Possible nominee for next river clean up?

birdhunter · 07-09-2001, 09:16 PM

Went down to the Clack this evening about a mile below Carver. I had floated the river on Saturday and steelheading was really slow, so I decided to pick up a little of the trash I had seen on one of the beaches. I ended up with two garbage bags of syrafoam, water bottles, sandals and other trash. That is in addition to two 55 gallon drums, an oar and $6.35 in cans and bottles. That was all within 100 yards of beach. Who throws out all this ******!!?? On the bright side I did bring back two new jet divers, a hot-n-tot and about 30 corkies.

The parks at Barton and Carver were filled with people this weekend and the river was covered w/ rafters. I guess that is where most of this trash is coming from. Very little line or old spools. They are charging $3 on the weekends to get into the parks, so hopefully this will get rid of the trashier element. I can't believe that anyone would mistreat the river so badly.

I figured as anglers, we have more stock in the river because for many of us it isn't just seasonal use. We fish for chinook in the spring, steelhead in the winter and summer and coho in the fall. The Clackamas is a great river supporting some excellent fisheries and one that is very close to the Portland Metro area. I would love to organize a river clean-up for some time in Septemeber. We'll be able to hit the coho in the morning and hopefully have a great turn-out. Most of the summer trash should have stopped accumulating by then too. What do you think? Do I have any takers?

chuck 'n' duck · 07-10-2001, 09:31 AM

BH...

I think a good idea might be to have a drift on the Clack in the morning, and then venture up to Eagle Creek to do a clean up. That is a beautiful place that really gets trashed during the silver run.

CnD

We might have to wait until after the first good rain pushes the fish into the creek and attracts all of the bankies.

Phish_on · 07-10-2001, 10:48 AM

The banks of the Clackamas are always a non-stop trash supply. I'm close by, I'd be up for it - especially if someone needs the front of their boat held down.

It would be good to do it before any high water time.

Except - I don't think I have a free weekend in September ... isn't it really October by the time the silvers are in?
We might want an armed guard at Eagle Creek?
[img]images/icons/frown.gif[/img]

[ 07-10-2001: Message edited by: Phish_on ]

Tanner · 07-10-2001, 01:18 PM

Phish,
We usually start hammering the silvers in there around the second week in August.

Catch 22 · 07-10-2001, 02:24 PM

Count me in! I'll be living right next to McIver park for the next few months and would love to help.

birdhunter · 07-10-2001, 04:24 PM

Tanner: Correct me if I am wrong (and I often am) but I believe that the coho season on the Clack doesn't open until Sept. 1.

Phish_on: The coho start arriving in mid-August at the mouth and usually the big push goes through the river sometime in mid-September. Watch the river levels and fish hard right after a good rain raises the flow. Eagle Creek is the place to be in October and early November. The coho on the Clack are notorious for having lockjaw in the middle river as they move through quickly and the water is usually low and clear. They bite best at the mouth and in Eagle Creek (although that is more of a snagfest). I haven't seen the run predictions but based on the other record runs we are having I am guessing that this year will be another banner year. Easily 15,000 + fish swarming up the river. With that many fish, one of them is bound to bite!

NEUTRON · 07-11-2001, 10:49 AM

Birdhunter, this is a great idea. keep us
posted on the details, I'll have a work crew
of my spouse and kids. Mark has good contacts as far as Adopt a River and SOLV for
supplies like bags, gloves etc.

NWRedside · 07-12-2001, 10:06 AM

I think this sounds like a great idea, I'd love to help out. I agree that we'd have to wait until later in the season to do anything up on eagle creek as the combat fisher's wouldn't be much fun to be around. Also, although I don't have exact numbers from last year's return, my friend at national fisheries marine said that they expect between 50-75k fish up eagle creek this year, compared with around 20k last year. I can't imagine the scene this will be with the low water and the crowds. I'm sure it will be ugly....snagfest...hopefully there will be a heavier patrol prescense their this year. [img]images/icons/mad.gif[/img]
Nathan

birdhunter · 07-14-2001, 04:20 PM

Another afternoon trip to the Clack yielded no steelies and another load of trash. Didn't fish hard at all as in the middle of the afternoon I was more interested in soaking myself than soaking a line, but I did manage to C&R a couple of trout on a spinner. The water is getting warmer and crystal clear. Lots of dead suckers and salmon. I found about 7 dead springers, all bright and all hatchery fish. I really hope these are carcasses being dumped. They still have their heads though so I have my doubts.

Pulled out a bunch more bottles, shoes and sandals along w/ a tire and two lawn chairs. I felt really rewarded because I also got a brand new salmon rod and reel combo! Abu reel and Shakespeare rod that were pretty wet, but othewise in great shape. Found a new fiberglass oar for the driftboat and two more jet divers. Might not have caught any fish, but I still think I scored. You never know what kind of stuff you're gonna find out there!