1st Annual Umpqua Smallmouth Bass Round-Up
Sunday, August 20th 2023 from 12:30 – 4:30 p.m.
Fishing, Food, Fun & Ecological Restoration — Join us for a picnic, prizes and plenty of food. Your participation will have long-ranging results on our Umpqua River, the success of Steelhead, Chinook and Coho smolt making it to the ocean.
The Fallen Outdoors Team Oregon has put together a unique and original way for the public to actively participate in helping restore the dwindling populations of Chinook Salmon, Coho Salmon and Steelhead in the Umpqua River System. With government programs being cut back for budget concerns, the effects of wildfires and other environmental road blocks we feel it is important that the public at large become involved and aware.
Our first Annual Smallmouth Bass Round-Up will do just that. Our intention is to reduce the numbers of smallmouth bass by encouraging the public to take them out of the river when they catch them rather than releasing them back to consume more Salmon and Steelhead smolts. Simply by cutting down the numbers of bass we will be increasing the number of smolts that will eventually find the saltwater and hopefully come back to the Umpqua to spawn.
A very important part of this plan is public involvement. By offering the Round-Up to all men, women and children for a reasonable entrance fee. Fees will be only $25. Entrants will be given one raffle ticket for each entry. Those wishing to help round-up smallmouth bass will be asked to donate them to Roseburg’s Fish Pantry for distribution to needy persons in the community. All fish must be caught in the Umpqua River and tributaries per Oregon State Fish and Wildlife rules and regulations. As of this writing there is no limit on the size or quantity of smallmouth bass that may be caught or possessed. Please check the ODFW regulations prior to fishing as they do sometimes change. Donated fish must be cleaned, packaged no more than five per package and kept frozen, on ice or in a refrigerator until the picnic on Sunday, August 20, 2023.
The picnic will be held Sunday, August 20th 2023 from 12:30 – 4:30 p.m. at River Forks Park here in Roseburg. We invite you to come to the picnic, enjoy the food and beverages, meet other community members in a pleasant park setting with other like-minded people from the local area. Please remember that this is a family event and children are welcomed to attend the picnic.
Sign up for the Round-Up and pay your entry fee using the form on this site and you will be eligible to win one of the many prizes being donated to this event.
Prizes will be awarded via a random drawing at the end of the Round-Up. Participants are invited to enjoy the food and beverage while waiting for their ticket number to be drawn. All sponsors are invited to the picnic to showcase their products or services.
Our goal is to help our wild salmonoids in the Umpqua by removing some of the smallmouth bass that are thriving in the river and dining on the salmonoid smolts. The Round-Up event was designed to help increase the awareness of the fragility of our Umpqua River across all facets of our community. Community awareness is our first step in helping to restore this wonderful river to it’s once full glory.
Smallmouth bass donated will be given to The Fish of Roseburg a 501(c)3 and is well established here in Roseburg. Monies generated by this event will go to The Fallen Outdoors, also a 501(c)3, to take active duty and military veterans on outdoor adventures including hunting, fishing, geo-caching, biking, sight-seeing etc.
Please remember to support the sponsors that have supported this event.
Quilt of Valor Award Prior to Prize Drawing
A very special award of a Quilt of Valor (QOV) will be made prior to the drawing. The quilt was made by the wife of a Marine veteran who served in Viet Nam. Each panel on this quilt was sewn by hand and with the absolute intent for it to be the perfect QOV to be presented to a deserving veteran. As with all QOVs the recipient will not know who he or she is until the award ceremony. Bring tissues, plenty of them, as these QOV awards alway produce tears.
Please be sure to take a look at this masterpiece on display at the picnic.
TFO would like to thank M.A. Rhea (U.S.M.C vet) and his wife Laurie for allowing us to make this award at the picnic.
