Willamete- Below Dexter

[dawrestler]

went up there around noon to see if if there was any fish. About 10 minutes into it I hook a nice steelhead, bright red on the side about 14 lbs get him all the way to the bank and see it's a native then he shakes the hook. Felt real good to fight a fish though :grin:

[slowmoe]

Right on. Good to hear that you got some action. You never know what might be out there unless you get out and try. Now all we need is some early arriving chrome. :grin:

[mcdaib]

That's good news dawrestler. We should be seing some fresh fish up there pretty soon. They're starting to come over the dam

[cfinlip]

It is good to hear that someone touched a fish around here,let's hope the weather gets the river flowing a little. This will be the 1st season that I have fished this river so low. Been "casing" it out, there are some really sweet lookin bottle-necks out there, every fish on the move has to go through them and I'll be ready for em! Whose ready?-lets go!

[fishbeast]

Nice, you hooked into those winter strays up there, i got one last year and my friend caught one about 14 too. If you keep spending your time up there then you will hook into a summer fish any time. There has already been 5 summers in the south santiam hatchery so there is probably a summer or two hanging there below the pipes at dexter. Try using a #12 pink pearl corky and a sand shrimp tail, thats how i usally get my first summer up there.

[cfinlip]

I totally agree w/ the pink, and also seen the shrimp be the only thing those fish pick-up early in the season. probably water temp? I know one thing, w/this low-flow I gonna concentrate well below that area, hope that the water stays cool, and maybe hook a bunch of fish...