Stubborn friend wants to see about salmon above the falls!

[chrisohm]

I know, it sounds crazy! I am no expert on Salem area salmon/steelhead fishing...even then I am still no expert. My stubborn friend doesn't want to take his larger boat out on the Lower Willamette where there are more fish. He wants to check out the areas around Salem that could be productive since that is where he lives and all his "toys" eat gas like a fat kid in a cake shop. I don't want secret holes, just target areas that we could adventure around in and maybe we will get lucky. Please any and all help is greatly appreciated and I will post up whatever comes our way. PM's would be great and kept secret.

Also, if anyone has an extra seat sometime next week I can do bait, beer, gas, food or whatever...preferably below the falls...time to seek out new fishing buddies!!

 

[C_Run]

I don't have any specific knowledge but, since tens of thousands of fish ought to be passing by Salem in the next few months, he might do well to hang out at the boat ramps and see what others are up to. (I do that.) There are already people targeting steelhead in the Willamette up here where I live. I know of some plunking spots although I don't do it much. Your friend may just have to go out and scout and experiment.

 

[eugene1]

Don't want to be a downer, but feeding fish are lots better biters than migrating in-river fish. I'd make the commute to OC or Sellwood...

If you want to try above the falls, get into a deep slot where the fish come through. Anchor up and put out sardine wrapped kwiks. It'll catch the eye of maybe 1% of the fish coming through and maybe trigger a bite from 1% of those 1%. This has worked upriver in EUG/Springfield anyway when the number of springers around are in the 1000's: so watch the numbers coming over the falls.

K14 or K15 Silver chartreuse or double trouble. Leave the stock hooks on if it's still legal where you fish.

Take care and good luck,

 

[chrisohm]

I'm guessing you live closer to Eugene...? A friend of our knows of another location that gets hot once the counts get closer to 600 a day. I know of some travel lanes near Canby just from my own fishing adventures and I have marked a few spots from online overhead maps where the river narrows. I'm sure the mouth of the Yamhill/Molalla or other tribs are always a good bet a times. There are a few other areas between Canby and Salem that people plunk at so obviously those are travel lanes for some fish. We have all the necessary tools just not hundreds of hours available to fish new to us territory.

 

[chrisohm]

Don't want to be a downer, but feeding fish are lots better biters than migrating in-river fish. I'd make the commute to OC or Sellwood...

If you want to try above the falls, get into a deep slot where the fish come through. Anchor up and put out sardine wrapped kwiks. It'll catch the eye of maybe 1% of the fish coming through and maybe trigger a bite from 1% of those 1%. This has worked upriver in EUG/Springfield anyway when the number of springers around are in the 1000's: so watch the numbers coming over the falls.

K14 or K15 Silver chartreuse or double trouble. Leave the stock hooks on if it's still legal where you fish.

Take care and good luck,

We have plugs and kwiks and more than we need for some serious scout-fishing. I already told him many times....go lower, go below the falls. He would rather take a quarter to Vegas hoping for a million....

 

[Raincatcher]

A few years ago Autofisher and I fished the Santiam at the rest area south of Salem with fair to middling success. There were tons of guides and others putting in there and heading west. I caught my first steelhead under the bridge and saw a few in the boats as well. Not sure if it's any good this time of year.

 

[eugene1]

We have all the necessary tools just not hundreds of hours available to fish new to us territory.

Makes sense, I think fish per rod hour is probably an order of magnitude LOWER above the falls. Just got to put your time in, no substitute for that.

Take care,

 

[eugene1]

A few years ago Autofisher and I fished the Santiam at the rest area south of Salem with fair to middling success. There were tons of guides and others putting in there and heading west. I caught my first steelhead under the bridge and saw a few in the boats as well. Not sure if it's any good this time of year.

You and the people fishing there were probably targeting summer steel? chrisohm is thinking about spring chinook.

Best,

 

[Raincatcher]

I know, it sounds crazy! I am no expert on Salem area salmon/steelhead fishing...

You and the people fishing there were probably targeting summer steel? chrisohm is thinking about spring chinook.

Best,

Hmmm, my mistake, I guess the mention of salmon and steelhead threw me off. :hi:

 

[chrisohm]

I appreciate all the input! We have a game plan and I still want to be below the falls....maybe next time. Best case scenario I get my friend into his first bass ever....!

 

[dozer365]

Hmmm, my mistake, I guess the mention of salmon and steelhead threw me off. :hi:

Mag lips and quicks. Find down river of trib in 20-8 fow and u guys are in a good area for coho. Should be a great yr for upper willy ho's.

 

[jackolope]

Five miles down stream of mission state park. Allison bar. east side of river anchor up about 100yds above corner along gravel bar. very, very good spot if you can beat the locals there. Better run it in the daytime to find it then next time out get your night vision out.