My Outdoor Buddy

Your Source for Outdoor Adventure

Northern California and Southern Oregon

Headline News from Northern California & Southern Oregon

The spots on a butterfly wing are not random but help identify this as a California tortoiseshell. USFWS Photo by Dave Menke

The spots on a butterfly wing are not random but help identify this as a California tortoiseshell. USFWS Photo by Dave Menke

Trinity River Fishing Report
Trinity River Fishing
by E.B. Duggan, MAY 14, 2017
Trinity River - Upper

Spring water releases are in the process and most reservoirs are releasing as much water as possible because the snowpack in both the Sierras and Trinity Alps are abnormally high for this time of year. Right now as I write this column, it is raining here in the Trinity Valley and snowing up in the Marble Mountains and probably in...
Full Story

"Hatchery Hole" at Cole Rivers Hatchery closed to all angling
by ODFW, MAY 14, 2017
Rogue River- Lower

An emergency angling closure at the “Hatchery Hole” at Cole Rivers Hatchery Dam begins Monday, May 15 through July 31, 2017. Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife biologists need to protect hatchery spring Chinook broodstock collection and maximize future angler benefit throughout the Rogue River. Russ Stauff, ODFW’s Rogue Watershed Manager said Cole Rivers Hatchery’s spring Chinook program is very successful, particularly when compared to...
Full Story

Rockfish and Lingcod back on the bite
Southern Oregon
by Larry Ellis, MAY 13, 2017
Port of Brookings Harbor

After several weeks of rainy weather and high seas, local-area seafarers once again slew the fatted bottom grabber last week during a stretch of semi-calm days out of the Port of Brookings Harbor, with most anglers’ luck favoring either rockfish or lingcod. When I arrived at the port’s cleaning station last Wednesday, several groups of anglers were filleting some very large...
Full Story

Officials investigate cougar sighting in Troutdale
by ODFW, MAY 13, 2017

The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife and Oregon State Police are investigating a confirmed cougar sighting that occurred about 11 a.m. on Sunday, May 7 near the Sweetbriar Elementary School in Troutdale. Officials surveyed the area this week after receiving two reports from Troutdale area residents, including one with a photo of the animal. No further sightings have been reported...
Full Story

America’s National Parks Need Our Help Now More Than Ever
On Patrol
by Steven T. Callan, MAY 12, 2017

I’ve always believed that our national parks and our national monuments were as secure as Yosemite’s Half Dome: solid as a rock, inviolate, and well-protected from those who would try to diminish or exploit them. Sadly, that’s not the case. In May of 2014, I wrote an article titled “America Needs Parks Now More Than Ever.” At the time, there was...
Full Story

Main Stem Eel update
Kenny Priest
by Kenny Priest, MAY 12, 2017
Eel River

“The main stem Eel is looking better every day,” said Paul Grundman of Rio Dell’s Grundmans Sporting Goods. “The water level has dropped considerably this week, and it should be fishable by the weekend. I wouldn’t be surprised if there wasn’t some downrunners around and you may even run into some fresh ones as well.” As of Wednesday, flows were...
Full Story