NF Nehalem falls pictures?

[3527766]

Does anyone have pictures of the falls/rapids on the upper NF Nehalem?

[Fishfinder1]

I do but I dont. But if you look at my avitar this picture is from that area! :grin:

[the bear]

had the pleasure of seeing the falls yesterday for the 1st time up close :shocked: went fishing with jim erickson and friend(fishingusa)water was kinda low and clear,he showed us all the holes and gave us a hand drawn map of the river,but beyond my capabilitys in our drift boat,,,jim and his raft is the way to go,,,,,,learned some new ways of fishing with jim and had a great time,6 for 10-12,, wish we would have got some action shots but someone forgot the camara we got snowed,rained,hailed and sleeted on but great trip none the less,,,,,,

[Jennie@ifish]

Here ya go. This is Jim Erickson:



Don't try this at home!

Jen

[Jennie@ifish]

See that rock on the bottom? Left of Jim's boat?

It's magically gone, now! That used to be the fear of anyone going down! :smile:

J

[Ramstrong]

Originally posted by Jennie@ifish:
See that rock on the bottom? Left of Jim's boat?

It's magically gone, now! That used to be the fear of anyone going down! :smile:

J

<font size="2" face="verdana,arial,helvetica">Yeah, don't try that at home either.

[Chromaflage]

I see 4 sets of white knuckles in the front of that boat. :shocked: I've got to go on that trip. Someone, please e-mail this guy's contact info...i've seen in posted before, but I'm being blind today.

Thanks

[ 01-04-2004, 08:51 AM: Message edited by: OregonRedside ]

[Fishfinder1]

Wow! the water must have been really high in that photo! I have seen it high down there but NEVER high enough to float a DB!
Kids, dont try this at home!! :grin:

[ 01-04-2004, 01:56 PM: Message edited by: Fishfinder1 ]

[pearl]

D-Rep,

You thinking about trying it in your drifter?

I'll take pictures if you want but I'm not riding.

Shoot the Corona rep an e-mail. He floated it with Jim last week. He told me the water was pretty impressive.

Pearl.

[blacktail519]

Lord have mercy Jen, That is one killer pic. Glad it wasnt me floating along! WOOOOOOOOWWWWW!! :shocked:

[Fishing With Larry]

I have many runs on this drift behind me and have yet to take pictures. I have years and years on the sticks and have done time white water guideing. I would not recommend this run for just anyone and pictures would not do it justice. The experience would also take a close 2nd by being in the front and saying to yourself, "Oh, I could do that".

I wish I had a picture of my face the first time I ran it. We had traversed the first two drops before getting to Jack and I thought that the hard stuff was over. The river had just received a boost of what had to be 2" of rain in two hours and the river had become unfishable and rageing. There used to be a tree limb that crossed over in the middle of Jack and I happened to be looking down river to find my way when we went under the branch. The guys in the front couldn't get out of the way in time and ended up grabbing the branch before ducking under it. It swung into me with enough force to knock me clean into the back seat leaving the oars empty. I scrambled to the oars in time to make it through King, all the while screaming in pain. I ended up with a black eye and a nose where my cartaledge (sp) squeaks when I rub it. We laughed about it later, but my knuckles still get white when I come around the corner.

Please remember that Jim is in excellant shape and spends almost every day on the sticks. I know that he wants more people to experience his river since that is where the hatchery support comes from, but also with a level of safety intact. On most days when fishing is perfect, the water is at a level where it would beat your drift boat up pretty bad and a wrong move could sink it. A raft is a little more forgiving and is definately the weapon of choice.

[drhall99]

In my opinion, the only people who take their driftboats down this stretch are the ones who want new ones. The upper river will definately give your boat that "Well Used" look. Jim only floats it in a framed raft, now. He said that the bottom only lasted three years on the boat in the picture. The best way to get in touch with him is to call him at home at (503)368-5365. 8:00 p.m. seems to be the best time.

D.

[reeldick]

I'm afraid I would have to walk down. Changing my underwear after that drift doesn't seem like what I'd want to do.

[3527766]

Thanks for the picture and all for your insight and advise. I'm plenty comfortable on the sticks, but not interested in putting any more dents in my DB, so don't worry. However, a raft or heavy pontoon boat is another story. I've been scheduled to do this trip with Erickson a number of times, but due to weather etc., it has not happened, so I figure it's time to cowboy up. What's the ideal water level for a float?

[where's your bobber dude]

I'm having trouble uploading my picture but here is the link to the picture I was going to send. http://store6.yimg.com/I/kenjik_1765_2823374

I wouldn't run it without drifting with someone who knows it first. Just a suggestion. It's a lot easier to run other rivers and catch just as many fish, but it is a pretty river. If you are going to run it I would like to watch. [img]graemlins/lurk.gif[/img]

[Fshklr]

Here ya go where's your bobber dude :grin:


[ 01-05-2004, 05:35 PM: Message edited by: Fshklr ]

[Crayfin]

You're golden with a pontoon boat if you have run the Deschutes. Been there done that--should be a fun float

[3527766]

Thanks Crayfin. Just looking for someone to tell me I'm not going over Niagra in a barrel.

[Lund]

The picture of Jim in the Falls is the KING Falls and after the TNT hit it years ago it is a cake walk in a drift boat. BUT, The rest of the river below is a bugger. I have run a fiberglass boat down it at 42" and that was too low. We had no trouble at all, until we got in the Queen and hit a big rock on the right front. That rock pitched the boat sideways until it hit another rock in the back, which flipped us and filled it up with water. It was snowing and we got wet and managed to pull the boat and gear to the beach. We had not gotten out of harms way yet. We gathered our gear and drained the boat and headed to the Jack Falls. We made through, but I think the water below that is as bad or worse than anything in the King falls. The second picture in the post shows the Jack Falls and you have to run it all the way to the left in the pic. It throws you right into a wall if you hit it wrong, or you could go over bare rocks and a good drop.

This section of river is best for rafts. I have run it in a driftboat in the past few years but it is for an expert oarsman. Do not attemp it unless you have no need for your driftboat.

[3527766]

Thanks again Lund.

[hustlerrjim]

thank you jen;
I forgot about this pic. it is in the tank hole i feild tested smokercraft drift boats for several years, this was my 2nd trip
the rock on the left dissapeared one nite; part of it ended up on the highway up above.
over the years a lot of rocks and hanging limbs have dissapeared. but we gotten the river where we could drift it. and i now see a lot of people enjoying the river in pontoon boats. i have ran it in a 10 foot outcast,i would not recommend any thing smaller
My boys and i put in a lot of effforts over the years getting it driftable and have been willing to share the river with others;
we have a boat launch that is used by the public. $5.00 and a shuttle service ;knock three times on the door [bring in a pail of pellets and put by the stove] remember loretta has a hearing problem
and the dog bites [some times]
Over the years i have enjoyed the river and protected it so others could enjoy it, that is why i have made maps of the river from 40 years of fishing - you may buy one of these, this will include a trip with me or one of our chapter members. to explain the map.

All we ask is please release all chinook hens as the run is coming back. when we moved here there were NOOOOOOO chinooks in the river -i caught my first one in 1983.and i have won the rondevue tournement 4 times on the n. fork nehahlem .so this program seems to be working.
remeber the 62# chinook?????????? I feel real good about this even if i didn't catch it.the old wheeler step people are responsible for this.
I could go on and on with my stories about the river and the changes which have came about
over the years,
the battles with o.d.f.w. the weir,the handicpp platform, cormorants, and others to numerous to mention, but -----I have a frisky wife and its time to retire.

[3527766]

Thanks again for the pictures. I've been fishing the upper NF for 15 years off and on and have always wanted to float it (caught my first steelhead above the hatchery in 1988). Erickson's a great guy and I'd love to float with him, but I don't want to wait any longer. If you think this river is harder than White Horse or Boxcar on the Deschutes (which I've run in my driftboat) then please tell me now. I might even forego the 10' pontoon boat and rent a raft. My guess is it's challenging, but not a deal breaker.

[Otolith]

Originally posted by hustlerrjim:
.... the rock on the left dissapeared one nite; part of it ended up on the highway up above.
over the years a lot of rocks and hanging limbs have dissapeared. but we gotten the river where we could drift it.....My boys and i put in a lot of effforts over the years getting it driftable and have been willing to share the river with others; ....

<font size="2" face="verdana,arial,helvetica">What exactly does that mean? Have you taken big rocks out of the river?

[ 01-06-2004, 03:37 PM: Message edited by: Otolith ]

[First Light Bite]

Eric I would take the trip with Jim first to learn how to set-up for the falls. JP and I drifted it with him a few years back, I swear he knew every rock in the river. It was one of the most enjoyable trips I have even done. Wished I would have had a tape recorder there is none more knowledgeable about this river than Jim. He really should write a book about the North Fork and the changes it has undergone over the years.
Ralph

[Fishing With Larry]

Ralph,

That would be a good move. I haven't floated with him but we've talked quite a bit on the river and at the take out. He goes over board (not literally) to make your trip special and give you what you are after even if the fish aren't biteing, and it would be a great refresher. Remember to record the water height and keep track of it on your different floats. The river changes drastically at different heights.