Destruction on Eagle Creek

[letsfish]

I fished Eagle Creek yesterday and today. But when I returned this morning someone had ripped the property owners gate out of the ground!What does the yokel think he proved by doing that ? Willfull destruction of property is such a cowardly, impotent act of needless aggression . I get peeved just thinking about it!
Will the landowner say "Boy these good folk must really care about our land and water so much that they tore my gate down to get at it."
No -more likely he will make sure a stronger gate is put up, because anyone that would destroy his gate would destroy the trees and fish and creek within.
If you know who the idiots are that caused such destruction turn them in before they do escalate the destruction.
Folks, if you want to continue to fish private property you have a responsibility to take care of it.I know I am preaching to the chior. But keep vigilant, if not out of respect for the property owner, then for the future of fishing as you know it .
Jim

[The Fishing Geek]

Where is this property? Would it be someone who has recently leased to OFC? Wouldn't surprise me.

Regardless of how anyone feels about OFC it is cowardly and pathetic for a person to do such vandalism.

[ChrisN]

Yep, pretty pathetic. :mad: :mad:

Jim, when were you there ?? I spoke with the land owner and she is ******.

Did you see tow trucks ??

There is more to this story folks, but I can't really say what it is now.

Please respect the property rights of others, the same you'd want to be treated if you had that property.

This is an outrage !!!! :mad: :mad: :mad:

Chris :mad:

[blacktail]

Stupid people!! :mad:

Where is this property located? I was up fishing near the park today. is it near there?

Mike

[ChrisN]

It's where the second FEDERAL fish ladder is located. :shocked: :shocked:

The property was leased to OFC last year after a number of similar incidents( but not as horrible). The place was a notorious spot for vandalizism and snaggers alike prior to the involvement with the OFC. Now it is patrolled regularly by both the OFC and the Oregon State Police.

UGGGGGHHHH.... Destruction of FEDERAL property is a big No - No

Chris :cool:

[KingFisher85]

Before you know it, the land owners are going to be like, nope, no more people are going to use are land to get to the river side. Gonna have to find a new way. Or they might just close the whole river off.
I've seen it happen in hunting areas.

[lucky man]

FWF1--Are you talking about the gate at ofc 2 if so, I have some information on it--didnt know if it was an ofc issue or landowners issue

[ChrisN]

Yes. That is the gate we're talking about.

The Federal Fishy Fellas aren't gonna be happy :mad: !!

Chris :mad:

[skein]

Anybody have any idea how much it will take to replace/repair the gate? Is this an issue that some of us Ifishers could get involved with? I've never fished Eagle Creek, but I do believe "what goes around, comes around." I'd be willing to donate some $$ toward fixing the destroyed property, and would be willing to donate a day to come up and help with the repairs. It might be nice to let them know that 4,000 ifish folks are willing to make a stand (and a statement) against that kind of crap. (I tried to think of another word, really I did.)

You guys that know Eagle Creek and the parties in question - what do you think?

Skein

[lucky man]

I was going to volunteer to help rebuild the gate since I have a welder and can go portable.

[Boedy]

I'm with Skien this type of stuff has to stop and it’s up to us to police or selves and make sure we turn in the people who screw it up for everyone else. Let me catch someone pulling a stunt like that just once please.

I would be glad to help out fixing that gate. Never fished Eagle creek but I have property on the N Santiam and it gets me hot when people trespass and leave beer bottles and crap everywhere if something like that happened to me it would go along way if people that know how to fish responsibly came by and offered to give a hand cleaning up the mess or fixing something that someone busted.

[ 01-01-2003, 06:29 PM: Message edited by: Boedy ]

[GL2]

My parents live a mile above there.
Back when the land owner let the public access that site, my family hired a photographer. We shuttled down on the quad to the water fall, and I now have a family portrait with the water fall in the background. It's a really awsome place & made a great background.
I know what a zoo that place used to be and don't blame the land owners from turning it over to OFC.
Yep, another site runied by the "jerks." Snaggers & trash eveywhere, guys fishing the base of the waterfall. Or trying to net fish out of the ladder. We should have shuttled some OSP down on the quad, ticket galore!!
Must be nice to be a OFC member and use the site without the "jerk" crowd.
Maybe if I'm lucky I'll get a visitor invite from a OFC member, I haven't been down there since it was shut down.I hate losing access, but it is so much for the better.
I know the closure caused alot of resentment, but what do people expext, when you trash a place??
Jason

[Good to the Last Cast]

You know it just galls me how people can abuse a resourse like we have!!I've pulled so much garbage out of these area's I just can't believe it, two years ago I was standing in the car body hole after fishing, it was a clear sunny day and an Eagle came flying down the Gorge not 20 ft. from us and I thought I was in heaven...............then I looked down to the bag I was carring out and it brought me back to reality ............please take care of our resourse if you don;t no one will...................

[PTS]

I am reasonably certain that the repair of the gate will be the Feds responsibility as they have control of and maintain that road so it will be our tax dollars. I fished that property for many years for winter steelhead by walking down the road. I was very disappointed when it closed. I personally did not see that much trash or violations when I was down there. During steelhead season, I didn't notice that many other fishermen since it's a .9 mile walk down there. Therefore, I was surprised by the leasing to OFC based upon the accusations. I was an original member of OFC but let my membership lapse after 15 years, and that was before they leased that property. The one time I went in there as a guest we saw another member fishing at the mouth of the ladder, but I know OFC would not condone that. However, I must admit that I am bitter about losing that access since I did my best to take care of it and picked up any trash I found. It was the only place I enjoyed on Eagle Creek, not necessarily for the fishing, but for the beauty and solitude it provided.

[GL2]

PTS,
The million dollar qestion?
Have you ever seen it during the silver run??

[ 01-01-2003, 07:28 PM: Message edited by: GL2 ]

[ChrisN]

The very first clean-up we had ,filled a couple of dumpsters. You would not have believed some of the things we found there.

That area had always been posted no tresspass, but no one seemed to pay attention. The land owner was pretty cool to those who packed out their fair share of trash.

Then came the silver runs on 2000 & 2001. The snagging from what I heard was horrific. The costs of enforcement and clean up became too high and bothersome from my understandings from talking with the owner.

But what happened today was mind blowing. Not just the gate either. I'm sure no long term damage has happened, but I 'm still lost as to what this individual (s) was thinking :whazzup:

Chris :mad:

[skein]

Since it's (still) Christmas season, I'm going to share a little "ownership" lesson - sort of a social statement.

In our town, Sweet Home, there was a guy who built the cleverest lawn decorations of reindeer, elves, lights, etc. Every year he would add something new, and the whole town would drive by his house to see them. He finally put up a little box for donations to cover costs of materials and maybe a little to offset his family's electric bill. Many, many folks stuffed dollars in that little box. But finally he wanted to move on to other things, so he gave the decorations to the city. City workers (on their own time) and volunteers would assemble the scenes which were set up in front of the Chamber of Commerce on Main street. The little donation box went with it, but suddenly there was very, very little that went in it. Why? Because now it belonged to the CITY and somehow the citizens no longer felt "responsible" for the maintenance or upkeep. Not that the city disenfranchised us -no, no. It was just that mindset that tells us "I pay my taxes and they ought to...."

So let me quote myself (that's a bad sign, quoting myself) It might be nice to let them know that 4,000 ifish folks are willing to make a stand (and a statement) against that kind of crap.<font size="2" face="verdana,arial,helv">I'd still like to pony up some dollars and some personal time so that people knew that we fisherpersons (Ifishers) didn't just pass this off to the Feds (see CITY above). WE, you and I, *are* the Feds - and we can make a pretty strong statement here to that effect.

Skein

[PTS]

GL2,

When I wrote that post I was suspicious of the salmon run. I never was back there at that time, and now I understand. What is it about fishing for silvers that drives people crazy?

[GL2]

Ya, silver fever. Guys were keeping red bucks that were not even a smoking fish. The whole scean changed real quick, and I bailed on that spot. Heck I don't fish sivers on that creek anymore. One time during bow season after I got dome hunting my parents property, I counted 65 rigs from there down to hwy # 224.

[Wardendog]

PTS,
I feel for you. I have had experiences exactly like that in my life too. You said it well. I hate loseing the beauty and solitude to unfortunate sircumstances.

[TAILOUT]

I dont understand why the odfw would allow for so many silvers to come back to this small fishery, then advertise, not patroll the sections where this kind of behavior could go unoticed and expect snagging not to occur. The snaggers are the ones that litter and steal chainsaws from landowners then people like me are punished. Ive fished this section for years and rarely if ever saw any kind of problems during steelhead season. I learned how to fish for steelhead at the rope hole and caught over a hundred steelhead through this section with some 20 fish days. Now its gone for me but not for some club member that may not appreciatte it as much as I do. It is a rarity to catch a good bright coho in this section unless the water is real high and they are really not very good when the water drops and all anybody that fishes for them in this state is doing is harassing them. Shut the coho season down on this creek and there wouldnt be these problems. And maybe someday I could do the hatchery to the church camp hike again and enjoy the beauty and fish that I miss so very much. Whats wrong with America cant we all just get along and share and take care of all beautiful things god has given us. Im sorry for being negative it is a touchy subject for me!!!! :depressed: :mad: :depressed:

[Brine]

Here is the story as far as i've been able to piece it together so far. On New Year's eve a couple of 4x4 joy riders entered the property from the north side of the property. The first rig made it across the creek at the old bridge hole, but the second, a 3/4 ton black Ford with a bank of foglights across the front and no front license plate and tinted windows, got stuck in the creek. They tried to pull him out with inadequate rope and left him there. The first rig was unable to go back the way he came ; so, up the road he went. When they got to the gate they decided to ram it and busted the tab off the swing arm and dislodged the post. There is a 4x4 out there with some front end damage. They came in the next day and retrieved the vehicle, but not before the landowner went down to get the particulars on the stuck truck. These guys are the ones who will pay for the repairs. Thanks OFC guys for being vigilant and helping out with info. Trespassers and vandals beware!
Brian
OFC

[fish assassin]

What, pray tell, is an OFC?? (he asks, trying not to look
TOO stupid).

Thanks,
-assAssin-

[Brine]

FA - OFC is Oregon Fishing Club

[fish assassin]

Thanks Brine ...

-assAssin-

[fishing is life]

i agree with alot of your comments tailout. i dont know why they have a silver run on eagle creek. the fish are not worth it unless there is a lot of water. why not let the fish go at various points on the clack? i know this may upset some OFC members since they have invested to fish this strecth. but letting go of the smolts in the clack would make more a sport of it. i think a steelie run works since there is water in the creek in the winter. any opinions?

[Brine]

I think the Silver run is part of the Federal commitment to producing fish for commercial harvest. As there are only two fed hatcheries in the state, and they are where they are. The coho do really good in the creek, and its a good place for them to return to. I agree that it's more of a spectacle than a fishery in most years. It already helps the Clack fishery a lot; so, releasing smolt in the Clack would do little more good. One note is that we have now seen three strong years of in creek spawning. I tihnk this is a good thing, but others will disagree.

[TAILOUT]

My whole point was that 90% of the fish caught out of this creek are snagged fish. If you cast up stream of 50 fish sitting in one small hole you are bound to snag a fish especially a large buck in the mouth(in his beak). I understood that a main reason the said land was leased to OFC is because of snaggers, therefore I cannot fish said land. I believe if it wasnt for the coho run on this creek OFC #2 would not exist and winter steelheaders would still have access to this land.

[Brine]

Steelheaders never had access to EC # 2. They were trespassing all along. Yeah the nasty elements involved with the coho fishery spurred the landowner to fix the problem. Steelheaders are not immune to the same element, but I would agree that it attracts a better element of angler.

[STGRule]

I dont understand why the odfw would allow for so many silvers to come back to this small fishery, then advertise, not patroll the sections where this kind of behavior could go unoticed and expect snagging not to occur. <font size="2" face="verdana,arial,helv">Tailout: Just in case you didn't catch what was said. ODFW has nothing to do with the coho run in Eagle Creek. That is a Federal hatchery, not State. ODFW doesn't advertise any fishery. ODFW does not patrol any section of any waterway. That is the job of the State Police. This behavior is not caused by ODFW. This behavior is not condoned by ODFW.
I am also sure that the Federal hatchery managers didn't sit down and say to themselves "I bet those commercial and sport guys will be very successful in 3 years, so let's produce a bunch of fish. With the ocean conditions being exceptionaly good then along with the catch being very good, we should put out 2,000,000 smolts. And we 'know' that the year after that, they will have a poor harvest so we will cut down on the number we release next year."
Sorry for the sarcasm. Please do not paint with broad strokes. Know your facts to the best of your ability. Ask if you don't know. ODFW does enough all by themselves to deserve the rath of a few, they don't need stuff they don't do.

[Ramstrong]

You know the funny thing about that property on Eagle Creek. I went to fish it once when I was new to Portland and had read about it in Fishing and Hunting Lies.

I walked down the road from the locked gate, to the gate that was posted. When I got there I turned around and slowly walked back up to the road looking for the road to the creek that I thought I'd obviously missed on the way down. When I got back up to the road and realized there was no trail, that people just walked passed the signs.

I was confused, the spot had been advertised in fishing and hunting news and there were always cars at the gate. How could a publication knowingly publish positive reports on bank fishing that requires trespass to get there. Maybe they were talking about the locked gate at the lower ladder, but they always seemed to mention it as on o'clock rock (I know where that is). And how could so many disregard the posting and walk right in.

On the coast if you were to pull something like that, without asking for landowner permission first, you'd be pulling rock salt out of your behind. I just don't get the metro area sometime.

[fishing is life]

Brine, are you saying that the hatcheries have been spawning in the rivers by themselves versus going back to the hatchery? then they come back as "wild" unclipped fish?

[ChrisN]

Bingo ! :dance:

Chris :cool:

[Brine]

FIL - That's right. Why go all the way up to the hatchery , when you can get it on with some fine looking babes right now. The 2000 and 2001 returns were so large that the fish did there thing in the creek, because they had no where else to go. 2002'e return was so dark by the time that they it a fast dropping creek that nearly every tailout had spawning fish.

[fishing is life]

Brine, that is interesting. i wonder if those fish are of inferior genes or not. my feeling is if they make it out to the ocean and back then they should live. i have not fished the creek that much because of all the bad press. my only experience on the creek is at the bridge and i saw what the fishing was like and hiked to the mouth and fished the clack. the bridge fishing was a sad sight. maybe if there was more water at that time it might seem like more of a sport.

[Brine]

FIL - No, I don't think they have inferior genes. Sex is messy and the genes get all mixed up in the process, but as far as good or bad, I don't want to draw those lines. Now it is fun to fish the creek when the coho are moving, and I don't think an angler is doing any lasting damage to the fish.

[TAILOUT]

I was part of the company that built a pole barn for the land owner right upstream from the church camp and below the swiss house. The owner gave me permission to fish his land, I asked the owner of the swiss house and he gave me permission to fish. This gave me access to the rope hole, which is the farthest downstream OFC owns land. I fished here without any problems for years, I also started walking from the hatchery to the church camp following the creek. I never saw a sign and I never accessed this land from the yellow gate. I ran across a state poice officer one time he checked my tag and fish and that was it I wasnt asked or told about any vandals or snaggers. Everything was great I even fished for coho a few times and only saw a few snaggers up there. Suddenely the big coho runs came and each year it got progressively worse with more people and more snagger which means more litter. My buddies and I made several trips with others trash to keep our land owner happy (we never fished what is OFC land except when we made the hatchery run 2times a year.) Then someone came down from the gate and stole to chainsaws from the swiss house (a very nice person) and he closed down his land to everyone and the other house switched owners and OFC leased the upper property. It is to coincedental that the coho run wasnt the cause for all the people and snagging whether it is a federal project or state doesnt matter to me and maybe the federal gov should research a little more before it makes decisions god knows that they never make mistakes with hatchery practices. 10 years ago I rarely ran in to anybody on this stretch of creek during winter steelhead season except the occasional hardcore fisherperson.

[Uglygreen]

Originally posted by TAILOUT:
My whole point was that 90% of the fish caught out of this creek are snagged fish.<font size="2" face="verdana,arial,helv">http://www.ifish.net/uploads/285512313.jpg http://www.ifish.net/uploads/505712313.jpg

1) Coho will bite when conditions are right. A little red yarn smothered in anise oil works great. So do free drifted eggs.

2) 100% of the fish I have seen caught on OFC leased Eagle Creek property are legal. Thats the difference, we police ourselves.

(This year sucked with the low water, but last year EC was full of chrome silvers. This year the fish were not so bright but still a lot of fun.)

http://www.ifish.net/uploads/101213313.jpg

Originally posted by TAILOUT:
all anybody that fishes for them in this state is doing is harassing them.<font size="2" face="verdana,arial,helv">3) Your second quote should be offensive to anyone who catches and releases any fish. If you release a wild steelhead I guess you would just be harassing it? Or aren't you attempting to harass a fish anytime you put that hook in the water.

4) Ditto what STGruel said....

Originally posted by TAILOUT:
Now its gone for me but not for some club member that may not appreciatte it as much as I do.<font size="2" face="verdana,arial,helv">5) Apparently "us club members" appriciate it enough to put our money and time where our mouth is, and fish legally, with respect for the landowner. Unlike people who would rather trespass for years, take it for granted, and whine when it is lost.

Sorry if I don't have a lot of sympthy for your ideas, but that property has always been posted both at the road and on the creek. I too used to trespass there and I very much appriciate the fact that OFC has opened this and other water to me to fish LEGALLY with the owners BLESSING, rather than sneaking in and pretending not to see the signs that have been there for at least 10 years, or crossing the fences that have probably been there for thirty.

You can fish there every day all day, drive right to the water without the old mile long hike in. Join the club. If its not worth $30 bucks a month to fish legal, you must not appriciate it all that much.

UG

[Brine]

Wow UG. So much passion.
By the way, the gate has a new chain now. Best we could do for the short term.

[GL2]

UG;
I'd put you in the 10% of anglers that catch 90% of the fish. :grin: You've heard that saying before?? Right.
See you know how to hook'em the right way, some anglers just seem to be a little "confused" how to do it right.
I've seen guys packing out bucks like the one in your second pic. Yummy!

[lucky man]

Well said UG.

[TAILOUT]

Obviously UG can catch some fish those must be some of the 10% I was talking about that are hooked in the mouth. Go to the lower bridges or up in the canyon and watch the mayhem of anglers ripping hooks into salmon or maybe Im just seeing things. Ill still say 90% of the fish hooked on this creek are snagged Ive watched it. I never said coho dont bite, I caught some chromers on the sandy this year when the conditions were right. Im not whining I think that the coho runs on this creek have had huge impacts on the surrounding community ask around I have. I also have nothing against OFC and was a little harsh with that comment I think you have a great organization from what I have seen and heard. Also when you have 20 people fishing (if you can call it that) for 75 fish that have been trapped in a hole for 1-2 weeks I call that harassment. That red buck you caught that is on the bank on the rocks looks native to me, is it?

[Nanook]

Originally posted by lucky man:
Well said UG.<font size="2" face="verdana,arial,helv">:sleep: