Springers run on the Willamette

[Reel_Deal]

Can someone tell me when the springer run starts on the Willamette and where is a good spot on the river to try from the banks? not familiar with the river yet so any help will be appreciated.


Thanks

 

[eugene1]

If you fish above the falls you can check here: http://www.dfw.state.or.us/fish/fish_counts/willamette falls.asp

The fish get kegged up below the falls before they move upriver.

Any part of the river you are thinking about fishing?

 

[Reel_Deal]

Any part of the river you are thinking about fishing?[/QUOTE]

Not sure Ive NEVER fished it i don't even know where the falls are
so if you could help me out i would appreciate it,i was going to head up to Champoeg State Heritage Area (Donald,OR) to camp out and fish at the end of March

 

[DrTheopolis]

There's already a handful of fish in the Lower Willy. Theoretically, the numbers should continue to increase through April-May. The most popular bank spot is at Meldrum Bar or Dahl Park (which is pretty much the bank immediately below Meldrum, aka The Bulkhead), which are directly above the mouth of the Clackamas in Gladstone, right OFF 99E/McLoughlin. Kind of a good ol' boys plunking fishery, not a lot of hookups-per-hour, but fish get caught. If the water is low, you can drive right onto the bar (bank), it's a big gravel bar -- and if the river isn't very low and the tide comes up, your vehicle washes away, hopefully not with you sleeping in it -- and just because someone else drove out there, it doesn't mean it's safe -- seen plenty of tow trucks heading out there after the tide drops again, and a couple of people have spent their final hours there in recent years.

I don't know much about it, but I believe people go and toss big hardware off the newish public dock in West Linn(which is OFF I-205). Other than that, I don't know any bank spots on the Willy for springers, but I'm sure they exist. I believe it's easier to get at them from the bank on the Columbia, but that makes for a longer drive for you. At some point, usually around mid-May (subject to much variation, mostly in water temps), fish will start running up the Clack, which provides MUCH better bank fishing opportunity, or you can hit it with a toon if you're feeling particularly frisky. I much prefer going after them in the tribs. The Lower Willy is overwhelmingly a boat show, and there's never a shortage of those, mostly in the Oregon City area (OC, Gladstone, West Linn).

 

[DrTheopolis]

Not sure Ive NEVER fished it i don't even know where the falls are
so if you could help me out i would appreciate it,i was going to head up to Champoeg State Heritage Area (Donald,OR) to camp out and fish at the end of March

I've never fished at Champoeg itself, but there probably won't be many springers up that way in March. They generally keg up below the Falls until the run really gets going. Watch the fish counts.

The Falls are between Oregon City (south end, towards Canby) on the east, and West Linn on the west side. Not too far above where I-205 crosses the Willy (about 8 miles from I-5), and not too far above the confluence with the Clackamas.

Unfortunately, I can't think of anywhere all that cool to camp anywhere in the area. Clackamette Park (right at the Clack confluence) has RV camping, no tents. I don't think there's camping at Dahl. I know further downstream, there's no camping anywhere in Portland (without a boat, anyway) or Lake O or any other burb. Only good camping option I can think of is several miles up the Clack.

 

[eugene1]

Good info, Dr.

Not too much decent bank fishing for springers upstream of the falls. The McKenzie would be a good option later in the year though.

Good luck,

 

[bran_man]

Classic big game angler question! Hahaha in the prime of our current winter steel run and already going after the next run!haha and we have all done it. There actually have already been a couple springers caught though here and there but its def way early still. End of may and June is prime time for springers in McKenzie.that's probably the closest to you.they're not chrome (they have to travel like 120 river miles from the falls) but they're still good eaters if you can get into them early in the season. Even July you can find good keepers I would go after those McKenzie bronzers if I were you... Or the umpqua is also a great fishery for those fishies

 

[DrTheopolis]

There actually have already been a couple springers caught though here and there but its def way early still.

Counts at the Falls (if they're to be believed) are sitting at zero adults, zero jacks.

Only a tiny handful of anecdotal reports of any caught in Portland/OC so far. And since it's just below the banks and chocolate, that won't change for a couple of weeks.

 

[Reel_Deal]

Thanks All for the info,i will see what happens

 

[DrTheopolis]

In short, what I was poorly attempting to say, is that for the next couple of months, the action is in the Oregon City area. Upstream action starts after that (although I've never targeted a springer above the Falls).

And while there's no camping around the Willy in OC, there's plenty of fleabag motels... plenty. Might even find a date in the parking lot.

 

[bran_man]

Counts at the Falls (if they're to be believed) are sitting at zero adults, zero jacks.

Only a tiny handful of anecdotal reports of any caught in Portland/OC so far. And since it's just below the banks and chocolate, that won't change for a couple of weeks.

Sorry, wasn't very detailed in my post I wasn't just talking willy at the falls area I was just talking about springers being caught in general in all rivers. And don't read the falls counts as 100% accurate!!! lol

 

[markasd]

The fish are only going through the ladders in OC.. not sure why they wouldn't try to be as accurate as possible when counting?

 

[DrTheopolis]

I believe they still use some pretty archaic counting methods at the Falls, and they've been known to get a week or more behind. It's not like Bonneville where they have state of the art counting stuff.

And I'm not convinced that a few fish might not take the left side up if the water is very high. They kinda did it for a few buhzillion years before the ladders were built.

So, I short GoBlue -- it's a little early yet, and the ability to scratch your itch seems to be in proportion to how far you're willing to drive. Going to be 2-3 months before they'll be anywhere near you in any sort of numbers. Heck, I'm not far from the Willy, and they're not near me in any sort of numbers yet. But the Clack is only about an hour from Keizer, and by May or June will offer better bank opportunity than anything near you. I've never fished the Umpqua (shame on me, used to do a bunch of work in Roseburg), but heard great things about the springers there. Can't help you with bank access (plenty of people here can), and it's a bit of a drive.

But for "red hot action"(really no such thing for springers, but we can dream), get below the Falls.

 

[OnTheDrop]

The fish are only going through the ladders in OC.. not sure why they wouldn't try to be as accurate as possible when counting?

Uhhh. Yeah, they are pretty accurate! I've toured it a few times and it's a job I would love to have. I didn't want to leave the big glass window...

 

[Modest_Man]

Willamette and Bonneville use the same method. It would be a really boring job right now, the counts are horrible.

I highly doubt fish are going up anywhere but the fish ladder since the falls have been modified from their original form.

 

[DrTheopolis]

Fair enough. Having boated right up to the base in very low water, the left (going upstream) side doesn't seem like that big of a hurdle for them in very high water, but I'm no fish biologist.

 

[mikeee2362]

I've never fished at Champoeg itself, but there probably won't be many springers up that way in March. They generally keg up below the Falls until the run really gets going. Watch the fish counts.

Hey Doc, where does one watch for the fish counts...is there a link you could share?

 

[mikeee2362]

If you fish above the falls you can check here: http://www.dfw.state.or.us/fish/fish_counts/willamette falls.asp

The fish get kegged up below the falls before they move upriver.

Any part of the river you are thinking about fishing?

Ooops I guess I shoulda read Eugene's post better....