Clackamas surprise!

[Modest_Man]

Got my first ink on my tag of the year today. Had my alarm set for 4:45am but when it went off I said screw it and slept in till 8. Drove over to the Clackamas and swung by Bonnie Lure, saw the full parking lot and how many people were below the bridge and I turned tail and went looking for somewhere more peaceful.

I'd never been to Barton Park before but knew the general area so I decided to go find the park. Got there about 9:45, and hiked up stream a bit. Found a likely spot and about 10 casts in FISH ON.

I was throwing spinners and this hen absolutely inhaled the spinner. She didn't put up much of a fight (I just reeled her in) and once I got her in I saw why, I couldn't even see my size 4 spinner. She had two of the hooks of the treble lodged in her gills and one in her tongue. She wasn't coming off. I was using a black and chartreuse spinner that I made. Bonked her with a rock and slit her gills and kept fishing for an hour, then decided to head home.

Of course I wasn't planning on catching anything so I took the car that doesn't have any garbage bags stashed in it so I've got fish slime all over on my floor mats. Oh well! I had to stop and buy a fillet knife as well, and I need a larger cutting board for sure.

I also left the camera at home so no river shots.












The eggs look a bit underdeveloped, are they good for curing still? I've never cured eggs and figure I'll give it a shot.

So was this an early winter fish then? Or a late summer? :think:

Regardless, I'm stoked. First hatchery steelhead ever, and my second steelhead ever.

 

[RunWithSasquatch]

Summer fish.

Eggs are good to go. Will actually be good eggs for steelhead fishing because they are tight. I would just cure the little skeins whole in this situation, and cut them after curing. You could fly cut them open down the center, but on the little steelhead skeins I leave them alone.


Steelhead Stalkers has a good how-to video on fly cutting the eggs and curing them. My experience is that the commercial cures are powerful enough to do the little skeins with out opening them.

If you do borax cure I would open them up.


Nice fish.

 

[Modest_Man]

I'm not going to have time to cure them until tomorrow afternoon, can I just throw them in the fridge until then? Any special prep? Like I said, never tried curing eggs before.

 

[RunWithSasquatch]

Yeah, just baggy them up and leave them in the fridge, no problem. They look a little ripe for a steelhead lookng at them. Pretty full.

You can take a pair if scissors and actually cut them in half lengthwise and then cure the 4 individual pieces, or take a knife and fillet them open.

 

[RunWithSasquatch]

http://www.steelheadstalkers.com/tutorial_cure-roe.htm

Give a good idea on how to cut your eggs open.

I will add that in my opinion, that they take a few things to an extreme with how they treat the eggs. Dont get me wrong, they demonstrate good practice, but my experience is that you dont have to get every drop of blood out, and if you dont have gloves when you handle the eggs, they will still catch fish.

 

[OnTheFly]

Everytime someone gets a fish at Barton or on Eagle Creek I feel like a real dufus.. I am 10minutes from Barton and 20 from EC. I drive over Barton bridge twice a day to and from work. Thanks for the insult to injury.

 

[troutdude]

OTF, the trick is to STOP, get out and fish, when you cross that bridge. :shock:

Nice steely!

 

[Mad dog]

Beautiful fish!!!:clap:

 

[bernduffy]

And on your own spinner. That is sweet. What components on the spinner?

 

[Modest_Man]

The spinner was made with parts from Fisherman's Shack in Monmouth. The size 4 heavy...

Thanks guys, super stoked, I was getting pretty disheartened with all the skunkage, good to know I kind of have an idea what to do.

 

[markasd]

Right on man!! Pretty exciting ehh? 'Bout time ya got to ink that paper.. lol - totally kidding dude.

Sweet fish..

 

[metalfisher76]

Nice summer steely! 1 day is fine. Plastic doe`s promote spoiling though. I got to where I put mine in a plastic bin. Slide it into a paper sack and seal it with tape or staples. If yer gonna save `em for winters just borax, salt and sugar `em up. If they are goin fast at ho`s then whatever... everyday is a new day One cure will be hot today and not tomorrow.

 

[skunk]

Nice job, I passed by that very spot on my way to EC. Only fish I saw there were on the bank from the snaggers after the cop left. Funny how the bite turned on for those bums.

 

[Scotsman70]

Huzza!! Huzza!! A Most Excellent Fishy. This makes me think...Maybe Barton instead of the Wilson...Once again... A Very Good Job!!

 

[idahojeff]

Congrats man....nice fish!

 

[Kais]

Nice! i feel like i haven't seen a good catch report on the clack or sandy for a while. Thanks for sharing.

 

[mgdguy]

I second Kais's post. Nice job! :clap:

 

[OnTheFly]

OTF, the trick is to STOP, get out and fish, when you cross that bridge. :shock:

Nice steely!

Yeah I know but now it's dark when I go by. Ninja let me borrow one of his spey rods months ago and now I hang my head in shame for not putting it to better and more frequent use.

 

[Modest_Man]

Thanks guys! There was a guy spey fishing a couple hundred yards up from me fishing the head of the run while I fished the tail, pretty nice guy.

Good to hear that there was a cop at Bonnie Lure to nab some of the snaggers. I didn't even get out of my car.

 

[ChezJfrey]

Dang it!

I had it in my mind that you and I were in a race...I was to get my first before you got your second (if I recall correctly, this is #2 for you?).

Way to go MM, nice fish! Keep up the good work!