Siletz Question

[Bad Drift]

I am going to be in Lincoln City this weekend and was considering giving the Siletz a shot. I know its not the best month for steel, but is it still worth trying? Also, any ideas on bank access that are fairly close to LC? I'd rather not drive all the the way to Moonshine.

[Breck]

I'm headed there this weekend as well with the drift boat. Never fished the Siletz before.

Now there's two folks who need Siletz advice.

[Drachir]

Bad Drift,
There is very limited access on the Siletz for bank fishing. You'll have to drive almost all the way to the town of Siletz to gain any bank access. About the only places I know are near parks or bridges, and many of these places are poor locations to fish, not really good water. If you go up from Siletz, you'll some better choices, but you're almost to Logsden to find them. Go search some out, and be safe, Good Luck!!

Breck,
If you've never been on the Siletz, I would suggest you do the Town Run. It's very easy, and should be holding some early Winter Steelies. Put in at Hee Hee Illahee Park in the town of Siletz, just left before you cross the bridge, and take out at the park downriver, sorry can't recall the name. Check in at the Cafe, there you can arrange for a shuttle, and further info. There's some good water in that drift, so go explore and ahve fun. Good Luck.

[FrogPond]

The bottom end of the town drift is "the old mill site" or just Mill for short. No need for a shuttle if you do the town drift. The launches are less than a mile apart by land. The drift is around a horseshoe bend that takes you around town. There is only one corner that might raise an eyebrow. Just stay to the inside and you can avoid all the 'fun' water entirely. Watch the water level though, I imagine it is getting pretty low without any rain. I have had a couple nice walks dragging the db to the take out...take my advice, it isn't fun.

Bank access is very limited from 101 to Moonshine park. Cedar Creek is the only really decent hole with bank access below Siletz.

[Akuracy503]

Would appreciate more information on the floating conditions of the "town" drift...

What kind of water/structure run is this stretch?

Thank you.

[Ty]

Originally Posted by Akuracy503

Would appreciate more information on the floating conditions of the "town" drift...

What kind of water/structure run is this stretch?

Thank you.

Pretty typicall Riffle, Pool, Glide, w/ occationall Rapid. Most depths of steelhead water is 3-6 ft.

[motoxaaron03]

Originally Posted by Akuracy503

Would appreciate more information on the floating conditions of the "town" drift...

What kind of water/structure run is this stretch?

Thank you.

Well here's a Google Earth image of the float. I've done it a couple times and haven't been terribly impressed with it, but I know a lot of people catch fish in that stretch. There's no tricky water to worry about. When you take out, you are .3 miles from where you put in which makes it easy to shuttle (and by 'shuttle' I mean making one of my freeloading passenger hoof it )

Just remember any day on the river is better than a day at work!

[weekender]

I took a straw poll. Siletz town run and Guide Shop to Sollie on the Wilson tied for the most boring drifts in Oregon. The biggest plus for the Wilson is that you get to smell cow poop all day.

Seriously though. Easy water and most everyone I know just hooves it back to their rig.

[Breck]

Originally Posted by motoxaaron03

Well here's a Google Earth image of the float. I've done it a couple times and haven't been terribly impressed with it, but I know a lot of people catch fish in that stretch. There's no tricky water to worry about. When you take out, you are .3 miles from where you put in which makes it easy to shuttle (and by 'shuttle' I mean making one of my freeloading passenger hoof it )

Just remember any day on the river is better than a day at work!

I'm doing this float on Saturday. Is there enough water in there with the recent lack of rain? Equally important: Are there any FISH in there? This will be my first time floating/fishing this river. Any tips will be kept confidential and will be much appreciated. I plan to tie up some bunny leeches & egg suckers tonight in purple/pink. Am I on the right track?

[SouthSantiamSlayer]

Originally Posted by Breck

I'm doing this float on Saturday. Is there enough water in there with the recent lack of rain? Equally important: Are there any FISH in there? This will be my first time floating/fishing this river. Any tips will be kept confidential and will be much appreciated. I plan to tie up some bunny leeches & egg suckers tonight in purple/pink. Am I on the right track?

I'd bet you'll be cathing some coho with that rig...
Not too sure about numbers on steelhead in the coastal rivers.
From my experiance in other rivers they haven't showed up yet.
Egg sucking leeches are my fav! Purple and pink/peach head!!

[Twitchs_Tackle]

Originally Posted by weekender

I took a straw poll. Siletz town run and Guide Shop to Sollie on the Wilson tied for the most boring drifts in Oregon. The biggest plus for the Wilson is that you get to smell cow poop all day.

Seriously though. Easy water and most everyone I know just hooves it back to their rig.

[FishWonk]

Is there still a couple-inch drop off at the end of the pavement at the takeout ramp? When the water's low, looks like it'd be a tough spot for me to get the boat out with my small-wheeled trailer and ol' 4-banger 2wd truck. Or am I being over-cautious?

[NWaddict]

I would not take a 2wd to take out at old mill.

[woodsy188]

What do you estimate the average time to do this drift?

Originally Posted by motoxaaron03

Well here's a Google Earth image of the float. I've done it a couple times and haven't been terribly impressed with it, but I know a lot of people catch fish in that stretch. There's no tricky water to worry about. When you take out, you are .3 miles from where you put in which makes it easy to shuttle (and by 'shuttle' I mean making one of my freeloading passenger hoof it )

Just remember any day on the river is better than a day at work!

[Lefty]

Originally Posted by woodsy188

What do you estimate the average time to do this drift?

If you stay moving 2 hours tops. That also suggests you have a trolling motor for the bottom 1/3 of the frog water. If you gotta row all of it, will take ya a bit longer.

[Akuracy503]

So let me guess this straight the town drift is boring and unproductive steelhead water..

Is it too early to even touch a fish on this stretch in the coming week?

Thanks

[FrogPond]

Originally Posted by FishWonk

Is there still a couple-inch drop off at the end of the pavement at the takeout ramp? When the water's low, looks like it'd be a tough spot for me to get the boat out with my small-wheeled trailer and ol' 4-banger 2wd truck. Or am I being over-cautious?

The take out has been re-built. A nice concrete ramp with boulders on the up stream side to protect it. The turn around is still a muddy mess, but the ramp is really nice now.

The town drift will produce steelhead, when they are in the river. The Siletz and Alsea are both greatly effected by water levels too.

The real frog water is between Morgan and Strom...better to have a motor there.

The bottom end of town has enough current to move you just fine. Enough to sink a driftboat too, well maybe the current wasn't the deciding factor in that incident. A couple years ago a boat went down about 50yds upstream of the takeout. Two guys in the boat. One guy casts into a tree, boat maneuvers over to retrieve the spinner, boat floats downstream enough for the front man to lose his balance holding onto the tree. Oarsman jumps up to grab his buddy and save him from falling in the drink. 0.5 seconds later both men are in the water and the boat is on the bottom. I ran around picking up their flotsam and packed one guy back to the ramp. I cut off my bow anchor and tied their boat to a tree on the bank. I don't know if they ever went back to get it.

[FishWonk]

Originally Posted by FrogPond

The take out has been re-built. A nice concrete ramp with boulders on the up stream side to protect it. The turn around is still a muddy mess, but the ramp is really nice now.

Good to hear! Thanks.