Salmon near eugene

F
fishing family
Can anyone help with some spots near Eugene to bank fish for Salmon this time of year. I am familiar with below dexter and lake creek but, have never caught any salmon. It would really help to know where and when. Appreciate any help from the pros.

Thank's
Fishing Family
 
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K
Kodiak
Nadda

Nadda

If you are looking for salmon in the willamete this time of year you are in for a loooonnnnng wait. I have heard of a rumors of coho going up the Mckinzie but that was years ago and there are less than maybe 100 fish a year that still do. Your best chances now are costal rivers and below willamete falls. The clackamas and sandy along with the Salmon are your best bets for Coho.

The Alsea is a bit of a drive but its not at all that far. The Rouge and umpqua are infamous for thier fish but still a bit of a drive.
Good Luck
 
B
Boywhofishes
nice to see someone from Eugene, welcome... yeah they rarely travel up the mckenzie... and few head up the willy...;)
 
Troutski
Troutski
Middle fork of the willy...

Middle fork of the willy...

As far as Salmon fishing goes in our area, they are called boots for a reason. We do get a couple of runs of Chinook each year due to the hatchery's on both the McKenzie and Middle Fork of the Willy but by the time they get up this far they aren't very good for eating or even smoking...they can still put up a nice fight but I don't like messing with them when they are that close to spawning. It is just my opinion; every angler has the right to target them and do with them as they please. I have caught the accidental Salmon on occasion but I do not target them. If your willing to make the effort I would recommend the Jasper bridge area, just up stream from the bridge on the south side of the river. Or the town area around the Alton Baker park area these two areas area very accessible to the bank angler and do produce a nice number each season. Drifting eggs or spinners seem to be the normal tackle in use, you might even try just below the dams at Leaburg and Dexter; although they do get a ton of pressure. The term "Combat Fishing" comes to mind...especially at Dexter, kind of like placing your quarter on a pool table waiting for your chance to cast. It is worth a drive to the hatchery just to see them swiping up the fish ladders. Now in late January or even February the Steelies will be in and then you can have some real fun...I can lead you to some great bank areas if you like.

Chuck
 
C
Cascade
So I was curious, do you mean there are some steelhead spots here on the Willamette or Mckenzie this time of year? or are you referring to other local rivers. I live right near Willamette and would love to catch some fish here, any chance you would like to show me around a few spots to bank? I still haven't caught a steelhead this year and feeling discouraged.

also I would like to know when to expect and start trying for the springers on the Willamette. when I was a kid we would watch the guys shoulder to shoulder at Dexter dam. March? April or later? thanks for the feedback
 
Y
yellowjacket
Hi Chuck, You answered a couple questions I had regarding the condition of the fish this far upriver and the elbow to elbow combat fishing close to the tubes. Any suggestions where to target Salmon in top table fare condition not too far from our neck of the woods and as always where the pressure isn't take a number & wait to cast?!
Tight lines & warm toes to yuh!
 
Troutski
Troutski
Fish galore...

Fish galore...

Cascade said:
So I was curious, do you mean there are some steelhead spots here on the Willamette or Mckenzie this time of year? or are you referring to other local rivers. I live right near Willamette and would love to catch some fish here, any chance you would like to show me around a few spots to bank? I still haven't caught a steelhead this year and feeling discouraged.

also I would like to know when to expect and start trying for the springers on the Willamette. when I was a kid we would watch the guys shoulder to shoulder at Dexter dam. March? April or later? thanks for the feedback

There are Steelhead in the Middle Fork of the Willamette almost all year long, the runs seem to have blended into one long run. We have within our area quite a few places to find the wily Iron Heads, as far as the Salmon go when they get up this far they are pretty much done with life and are into finding a mate and doing there thing. If you are into the fight and planning on releasing them try above Clearwater boat ramp and at the large hole up stream from Elijah Bristo park its a nice hike on a very nice trail. One more place is just below the EWEB power house on the McKenzie; it can be very good in the early Spring.

Chuck
 
Troutski
Troutski
yellowjacket said:
Hi Chuck, You answered a couple questions I had regarding the condition of the fish this far upriver and the elbow to elbow combat fishing close to the tubes. Any suggestions where to target Salmon in top table fare condition not too far from our neck of the woods and as always where the pressure isn't take a number & wait to cast?!
Tight lines & warm toes to yuh!

Tough order to fill, by the time these fish get this far up river they are all but spent, not that one can't catch one; but they are almost destine for the smoker.

Chuck

 
D
Dichrofisher
If you don't mind a short drive west than the Siuslaw and its forks/tributaries have some very fresh fish in them. It can be very worth the short jaunt. It's about 40 minutes away in descent traffic.
From Eugene that is.
 
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O
Outdrsmn
I doubt you will be able to fish for salmon this year on the willamette or mckenzie. For the mckenzie go to green leaf boat ramp and walk up river a bit and fish off of the bed rock there. that is one of the best banks holes for salmon. I don't agree with the salmon not being good table fare out of the mckenzie. I have eaten fish i have caught out of there and i see no problem with them at all. As far as lake creek is concerned it only have a fall run of chinook. Which was also closed this year for salmon. You can catch steelhead all year in the willy and mckenzie but it will get real good in mid spring all the way to october.
 
J
JeannaJigs
Beautiful thing about the Eugene area is there is good steelhead fishing nearly all year. I used to try for salmon up the McKenzie at the Greenwood area and below leaburg, I also fished the Willamette below Dexter, but that place is nuts, and most of the guys up there aren't too friendly, I've been cussed out numerous times for being in some guys "spot", and then again just for not being a member of the male populous, with a reference that i didn't belong on the river, but instead in a kitchen. Needless to say, I gave up on that fishery. Besides, the salmon are few and far between. I know guys that catch salmon on both rivers, but they're hideous fish by the time they get this far upstream, don't know about you but I'm not down for eating dark fish, not even in the smoker, and I really think that they need to just be left alone to try and preserve what is left of that fishery.

Steelhead are another story completely, you can pull them out of the rivers here year round basically. Whether it be the Willamette/McKenzie (picks up in may-November) or the Siuslaw/lake creek (december to end of march) systems.

Also if you want to take a jaunt towards florence, just south of there is Siltcoos and Tahkenitch lakes, and they have semi healthy populations of wild coho from october-december, you can take 5 wild coho a year. If you don't have a boat though, you're restricted to the siltcoos river to the 101 bridge, however every fish that comes into that lake has to pass you, and I think the odds of hooking up are higher :)
 
M
mikeredding
But the McKenzie isn't the place to go for winter steelies. There is only a summer run.
 
J
JeannaJigs
mikeredding said:
But the McKenzie isn't the place to go for winter steelies. There is only a summer run.
Indeed, but I've caught summer runners up there in November and December, and then it's time to migrate to the Siuslaw system. :) Which is where I find myself these days.
 
K
Kodiak
no way!

no way!

mikeredding said:
But the McKenzie isn't the place to go for winter steelies. There is only a summer run.

According to ODFW other than the north fork of the santiam the mckenzie is the only other willy trib with a sustainable number of winters. That number should be around 150 fish or so this year.:rolleyes: Of thaey consider that sustainable. Should be some summers starting to show up in the next few weeks.
 
M
mikeredding
Kodiak said:
According to ODFW other than the north fork of the santiam the mckenzie is the only other willy trib with a sustainable number of winters. That number should be around 150 fish or so this year.:rolleyes: Of thaey consider that sustainable. Should be some summers starting to show up in the next few weeks.

I guess I stand corrected! :think: Not really a run at all.
 
K
Kodiak
wouldn't recomend it.

wouldn't recomend it.

I wouldn't sendy anyone to the MCk. for steelies this time of year. I live on the santiams and wouldn't send anyone there for winter metal either.
 
M
mikeredding
Kodiak said:
I wouldn't sendy anyone to the MCk. for steelies this time of year. I live on the santiams and wouldn't send anyone there for winter metal either.

That's exactly what I was saying. But hit in the Summer and hold on to your rod!!!!:shock:
 
S
SDK
For you Eugene/Springfield Salmon fans who don't mind getting up early ;)

I fished for Springers up on the Nestucca last spring when I was living in Salem, and found a decent hole or two for bank fishing. I am planning on heading back up there at least two or three times when they start running again.

I have a big enough truck to take a passenger or two with thier gear. Maybe I can start a thread about it when the dates get closer. I'm leaning towards taking a weekday off, and have no problem making it a group trip and sharing my spots....

Scott
 
M
Mike123
Kodiak said:
According to ODFW other than the north fork of the santiam the mckenzie is the only other willy trib with a sustainable number of winters. That number should be around 150 fish or so this year.:rolleyes: Of thaey consider that sustainable. Should be some summers starting to show up in the next few weeks.

Im not sure how entirely correct they are about this.
I've seen hundreds of native winters in Wiley Creek in Feb. - Mar. and have caught quite a few "non clipped" fish whether they are true natives or not.(not sure if they came from hatchery fish spawning in the wild or from true native genes?)
But im guessing the ones in Wiley must be natives? :think:
 

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