McKenzie?

[JeannaJigs]

Anyone been up the Mac for springers this year yet? The counts over the falls last week were pretty decent numbers, some of those fish should start showing up in the next week. My steelhead/salmon stick is still broken, but since there's some deep productive salmon holes that drop off right at shore that require minimal casting distance, I think I'm just gonna go up there thursday with a 6' bass rod (that's actually never been used for bass, only Coho, and has taken 36" fish) and throw some shrimp and maybe some eggs in their hopefully hungry faces.

But yeah, just wondering if anyone has anything worthwhile to report (Likely not, but ya know, it could happen)

 

[Commodore S]

Mac?

Mac?

Anyone been up the Mac for springers this year yet? The counts over the falls last week were pretty decent numbers, some of those fish should start showing up in the next week. My steelhead/salmon stick is still broken, but since there's some deep productive salmon holes that drop off right at shore that require minimal casting distance, I think I'm just gonna go up there thursday with a 6' bass rod (that's actually never been used for bass, only Coho, and has taken 36" fish) and throw some shrimp and maybe some eggs in their hopefully hungry faces.

But yeah, just wondering if anyone has anything worthwhile to report (Likely not, but ya know, it could happen)

Those springs are all coming to my ditch, santiam,:dance::lol: yours won't show tillllll, june 24??:think: Just kiddin Jeanna, Someone did hook-da-nook up at the deadline up here, so they're in there. Water color should be that of coffee by Thursday. But good luck!

 

[JeannaJigs]

Those springs are all coming to my ditch, santiam,:dance::lol: yours won't show tillllll, june 24??:think: Just kiddin Jeanna, Someone did hook-da-nook up at the deadline up here, so they're in there. Water color should be that of coffee by Thursday. But good luck!

Yeah there aren't many in there I don't think, though 2 years ago I took home a 28 pounder on May 5th. So maybe. Water color has actually proven to be in my favor up there, it doesn't get much color this time of the year, run's clear way too often. The willamette looks nasty but I don't think the Mac will be too bad, though I never get days off during the week, and the doc I work for is going to a conference, so I jumped on escaping the office that day, so even if the weather is crap, the water is mud, and there's no fish...I'm getting paid vacation to sit in the rain rather than soaking up radiation doing x-rays and spending the rest of the day exposed to all kinds of wonderful diseases, since everyone and their mother thinks they have the "swine flu". I welcome the miserable fishing

 

[Mike123]

I really hope the counts pick back up...
The last count was 9!! In one day! That's pathetic!
If we dont get a decent run this year it's time to RIOT!
Kill some sea lions, take out the nets, do SOMETHING or Im not buying my tags next year. I think it's B.S. that we have to pay this money and our Springer season gets cut short everytime! Rant over.. Ima go hit the punching bag for awhile.

 

[Bfishin]

Anyone been up the Mac for springers this year yet? The counts over the falls last week were pretty decent numbers, some of those fish should start showing up in the next week. My steelhead/salmon stick is still broken, but since there's some deep productive salmon holes that drop off right at shore that require minimal casting distance, I think I'm just gonna go up there thursday with a 6' bass rod (that's actually never been used for bass, only Coho, and has taken 36" fish) and throw some shrimp and maybe some eggs in their hopefully hungry faces.

But yeah, just wondering if anyone has anything worthwhile to report (Likely not, but ya know, it could happen)

I caught a 10.5# Chinook here in Springfield on 4/27 (1 week ago) on a spoon, except it was on the Willamette. Basically the same distance for the fish to travel. They're creepin up. I'm probably gonna wait til the count hits 3,000 and try some holes on the McKenzie. Good luck

 

[tbox]

Stepped out on the Mckenzie yesterday for about 10 minutes in sideways rain, Water was Chocolatey and high, lots of debris, and not another fisherman in sight. Should be washing a springer or two in I hoperay: Maybe by this weekend it'll be fishable again.

 

[Bfishin]

Stepped out on the Mckenzie yesterday for about 10 minutes in sideways rain, Water was Chocolatey and high, lots of debris, and not another fisherman in sight. Should be washing a springer or two in I hoperay: Maybe by this weekend it'll be fishable again.

That's good to know it's high and dirty. I assumed it was, but haven't even been down to see it in a few weeks. I'll probably give the Mac a shot next week.

 

[JeannaJigs]

Sweet thing about the mac is that the chocolate milk days are few and far between (usually) coming into May/June. Usually the battle is with water that is too clear.

I was supposed to have tomorrow off, but now have to work...and knowing that the river is nasty...makes work a little bit more tolerable, though I'd still rather fish in sideways rain catching debris..than be at the work place.

 

[Thuggin4Life]

Good to know the water condition, glad i stayed home. Almost wasted a trip up the Mckenzie. Here's some pictures of BFishin's fish. 1 out of 2,500. First time we took my boat to a river. First time we targeted big fish since the winter run. Good job BFishin that fillet was tasty, the smoke salmon was even tastier! Here's a link to help with the fish counts above the falls.Fish Division: Fish Counts - Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife

 

[Bfishin]

Good to know the water condition glad i stayed home. Almost wasted a trip here's some pictures of BFishin's fish. 1 out of 2,500. First time we took my boat to a river. First time we targeted big fish since the winter run. Good job BFishin that fillet was tasty, the smoke salmon was even tastier! Here's a link to help with the fish counts above the falls.Fish Division: Fish Counts - Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife

Thanks for postin the pic Andy. I've been meaning to put it up here, but I'm a slacker sometimes.:lol: We need to get out and do it again!

 

[Kodiak]

First 1200 fish day

First 1200 fish day

OK kids...First 1000 springer day finnaly happened at the falls. Over 4000 springers over...might be a decent year after all!

 

[JeannaJigs]

OK kids...First 1000 springer day finnaly happened at the falls. Over 4000 springers over...might be a decent year after all!

I saw that and almost peed my pants with joy!

Okay maybe not...but I was pretty stoked to see those numbers.

 

[Mike123]

Man they skipped a day and didn't include them in the total! haha!
Bout time they updated the counts.

Too bad I just drove to the South Santiam and it looks like Hershey's soup..
Yet there we're still about 20 guys down at the boat ramp just because they dumped fish. :lol:

 

[Commodore S]

Man they skipped a day and didn't include them in the total! haha!
Bout time they updated the counts.

Too bad I just drove to the South Santiam and it looks like Hershey's soup..
Yet there we're still about 20 guys down at the boat ramp just because they dumped fish. :lol:

It was great all the fish were on the opposite side, still no springers at hatchery

 

[JeannaJigs]

It was great all the fish were on the opposite side, still no springers at hatchery

That's 'cause they said forget the Santiam! and skipped on up to the McKenzie lol. (That's my wishful thinking)

 

[Mike123]

Hopefully the counts at O.C. stay in the 1000's!!!! WOOT! :dance:

 

[JeannaJigs]

Hopefully the counts at O.C. stay in the 1000's!!!! WOOT! :dance:

Heck yeah, I'm taking next thursday off, and the damn weather/river better cooperate, my grill is going through withdrawls. Looks like the fish might perhaps cooperate at least, maybe...That will be 10 days since the 1,200 day...which puts it just about right for them to get up here. It's been two years since I've targeted Salmon on the Mac, it's gonna feel weird using such heavy gear again!

 

[Kodiak]

Heck yeah, I'm taking next thursday off, and the damn weather/river better cooperate, my grill is going through withdrawls. Looks like the fish might perhaps cooperate at least, maybe...That will be 10 days since the 1,200 day...which puts it just about right for them to get up here. It's been two years since I've targeted Salmon on the Mac, it's gonna feel weird using such heavy gear again!

Its like falling off a bycicle. Once you crash you never forget how!

 

[JeannaJigs]

Its like falling off a bycicle. Once you crash you never forget how!

haha indeed. Gotta re-stock my tackle bag with salmon gear, I suppose I could take a springer with a size #2 hook and an 8 pound leader, but I'd feel more confident with slightly larger gear. Lookin' forward to next week now

 

[Thuggin4Life]

haha indeed. Gotta re-stock my tackle bag with salmon gear, I suppose I could take a springer with a size #2 hook and an 8 pound leader, but I'd feel more confident with slightly larger gear. Lookin' forward to next week now

I caught this guy 2 years ago on the Mckenzie with a 7' uglystick 12lb mainline and 8lb leader. Drifting a glob of row, a pink and glitter corkie almost the size of a marble, with a 2' leader and a 2/0 hook. I was fishing for Stealhead and i thought I had a snag. 20lbs and a little dark but still tasty.