Estacada Lake Fishing

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Shallowbay
Heading out to Estacada Lake next week to fish for trout. Anyone have any suggestions on setup, bait, lures, etc. Thanks!

Estacada Lake Fishing
 
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Fishing was good last week as the Estacada lake was stocked Tuesday. I did best on a ford fender trolling a wedding ring with worm. Worms, power bait, power eggs all work too. Chartreuse seemed to be the hot color last week. The catch drops off pretty quickly as the planters disperse up stream or get caught. I limited last week, will catch 2 or 3 this week and skunk out next week. To make it worth it, bring gear to fish the salmon and steel head.

Good luck. Remember there's a $5 park fee. And if you're backing a boat down the ramp watch out for the camper's kids. They actually use the ramp as a swimming pool. One of these days there's going to be an accident. Last week I watched a tiny toddler wandering around on the ramp with...
B
bernduffy
Fishing was good last week as the Estacada lake was stocked Tuesday. I did best on a ford fender trolling a wedding ring with worm. Worms, power bait, power eggs all work too. Chartreuse seemed to be the hot color last week. The catch drops off pretty quickly as the planters disperse up stream or get caught. I limited last week, will catch 2 or 3 this week and skunk out next week. To make it worth it, bring gear to fish the salmon and steel head.

Good luck. Remember there's a $5 park fee. And if you're backing a boat down the ramp watch out for the camper's kids. They actually use the ramp as a swimming pool. One of these days there's going to be an accident. Last week I watched a tiny toddler wandering around on the ramp with no one looking out for her as a big Smokercraft headed down the ramp. I called out to the driver, he stopped. Parents came walking down the hill: "Oh, I guess she got away from us." I suppose the rangers will begin to enforce the rules after something happens.
 
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Shallowbay
Estacada Lake Fishing

Ok, so I went to Estacada lake this morning. I was the first one out there on the bank. There was a boat already in the water when I got there at 8:00. Fished the pier for about 2 hours then went over to the bank cliffs. Caught 2 stockers 8" & 10". Saw some hawgs swimming and jumping. Saw 2 guys in a row boat pull in a 26" steelhead trolling a green bass lure of all things. I tried every lure I had. The stockers hit on powereggs. Got a nibble from something on a worm and bobber.

It was nice out. Not a bad day till the crowds started showing up. To many people around smoking and ruining the fresh air so I took off after about 4 hours.
 
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bernduffy
Good report, Shallowbay. Next time try heading upstream from the deck to a couple of small banking spots and cast 20-30 feet out. But as I said, they'll be fairly well dispersed by next week. You never know, though. I saw a guy pull a 30" salmon in on an 8# line. The bait? A single worm. For banking steelhead, try a slow retrieve with a small chunk of shrimp on a 1/0 hook, or bobber and jig with a little action. Keep a tight line and set the hook on the slightest change.
Re: the vacationers...sigh...we have to share, darn it! I save up gas money to get away from that stuff every couple of weeks. At least we own the mornings.
 
S
Shallowbay
Great info. I might try one more time this week or the beginning of next week. What kinda of shrimp would you suggest? Sand shrimp or the cured kind? I'm not sure of the best setup as far as the line. What kind of setup and weight do you use to keep your lines tight? Obviously my slip sinker and powereggs that I use for stocked trout aren't going to work for the steelhead. I am truly as novice when it comes to Steelhead and Salmon so any help is appreciated! Thank you.
 
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bernduffy
Estacada Lake Fishing Report

I was there yesterday and had good luck trolling with wedding rings and little Dick Knights both with small chunks of worms. I think maybe there's less pressure than usual. The economy? People fishing elsewhere? I'm getting more proficient? (Unlikely) Anyway, banking is always less productive because you can't cover the same amount of water. I know: I did it for years. Throw in a fish finder on your craft and your chance of catching goes way up. Though I still manage to get skunked.

Catching steelhead from the bank of a lake setting is really difficult... there's no current to work with plunking rigs. The steelies go round and round and you have to have just the right bait/lure in front of them at just the right time...if they're in the mood they'll strike. Remember; they are not feeding at this time, so you have to trigger an opportunity strike (bait like any raw shrimp that reminds them of what they've been eating for two years) or a territorial aggression strike (Spinners etc).

Jigging for salmon at Estacada is another thing. I saw 11 caught one morning. I've tried it and had many bumps and bites, but give up after a couple of hours; it's very tedious.
Anyway, search the threads here and you'll find a ton of great info.

Good luck!
Bernie
 
M
mudslinging79
where is the boat ramp access for estacada lake?
 
S
Shallowbay
It's at Milo McGiver State Park. There are signs that guide you in. It is a 5 dollar day use and you follow the road all the way in until you basically run in to the parking lot. There is a trailer/home and a gravel lot you can park at and a ramp to back down for your boat. You'll see the pier and hatchery. Hope you have better luck than I did. I am trapped on the banks though so you might.
 
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mccarrel
I'm going up on Saturday to do some kayaking but thought I'd bring the fly pole and a rod to pull a spoon behind. Any advice would be very much appreciated.
 
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nativefish
If you look across the lake from the boat launch you will see what looks like a beach on the opposite side of the lake. fish along the shore over there!
 
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mccarrel
Awesome, are you talking about the Boat launch from McGiver park?
 
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nativefish
ya, its actually the estacada lake boat ramp, but you get there via mciver park. The lake is really deep in the middle so i would stick close to the shore. Go up to the end up the lake were it starts and check that out. I have never been up there but want to see what it looks like so get some pictures!
 
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bigboy70
I now know why I normally dont fish opening weekends, but still chasing ghosts and blanking for steel Josie and I decided to hit up some trout fishing. We got there around 7 knowing that it was gunna be crowded and if we wanted a good spot on the dock had to be there early! As we walked to the moo dock there were only 2 guys who we're leaving as we arrived so I grabbed the most productive spot, this being a bobber show 80% of the time for us it was time to get serious about the trout magnet ( 1/64th oz jig heads pair with 1" grubs). So I chose a color I knew more then likely the fish hadn't seen, wing it out there and 2 mins later bobber down set the hook and crap missed him.......ooooo there it goes again wham! nada again! So that was irritating and was trying to figure out why i missed them couldnt figure it out as first them 30 mins go by bobber down this time I waited till it was total under for a few second set the hook fish on! land a lil chunk 12" (Josie had gone to the truck so she missed it ).

Time goes on and same thing was having a hard time setting the hook thought I figured it out when I landed 2 fish back to back and handed two to Josie all within 10 mins thinking oooo yea! Everyone else on the dock now swarmed with people were not having the luck I was. Still trying to figure this hook set thing out my bobber drifted in a ways and right when I grabbed my rod dink dink ooo I look and can see the fish attacking the bait. Seeing what was happening I was surprised the fish was able to grab the bait swim about a foot before I even saw the bobber move, :yikes:Houston we found the problem! So my review of the Trout Magnet thing works awesome but need to rig up as they say with there bobber (more of a strike indicator IMO) one BB size shot and 2lb line. My problem is not having that lil more weight casting distance drops a lot so that's something to work out but over all it was hard to beat my result.

Best day number wise I've had for trout in a couple years usually Josie catches them all! So it was nice to get the 3 awards for the day First fish, biggest fish, and the most fish! Just a fluke in the force I am sure, but got 7 out of our 10 limit and a beautiful day on the lake now back to chasing ghosts for awhile lol!
 
F
Fishpdx
I was Fishing at Estacada Lake on Monday for 2 hours and caught about 19 fish !!!! There was other people fishing but no one had luck, they were fishing with a bullet and a 10 inch line from the bullet with a small treble hook. But I tried lots of times using the basic rig for trout but never worked, So I started to think of another way to catch them, And I figured it out!! Use A Float!!! Since the Estacada Lake is really deep, when you drop ur bullet it goes to the bottom but the trout are usually 7-8 feet below surface. So I tie a float and a swivel connecting my 4lb line with a treble hook (doesn't really matter treble or salmon egg hooks) but since the powerbait floats up I add a small weight about 3-4 inches from the hook, So My Length from the bobber to hook is about 7-8 feet. So now every time I got there I always catch my limit, since it's hard to catch fish with a basic rig.
 
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bigboy70
Estacada Lake Trout Fishing

So figured out a setup that works well a fixed thill small black and orange one then a small split shot had way more consistent hook ups and hands down thinking the trout magnet is all I need tried in the river first time fishing it for trout and three bobber downs in 15 mins. Shot out to the lake last night knowing the usually stock it on this and was right me and Josie fished a couple hours probably hook 20 fish of course when we got to 8 keepers thats when the C and R began. Josie finally got back to her normal trout slaying self and with my new weapon we definitely knocked them dead. Check out these colors and shoulders on some of these guys and scary over half cut red which I was surprised

Estacada lake trout
 
S
Seahawkfan
Just bought my tags for the first time in 20 years....... I really got tired of shoulder to shoulder fishing from the banks back then, fights, arguing and the such really turned me off on "Big Fishing". I have a boat now and can get away from the bankers at least enough not to feel so much pressure.

So anyway ...., back to the op. Has anyone had any luck with Coho at the lake? I've seen Steely's caught there while Trout fishing but haven't seen any Coho's hooked. I'm guessing they make it there but wonder what shape they are in after the long swim and the Ladder climb.

Any input would be appreciated.

Thanks.
 
D
DrTheopolis
I'm pretty sure (but as usual, I'm often wrong) that hatchery fish are kept below the dam, and only wild fish are allowed above. So you might catch some coho, but they won't be keepers.
 
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Seahawkfan
Ya, I took my boat up there today and headed to fairaday dam. Lots of Native Coho and all of them were on their last legs, at least the ones that I saw.
 
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bigboy70
Doc, your thinking of North fork dam.
 

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