Meldrum Bar info

[sea lice]

I am planning on trying Meldrum Bar Sat. in my 16' Lund...backtrolling plugs.

Please help me out with the following questions:

1) Am I OK with a prop?
2) what are the best plug colors & sizes? if the water is cloudy are mag warts appropriate?
3) any other advice is very appreciated.

thanks!

[Bait O' Eggs]

Sea Lice
I am by no way an expert on steelhead fishing at meldrum. But will give you my 0.02.

Cannot imagine having a problem with a prop when backtrolling the Willamette. If you launch at Meldrum park the access to the main river channel is downriver for at least a 100 yards from the boat ramp. The piling that run down river from the boat ramp pretty much marks the middle of the channel to the river. You will need to get around the long bar which runs downriver from the boat ramp to get into the river. Once in the river I am aware of no shallow spots near Meldrum bar except Meldrum bar, which would eat a prop as long as you dont hit the banks edge. I havent seen it lately but assume the water is up enough to cover the long bar which runs downriver from the boat ramp. I prefer to launch at Clackamette Park and run down the Clackamas into the Willamette. The ramp is nicer, and the parking isnt to bad. I have seen a lot of boats working the west side of the river along the island, between the Clackamas and Meldrum.

When I have been fishing out there, I have seen a lot of fisherman using wiggle warts. Not sure if they are magnums or next size down.

Let us know how you did.

[Trout,myster]

Sealice-

You shouldn't have any problems with your Lund or prop in that area. I go there on rare occasions have not had problems. Either Clackamette or Meldrum have decent ramps, though Meldrum has docks and Clackamette doesn't.

On a side note, I had to travel up to Vancouver on the 28th on business and the Willamette is fairly brown. I wouldn't call it blown out, but take some solid orange 'Warts with you. They've worked for me in the past, either standard or magnum. Just watch where the other boats are fishing and follow suit. Good luck.

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Troutmyster

[Phish_on]

just stay out of range of the bank maggots.
And don't run across their lines and drag their rods into the river... NOT that this has EVER happened with any particular BONEHEAD whose boat I may have been in ...

oh, another boat ramp alternative is Cedar Island in West Linn - turn off Hwy 43 between the "Filling Station" and the 7-Eleven, past the school, hang a right, follow the signs. Probably not as much traffic as Clack/Meldrum & just downstream.

[This message has been edited by Phish_on (edited 12-29-2000).]

[Trout,myster]

Phish-

Is Cedar Island still open?? I heard it was closed off and no longer available. Good peaceful place to launch and they have (had?) docks. Easy run up the river to fishing.

Good point on the bankees, too. I stay well clear of them. They're just having fun like everyone else, but a 'Wart pulling rods in the river will really pi$$ them off as it would me.

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Troutmyster

[Phish_on]

Cedar Island is open as far as I know ... it was last summer! It got trashed in the Great Flood of '96, they had to rebuild the docks and stuff.

Shhhh .. it's a local secret. Especially for springers, but of course it's crazy then. Still better than some others I think.

Good spot for Bass 'n' crappie 'n' bluegill by the way.