Alton Baker Canal Fishing Reports 2021

[NKlamerus]

I've only fished Alton Baker Canal a couple of times but it's been very slow. I'm also fishing very slow with the hand injury.

I fished it yesterday and caught one, but it was very torn up, definitely not a fresh one from the main pond, I also fished down near the spillway at the Chinese restaurant. Panther Martin, fake worm, and a live nightcrawler.

I spoke to others with the same luck, we were all under the impression it got stocked with 900 fish, really doesn't seem like it.

Let's talk access, if you're not worried about being able to access the park; you should be. The gravel lot to the east of the bmx park is now a homeless shelter, and there's a brand new gate they are still finishing that blocks the entire lot.

There's still some no parking signs up at the canoe launch but one has gone missing, I'm predicting more in the near future.

The gate at the science center is closed more often than not, and there's covid testing in the main gravel lot at the corner of the stadium near the bmx track, probably can't park in there.

Had to wait for parking down at the main lot, the line for disc golf was about 30 people long.

 

[fromthelogo]

Good to hear you’re back on the water. I’ve missed your reports and hope you get the extra hardware off your arm soon.

 

[plumbertom]

Doesn't really come as any surprise that access is being made more difficult.
It seems to be the norm for almost every place here in OR that if you aren't in the best of health, mobility wise, every effort is made to keep you from fishing.

 

[Joffurson]

I was there last Tuesday by the culvert near the Chinese restaurant when ODFW pulled in to stock it. I caught maybe five on a panther Martin that day and came back on Wednesday and caught maybe twenty or so, kept five. They were all holding in the culvert outflow . I kinda suspect ODFW hasn't been stocking the pond area for a while now because I've fished there a lot the past few months and haven't had a single bite there.

 

[NKlamerus]

I was there last Tuesday by the culvert near the Chinese restaurant when ODFW pulled in to stock it. I caught maybe five on a panther Martin that day and came back on Wednesday and caught maybe twenty or so, kept five. They were all holding in the culvert outflow . I kinda suspect ODFW hasn't been stocking the pond area for a while now because I've fished there a lot the past few months and haven't had a single bite there.

Its been very slow and definitely lower numbers than usua
Glad to see which side they stocked

 

[Joffurson]

I can pm you if I see them stocking it anytime in the future and let you know when and where. Hope you manage to get into some fish soon!

 

[NKlamerus]

I can pm you if I see them stocking it anytime in the future and let you know when and where. Hope you manage to get into some fish soon!

That'd be awesome brother

I usually see the reports on Facebook but with the weather there usually aren't as many people out there, they guy that drives one of the stocking trucks always has photos lol

450 seems like a really low number, probably lose 50 right off the bat from die-off and birds

 

[NKlamerus]

I forgot I had reached out to the city a few days ago, and they just called me back.

They refer to the far eastern parking lot at "lot #9" and the dog park/canoe launch as "lot #8"

Both the lots have been gated and the current plan is to lock them when the park is closed. (11pm-6am) but starting dates have not been set

I have absolutely no problem with this, it would be a 3rd party security company opening and closing, their main concern is the campers who frequently park rv's in lot #9 and fill the lot with their junk. As well as to go the bathroom in all the adjacent trails.

I was also given contact information for future maintenance requests and questions

 

[NKlamerus]

Made a quick trip this afternoon, first kayak trip after my thumb injury. Definitely not as easy, and photos are near impossible, but I did take one

The water is high, and the dirtiest I've ever seen it, 10-12" or so and the tip of my paddle disappeared

Spooked one beaver, plenty of sign, a couple dozen trees on the ground but I know some of them were from a lightning strike

Caught one small unhealthy trout, it's definitely been caught before, I have swimbaits that look better.

 

[NKlamerus]

Rumors going around it was stocked this week, not sure which side

 

[Kfreese91]

Me and a buddy were out there last Friday - we went from the pond by the peter defazio bridge and hit it with panther martins and dry flies/black wooly buggers. Worked up about 100 yards from there. Nothing biting for us or the other few fisherman we talked to. Fished from about 430-630 pm.

 

[NKlamerus]

Fishing was very slow yesterday from the canoe launch up. I caught 2 small trout but only ever saw a grass carp

Water is low and dirty, and barely moving

If your going to fish it; fish down by the actual park. I know a few limits were caught down by the spillway back into the river

From what I've been reading they are stocking mostly that end and not the canal end

 

[NKlamerus]

3 hour trip today, water is LOW! Kayaked the whole thing just to check it out. Stopped at the pond and found the school of stocked trout, quickly caught 6 and paddled back to the truck before sunset

Trout were in a tight school but super active, I caught 1 on a fake worm and the other 5 came on a topwater grub

Last photo is one of the stumps in the lake, just barely sticking out. The other large one is actually poking up 3-4"

 

[NKlamerus]

Great afternoon out there yesterday, started a little late about 5pm.

Still haven't seen any decent bass but the trout are everywhere, I ended up in the canal and caught 8 or 9 on topwater. Caught the best one of the year so far, and I got it eating on video.

 

[NKlamerus]

Here's a link to the bite:

And here's the release:

Please let me know what the video quality looks like

 

[fromthelogo]

That big one is a really nice fish. Video quality was good. Did you cast that popper on a fly rod?

 

[NKlamerus]

That big one is a really nice fish. Video quality was good. Did you cast that popper on a fly rod?

Sure didn't lol

It's actually a saltwater popper, we used to use them for spanish mackerel and ladyfish down south, it's pretty heavy for a floating fly so I can throw it on my spinning rod

 

[hobster]

I’ve seen steelhead in there twice, one was chilling under the footbridge and was too spooked to hit anything and another time a young teenager had one on the bank. Actually in the bushes when he showed it to me, don’t think he had tags. That was probably 20 years ago and I didn’t know any better. I’ll bet they still stray up there, imagine the surprise! Summer steelhead runs have been so poor lately it would be a unicorn

 

[NKlamerus]

I’ve seen steelhead in there twice, one was chilling under the footbridge and was too spooked to hit anything and another time a young teenager had one on the bank. Actually in the bushes when he showed it to me, don’t think he had tags. That was probably 20 years ago and I didn’t know any better. I’ll bet they still stray up there, imagine the surprise! Summer steelhead runs have been so poor lately it would be a unicorn

I would imagine they are (were) coming in through the grate at the front? (West D boat ramp)

And not swimming up through the 3/4 water transitions?

 

[NKlamerus]

I did go out and fish it last Friday, another limit of trout and hooked/lost 1 bass. Might try it again tomorrow, water probably warmed up quick

Trout were already out of the creek and settled in the deeper part of the lake

Supposed to get restocked this week, not sure which end they will stock