Floating the Clack

Took a trip to the clack yesterday with Ben (Bagold53). After a late but not to late start we


put in at the upper launch at Mciver. I'm an A Type and Ben is as laid back as anyone I've ever


met. It was a very interesting day. It was my first time on a river in a Toon and it took a bit


to translate my canoe knowledge to start getting set up for rapids. Ben had a new Toon so he was


getting used to that.


I once remember Barb, or was it jennajigs? Anyway who ever it was said "you can ask all the


questions you want but if you don't get out there and do it........Need I finish?


Ben was doing his thing and I was doing mine. Mine was started with Rooster Tails; Green first


1/6 oz. no luck switched to a Black 1/4 oz. casting to the shallow edge rather than the hole.


Caught a couple that way. Remember I'm in the middle of the river. First lesson learned: Needed


my anchor. Didn't take it because of some miscomm. with Ben, mine not his. When we first started


Ben said you need longer Oars! Didn't take long to know what he was talking about. Not enough


leverage! Toward the end of the "trip" we got out at the bottom launch of Mciver. Had planned


to go to Barton. I hooked a Squaw fish, I think they call them Pike Minnows now (must be a PC


term) on a Rappla Crawfish. Dang thing was Hugh! Ben said you gonna keep it? I said yeah and


threw it up in the rocks to die. So much for C@R....hehehe.


2nd lesson learned don't get to ambitious when it comes to planning how far you're going to


float. I had a bad feeling about how far we planned to go and it turned out to be right. I've


floated a lot of rivers in a canoe and just felt we were biting to off to much water for Toons.


3rd lesson; I didn't take my fly Rod. The water level made that clear to me. I'm an unsure


Fly man and the unknown kept me from taking it. All in all it was a good day, I met a new friend I


hope and learned some things. Who Say's an old Dog can't learn new tricks?

Dana

How long did it take you to float from upper to lower, fishing time not included? I've been trying to get my "new to me" cataraft on the water.

Just one question what is a catacraft? To answer you're question we put in about 11 I guess and got out about 5 at the lower launch. We fished a lot,more than I would have in each hole but it was my first time down and was using a new "boat". There are so many factors to think about don't know what to say. Someone from the bank asked if he could get a canoe down the river and I said sure. then he told me he would be taking Boy Scouts through. Well for me it might be OK but young scouts I don't know. Life is great isn't it?

Dana

Cataraft is a white water rated pontoon style boat, heavier frame and larger pontoons. It was recommended for being able to float the upper Sandy.

Sounds fair to say to plan on a 4 hour trip for some decent fishing time. I'd like to get off the water before the inner tube crowd hits the water

I don't know the Clack very well but there are places I've seen from the bank, particularly below upper ramp that I wouldn't recommend for kids. Although, last time I was there checking it out there were a lot of kids heading to the water with "reliable" looking flotation devices.

Hooked Up said:

there were a lot of kids heading to the water with "reliable" looking flotation devices.

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AKA "KMart Coffin."

I should add I bent a Paddle on the last rapids.....bummer. I have never floated any part of the Sandy so couldn't say. We used to float the Umatilla on Inner tubes when I was kid. The Clack is different with those deep holes. Some of the people coming out while I was waiting for Ben were on pretty flimsy "things" I wouldn't call the boats. I'm thinking of using my Canoe next time.

Hooked Up said:

How long did it take you to float from upper to lower, fishing time not included? I've been trying to get my "new to me" cataraft on the water.

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About 2 hours max for just floating.

Not sure how deep a catacraft goes but I do have to sometimes kick my pontoon through some of the skinnier water.

EOBOY we will have to plan another trip. I am trying to talk my friend in going again but I think his fear of water got the best of him last time we went out. It was a great trip and I always love meeting new people especially veterans. Always have the great life stories. I will definitely be more focused on fishing then the Pontoon. I think I have everything but that pesky seat figured out.

I will post a pic when I can dig them out of my phone today or tomorrow. Got one of EOBOY playing a trout.

OK he isn't playing it it looks like it is jumping out of the stache

Ben

Went this weekend and saw several Steelies, none that wanted what I was OFFering though. Got of the water at 10:30, lower ramp was already starting to have a collection of inner tubers.

Ben Good picture, somebody asked me once why my "stache" was so long, I said keeps the fly's out of my mouth. Never thought about a Trout!

Dana

Hooked Up said:

Went this weekend and saw several Steelies, none that wanted what I was OFFering though. Got of the water at 10:30, lower ramp was already starting to have a collection of inner tubers.

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Hooked up you sure you're not seeing big Suckers?