SANDY

[letsfish]

Previous posts here have told of an individual's perverted behavior resulting in the closure of the area opposite Camp Namanu on the Sandy River.
This was a stretch of river I fished with mixed success(which is better than no suc cess!)But also enjoyed the area for its wonderful geology and biology.
Is the area indeed closed,or was it a fair weather closure? Is the Pipeline Hole no longer accessible? Is Dodge Park the only alternative between Oxbow and Cedar Creek/Hatchery?
Please respond with your own personal knowledge,experience fishing this river. And this particular strectch if you have new information regarding it's open/closure.
Much Thanks,Jim

[SandySteel]

The area around Dodge park and the much talked about girl scout hole is a legal mess right now. It is unlikely that you will convince the owner of any kind of compromise because he has been stepped on so many times AND the Sandy is being studied by the department of state lands for it navigability. (This is something that the Northwest Steelheaders are fighting for right now and taking on some big time legal fees as a result.) If it is deemed navigable then anyone who travels its beds and banks below the high water mark are not trespassing as it is basically a public easement like the beaches in our state. That does not mean that someone can walk across private land without permission and access the river bed. However, if you float in on a boat or access the bed from a public area then you are within your right to be there.
What we as anglers need to do is be courteous to land owners, pick up garbage, don't walk on their land without permission and the like. However, we also need to be aware of our rights and stand up for them when we are within them.

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Eric Neiwert
Sandy River Chapter Northwest Steelheaders
Portland OR

[Fishhead]

I always thought this property going down to the Pipeline and the Girl scout hole were right of ways for the Water District or P.G.E. I've been fishing that area for almost 20 years and have always policed the Girlscout hole after pigs have left their garbage there. The spot has been my favorite over any other! I have been hearing the rumors about them trying to close off the access to that area but this is the first I've read about it. I guess I was hoping that Metro had included it in their land purchase. I know of those who will fish there regardless, and that think that guy who is running everyone off has his own agenda.He dose'nt give a hoot about the Girl scouts.I hope the Fishermen of this area fight this all the way! There are other sections of river below the Pipeline and Girl scout holes that can only be accessed from Dodge Park.It only take a few as#*#$!!*les to ruin it for everyone. If any of you has the pull to get us back to fishing that area, I would appreciate it!!!!-- THANKS --Fishhead Vic

[jkfrabel]

Jim, Piplineline and Girlscout hole are posted. But last year people went down and fished anyways. Clacamas county sherif told me that as long as I'm below the vegatation lineI'm not breaking the law. The guys that hike down are trespassing because they have to cross his property to get to the river, on both sides. I drift it in my cataraft and I havnt run into the guy but I know of one person that has and even though he was in a boat and fishing below the high water mark the guy was still a jerk, and told him to get off of his property.
I was thinking of talking to the guy to see if there was some sort of compermise, like maybe get some fisherman together and clean up the garbage from the shore a couple times of year, or come to some sort of aggrement as times of year we could fish when the girl scouts werent there. Everybody I've talked so far has just said it will be a waste of time and some idiot would make it worse than it is now...Sorry bud looks as if you need to invest in a cat boat our raft to be able to fish those spots leagaly....jeff

[Steve]

You would think that the Girl Scouts would see this as a money making opportunity, sell access to fishermen during their off season. Beats selling cookies door to door. The fish slobs wouldn't pay to trash the area...

[Wog]

That's a good idea Steve.
The last few times that I fished in that area I saw several people camping down on the banks of the Sandhole. (Which is below the Girlscout hole) Garbage was spread from one end of the beach to the other. It was truly a sad sight. If you take care of the stream, the stream takes care of you!!!!!!!