considered the best place to dig razor clams in Oregon ahead of Agate Beach and Meyers Beach. According to local diggers digging productivity varies from poor to very good depending on the tidal range and surf conditions.
Heceta and Baker Beach Razor Clams: Last summer ODFW reported some razor clams were dug from the northern reach of Baker Beach.
Lane County requires parking permits to park in the day use parking areas at most of the county parks. The permits are available at the Sportsman Sporting Goods store located on HWY 101 just north of the HWY 101 bridge over the Siuslaw River Estuary. The Sportsman is one of two family owned and operated sporting goods stores on the Oregon Coast that carry a complete line of equipment that will satisfy your recreational needs.
There are some parking permit required to park at the beaches north of the North Jetty of the Siuslaw River. Parking is free at the North Jetty and at the public beach access parking area immediately south of the Driftwood Shores resort. A Lane County parking permit is required to park at the end Heceta Beach Road. There is a day use fee to park at the Sutton Lake Recreational area on the west side of Hwy 101 just north of Florence except for holders of the Golden Eagle pass program. The recreational area at Baker Beach via the Baker Beach Rd requires a day use fee or displaying the passes of the Golden Eagle program.
Baker Beach Rd. is the northern most access road to the beaches located north of the North Jetty except for the trail that leads to Baker Beach from the turnout overlooking the beach from Hwy 101..
Softshell clams are the primary clams of interest in the Siuslaw River Estuary. Piddocks clams are dug from the exposed tidal flats on the north side of the channel some distance from the Harbor Vista R/V Park. Some cockles are raked and some gaper clams are dug on the tidal flats below the Harbor Vista R/V Park.
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Click on the following video clip to view a professional crab shaker picking a Dungeness crab. Using this method cuts the time to pick a crab in half.
