Recreation Report for October 31 - 13 Tips for early duck hunts
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The Recreation Report is presented by the Klamath County Fairgrounds & Event Center.
Fishing
Klamath Basin Weekend Fishing Opportunities
Campbell, Cottonwood Meadows and Deadhorse lakes are good choices for some great fall trout fishing. Best bet in the Klamath Basin is to target brook trout in the upper areas of the Sprague, Williamson or Sycan. Combine with cooler fall temperatures and fishing should be great.
Local Fishing Reports
NOTE: Most small stream fishing closes October 31.
Annie Creek
brook trout, brown trout and rainbow trout
Fishing in Annie Creek is very slow due to cold water temperatures, low productivity and high flows. Most of the creek is dominated by small brook trout up to 10 inches. Brown trout are rare and redband trout are highly unlikely in the catch. The creek is open year-round and bait is allowed.
Gerber Reservoir
crappie, yellow perch, brown bullhead and largemouth bass
Fishing for yellow perch is your best bet. Fishing for crappie has slowed but crappie are still available. The key is to move until you find the schools, which are suspended in deeper water. A boat is recommended. Most crappie are currently averaging around 10-inches with many to 13-inches. The reservoir is open to fishing all year. Yellow perch are also showing up in good numbers in the catch. Most yellow perch are small but a few 14-inchers were caught last year. The crappie fishery typically peaks in early June.
The reservoir is 63 percent full. With current and past reservoir levels, ODFW expects an excellent crappie fishery next year as well.
Upper Klamath Lake & Agency Lake
native redband trout, yellow perch, kokanee, pumpkinseed, brown bullhead, tui chub and blue chub
Redband trout have returned to the lakes. Fish are starting to spread out again making finding and catching them more challenging. Covering a lot of water by trolling is likely the best method to find the big redband trout. The lake is 3.7 feet below full pool and 43 percent full.
State Fishing
10 tips for catching coho
Coho returns have been looking good in many rivers, including Willamette Valley rivers such as the Clackamas, Sandy and North Fork Santiam. Coho can be the bank angler’s best chance at landing a salmon. Here are 10 tips to help you catch a coho.
Trout fishing in coastal rivers closes Oct. 31
Those scrappy cutthroat trout in the coastal rivers and streams of the NW and SW zones will be off the hook (literally) when these waterbodies close to trout fishing on Friday.
Big Game
As early season hunters know, dry conditions and the associated fire danger can have a large impact on your hunting opportunity. It pays to check in advance to see if there are any access restrictions in the unit(s) you plan to hunt.
Klamath County
Elk
First season bull elk opened on Wednesday, Oct. 23 and continues through Oct. 27. Second season opens Nov. 2 and runs through Nov. 10.
Gearhart Mountain, Strawberry Mountain, and Coleman Rim are popular in the Interstate Unit. Klamath Unit hunters can look around Yanix Butte, Chiloquin Ridge and Swan Lake Ridge. USFS lands around the Klamath Marsh will hold elk for Sprague unit hunters.
Elk populations in the District are generally low when compared to other areas of the state, but stable at those levels. Elk season is expected to fair to good depending on weather conditions.
Fall black bear
Season remains open through Nov. 30 for eastside units. Bears can be found throughout the county with best prospects in the Cascades or in the Interstate Units. Look for food sources, scat, or a good water source to increase chance of success. Remember to check-in any harvested bears at an ODFW office. Be sure to call ahead to schedule an appointment.
Cougar
Cougar hunting is open. Populations are healthy and distributed throughout the district in any area with a big game prey base. A good hunting strategy is to check for tracks after snowfall events and then use calling to lure a cougar into range.
Don’t forget successful hunters must check-in cougars within 10 days after harvest; please bring cougar in thawed and with mouth propped open so that field staff can quickly process the animal and get you on your way. The reproductive tract is required for any female cougars taken.
Coyote
Coyote hunting opportunities are available throughout the district. Be aware that bobcats and cougars may respond to predator calls, and separate licensing and open season limitations exist for these species. Please consult the annual Big Game hunting regulations for further information.
Ground squirrel hunting is best on sunny days. Best prospects are in pasture and hay fields. Be sure to ask permission before entering private land.
Test your identification skills with ODFW’s new Coyote and Gray Wolf ID Quiz.
Game Bird
Statewide
Early season duck hunting
Warm sunny weather and bluebird skies can create challenging conditions for early season duck hunters. (And we're not talking about sunburn.) Adjusting your tactics to these conditions will help you bag more ducks. Here are 13 tips to help you take more early season ducks.
Shotgun skills class
ODFW will offer a Basic Shotgun Skills class on Nov. 17 in Monmouth. Good for both beginners and experienced shooters whose skills have gotten a little rusty. Learn more and register.
Klamath County
Mountain quail
Season will be open through January 2020. Best prospects for mountain quail are in the lower elevations of the Keno Unit in brushy areas. Access is good on Green Diamond Resource lands or BLM.
California quail
Best areas are in the foothills adjacent to ag lands. Season remains open through Jan. 31.
Mourning dove
Season continues through Oct. 30. Colder temperatures have prompted many doves to begin their migration south. Best prospects are near agricultural areas and water. Be sure of your identification before you hunt these birds which are smaller and darker than the Eurasian collared dove.
Waterfowl
The season opened on Oct. 5 for duck and goose. Duck season will continue with some short breaks through Jan. 19, 2020 and goose season extending to Jan. 26 for Canada geese and March 10 for white-fronted. Hunters need to be familiar with the regulations in the area before attempting to harvest waterfowl species.
Hunting for ducks and geese has been good. Productive areas include Lower Klamath and Upper Klamath Refuges, Agency Lake, Sprague River, and Lost River. Hunters must purchase a federal access permit for hunting on Lower Klamath Refuge.
Forest grouse
Season continues through Jan. 31. Best prospects are in the Cascade Mountains for both blue and ruffed grouse, although there are fair numbers of blue grouse in forested habitat in eastern Klamath County. Hunters are asked to provide a wing and tail from each grouse harvested and drop them off at the Klamath District Office on Miller Island Road.
Eurasian collared-doves
There are lots of opportunities to hunt these non-native game birds. Season is open year-round with no bag limit restrictions. A hunting license is required.
Wildlife Viewing
Migratory shorebirds including white-faced ibis, great egrets, sandhill crane, and black-necked stilts have arrived in the Klamath basin. Migrating waterfowl will begin arriving soon in the basin as a staging point along the flyway.
The Tule Lake and Lower Klamath National Wildlife Refuges offer excellent viewing opportunities. An auto tour route is available on the Lower Klamath NWR just south of Stateline Road.
Bald eagle nesting is well underway. Bald eagles generally nest near the top of very large conifer trees. Nests are usually close to waterbodies. You can see osprey soaring and searching for fish along rivers and major waterbodies.
The Link River trail below Upper Klamath Lake and the Wood River Wetlands are excellent places to view many species of wildlife including deer, river otter, muskrat, mink, buffleheads, goldeneye, great-blue heron and great egret.
Deer will begin their annual migration to lower elevation wintering grounds as snow begins to arrive and deer enter into the breeding season. Drivers should be extra vigilant while the deer are migrating.
Information provided by Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife.
The Recreation Report is brought to you by the Klamath County Event Center. Mark your calendar, The fall auction is coming October 26.