Wanting to try river fishing!

[astromech_kuhns]

So, i have been having a lot of fun fishing in lakes so far! i mean, a lot!

However, im interested in trying to start fishing in rivers. Im thinking ill start with trout, since i currently fish trout, and as i get more comfortable fishing rivers and with the regs i can try steelhead. with that being said, the mckenzie i can fish all year long for trout. the Santiam, is closer to me, and the time for trout fishing in the Santiam is coming up soon. so i figure ill try there first!

I'm not asking for the secrets to making me an expert river fisherman to be summed up in one post, or for you to share years worth of learned knowledge with me, however, i am interested in some starting points. when the santiam opens up, where is a good spot i can fish from the bank at? maybe easy access for someone first time fishing on a river? Also the mckenzie says artificial flies and lures only, the santiam says use of bait allowed, is it referring to any bait or live bait?

also, what kind of a rig is used for river/stream fishing? For lakes, i fish off the bottom, ive heard of drift fishing in a river, but what rig is used, and what is the technique with it?

Anyways, any info to atleast get me started would be great!

Thanks!

Kolton Kuhns

 

[Tinker]

Geez, Kolton, I don't know the Santiam, but there's a lot of information you can find by searching the forums or trolling the WWW with Google. ODFW publishes some Great Fishing Within 50 miles of (towns) brochures, too.

The regulations define "bait" and "flies" on Page 8, and "lures" on Page 9. If there aren't additional notes under the Special Regulations for the zone or for the specific body of water, or any new updates, then the General Statewide definitions apply.

ODFW publishes some species-specific pamphlets in PDF form - look at ODFW under "Fishing Resources" and you'll find answers to nearly every question you've asked, here, including drift-fishing and spinner-fishing and jig-fishing... You can find maps showing public access points at ODFW, too, if you dig a little deeper.

In general, the same gear you use for trout in lakes will work in rivers, but you'll need to change techniques. Maybe someone who knows the Santiam and McKenzie can give you some good tips, since what works for someone on very thin waters may not (probably won't) work in the Santiam or the McKenzie.

It's really, really hard to know how to answer broad-based questions like these. It would help if you read a few of the other posts or read the ODFW pamphlets and then asked slightly more narrowly framed questions. Help us to help you!

Good fishing!

 

[C_Run]

Kolton, I was just looking over the regs for the Santiam system. One thing to keep in mind is that it specifies adipose fin clipped trout i.e. hatchery origin. I don't believe they have been stocking the Santiam with such fish for quite awhile. If someone knows different, chime in please. So if you are planning to take home dinner, most of the trout you catch there will be wild and need to be released. That said, you might want to take measures to not harm the fish such as replacing treble hooks with single point hooks on your lures and maybe just leave the power bait and nightcrawlers at home so as not to hook the fish deep. Also, there are going to be steelhead around wherever you are fishing so be prepared for a surprise sooner or later. If I were going after some trout up there , I'd probably just start out with a small collection of different spinners and see what works. Cast straight across the current and let them swing and spin. You don't have to reel them in fast as long as the blade is turning. I'd say that's a good starting point for trout fishing in rivers. Tight lines.

C

 

[Steeliekiller]

Which Santiam are you looking to fish. There's north, south and main stream. There are trout through out the whole system, as well as, steelhead and salmon. Tossing spinners and spoons work well for all three. As for picking the right hole that can be tricky. Drift fishing is a blast and it can eat up some tackle. You want just enough weight to where you can feel the weight bouncing along the bottom. Weight can very depending on the drift. Try fishing at the campgrounds and picnic areas along the river system. They usually offer good bank access. The best way to learn is get out there an do it.

Happy fishing and tight lines.

 

[astromech_kuhns]

Sorry guys, ive been busy.

Ill double check the index on the regs for the terms, thanks, i know there were kinda broad i just want a direction to start it. I will look into ODFW brochures for the santiam or mckenzie if i can find them.

Yeah, i would be doing mainly C&R until i get comfortable with the regs and what not.

Im not sure which part of the river, really probably whichever is closer to me. I would LOVE to snag a steelhead by mistake! that would make for a VERY fun fight!

When it gets closer ill try it out and see if i have more specific questions!

 

[Tinker]

The regulations are a bit detail-confusing for newcomers. Some parts read as if they were written for those anglers who've fished only in Oregon and fished here all their lives, and were born with a built-in GPS unit. You'd hinted that you had been fishing the lakes, and I ASSumed you were somewhat familiar with how to read the book. My dumb.

 

[Big3d]

Little North Fork has some pretty little native cutts, try small panthers or blue fox. Enjoy

 

[Steeliekiller]

Didn't know about the cutts all I've ever got outta there were bows and steel. Thanks for the good info.

 

[Socaaron]

I grew up on the South and while there are plenty of places you can get down to the bank and fish without trouble I can't rightly tell you exactly how to get to them outside if the obviously public access parks, it's just something you know on your home turf(growing up there), knowing the property owners who does and doesn't allow access, whats public and not etc. What I can share with you is basic river fishing for trout advise.
Water- Look for small seams and back eddies and breaks where the water is a bit slower, often between sets of rapids where they converge from around an island or near large rocks trout will hold in these slower pockets waiting for food to come to them. This is a great spot to toss a worm, 2-3 split shot sinkers with a 1.5-3ft leader depending on depth. Toss it into the current and let it get pulled into the pocket and settle this will get you more bites If you want to "accidently" get into steel find some shallower rapids 2-4ft deep that aren't cresting into whitewater and toss your bait upstream and "bounce" it down into the holding water I've been surprised more than once with a hook-up with a summer while trying to get trout this way. Another great option is fishing smaller spinner(panther martins) or spoons(thomas bouyants or lil cleo's) with your retrieve next to rapids, off to the side where the water is a bit slower or swinging through and retrieving through the breaks and back eddies. As a general rule avoid frog water...deep slow and slack.
Hope this helps

 

[Big3d]

I have no idea if the cutts were supposed to be there, I was after 'bows and caught 7 with the obvious red marks and extra speckles. I dont remember the park name but it was one of the county parks.

 

[astromech_kuhns]

Tinker - This is my first year fishing, i started in like, March. Ive hit a few lakes around here, Foster, green Peter, clear lake, Freeway lakes but trout fishing regs for lakes is pretty straightforward just haven't had to use the index to research the terms of baits vs flies and what falls under each category respectively. I did use it to find the page showing the clipped fin vs non-clipped fin fish that i can take home from the rivers.

Right now i have just rooster tails, but i have heard good things about the panther martins, ill try to pick a few up soon!