Molalla Report

[Patrick L]

Haven't been fishing lately so I decided to try the Molalla this morning. I had never fished it before, so I just drove upriver of 211 (on Dickey Praire Rd) and found a place to pull in. Of coarse the first thing I do is pop my line before I even make it to the water and have to retie. :eek: Then I pick a spot to wade across since the other side of the river has better access, but the water was a little clearer than I thought (and deeper!). Water sure is cold at dawn! :shocked: After warming up, I caught 5 cuts about ~12 in and 1 about 10 in, 2 smolts, and 1 white fish. 4 took a BH Prince (trailing), 1 an egg pattern, and 1 a reverse spider. The white fish took a San Juan worm. Both smolts hit the BH Prince. A fun day, only saw 1 other fisherman and 1 goldpanner.

Patrick

[Steve L.]

Good Job! and thanks for the report, but no Pics ? :shrug:

[Patrick L]

Good Job! and thanks for the report, but no Pics ? :shrug:



No digital camera except my cell phone. Too afraid I will drop it in the water while trying to release the fish!

Patrick

[FishTech101]

gold panner lol... WTH.

[Stew]

Info on the Mollala River courtesy of Native Fish Society


Molalla River

The Molalla River is a tributary of the Willamette River above the falls. Like other west-side tributaries it has the flows and habitat to support native winter steelhead, spring chinook and resident cutthroat trout.

The watershed has been treated as a timber mine and has suffered the consequences, however, the Table Rock Fork flows through a wilderness and this stream could be considered a reference stream for the entire watershed. Other threats include gravel mining, agriculture, water quality problems relating to temperature and sediment, water withdrawals, urban development, harvest management, hatchery releases, logging and more.

Non-native winter and summer steelhead have been released in this watershed, but those releases have been eliminated as the state attempts to comply with the Native Fish Policy and restore the wild winter steelhead, listed as a threatened species under the federal ESA. However, a naturalized summer steelhead population has established itself and presents a conflict with wild winter steelhead recovery.

Spring chinook are native to the river, but the state still releases non-native spring chinook form Willamette River hatcheries. The goal is to eliminate the release of these non-native fish and recover the wild spring chinook in the watershed. The spring chinook are listed as a threatened species in the Willamette and its tributaries, but the Molalla River may no longer have a wild, native run. To confirm this a genetic inventory must be completed.

Trout stocking has also been eliminated from this river in order to protect wild steelhead and chinook, however, the stream is still open to bait angling and this must be converted to a regulation that allows catch and release of trout using artificial lures.

[FishTech101]

I caught a fin clipped steelie in the mollala 2 years ago.

[mandinga]

thanks for the report!

I floated the lower section on saturday, and we caught a dozen or so smallies on damselflies and buggers.