River, creek or stream fishing in Washington Co. area?

[jewestcoast@hotmail.com]

Hello all!!!

Can anyone help with any ideas in this area? I live in Aloha/Bvtn. area and am trying to stay within 30-40 miles of my house.

Only really looking for creeks or small rivers/streams....I like the feel of the water on my feet and the mobility of working the bank of a smaller, fast moving location.

Thanks in advance!

 

[chris61182]

Only six more days to go before they open. At which point the nearest ones I can think of are the Wilson river and Gales creek both easily reached via hwy6. And someone recently suggest on here fishing the creeks that feed into Hagg lake for trout as well, so that would be Scoggins, Tanner, and Sain creeks as your major options there.

And of course there are all the coastal rivers but those may fall outside of your 30-40 minute drive window depending on how you like to drive .

 

[Wilsonriverfisher]

Hi there!
You have numerous choices of places to go soon once trout season opens. My first choice for quality c&r trout that is close to you is going to be Gales creek with good access on hwy 6. Another good river for cutts to c&R is the upper yamhill river it has real good fishing in the deeper pools for cutthroats a little on the larger size like 16". Mill creek is good too for trout and i think you can keep 2 in there. The UPPER wilson can be a lot of fun to fish too and its also within the 40 mile range. The Mollala river can be fun for both c&r steelhead and trout. Also do not discount the upper TUALATIN around Lee falls and the town of cherry grove. There is a little bit of scoggins creek you can fish around hagg lake if you wade threw the creek good funky looking cutts in there.

 

[Silverblade]

Don't know if it's still any good or not but I used to fish for trout in Dairy creek up above Mountaindale - it's a bit west of North plains then north up mountiandale road. Rarely got anything very big, but they were a hoot on ultralight line. Of course back then you could use bait, I'd bet they'd grab a small roostertail or other spinner though.
Come to think of it I may try heading up there myself, living in Beaverton and working in Hillsboro it's a short drive from work. Hmmm :think:, I hadn't thought of that area for years - worth a try.

 

[chris61182]

Oh great! Now I've got more places I need to go fishing! Thanks Wilsonriverfisher and Silverblade !

Now a few questions for you, Wilsonriverfisher, where are those falls you posted the picture of? No amount of Googling seems to be working for finding them. And where's this Mill Creek you speak of (which I presume is also the one in Polk county from the regulations), as the only one I'm aware of in that general vicinity is in Marion county flowing through Salem.


And Silverblade, you say Dairy creek is more hospitable further upstream? I've only driven over it down on the valley floor where it looks like a creek that flows through a dairy farm. But all joking aside that's really close to Beaverton/Hillsboro!


Man! So many choices for this weekend, how can I pick just one or even two or three!

 

[Silverblade]

Oh great! Now I've got more places I need to go fishing! Thanks Wilsonriverfisher and Silverblade !

Now a few questions for you, Wilsonriverfisher, where are those falls you posted the picture of? No amount of Googling seems to be working for finding them. And where's this Mill Creek you speak of (which I presume is also the one in Polk county from the regulations), as the only one I'm aware of in that general vicinity is in Marion county flowing through Salem.


And Silverblade, you say Dairy creek is more hospitable further upstream? I've only driven over it down on the valley floor where it looks like a creek that flows through a dairy farm. But all joking aside that's really close to Beaverton/Hillsboro!


Man! So many choices for this weekend, how can I pick just one or even two or three!

Dairy creek like the Tualatin isn't a meandering slow moving stream the whole way! The main problem up further is that it's got a lot of private land around it, so you have to work to find a way to get to it - or find a nice land owner (and obviously pick up after yourself and close gates and what not).
Please be aware I have not fished up there for 20 years or more, I did my fishing after that on the other fork which heads up near hwy 26 north of Banks and then up hwy 47 near Buxton. Even that was a long time ago - I have since fished off and on in other places and had forgotten Dairy creek until asked in this thread! I have no guarantee there are any fish up there (in either place) any more.
I found Lee falls - south of Gaston. I googled it and it showed up on the NOAA stream flow site (I think) with a small map of where it's at. I tried to get to another falls on the Tualatin a year or so ago near cherry grove but found a gate across the road to it closed and no parking near the gate.

 

[chris61182]

Please be aware I have not fished up there for 20 years or more, I did my fishing after that on the other fork which heads up near hwy 26 north of Banks and then up hwy 47 near Buxton. Even that was a long time ago - I have since fished off and on in other places and had forgotten Dairy creek until asked in this thread! I have no guarantee there are any fish up there (in either place) any more.

Oh I know there's no guarantee, I'm more into trying it for the adventure and the chance that there might be fish. My fishing track record for the last year and a half has been so miserable that I would be happy to see a strike and thrilled to just land a fish or two.

I found Lee falls - south of Gaston. I googled it and it showed up on the NOAA stream flow site (I think) with a small map of where it's at. I tried to get to another falls on the Tualatin a year or so ago near cherry grove but found a gate across the road to it closed and no parking near the gate.

Yeah I've seen the maps they sell for Tillamook county, there are gates randomly spread out across that whole area making it real difficult to get very far back in there, and damn near impossible to make it to Barney reservoir unless you head in from the coast side.

Now speaking of Cherry Grove, does anyone know if there's a tackle shop in that town? Or Gaston for that matter?

 

[chris61182]

Oh and I answered my own question about Mill Creek, the Willamette Zone map in the regulations shows it as being a tributary of the South fork Yamhill. And best of all not only is there retention allowed but above Mill Cr Park it opened April 26th!

 

[Silverblade]

Oh I know there's no guarantee, I'm more into trying it for the adventure and the chance that there might be fish. My fishing track record for the last year and a half has been so miserable that I would be happy to see a strike and thrilled to just land a fish or two.





Yeah I've seen the maps they sell for Tillamook county, there are gates randomly spread out across that whole area making it real difficult to get very far back in there, and damn near impossible to make it to Barney reservoir unless you head in from the coast side.

Now speaking of Cherry Grove, does anyone know if there's a tackle shop in that town? Or Gaston for that matter?

There is a little store on the road to Hagg lake that sells munchies, worms (munchies for the fish I guess) and some tackle - you might try it out. It's further away than you mention, but in Forest Grove there is a Bimart, and if you have a $5 life time membership they have a very good supply of everything from reels to lures to bait. I once brought the bottom end of one fishing pole and the top of another out to Hagg with me (and they didn't fit gether of course ) and used that as an excuse to hit Bimart and buy a new fishing pole - got back to Hagg in less than an hour and was fishing away!

 

[jkeek9]

which mill creek are you guys talking about

i live in the salem keizer area and love to fish small rivers, creeks, and stream

do you know of any quality ones within an hour??

 

[chris61182]

which mill creek are you guys talking about

i live in the salem keizer area and love to fish small rivers, creeks, and stream

do you know of any quality ones within an hour??

From Salem you have tons and tons of options, all the tribs to the north santiam, the north santiam itself, the luckiamute, the yamhill, and probably lots of others I don't know about.

As far as Mill Creeks go, the one I think Wilsonriverfisher was talking about is a tributary to the south fork yamhill river, you can see it on the Willamette zone map in the regulations.

There's also a Mill Creek that runs right through the heart of Salem. It looks quite fishy up where it flows through the Cascade Gateway park, and some of those pools formed by those mini-dams in town look promising as well. At some point it looks like it splits where one half runs north and empties into the Willy a little ways north of the old railroad bridge, while the other half comes out at the southern most edge of the water front park. I've never fished it but it sure looks like it has some potential. Oh and apparently way back in the day they supposedly stocked salmon in there but because of in adequate spawning grounds they never took hold and they eventually stopped the stocking program.

 

[chris61182]

Oh and Silverblade, I was mostly interested in a tackle shop in Cherry grove or Gaston for the local knowledge more than anything not to mention trying to spend a little money in the small local towns.

 

[chris61182]

Well I tried to get to Lee Falls on the Tualatin yesterday, but was greeted by a gate just outside of Cherry Grove in the vicinity of where Nixon Dr turns off.

It looks like the Tualatin is far from a big river at this point and the fish would definitely be restricted to the deeper pools like those formed by the water falls. Now I just need to find a place to park the car (signs all over the road saying no parking) and ride my bike in.

I also tried making my way to Barney reservoir from Cherry Grove as well but the there's a gate on Roaring Creek Road in the town so that was quickly put to a stop.

In the end I went to Hagg lake and played with lamprey and caught some tiny perch.

 

[Wilsonriverfisher]

The mill creek I am talking about can be found by driving threw mcminnville out towards lincoln city and you will cross the river on that hwy i think its 8, but the hwy park spot kind of sucks its a little shallow there and there is a lot of traffic from that being the only sani-can for miles. You can also get there from hwy 22? the ones that runs from salem out to lincoln city. this is the better way? and following the signs to mill creek county park i think it says. There is a lot of good Hike Fishing to be had here, but the fishing does get loads better LATER in the year. There is some good fishing to be had right at the park or you can go a little farther down to the gate which is open on the weekdays. They close it weekends to prevent teenager parties but if you get past the gate you are going to be in pocket water heaven in some places with some very nice pools.

I found this description here on the internet "Any pleasant day would be a nice time to stop and picnic at one of the parks in our area. Mill Creek park is located two miles from highway 22 on, what else, Mill creek road. There are picnic tables and facilities. Lots of green grassy open space makes it a nice place to let the kids run off some of their extra energy. You should look for the Buell sign on highway 22. After crossing mill creek bridge take the first left. A mile past mill creek park is a smaller more secluded picnic area. This one is tucked under tall trees and is sheltered from the direct sun"



As far as cherry grove and the tualatin and lee falls you need to park around cherry grove someplace and walk into lee falls. There is like one place on the road to park without a sign that says no parking. The jist of it is you really should bike into the upper tualatin.


enjoy
-cheers

 

[chris61182]

Do you happen to have any hints on where might be a good place to park in Cherry Grove? I wasn't exactly looking for parking spots as I drove through the town the other day.

Crap, and to think I just got rid of my bike rack when I moved a couple of months ago!

 

[Wilsonriverfisher]

Just look around you will find a place I have seen peole parking on that road but I dont think I would do it.

Do you happen to have any hints on where might be a good place to park in Cherry Grove? I wasn't exactly looking for parking spots as I drove through the town the other day.

Crap, and to think I just got rid of my bike rack when I moved a couple of months ago!

 

[Silverblade]

Do you happen to have any hints on where might be a good place to park in Cherry Grove? I wasn't exactly looking for parking spots as I drove through the town the other day.

Crap, and to think I just got rid of my bike rack when I moved a couple of months ago!

I was up there last year looking for a place to park within reasonable walking distance that didn't appear to be covered by a no parking sign and didn't find any. That doesn't mean there were none so obviously do go check (and tell us if you find one! ). The only other option I can think of would be to ask one of the land owners nearby if you can park at the end of their driveway or something. Yes, bike would be great, don't know about the fishing but you'd probably have the whole area to yourself.

 

[beaverfan]

Anyone know how far of a hike in it is to Lee Falls from Cherry Grove? I'm thinking about going and checkin' it out.

 

[Fleadog]

Mill Creek

Mill Creek

I don't know which way anyone would be coming from but at Buell head SW into the hills, not north(shallow at the two parks). The road will end at a locked gate, but before you get there there will be some very nice holes with pretty good access. If you go on a nice day, go early as it is a local swimming hole. Also check my post on the South Fork Yamhill, if you have not seen it yet. Same area, not so easy access though.