Benjaminray

Hi all, I was hoping someone out there could suggest a place to go fishing near Corvallis, besides EE Wilson. The pond is great, but I prefer river fishing. I'm looking into Mary's River, but it seems so muddy, is there a better river around, or a really nice access point to Mary's? Thanks!

Troutski

The Santiam River is a great place, Steelhead Trout and the occasional Salmon; I am sure there are also Small Mouth. As far as where to start, haven't a clue but get a map and look for boat landings; normally they have a bit of slack water just down stream from them. The fish will hang out towards the slow water and the natural cover, like large rocks and such. Work the river over and then move on up stream and do it again. Thats a great river, seems like the closer to the road you are the smaller the fish are and the farther away the larger and the population goes up.....and its not that far of a drive for you.

Chuck

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Practice C.P.R. (Catch Photograph and Release)

Benjaminray

I have been fishing the North Santiam for years, and it is a great river, but I've never tried the the Middle and South parts. Is it legal to catch and release trout down in this area of the river, or is it strictly Salmon and Steelhead?

chris61182

For rivers as already suggested the north and south Santiams, the Alsea, Calapoia, Luckiamute, and the Willamette itself can be a lot of fun so go explore the Crystal lake park and Irish bend areas (but do a quick search for them on here first ). I've never been particularly impressed by the Marys river and have almost always preferred the Willamette to it.

Then as far as lakes go, my favorites within reasonable driving distance of Corvallis have to be Green Peter, Foster, and Fern Ridge.

chris61182

You need to check the regulations for that but I assume they open with either the April 26th or the still up coming May 24th, but check the regulations I don't know off the top of my head.

fishudedmeet

rite on! im from corvallis to! any way, the Yaquina is a good bet for sea run cutts. if ur into pike minnow the Willamette is awsome. try irish bend 4 rainbows.

Pancho

The Callapooia river from Brownsville to Albany is a great stretch of Smallmouth Bass water. They're small, but the river is the closest we'll get around here to the Umpqua. Where it joins the Willy in Albany there are three parks, Montith, Bryant, and the one across the river (I forget the name) that are good family spots in addition to providing a lot of different species of fish to catch. The only problem is it's crowded with other folks in the summer.

Backwaters, sloughs, and oxbow lakes by the Willamette are good close opportunities too. There's one south of Corvallis that you can launch a small boat at, just past that Auto-Body shop that got busted for drug trafficking. It runs all the way up to Willamette Park and has bass/panfish in it.

Other posters have suggested the Santiam already, I'se agrees with 'em. There's also the Luckiamute to the north, various small mill ponds in Philomath, Lebanon, and Albany, and plenty of Willamette Greenway to explore. We're lucky to live in such a wet state.