Posted by Webmaster on Feb 18, 2009 in
Crabbing in Oregon Charleston’s annual Crab Feed brought in droves of about 1,200 people who happily gave their sweethearts crab for Valentine’s — or for the Sesquicentennial, depending on who you talk to.
But after the meal, many local businesses benefited from the fundraising event, as the diners checked out what the fishing town had to offer. Mel Campbell, a Wild Woman of Charleston who also operates the information center, said shops such as Charleytown Marketplace and Chuck’s Seafood saw double the business as they would see on a regular weekend.
For photos of this event, CLICK HERE.
Tags: Charleston, Crab Feed
Posted by William on Feb 15, 2009 in
General Fall is a transitional season for the Southern Oregon Coast. The weather ranges from beautiful Indian summer days and nights to torrential downpours that flood the bays for extended periods. The runoff from seasonal rainfall can blow crabs right out of the bays at anytime. The Chetco and Rogue River Estuaries are the first to experience the effects to seasonal runoff followed by the Siuslaw and Umpqua River Estuaries and finely Coos Bay. Crabbing remains fairly productive in lower Coos Bay for most of the year because the bay is dominated by saltwater because of the limited amount of seasonal freshwater runoff from the Coos Rive r .
Crabbing like all other salt water related activity in the bays is dependent on the tides. The most productive crabbing tides occur during the series of Neap tides followed by the minor tidal exchange of Spring tides. The most productive crabbing in Oregon’s bays occurs in the larger salt water dominated bays during periods of slack tide and during periods of diurnal inequality between the low high tide and high low tide of the daily tidal cycle. Crabbing is not as productive during the high velocity tidal current generated during the major tidal exchange of spring tides or during the outgoing tide. The crabs bury themselves in the sand to escape the increased current velocity of the outgoing tide. …… Remember crabbing in the bays is best during periods of neap tides.
Florence at the Siuslaw River Estuary on 11/18 Ken from the Port of Siuslaw Campground at the water’s edge on the bay reports weather has kept crabbers off of the bay…………. Softshell clams are the primary clams of interest in the Siuslaw River Estuary. Some cockles are raked and some gaper clams are dug on the tidal flats below the Harbor Vista R/V Park. Click HERE to see the tide tables for 2009 at entrance to the bar at the Siuslaw River and HERE to see the tide tables for 2009 for the City Docks at Florence. Click HERE for the 10 day weather forecast at Florence. Click HERE to see the navigation hazards for crossing the Siuslaw River bar.
Winchester Bay on the Umpqua River: The Crab Watch Report is provided by the outdoor reporter and outdoor writer, Pete Heley at the Stockade Market. On 11/20 Pete reports: Although the crabbing was inconsistent when it came to who caught crab and who didn’t, there were some limits taken this last weekend by boat crabbers, and even the dockbound crabbers managed to catch fair numbers of crab between Winchester Bay and the jetties at the Umpqua River mouth. Unless the Umpqua floods, there should be decent numbers of crab in the lower river until the end of the year. Reduced rainfall may perk up crabbing by allowing nearby ocean crab to enter the lower river. Boat crabbers should be aware of dangerous tidal conditions in the jetty channel. Sudden ocean swells can easily lift and leave a boat up onto the rocks of the north jetty… Click on the Umpqua Post to view Pete’s Outdoor Report. Click HERE to see Pete’s books about fishing on the Oregon Coast. The Stockade Market carries a complete line of fishing and crabbing equipment.
Softshell clams are the dominate clam species in the Umpqua River Estuary. The tidal flats associated with Bolon Island and Gardiner area offers the digger the best access. Click HERE to see the tide tables for 2009 at entrance to the bar at the Umpqua River and HERE to see the tide tables for 2009 at Gardiner. Scroll down the desired month. Click HERE to see the 10 day weather forecast at Reedsport. Click HERE to see the navigation hazards for crossing the Umpqua River bar. The navigational hazards posted for crossing the bar at Winchester Bay, Coos Bay and the Coquille and Chetco River Estuaries are displayed as PDF files. Print them out and refer to them before crossing the bar.
Coos Bay – Oregon’s largest bay is a salt water dominated bay that holds crabs longer than any other of Oregon’s Bays………Crabbing in the ocean resumes on 12/01. Crabbing in the ocean now is open from December 1st of the current year thru October 15 of the following year. Be sure to double check the opening and closing dates in the synopsis.
Crabbing like all other salt water related activity in the bays is dependent on the tides. The most productive crabbing tides occur during the series of Neap tides followed by the minor tidal exchange of Spring tides. The most productive crabbing in Oregon’s bays occurs in the larger salt water dominated bays during periods of slack tide and during periods of diurnal inequality between the low high tide and high low tide of the daily tidal cycle. Crabbing is not as productive during the high velocity tidal current generated during the major tidal exchange of spring tides or during the outgoing tide. The crabs bury themselves in the sand to escape the increased current velocity of the outgoing tide. …… Remember crabbing in the bays is best during periods of neap tides. The next series of Neap Tides are listed below.
Charleston Neap Tides:
11/21 03:25AM LST 6.3 H 08:24AM LST 3.9 L 02:06PM 7.2 H 09:10PM LST 0.3 L Sat
11/22 04:11AM LST 6.2 H 09:17AM LST 4.0 L 02:52PM 6.7 H 09:54PM LST 0.7 L Sun
11/23 04:59AM LST 6.2 H 10:20AM LST 3.9 L 03:47PM 6.2 H 10:40PM LST 1.2 L Mon
11/24 05:46AM LST 6.4 H 11:32AM LST 3.7 L 04:54PM 5.7 H 11:29PM LST 1.6 L Tue
11/25 06:30AM LST 6.6 H 12:42PM LST 3.2 L 06:10PM 5.4 H Wed
11/26 12:19AM LST 2.0 L 07:11AM LST 6.9 H 01:43PM 2.5 L 07:27PM LST 5.4 H Thu
11/27 01:10AM LST 2.4 L 07:49AM LST 7.3 H 02:34PM 1.7 L 08:37PM LST 5.5 H Fri
11/28 01:59AM LST 2.8 L 08:27AM LST 7.8 H 03:20PM 0.8 L 09:39PM LST 5.8 H Sat
11/29 02:47AM LST 3.1 L 09:05AM LST 8.2 H 04:03PM 0.0 L 10:34PM LST 6.2 H Sun
12/07 04:15AM LST 7.3 H 09:46AM LST 3.1 L 03:31PM 7.3 H 10:11PM LST 0.0 L Mon
12/08 05:06AM LST 7.5 H 11:01AM LST 2.7 L 04:44PM 6.5 H 11:05PM LST 0.8 L Tue
12/09 05:57AM LST 7.7 H 12:18PM LST 2.2 L 06:05PM 5.9 H Wed
12/10 12:01AM LST 1.6 L 06:48AM LST 8.0 H 01:30PM 1.5 L 07:31PM LST 5.7 H Thu
12/11 12:59AM LST 2.4 L 07:37AM LST 8.3 H 02:33PM 0.7 L 08:52PM LST 5.7 H Fri
12/12 01:58AM LST 3.0 L 08:24AM LST 8.5 H 03:27PM 0.1 L 10:01PM LST 6.0 H Sat
12/20 02:53AM LST 6.7 H 08:04AM LST 3.6 L 01:44PM 7.4 H 08:36PM LST 0.2 L Sun
12/21 03:28AM LST 6.7 H 08:50AM LST 3.6 L 02:26PM 6.9 H 09:10PM LST 0.6 L Mon
12/22 04:05AM LST 6.8 H 09:42AM LST 3.4 L 03:13PM 6.3 H 09:45PM LST 1.2 L Tue
12/23 04:42AM LST 6.9 H 10:41AM LST 3.2 L 04:10PM 5.8 H 10:23PM LST 1.8 L Wed
12/24 05:20AM LST 7.1 H 11:46AM LST 2.8 L 05:21PM 5.3 H 11:05PM LST 2.4 L Thu
12/25 06:01AM LST 7.3 H 12:51PM LST 2.2 L 06:43PM 5.1 H 11:55PM LST 3.0 L Fri
12/26 06:45AM LST 7.6 H 01:52PM LST 1.5 L 08:08PM 5.2 H Sat
12/27 12:54AM LST 3.5 L 07:32AM LST 8.0 H 02:47PM 0.7 L 09:22PM LST 5.5 H Sun
On 11/18 ODFW reports Recreational crab harvest inside the bay has been excellent for those with boats and decent for those crabbing from the docks when the weather lays down. Harvest from the local docks, Charleston docks and Empire docks has been holding steady with catches of mostly red rock crabs and some Dungeness crabs in the mix. In Charleston the best crabbing docks have been the B/C and D/E docks in Charleston. The best baits for crabbing are fish, chicken or turkey legs. The best time to crab is three hours before high tide 1/2 hour after. Remember crabbing in the bays is best at slack tide and during periods of neap tides with minimal movement of water between the high low tide and low high tide. The weather forecast for the greater Coos Bay area changes frequently. Click HERE to view the 10 day weather forecast at Coos Bay. Click HERE to see the navigation hazards for crossing the bar at Coos Bay.
Coos Bay offers the most productive clam digging for all species of clams found in any of Oregon’s Bays. Click HERE to view a video clip of cockles being raked in South Slough. Low Spring Tides offer clam diggers the best opportunity to harvest both bay clams and razor clams. The harvest of empire/gaper clams has been good at the North Spit and Clam Island. The best harvest areas are Empire/Charleston along Cape Arago Highway, and within Charleston, north and south of the Charleston Bridge. Butter, gaper, and cockle clams are abundant in these areas. Razor clams are dug in the Coos Bay area from the Charleston Boat Basin Sand Spit, North Spit, Bastendorff, and to the northern section of the Seven Devils Wayside beaches. There are no reports for the digging productivity of razor clams. The next series of Low Spring Tides are posted below.
Charleston Spring Tides:
11/30/2009 03:34AM LST 3.3 L 09:44AM 8.6 H 04:45PM -0.7 L 11:24PM LST 6.5 H Mon
12/01/2009 04:20AM LST 3.4 L 10:24AM 9.0 H 05:28PM -1.2 L Tue
12/02/2009 12:12AM LST 6.7 H 05:06AM 3.4 L 11:07AM 9.2 H 06:12PM LST -1.6 L Wed
12/03/2009 12:59AM LST 6.9 H 05:53AM 3.4 L 11:52AM 9.3 H 06:57PM LST -1.7 L Thu
12/04/2009 01:46AM LST 7.0 H 06:43AM 3.4 L 12:40PM 9.1 H 07:44PM LST -1.6 L Fri
12/05/2009 02:34AM LST 7.0 H 07:37AM 3.4 L 01:32PM 8.7 H 08:31PM LST -1.3 L Sat
12/06/2009 03:24AM LST 7.1 H 08:38AM 3.3 L 02:28PM 8.1 H 09:21PM LST -0.7 L Sun
12/13/2009 02:54AM LST 3.4 L 09:09AM 8.6 H 04:14PM -0.4 L 10:58PM LST 6.3 H Sun
12/14/2009 03:47AM LST 3.6 L 09:52AM 8.6 H 04:57PM -0.7 L 11:46PM LST 6.5 H Mon
12/15/2009 04:35AM LST 3.7 L 10:33AM 8.6 H 05:37PM -0.8 L Tue
12/16/2009 12:27AM LST 6.6 H 05:19AM 3.8 L 11:13AM 8.5 H 06:15PM LST -0.8 L Wed
12/17/2009 01:05AM LST 6.7 H 06:01AM 3.7 L 11:51AM 8.3 H 06:52PM LST -0.7 L Thu
12/18/2009 01:42AM LST 6.7 H 06:41AM 3.7 L 12:29PM 8.1 H 07:27PM LST -0.5 L Fri
12/19/2009 02:17AM LST 6.7 H 07:21AM 3.7 L 01:06PM 7.8 H 08:02PM LST -0.2 L Sat
12/28/2009 01:58AM LST 3.8 L 08:21AM 8.4 H 03:38PM -0.1 L 10:23PM LST 5.9 H Mon
12/29/2009 02:59AM LST 3.9 L 09:11AM 8.8 H 04:26PM -0.8 L 11:14PM LST 6.3 H Tue
12/30/2009 03:57AM LST 3.8 L 10:02AM 9.2 H 05:13PM -1.4 L Wed
12/31/2009 12:00AM LST 6.7 H 04:51AM 3.5 L 10:53AM 9.4 H 05:58PM LST -1.8 L Thu
01/01/2010 12:42AM LST 7.2 H 05:45AM 3.1 L 11:45AM 9.5 H 06:41PM LST -1.9 L Fri
01/02/2010 01:25AM LST 7.5 H 06:38AM 2.8 L 12:36PM 9.2 H 07:25PM LST -1.7 L Sat
01/03/2010 02:07AM LST 7.7 H 07:32AM 2.5 L 01:28PM 8.8 H 08:09PM LST -1.2 L Sun
01/04/2010 02:51AM LST 8.0 H 08:30AM 2.2 L 02:23PM 8.0 H 08:52PM LST -0.5 L Mon
Click HERE to see the tide tables for 2009 at Charleston. Scroll down the desired month. Always check the Oregon Department of Agriculture Web site for any recent shellfish closures or (503) 986-4728 or 1-800-448-2474 toll free outside of Oregon.
Coquille Bay at the Port of Bandon: On 11/18 Tony from Tony’s Crab Shack 541 347-2875 reports crabbing has slowed for crabbers from Weber’s Pier and for crabbers from boats, but crabbers are taking enough crabs to make crabbing worthwhile…….… Read Tony’s all encompassing Fishing Report in the Bandon Western World newspaper or the online edition at Bandon Western World. Tony’s cooks crabs for 50 cents per crab and backs them for an additional 25 cents per crab.
On 11/18 Diane at Bandon Bait and Tackle 541-347-3905 reports that crabbing in Bandon Bay has slowed some yesterday as the freshwater runoff is effecting the bay, but crabbers crabbing from the docks were still taking some crabs… Bandon Bait is conveniently located next to the boat launch….. Bandon Bait shop rents clam shovels, poles, and crab rings plus sells rods, reels, bait, tackle, and ice. Fishing gear repair services are available as well as professional guided trips on the Coquille, Sixes, and Elk Rivers. They also sell hamburgers, fish and chips, and fried prawns.
Bandon usually remains productive until the bay blows out with turbid brown stained water. Softshell clams dominate the tidal flats of the Coquille River Estuary at Bandon. Click HERE to see the tide tables for 2009 at the Port of Bandon. Scroll down the desired month. Click HERE for the 10 day weather forecast at Bandon. Click HERE to see the navigation hazards for crossing the bar at the Coquille River.
Clam digging in Coquille Bay is limited to digging softshell clams. The softshell clam beds are located in the bay above Bandon and a very limited number of littleneck and gaper clams are located in the lower bay along the south shore. Some purple varnish clams are dug from the large tidal flat on the north side fo the bay at the entrance to Bandon Marsh. Mussels are picked from the riprap along the south jetty during a minus tide. Razor clams are dug along the beach south of Coquille Point
Port Orford is the only port in Oregon that offers crabbing in the Ocean from a dock facility. Crabbing productivity varies from day to day and with the season. Recreational boaters do crab in the ocean south of the port in 60 to 80 feet of water. Click HERE to see the tide tables for 2009. Click HERE to see the 10 day weather forecast at Port Orford. Click HERE to see the unfavorable harbor conditions at Port Orford.
The digging for littleneck clams at
Rocky Point has declined because of a large scale die off late last year. The die off of littleneck clams has occurred in many areas along the ocean beaches of the Pacific Northwest. We need current up to date information on digging conditions at Rocky Point.
Rocky Point Update: An association member had a lengthy discussion with a South coast digger who noted that the steamer clam population has indeed had a terrible drop on those coastal rocky reaches. The digger did note that a couple of years ago, he would get 8 or 10 steamers out of some of the spots, but this year he managed to get only 1 or 2. The positive aspect of this is that some of the steamers did survive.
Chetco Bay, Brookings: on 11/18 the Sporthaven Marina 541.469-3301 at the Port of Brookings Harbor reports crabbing in the bay is slow due to the recent rise in the river level. With the rise in river levels the salmon have moved out of the estuary upstream. Rough ocean conditions have kept fishing boats in port. The Chetco and Rogue River Estuaries are comparatively small and it does not take much rainfall to raise the river levels enough to force crabs to move out into the open ocean. The bay clams common to Oregon’s Bay are not present in Brookings Harbor or in the Rogue River Estuary in large enough numbers to be of interest to recreational clam diggers. Click HERE to see the tide tables for 2009 at Bandon, Chetco Cove. Scroll down the desired month. Click HERE for the 10 day weather forecast at Brookings. Click HERE to see the navigation hazards for crossing the bar of the Chetco River.
Posted by William on Feb 3, 2009 in
General View video of softshell clams being dug on the Umpqua River at Steamboat Island below Reedsport. The Clam Diggers Association of Oregon has recommended increasing the daily bag limit of softhsell clams to 48. Softshell clams are the dominated clam species in Oregon’s Bay. Increasing the daily bag limit will attract the interest of clam diggers. Their culinary attributes are seemingly endless.
Click on Umpqua River Estuary to view the video clip showing one of the best methods for digging softshell clams.
Our Mission: “To Promote Recreational Clam Digging in Oregon’s Coastal Waters”. Our agenda has been developed through research and discussion among the membership of the association, and is a dynamic and living document. Join the Clam Diggers Association of Oregon today. Membership is FREE. Email us at williamlackner001@msn.com
