Summer-runs on the Clack

[Wild Chrome]

I've fished the Clack for summer runs 3 years now and have landed about 20. Yesterday, I landed only one, but it was 36 inches and 16 pounds (adipose missing and very bright). Is this an unusual fish for the Clack? I heard of a 19 pound summer run there a few years ago.

[spinnermaker]

I have fished summers on clack for almost 20 years and the last few years they seemed to be above average in size. I do now that they don't plant as many as they did in the past.

[Drachir]

I've fished the Clack for over 25 years. This is not real unusual for a Summer Fish to be that large. I've caught, and seen caught many Summers over 15#. Seems more Summers in that size than there are Winters over 15#. The same holds true for the South Santiam River, Big Summers!!! :grin:

[JPSFISHY]

There's been fish over 20. There is some history of way back, of summers being in the mid/high 20's. Not a lot certainly, but always the opportunity. Alot of really nice summers this year if your watching your "water". It's been a really fun ride so far. We'll all have to see how long it lasts.. I know Springers pull hard, but how can you pass up a summer run, 3ft. out of the water multiple times doing cartwheels?????
I'm a sick man.....ha
Ya can't gits um, ifin ya don't go.ha
I'm still here!

[M W Sheller]

I hear of one or two fish over 15lbs. in the Southern Willamette watershed every year. That's a steelhead to be proud of! My best so far was a 36", 16lb. fin-clipped, summer-run, on the McKenzie in May of '93. I sent scale samples to ODF&W. Their only insight was that it was a "three salt fish". It seems as if they could have given me more information, such as, has it spawned more than once, how common are these big fish? Whaddaya think????

[David Johnson]

Since it was a hatchery fish it probable hadn't spawned before, that and the fact that it would have had to make it back down from the Mac through the Willamette and Columbia. That's a lot of miles.

Scales can tell a lot. They can tell how old the fish is, how many times it had spawned and how long it spent in frosh water.

[spinnermaker]

Hey David when do you start on the clack for salmon. I start around May 1 st thats when I have found it to be good in the lower river.