Three Rivers

[MasterCaster]

I see all the reports of where the fish arent so I figured I would give one on where there are some.

We fished Three Rivers hatchery hole just above the bridge today from about 9am till 4pm. I saw 10-12 fish landed <about half summers half winters> ALOT of other fish hooked and lost. I landed 1 winter buck about 6 lbs out of 9 hook-ups <8 steelhead 1 chinook> just about everyone was having a hard time keeping the fish on.

Water looked really good to me. Good color. The fish are definately in there but I think this rain we are getting tonight and tomorrow will put it a little too high to fish well.

Good luck!

Jon :smile: :grin: :smile:

[ 12-13-2002, 07:49 PM: Message edited by: MasterCaster ]

[TheRogue]

Three Rivers is NEVER to high to fish :wink: , but it can, very rarely, get a little muddy. One winter, I caught a steelie at the hatchery hole when the water was just touching the edge of the parking lot...the fish were hiding behind the trees!!

TR

[MasterCaster]

I couldnt agree more personally but most poeple wont even try it when they see the water dirty and high. I have hooked many fish behind those trees. :grin: Anyone that thinks eggs dont work well for winters needs to give it a shot when Three Rivers is up and running high. Slack/slower water with bait is GREAT!! :wink:

One other tip......you dont need to cast to the other side of the river. Those fish are running right at your feet! All the fish I hooked were within 10' of my feet. graemlins/eek13.gif

Jon :smile: :grin: :smile:

[toblerone]

Yeah
and be patient with other fishermen. I can't think of any other place that can get as crowded as the deadline at three rivers. It'll even give 101 bridge on the salmon a run for worst combat experience. If you can handle it go for it!
John

[willierower]

A freind of mine fished Three Rivers Yesterday. He hooked 2 and landed 1 down river from the hatchery on the corner where the river is right next to the road. He watched the zoo at the deadline for awhile and said the guys there were having a tough time keeping the fish on.

2 years ago I banked 23 fish in 2 days fishing the hatchery hole when the water was up around the trees. Every fish was hooked within 3 feet of the bank using eggs.
Ive got fish out of that hole when the water was muddy enough to plow. I just pitched bait right in behind the trees. I was fun seeing the looks on guys faces when I would hook a fish behind them as they waded out past the trees.

[MasterCaster]

Does anyone have an idea as to why so many people couldnt keep the fish on the hook? I mean this wasnt just a few people it was almost everyone that was hooking up at all.

It just kind of baffles me. I can understand it if it was just me :wink: but it was almost everyone. Most fish would be on for a few seconds then off. Start their first good run then the hooks would pop out. :whazzup: :whazzup:

Jon :smile: :grin: :smile:

[ 12-14-2002, 08:24 PM: Message edited by: MasterCaster ]

[Mr. Shannon O'Brien]

Master caster,

That sounds encouraging to know that there are good numbers of fish hook-ups. Is that place crowded?

I know them tight quarters make for a tough hook set, especially if your line is not at a decent angle in the water.

Too bad them waters wouldn't allow for a size 2 stinger.

Shannon

[Flatfish]

Master Caster,

sometimes they just don't take real well. last weekend on the Clack, we had 3 rods down on plugs.NONE of them were very hard takes. Sometimes you get them all, sometimes you eat KFC for diner.
Mark and the dog.

[MasterCaster]

This hole is usually very crowded but there were about 15 or so people there when I was. thats actually not too bad for the hatchery hole. :shocked:

I think the poor hookset was a good part of it. I was hooking fish right infront of me and only about halfway through my drift. Most of the fish I lost I never had the chance for a follow up hook set. The fish would surface shake their head and start to run then the hook would pop.

Jon :smile: :grin: :smile:

[steelhead1]

Did Anyone fish Three rivers this afternoon ?? hows the water level & color?? , Max :shocked:

[Mr. Shannon O'Brien]

I guess 15 people their is not too bad. I usually would stop in if I wanted a good laugh when the mob is out in force. Hell, if these Alaskan's were to be on that small river they would have them blocked off from leaving the run. LOL By the way I'm a native Oregonian.

That's too bad that you can't keep 'em on. Man if you can hold it for the head shakes and when they turn and burn reaf that rod to the side a few times and send it home.

:tongue: :dance: Then coho do the same thing up here. the will come up, open wide and the turn and burn. I learned not to get overly aggressive 'til they turned then I would give it a few reafs to the side when they were moving away. I always used to pull the hook out, or loosen it up when they came to the top to say"hi."

The S curves. When that mob of sheep is spooking the fish and you want a breather head down to the ssss curves. Toward evening just the last run on the bank there sit tight with your polaroized on and they come up tight to the bank on the side your sitting on. And i mean sit. I'd ambush them with a black winged chartreuse body spin 'n' glo.

When you start nailing a few post a pick or two, I'd love to see what I'm mi :dance: ssing out on.

When in doubt set the hook.
Shannon

[Timber]

It's starting into the trees and muddy. I went down to day about 8:30 and watched 2 guys park a s-10 on the galdy side of the bridge and walk away from it. they didn't get 15 feet from it and over the bank it went.They got lucky and it didn't make it to the river or hit any fishermen.It didn't hurt the pickup other than scratches from the old fence that stopped it.

[steelhead1]

Timber thanks for the update, was the river on the way up or down this morning ?? , hey Shannon the hatchery hole on three rivers kinda reminds me of the combat fishing on the russian river when the red are in LOL .. i lived in Anchorage from 80 till 91 ... i have seen more fights & funny things at the russian river than any other river .. i useally watched didnt fish it much .. too many crazies :cool: Max

[weekend warrior]

Steelhead1,

The river was on it's way up and getting pretty muddy. I fished there this morning for a couple of hours and hooked a chrome salmon but I was geared w/an 8-17 rod for steelhead and it went down the shoot and I couldn't bring it back up. Thats how it goes sometimes.

Later, Weekend Warrior

P.S. only saw a couple steelhead kept, looked to be summers and beat up winters. Nothing really to brag about.

[steelhead1]

Weekend Warrior, thanks for update, sounds like its out for tomorrow am , however im a die hard problay go somewhere , thanks Steelhead1 :grin:

[Good to the Last Cast]

I've heard alot about three rivers where exactly is it??? :whazzup:

[MasterCaster]

Three Rivers actually goes through Hebo and dumps into the Nestucca.

The hatchery hole is 2 to 3 miles up river <east> from Hebo. You will be following the river the whole way there. Another good place to fish is what I call the corner or S curves. That area is about halfway to the hatchery.

Im sure someone else can give better directions.

Jon :smile: :grin: :smile:

[steelhead1]

Three rivers is always fishable , just remeber this rule of thumb while fishing there in high water , think about where you would normally fish & bring you're drift in about three foot closer to ya , works for me, chances are they are swimming at you're feet ... good luck