Salmon/Clack Report

[clacksteel]

On Sunday I was able to go up to the Salmon River on Mt. Hood. It was my first time fishing it, and I seemed relatively crowded w/ hikers. I only saw one other fly fisher and a couple hardware guys. I had a lot of rises on a little humpy, but most never hooked up. I was fishing one deep hole that didn't seem to have much potential when I watched as a large fish slowly rised toward the surface and grabed my dropper. It was nice rainbow that ran about 16".
Today I went up to the lower Clackamas to go after summer steelhead. I took some flies that I tied imitating Rob Crandall's selection and fished some good looking water with a nice big red fly. I had what I thought was a grab, and a bunch of smolt bites, but no fish landed. I did see one spey fisher land a steelhead. I hope that some fish get into that system soon.

[Meskel]

Nice report clack. What part of the Salmon did you hit?

I too dabbled in the Salmon a little this weekend. I couldn’t help not fishing it seeing it runs right along my back yard. I figured with the recent infestation of carpenter ants in the area that I would tie one on (ant pattern) and flick it under some overhanging trees and sure enough pulled in a foot long bow on the first cast. Got to love that. I also caught a bunch of trout that seamed to have a diamond shape pattern that ran the length of their sides. Any one know by that description what they might be? They also had reddish bottom fins. Regardless they were beautiful fish. Fun to catch and even more fun to let go to be caught again another day.

[clacksteel]

I was fishing the Salmon near Welches (just off Salmon River Road).

[clacksteel]

There are some awful nice fish up there. If they aren't big, they are good looking.