VanDaddy
07-30-2007, 10:35 AM
I took the family camping and fishing at Coldwater Cove on Clear Lake at the headwaters of the McKenzie River. This may not be a trophy trout lake, but it is a Gem of a place to take kids and enjoy a peaceful spot with spectacular scenery. I left my boat home in lieu of the pop-up camp trailer to keep the wife happy. We rented a boat from the lodge. The lodge is now run by a nice family that bought it from Santiam and is hoping to keep it open year-round. Some of the wooden rental boats - I swear are the same ones my dad rented for us kids 40 years ago, but some are nice new aluminum boats like the one I rented.
http://www.ifish.net/gallery/data/500/medium/HPIM1946.JPG
http://www.ifish.net/gallery/data/500/medium/HPIM1949.JPG
Out on the lake we where treated to see a sky crane helicopter fly in with and place a new foot bridge over the McKenzie. Fun to watch, but it looked like they had trouble placing it. The rotor wash blew down a tree and some branches. I also heard the bridge was too short and now sits slanted.
http://www.ifish.net/gallery/data/500/medium/HPIM1956.JPG
http://www.ifish.net/gallery/data/500/SkyCrane.jpg
Here is my brother in law with his boat. What a nice day!
http://www.ifish.net/gallery/data/500/medium/HPIM1957.JPG
We rowed up the north end and hiked up to the headwater spring that feeds the lake and river. What a beautiful pool.
http://www.ifish.net/gallery/data/500/medium/HPIM1965.JPG
Back at camp, the kids and cousins waiting for the trout dinner to be ready.
http://www.ifish.net/gallery/data/500/medium/HPIM1968.JPG
Parting shot of the lake.
http://www.ifish.net/gallery/data/500/medium/HPIM1969.JPG
Now for a Fishing Report: Full moon weekend, slow fishing during the day. Trout become active in the evening. What produced best for me during the day was flies with peacock green body and hackle with a propeller-blade trolled at 10-20 feet deep behind flashers and tipped with a Berkley Gulp Maggot. In the evening I trolled wooly worm like flies with propellers on the surface. Some people did OK sitting worms & marsh mellows combo. But my fly trolling seemed to out product other boats in our group. I talked to some guys that said a few weeks earlier they hammered trout all day with wedding rings and worms. The fishing changes here as summer winds.
http://www.ifish.net/gallery/data/500/medium/HPIM1946.JPG
http://www.ifish.net/gallery/data/500/medium/HPIM1949.JPG
Out on the lake we where treated to see a sky crane helicopter fly in with and place a new foot bridge over the McKenzie. Fun to watch, but it looked like they had trouble placing it. The rotor wash blew down a tree and some branches. I also heard the bridge was too short and now sits slanted.
http://www.ifish.net/gallery/data/500/medium/HPIM1956.JPG
http://www.ifish.net/gallery/data/500/SkyCrane.jpg
Here is my brother in law with his boat. What a nice day!
http://www.ifish.net/gallery/data/500/medium/HPIM1957.JPG
We rowed up the north end and hiked up to the headwater spring that feeds the lake and river. What a beautiful pool.
http://www.ifish.net/gallery/data/500/medium/HPIM1965.JPG
Back at camp, the kids and cousins waiting for the trout dinner to be ready.
http://www.ifish.net/gallery/data/500/medium/HPIM1968.JPG
Parting shot of the lake.
http://www.ifish.net/gallery/data/500/medium/HPIM1969.JPG
Now for a Fishing Report: Full moon weekend, slow fishing during the day. Trout become active in the evening. What produced best for me during the day was flies with peacock green body and hackle with a propeller-blade trolled at 10-20 feet deep behind flashers and tipped with a Berkley Gulp Maggot. In the evening I trolled wooly worm like flies with propellers on the surface. Some people did OK sitting worms & marsh mellows combo. But my fly trolling seemed to out product other boats in our group. I talked to some guys that said a few weeks earlier they hammered trout all day with wedding rings and worms. The fishing changes here as summer winds.