Camp Sherman

07-02-2003, 08:53 AM

Talk about a flyfishers paradise.....Has anyone stayed there?

Riverkeeper · 07-02-2003, 09:22 AM

I think camp sherman is the only place in oregon that has combat flyfishing, except maybe the heritage park area. One of garyk's recent posts about the metolius has some tips for getting away from the crowds.

I stayed a weekend this year in the lodges near the camp sherman store. They are nice, and the river was only moderatley crowded- in january.

Hare's Ear · 07-02-2003, 12:18 PM

I've stayed there a few times. In my opinion it is one of the nicest places to stay in Oregon. Its small, quite, freindly, and very relaxed. I don't even care if I'm not able to spend much time fishing when I'm there. Yeah, there can be a lot of people on the water at times, but they are usually concentrated near the campgrounds. A ten minute hike usually gets you away from the crowds.

garyk · 07-02-2003, 01:23 PM

Yeah, like HaresEar said.

There's ~27 miles of river. I prefer to not be within sight of another fisherman and am usually not. I want fresh water and rested fish, so that's what we seek out.

You asked if anyone stayed there. I lived there for four years, does that count?

You'll find the most fishing presure upstream of Gorge Campground because the river is smaller, easier to fish, so scenic, and there's 5 campgrounds in a couple miles.

Anything else? Feel free to ask!

Respect the river, don't annoy the bears, have a good time!

baitslinger · 07-02-2003, 03:41 PM

This post brings back memories of many a fyfishing adventure. My moniker, by the way, is in tribute to a purist friend of mine, whom I am quite sure is probaby disgusted that I rarely flyfish much lately. I am curious how the native trout are recovering, now that they haven't stocked it for so long? I've caught some very nice wild rainbows and browns there in the past, up to about 17 inches. It felt like you really accomplished a great feat, knowing how wary they had become with all the pressure.

garyk · 07-02-2003, 05:12 PM

Baitslinger, the wild 'bows are coming back strongly. The upper river spawning surveys were really impressive this winter. I was not participating but I saw the marked redds, and then all the redds made in a few days since the last marking.

Lots of reports, of nice 14" and up fish in the Upper river, which actually exceeds my expectations.

See my Metolius report, somewhere's below, for the fish we caught. My average was ~13" and during a time when the bigger guys really were not on-the-feed.

I would not be surprised if Metolius catch rates now exceed the Deschutes, where so many now feel fortunate to land a half dozen in a full day's fishing.

Gary Wolfer · 07-13-2003, 03:32 PM

Gary

Do you know a guy name of Jim who goes by Chief. lives in Camp Sherman

K-Mac · 07-14-2003, 08:17 AM

When we go we stay at Cold Springs RV Resort. They also have cabins that you can rent. They have a nice strech of river with green grass rolling to the water. I have not seen that many fisherman up there. It is upriver from the Camp Sherman store with a bridge over the river. Just a short walk to the store. At entrance to the RV park is the start of the trail to the top of Black Butte. Watch out for fires now of course.

You must visit Wizard Falls fish hatchery when you go. They open up their pond once or twice a year for kids to fish. There are some huge ones in there.

Good luck.

lost_sailor · 07-14-2003, 08:27 AM

Upstream from the Gorge campground, there's a MASSIVE landslide that happened during the great floods of '96. In '97, some friends and I hiked up to the top, you can see where it just slid off the bedrock.

Haven't checked it out since then, it would be interesting to see how it's recovering. Anybody else seen this? It was hard to miss, it dumped a bunch of material into the river.

PittsburghD · 07-15-2003, 10:25 PM

Love the place. I haven't stayed overnight there though. We sleep in Black Butte and fish the Big M.

One of the most unique experiences I had years back was seeing the migrating Kokanee move up river to spawn in October. They looked like little 1 lb chinook moving upriver! Didn't see many trout that day, I was too focused on Kokanee.

---D

Cool Texan · 07-16-2003, 06:06 AM

Its a wonderfully peaceful area, and I've never seen what I would call "combat fishing" there....it just doesnt happen. You'll see other people, but they'll be friendly and courteous.

Be sure to take a swim in the river while you're there...its quite refreshing! :shocked:

garyk · 07-16-2003, 09:44 AM

Hello Gary Wolfer, I cannot recall Jim "Chief" - but it's been a decade since I moved from CampSherman, so maybe he's moved in since?

Lost_Sailor, -- "Landslide...upstream from Gorge Campground" ???

Ya might want to re-calibrate your compass, good buddy.

Yes, the slide is really impressive. However, it's located about .75 miles downstream of Bridge 99, generally across from Candle Creek C.G. (Gorge Campground is only located a short ways downstream of Allingham Bridge).

We hiked up it on a hot day last month and gained just less than 500' of elevation before quitting. We had a long ways to go as it appeared to start all the way at the top of Green Ridge. Not much has chnaged since it came down - it still looks fresh. It is a great lesson in dynamic geology and well worth visiting.

lost_sailor · 07-16-2003, 02:18 PM

All that "river" stuff looks the same to me ... rocks, trees ...

I have a GPS now.

garyk · 07-16-2003, 05:07 PM

Lost_Sailor says - "All that "river" stuff looks the same to me ... rocks, trees ..."

Is that a Bush-ism,

Gary Wolfer · 07-18-2003, 07:43 PM

Gary
Jim used to work for me about 9 years ago and got an opportunity to move to camp sherman to manage 3 houses for a fella that lives in portland. Jim Is in his late 40's and kids are grown up he and his wife get free rent use of a car,4 wheeler and a backhoe for cleaning up after guests and restocking woodpile and taking care of horses. and makes a salary on top of that not bad for living in heaven huh!