Willamette River fall salmon

[nicholas]

So when do the fall salmon runs on the Willamette usually get started? Also, how should I go about trying to catch one? I am mostly able to fish the area around George Rogers in Lake Oswego. I have a kayak I can fish from, but I am pretty clueless when it comes to fishing for salmon in general. Any help is appreciated.

 

[Modest_Man]

Your time will be better spent elsewhere. Pretty much anywhere else. The Willamette doesn't have much in the way of fall chinook.

 

[Big3d]

You could certainly try the mouth of the tualatin for coho, still a longshot

 

[C_Run]

Somebody can correct me if I am wrong but I don't think there are any clipped fall Chinook in the Willamette that you could retain.

 

[DrTheopolis]

Somebody can correct me if I am wrong but I don't think there are any clipped fall Chinook in the Willamette that you could retain.

And the unclipped ones are true wild gems (mostly heading for the Clack, I think. The Clack used to be a fall Chinook haven until the dams), and should be left alone.

Either Meldrum for clipped coho, or like 3D said, mouth of the Toilet (unclipped fishery).

As mentioned, the Willy isn't the place for fallboys. Not a native fish, and counts reflect that (although the "failed" hatchery coho program seems to have worked).

 

[nicholas]

Thanks for all the info.

 

[nicholas]

Are there any other rivers near the Portland area that do have good runs of fall salmon? The Sandy, perhaps?

 

[DrTheopolis]

Sandy and Clack have clipped silvers (coho). I think the Sandy has better luck, what with the infamous Clack River Lockjaw Coho strain.

Fall is much better on the other side of the Coast Range.

Not counting the Columbia, which has the biggest runs of any river anywhere (in the world). But it's tough to bank fish in the fall (or so they tell me, never done it, only plunked in spring). But there's people here who know much more about Big C plunking than I, so I'll defer to them.

 

[nicholas]

Okay, thanks.

 

[Work2Fish]

Now I may be completely wrong, but I don't think there is a hatchery program for coho on the Clackamas. It is reflected in the daily fish counts (see url below). I'm new to the area and I've fished the Clackamas a handful of time this year, and I haven't had any luck. Supposedly with this rain coming this week, salmon will become more active and start moving into the rivers.

 

[rogerdodger]

great kayak fishing for Salmon in many of the coastal rivers right now!, especially with big numbers of coho in and open for retention. last Thursday, we had 6 or 7 kayaks out with the 50 or so PowerBoats fishing OFF just east of Florence...big storm coming but after it passes, there should be great fishing all over the coast.

 

[DrTheopolis]

Now I may be completely wrong, but I don't think there is a hatchery program for coho on the Clackamas. It is reflected in the daily fish counts (see url below). I'm new to the area and I've fished the Clackamas a handful of time this year, and I haven't had any luck. Supposedly with this rain coming this week, salmon will become more active and start moving into the rivers.

There is hatchery fish.

The hatchery is on Eagle Creek, which is below the dams. I don't think they plant anywhere near what they used to, though.

As to the dam counts -- I could be mistaken, but I believe they only let wild fish pass above Rivermill, the rest get hauled back down. But almost all of the clipped coho will be found below Eagle Creek.

 

[Work2Fish]

There is hatchery fish.

The hatchery is on Eagle Creek, which is below the dams. I don't think they plant anywhere near what they used to, though.

As to the dam counts -- I could be mistaken, but I believe they only let wild fish pass above Rivermill, the rest get hauled back down. But almost all of the clipped coho will be found below Eagle Creek.

There are hatchery coho on the Clackamas?

 

[DrTheopolis]

They release 350,000 smolts a year (allegedly) from the Eagle Creek Hatchery.