Above Willamette Falls..?

[Rusty Stern]

I don't see this topic anywhere so I thought I would pose the question.

A friend and I were sitting on the Sandy contemplating theories concerning improving our springer catch. Obviously we have had a lot of time to contemplate such things....
with only 5 springers and one summer steelie punched so far between the two of us...we have not exactly had a banner season....

One theory was fishing above the falls.

There are 200+ boats on any given day from the falls down to the Clack, but not a single boa ton the water above the falls.

Why is this?
What is it we are missing here?

There is a fish ladder...
Fish get caught in Newberg, Snailem, Eugene....
Pretty fair chance the fish do not stop at the falls.

So why is it we never see anyone trolling, plunking, quickfishing, just above the falls?
We never see anyone from the Mollollar down to the falls....

Why?

Any thoughts?

 

[PNW Sam]

People probably figure if they are already up that way they might as well go 5 or 10 more miles and fish below the falls. 17,792 adult springers have come over the falls so far, so it's not like they aren't in the upper system.

 

[rippin fish lips]

17,792 adult springers have come over the falls so far, so it's not like they aren't in the upper system.

yup!! they are pretty spread out right now i would believe. Saw 1 springer caught, 1 springer jump, the tail of a springer. and i lost me 6th summer steelhead today, This was all in Eugene. There is fish everywhere, just not in big numbers yet.

However... rusty stern.... i bet ya anything that there is fish chillin above the falls right now. The fish that just made it through the latter will rest above the falls for a little before going up. I don't see why they wouldnt, or atleast some.

I say, give it a chance! If you hook up... or land one... you may have a new "secret hole" that no one ever fishes/knows about.

Like the shirt says.... JUST DO IT!

 

[eugene1]

They get lockjaw above tidal influence is my guess. Fewer biters but there have been some caught up here already.

 

[chrisohm]

If you are brave enough with a boat there is a spot I have seen lots of fish activity from the bank many times. Of course I was dumb enough to wade through in some crummy water for some fun fishing. We caught squaw/pikeminnow, catfish, bluegills and smallmouth bass. Then I witnessed some large fish rolling, jumping and nosing to the surface. This is off Fish Rock (?), that island of 99E between Canby and Oregon City. Your best bet, put in at Molalla State Park since there is no fee and cruise on down to this area. I have caught some small carp here as well but I have seen some monster sized carp in the shallows off this group of islands. In the mainstem of the Willamette is where I saw the activity, right below the powerlines. There are also some deep holes around there that you could catch some sturgeon in but I have not heard or seen it. That stretch is fairly narrow and rocky but may produce.

 

[Half-Fast]

Back in the late 80s a guy by the name of Mark Henry (he's the one who introduced the 'Clam Shell' spinner) used to fish above the falls upstream from the Tualitin. He tied off to the bank trees and fished his spinner within just several feet of the shore. He caught quite a few springers doing that and claimed the secret was to keep close to shore. Might be worth a try.