Sandy River Questions

[globalfisher]

I am thinking about hitting up the Sandy one of the next few days. Never fished for steelies on this river and actually havent done much steelheading on fly. I am more of a flyfisherman and would live to get into one of those metal heads. So I will be fly fishing! What flies would you guys reccommend? What areas would you reccommend to fish? What kind of waters am I looking for to be steelhead water? Do steelies hold in most areas that trout hold?

I have a bunch of steely flies but just never got around to flyfishing for them. I have an 8weight lami with a loomis reel and a sinktip line which I hope wont effect the fishing that much cause that is all I have down here with me. I live in Alaska and am visiting for christmas.

Thanks in advance!

[gottafish]

Hit the clack the sandy switched strain of fish and they wont be here till feb.

[Mark Vickers]

Hit the clack the sandy switched strain of fish and they wont be here till feb.


Not entirely true. There are a few winter fish in the Sandy right now, but yes, there's a lot of water between 'em.

[gottafish]

Ok Mark There are few But its not worth the hours to find them. fishthe % to find fish.

[globalfisher]

Thanks for the info!!

[globalfisher]

What areas on the clack would you reccomend?

[Navigator]

Global:

I have only caught one winter steelhead on a fly, but it was on the Sandy. Keep in mind, run timing on the Sandy has changed, so around the Christmas break you will be hitting the beginning of the run rather than be in the thick of it as in years past.

Your 8 weight and sink tip should work great. Get some split shot. I like to put a 4-5 foot leader at the end of the sink tip - 10 lb test at the tippet (1x or 0x) depending on brand.

If you have drift fished for winter steelhead before, just try to emulate that with the fly gear. Small corky size glo-bugs (smaller than a dime, bigger than a pea) are a good searching pattern. Yes, look for deeper "trouty" looking water. Walking speed. Boulders and current breaks. Basically, nymph the glo bug deep through these slots. That is where the split shot comes in - need to get the fly down deep in a hurry. I have never caught any steelhead using the classic swing technique - so can't help you there. Leech patterns in pink, red, purple are what I see in the pictures.

Regarding location - Oxbow Park is easy to find and has lots of room. The boat ramp crowd is friendly, but this is not the place to be with a fly-rod at first light. Swing by the boat ramp in the afternoon, around 1:00 p.m. or later and that drift may be available. Easy wade and easy to read. Otherwise, hike upstream of the boat ramp - about a 10-15 minute stroll to the huge Oxbow. While the tailouts hold fish, they are tough to reach with fly-gear - look for the more nymphy type water that can be reached with shorter casts - just like trout fishing.

The bank between the big Oxbow and boat ramp has some good water - this is roll casting area. Don't overlook deeper slots closer in to the bank.

Good luck, and post how you do.

[globalfisher]

Great thanks, will try that tomorrow and will post how I do for sure. I will probably hike around a little after I give the main area a try.

[globalfisher]

Oxbow park is on the Sandy river. Where on the Clackamas would be a good place to fish?

[andy-ap emerger]

For the Clack, you can try McIver park (near Estacada) for a mix of VERY early winters and a whole slew of old summers. Also, there is some decent water near the Barton Park area. If you truly have a fixing to catch steel on a fly, I would hire a guide. I know Rob Russle does pretty well there with a fly rod.
As for fly selection, on the swing for both rivers: Big puffy purple/pink marabou rabbit looking things. Big Pink, Big Red and the purple egg sucking leech is a good go-to pattern for both Rivers.


AP :cool:

[globalfisher]

Fished some drifts up at mciver today and didnt get anything. Saw one fish but thats about it. I tried a purple egg sucking leech, egg pattern, and a freight train. I am going again tomorrow up a litte higher then I fished today, up closer to the dam.

[mandinga]

eggs...all types...unbelieveable egg is my fav...

[globalfisher]

What exactly does that fly look like? I went today up by dog creek I think it was, up at mckiver. We went a ways up on the clack from the creek where there was a nice long drift. I walked up to my hole, flicked my line out and got a nice cast. Right when it reached the end of my drift I lifted my rod and felt the tug of a metalhead. My first ever on. I fought the fish for a little bit, brought him to the bank then he swam off, did it once more. I backed up on dry land getting the fish up on the bank but as I went to go forward and grab the fish he swam off again and caught on some fishing line which pulled out the fly. So I banked him for a second but he played a little trick and got away. So I am thinking it was a quick release considering I had it at the bank and when I went to reach and grab it, it got off. It was about 9lbs and looked pretty chrome. I am thinking it was a summer but still bright.

I was using a freight train when I hooked that fish. Very fun fight and got to hook my first steely ever. To top it off it was on fly.

Thanks for the help guys, I am heading to the coastal streams tomorrow. Fish the trask, wilson and 3 rivers probably. I will most likely make a post for help there also but maybe I will try by myself first. Just need to figure where to fish!

[mandinga]

way to go global...the first on eis always the hardest to get!!! :bowdown:

[globalfisher]

Yeah it was awesome, to bad I didnt land him all the way. I wanted to get a photo. Oh well, it was fun and I am sure I will hook another!

I will call that fish "a almost landed fish that got away"! :yay:

[Navigator]

Great job global! :cheers: