Santiam bank access

K
Kodiak
I've been getting a lot of questions about access on the santiam and thought I would post access points here. the first access is on I-5 at the reststop. Below the rest stop is pretty much all private propery and is out of reach without a boat. There are a few good seams here with the majority of the fish being on the move, a decent plunking spot.

The bluffs- Head north on I-5 to exit 238. turn toward Jefferson, turn left on scravel hill road. As you come to the top of the hill there is a steep bank down to the river on the right. This is the bluffs. Most fish are taken here by plunking or the drift in the top of the hole.

Boat ramp- there is a boat ramp behind the grocery store as you cross the bridge. This is possbly one of the best winter steelhead holes on the face of the planet. The fish will be moving through 10 to 15 ft. of the bank during high water. In lower water you are going to get wet for fish. Head upstream to the concrete block and wade across to the center block in the river. This is a deep hole and holds springers and summers. You can bobber egg, jig (whatever) or throw spinners. Cast upstream and get them deep with a little weight. It is also a good smallmouth hole when the water warms up.

Northfork- Greens bridge Take Jefferson-Scio Rd toward Scio. The next hole is greens bridge. A long shallow flat that produces well along the west bank. Don't forget to check around the pillars of the bridge on the upstream side!

Stayton- There is access to the river here at the bridge at stayton. Park on the north side of the river and take the trail upstream. There are several good holes and seams worth working. Since 9-11 there is no foot traffic access to the diversion dam where fish linger and hold waiting to move upstream.

Mehama- The bridge at Mehama can be extreamly productive. There is a boatramp here and the access point where summer steelies get recycled (usually on a thursday starting in late may). On the far side is a slot against a limestone shelf all the way up to where the top of the hole.

John Neal Park- Head into lyons (just across the bridge) Jon Neal park Rd. will be on the right. Some really interesting water, lots of big boulders up near the head of the park.

North Santiam Atate park. North of Mehama On Highway 22. Some good productive water here (one hole here will remind you of the meat hole on Alsea)

Fishermans bend- This section produces a lot of summers and springers both.

Mill city bridge-- The railroad bridge marks the deadline due to prior generations unsportsman like conduct. River reopens above the falls. Hole directly under the bridge is productive plunking for springers, below in the tail out steelies will stack.

Minto/packsaddle-- above gates, well known and productive parks..packsaddle deadline is in the parking lot!
 
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J
Jig'n
Great information, this will be great for the people new to the area :clap:

Jig'n
 
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Troutski
Troutski
Kiss - n - tell...

Kiss - n - tell...

Wow...so very generous of you. I am sure you will get a few PM's over this.:clap: I thank you very much..:cool:

Chuck
 
J
Johnny Southpaw
Very much appreciated Kodiak! If you threw spinners exclusively, where on the N. Santiam (or S. Santiam???) would you go? -johnnysouthpaw
 
K
Kodiak
Part II South Fork

Part II South Fork

As there is not much access I will start at lebanon.

River park- a couple of obvious seams and holding water below the bridge.

Lebanon Dam-- Used to be a verry productive springer hole until the new fish ladder was installed. Can still be productive..more hit and miss than consistent now.

Waterloo--A large falls with a narrow neck, very productive deep hole. Above the falls is a boat ramp where Steelies get recycled. Good water!

Gaurd rail hole--Just before town of sweethome, end of the guardrail on the left hand side. Good deep run, better early in the season.

Wiley Creek- Wiley park is at the end of 53rd street in foster. Lots of productive water, jigs above the boatramp produce, as well as hardware. Better drifting water down below. WARNING: The "locals" here can be rather hmmm.. the word I'm looking for is "rough" but friendly. I highly suggest keeping a low profile if you are fishing down below or go accross the dam to the hatchery side of the river.
 
K
Kodiak
Spinners

Spinners

Johnny Southpaw said:
Very much appreciated Kodiak! If you threw spinners exclusively, where on the N. Santiam (or S. Santiam???) would you go? -johnnysouthpaw

I would work any of the water on the north fork for summers starting at Stayton bridge. I use #4's in brass for summer steelies, or even #3s. When the water is low and clear you can't go wrong with black! That goes for corkies and jigs as well.
 
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C
Commodore S
Waterloo--A large falls with a narrow neck, very productive deep hole. Above the falls is a boat ramp where Steelies get recycled. Good water!
C'mon kodiak, everyone knows waterloo is NOT a very good hole, please don't miss-lead the fine people of this forum. Sweet Home is a very good spot, and well the locals yes they can be VERY, friendly at times? Any how the north is a much better river, more fish, less people, no snags, free boat rides? free bait at selected stores up the canyon? So I would suggest anyone wanting to fish the santiam to go to the NORTH This post is not a lie, I live close to the south and always drive a half hour to the north. Thanks C.S.
 
M
Mike123
Commodore S said:
Waterloo--A large falls with a narrow neck, very productive deep hole. Above the falls is a boat ramp where Steelies get recycled. Good water!
C'mon kodiak, everyone knows waterloo is NOT a very good hole, please don't miss-lead the fine people of this forum. Sweet Home is a very good spot, and well the locals yes they can be VERY, friendly at times? Any how the north is a much better river, more fish, less people, no snags, free boat rides? free bait at selected stores up the canyon? So I would suggest anyone wanting to fish the santiam to go to the NORTH This post is not a lie, I live close to the south and always drive a half hour to the north. Thanks C.S.

Yea What Commodore said! :cool:
 
K
Kodiak
Commodore S said:
Waterloo--A large falls with a narrow neck, very productive deep hole. Above the falls is a boat ramp where Steelies get recycled. Good water!
C'mon kodiak, everyone knows waterloo is NOT a very good hole, please don't miss-lead the fine people of this forum. Sweet Home is a very good spot, and well the locals yes they can be VERY, friendly at times? Any how the north is a much better river, more fish, less people, no snags, free boat rides? free bait at selected stores up the canyon? So I would suggest anyone wanting to fish the santiam to go to the NORTH This post is not a lie, I live close to the south and always drive a half hour to the north. Thanks C.S.

Terrible hole, would never fish it.......Won't be takin' my son there this spring to watch him hookup his first limit. They also OFFer free beer up the north fork canyon. All jokes aside the North Fork has WAY more access and fewer people.
 
S
santiamsailor
Well I live on the N. Santiam river here in mill city and got my tag limit last year on steelies at kimmel park. Never offered any FREE beer or bait though. LOL i need to find out where thats going on.
 
C
Commodore S
Kodiak said:
Terrible hole, would never fish it.......Won't be takin' my son there this spring to watch him hookup his first limit. They also OFFer free beer up the north fork canyon. All jokes aside the North Fork has WAY more access and fewer people.

Free? Beer? On the north? I;ll never even look at the south agian:think:
 
K
Kodiak
santiamsailor said:
Well I live on the N. Santiam river here in mill city and got my tag limit last year on steelies at kimmel park. Never offered any FREE beer or bait though. LOL i need to find out where thats going on.

I think it depends on how fast you can run!!! The gals at santiam sports are pretty fast but they are beatable!!:shock:
 
S
santiamsailor
Yeah they are a little wirery. Dont think I want to push my luck there. I was down under the bridge last night till about 7:30 usin my # 4 meps and caught an 18 inch native rainbow. I threw him back, when I was leaving I saw a god dang beaver or something, I couldnt see its tail, swimming in the little shallow area by the canoe ramp. That can't be good.:think:
 
K
Kodiak
Naw...

Naw...

That lil' fellers down there all the time. He won't spook fish. I think I will grab the boy and head down there this evening. See if he can't hookup his first winter. That would be a kick!
 
S
santiamsailor
nice I was getting ready to go down there myself. Thats good to know I fished it a lot last year and never seen the little marmot.:lol:
 
K
Kodiak
Had to bounce

Had to bounce

Hit it for a few with my cub. He was starting to get into some clipped smolts so bounced out of there. But I can smell it comin soon...here fishy, fishy!
 
S
santiamsailor
I think I saw the Two of you there on the rock. I was on the Island driften for a bit, not even a bite.
 
K
Kodiak
saw ya

saw ya

Me and the cub...trying to stay away from the smolt action. Where you were is where I've hit winters this year and summers...a lot of summers. I was drifting jigs in there and a little closer..just where the dropoff is in the choppy water 20-30 ft out is all.
 
M
Mike123
Kodiak said:
Me and the cub...trying to stay away from the smolt action. Where you were is where I've hit winters this year and summers...a lot of summers. I was drifting jigs in there and a little closer..just where the dropoff is in the choppy water 20-30 ft out is all.

I plunked it the other day on the south and had to change up from eggs to a plug... The second my eggs would hit the water a nice cutthroat would hit it!
Also caught a native smolt... They were released in good shape. It's a good idea to not use bait when the smolt are in thick.. Man last year i seen this guy who thought smolt were smelt!! :confused: He was tossing a spinner and everytime he'd get one he'd get pi**ed and would kill them!!! So I had to have a few words with him and educate him about what kind of fish he just had killed. There are some real different breeds of fisherman up by the dam.. haha.
 
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C
capblack
steelies in gates??

steelies in gates??

is there any good spots to fish around the bridge in gates?? also when I was young my dad and I used to fish up high where there was a trolly car and cable over the river. is that still there and where?? above minto??
 

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