Trout on the Clack

[JB WI]

So,
I was fishing by high rocks/cross park with my son. Lot's of swimmers but still lots of pikeminnow/fin clipped trout action(mostly P Minnow)???I was surprised at the action, I didn't really want to go there but it was getting late and it was close and the boy wanted to fish.
I was wondering after catching a couple of fin clipped rainbows; Since these are our future steelhead plants does the ODFW account for all the # of fish that will be harvested legally by trout fisherman and plant "extra" fish?

 

[mgman6000]

Were you using bait? I see in the resg that you can have 2 fin clipped trout and use of bait allowed or is that only for salmon? I haven't tried fishing for trout ther but I'm only a few miles away so maybe it would be worth trying.

 

[GungasUncle]

Were you using bait? I see in the resg that you can have 2 fin clipped trout and use of bait allowed or is that only for salmon? I haven't tried fishing for trout ther but I'm only a few miles away so maybe it would be worth trying.

If regs say 2 fin-clipped trout are legal, then yeah, you can keep 2 over the min (I think 8 inches there). They are most likely steelhead smolt - I don't think ODFW plants honest to god trout in the Clack anymore. And bait allowed means you can fish bait for any species - not just salmon. IIRC - all 'keeper' salmonoids from the clack have to be fin-clip, regardless of species.

 

[nativefish]

there is a combination of both rainbows and the mass of planted salmonoids.

 

[JB WI]

Just Plunkin worms on light gear. kept the casting close in, maybe anywhere from 2' out to 7' out but no more than that. Lots of bites, you have to be patient there and let them peck at it a little bit, make sure your nighties are hooked well! The pikeminnows hit harder and give you the false feeling of a big fish, also a lot more pikeminnow catches than trout and the trout are smaller. I'd advise pinching your barbs and if a smaller trout has the hook deeply embedded just cut and re tie, these are our future steelheads.All in all with snags and all i had to retie 6 times for 2 people.not that bad really. i was using 6 # test liters but i would advise 4#. i just didn't have any.Although 6# is good if you happen to hook into a steelie.?.?...i had #10 hooks and #12 barrel swivels,2' liter and about 3" of pencil weight 1/4 inch hollow core pinched at the swivel.it held in the current pretty well. it was pretty fun. if you went without swimmer action ...who knows?

 

[nativefish]

try casting small spinners and spoons that are really bright and reflective in the sun into the fast water and see what happens... im thinking some trout will smash em so hard u will think u got a big fish on then too.

 

[GungasUncle]

I know bait is allowed on the Clack - but if you're targeting 'trout' - it's really not the best idea. You might catch more fish - but you'll kill more, even if released, since they tend to swallow the bait a lot more than they can/do with flies and lures. You're right - a lot of those fish hooked are steelhead smolt - not to mention the Chinook and Coho smolts also (much more silvery color, different tail shapes).

Small spinners,, jigs, spoons, and plugs will readily produce fish and have less deep hooking. Flies also tend to lip-hook versus gill or gut hook the fish. You could also drift fish with micro-sized rigs like you would for steelies - think #10 or 8 egg hooks with a small tuft of yarn tied above, the smallest corkies you can find, and just enough weight to keep it bouncing along the bottom.

 

[JB WI]

I stopped using bait for myself but my son was still using worms.Pinched barbs did not help and they swallow the hook way too deep. I had no luck with spinners but he caught a few trout and some pikeminnows and chubs. I was cutting the line and not trying to remove the hooks with the trout, they seemed to come around and take off back into the deep water. I'm gonna try smoking the pikeminnows and chub. If they are good , what a great way to use up pikeminnows.

 

[nativefish]

hope u dont get sick lol

 

[FishSchooler]

I've eaten pikeminnow before, they aren't bad. The only bad part was it was from the tualatin river and I didn't know about the blue-green algae warnings :O
so you should be fine, haha

 

[Longleaderguy]

Funny I was down at hi rocks on thursday and brought my rod tied small corky so I could see it in the shallow water and a hotdog threw a peice on the hook and lobbed my rig into the water it took about ten minutes and I had what appeared to b be a10~15# sucker fish or carp hover over my bait peck at it suck it up swim off.......rod in hand I set the hook and fish on fought him landed him let em go.....lol anyways u never know what you will catch around hi rocks

 

[JB WI]

Taste good! Lotsa bones.

 

[Fly_n_Fish]

Does anyone just fish for trout on the Clack. I was up there for the first time last week, trying to land my first OR steelhead. I saw a lot of surface action from fish (not steelhead) and was thinking it would be good fishing. They seem to be decent size and with everyone going for steelhead/salmon seems like they could be descent size. I'm new to Oregon so I'm still trying to find some good fly fishing spots.

 

[alm21]

I think some folks do, mostly on the upper stretches I believe. I caught/released a nice native Rainbow last Sunday while targeting steel.

 

[wozniasm]

I fish the Barton Park area periodically but these are not stockers so I C&R.
Haven't fished the upper Clack for trout but with NF Reservoir actually part of the Clack, I would think some of the stockers migrate upstream and if you go up above that, there's lots of access - not sure if it's C&R only up there.

 

[Fly_n_Fish]

catch n Release

catch n Release

Thanks for the reply's. Just for the record I fly fish and almost always CnR all my fish even the stockers. Even my boys , 7 and 10, are taught CnR we only keep a fish if we are going to eat it that night. No bait lures only I hate killing fish for no reason.

 

[moosebrew13]

I used to fish the upper Clackamas above north fork. There is tons of places right along the road you can fly fish. To be honest though it is mostly fishing and not catching. We caught a few in places but mostly my buddy and I just enjoyed being on the water and were learning fly casting so you may have way better luck then we did. We did catch a fair amount of stocked trout at one spot but that was 15+ years ago and it may be way different now. I am happy to let you know where in a PM so that I don't blow the thing for everyone. Not that it is secret but I don't like upsetting anyone. If you try it then good luck.

 

[OnTheFly]

Try the Callawash not far from Ripplebrook on the Clackamas. I think the turn off is road 63 like if you're headed to Bagby Hot Springs. Nice beautiful gin clear water and eager trout.

 

[Stealy]

Thanks for the reply's. Just for the record I fly fish and almost always CnR all my fish even the stockers. Even my boys , 7 and 10, are taught CnR we only keep a fish if we are going to eat it that night. No bait lures only I hate killing fish for no reason.

If you go to Mcciver, there is a good stretch of trout water and easy to wade. My son got an nice rainbow on fly couple of days ago and I hooked on while I was fishing for steely on lure. Released both fish. Good luck.