Tips for Sea Run Cutthroat

[rileyjellis]

Hey fellow Oregonians,

I'd love some tips for fishing SRCs this time of year. I understand its early, although the ODFW said they're starting to run. Would I be best to try estuaries? What does that process look like? We have a few rivers in Lincoln City that meet the ocean. Should I just follow the river inland at a slack high tide, casting a Borden Special as I go?

Any tips would be much appreciated. I'd love to make a report if I get anything this weekend.

Thanks!

 

[troutdude]

I'm no SRC expert, but I believe that estuaries and tidewater areas would be the places to try currently. Typically, I believe, they will begin to migrate upstream next month.

Contact my long time friend Mitch, at Two Rivers Fly Shop in Albany. He can likely tell you more. He has old timers buy dozens of Borden Specials from him every year.

https://www.tworiversflyshop.biz/?srsltid=AfmBOoqtK14anjP_0GCWthgmqNJyi6-9UhMk4ALgK5Rvb6AWq3LPvP8p

 

[rileyjellis]

Will do! Mitch is a great guy – I've bought flies from him before. Thanks again for the great advice!

 

[troutdude]

Will do! Mitch is a great guy – I've bought flies from him before. Thanks again for the great advice!

He truly is! I've known him since the 70's, when he worked in the fishing department at Anderson's Sporting Goods in Corvallis.

 

[C_Run]

I do well with small spoons and spinners. I don't fly fish much but can attest to the efficacy of the Borden special. This is the time of year to hit the tidal areas.

 

[troutdude]

@rileyjellis I forgot to mention that SRC's LOVE to devour small baby crawdads. My neighbor uses a spinning rod, and small brown Rooster Tails w/ brass blades for them. To great affect! So you may want to try flies, that mimic crawdads.

 

[C_Run]

In fact, I make a small spoon from tarnished copper pipe that works great. Maybe it resembles a crawdad.

 

[olshiftybiscuits]

Sea runs will primarily be in the estuaries from now until the first significant rains of fall. I like to launch a small raft with an incoming tide and float upstream, then follow it back out. Fishing the estuaries on foot is very difficult.

Once we’ve had a few good rains in autumn, fish will start to move back upstream in large numbers. But the old wisdom that they begin running upstream in July is outdated. Not enough water in the systems for midsummer migration en masse. That said, sea runs don’t go to the ocean every year so you can find big residents upstream year round.

 

[troutdude]

That said, sea runs don’t go to the ocean every year so you can find big residents upstream year round.

Perhaps this is what my neighbor catches in the Alsea, in July, with small brown rooster tails?