Crab, Clam & Fish

WHAT A catch

Crab, clam & fish in the Siuslaw Region

The Florence area offers a bountiful harvest of seafood for the outdoor enthusiast. The Siuslaw River is famous for its fall runs of Chinook and Coho salmon, as well as winter steelhead. Clamming on the beaches and mud flats during minus low tides and crabbing off the public docks often result in success. The many lakes surrounding Florence teem with trout, bass and other excellent pan fish. If you are into seafood, then you have definitely come to the right place.

Crabbing

Dungeness crab, arguably the finest tasting crabmeat in the world, is a favorite among Florence residents and visitors, and crabbing is a popular family activity. Crabbing is allowed (with a license) off most of the Port of Siuslaw docks, right in Old Town. Another excellent spot is off the public crabbing dock south of Florence near the end of South Jetty Road.

Crab nets or rings as well as crab bait can be purchased or rented from several places in Florence. An annual shellfish license for Oregon residents, which is good for crabbing and clamming, is $10. A three-day license is $19. Either one will pay for itself with the first legal crab you catch. Anyone over the age of 12 must have a license. The limit is 12 legal male crabs per person. No female crabs may be taken.

The best time to crab is between one hour before to one hour after high or low tide. Gently pull up the slack on the crab line until it feels taught, then quickly pull the crab ring up. If crabs feel movement within the net, they will scatter. Closed traps are the best, as they allow the smaller crabs to escape while keeping in the larger ones.

Fishing

In the state of Oregon, you must have a license to fish or to harvest any shellfish. Check with local sporting goods stores to determine which kind of license you will need.

Each fall, beginning around the middle of August and running through the middle or end of November, the Siuslaw River turns into an angler’s paradise. Chinook salmon, some weighing 30, 40 and even 50 pounds, return to their spawning grounds after spending from three to five years in the ocean. Coho salmon, their smaller cousins, also return in large numbers. Fishermen come from far and wide to try their luck at catching one or more of these prized sports fish.

You don’t have to be an expert to catch salmon; luck is always part of any good fisherman’s tackle. But you can improve your odds by hiring one of the area’s experienced professional fishing guides. You can also get plenty of free advice at places like True Value Hardware and The Sportsman. Both sell fishing and crabbing licenses as well.

Winter Steelhead fishing begins later in the winter and runs through April. Steelhead are sea-run rainbow trout that return like salmon to spawn in the same stream they were hatched. Unlike salmon, Steelhead often return to the ocean after spawning. Many fishermen consider the

Steelhead to be the premier fighting fish of the Northwest.

Visitors and locals alike find trout fishing in one of the many lakes around Florence a pastime the entire family can enjoy.

One popular fishing lake is Cleawox Lake, three miles south of Florence. There are several good bank fishing spots and a handicapped accessible fishing dock. Other local lakes where you can fish off the bank, or use the public boat launch, include Munsel and Sutton lakes, north of Florence, and Woahink and Siltcoos lakes south of town.

Most of the fish caught in local lakes are rainbow trout, planted every year by the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife. This ensures a consistent supply.

Clamming

There are essentially two types of clamming in the Florence area — bay clamming and beach clamming.

R a z o r clams may be found along stretches of beach north of town. Bay clams include cockle, gaper and softshell. The daily limit is a total of 20, of which 12 may be gaper or geoduck clams.

The best location for bay clamming in Florence is the wide, flat areas of the Siuslaw River and North Fork, east of town along Highway 126. You will need a shovel, a bucket, a shellfish license and a good low tide.

Razor clams are more challenging and more scarce, but definitely worth the effort. They are one of the most prized of all clams because of their sweet, tender meat. Unlike bay clams, razor clams can dig down into the sand at a surpris19 ingly fast rate when pursued. The razor clam digger must be quick and determined to catch the limit of 15 clams.

For razor clams, you will need a special shovel, or clam gun, a container for clams, a shellfish license and a good minus tide with fair weather. It is best to check with one of the local outdoor stores for advice on where and when to go after razor clams. And always be alert for sneaker waves.

HOLIDAY BOWL REEDSPORT LANES 1710 27th Street 2606 Frontage Road Florence, Oregon 97439 Reedsport, Oregon 97467 541-997-3332 541-267-3822 CALL FOR WEEKLY SPECIALS!

BEWARE THE SNEAKER WAVE They´re called sneaker waves because they appear without warning, often surging high up on the beach with d eadly force, and are impossible to predict. Sneaker waves also carry a large amount of sand that can saturate your clothes, weighing you down and making escape diffi cult if not impossible. How to play it safe: Never turn your back on the ocean.

WATCH THOSE LOGS The ocean is strong enough to pick up even the biggest log and plop it down on top of you. Some logs may look small, but even the tiny ones can be waterlogged and weigh tons. How to play it safe: If you see a log in the surf or on wet sand, stay off it.

RIP CURRENTS Rip currents are strong currents of water that rush out to sea. They are stronger than even the best swimmer. These currents can swiftly sweep unwary beachcombers and waders off their feet and out to sea. Rip currents may appear as dark, choppy water. Any time you see debris and foam fl oating out to sea, chances are you have found a rip current. Avoid the area. How to play it safe: Parents keep your kids close when playing in the ocean. If caught in a rip current, don’t panic . Swim parallel to the beach until you are out of the current, then head for the beach.

KNOW THE TIDES Incoming tides isolate rocks from headlands and the shore. Avoid the temptation of strolling out to an interesting rock without knowing when the tide rolls back in. Free tide tables are readily available at state park offi ces, information centers and many shops and motels. How to play it safe: Stay off rocks and small, enclosed beaches. Know when the tide is coming in by visiting the tidetable website at the Hatfi eld Marine Science Center http://weather.hmsc.oregonstate.edu/weather/ tides/tides.html

HIGH WAVES CAN REACH YOU Tides and waves can sweep over rocks, jetties and headlands, knocking you off and carrying you out to sea. How to play it safe: Assume nothing is “high enough” and avoid exposed rocks, jetties and headlands during strong wave action (like during and after storms). BEWARE OF HIGH, STEEP CLIFFS Assume that all cliff edges are unstable. Wet trails or soft sand and earth can make for unstable footing. Rocks can be slippery even when it isn’t raining. How to play it safe: Make sure you wear proper footwear, and stick to the trails. Stay behind guard fences and railings, and don´t get too close to the edge.

HEADS UP Standing at the base of an Oceanside cliff can be dangerous, especially if it has an overhang. In some places, winter storms and high waves have eroded the shoreline, increasing the chance of collapse and slides. How to play it safe: Beware of falling rocks, and don´t climb on bluffs and eroding hillsides. Don´t walk along the base of cliffs unless absolutely necessary.

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U.S. Coast Guard Siuslaw River Station

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