Disappointed

[OH3Sticks]

Took my first trip down the clackamas today in a drift boat with a guide from Feldheimer to Carver looking for steelhead and not one hook-up from the three in our boat with the exception of a smolt. We basically had the river to ourselves, maybe 5-7 other drift boats out and heard of one hatch and one nate caught by the same boat. Were we late with our trip? Did they all run up to McIver? I'm just stunned that it was such a slow day with barely any traffic on the river.

 

[JonT]

Isn't the winter run pretty much done?

 

[OH3Sticks]

Not sure, newish to the river, which is why I asked the questions I did in my post. From what I've read and have been told they run until early May, but like I said what do I know

 

[chrisohm]

Not quite! They are up at McIver and higher but summers are coming in now from the lower section and have been landed within the last few weeks near Feldheimer. Its plugs, beads, sandshrimp/roe. Should be a few nooks in lower holes right now too.

 

[mikeee2362]

The Fish counter guy identified all the steelhead that were caught at Diblee's in Rainier on Saturday, to be Clackamas summers by the way they were clipped, and thats about 100 miles away. I'm new and I didn't know how to ID a clack summer at the time, but a couple weeks ago I saw a lot of steelhead coming out of the Clack at McIver. Some chrome, some not so much. How was the water, low and clear? Just might have been a tough day for the paying customers...but the guides did ok lol.

 

[dozer365]

The Fish counter guy identified all the steelhead that were caught at Diblee's in Rainier on Saturday, to be Clackamas summers by the way they were clipped, and thats about 100 miles away. I'm new and I didn't know how to ID a clack summer at the time, but a couple weeks ago I saw a lot of steelhead coming out of the Clack at McIver. Some chrome, some not so much. How was the water, low and clear? Just might have been a tough day for the paying customers...but the guides did ok lol.

Been up high the last Couple weekends and Managed to scratch one hatchery hen. Nice color great eggs!! But was very surprised at the amount of fish present. Given that this month there have been 850 pass cazadaro.
My fishing partner and I witnessed the issue we think we were having. We watched 4-5 different fish move up and never stop moving or look like the might slow down. Walking speed up river to spawn look on their faces.
My guess is a lot of those winters held up in the lake tell the last week or so. Now they are shooting up in mating pairs and have no intention on feeding really.
Now as far as the absence of fish in the lower river idk. Seems like the power lines and normal hot spots should be putting out some fish.
Maybe i switch over to springers tell June bright smersh are present in the upper system and I can hit those "choke points" and slay springers and summers on copper spoons. But until then it is going to be a struggle for most hitting steel on the clack.
I've had an alright winter season. I spent most of it fish different coastal tribs cuz of the flows. Now I wish I would have been fishing up river earlier this year.
I'll go get another one I'm hoping up by Mciver or cazadaro. I'm in need of egg supply lol. Springers love winter eggs cured in nates with a bit of bloody tuna and a sand shrimp. Almost as much as choking on gold an green spoons or gold cast masters.
Rant over.
Oh and yes please everyone. There are no springers in the clack. Go fish the sandy everyone lol

 

[mikeee2362]

Been up high the last Couple weekends and Managed to scratch one hatchery hen.

Whew, I guess it's tough all over then. Thought it was just me having trouble. LOL

 

[jesse202505]

My brother and I spotted 2 bright chrome summers on the upper clack. Early fish but there out there. From what I hear most winters are already up in the north fork in the new fish trap. They are no longer held below

 

[mikeee2362]

My brother and I spotted 2 bright chrome summers on the upper clack. Early fish but there out there. From what I hear most winters are already up in the north fork in the new fish trap. They are no longer held below

Ahh so you went to the Clack then...How did you do?

 

[jesse202505]

All we got was a smolt. Lol it was a slow day

 

[DrTheopolis]

Took my first trip down the clackamas today in a drift boat with a guide from Feldheimer to Carver

Who did you go with?

My buddy got a tiny little summer Sunday, lost an enormous nook Saturday.

 

[OH3Sticks]

We went with a guy named Dan from natural high fishing. I got it as a gift for Christmas. I'm guessing we just took it in a transition time from winters to summers.

 

[DrTheopolis]

At least you spent the day with a nice guy, whose name comes up here on occasion, since he wrote the "bible" of drifboating.

The guy who you saw and probably spoke to out there in the green boat was my buddy(pretty sure he said it was Sunday he ran into Dan on the river), who knows Dan quite well. His 7 year old got one that day, if that makes you feel better/worse.

 

[OH3Sticks]

Yeah guy in a green boat said he lost a big chinook yesterday and then got yelled at by a fly fisherman for "low holing" him. It was a great ride down the river, that was it.

 

[DrTheopolis]

That's my fishing buddy.

And the fly guy sounded a little psycho.

 

[OH3Sticks]

Sweet yeah he seemed like a good dude. we chatted about it and I could believe it just because I've heard of stories about fly guys going a little bonkers if someone goes below them.

 

[DrTheopolis]

Lowholing is one thing, but going down to the next hole, a few hundred yards downstream, out of line-of-sight, and getting yelled at by Arrogant Twohander who ran downstream is another thing.

I guess it took me not being in that boat to get the smell of skunk OFF it, since it's had three straight trips with hookups since my last outing.

Maybe I should start bringing bananas or something.

 

[OnTheDrop]

What's your buddies name Dr? I think we see him out there often.

This time of the year is a great time on the Clack. Summers/Springers/Winters. We got a couple last week.. Winters that is, and one of my biggest on the river to boot..



Then this one which fell to a jig first cast.