Bear Creek..Crook County...a bust!

[Irishrover]

A couple of years ago I was on my way home from Boise. I like the back roads when I travel so I took hwy 20 out of vale instead of I-84. Between Millican and Brothers hwy 27 cuts north from hwy 20 to hwy 26 and runs along the Crooked River. Before you get to the Crooked River, Bear Creek runs along hwy 27. I've been thinking about going over to fish Bear Creek since that trip.

Today I drove south on hwy 27 from Prineville and forced myself to not stop and fish the Crooked River and keep going past Bowman Dam to Bear Creek. I could remember that sage brush that lined the creek and the fast running water. It looked like it was just waiting for someone to drop a fly on that water. Well I made to the creek and there it was all two feet wide and six inches deep, that is where you could see it. A lot of the water was covered by brush. I guess it looks much better in May than it does in September :lol: At least now I can get that stream off my mind. Nothing ventured nothing gained!

The good news was I turned back to the Crooked River and it was HOT! I started by the Dam and for a while just watched all those darn fish jumping. I caught a hand full there but they were small about six to ten inches. I then moved to my favorite spot just down from Big Bend Campground and put on a dry fly. Several nice fish there including a couple of fat redsides. A small adams with the hot fly there. I don't know what the water temp was but it was cold so I called it a day and headed back to Culver. It was a nice drive on the Lone Pine O'Neil hwy.

 

[waco]

nice story!!

 

[troutmasta]

nice story!!

x2

 

[Moe]

Thats an awesome story!

 

[bigsteel]

i knew you were wantin to try that bear creek,,,sounds like its not that good,,,,how was the crooked??is is still full of weeds?

 

[Irishrover]

The Crooked was fantastic. The best I've seen it in a while. There were some weed floating by now and then but not bad at all. The water level was perfect and the color was that standard Crooked River clowdy tint. There was a lot of open river to fish as the place was empty for the most part. Only saw about five other people fishing there all day. I was just funny to see all those fish jumping. When a big redside would break water it would get my heart to pumping, then I'd tell myself OK just one more fish before you leave. It was that kind of day.

I was hoping that Bear Creek would turn into a great little spot. I guess I just came throught there when the water was high the first time. After looking at it yesterday I could really see it's not a hot place to go. It's not fishable and most likely doesn't support too many fish. Now I'm going to have to find another unknown spot to go check out.

I hope to make it up to Trillium at least for the day on Saturday. I'd have come for the whole weekend thing but I'm here in Culver waiting for a repair job on the center pivot pump. Glad the weather is cool.

 

[bigsteel]

nice,that would be cool if you made over to trillium.....we explored blowout creek down here by detroit and was very dissapointed,,it was like 6 inches deep,,oh well it will get better with rain......you should try ochoco creek i hear its got some big fish

 

[Irishrover]

Now you have me thinking. Ochoco Creek for sure, then McKay Creek and maybe Mill Creek. I can't remember the name of it but there is a nice creek that runs along Hwy 26 between Prineville and Mitchell. Its after the split in the road where Ochoco Creek runs off. All those creek are in the same area. So many places to go.

 

[lilsalmon]

So many places to go.

I love Oregon!!!!