Sandy River Advice?

[oosmoore]

I am new to Oregon and have just started Steelhead fishing. Still working on getting my first fish. I am in Southern Oregon and am going to be making a treck up to try bank fishing on Sandy River. I was wondering if there was any tips that you could give me for either fly fishing or bait fishing here, I have both poles but am really a beginer at both. I have never been to the river as well, just have read great things about it so far. Any Advice would be greatly appreciated, I will be heading up there on 2/3/09. Thank you.

 

[boberdown]

hire a guide for around 150 it will be quality money spent and let them show you how to do what you want to do, plus its guaranteed that you won't leave empty handed

 

[FishSchooler]

hire a guide for around 150 it will be quality money spent and let them show you how to do what you want to do, plus its guaranteed that you won't leave empty handed

Woah woah woah, hold your horses. Not all guides are experienced as each other. By what your saying, I could just start a guiding service and sell trips for 100 bucks each. If you get a guide, get a GOOD one. And its not guaranteed. Fishing is never guaranteed. Look at the beginning of the fall nook season for an example. 10000+ nooks that day and only a few were being caught. How many guides didn't catch any?

Make sure to get a good one!
Or you can get a guide like AA who's price is share that catch/fun.

Welcome to OFF oosmoore!

 

[FishFinger]

Welcome to the forums. The Sandy is a great river with it's own quirks. Do you have an idea of the section of the river you'd like to fish? If you needing direction I'm sure sure suggestions will begin flowing shortly.

Hiring a guide isn't a bad idea,it will take a lot of the confusion out of the deal by having "help" with the correct gear and hitting stretches of the river they know produce. Getting a ride along with an experienced skipper will put you on the fast track of knowledge gained.

 

[Irishrover]

I am new to Oregon and have just started Steelhead fishing. Still working on getting my first fish. I am in Southern Oregon and am going to be making a treck up to try bank fishing on Sandy River. I was wondering if there was any tips that you could give me for either fly fishing or bait fishing here, I have both poles but am really a beginer at both. I have never been to the river as well, just have read great things about it so far. Any Advice would be greatly appreciated, I will be heading up there on 2/3/09. Thank you.

I spent four hours today swining a fly at Dodge Park. No action and I'm still trying to get my feet warmed up. The water right now is COLD and you need to get what ever you are fishing with infront of those fish. Truthfuly if you are new to steelhead and have not fished the Sandy you might want to consider a guide. If you want to come up and try it out just to check it out and see how things go I would recommend Oxbow Park. Lots of bank access.

I agree with Bobberdown and Fishfinger............."Hiring a guide isn't a bad idea,it will take a lot of the confusion out of the deal by having "help" with the correct gear and hitting stretches of the river they know produce. Getting a ride along with an experienced skipper will put you on the fast track of knowledge gained."(Fishfinger)............

Good luck. welcome to the forum.

 

[ArcticAmoeba]

I'm no guide FS, just a simple angler...I don't want some lurker reading that and thinking they want to get the law after me! I don't need any headaches like that.

But hiring a guide can be a really good learning experience, if you end up with a good one. Just make sure you ask "why." Why this, and why that, ask "why" about rods, reels, mainlines, leaders, plugs, whatever. Gain as much information as you can without asking how. Unless it is a "how" to use it type of question. Not how to catch fish. It is vastly different for everyone. And yes, a guide will backtroll, or side drift you through traditionally productive streches. When you go out again, look for similar water. Simple as that. Sorta...

 

[FishSchooler]

I'm no guide FS, just a simple angler...I don't want some lurker reading that and thinking they want to get the law after me! I don't need any headaches like that.

But hiring a guide can be a really good learning experience, if you end up with a good one. Just make sure you ask "why." Why this, and why that, ask "why" about rods, reels, mainlines, leaders, plugs, whatever. Gain as much information as you can without asking how. Unless it is a "how" to use it type of question. Not how to catch fish. It is vastly different for everyone. And yes, a guide will backtroll, or side drift you through traditionally productive streches. When you go out again, look for similar water. Simple as that. Sorta...

You are close enough to a guide to me! If not better, cause almost all the guides I have seen/heard try to sell you everything... "how about a trip on that day, or want to book two trips? Get blah blah off" you get it... But I havent seen that many...

 

[luv2fish]

oosmoore..hands on training is the best.....i'm not tryin to kick somebody's bread and butter ( hiring a guide )...but you learn best when you do it yourself..right or wrong is a different thing... atleast you know what you did wrong if you do anything wrong....besides that your on the best fishing forum i've ever come across....there are some really sharp tools in the shed here....Arctic amoeba is one of 'em..start bothering him and he might spill some secrets to you...it took me quite long time to get my first fish but now i'm gettin them every now and then...
i've learned a lot here and i apply it and if something doesn't work i come here and let my doubts out.
Hire a guide if you want to but you gonna learn when you do it yourself...

just my 2 cents...

 

[oosmoore]

Thanks for the advise. I can't get a guide, I think my wife would kill me when she saw that. Thanks for the help from you all though, I appreciate it.

 

[meluvtrout]

If you're going to be bank fishing Sandy, I'd recommend going to Jack's Tackle (a.k.a RandB Lures) and find Rob. He's a really nice guy that can point you in the right direction as per how you should rig up, what you need to use for bait etc etc...

His store is right on the river, at the parking lot of Lewis and Clark Park and phone # is 503-665-2257.

Clackamas County offers a steelhead class on the river taught by a local gentleman. Costs $40/day. Let me know if you want his phone number.

If you're fishing over the weekend, follow the forum, post where you'd like to go and your contact information, I'm sure somebody will be more than happy to join you...

Good luck and be safe on the water...

 

[oosmoore]

If you get me that number that would be awesome, I could probably get away with spending that. Thanks for the info again.

 

[meluvtrout]

His name is John Vinyard 503-632-7306. Tell him Ali gave you his number and he'll hook you up... He's home right now...

 

[FishFinger]

Ali, outstanding suggestion. John would be a great asset. Good call!