We just got back from our very long Fishing trip adventure in which we ended up trying several lakes and a few rivers too! First,
Olallie is
DEAD folks,
sorry to say it, but its August and the fish are non-existent and not hungry. They are simply too full from their steady diet of Mosquitoes and other various hatches over the past month and a half. We arrived at 6:15 AM and were greeted by a surprisingly warm 5-10mph breeze. It was a WARM morning up there.
Skeeter Update: VERY few and with any wind they were not an issue, SO that's good!.
Alright so we rigged up and knowing how successful we had been earlier in the year and years past with this method we first tried casting bubble and fly. Usually a very good method especially from sunrise to 8 AM and that includes Brookies too!(At least last September!). Cast after cast... Nothing, not a bite, didn't even see a fish roll or jump anywhere. Changed retrieval speeds, no difference. Tried 12 different flies(Mosquitoes, Adams, Spruce, Stone, Black Gnat, etc.) So we abandoned that technique and went to power bait. No bites, notta. We tried 5 different kinds and no luck(Not even the go-to Rainbow scent!) We tried Pautzke Eggs, no luck. Nightcrawlers, nope. How about a Bobber and bait out of desperation? Nope. Not a single bite. Surely they would hit a F3/F4 Frog Flatfish, NO.
How about 3 different kinds of Rooster Tails? Nope. Tried 7 other lures, no luck. We gave it until 9:45 AM then moved over to a spot near Peninsula Campground. By this time the wind was really picking up gusting 20-25mph. No bites over here either. We called it a day at 10:10 AM. From the time we were there the boats/rafts we did see were not catching anything either. Headed to Monon Lake(Lots of people camping there), too windy to Fish. Headed back down FS-4220 past Olallie with a semi-bitter taste in my mouth just stunned how quickly a lake can turn so cold and so dead. We decided to try our hand at the small Head Lake and First Lake right along the road. :shock: What's this? FISH? Yeah Fish were jumping, but were not interested in our offerings. SOoo we headed back down to FS-4690 and got back on 46. Tried a spot on the Clackamas, nothing doing.
I suggested heading up 63 and trying the Collawash. We tried the Two Rivers Campground(I think that's the name) Where the Collawash dumps into the Clackamas. Gorgeous spot, and YEAH finally caught a 9 1/2" wild Rainbow on a fly. Released it... Tried awhile longer, but no future activity, so left there too. We then headed back up 63 to 46 and then to 224. Stopped at Big Eddy to fish that really nice hole, but 5$ just to park there and fish? No thanks. Also note *This section of the Clackamas is for barbless flies ONLY, no bait, and all Trout must be released* I found that odd. I don't recall when ODFW regulated this section of the Clackamas like that.
So, yep we left again and headed for North Fork Reservoir. All the bank spots along 224 were crowded, so bagged that idea. Didn't give up yet? Back on 224 and this time we tried Faraday Lake. What a joke.... It looks like that lake has no fish in it and really bad algae blooms all over the place. Left there and headed home in defeat, BUT it was still a good day. As far as anyone heading up there? Sure, go ahead. Hope for the best, but expect very slow fishing until mid-September probably....
In retrospect anytime you can get up to a gem like Olallie Lake and see its beauty with the majestic Mt. Jefferson and its breathtaking views, it's a good day. Being up in nature, in the outdoors, the fresh air, the quiet, and the scenery you just can't find much to complain about.
-Rob
