Portland Steelhead

[birdhunter]

Well, it looks like I will be getting back up to the big town this weekend and am probably gonna hit the Clack and/or Sandy for steelhead. I'm gearing up to do battle with the fish and the sleds. Any recent reports from anyone other than Dave "Never seems to have a bad day" Johnson? I had heard okay reports about both rivers this past weekend, but I didn't know if water levels or clarity had changed much since then. Seems they've been pulling some summers out of the Sandy. Wow. That's really early. I caught two summers out of the Clack last year in mid-march, but this is still February!!!! Oh well, fish is fish.

Oh, 'nother quick question. How much do you guys fish the Feldhiemers to Barton stretch for steelies? Usually when I do that run I just cruise down to Eagle creek and fish below that because that is where a lot of the hatchery fish go. Now I am hearing that the hatchery fish also go up to McIver. Have I been a schmuck for passing up a lot of good water full of hatchrery steelies? I fear that the answer is yes. Doh!!!

[Shannon]

Late Febuary early March you would find me at McIver. The plunkers do extremely well at this time at the mouth of Dog Creek.

[Navigator]

Birdhunter -- I talked to a guy who floated the Sandy from Oxbow on down on Sunday (2/18). Caught one native. Saw and heard of other fish caught. Fish seem to be spread throughout the lower basin but no large concentration anywhere. I was up by Marmot on Monday (2/19) and it was quiet.

[smoky]

birdhunter:

Daves reports are valid. If you read all of his reports you'd see he does have a bad day once and a while.

I know he is catching fish on the Clack.So am I. If you fish hard enough so will you.

There are natives on the Wilson right now, but still have to work hard for one or two fish. I fished the Wilson for 8 hours on Monday. Most boats I talked to got skunked. One boat released 3 nates. I caught one nice nate buck.

There were other posts of success on the Wilson this week. If I were fishing this weekend, Id target one of the Coastal Rivers for nates.(no bait divers). Drift shrimp.

[Coot22]

hey birdy,

I can't wait to get up there this weekend and stick a few metalheads! I was thinking that we should hit the clack on saturday, I will explain why later, but defenitely the sandy (if the clack is dead) on sunday. well, I am trying to get a ride up to ptown to get some sandshrimp from work. I will call brandon and ryan and ask how they have been doing and how well jack's trips have been. I will talk to ya later.

-Cody

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"10% of the fishermen catch 90% of the fish"

[birdhunter]

Cootie,
Good deal. I can't get out of here till after 4:00 at the earliest. Got to meet with a salmon geneticist first. Should be intersting. I might stop by Fishermans in OC on the way up too and pick up some gear and/or bait. I don't have a clue what Aeby is up to. We'll see.
BTW smokywhal'n, I have no doubt Dave's reports are valid. I've been on the river many times with him and seen him catch lots of fish. I just can't believe how well he has been doing lately on the Clack. Makes me really want to get back up there. We've been doing well this year too, but right now I have to fish vicariously through him. Oh well, not for long.

[Big Willie]

I think that guides, David and others, have a distinct advantage over the week-end warrior types(90% of us). They have the river when we are at work or school. They know where the fish are and know what they are taking. I've felt sick on a Tuesday or Wednesday and done great...I mean...stayed home in bed. Tight lines.
BW

[Ranger]

The Sandy has been producing a few fish but the conditions are making it a little tough (low clear water like elsewhere). A summer steelhead was confirmed at the Oxbow park last Sunday afternoon. 10+ pound hen, pencil size skeins of eggs and over an inch of fat in the belly. Drifted corky and sand shrimp did the trick. A few fresh natives reported caught and a couple downsteam hatchery fish seen.

[onstep]

Hey, I fished with Dave yesterday. We got 5. Saw one other caught. I fished with him a week ago and got 3. His reports are real and accurate. I speak with him probably every day and he does in fact have slow days. You know it's not in his or anyones best interest to post that fishing is great. Who needs the pressure of another 10 boats on a drift. Or in his case business competion from other guides. As far chasing fish locally either river is producing. Had friends and clients catch fish on both rivers. Change your tactics and go with some low water techs. The fish are there.

[birdhunter]

Man! What weather today! Fished from Barton to Carver and only had one other drift boat to accompany us. Saw a couple of sleds down by Carver, but that was it. I guess everyone is after springers already. Had three take-downs and released one native. Really cold in the morning and really hot in the afternoon. Went from about 6-2 and my how the weather changed. I can't believe how sunny and warm it is. This is February???? Water is still really low and gin clear for the most part. Saw plenty of other critters (otter, muskrat, beaver, mink, mallards, woodies, geese) but not too many fish even in the hard pan. The river was absolutely crawling with waterfowl. Where were all of them during the season? Also went down to talk to some people at Clackamette. Heard of 5 caught at Sellwood and another 10 at OC. That's just what I heard, so you might want to talk to someone who was there. Fun day, wish we had fish, but happy to get into something. Good luck.

[chuck 'n' duck]

We drifted Feldheimer's to Barton today. Got one hatchery hen approx. 7lbs. Only fish we touched. Talked to other boats, and some got into fish, while some got skunked. Water was extremely clear. Same clarity and level as it was for fall silvers. RAIN PLEASE.

CnD