Columbia report from the Irrigon fish hatchery

L
lizardman
Right behing the fish hatchery in Irrigon Oregon (North East Oregon) is a man made creek that is about 100 feet long where the fish hatchery dumps water from their tanks. There is a grate on this at the end of the creek to keep the fish out of the circulation system for the tanks. Basically the hatchery pumps water from the Columbia through a cooling area into their tanks and due to the need for water circulation for the tanks expells the water into the creek which feeds back into the Columbia.

This creek was attracting steelhead by the dozens and even a few chinook. I have tried bait there but the current is usually high enough to make the hook and leader come to the surface of the water (at most this creek is four feet deep and about 10 foot wide). What I have seen work there in previous years are jigs floated a couple feet below a small cork bobber; so I tried a rock dancer for a few minutes just to see the reaction of the fish and one actually turned to look at it. I am going to try the small jig under a small cork bobber or a little steelhead stalker bobber (very small diameter black float with orange tip) with some 1/8 or 1/16 oz jigs.

I didn't see any fish besides one sucker caught from the main river or the little creek, I did miss a bite on roe. The wife was getting impatient and wanted to go as the flies were biting pretty hard on us.

There were some great looking fish in there with salmon and steelhead rolling out in the main river from five to 25 feet off shore.

Part of the reason I know I didn't catch anything was time of day (noon to three), but if I wanted to fish like a native I could have stripped down to my skivies and stuck my head in the water and come up with fish in my mouth... but this action would have had the "Sasquatch found" headlines in all the Oregon papers :shock:, so I will stick to legal fishing :D

Dave
 
R
Rascal
NIce story good luck next time
 
K
Kodiak
Osmosis and Myself will be ataking a whack at them friday or sunday pending what my wife says....probably Sunday.
 
L
lizardman
Outstanding. We can meet at my place in Boardman and carpool to Irrigon, or if you take the HWY 730 exit and go to Irrigon then you would pass the sign to the hatchery that is at HWY 730 and Patterson Ferry Road and then turn left on 8th street and follow that to the hatchery (they have a gate on the Patterson Ferry side to keep through traffic to a minimum, but you can still access the fishing holes seven days a week 24 hours a day (but only daytime fishing allowed there due to the fishing synopsis).

Let me know how much food I need to pack and how many pots of coffee (or other drink) I need to have on hand.

Dave
 
Raincatcher
Raincatcher
Can others come play?

Can others come play?

Lizardman;
You are one lucky guy to have these two heading your way. :clap: My best advice...pay attention to what they say AND how they fish.

Now,if I were to be in the area,say within a hundred miles,I would be there in a heartbeat!! Sounds like a perfect opportunity for a get together.:dance: Maybe start an OFF Bash Crash...:whistle: yeah,I like the sounds of that. :D Of course,I would bring my own lunch and "coffee". :rolleyes: :lol:
 
L
lizardman
Don't I know it. I plan to learn as much as I can.


Dave
 
K
Kodiak
Looks like sunday morning....We will probably pull in about 8:00am or so. Looking forward to meeting you...and putting a whoopin' on some metal:dance: Are the steelies still pulling into the creek?
 
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