gales creek

[hvacr1]

Just got the new 2011 odfw regulations book and realized they changed gales creek over to being able to keep 2 fish minimum 8" length. I live over in forest grove so gales creek is very convenient for that after work cast and have been fishing gales creek with some success in the past but going from a c&r fishery to being able to keep fish must mean the fish are starting to thrive as they once did. I am a c&r fisherman but it just tells me they are thinking this year is gonna be better than it has been in a while. Just thought i would throw this out there for any of you who fish it or might want to give it a shot on your way to the wilson when the season opens up. Any thoughts?

 

[waco]

Good information man!!! i always want to fish the creek but never have!!! and welcome to OFF!!! good way to start!!!!

 

[hvacr1]

thanks, the only thing that i don't care for but it is what has probably helped out the creek a ton is that it can only be fished from may to november. But hopefully that will get the steelhead population back up as well without giving it too much pressure. The Tualitin out in gaston off of 47 is also another recovering fishery that they updated this year. Unfortunately the best part of the tualitin is over by lee falls and is from what i heard is now private property.

 

[chris61182]

Sadly I think this regulation change was a result of wanting to increase fishing opportunity more so than a healthy fish population.

This reg change was actually started last year when they opened for catch and keep the entirety of both the Tualatin and Yamhill watersheds.

 

[hvacr1]

Well I was trying to be optimistic but I too am a realist and your probably right, damn politicians lol.

 

[beaverfan]

I totally agree with Chris!

 

[adambomb]

After the regs change last year I started fishing a creek in McMinnville and I can tell you that the cutthroat population is THRIVING to say the least. I averaged 15 fish an hour, with about %25 of the fish I caught being of legal size. I however chose to release all of them. Being a new Forest Grove resident I am also looking forward to wetting a line in Gales Creek.

 

[beaverfan]

By all means fish it, it's a great little stream! Just be gentle and think heavily about practicing c&r.

Oh and hvacr1 and adambomb my comments aren't really directed at you guys, sounds like both of you already do as I suggested.

 

[GDBrown]

Part of the reason they changed the regs is that in the past two or three years they have done extensive habitat restoration projects and now there are more fish to show for it. This is especially true on the upper reaches of Gales Creek near the Gales Creek campground on Hwy 6. There has always been a resident trout population in the creek but the steelhead run has been up and down over the years. It can be great fun for C&R with a light fly rod if you know how to deal with the brush. Just bend those barbs down and make it gentle on the little guys.

GD

 

[98nismo]

oh cool. I just moved to forest grove too and i end up at the little pond called dormans pond. I havnt caught much there only a dark winter bass on top water. that was odd but welcome. I have been wonering about the Tualitin and gales creek too.

 

[GungasUncle]

Please please please be gentle with Gales - and don't feel compelled to keep fish. That fishery can't really stand a lot of pressure, and keeping many of the 8" + fish is going to really do a number on that fishery - as an 8" fish can be considered "big" and a 10 or 12" fish can be a monster out of there, at least as far as the trout go. The average fish in that water is about 6" or so.

And remember - it's fly & lure only - no bait (I hate picking up styrofoam worm containers along the bank, and I hate bastards that can't be bothered to obey the regs for a body of water, especially small streams!)

Dorman's Pond used to be an alright place to fish - but now between the crowds it sees, the way people trash it (I've personally witnessed people dropping trow and leaving a steamer right on the the trail around the pond, and people just throwing their garbage IN to the pond), and the horrible weed growth it gets by summer - I don't fish it anymore.

Please - pinch your barbs if you fish gales, and put the cutties back! If you feel compelled to keep a couple trout - the Wilson will offer much greater numbers of trout - including sea runs. If you can only keep 2 fish a day - would you rather keep an 8" cuttie from Gales, or a 16+ inch SRC from the Wilson?

 

[98nismo]

VERY well said!

 

[jpjule]

I've always thought that Gales Creek looked awfully fishy as I passed it on my way out to the Wilson but I have never stopped to wet a line. How is the access? I haven't explored any of the roads off of 6 to check it out, but it looks to be primarily private property. Am I wrong?