Wilson report 4/23

[DriftOR]

Made the trip from Mills to Sollie today, nobody on the river, saw only 3 boats all day. Lost a fish just past the RV park, but got into a school of hatchery fish just upstream of the rearing pond. Hooked 3 fish, lost one at the boat, one was only 17" so I put him back, and the last was a 35" hatchery buck that will go nicely into my smoker! Saw one caught late in the day, and talked to one boat that had caught one early in the morning. Saw lots of fish in the low, clear water.

 

[SALTYFISH]

How were the fish u seen lookin? Any chromers ?

 

[DriftOR]

Yeah most of the fish I saw were bright.

 

[SALTYFISH]

Thanks.

 

[cddunn]

I rolled through there yesterday on the motorcycle. Very few people fishing down low.
P.S. congratulations!

 

[Subacca]

Fished lower Wilson off the bank for 4 hours with no luck. Wished I had spent that much time upstream instead now. Fished Jone's Bridge for a couple hours but no luck but did see smaller fish jumping and one steelhead size fish jumping in the shallower water. Starting to wonder if they were in the shallower water instead of the deep holes today. I have spent so much time and money trying to catch a fish in the last month it is VERY frustrating. Fishing was never like this in Alaska..here I feel like catching a fish is a bit like winning the lottery..BUT negativity aside I will keep trying. (maybe I should have been concentrating on fishing here between end of November and Beginning of March or is the fishing always this "sparse" in Oregon?)

 

[DriftOR]

Fished lower Wilson off the bank for 4 hours with no luck. Wished I had spent that much time upstream instead now. Fished Jone's Bridge for a couple hours but no luck but did see smaller fish jumping and one steelhead size fish jumping in the shallower water. Starting to wonder if they were in the shallower water instead of the deep holes today. I have spent so much time and money trying to catch a fish in the last month it is VERY frustrating. Fishing was never like this in Alaska..here I feel like catching a fish is a bit like winning the lottery..BUT negativity aside I will keep trying. (maybe I should have been concentrating on fishing here between end of November and Beginning of March or is the fishing always this "sparse" in Oregon?)

I have never had much luck on the upper river, but lots of guys do. I have seen fish caught from the bank from Mills bridge all the way up to Elk creek. The few fish I have hooked in the upper river were between Musial creek and Jones creek. I've heard most of the fish being caught in the upper river are getting pretty dark now. I myself am done fishing the Wilson for winter fish. I am going to hunt Turkeys for a couple weeks and then focus on Springers in the Clackamas and Sandy rivers. Good Luck.

 

[Kodeymhkinder]

I have never had much luck on the upper river, but lots of guys do. I have seen fish caught from the bank from Mills bridge all the way up to Elk creek. The few fish I have hooked in the upper river were between Musial creek and Jones creek. I've heard most of the fish being caught in the upper river are getting pretty dark now. I myself am done fishing the Wilson for winter fish. I am going to hunt Turkeys for a couple weeks and then focus on Springers in the Clackamas and Sandy rivers. Good Luck.

Springers in the Clackamas and Sandy rivers? Is that a better way to go in the spring than the Wilson in spring?

 

[DriftOR]

There are more Springers caught on the Sandy and the Clack than the Wilson. You can check out previous years catch rates on odfw website. http://www.dfw.state.or.us/resources/fishing/docs/sportcatch/by_month_2009_Expanded_Catch.pdf
2009 is the last year listed, but it will give you an idea of your chances of tagging a fish.

 

[beaverfan]

The Trask and Nestucca both have decent runs that are worth hitting but the Wilson doesn't produce a whole lot.