Post by Admin on Jul 17, 2015 2:33:37 GMT
The recreational opportunities listed on the webpage for Chetco River Estuary are brought to you by wwww.clamdigging.info for the benefit of the members of the Clam Digging and Crabbing Community.
357.9 Chetco River Estuary
The Omnibus Oregon Wild and Scenic Rivers Act of 1988 designated 44.5 miles of the Chetco River as Wild & Scenic, from its headwaters in the Kalmiopsis Wilderness down to the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest boundary just above Alfred A. Loeb State Park. The designated segment of the Chetco is located within Curry County in southwest Oregon on the Gold Beach Ranger District. The Wild & Scenic Chetco River is divided into three segments:
The 27.5-mile Wild segment from the headwaters down to Mislatnah Creek;
The 8.0-mile Scenic segment from Mislatnah Creek down to Eagle Creek; and
The 11.0-mile Recreational segment from Eagle Creek down to the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest boundary. This segment includes the following recreational resources.
Campground Camping
Alfred A. Loeb State Park
Redwood Nature Trailhead
Redwood Bar Campground
Nook Bar Campground
Miller Bar Campground
South Fork Campground
Loeb State Park
Harris Beach State Park
Click on the Chetco River Estuary Link above to continue reading about the resources associated with the Chetco River Estuary.
Chetco River Estuary is one of Oregon’s smallest bays. Chetco Point shelters the entrance to the Chetco River Estuary making Chetco Bay one of the safest bars to cross on the coast. The Bar is often opened when access to the Bars of other Oregon' Bays are restricted.
The following underlined areas describe some of the dangerous tidal conditions affecting safe boating in the Chetco River Estuary as listed on the Web Page for Oregon State Marine Board at www.boatoregon.com.
West jetty rock area. This area is dangerous because of many rocks and shoaling. At high tide the rocks are covered by water and the area appears navigable but is extremely dangerous. Avoid this area at all times.
Jetty and shoal areas. These areas are extremely dangerous at all times because of submerged rocks and breakers. Two rocks in this area may be seen at low tide. Avoid this area at all times.
The range marker consists of a red rectangular shape with a black vertical stripe mounted on a skeleton tower. By steering a course that keeps the two range markers in line, you will remain within the channel. Call the Chetco River Coast Guard Station at 541-469-4571 for the current ocean conditions and extended forecast at the bar if you are planning to boat in the Chetco River Estuary. The emphasis in the Chetco River Estuary is on Chinook salmon fishing. Fishing for Chinook salmon outside of the Chetco River Estuary is outstanding during the ocean salmon season. On calm days troll for salmon outside the jetty jaws to the whistle buoy located one mile from the harbor entrance. FYI: the 1997 saw 5100 Chinook salmon landed before the ocean salmon season closed in early September.
The ODFW sponsors a terminal fishery in the ocean extending 3 miles seaward from line ¼ mile south of the whistle buoy north to Goat Island for Chinook salmon. The terminal fishery is open for one week during the month of October and yielded 715 Chinook salmon during the 1997 season. The fishing for rockfish is excellent in Chetco Cove, Chetco Point, Macklyn Cove and ZwaThe emphasis in the Chetco River Estuary is on Chinook salmon fishing. Fishing for Chinook salmon outside of the Chetco River Estuary is outstanding during the ocean salmon season. On calm days troll for salmon outside the jetty jaws to the whistle buoy located one mile from the harbor entrance. The 1997 saw 5100 Chinook salmon landed before the ocean salmon season closed in early September.
The ODFW sponsors a terminal fishery in the ocean extending 3 miles seaward from line ¼ mile south of the whistle buoy north to Goat Island for Chinook salmon. The terminal fishery is open for one week during the month of October and yielded 715 Chinook salmon during the 1997 season. The fishing for rockfish is excellent in Chetco Cove, Chetco Point, Macklyn Cove and Zwagg Island or on the inshore reefs for most of the year weather permitting.
Chinook salmon return to the Chetco River Estuary from September through October into December usually peaking in last week of October. A large number of the 1805 fish that are caught each year are five old fish that weigh between 30 and 40 pounds. The tidal reach of the Chetco River Estuary is only two and a half miles long. The Chinook move into and out of the bay with the tide. 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.
Information Report 87-1. McGie, A.M. 1987. Contribution and distribution of catch of 1969- and 1970-brood fall Chinook salmon from Chetco River, Oregon.
Early in the run trolling a plug cut herring with the incoming tide through high slack tide or with the outgoing tide from the head of tidewater seaward along the south jetty is the most productive method to catch early returning fall Chinook salmon. As the number of returning Chinook salmon increase, trolling spinners in the upper bay from the Hwy 101 Bridge to the head of tidewater are an effective alternative. The most effective spinner is colored 50/50 chartreuse and brass blade, a hammered gold back and the front painted with 50/50 green and chartreuse spinner blade or a rainbow colored blade with a green tip. Returning Chinook salmon hold in the Morris Hole and at Tide Rock at the head of tidewater before continuing upstream. Fish for them using the Rogue Bait Rig and anchovy combination or Spin–N–Glows sweetened with salmon eggs. Bobber fishing at the Morris Hole with sand shrimp and/or salmon eggs in is an effective option that is a favorite of local anglers.
Steelhead fishing in the Chetco River Basin
The Chetco is slow to muddy and clears quickly after a rain event. It is the only non-Rogue River stream on the south coast with a hatchery program. ODFW has maintained a wild broodstock collection program on the Chetco River for more than 25 years, releasing up to 50,000 steelhead smolts annually. Releases occur at Social Security Bar, approximately 3 miles upriver from Hwy 101. In 2011 and 2012, the ODFW Restoration and Enhancement Program funded a two year steelhead creel on the Chetco River with an average catch of 3,800 steelhead for those years. It is a great fishery, but can be crowed at times.
The majority of the returning hatchery steelhead stay within the lower 8 miles of the river, providing a very good fishery from early December to March. The heaviest concentrations are around the mouth of the North Fork Chetco River up to Loeb State Park.
The Chetco River also has a tremendous wild steelhead population. Both runs return at the same time, and most fish are spawned out by mid-March. The wild fish generally move through the lower river during rain events, providing excellent fishing. The majority of wild fish spawn in the upper river and tributaries. Flows are a key factor in determining when to fish and what method to use. Anglers can keep an eye on the Chetco River flows online. Bank anglers usually start plunking Spin-N-Glos around 9,000 cfs and drift boat anglers do best at 4,000 cfs and dropping.
Anglers are reminded that to maintain a wild steelhead broodstock program, ODFW staff are regularly netting wild steelhead on the Chetco River. At times, these broodstock collection efforts may interfere with an anglers fishing. In addition to broodstock collection, ODFW will be conducting a steelhead angler creel from December to March. Please be courteous to all ODFW personnel and volunteers.
Pile perch, striped seaperch, redtail surfperch, and walleye surfperch enter the bay in late spring. At best the fishing is fair to good from late spring through fall depending on the amount fresh water entering the bay. Fish for redtail surfperch along the south jetty and for the other perch species in the jetty channel and among the structure associated with the marina.
White sturgeon occasionally enter the Chetco River Estuary and the sturgeon that are caught are caught by anglers fishing for salmon.
Sand Sole enter the bay in small numbers May.
Clam Digging: The bay clams common to Oregon's Bay are not present in Brookings Harbor in large enough numbers to be of interest to recreational clam diggers.
Chetco River Estuary Crabbing at Brookings: has no current crabbing information available; however, the Port has a public fishing and crabbing dock. Crabbing is dependent on the freshwater runoff entering the small estuary. Crabbing improves from summer to early fall from the Highway 101 Bridge seaward until the arrival of fall rains. Crabbing in the ocean off of the Rogue and Chetco Rivers is productive in areas 60 to 80 feet
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.
South jetty of the Chetco River Estuary offer the angler a full service RV park at the Beach Front RV Park, boat launching, restrooms and picnic tables. Access ramps from the parking area to the beach make Harbor Beach the most user accessible beach on the Oregon Coast. The fishing for perch from the beach or the jetty is good.
Chetco River Estuary boat launches are located on the south shore at the Port of Brookings.
Internet Links of Interest for the Chetco River Estuary:
Click on the following links to view the hazards boaters encounter crossing the bar at the Chetco River Estuary.
NOAA's Bar Observation Website for Oregon's Bays. Check the NOAA Bar Observations website for updated closures and restrictions.
Tidal Projections: NOAA tidal projections for Oregon. Scroll down to the Chetco River Estuary and click on your area of interest.
Click the following link to view the local weather forecast for Brookings.
Click the following link to view the Marine Forecast available from NWS Medford, OR Zone Forecast: Coastal waters from Cape Blanco OR to Pt. St. George CA out 10 nm.
Click on the Chetco River – Near Brookings to view the height of the river near Brookings.
Natural Resources of the Chetco 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.
Mile by Mile from the Chetco River Estuary to Winchuck Beach.
358.0 Harbor Beach and the south jetty of the Chetco River Estuary offer the angler a full service RV park at the Beach Front RV Park, boat launching, restrooms and picnic tables. Access ramps from the parking area to the beach make Harbor Beach the most user accessible beach on the Oregon Coast. The fishing for perch from the beach or the jetty is good.
361.7 McVey Beach is located just north of the Winchuck River. Turn west from Highway 101, at Don and Bob’s Auto Repair, onto Ocean view Drive. Turn left at the beach access road with the white cable post. The fishing for redtail surfperch is excellent.
362.2 Winchuck Beach is located just north of Oregon California boarder. The redtail surfperch fishing is excellent along the beach on either side of the Winchuck River. Chinook salmon return to the Winchuck River from late October through November. The run is comprised with a high percentage of five year old fish. The catch rate over the last decade has averaged 90 Chinook per year. The estuary at the Winchuck River is approximately ¼ mile in length. Access to the estuary is through the Winchuck River State Park Wayside (Crissey Field State Recreation Site), but access to the rest of the river is limited by private property. Bank fishing only
Steelhead fishing in the Winchuck River
The Winchuck has an excellent run of winter steelhead. It’s also slow to muddy and clears quickly after rains. The upper river flows primarily through Forest Service land with good access for bank anglers. Anglers can float the river, but only experienced oarsman should attempt to. Fishing from a boat is prohibited.
357.9 Chetco River Estuary
The Omnibus Oregon Wild and Scenic Rivers Act of 1988 designated 44.5 miles of the Chetco River as Wild & Scenic, from its headwaters in the Kalmiopsis Wilderness down to the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest boundary just above Alfred A. Loeb State Park. The designated segment of the Chetco is located within Curry County in southwest Oregon on the Gold Beach Ranger District. The Wild & Scenic Chetco River is divided into three segments:
The 27.5-mile Wild segment from the headwaters down to Mislatnah Creek;
The 8.0-mile Scenic segment from Mislatnah Creek down to Eagle Creek; and
The 11.0-mile Recreational segment from Eagle Creek down to the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest boundary. This segment includes the following recreational resources.
Campground Camping
Alfred A. Loeb State Park
Redwood Nature Trailhead
Redwood Bar Campground
Nook Bar Campground
Miller Bar Campground
South Fork Campground
Loeb State Park
Harris Beach State Park
Click on the Chetco River Estuary Link above to continue reading about the resources associated with the Chetco River Estuary.
Chetco River Estuary is one of Oregon’s smallest bays. Chetco Point shelters the entrance to the Chetco River Estuary making Chetco Bay one of the safest bars to cross on the coast. The Bar is often opened when access to the Bars of other Oregon' Bays are restricted.
The following underlined areas describe some of the dangerous tidal conditions affecting safe boating in the Chetco River Estuary as listed on the Web Page for Oregon State Marine Board at www.boatoregon.com.
West jetty rock area. This area is dangerous because of many rocks and shoaling. At high tide the rocks are covered by water and the area appears navigable but is extremely dangerous. Avoid this area at all times.
Jetty and shoal areas. These areas are extremely dangerous at all times because of submerged rocks and breakers. Two rocks in this area may be seen at low tide. Avoid this area at all times.
The range marker consists of a red rectangular shape with a black vertical stripe mounted on a skeleton tower. By steering a course that keeps the two range markers in line, you will remain within the channel. Call the Chetco River Coast Guard Station at 541-469-4571 for the current ocean conditions and extended forecast at the bar if you are planning to boat in the Chetco River Estuary. The emphasis in the Chetco River Estuary is on Chinook salmon fishing. Fishing for Chinook salmon outside of the Chetco River Estuary is outstanding during the ocean salmon season. On calm days troll for salmon outside the jetty jaws to the whistle buoy located one mile from the harbor entrance. FYI: the 1997 saw 5100 Chinook salmon landed before the ocean salmon season closed in early September.
The ODFW sponsors a terminal fishery in the ocean extending 3 miles seaward from line ¼ mile south of the whistle buoy north to Goat Island for Chinook salmon. The terminal fishery is open for one week during the month of October and yielded 715 Chinook salmon during the 1997 season. The fishing for rockfish is excellent in Chetco Cove, Chetco Point, Macklyn Cove and ZwaThe emphasis in the Chetco River Estuary is on Chinook salmon fishing. Fishing for Chinook salmon outside of the Chetco River Estuary is outstanding during the ocean salmon season. On calm days troll for salmon outside the jetty jaws to the whistle buoy located one mile from the harbor entrance. The 1997 saw 5100 Chinook salmon landed before the ocean salmon season closed in early September.
The ODFW sponsors a terminal fishery in the ocean extending 3 miles seaward from line ¼ mile south of the whistle buoy north to Goat Island for Chinook salmon. The terminal fishery is open for one week during the month of October and yielded 715 Chinook salmon during the 1997 season. The fishing for rockfish is excellent in Chetco Cove, Chetco Point, Macklyn Cove and Zwagg Island or on the inshore reefs for most of the year weather permitting.
Chinook salmon return to the Chetco River Estuary from September through October into December usually peaking in last week of October. A large number of the 1805 fish that are caught each year are five old fish that weigh between 30 and 40 pounds. The tidal reach of the Chetco River Estuary is only two and a half miles long. The Chinook move into and out of the bay with the tide. 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.
Information Report 87-1. McGie, A.M. 1987. Contribution and distribution of catch of 1969- and 1970-brood fall Chinook salmon from Chetco River, Oregon.
Early in the run trolling a plug cut herring with the incoming tide through high slack tide or with the outgoing tide from the head of tidewater seaward along the south jetty is the most productive method to catch early returning fall Chinook salmon. As the number of returning Chinook salmon increase, trolling spinners in the upper bay from the Hwy 101 Bridge to the head of tidewater are an effective alternative. The most effective spinner is colored 50/50 chartreuse and brass blade, a hammered gold back and the front painted with 50/50 green and chartreuse spinner blade or a rainbow colored blade with a green tip. Returning Chinook salmon hold in the Morris Hole and at Tide Rock at the head of tidewater before continuing upstream. Fish for them using the Rogue Bait Rig and anchovy combination or Spin–N–Glows sweetened with salmon eggs. Bobber fishing at the Morris Hole with sand shrimp and/or salmon eggs in is an effective option that is a favorite of local anglers.
Steelhead fishing in the Chetco River Basin
The Chetco is slow to muddy and clears quickly after a rain event. It is the only non-Rogue River stream on the south coast with a hatchery program. ODFW has maintained a wild broodstock collection program on the Chetco River for more than 25 years, releasing up to 50,000 steelhead smolts annually. Releases occur at Social Security Bar, approximately 3 miles upriver from Hwy 101. In 2011 and 2012, the ODFW Restoration and Enhancement Program funded a two year steelhead creel on the Chetco River with an average catch of 3,800 steelhead for those years. It is a great fishery, but can be crowed at times.
The majority of the returning hatchery steelhead stay within the lower 8 miles of the river, providing a very good fishery from early December to March. The heaviest concentrations are around the mouth of the North Fork Chetco River up to Loeb State Park.
The Chetco River also has a tremendous wild steelhead population. Both runs return at the same time, and most fish are spawned out by mid-March. The wild fish generally move through the lower river during rain events, providing excellent fishing. The majority of wild fish spawn in the upper river and tributaries. Flows are a key factor in determining when to fish and what method to use. Anglers can keep an eye on the Chetco River flows online. Bank anglers usually start plunking Spin-N-Glos around 9,000 cfs and drift boat anglers do best at 4,000 cfs and dropping.
Anglers are reminded that to maintain a wild steelhead broodstock program, ODFW staff are regularly netting wild steelhead on the Chetco River. At times, these broodstock collection efforts may interfere with an anglers fishing. In addition to broodstock collection, ODFW will be conducting a steelhead angler creel from December to March. Please be courteous to all ODFW personnel and volunteers.
Pile perch, striped seaperch, redtail surfperch, and walleye surfperch enter the bay in late spring. At best the fishing is fair to good from late spring through fall depending on the amount fresh water entering the bay. Fish for redtail surfperch along the south jetty and for the other perch species in the jetty channel and among the structure associated with the marina.
White sturgeon occasionally enter the Chetco River Estuary and the sturgeon that are caught are caught by anglers fishing for salmon.
Sand Sole enter the bay in small numbers May.
Clam Digging: The bay clams common to Oregon's Bay are not present in Brookings Harbor in large enough numbers to be of interest to recreational clam diggers.
Chetco River Estuary Crabbing at Brookings: has no current crabbing information available; however, the Port has a public fishing and crabbing dock. Crabbing is dependent on the freshwater runoff entering the small estuary. Crabbing improves from summer to early fall from the Highway 101 Bridge seaward until the arrival of fall rains. Crabbing in the ocean off of the Rogue and Chetco Rivers is productive in areas 60 to 80 feet
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.
South jetty of the Chetco River Estuary offer the angler a full service RV park at the Beach Front RV Park, boat launching, restrooms and picnic tables. Access ramps from the parking area to the beach make Harbor Beach the most user accessible beach on the Oregon Coast. The fishing for perch from the beach or the jetty is good.
Chetco River Estuary boat launches are located on the south shore at the Port of Brookings.
Internet Links of Interest for the Chetco River Estuary:
Click on the following links to view the hazards boaters encounter crossing the bar at the Chetco River Estuary.
NOAA's Bar Observation Website for Oregon's Bays. Check the NOAA Bar Observations website for updated closures and restrictions.
Tidal Projections: NOAA tidal projections for Oregon. Scroll down to the Chetco River Estuary and click on your area of interest.
Click the following link to view the local weather forecast for Brookings.
Click the following link to view the Marine Forecast available from NWS Medford, OR Zone Forecast: Coastal waters from Cape Blanco OR to Pt. St. George CA out 10 nm.
Click on the Chetco River – Near Brookings to view the height of the river near Brookings.
Natural Resources of the Chetco 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.
Mile by Mile from the Chetco River Estuary to Winchuck Beach.
358.0 Harbor Beach and the south jetty of the Chetco River Estuary offer the angler a full service RV park at the Beach Front RV Park, boat launching, restrooms and picnic tables. Access ramps from the parking area to the beach make Harbor Beach the most user accessible beach on the Oregon Coast. The fishing for perch from the beach or the jetty is good.
361.7 McVey Beach is located just north of the Winchuck River. Turn west from Highway 101, at Don and Bob’s Auto Repair, onto Ocean view Drive. Turn left at the beach access road with the white cable post. The fishing for redtail surfperch is excellent.
362.2 Winchuck Beach is located just north of Oregon California boarder. The redtail surfperch fishing is excellent along the beach on either side of the Winchuck River. Chinook salmon return to the Winchuck River from late October through November. The run is comprised with a high percentage of five year old fish. The catch rate over the last decade has averaged 90 Chinook per year. The estuary at the Winchuck River is approximately ¼ mile in length. Access to the estuary is through the Winchuck River State Park Wayside (Crissey Field State Recreation Site), but access to the rest of the river is limited by private property. Bank fishing only
Steelhead fishing in the Winchuck River
The Winchuck has an excellent run of winter steelhead. It’s also slow to muddy and clears quickly after rains. The upper river flows primarily through Forest Service land with good access for bank anglers. Anglers can float the river, but only experienced oarsman should attempt to. Fishing from a boat is prohibited.