Rest stop on the way up to Salem from Albany...

[USCGAUXHinkle]

i live in albany and i work in salem. every day i pass the rest area, and on the side where the traffic is travelling south there's this hole that looks PERFECT. i'm PRETTY sure is the n. fork santiam. i know it's the santiam anyhow. has anyone had any experience in this location?

 

[lilsalmon]

I believe that is the mainstem....i fish there all the time...I love it. I know steel have been caught there but I have only got lucky with the trout.

 

[Raincatcher]

Yep,one of my favorite spots to start from. You can also go to the boat ramp and hike downstream about...hmmm...200 yards and there are some nice areas. Some people even go on the rocks on the northbound side...State troopers patrol that area quite often,so make sure all your paperwork is in order.

 

[autofisher]

X3 on the spot. There's a lot of different fish that run through there. Salmon, trout, steelhead, smallmouth, carp, and I'm sure there's more. It can be a very productive spot right under the freeway overpass with the right water conditions. The boat ramp is great when the water's a little higher. You can hike down a ways and find some good water for a lot of different kinds of fishing.

 

[bigfootfish]

I-5 Rest Area

I-5 Rest Area

That is the mainstem Santiam, and it's just a few miles downstream from Jefferson, which has a boat ramp also. Lots of anglers put in at either ramp and float downstream to the confluence of the Willamette. After reaching the Willamette it's a few more miles downstream to the Buena Vista Ferry which has a boat ramp on either side of the Willamette. Good bass fishing along the way too.

BFF