Info Needed Please

[Swamp Puppy]

I am going to be out at Billy Chinook for a few days over Father's Day weekend and thought about making a detour on the way back and hitting the McKenzie for a day. Probably camp at the campground outside of McKenzie Bridge and try to find someplace to bank fish from there. I did a deer hunting trip out that way quite a few years ago and loved the look of the river. I told myself i would go back one day and try the fishing. 7 years later...i guess now is the time. lol.

anyway, i assume that the salmon/steelies should be up that way around then. If not, i would be perfectly happy tossing spinners for trout.

Being that this will be a "pathfinding" trip for me..and most likely the last time i will be there for a long while to come, any info anyone wants to toss my way to help make my 24 hours there as productive as possible would be greatly appreciated.

thanks in advance!

 

[Swamp Puppy]

Also, i will be coming over from the Redmond direction and will be heading back home via I5. i am not locked into the McKenzie Bridge area per se, i could stay anywhere along the river i suppose. I will probably just be driving and hopping out and nice looking spots along the way anyway.

Thanks again

 

[Thuggin4Life]

you have all kinds of options. Salmon/steel are here but from what i have been hearing the mckenzie hasn't really been picking up yet compared to the willamette. You could go stand in line below the leaburg hatchery and do the drifting thing. or try for salmon below the dam on the highway side. greenwood is a good spot that ussually holds fish. there is the upper river above the lake were the native steelhead and salmon go. if you are after trout and some good scenery head up above cougar and fish the south fork for some native trout. just remember its c&r no bait they don't stock it and you might even hook a bull so be careful. you could stop by in town and hike to the river from the corner of 42nd and marcola rd. or go to the hayden bridge ramp right around the corner which has bank access from each side. harvest lane off of hayden bridge and 14th and even armatidge has bank access from the pay park ot the opposite side whicth is off of coburg. and then if you are still in town before dark and don't mind driving home in the dark we could take my boat down to my hole on the willy and try the evening bite for some salmon/steelhead. also just about anywhere you can pull off of 126 and get to the river are good spots.

 

[troutjunkie88]

never been past cougar, lotta good wading spots past there?

 

[Flylooper]

It's small water but it has fish.