[LIMIT LANDER]

I HEARD "THROUGH THE GRAPEVINE" THAT THE SUMMER RUN OF STEELHEAD COMMING UP THE CLACKAMAS THIS YEAR IS A DIFFERENT STRAIN THAN OF BEFORE. AND BEING THEY ARE A DIFFERENT STRAIN, THEY WILL BE APPROX. 3 WEEKS LATE . OK FISHING WIZARDS WHAT DOES THIS ALL MEAN? I DONT PROFESS TO BE A SMART FISHERMAN...I JUST CATCH "DUMB" FISH.

 

[David Johnson]

All summer run steelhead in the Willamette basin have always been and still are Skamania strain. They haven't changed anything on the summers-winters yes but the summers are the same.

They are not three weeks late, they just aren't returning. Usually by mid March there are a lot of them around so if they were late they are already two month late. We usually catch at least a couple of them a day at this time of year while fishing springers and we haven't caught one for almost a month now.

 

[Premo]

I have been fishing the Clack exclusively and the summer run just are'nt there. There should be lots of steelhead around but there is'nt. The last few years we were catching them everyday from march to june and this year has been alot different. Let's just hope they will show. :depressed:

 

[Flatfish]

The winters did not show( according to my hours per fish graph). The springers are well short of the forecast. Hmmm I wonder where the summers are.

I sure do hope that I am wrong folks. But it looks less rosy than ODFW figured it would be.

Mark and the dog.

[ 05-21-2003, 08:44 AM: Message edited by: Flatfish ]

 

[GoFish]

El Nino

I keep saying that and people keep dissing it.

That's the deal though. We're going to have fewer fish this year. End of story!! :depressed:

 

[David Johnson]

Remember, these summers went to sea two springs ago when we had those record low flows on the Columbia. We are probably going to see a down turn in the spring chinook numbers in a few years for the same reason.

 

[Chris Nordling]

I agree with DJ and Green Pirate, the Clack summer steelies should be around, but they just aren't. We picked up a few in February, and early March, but they have been pretty much non existant the last 2 months. Hopefully they poke around before the silvers show up.

I'm wondering if they aren't liking the lower river and bolting straight for the hatchery?? :shrug: I've already heard of some banner reports from up that way.

Guess we're stuck with the few springers around :grin:

Chris

 

[Mad Mikey]

I've noticed a serious lack of Summers in the Clack this year.
We banged them pretty good for a very brief period during late April floating Upper McIver down, sifting through 3 old Winters for every Summer fish.
Then the bottom dropped out, heard of a few here and there but it is nothing like what I'm used to seeing during May.
Drifted lower McIver clear to Carver last week and did not touch anything but *********. Usually we jump a Summer or two in the tailouts but did not see nuttin' at all.
Summer fish will all be Skamania strain, a fish that is programmed to arrive early and get to it's staging area in a hurry. It does not seem to be happening in a big way this season but fish should trickle in all throughout the Summer and there is usually a good push of pretty bright fish that sneak in during the Fall.
Remember last Summer/Fall??? The darned things were EVERYWHERE. Let's just hope they are late this year and in a week or two we will be banging them hard.

 

[Uglygreen]

So explain why the summer steelhead counts over Wilamette Falls this year (2003) are greater than the counts over the falls in 2002 by a couple hundred fish as of May 7th?

Just the Clack fish are not showing but the Santiam fish are?

Also note that the count over Bonneville has exceeded the preseason prediction for springers by more than 30,000 fish and still counting...

hmmmm...?

UG

 

[Catch 22]

They are returning to the trap in McIver. Not in huge numbers though. Water temperature been too low for summers to be aggressive maybe? We've gotten snow in the foothills the last week or so and it's all gone since a few days ago. Alot more goes on in the Clack than what you can see from Barton/Carver down.
I do agree though that the number of fish in the river seems to be lower than usual.

[ 05-21-2003, 10:30 PM: Message edited by: Catch 22 ]

 

[PittsburghD]

It's the water. It's got to be the water. The run off and water levels are better than they have been in two years. Fish counts at the top should reflect that. Maybe they are making a straight run up the river and not hanging out in between. :shrug:

---D

 

[Fisherfield]

I plan on fishing the Clack this afternoon, floating a fly though...hooked up with two fish on Sunday morning...one 20-22 nate and I never saw the second fish, although it felt much bigger, broke my 15# tippet?? The Summer Steelie in my avatar is off the Clack about a month ago...hopefully I'll be able to land another keeper this PM.

 

[Fishalot]

Their was one Summer Steelie in the lower river today, I caught it and I will be cooking it tonight. It was a Hen with real small eggs. Bright as can be around 8 #'s.
I would also like to thank the guy that came over to the bank to pick me up so I could land the fish in his boat.
He offered when I first had the fish on and I declined , a little later in the battle :shocked: he offered again and I said I'm there :grin: .
Fishing Eddie has a Pic of the fish.


Fishalot

[ 05-23-2003, 04:21 PM: Message edited by: Fishalot ]

 

[Tilla]

You are on fire , Fishalot! :shocked: I guess you better be ready to pack my elk out of the canyon this year! :laugh: