I moved to Oregon specifically because of the then existing fabulous striper fishery in the Umpqua estuary, figuring I could have the best of the trout/steelhead/salmon world here with stripers thrown in. Unfortunately, because striped bass were not recognized as a game fish in Oregon then, the fishery was netted out in the first years I got here. As a result I petitioned the Oregon F&W department and mounted what was essentially a one man campaign to change the laws, or more specifically, to get SOME, ANY, protective laws on the books, with the result that stripers were recognized as a game fish in Oregon and a size and bag limit was instituted. Not that it did much good. The damage was done and that accidental, unique fishery has not repeated itself.
With the striper comeback on the East Coast of the 90's, I heard that they were catchable up on the flats, sight fishing, from flats style boats. I had to go back. The result of my first trip was a program that I have presented to many clubs here in the northwest and friends who wanted to go with me the second year. It has ballooned from there. Now the "Oregon Contingent" has been up to 14 fishermen for a week each June.
