Skunked on the Sandy

[RustyShackleford]

Had a buddy in town who wanted to get into a salmon or steelhead so we headed out to the Sandy River. Spent most of the afternoon fishing the long drift by the Oxbow boat launch and the hole at Dodge Park right below the bridge. Tossed different colors of blue foxes and drifted a bobber/jig setup. Neither of us got a bite all day. The water looked great, not sure if there are many fish in the river right now.

 

[bubs]

(I get the sense this is more of a report than a request for advice, but I'll put my 2 cents out there anyway..)

I've found the Sandy to be a tough (but not impossible) nut to crack unless A) there's a strong run moving through at the time you fish it, B) you have a watercraft, or C) you combat fish at Cedar Cr...if none of these are the case on a particular day, I would advise doing a lot of moving around among spots

On a different note, if your buddy was new to fishing the NW, what a gorgeous river to spend some time getting a feel for it

 

[RustyShackleford]

Bubs thanks for the advice! I don't have a boat and I refuse to fish shoulder to shoulder but I will try hopping from hole to hole next time I hear they are running. And my friend from Indy loved the rivers here, they don't have anything like them in the midwest.

 

[steelhead_slayer]

You can also go to cedar and try some exploring away from the crowds

 

[Hooked Up]

I think the Sandy is slowing down for a couple months until winter steelhead start showing up.

Couldn't help but notice that your friend was from Indy, I came out here in '97. Definitely better out here.