Fishing at the Rogue River’s “Hatchery Hole” to temporarily close

Lost Creek Lake, Ore. – In an effort to protect the future population of Chinook salmon in the Rogue River, the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife announced there will be an angling closure at the “Hatchery Hole” below Lost Creek Lake.

Biologists said the closure is needed to maximize the amount of salmon the Cole Rivers Hatchery collects for breeding purposes, known as a “broodstock.”

ODFW’s Rogue Watershed Manager Russ Stauff said, “Ocean conditions affected hatchery springer returns in 2015 and 2016. Last year, we ended up slightly below our broodstock collection goal.”

According to ODFW, the low returns are mostly due to poor ocean conditions, and the angling closure should help maintain the salmon population.

Hatchery Hole is located below Lost Creek Lake at the foot of the William L. Jess dam. It was opened in 2002 to provide anglers an opportunity to harvest what was then an overabundance of adult hatchery fish.

ODFW said the emergency angling closure will be effective from May 15 through July 31, 2017.

For more information, visit http://www.dfw.state.or.us/resources/fishing/reg_changes/southwest.asp

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