ODFW release – CENTRAL POINT, Ore. – The Rogue-South Coast winter steelhead fishing season ends April 30. ODFW urges anglers that purchased a Rogue-South Coast Wild Steelhead Harvest Tag to report their tag – even if they didn’t harvest a steelhead – as soon as possible. “Don’t wait to report your paper wild steelhead harvest tag until the next season begins Dec. 1,” says Dan Van Dyke. “Those using electronic tagging on the ELS app have their report automatically generated.” Anglers who chose a paper harvest tag have several options to report: Drop the tag at any ODFW office. Call any ODFW office to report. Mail the tag to ODFW, 4034 Fairview Industrial Dr. SE, Salem OR 97302. Report online by logging into your ODFW account. Anglers are asked to report paper tags to ODFW after each winter steelhead season, and before the next season begins Dec. 1. Tag reporting gives ODFW information on where harvest took place and the number of wild fish harvested. Monies raised from the required harvest tag help fund winter steelhead monitoring. In the Rogue and South Coast rivers, new regulations – including a harvest tag and reporting – established a winter steelhead season of Dec. 1 – Apr. 30. ODFW and public stakeholder teams developed this season and its requirements during the Rogue-South Coast Multi-Species Conservation and Management Plan process; harvest monitoring results will be available in the annual reports on that same page. Steelhead angling regulations vary by location within this area, so be sure to check requirements for specific water bodies you want to fish. Anglers fishing for steelhead on the Rogue River from May 1 – Nov. 30 do not need a Rogue-South Coast Steelhead Validation and are reminded that wild steelhead harvest is prohibited during this period.
