Clackamas help

Hooked Up
I'm planning on taking my DB from Barton to Carver this weekend and was hoping to get some advice. I've never seen this section of river, what kinds of hazards to avoid, LH or RH at forks or any other useful info. Also, what type of fishing is done here. I've heard it's motor up and drift down similar to Sollie Smith. Was hoping to find water ideal for jig, drift and hardware chucking. Thanks for your help, Hans
 
D
DrTheopolis
From Barton to Carver, you won't have any major hazards to deal with. At current water levels, your biggest issue might be scraping bottom (depending on your boat and how loaded it/you are). There's no major forks, but lots of islands. As a general rules, if you follow the main current, you should be OK. Since it's the weekend, just follow the other boats.

And in that stretch, you'll find ideal water for every type of technique you want. Wonderful stretch of river. Lots of fish.
 
Hooked Up
Thanks Doc.

At current water levels, your biggest issue might be scraping bottom

We had been thinking about the Wilson but with projected water levels I didn't want to navigate the mine field. I've got a fairly light boat so hopefully its not that bad, I'd rather scrap a little than take one on the chine.
 
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DrTheopolis
As a general rule, in that stretch at that level, you'd need to really mess up to ding up a chine (although I'm quite sure it can be done). If you follow the main current path, the issue will likely be shallow gravel bars. If you have waders or good boots, it shouldn't be hard to get it OFF there, if you do in fact stick it... which you probably won't -- and if so, only because you're new to the river. It's when it drops below 12' (and it will be close this weekend) that you might drag (and do that silly-sweet bounce-up-and-down-so-you-don't-have-to-get-out firedrill).

There's some great stretches for plugging there, too, but below about 12.4 or so, plugging starts to suck a bit (we're planning on running smaller-than-our-usual stuff, and chucking a bunch of hardware/bobbers).

Depending how much time you have, you might consider launching at Feldheimer's, which makes for a significantly longer float, with some good water, and slightly less crowded. But don't fool yourself -- you'll have company on the weekend. But it's usually a pretty regular crew there, and the vast majority are very cool and courteous... and a few jerks who tick everyone else OFF... like most other popular rivers.

But if you've never done the Clack, I think you'll really dig it. Plenty of every kind of water, decent sized stream, plenty of fish (don't hold your breath waiting for a springer in February), and about as scenic and peaceful as you could reasonably expect for the Metro Area's most popular stream.

I'll try and give a report tomorrow night. Excited to be getting out.
 
Hooked Up
Good luck tomorrow. Leave some fish for me on Sunday.
 
Hooked Up
Leave some fish for me on Sunday.

Doc, you must have caught everything on Friday!

Very few boats compared to what I'm used too. Fished some water that I would have bet the farm on there being Steelies holed up in, couldn't get a bite. My fishing buddy saw one jump, must have been giving him the fin.:blushing:

All in all nice day seeing some new water.
 
J
Jordy
Was good for us today. Lots of long faces and "need more water" from everyone else. I've never understood that mentality on the clack. There's enough water for great fishing all year and lower water makes them concentrate into water you can more easily read and fish.

Unless you need to run a sled the water is only getting more fishable this week...
 
Hooked Up
Glad to hear you got some fish. What did you catch them on? Banking it or floating? I agree about lower water concentrating the fish, we fished a few areas pretty hard thinking they've got to be in there. Post some pics from yesterday, would like to see them.
 
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Jordy
We just bank fished a pair of spots. Only had a couple hours in the evening. Found this fish just before dark. I didn't take the time to get a bunch of shots or try and get a good picture because I wanted this guy swimming away as fast as possible. Definitely one of my top 10 biggest winters. ..
 
rogerdodger

excellent, lot of color on that ol'boy, hope he swam OFF strong and safely makes his way back to the big old blue...
 
Hooked Up

That is a nice sized fish, well done.
 
B
billfisher
Beautiful!
 
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DrTheopolis
Not saying it is, but there's an outside chance that is one of the elusive "fall steelhead" on the Clack.

But fall or winter fish, that's a nice catch.
 
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Jordy
I wouldn't be surprised doc. I'm not sure how they become a fall steelhead though? I was catching steelhead all the way through December and they were all typical later season fish. I caught fish with floy tags from the recycling program through the end of october. I think the last recycle was done at the beginning of July so the summers tend to hang around for a while. It would be possible that a fish that came in in October or November could have been hooked at the end of February.
 
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DrTheopolis
It would be possible that a fish that came in in October or November could have been hooked at the end of February.

The ODFW doesn't have much to say on the subject, but there's anecdotal evidence to suggest there's an oddball run of "fall" steelhead on the Clack, which are always unclipped. It's been discussed on this forum before, actually.

Your fish looks like a carbon-copy of one I caught quite a few years ago, I think in about November.

I'll bet that guy took you for a ride.
 
J
Jordy
It was a hard fight for sure. I hooked it on a spinner so I was using 30 main and 15 pound leader and there were multiple points where I had to stop the fish because I was getting spooled and thought it was going to break me off. You can't tell in the picture but I was soaking wet and had mud all over my arms, face and clothes. I'm glad I had a fishing buddy with me to get a quick snap.
 
J
Jordy
As far as the fall steelhead, I'm starting to firm more of an opinion on the idea...

I should start by saying that I have become a student of summer steelhead over the past decade. When I went back to college in 2011 my budget forced me to mostly abandon my favorite summer streams and make lemonade from the clackamas. In the beginning any fish hooked from June through the end of the year was a guaranteed hatchery fish (obviously a few coho, late springers and fall Chinook had fins but that's a different story).

Two summers ago I was surprised by a light sprinkling of wild summers here and there. This last season I caught more. Maybe 12 or 13. I automatically assumed they were hatchery fish spawning on their own and making it back (woohoo!). But now that I look back on it, they were mostly later in the season and always above average in size.

I would say this STRONGLY supports the theory of a fall run of native steelhead.

As I mentioned, I caught a bunch of steelhead with floy tags but I neve thought to ask the odfw guys about any particulars beyond what has been a strengthened summer hatchery program. I have a contact in that office so I will grill them and get back to everybody.
 

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