John Day river

[Steve]

Have heard and seen video of some fantastic steelheading on the JDR this week,,,kid brother brought home 2 and released 8 more for a daylight to dark run...he wasn't sure where he was exactly went with some friends, in before sun up and out at dark....really ******* about cold, and stiff lines...

[Sandy RiverRat]

I am heading up there this weekend and was wondering if you knew what the fish were caught on?

[Spooled]

Sandy RR. I was there a week and a half ago. We used wiggle warts. A guy on the boat caught an approx. 17 lb. native on a black bill / white body (cop car) in front of the park. A week before that, I caught a 14.5 lb hatchery and an 8-10 lb native, just past the park on the east side of the river using a black body with silver glitter and yellow butt (Michael Jackson) wiggle wart. The water is about 15 feet in that spot and deeper in front of the park. I wash my hands and scrub my plugs in a bucket with lemon joy before fishing. We didn't do as well as Steve's brother did, but the size of the fish we caught was nice. Hope this helps. Dress like you are going to the North Pole!

[Steve]

They took 8 dozen sand shrimp and was bobber fishing the fast water pools...above the narrows.....

[Sandy RiverRat]

Thanks a lotfor the info Steve and spooled. I will give it a try this weekend and report the sucess.

Thanks again, Sandy RiverRat

[Wally]

I didn't want to fight the crowds this weekend so I left the driftboat at home and made one more trip to the John Day, and I'm glad I did. Things were slow, but I managed a 17 lb hatchery fish. What a beauty.
There was a lot less pressure than in the previous few weeks - only about 15 to 20 boats.