You steelheaders "otter" check out the Upper Clack

[Deleted User]

Took the day off today since they made me work on Labor Day. After my job interview (keeping fingers crossed screws up casting ability so I'll have to stick to hoping really hard) I headed up the Clack for some peace and relaxation.

My first stop was at Two Rivers, where the Collowash and the Clackamas converge. I was there five minutes before I spotted the otter working the river. He was there first, and the fish would be too spooked to bite anyway so I moved on.

Next stop was just a short distance upriver, and the small fork in the river that I had to cross to get to the better water was being spawned in so I watched for awhile (I feel so "dirty" now) and then moved upriver.

Next spot I saw one steelhead.

Next spot I saw at least two.

Last spot was less than a mile upriver from Austin Hot Springs and I would venture to guess that there were 5-6 steelies in there, a couple of them NICE fish. Okay, they all are nice when they aren't being caught but you get the idea.

There was NO fishing pressure up there at all, and considering the salmon fishing below and the hunting that is not too surprising.

No trout for me again, and I didn't have any bigger-fish tackle with me so that's life. It would be worth a trip up there if you are looking for some quiet fishing.

Looks like the mainstream upper Clack is pretty fished out for trout this year though. I'll have to find some new waters to fish, and someone to tell me the better places to do it. Any ideas out there?

[happybrew]

Thanks for the info! I might just put that to work next week! Is there any good fly water there? I've never fished it.

happybrew

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Be like a salmon and spawn 'til you die!

[rhansme]

Sounds great. I just moved to the willamette valley from the coast. I could use some directions on how to get up there. Any info on good places to fish around here and directions would be really appreciated.

Ray

[Deleted User]

There is a lot of overhead and close behind trees and stuff up there, but I'd imagine that the accomplished flywhipper (read: not me) could fish this water.

The quickest way to get up there would be to take I205 to the Clackamas/Estacada exit and follow 212 for a helluva long ways through Carver, Barton, Eagle Creek, Estacada, and further up up up from there. If you keep following the route you'll see some nice water up there but you need to go even further past the Ripplebrook Ranger Station. From about there (you won't see the river on your right but it's out there) on up you will be running into steelhead here and there.

I was another 20 or so miles past that, beyond where the Collowash feeds into the Clackamas. All this water has good fishing potential.

HTH

[Steve]

Fobbman, I hate to tell you, the Clackamas above North Fork Res. and the Collowash were never stocked this year, the Regs. are C&R only for Trout and Steelhead...glad that you could enjoy the experience...and the otter..seems he moved out from Timber Lake and back into the river...he likes smaller steelies and it is a kick to see him latch onto a big old chinook...kinda like a dog chasing a car,,doesn't know what to do once he catches it...Try Ollalie Lake, there are a bunch of large trout up there (in the poundage) Wooly Buggers in Brown, Black, Green..weighted...Black ants, Tied Down Caddis yellow bodied, Spruce Flies are standard...if you are not a died in the wool fly fisher, a sinking line and a F-5 in scale natural flatfish...works for me...love those big trout...Steve

[garyk]

You wanted the secret.....here it is. Nah, just kiddin.

Anyway, all the way up the Clack. drainage, but not as far as Olallie Lk is Round Lk. Might be artificials only - since for trout I only flyfish, I forget. Float tubing lake, short walk in. Natural reproduction in the stream that runs in. Browns, 'bows and brooks.

Small lake surrounded by old growth forest, pretty nice to spend a day in a float tube. This time of year should be quaranteed to have it to yourself.

[newt]

What steelhead could these be? I understood ODFW quit the summer steelhead program in the upper clackamas to eliminate competition with wild fish. All summer steelhead are supposedly stopped at the dam and trucked back down? Any one got the poop on this?

[Steve]

garyk, one of my secret places,,,fished Round Lake as a pre-teen,,when my father built the first road past the lake about a mile above on the ridge...we brought home 5 German Browns, 9#, 7# 6.5#, 3# and 18" but that was 40 years ago...I remember the Devils Club that I fell into...sore for a week, the last time I was in there it had filled in a lot...and only saw 1 fish...the lake has special regs...I believe it is one per day....black ants and small green wooly buggers on extremely light or Florocarbon leader.....check out Hideaway or Shellrock...if you have all day hike down into Serene Lake off Grouse Pt....

[Deleted User]

So let me get this straight...they are no longer stocking trout up there and they are keeping the steelhead from going past the dams? The only possible explanation is that they are trying to reduce the number of folks that go up there, as it is overused, IMO.

Very very odd, indeed.

Unfortunately I don't have a float tube, nor do I have a boat so my fishing days are strictly of the bank-maggot variety. I used to fish Olallie back when it took a 4x4 to get in there, but last time I was up there it really seemed that it had changed quite a bit and was overfished. May have to check it out again, or some of the other small lakes mentioned above.

If all goes well I'll find out on Monday that I got the job I interviewed for on Friday. If that happens then I'll be giving my immediate notice on Tuesday and fishing all day Wednesday. If that happens then I'll check out some of those hike-in lakes. I've got a copy of "Fishing in Oregon" around here somewhere that tells me where all these spots are.

[Steve]

The reason for stopping the summer steelhead is to protect an imaginary winter steelhead run from interbreeding and eating the eggs like trout behind the imaginary wild Coho run that goes up Fish Creek ( Which has a permanent closure) no stocking of trout means less pressure on the downstream smolts..all stocking trout were rerouted to lakes in this area Harriet, Timothy, Olallie, Detroit, Clear, (on Mt.Hood) the phony part is over the past 40+ years I have seen ODFW and USFWS hatchery truck all the way to the head waters of most passable streams...How can the bio tell which genes came from what....stream..at any rate the up river useage is tremendous all summer long met one string of cars coming down tonight 20+ and almost did a head on with a motorcycle that thought he could pass everybody. Anyway in theory all fish above North Fork are wild (potential Threatened and Endangered Species) let me know if you catch a bull trout (Dolly Varden) on the Clackamas susposed to be extinct...but release it...please...