Wilson in May?

[livethedream]

Hey guys- I'm an out-of-towner, and I just booked a trip up to OR in early May (the 8th-13th). Any idea if the steelies will be up in the coastal rivers (including the Wilson) by this time? I've heard mixed reports...

 

[Fish-N-Chips]

Hey guys- I'm an out-of-towner, and I just booked a trip up to OR in early May (the 8th-13th). Any idea if the steelies will be up in the coastal rivers (including the Wilson) by this time? I've heard mixed reports...

Early summers depending on rain/run/water conditions and maybe and early springer!! :think::think:

 

[livethedream]

Early summers depending on rain/run/water conditions and maybe and early springer!! :think::think:

Would it be better at this time of year (just by the odds) to focus on trout elsewhere or would it be worth it to go for a steelie down by the coastal rivers?

 

[Moe]

I'd suggest the Wilson. If the steelies or nooks aren't biting the cutthroat will keep you company. Wilson is always a great choice my friend

 

[troutmasta]

The Wilson is a great river with multiple species to target. May should be good. I think you'll find some spring run Chinook in may probably some summer steel as well.
However the Wilsons Springers are the Bees Knees.

 

[livethedream]

Guys-thanks for the encouragement/suggestions. I want to check something else- aren't there some weird regulations on the Wilson around that time? I thought I saw something a while back about it being closed to trout fishing around this time of year. I'm not looking to harvest, so I don't know if that's what they're talking about or not...

Thoughts?

 

[DriftOR]

Guys-thanks for the encouragement/suggestions. I want to check something else- aren't there some weird regulations on the Wilson around that time? I thought I saw something a while back about it being closed to trout fishing around this time of year. I'm not looking to harvest, so I don't know if that's what they're talking about or not...

Thoughts?

Trout opens on May 25th this year. I believe that is the statewide opener for streams, but lakes are open all year.

 

[livethedream]

Trout opens on May 25th this year. I believe that is the statewide opener for streams, but lakes are open all year.

And is that for harvesting, or fishing in general? Is that restriction on just some water/sections of the river?

I'll be in OR from May 8-13, so I'll be there before the May 25 deadline :-/

If I'm there before trout season, is it still a good idea to hit the Wilson? Any thoughts on the Clack as an alternative? Would that also be closed till the 25th?

Sorry for all the questions guys haha- just trying to get my trip planned out as best as possible, and I know NOTHING about Oregon

 

[troutmasta]

There are plenty of places to go catch trout to harvest. Lost lake in clatsop county can give you a daily limit on trout in 20 minutes if you're going to come all the way to the Pacific Northwest. Come get your trout then go catch a 25 pound salmon that's some table fare

 

[livethedream]

There are plenty of places to go catch trout to harvest. Lost lake in clatsop county can give you a daily limit on trout in 20 minutes if you're going to come all the way to the Pacific Northwest. Come get your trout then go catch a 25 pound salmon that's some table fare

Well as awesome as that sounds, we're actually not looking to harvest. I just want to know if I can still fish waters "out of season" if I'm not harvesting

 

[TimberTodd]

You cannot intentially target trout until the season opens. If you are targeting steel and hook a trout then bring it in and release it unharmed.

 

[livethedream]

You cannot intentially target trout until the season opens. If you are targeting steel and hook a trout then bring it in and release it unharmed.

Excellent. And I'm really not trying to find a loop-hole (I actually want to target steel and nooks), but what are ways that I can ensure that I'm actually targeting steel? Obvi I wouldn't be tossing flies with a 5 weight haha, and fly choice would be oriented towards steel/salmon. Is that enough for a Ranger?