Siltcoos update...

Very nicely done, Roger. At least you had a brush with a coho. When will they be done with the ramp work? Got a big rain event coming this weekend, at least farther north.

A friend of mine contacted ODFW and asked about the Siltcoos and Tahkenitch dams.  Here is the reply:


Thank you for the phone call and the email today regarding the Siltcoos and Tahkenitch Lake’s fish passage issue. I appreciate your concern in this matter.

I did some sleuthing around on the issue and think I’ve pieced together what’s going on. Unfortunately you are correct, both sites (Tahkenitch and Siltcoos) have dams that can be partial barriers to native migratory fish migration. These dams are in place to facilitate some diversion of flow, but mainly to maintain lake levels. Fish passage issues around the state have been exacerbated by the ongoing low water conditions. In this case, the dams maintain a certain lake level, and won’t open until there is significant freshwater input into the lake to cause a lake level increase, which will subsequently require the dam to be opened in order to maintain the appropriate lake level. Currently (or before the rains this weekend), the lake levels and freshwater outflow were not high enough to warrant the operators to open the dam. Both sites have fish ladders that provide (or offer) fish passage at low flows when the dams are not open. I’ve been to both sites and inspected the fish ladders associated with each site several years ago, and while not perfect, I found the ladders to provide fairly good fish passage conditions at both dams. Both fish ladders are currently operational and in good working order, and fish have the ability to travel up those if they choose. Many fish choose not to use the ladders though and instead wait for a rain event and travel through the dam when the dam is subsequently opened.


Yes, the dams contribute to some delay in the lower river, but I believe a combination of factors is going on. In dry years (such as this year and last year), there may not be a strong environmental cue for fish to travel upstream until a significant pulse of freshwater comes down the system. This also occurs in a lot of our coastal estuaries, though it is likely more pronounced and more visible in the smaller basins such as Siltcoos, Tahkenitch, Tenmile, etc. Significant rains also signal the time that the dam operators need to open the gates at each site to maintain the proper lake levels. So in general when fish get a strong environmental cue to move upstream from a rain event, the dam is usually open to allow for free passage. When the dam is closed, the fish ladders still provide a viable option for passage as well. The biggest issue is at Siltcoos Lake, where the high tide can flood out the fish ladder entrance, eliminating much of the attraction flow. However, once the tide goes out again the ladder will flow normally again and produce good attraction flow.

That’s what I know. We will continue to monitor the situation closely, and if you have any questions don’t hesitate to ask me or give me a call. John Spangler, who is our Mid-Coast District Fish Biologist, is also a good source to talk to if you can’t get a hold of me (he is cc’d on this email).

Deadeye-

yep, that pretty much sums it up.  I've discussed these systems with John Spangler in previous years...the concern this year, I now think, is going to end up being whether we have a weak run or just a late run...I picked up a nice jack today (19.9") but we are still not seeing much evidence of adult coho in the lake yet...

rodgerdodger

I think I'm going to give it a shot on Friday.
You have proven there are plenty of other fish to catch.

rodgerdodger

I think I'm going to give it a shot on Friday.
You have proven there are plenty of other fish to catch.

yes, it is worth fishing, my wife and I kept 3 nice SRC today (14", 15", and 16") and released 3 that were smaller.

Very nicely done, Roger. At least you had a brush with a coho. When will they be done with the ramp work? Got a big rain event coming this weekend, at least farther north.

bosun52 is correct that kayaks can still launch with wheels going down the grass and south edge of the ramp, I did that Sunday.  mid-December is still what I am hearing for the full ramp to be open for powerboats...for those familiar with the lake, seem to be lots of SRC and definitely some coho in the water between the south end of Booth Island and ADA resort....roger

Hey rogerdodger, I appreciate this thread and I've been keeping an eye on it for a month now.  I live down in the Coos area and I'm deinitely going to hit up the siltcoos this year.  When you are trolling your spinners in the lake are you using a similar set-up as you would in a tidal system, getting it down on the bottom on shelfs and stuff or are you just trying to locate fish on a finder and present it to them? Flasher/dodger?  Thanks!

Hey rogerdodger, I appreciate this thread and I've been keeping an eye on it for a month now.  I live down in the Coos area and I'm deinitely going to hit up the siltcoos this year.  When you are trolling your spinners in the lake are you using a similar set-up as you would in a tidal system, getting it down on the bottom on shelfs and stuff or are you just trying to locate fish on a finder and present it to them? Flasher/dodger?  Thanks!

we use the same set-up for casting/retrieving spinners or casting/trolling spinners, usually lure is tied directly to 12# mono mainline or 3' of 10 or 12# leader if I have braid mainline, the only difference is whether we are moving or not.

I call it 'spin-trolling', get moving about 1.8mph, cast the spinner back as far as possible (less if weeds are coming up near the surface), close bail and confirm good spinner action at the rod tip, put it in the rod holder and wait for either weeds or fish....Siltcoos is shallow, 15' average, lots of weeds coming up to within a few feet of the surface, they are widely scattered in areas, thick in others, main purpose of sonar is monitoring weeds, not locating fish.  The coho seem to be shallow when moving or they hold in shallows near shore...

there are also lots of floating weed pieces in areas, casting the spinner back while moving, as opposed to letting line out, helps avoid catching these.

people trolling plugs follow same process, keeping the rigging very simple, otherwise all you end up doing in most areas is cleaning weeds off your gear.   

same deal at Tahkenitch, just less weeds.  cheers, roger

nothing good to report from my recon on Wednesday.

image is mouth of Siltcoos river about 2 hours after high tide, dam is closed (and unlikely to open again anytime soon) but still plenty of outgoing tidewater for fish to get in, just didn't see any trying.  also, only a few seals in the surf now, a few weeks ago there were at least 30, so maybe they are giving up...

in the river below the dam, I saw just 2 jacks jump but they were already showing red, one larger jump but didn't see the fish.  I have never before seen fish in the tidewater just in from the ocean showing color.

I do not think kayaks can launch anymore at the Lane County launch due to the construction but they can at the Tyee Campground.

Tahkenitch river was not moving, not sure if that dam has been opened at all yet.

Roger, your intel saved me five hours of driving. I'm going to give it a few days and see if this rain event we have coming might make a difference. I owe you, mister! Thanks.

Roger, your intel saved me five hours of driving. I'm going to give it a few days and see if this rain event we have coming might make a difference. I owe you, mister! Thanks.

nothing wrong with Deschutes River Ale!

Thanks rogerdodger! I didn't realize siltcoos and tahk are both such shallow lakes.  I'll probably head up there in the next few days.  If anything, I love cutthroat. 

Deschutes River Ale noted Roger.

This might shake things up:
http://cliffmass.blogspot.com/

My girlfriend and I are hitting siltcoos today. Anyone else gonna be out there? If you see a blue native and a green feelfree say hi!

My girlfriend and I are hitting siltcoos today. Anyone else gonna be out there? If you see a blue native and a green feelfree say hi!

hope you found some fish.

webcam at north end of Siltcoos looking to the south:  http://darling-marina-rv-resort.click2stream.com/