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Aug. 7, 2009

SALEM, Ore.—SALEM, Ore. – The Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission today approved a new sport fishing rule that will allow anglers to fish with two poles in most inland lakes, ponds and reservoirs beginning Jan.1, 2010.

The $16.50 endorsement can be purchased by any angler with a resident or nonresident fishing license and will apply to all lakes, ponds and reservoirs in Oregon except reservoirs on the Columbia River and the Snake River below Hells Canyon Dam. Snake River impoundments above Hells Canyon Dam will open to fishing with two poles.  Juvenile anglers age 13 and younger can fish two poles without an endorsement.

“There has been a lot of angler interest in a two-pole rule,” said Rhine Messmer, ODFW Recreational Fisheries Program manager. “Some anglers will use two poles to catch more fish faster, while others will use the opportunity to experiment with different tactics or tackle and see what’s working the best.”

When fishing with two poles, all existing regulations such as daily bag limits, bait restrictions, and maximum/minimum retention sizes will still apply.

The two-pole endorsement was approved as part of the 2010 Sport Fishing Regulations adopted by the Commission at today’s meeting. The 2010 regulations include several other key changes from 2009:

• In the Northwest Zone, the new regulations move the chinook salmon angling deadlines on the Nehalem and North Fork Nehalem to help protect spawning chinook salmon.
• In the Willamette Zone, Eagle Creek and the Sandy and Clackamas rivers will be open to the retention of fin-clipped (hatchery) coho year round. This will allow anglers to keep excess hatchery fish that remain in the rivers after the current coho seasons close. The McKenzie River from the mouth to Hayden Bridge will be open to the retention of fin-clipped chinook the entire year.
• Also in the Willamette Zone, the Commission adopted a rule prohibiting float tubes and other floating devices from the St. Louis Ponds near Woodburn. Some of the ponds were opened to the flotation devices in 2009; however, to avoid potential angler conflicts floating devices will be prohibited starting in 2010.
• In the Central Zone, the Commission approved a 16-inch maximum length limit for brown trout harvested from East Lake. The proposed change is the result of a Fish Health Advisory that advises anglers to avoid eating large brown trout from East Lake due to high mercury levels.
• In the Northeast Zone, new regulations establish trout and steelhead seasons on a three mile stretch of Big Sheep Creek, where a recent land swap now provides public access.
• In the Southeast Zone, new regulations help define the mouth of the Williamson River after the removal of nearby dikes, and create a new angling deadline on the Sprague River in response to the removal of Chiloquin Dam in 2008.

Anglers should consult the 2010 Sport Fishing Regulations, which will be available in November, for additional changes from the 2009 regulations.

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