Posted: Thursday, October 16, 2008 10:00 pm
WILLAMETTE ZONE
ADAIR POND: Located adjacent to the ODFW's South Willamette Watershed office, the pond remains open for warmwater fishing opportunities.
CLACKAMAS RIVER: Moving later into October angling for summer steelhead has begun to come to a close. It won't be too many more weeks until some winter fish start to move into the system. The spring chinook fishery is likely over also, with the quality of any chinook caught at this time of year nearly certain to be poor.
The coho catch has been fair with reports of fish caught in most stretches of the river, some as far up as McIver Park. Coho jack numbers appear to be high, which should bode well for next year's run. The greatest opportunity for bank anglers will likely be down in the Gladstone area closer to the river mouth and the bowling alley. Boat anglers are seeing a few fish in most holes all the way up to McIver Park.
Catching coho in the Clackamas can be tricky with most dedicated anglers working diligently for their catch; using quality eggs for bait can prove to be crucial. Anticipation is for this to be a very good coho season but more rain will help get some fresh fish into the system.
The river level has dropped over the past week due to no significant rainfall taking place. Monday readings for the Clackamas showed flows at 1,090 cfs (11.12 feet) with a water temperature of 52 degrees.
DETROIT, GREEN PETER AND FOSTER RESERVOIRS: Foster and Detroit Reservoirs were each stocked with 5,000 legal-sized trout last week.
EAGLE CREEK: A new temporary rule increases the daily bag limit for coho salmon on the Eagle Creek to three adipose fin-clipped coho. The rule will be in effect until the close of the coho fishery at the end of November.
Fishing effort on Eagle Creek has been moderate on weekends but fairly light during the week. The flows are down with rainfall needed to get the coho moving, and to bring new fish into the creek. The fish holding up have likely been in the system for awhile and will be difficult to entice. The most popular spots to try include the Bonnie Lure area, the water above and below the lower fish ladder, Eagle Fern Park, and up near the hatchery. Much of the creek meanders through private property so pay attention to your location and secure permission before fishing on private land.
FREEWAY LAKES: Prospects should be good.
E.E. WILSON POND: Closed
GOLD LAKE: Gold Lake access road will be gated to vehicular traffic effective Monday, Oct. 20. The lake is open to fishing through the end of October. Anglers can access the lake by walking the approximately two mile access road off Highway 58, or alternatively may hike down off the Waldo Lake road.
JUNCTION CITY POND: Will be stocked with 750 rainbow this week.
MOLALLA RIVER: Some chinook might be found in the upper river, between Canby and Molalla.
NORTH AND SOUTH SANTIAM: Steelhead recycling in the North Santiam at the Minto trap has been discontinued for the season. Prospects should still be good, however, in the Packsaddle and Minto areas. Summer steelhead recycling in the South Santiam from the Foster Dam trap has also been discontinued for the season. Anglers can receive recorded updates on Foster trap counts and recycling activities by calling 541-367-3437.
SANDY RIVER: Fishing on the Sandy River near the mouth of Cedar Creek is still very good and fair to good in other areas. Angling effort is still very high with at least a couple hundred vehicles in and out daily at the Sandy Fish Hatchery. For the most part anglers are catching fish, which are still in excellent condition.
WALLING POND: Will be stocked with 400 legal-sized and 50 larger trout.
WALTER WIRTH POND: Will be stocked with 1,700 legal-sized and 150 larger trout.
WILLAMETTE RIVER: Fish passage at Willamette Falls is now fully restored with the completion of fish ladder maintenance. Through Oct. 4, nearly 5,000 coho (2,661 adults and 2,307 jacks) had passed over Willamette Falls. The large number of jacks bodes well for coho returns next fall.
Although the boat angling effort is fairly light, fishermen reported catching a few coho in the Willamette near the mouth of the Clackamas recently.
Anglers have directed most of their effort towards white sturgeon, with a few warmwater anglers in the lower Willamette. Coho are available near the mouth of the Clackamas along Meldrum Bar. Boat anglers that have had some success for coho working the main stem Willamette in the Gladstone to Oregon City area.
Northwest zone
ALSEA RIVER: Catch rates of fall chinook have been slow to fair. Fish are spread throughout tide water. Trolling down low and bobber and eggs up high tend to be the most effective. Anglers are reminded of the temporary rules for 2008 fall chinook angling, the combined bag limit for non-fin clipped adult chinook is one daily and five per season in the aggregate for all open ocean terminal areas and rivers.
Sea-run and resident cutthroat (blue backs) can be found in fair to good numbers in much of the river. Using light tackle with small spinners, spoons or flies is productive.
NECANICUM RIVER: Sea-run cutthroat angling (catch and release) should be fair to good. Use small lures or flies in the riffles or pools near some cover. Fall chinook angling is fair. Fish should be moving upstream with recent rain.
NEHALEM RIVER AND BAY: Fall chinook and hatchery coho are being caught in the lower bay up through tidewater. Fishing has slowed, but should improve with wet weather patterns. A few coho have ascended the north fork, and more will follow as the river rises. Trolling herring near the bottom is productive in the lower bay; bobber and eggs are commonly used in the upper tidewater areas. Sea-run cutthroat fishing should be good in tidewater areas and upstream. Casting or trolling small lures or flies in tidewater areas is productive.
NESTUCCA RIVER: Angling for summer steelhead has been slow to fair, but should be good as the river rises after recent storms. Catch-and-release angling for cutthroat should be fair to good, with sea-run cutthroat available in much of the river system. Fall chinook angling in the bay has been improving, but overall is generally fair. Expect fish to move upstream with rising waters.
SALMON RIVER: The chinook salmon and hatchery-run coho salmon fisheries have been fair to good and should remain productive over the next week. Sea-run and resident cutthroat trout can be found in tide water and the main stem river. Casting small spinners and spoons or drifting small flies can be productive.
SILETZ RIVER: Fall chinook salmon angling through tide water is slow to fair with some good sporadic bites reported. The first rains of the season should help increase angler success. Anglers are reminded of the temporary rules for 2008 fall chinook angling, the combined bag limit for non-fin clipped adult chinook is one daily and five per season in the aggregate for all open ocean terminal areas and rivers.
Summer steelhead fishing is fair to good. Anglers should concentrate in the upper river above Moonshine Park. Hatchery fish have been recycled back downstream. These fish have a plastic tag near the dorsal fin. Please report tagged fish to the Newport Office (541-867-4741). Drifting jigs and flies or casting spinners and spoons can be very productive. Bait is also allowed.