Info for the MO

I realize nobody likes to talk about rivers or spots on the internet much and I get that, but if anyone wouldn't mind PM me some info on the Molalla. Just wondering about species and timing really. cheers.

There is lots of great water to be fished in but the only real run is a native winter run, mostly over from the counts at the falls. Look for the same types of holding water that you would anywhere else and place your bets. Maybe you could catch a stray...

madasahab said:

I realize nobody likes to talk about rivers or spots on the internet much and I get that, but if anyone wouldn't mind PM me some info on the Molalla. Just wondering about species and timing really. cheers.

Click to expand...

You should be more specific.

He sounded specific enough for me to tell he was asking about salmon/steelhead on the Molalla. You should PM him if you can help rather than telling him he needs to be more specific. He fishes for chrome mostly from what I know, maybe some other stuff for fun when chrome isn't around...

So I should PM him and ask him to be more specific? There are three species around, if he wants info on chinook I'm not much help.

Chinook are better targeted at the mouth or above any spot in Canby beside the bridges, I'm not sure it can hold those fish other than deeper pools here and there. Even then you would be dealing with a stray or strays since there is no active hatchery on the Molalla. All other plants have been smolts reared somewhere else. I have no personal experience with Chinook on the Molalla, never really tried but I remember the lined up cars near the banks long ago. I have heard the stories but strays happen. Besides all that, you should PM him since he asked in the first place for more of a private response. Its better that he experiences the river himself, with just enough guided info for a direction...its still just fishing, not always catching.

ODFW plants 100,000 hatchery chinook smolts yearly.

http://www.dfw.state.or.us/rr/fishing_forecast/willamette.asp

Molalla/Pudding River: The Molalla up to Turner Creek Bridge is open year-round for the retention of adipose fin-clipped chinook salmon, adipose fin-clipped steelhead, and coho. It is open to the harvest of non-adipose fin-clipped steelhead July 1 – August 31. The use of bait is allowed May 15 – July 15. The use of single barbless hooks is encouraged. Spring chinook will not show up in the Molalla until May. ODFW no longer stocks the Molalla with winter or summer steelhead but wild winter steelhead are providing a small, but popular catch-and-release fishery. Anglers may also find that a few summer steelhead will nose into the lower Molalla after they have passed Willamette Falls. Give it a try from the Turner Creek Bridge down to Canby in April and May for winter and summer steelhead, as well as fresh spring chinook.

The river opens May 25 to catch-and-release fishing for trout. All unmarked trout in the Molalla basin must be released unharmed. The exceptions to this rule are Silver Creek above Silverton Reservoir, Abiqua Creek above Abiqua Falls, and Butte Creek above Butte Creek Falls, which open April 27 and where the retention of two trout per day, 8-inch minimum length is allowed (consult 2013 fishing regulations for more information on the use of artificial flies and lures per Zone Regulations).

The Molalla/Pudding River also offers some warmwater fishing opportunities. There is no limit on size or number of bass taken.