Hiked the Salmonberry and did great!! Was only able to fish it for a few hours, but WOW what alot of fish. All were natives and pretty scrappy! Didnt need bait, just a small corkie on a small hook.
I am going to be in Astoria this weekend and am going to be looking for the best chance at hatchery fish over there. Is Big or Gnat Creek still putting out hatchery fish or running alot of natives now? Maybe the Necanicum?
thanks for any help, if ya want just pm or email me...
RJ,
I personally would never use bait in a mostly native/wild steelhead river system. However, I double-checked the regs and could not find anything where it said "No bait allowed" on the Salmonberry.
I used to fish the Salmonberry religiously with my doublehander and would incounter people fishing bait all the time. It is a shame that they would allow bait on a catch and release fishery.
Don't get me wrong I am not a "Purist" by any means, but my opinion is that there is a time and a place to fish bait and the Salmonberry is not one of those places. If anyone has released a wild fish that was hooked deep (BAIT), only to watch it sink to the bottom of the river knows what a crappy feeling it is.
The regs are confusing at best sometimes on page 23 of the '04 regs it states under salomon and steelhead "Angling restricted to artificial flys and lures above tidewater May 22-Aug 31" So, I guess I am half right. Thanks for the correction. I'd swear it used to be no bait all the time. I am not a purist either and I'd never use bait there as well.
Salmonberry!!
I am not a purist either and I'd never use bait there as well. 
RichH
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