FARMERS ALMANAC

OREGON COAST ALMANAC
March 28th, 2013

Latitude: 44.6 degrees north - Longitude: 124 degrees west - Elevation: 7 feet

Latitude: 44.6 degrees north  - Longitude: 124 degrees west  - Elevation: 7 feet                 
           
Whales Return For Spring Break Week

Come to Rogue’s hometown of Newport, Oregon to witness one of the great spectacles of nature, the spring migration of the Pacific Gray Whale.

This is the time of year when Gray Whales migrate north from their birthing grounds in Mexico to their feeding areas near Alaska. Some 18,000 whales make the journey, including young calves born just months ago.

The peak of migration coincides with Oregon Spring Break, March 23rd – 30th. Oregon State Parks will set up 24 whale watching sites along the coast during the week. They’ll be staffed every day from 10:00 am to 1:00 pm with trained volunteers who’ll help you spot Gray Whales and other marine life. For more information about the program see, WhaleSpoken.org.

Tips For Whale Watching

• Bring binoculars. During migration, gray whales may not come in close enough to be easily seen by the naked eye.
• Pick a calm day. Whales are harder to spot in heavy waves.
• Come during morning hours when the sun is to your back and there’s less glare on the water.
• Look for whitish puffs rising from the ocean. You’ll see these when the gray whales swim to the surface to blow water from their lungs and breathe in fresh air. The blows are often easier to see than the whales.
• Gray whales will blow three to five times before returning underwater to feed. Remember this pattern and you’ll find it easier to figure out how to follow the whales with your binoculars.

Central Oregon Coast Fishing Report



BOTTOM FISHING
Fishing for rockfish continues to be good on the central coast with most boats returning with full limits of large rockfish. Most boats return with half limits of lingcod.

OCEAN SALMON
Fishing for Chinook salmon along the central coast is open from March 15th through April 30th. Keepers must be 24 inches or larger. Federal regulators meet in April to vote on the summer season.

YAQUINA BAY
Since our last report, herring spawned at least three times in Yaquina Bay. Herring may be taken by dip nets, cast nets or by angling, usually with herring jigs with lots of hooks. This is a fun fishery for kids.

Many anglers fish for herring to freeze and use for bait later in the year, but they make good eating too.

Herring has one of the highest percentages of omega-3 oil content in fish; higher than either albacore tuna or salmon. Since it is a smaller ocean fish, herring are lower in mercury then larger ocean-dwelling fish due to their size, diet and short life span. Try them smoked. Delicious!

YAQUINA RIVER

The winter steelhead run in Big Elk Creek is slow. The hatchery run is essentially over but some catch-and-release fishing on wild fish is still an option through the month.

Tides and Weather



Morning Minus Tides Return In Late March

The first morning minus tides of the year arrive on Thursday, March 29th and run through Saturday, April 1st. Morning minus tides are the best times for clamming in Yaquina Bay and for exploring the tide pools at Yaquina Head.

Tide Predictions for OSU Hatfield Marine Science Center Dock, Yaquina Bay, OR
March 23rd – March 30th, 2013. Shaded boxes indicate minus tides.

	High Tide				Low Tide
	AM	Height (ft.)	PM	Height (ft.)	AM	Height (ft.)	PM	Height (ft.)
Saturday	10:09	7.3	11:14	7.1	4:11	3.1	4:43	0.9
Sunday	11:01	7.7	11:48	7.7	4:58	2.4	5:22	0.7
Monday	11:49	7.9			5:41	1.6	5:59	0.6
Tuesday	12:21	8.2	12:34	8.1	6:22	0.8	6:35	0.6
Wednesday	12:54	8.6	1:19	8.2	7:03	0.1	7:12	0.7
Thursday	1:29	9.0	2:05	8.1	7:44	-0.4	7:49	1.1
Friday	2:05	9.2	2:53	7.9	8:28	-0.8	8:28	1.5

 

 

 

Weather

March Averages For Newport, Oregon
Average high: 55°F
Average low: 39°F
Average rainfall: 7.63 inches

Weather Outlook

Cool temps expected along the West Coast and the eastern two thirds of the United States. While Oregon can expect normal amounts of rain this week, most of the U.S. will be drier than average.

Temperatures
Areas in blue are expected to be colder than average. Areas in orange will probably be warmer than normal.



 

Precipitation
Areas in brown are expected to be drier than normal. Areas in green will likely see rain or snow.



 

Grilled Salmon Fajitas

Ingredients
2 Tbsp. olive oil
¼ cup lime juice
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. dried oregano, crumbled
¼ tsp. black pepper
1 lb. Oregon Troll-Caught Salmon fillet
1 medium-size ripe avocado, peeled and pitted
1 medium-size ripe tomato, cored, seeded, and chopped
1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
2 Tbsp. minced fresh cilantro (coriander), or flat-leaf parsley
2 Tbsp. finely chopped canned green chili
8 flour tortillas, 8 inches in diameter
½ cup prepared salsa
½ cup sour cream

Toppings
½ cup coarsely shredded Monterey Jack or cheddar cheese (2 oz.)
½ cup shredded iceberg lettuce
½ cup coarsely chopped cored and seeded ripe tomato

Directions
Combine the oil, 2 tablespoons of the lime juice, the garlic, cumin, oregano, and pepper in a shallow nonmetallic bowl. Add the salmon, turn to coat, then cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight.

Mash the avocado in a small bowl with a fork. Stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons lime juice, the tomato, onion, cilantro, and chili. Smooth a piece of plastic food wrap flat on the surface of the mixture (to keep it from darkening), then refrigerate until ready to proceed.

On a grill set 6 inches above coals, cook the salmon for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, wrap the tortillas in foil. Turn the salmon over, lay the foil bundle on the grill with the salmon and cook the salmon 5 minutes longer or until it flakes easily.

To assemble the fajitas, flake the salmon, and then layer on the tortillas along with the avocado mixture, salsa, and sour cream. Add the toppings, and then roll the tortillas to enclose the filling.




Got a recipe that uses one of our Ales, Stouts, Lagers or Porters? Email it to Joe.Rogue@rogue.com and we might post it here.

About Newport, Oregon




Seafood processing on Newport’s bayfront. Courtesy Pat Kight, Oregon Sea Grant

Newport is a city in Lincoln County, Oregon, United States. It was incorporated in 1882, though the name dates back to the establishment of a post office in 1868. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 9,532, an increase of nearly 13% over its 1990 population; an unofficial 2006 estimate listed Newport's population at 10,240 residents. Newport is the county seat of Lincoln County. It is also the home of the Oregon Coast Aquarium, the headquarters of the NOAA Pacific Fleet, Hatfield Marine Science Center, Nye Beach, Yaquina Head Lighthouse, and Rogue Ales and Spirits.