Rock Creek - Nehalem River

[Spydeyrch]

Hey, quick question for any OFFers out there. So I am thinking about hitting Rock Creek in the near future. It is the Rock Creek that drains in to the Nehalem River in Vernonia. I was just wondering, Has anyone ever hit that river before? Any luck? Any pointers suggestions? Willing to share any good holes? I will be going trout fishing. I know that I need to wait until trout season opens, but that is ok. No harm in getting ready now, right!!!

Thanks in advance.

-Spydey

 

[Ifishforfood]

dude, strap yourself in for in imho one of if not the best native cut/ rainbow creeks in oregon! a lot of my fam lives in vernonia, so when i have the chance i fish there. one time i was at the cree, on a golf course at my cousins wedding, and decided to walk down to the creek. i found a pool that had fish swirling, so i decided to mess with them. i had no rod,so i just threw caddis fly larvae to them. there were literally dozens of trout swirling and frothing at my feet ! another time that i actually had a rod, i fished this pool and c&r'd around 30 trout. yeah, thats definitely a good spot. although, due to the '96 flood, there is a strict catch and release policy to help recover the already recovered fishery! also, ive never fished the creek in winter, only the summer, so i dont know how good it will be. also, use natural bait for those fish, like worms, crawdad tails or caddis fly larvae. good luck!!

 

[Spydeyrch]

hey thanks Ifishforfood. I appreciate the tips and willingness to share some good info. I am looking forward to hitting it soon!!! When one starts to dream about it, you know they need some serious therapy!!! And the only kind that works is getting out there and hitting the water!! hahahaha. Thanks again.

-Spydey

 

[metalfisher76]

I`ve fished a private stretch of that thar crick. It doe`s have some nice cutties. We were throwin #1&2 spinners with a single siwash. Got quite a few in an hours time. The drankin quickly took over as it was after workin all day on a house I framed up`er in Vernonia. Cooool lil` crick!

It was late spring....I believe

 

[halibuthitman]

Rock creek is artificial flies and lures only may through september.

 

[Born2Fish55]

Better late than never response!!

Better late than never response!!

After the fact on this reply... but having grown up in 'Ver-no-where' I can tell you that both Rock Creek and the Nehalem River are very productive waters for Trout.

If you are on Rock Creek prior to the Dam going up, walk up the stream from the swimming pool access at Hawkins Park and fish all of the cover you see from the spillway up to the Water Plant.

Fish the water with little or no weight with light lines. I personally fish mainly flies now, but a free drifted Nightcrawler threaded on a #6 or #8 bait holder hook on a 2 to 4 pound test line. If fly fishing, try drifting some weighted nymphs into the submerged structure. You will pick up dozens of small Cutthroat and Rainbow Trout and from time to time, a really decent 'screamer' Cutthroat or 'hold over' Steelhead.

For some easy fun for the kids, toss a Colorado or Indiana Spinner with a Nightcrawler trailing it into the swimming pool 'drop' and the one down at the Nehalem/Rock Creek merge... that little 'drop' there holds dozens of fish. There are also quite a few 'slots' in the mainstream Nehalem above and below the park that this tactic works in as well. Drop your spinner in, feed out the line then slow retrieve.
:dance:
If you have a float tube, float from Anderson down to just below the Green bridge, makes for a great day drift with lots of fish... try the mouths of the feeder creeks and the pump behind Lake Vernonia.

Read the 2012 ODFW Regs really closely as they change things and 'hide' some of those changes in their classic double-talk translation that they talk in... so again, read the whole book!!!
:think:
Good luck and have fun!!!!