General Northwest update

[joesnuffy]

I haven't been logged into the site for a while but I've have been "lurking" around. I noticed that nothing has been posted for us lucky people over here on the East side of the state since the winter weather set in.

-8F temps followed by rain followed by snow doesn't help out the average fisherman over here The Rivers have all gone from frozen solid to Blown out to not accessable due to really bad driving conditions.

With January on it's way, I hope that the weather will finally settle down to normal and allow us to go out for some winter Steelhead.

The Grande Ronde should be close to a great fishing level after being over triple it's normal flow rate. They were catching some nice Steel down at Troy prior.

Hells Canyon has been producing good numbers of Steel but mostly for the boat guys. Flow rates have been averaging over 17,000 cfs lately. Bank fishing is best done when the water is running under 12,000cfs.

If anybody has been out we'd like to hear your report(s).

I've just bought my first 13ft Spey rod so am ready to go........ see you on the water.

 

[Irishrover]

I hope the weather moderates for you so you can get after those winter steelhead. Also congratulations on the purchase of your new spey rod and welcome to Speyland! You are going to have a ball.....

 

[bigsteel]

ill be heading to the wallowa and imnaha this year!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[brandon4455]

ill be heading to the wallowa and imnaha this year!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

bring some black ants, i heard that slays em there!!!

 

[joesnuffy]

Just noticed that I posted this as NorthWest instead of East oopps!!!

Anyways, the water is looking better and better. Gotta get out there soon.

 

[joesnuffy]

Just as I'm gearing up to go fish the Lower Grande Ronde, the levels shoot through the roof again....... argh!!!!

 

[joesnuffy]

I'd like to report some great fishing over here but I can't. With the recent weather, most of our waters have become unfishable. The lower Grande Ronde usually is flowing around 1500 cfs this time of year. this weekend, it reached almost 20,000 cfs. (but it's now dropping)

I've heard of good numbers of fish coming out of Hell's Canyon but havn't made the trip down there yet........

Happy fishing everybody.

 

[FishFiddle]

Yea, I have been watching the GR and you guys have really been getting blasted. Kinda funny, I just got a 13' in 8 wt. and it has not seen a line yet. I have been wanting to get over there, as I have family in M-F and WW, to do some river time but have not been there since Turkey day and only had one day and it was like zero degrees. I had a friend who went the day after T Day and it was freezing up pretty bad and no takers. Just kinda been that way ever since, ugly. I guess on the west side we have been lucky!

 

[joesnuffy]

the west side generally has better fishng conditions during the winter. Even where your rivers blow out they seem to clear up in a couple days. Over here we hope that they are better next week

I've only got about 3 hrs on my new fly rod. Icy conditions and 21 degree weather doesn't let you wade for very long There's always next weekend though

 

[joesnuffy]

The water levels are dropping into fishable conditions..... finally!!!! I might be able to get the fly gear back on the water.

I fished Hell's Canyon last Saturday (1-22-11). The water was over double what I normally fish. It was hard to get the gear to the bottom. After a really long day, 3 of us managed to put 3 steelhead on the bank (total). Kinda small fish but still really bright. Corkies and a little piece of shrimp seemed to work.