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Lines of neatly drilled holes in even the smallest strand of aspen east of the Cascade summit are likely the work of the Red-naped sapsucker. The Red-naped sapsucker is a common summer resident throughout forested mountains east of the crest of the Cascades and a spring and fall migrant through the same mountains and lower elevations, preferring areas with trees. Hear the call of the Red-naped sapsucker Photo by Tom Koerner, USFWS

Features: These fish are olive green to dusky-brown with some light mottling towards their top sides. Their fin membranes are yellow. Habitat: Yellowtail rockfish will usually be found in offshore waters and often suspended over deep reefs and rocky habitat to as deep as 900 feet. Technique: Best success will be by first locating suspended schools of yellowtail rockfish in offshore areas during periods open for fishing offshore, and then working rubber tail jigs or shrimp flies through the schools.

Features: The widow rockfish is brassy brown with a light colored belly. Their fin membranes are also brown. They can grow to be 21-inches long. Habitat: Widow rockfish school down to 1200 ft., usually found suspended over offshore reefs and rocky areas. Technique: Best success will be by first locating suspended schools of widow rockfish in offshore areas during periods open for fishing offshore, and then working rubber tail jigs or shrimp flies through the schools.

While recreationally harvesting green crab has been allowed for decades, the Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission recently increased the daily bag limit to 35 crab. This gives recreational shellfishers an opportunity to help native shellfish by taking more of these invaders home. European green crab are an invasive species in Oregon. While recreational harvest is allowed (35 per day), harvesters must correctly identify these crabs (see below) as they often are mistaken for native species. Green crab: Compete with native crabs for food. Larger green crab may eat smaller native shellfish. May disturb eelgrass beds important to native fishes and…

Features: The redstripe rockfish appears red and pink. The dorsal fin is shallowly notched and the lateral line is a distinct red stripe. It has dark lips, a protruding lower jaw, and greenish stripes radiating from the eyes. Habitat: Commonly found over high-relief, rugged bottoms from 500 feet to 900 feet below the surface. Technique: Best success will be by first locating suspended schools of redstripe rockfish in offshore areas during periods open for fishing offshore. Work rubber tail jigs or shrimp flies through the schools.

Features: These fish are dark green, gray or brown on top with an off-white belly and silver or tan sides. The underside of the head and fins can be pinkish. Long second anal fin spine. Silvergrays can be confused with bocaccio rockfish which have a short second anal fin spine. Habitat: Most commonly found between 330 and 990 feet though subadults have been found in kelp beds only 56 feet deep. Adults live over various rocky-bottom habitats. Technique: Work rubber tail jigs or shrimp flies through the schools containing these fish.