I need help/advice for steelhead/salmon.

[patrickhvr]

Hey everyone.

I've fished Eastern Oregon all my life. 22 years in fact. I can put you in the best fisheries that section of the state has to offer. I now realize I don't know squat about the fisheries here. I guess what I'm after is a little advice for Salmon and Steelhead. I've only tried the Wilson river (about 5 trips now) and skunked every time. I have the usual rigs. Pink worms, yarnies, corkies, shrimp, jigs, etc. but not a bit of luck. I watch people all around me catching fish. I take every precaution there is from gloves to proper rigs size vs. water conditions. I've been "pushed out" of spots twice, once by four guys fishing (aggressively pushed me out and caught fish after they got me out) and another time by some guys who had never fished steelhead before and came in right on top of me (I'm thinking this was just an inclination because I was parked there). I read the water, check flows before I even step out the door, check temps, weather, everything I can to ensure my success. I have one fish on my tag and that's because my buddy let me reel it in because he limited out the two days before. And also the frustration of private property.

I fish by myself, not by choice, but just don't know anyone. I have no one to ask what rivers are "hot" or what they used. I guess what I'm asking is what are the good rivers to fish? What are proven techniques and baits? I've been a bank fisherman all my life, that's what I prefer. How do I combat pushy and rude fisherman? Where are some rivers that a.) the hatchery doesn't start right by private property and b.) has good upriver success? Anything helps. I don't want to give up just yet, but I don't want to sit in the parking lot they call Drano and Wind. Just not my cup of tea. I like the solitude. Fishing next to one or two guys is the best.

Thanks in advanced-

The frustrated beginner.

 

[chrisohm]

How do you combat pushy and rude fisherman??

Easy! Use Thunder and Lightning!!
Thunder would be your favorite 9 iron and Lightning would be a 9mm semi-automatic.
Another good tactic is to introduce yourself, tell them you are new to this and you are dealing with some frustration from not catching a fish. If they are nice people and willing to help you out with some tips and pointers then awesome! If not, then just cast out over their lines if they choose to push you out of your spot. Go upriver from them and pee in the water or just fish there and see what happens. I have encountered rude people just fishing for stocked trout with my son. We just left the fish to them, dink pellet heads anyway. If you want the solitude, go upstream or downstream. In most cases you will find a better pocket of fish and a future private hole for yourself. I am the same way when it comes to solitude, I even go to the extent of not wanting to fish with other people 80% of the time because I prefer the "me" time I get. If I were you I would do 2 things, buy "Fishing in Oregon" (the latest edition you can find) and focus on just one river system. The best producers are the coastal systems for salmon/steelhead in my opinion. The Sandy is popular and the Clackamas is also popular. You will be getting a slew of other responses in no time, meanwhile, you should check out the rec report from ODFW and meander around the old threads for your target fishing interests. There is so much here to see/read it will get overwhelming but use the search function like it was the village bicycle.

 

[patrickhvr]

Yeah the rude guys did something I've never seen before, they stacked in a line of four and the two outside guys were eying my gear that was no more then 10 ft from me. Then one had the nerve to unzip my box pouch and start rummaging while I was right there. After I barked some not so appropriate stuff at the two men going through my stuff they said "what the f*** are you going to do about it?" And then laughed and started intentionally casting over me. I cut my line and grabbed my stuff and left after spending 15 min hiking into the hole to get there. Fished for 5 min and day was ruined. I'm not about to let someone take $100's worth of gear.

 

[chrisohm]

Where were you fishing at? Next time, use a backpack to carry your gear in and keep it on your shoulders, not the ground. Take a camera that can be accessed at any time. Snap pictures of these people and post em here. Then if we ever run into these cowards they can be then next high water victims. That kind of behavior deserves a good swim in the cold brisk water. Sounds like you were dealing with locals. Take a slingshot too. On your way out of the hole you can shoot rocks into the water to scare any fish there. Pennies work well too! Times like that you wish you had some TNT, light and throw it in the hole. Boom! No fish for anyone...

On a more serious note, buy that book I mentioned. It covers every lake, stream and river in Oregon. It also gives you common holes for those systems, run timings and other good stuff! Keep away from the "I got mine!" or "Get out of my local hole" type fisherpeeps. The ego they have is beyond ridiculous. Go coastal or go downstream from the hatcheries. Not all the fish even stop at the hatchery, most of them continue upstream. Of course they get darker too by that point...

 

[patrickhvr]

It was a sling pack I always use. I had set it down to rig something different. My fault for setting it down. And of course, camera was in the bag.

 

[dtikey]

It was a sling pack I always use. I had set it down to rig something different. My fault for setting it down. And of course, camera was in the bag.

Hold On...Not your fault for putting your stuff down thats what everyone pretty much does including me.First guess maybe under the influence of something and just plain a-holes. Personally if I dont know you and you start looking in my stuff I am swinging for the fences and dont care if out numbered because that is just like stealing which they probally were going to do.Dont know how you re-act to things like that but I am a great guy on and off the river unless people are asses and disrespectfull to me.Sorry your first expeirences on the west side of oregon were like that but its just the 2% of guys out there that can give us all a bad name and yes there is these types of people on all rivers or lakes.

 

[patrickhvr]

I'm not scarce to being an a**hole when the occasion calls for it, I'm pretty big dude being 6'3" and all. It was just situational. Four guys vs. me. I was solo that day. I wasn't going to take a chance. In Eastern Oregon we carried guns on our person and in our vehicles. Out there intimidation wasn't a problem! Being that there's cougars, snakes, and your occasional hidden pot farm, but I have kids now so I don't have guns in my house. It was just a bad day in general.

 

[patrickhvr]

Where were you fishing at?

I was at MP 21 ish in a hole I walked down in. It had just finished raining.

 

[wozniasm]

Their actions are unacceptable. I can understand not getting into their faces being outnumbered but when you left, their vehicle was out of their site and I'd make sure there'd be a flat, preferably two waiting for them when they left....
Please note that I was told a slice on the side wall isn't repairable.
I dealt with my truck getting broken into on one of my first trips after moving here at McIver. Lost about $1000 worth of goods not counting two window replacements. I thought this only happened back east - we all learn the hard way sometimes....

 

[ninja2010]

i pack a .45 on a shoulder holster over my waders so it's highly visible, whenever i fish alone, and i have all my gear wrapped around my waist on a belt. i'm a small framed 5'6" and i don't like confrontations... but if needed, i can unload a full clip in under 9 seconds - and my xd never jams...

a few summers ago, i stepped out into a clearing once and stumbled upon a group of "homeless" suspicious looking characters. couple of them started approaching until i raised my hand to unsnap the holster strap. they stopped in their tracks, and stepped back to join their group. when i passed them, one of them even wished me luck and i thanked him. fished for a few hours, and when i came back, they were still there. no incident, and i felt safer, but not unalert.

prevention is always better than confrontation... life's too short as it is.

as far as fishing goes... i got nuthin'. i am captain skunkage when it comes to steelhead...

 

[troutmasta]

As far as the ass holes go I dont recommened getting jumped at mp21 its a bit of a commute either way for help. Many colorful ideas have been presented as an alternitive to fisticuffs. I prefer the vehichle approach.... None the less. As far as The Salmon and Steelhead advice goes. Id come inland a little and get in on some clackamas river salmon/summer steel head, then in about a month or so the costal rivers should be stacked up with springers. Ive had a lot of sucess on the trask for springers near the hatchery in Tillimook on a Cocktail of sand shrimp & eggs w a liitle anise oil on it amybe some chartreuse yarn. If you want some good holes on the clak PM me. Its heating up right now for sure.
P.S. Sharp Knife to the sidewall

 

[chrisohm]

I like the .45 idea because it is hard to have a sawed off boomstick handy. Maybe take a bear trap with you in the car and place it on the trail on the way out. A knife to the sidewall is an ok idea but that would make you fair game the next time you went out fishing. Destruction of private property makes people real angry. I would take out all 4 valve stems, pocket them. Repeat for all other vehicles that have recently parked there. Find somewhere else to fish and finish off a tall one after getting your limit.

 

[brandon4455]

get a gun and a fishing partner that isn't afraid to throw down.people like that deserve to have a gun pointed @ them so they **** there pants and run off like little babies. anyways back to the fishing..bobber fish for both. jigs for steelhead and bait for salmon. bobber fishing is the easiest to learn. purple or black jigs with a pink head for summer steelhead and shades of pink with a white head for winter steelhead a pink worm on a white jighead also works. for the salmon sandshrimp or cured eggs work great. stick to that one technique and learn it, you will spend more time figuring the technique and the fish out witch will lead to more experience and more fish hooked.

 

[JeannaJigs]

People are a-holes. I get crap like that all the time when I'm alone, usually it's some sexist bs comment. I used to open carry and then sold my firearm, so the last year or so haven't and I have been harassed more times than I care to deal with. Thankfully my dog is an amazing guard dog and has gone cujo in a couple extremely sketch situations.

As far as firearms go though, you better not aim a firearm at someone unless you're going to pull the trigger and you damn well better be prepared for the repercussions. You do not use a loaded weapon as a scare tactic to see if you can get someone to **** their pants.

 

[patrickhvr]

The only thing I really haven't tried on coastal rivers so far is yarnies. I heard side drifters have good luck with them, but I'm not sure really how to fish them. Do you fish the bottom? Under a bobber? I do a lot of bobber fishing and I feel that I have my technique down pretty good. I've had bites, no catches though. When I first started bobber fishing I was using a dark braided line. That was fail. I've since changed my line. Even on my skunked days I would stay on the water and practice, practice, practice. I hate to say it, but I do all the reading and the research, just not productive. Was fishing for some different tips maybe. Baits/colors that work. I just go buy random colors and try them out. I have no row, which sucks, I really wish I did.

 

[ninja2010]

As far as firearms go though, you better not aim a firearm at someone unless you're going to pull the trigger and you damn well better be prepared for the repercussions. You do not use a loaded weapon as a scare tactic to see if you can get someone to **** their pants.

exactimo...