From NCKA to NWKA - new guy in Yachats, OR

Hi everyone - My name's Chris and I recently moved from northeastern CA to the central Oregon coast, specifically Yachats (maybe 30 minutes south of Newport).  When I lived in CA I was an active member of NCKA.  The lure of a new job and new fishing opportunities brought me to the Oregon coast.  Back in CA I specialized in targeting large brown, rainbow, and lake/mackinaw trout in the northern Sierras/southern Cascades near Mount Lassen.  However, I love fishing for all species, anything from trout to ocean salmon to rockfish to panfish.  I'm ultimately a fish nerd at heart and appreciate all fish for what they are.  I've been a fisheries biologist for the US Forest Service for close to seven years now, and now work out of their Waldport office.

I look forward to exploring the fisheries that the Oregon coast has to offer.  I've only been here a couple weeks, but I already found that the beach by my new house is great for redtail surfperch so that's a start  .  I hope to explore some of the nearby rivers and streams for steelhead, arguably my favorite fish.  Then as the ocean starts to calm down, I look forward to meeting up with NWKA folks who wouldn't mind showing some NorCal dude a thing or two about fishing up here.  In return, I hope to provide some useful info and reports as I learn the area and the fisheries, just like I did in NCKA.  If anything, I definitely intend on signing up for the ORC in Depoe Bay.  I've seen the photos of the cabezon you guys pull outta there...insane!!

Chris/Clayman

Hey Chris!
Glad to have you on NWKA, I loved reading your reports on NCKA and they brought back some awesome memories of fishing some of my home lakes (Almanor and Butt Valley Reservoir.) I am still new to the PNW and learning the fisheries here, but I am sure you will pick it up quickly. Things are a bit quieter around here than they are on NCKA, but we have some awesome events and things to keep busy. I would love to trade what little knowledge I have for some trout jigging tips!!!

-Matt

Welcome. Great fishing off the jetty in Newport if the waves are not great. I also spent time on Ncka and recognize your handle. I live in Portland now and look forward to hitting Pacific city and depoe bay with you once the salt calms down

Nice to have (another) biologist around. Not talking about me - I'm an armchair biologist at best - but there's a few others on NWKA. Looking forward to hearing about your experiences on the central coast.

Ermahgawd...you guys let Chris in?!?

 

LOL!!

JK dude!

 

You guys better hurry up and ban the use of golden fish whistles from any and all NWKA comps...

 

Sincerely,

Jim

From one former NCKA fish nerd to another... welcome to NWKA.

And there goes the neighborhood.

Welcome Chris. Lot's of big browns in Oregon. PM me if you want to hookup for whatever, no sharks though. Scott

Thanks for the warm welcome guys.  I look forward to meeting you all in person at some point, ideally OTW of course!  Except for BigJim and Crash--those guys are terrible  .

Welcome Chris. Lot's of big browns in Oregon. PM me if you want to hookup for whatever, no sharks though. Scott

Thanks Scott, I definitely like the sound of that!  I'm cool with not catching sharks up here, I'll save that effort for Shelter Cove  .

 

Except for BigJim and Crash--those guys are terrible  .

Right?

I'll buy you a Ninkasi at ORC.  See you in July if not sooner.  I'll also be in your hood in end of June although I havent figured out how to stretch it into going to TBKD.  Planning on GS?

Except for BigJim and Crash--those guys are terrible  .

Right?

I'll buy you a Ninkasi at ORC.  See you in July if not sooner.  I'll also be in your hood in end of June although I havent figured out how to stretch it into going to TBKD.  Planning on GS?

Right on Doug, sounds great.  I plan on attending GS this year, so unless some unforeseen event blocks me from attending that, I'll see you in May!  And definitely looking forward to ORC.  I've only heard good things about that event, I'm sure it'll live up to the hype!

Welcome Clayman!

You picked a good spot to land! Glad you found the Surf Perch! Theres good opportunities on the Alsea. Especially if you like crab pretty much all year right there in the bay! Up river there are other types of fish to be had but is pretty tight lipped.

Now if you want Browns and Macks, you need to hit the Cascade High Lakes as soon as you can get in when the weather allows. That is unless you want the "Finleess" Browns, then you can catch those on the Willamette right in downtown Portland!
Seriously though... You can hook up (C&R)with Sturgeon there and is pretty much a sure thing.

I'm sure you are keenly aware of the MPA areas already. For Rockfishing, Depoe is good, as is PC. Then to the South you pretty much have to go all the way to the almighty Sunset Bay in Charleston
But if you want to chase salmon and trout there are many rivers in-between.

Don't forget about all the costal lakes! Many of them are stocked with trout and have nice Bass and some Yellow Perch.

Welcome Clayman!

You picked a good spot to land! Glad you found the Surf Perch! Theres good opportunities on the Alsea. Especially if you like crab pretty much all year right there in the bay! Up river there are other types of fish to be had but is pretty tight lipped.

Now if you want Browns and Macks, you need to hit the Cascade High Lakes as soon as you can get in when the weather allows. That is unless you want the "Finleess" Browns, then you can catch those on the Willamette right in downtown Portland!
Seriously though... You can hook up (C&R)with Sturgeon there and is pretty much a sure thing.

I'm sure you are keenly aware of the MPA areas already. For Rockfishing, Depoe is good, as is PC. Then to the South you pretty much have to go all the way to the almighty Sunset Bay in Charleston
But if you want to chase salmon and trout there are many rivers in-between.

Don't forget about all the costal lakes! Many of them are stocked with trout and have nice Bass and some Yellow Perch.

Thanks for the welcome and the info!  I've heard good things about the Alsea.  I haven't yet bought my shellfish permit...thinking I may wait until I'm considered a resident (August) so I don't have to pay the non-resident price.  But I do like crab, and clamming too.

I checked up on the MPA locations, and yeah, looks like all the good stuff jsut south of me (Cape Perpetua) is a no-go.  Seal Rock (just north of Waldport) looked like a potential launch spot on a really calm day, but I'll have to continue visiting it at various tides and swell sizes/direction to see if it's possible.  Otherwise I envision Depoe Bay and PC as the closest bottomfish destinations.  I'd like to catch a Pac halibut from the kayak this summer, and I've heard of a few hooked in PC.

Yellow perch are a fish on my bucket list!  I hear Woahink Lake down by Florence is a good spot for them.  I want to see if they're as tasty as everyone claims them to be.  I think I got spoiled on trout in CA (20-25 inch browns were a regular thing in Lake Almanor, which was just down the street from me old house), but I only started fishing for macks a few years ago and the sea-run cutts would be a new one for me as well.  I also like kokanee, and I hear there are some good lakes on the east side of the valley for them.

Thanks again for the info, hopefully we'll meet up on the water sometime!

Well it may or may not be a deal breaker for you but you can get a 3-day non-resident shellfish license for $17.00 vs. the annual non-resident shellfish for $26.00.

I have always had good luck fishing for yellow perch at Woahink. Many are in the 11" range so they run a little bigger there. Just find a deep hole and drop down with a worm and sinker. You will catch many when you find the right spot! Fun for kids too!

When you are ready to travel East of you, Detroit, Foster, Odell, Crescent, Wakeiup just to name a few when you are ready.

Odell and Wickiup are great Kokanee lakes - I kayak fish often in the summer.  Crane Prarie and many other lakes in the Cascade lakes basin are excellent. Cranebows are like no other trout!  Oh, and Odell and crescent have trophy lake trout, so you'll have to give that a try!!

Welcome to our forum!