Small smelt catch forces import of California fish
YACHATS - Smelt Sands State Recreation Site has a pristine pebble beach, full of shells, agates and other colorful pebbles such as jasper and serpentine.
But the scenic locale is missing a small silver treasure people used to find - smelt runs have virtually disappeared from the Yachats area.
On Saturday, the Yachats Lions will host their 36th annual Smelt Fry, but about 700 pounds of fish will be imported for the event, said organizer Art Rotter.
"They go down to California to get them. I hate to say it, but they do," said Betty Dunn, a volunteer with the Yachats Chamber of Commerce.
Lions Club member Eric Clark, 41, owner of Clark's Market, remembered plenty of smelt when he first moved to town 30 years ago.
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"You could go down there with your nets and fill up a five-gallon bucket in a couple of minutes. You'd get out there in the knee-deep water and the tides would bring them in," he added.
"They used to scoop them up in nets by the hundreds," said Debbie Cromer, guest services agent at the nearby Adobe Resort.
Clark said the runs virtually died off about 10 years ago. "That was the last time I went smelting," he said.
"They are there, but not in as high of quantity," Rotter said. He added that people aren't particularly interested in catching them now.
Before, a local business used to run a flag up to let locals know when the fish were running, Rotter added.
Smelt Sands State Recreation Site is on the north end of Yachats, and it seems a sort of secret spot compared to other parks on the Oregon Coast.
Often, there are few people walking on the pebbles near the waves, especially on weekdays.
Still, the site had 114,868 car visits in 2005, according to Chris Havel, spokesman for the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department.
Many come to walk the 804 trail, which goes nearly a mile along the coast.
The land next to the beach for the park was purchased from private landowners in 1971 and 1972.
An Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife representative said the decline in smelt is probably because of ocean conditions more than anything else.
"There's probably a cyclical up and down. Also, populations may shift to other areas for reasons that are not fully understood," said Keith Matteson, a marine fisheries biologist.
Clark thought the decrease is because of tourists disturbing smelt eggs laid in the rocks and sand. Matteson responded that the impact of visitors to the beach might be difficult to understand, but he wouldn't argue against people harming the fish population in that way.
Regardless, there will probably be more people coming to Smelt Sands and Yachats.
"It used to be, 'Where are you from?' Now you tell somebody, and they know it. They've been there," Clark said.
Other Yachats offerings
Yachats offers plenty for visitors to the coast this week.
Today the annual Yachats La De Da Parade starts at noon, and there will be food, music in town all day. That includes the Yachats Farmers' Market, which runs from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Yachats Commons.
Then of course, there is the fireworks show starting at sundown over Yachats Bay.
On Friday, Saturday and Sunday, the town will be filled with classical music during the 26th annual Yachats Music Festival. Performances are at 8 p.m. Friday, Saturday and Sunday, with an additional 2 p.m. performance on Sunday.
The cost for each session is $19, and tickets can be purchased at the Adobe, 1555 Highway 101, or the Fireside Motel, 1881 Highway 101.
Performances will be held in the Yachats Community Presbyterian Church, 360 W. Seventh St.
For more information on the festival, see www.yachats.info/ymf.
At a glance
WHAT: The Yachats Lions 36th annual Smelt Fry uses fish from California because the local smelt run, which used to be plentiful, virtually disappeared about 10 years ago
WHEN: The all-you-can-eat dinner runs from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday at the Yachats Commons, at Highway 101 and Fourth Street.
COST: $10 for adults, $4 for children under 12.