Tony’s Fishing Report

Local lakes: A few more coho were caught in Tenmile Lakes this past week. The creek and lake levels have dropped, and new coho should move into the lakes with the next rain event. Most of the fish are darker in color and are being released. The most productive areas to fish are in the upper arms of the lakes. Some anglers turned their attention to fishing for rainbow trout on Tenmile Lakes last week. Anglers caught rainbows in the 12- to 18-inch range trolling wedding-ring spinners tipped with nightcrawlers. Look for some winter steelhead to start entering the lake system after the next couple of rains.

Local rivers: Anglers steelhead fishing on the Chetco and Rogue rivers are reporting very slow fishing. River levels are very low, clear and cold, which has made for tough fishing. A few steelhead are being caught by anglers plunking at first light.

Fall Chinook fishing on the Elk and Sixes rivers has been very slow due to the low and clear river conditions. A few salmon are being caught on the lower Elk and Sixes rivers at daybreak when fish are more active and are less likely to be spooked.

Winter steelhead fishing has been slow on the Coquille River. A few fish are being caught by anglers plunking near the town of Coquille. Winter steelhead fishing was good on the West Fork of the Millicoma River last week. Local angler Nick Vierck caught five steelhead last week and two last weekend on the Millicoma.

Anglers drift-fishing the Umpqua River last week near Elkton were boating and releasing up to 20 wild steelhead per day. The river has since dropped four to five inches, and river temps have dropped, as well, making for tough conditions. The few fish still being caught have been from anglers side-drifting No. 4 hooks with 8-pound fluorocarbon leaders with no weight, just a small cluster of salmon roe.

Pacific Ocean and bays: Anglers rock fishing from the jetties inside Coos Bay are reporting decent rockfish and ling cod catches. With the lack of rain runoff entering the bay, look for fishing to stay good. Today is the opening day for ocean sport and commercial crab fishing on the Oregon coast. The commercial season will be open just north of Gold Beach to the Washington/Oregon border. Due to poor pick-out rates for crab in the Brookings and Northern California areas, the season south of Gold Beach will be delayed until Jan. 15, 2012. Area shellfish: The dry weather has kept local crabbers busy catching Dungeness crab in South Coast bays. Gary Remy of Bandon reported taking 42 Dungeness crab out of the bay in Bandon last weekend. Crabbing on Weber’s Pier was a little slower this weekend, with lots of female crab caught. Crabbers up in Coos Bay are still reporting excellent bay crabbing from boats and the piers in Empire and Charleston.

(Tony Roszkowski has owned and operated Port O’ Call — TonysCrabShack.com — on the Bandon waterfront since 1989. Many South Coast anglers rely on his fish and shellfish reports. Hear more from Tony on ‘Oregon Outdoors’ Thursdays on KWRO 630 AM.)