Semi-success on the Willamette in Eugene

[TTFishon]

Mace and a machete and a fake guard dog it is. If I can get someone to go with me...it means someone's probably got gas...which means I'm not gonna mess with the city run.

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[Bfishin]

What seems to be happening is a different pattern of behavior. The park bench wino's who'd come spare changing. They'd give attitude while walking off when you'd tell him to get lost. If they had their wine already they would generally be friendly and want to tell tales of their life & travels. Then there were the ones who were wandering around talking to themselves. See the experiences in the last month or so. Now it is hardcore addicts who will do some crazy stuff to get their next dose along with the "typical" alcohol ravaged vagrant. I'll tell you for sure all of them except the babbling idiots carry some kind of blade. They get messed with a lot on the streets and other vagrants are always trying to steal their stuff. Now especially since the murder in Skinner's Butte even the guys who weren't carrying before are now.
I got in the habit of carrying a 12" Bowie knife when in the woods due to all the wild hogs where I lived fished etc in Florida. I still do. But problem is with using deadly force/weapon is that all it takes is someone to only witness half of the situation. Guy tries to take your tackle bag, you push him back. He goes beserk picks up a big rock & tries to bash you in the head. You block the blow, he drops the rock & you defending yourself from a potentially lethal attack pull out the knife and stab the offender. Just about then some (example) lady walking her dogs sees you step at & stab the nut while he is taking a step back yelling NO. Police arrive lady says she saw you stab the man for no reason. He was backing away. There is no visible weapon other than yours. That means you have a high probability of doing penitentiary time for a violent crime. If you get lucky the guy survives and tells the cops that he tried to bash your brains out. More likely he is going to say you attacked him cause he doesn't want to go to jail. So over the years I've had a few occassions where I was in imminent danger did have a knife up my sleeve ready to do what I had to do- rest areas, parks- but was fortunate enough that the "bad guys" seeing my posture and body language decided that I was better left off alone with out me having to display and use my weapon. So thinking about it I may just get some spray now. I wouldn't have to worry about getting hurt/killed trying to take on more than one at a time. I wouldn't have to worry about weapons charges. But if you see me out of town I'll still have the pig sticker on & in plain view. I like to think of it as Idiot Repellent.
Also oregon statute 166.260 2b allows the carrying of concealed firearms : Licensed hunters or fishermen while engaged in hunting or fishing, or while going to or returning from a hunting or fishing expedition.
https://www.oregonlaws.org/ors/166.260.html

Yellowjacket, you're definitely right and I agree with your philosophy.I see the random babblers all the time, occassionally see the ones who actually verbally assault you, but have never been physically confronted. Like you said, posture and self presentation is important. About the firearm deal...Under that statute are you still required to posess a concealed weapons permit?

 

[yellowjacket]

Exemptions

Exemptions

No need for permit. That is the whole purpose of subsection 260. The exemptions that allows concealed without being a permit holder. It still has the same requirements to do it as someone going for /holding a permit. Here is both subsection 250 & 260. 250 defines the illegal possession and 260 are the exemptions

https://www.oregonlaws.org/ors/166.250.html
https://www.oregonlaws.org/ors/166.260.html

I got to throw half my tacklebox at 2 fin clip steelies with no takers but did get a good number (C&R) of cutts & bows all wild in my favorite creek connected to the Willy. Just kills me when I can see 'em but they won't strike! :wall: How have the rest of you OFFers been doing on the Willy?

 

[JeannaJigs]

I know they're being caught. My neighbor showed me the 8 fish they brought home sunday (they were all massive for summer fish). They are thee most tight lipped people though about their methods to catch said fish.

 

[yellowjacket]

Hmmmmm

Hmmmmm

I know they're being caught. My neighbor showed me the 8 fish they brought home sunday (they were all massive for summer fish). They are thee most tight lipped people though about their methods to catch said fish.

Did they say if the Mac or The Willy? Fishhunter went to Leaburg early last week and knew of 2 only fish for the day, he brought home the skunk. I'm more an owl than a rooster, so including the tight on cash for gas, it's hard for me to get out & about in the dark to do the hatchery crowds and not pay for gas with some clipped fin steel.
Maybe I'm overly cynical but I always get a bit suspicious when folks won't say what & how, unless a guide competing for business, or cash tournament anglers. I can understand not letting out the guaranteed fish secret spot, but the method? :think:
I'll show the little pool I couldn't get them to strike. If I had I'd would have had to keep em swimming in a circle for 20 mins to tire them out!

 

[JeannaJigs]

Pretty sure it was the willy, this guy hates the mac, for unknown reasons...he's a bit odd...or well, a lot odd, which is why we generally don't swap fishing stories...that said, he does quite well with summer steelhead, and I can't figure it out lol. What creek is that? Little fall creek? I keep meaning to get up there, but it hasn't happened. Lack of gas funds kept me home lately, I was supposed to go to Odell with friends this weekend but the weather took a crap and so we stayed home and I spent the weekend tying up jigs, so, I'm thinking i'm going to head up the mac some day after work, I'm thinking of leaving early tomorrow around 4 and fishing until dusk. I refuse to fish by the hatchery though, as the retention of unclipped fish is allowed this season, and I just want to fish AWAY from people after my last trip. Thinkin' up above finn rock-ish. There's some productive waters up there.

 

[yellowjacket]

Yeah up LFC. Ran into a fellow angler who works at the Eugene Parks Dept. He used to do tree work but now is in an admin position. Just so happens he used to guide throughout this area but now I guess he's not interested due to the amt. of pressure so now he likes to hike LFC & fly fish on a 1wt rod. He also takes his boat to the N. Umpqua cause it is C&R only & he relates low pressure & 20 pounders. I rode back down with he and his wife while they walked & tried to pick up some info for the local area. One thing he says that is common on the Mac is that most everyone goes too large on the gear. Corkies etc. One of his spinners he'd build were 1/8 all black & he'd heat darken the blade. He also related that the blue river vicinity had good opportunity for bank & that generally few boats due to fast water & the fish stacking up below the dam. LFC has a number of good opportunities in the populated stretch but the majority is on Weyco behind the locked gate. The gate is the 12 mi mark on the weyco road. End of legal is 200' below the fish ladder @19 mi mark. It is about a mile before you will start to see good water & the creek is getting kind of low now. Dropped about 6" over the last week. There are some big open areas to jig, but many good spots are pretty tight & tossing a worm or pulling gear is a bit easier. Long pants & long sleeves - lotsa berries & some poison oak. Weekends is sunrise to sunset & weekdays after 4pm. Hike or bike only, if the gate is open don't drive in cause there are some loggers & you will get locked in when they come out. Vehicle access is only permitted during hunting season & then the gate is left open. Oct-Dec. Be a nice spot to let your dog run as long as it doesn't run off chasing things like deer elk or bobcat, bear & cougar too. So if you go figure to do some hiking or borrow the bike again.
I'm starting to see that the Mac is a weekday river, the coupla weekends I've gone up there is a lot of people. Even Goodpasture seems to have people camped in near all the big holes. I've only gone a short distance past the Weyco gate, the water was ripping fast & high & upper 40's so I couldn't get a good scout of "normal" conditions. I don't as a rule keep wild fish but I learned that there was no natural run of steelhead on the Mac so up there I wouldn't hesitate. I hear that Blue River vicinity has some nice Brook trout . I do like the pink meat so IF I could get some nice size like 14" I'd keep 2 for a dinner meal. Don't want to kill a limit of 5 just for 1 plate. But the gas thing is keeping me from going more than about 35 mi one way from here in the Greenhill area.
I tried the Willy on the south bank across from the last houses before the Pengra ramp. A nice run I was tossing gear & moving upstream. Water was real cold!!?? Some guys in a sled came ripping upstream slowed slightly then hammered the throttle through within 50' of where I was wading, nearly flooded my hip boots with the wake & I was only in knee deep. The ex-guide said yep thats why I don't even bother with that area, they just don't get it. I mentioned the west bank park area & the first thing he said was a lot of "campers" but good water. Said the campers are starting to fish now too. I think you found out how they get their gear!!

 

[mlw]

Mac is a weekday river, even this afternoon/evening there were lots of folks, (including me and a buddy). I gave up on flycasting with the in the face wind, and put a cheap spinning reel on my fly rod, with a spinner - drag was not working - took it apart, put together, seemed to work. First cast, steelhead. nice jump. drag not working. touched drag, birdsnest. play fish hand on line, get him 10 ft from the bank, last run - broke off. Reel is going in the trash, but at least it was fun for a few minutes.

Michael

 

[yellowjacket]

Gotta Love It

Gotta Love It

Mac is a weekday river, even this afternoon/evening there were lots of folks, (including me and a buddy). I gave up on flycasting with the in the face wind, and put a cheap spinning reel on my fly rod, with a spinner - drag was not working - took it apart, put together, seemed to work. First cast, steelhead. nice jump. drag not working. touched drag, birdsnest. play fish hand on line, get him 10 ft from the bank, last run - broke off. Reel is going in the trash, but at least it was fun for a few minutes.

Michael

Self-Releasing Steelhead. Mind revealing approximate area & type of spinner?
I like to think it is fish karkma, means you get to land the next 2.

 

[mlw]

It was below the dam, a chartreuse blue fox spinner.
Michael