Redtail Surfperch (Pinkfin) Fishing at its Peak near Buoy 12
Do you know where Buoy 12 is?
Fishermen all over the northwest consider this as much of a landmark as Crater Lake or the Redwood Forest. Buoy 12, a hot spot for pinkfin located on the Umpqua River, is an ideal fishing spot this time of year.
Pinkfin or redtail surfperch, as they are also known, hold a special place in the hearts of southern Oregonians. These aggressive fish fight hard on the reel and are excellent to fry up during your Fourth of July BBQ.
It’s the food source that brings the pinkfin into Buoy 12. When the tide is pushing out hard, the flats of the Big Bend area erode away, taking with it the delicious and nutritious sand shrimp and freshwater clams the pinkfin love so much. Surfperch are drawn into the area like magnets. The trick, say the locals, is to fish the incoming tide until the wind blows you off the water. You can pack an inexpensive rod and reel, cannonball sinkers, fishing scissors or knife, and a cooler to store your catch. The fishing limit for surfperch is 15 per person per day.
There are two choices for launching vessels into the Buoy 12 area - put in at the East Boat Basin and head upriver to Buoy 12 or put in at Unger’s and head downriver.
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