Wilson trip report...

[ninja2010]

yeah, it's a trip report, not a fish report.

that's coz it's captain skunkage reporting here. (maybe i should change my username)

anyway, i went to the wilson this morning, all fired up and pumped - feeling totally optimistic that i was gonna bank some metalheads. i was dying to try out my new float rod and reel, and i had a bunch of sweeeet looking spinners from kodiak and a bunch of killer jigs.

but, alas, it was not to be. the fish gods did not smile, and captain skunkage had a bit more casting practice time... and lost 2 of the spinners to the riverbed, to boot.

but, on the plus side... i gotta say, oregon has some really picturesque scenery. the drive was awesome. my first stop was at elk creek. the water was fantastic and the spot i was fishing looked really fishy (so thinks capt skunkage). water temp was 39.5 and air temp must be in the mid 40s.

after an hour (50% spinner, 50% bobber/jig) of nada, a couple of guys came up from around the bend. they didn't touch fish either.

with that, i decided to move further down river. got to mile 27, parked and hiked to the river. feeling really pumped still...

2 1/2 hours later, nada. okay time for lunch (less pumped, stomach growling). went to lee's shack? (forgot the name.) anyway, while i was having a burger, a bunch of anglers came in. got into some "how'd you guys do?" and "any fish?". 1 out of the 8 guys who came in landed a nate upriver from where we were. another said they were fishing further down river and saw lots of boats. he had talked to the fish checker, and was told he checked more than 100 fish on friday, but saturday was less.

anyway, after lunch, i headed back upstream to continue my skunk streak for another few hours before all the pumpage died and i decided to head home.

i took some photos to share. i know, they're just shots of a river. but to me it's a beautiful experience to be able to enjoy a day out on one of the most beautiful places on earth. makes me happy to live in oregon... even if i can't catch any feeeeesh...

 

[mgdguy]

Thanks for the great (although unproductive) Wilson report Ninja. Now I don't feel so bad for getting SKUNKED Fri and Today (Sat) up and down the Sandy, and EC as well, all the while thinking I should have hit a coastal river like the Wilson.

You're in good skunky company.

Hmm, that would be a great name for a band...

 

[Admin]

i know, they're just shots of a river

No, they are not. They are great shots of a gorgeous river :clap:

 

[Cake]

yeah, it's a trip report, not a fish report.

that's coz it's captain skunkage reporting here. (maybe i should change my username)

anyway, i went to the wilson this morning, all fired up and pumped - feeling totally optimistic that i was gonna bank some metalheads. i was dying to try out my new float rod and reel, and i had a bunch of sweeeet looking spinners from kodiak and a bunch of killer jigs.

but, alas, it was not to be. the fish gods did not smile, and captain skunkage had a bit more casting practice time... and lost 2 of the spinners to the riverbed, to boot.

but, on the plus side... i gotta say, oregon has some really picturesque scenery. the drive was awesome. my first stop was at elk creek. the water was fantastic and the spot i was fishing looked really fishy (so thinks capt skunkage). water temp was 39.5 and air temp must be in the mid 40s.

after an hour (50% spinner, 50% bobber/jig) of nada, a couple of guys came up from around the bend. they didn't touch fish either.

with that, i decided to move further down river. got to mile 27, parked and hiked to the river. feeling really pumped still...

2 1/2 hours later, nada. okay time for lunch (less pumped, stomach growling). went to lee's shack? (forgot the name.) anyway, while i was having a burger, a bunch of anglers came in. got into some "how'd you guys do?" and "any fish?". 1 out of the 8 guys who came in landed a nate upriver from where we were. another said they were fishing further down river and saw lots of boats. he had talked to the fish checker, and was told he checked more than 100 fish on friday, but saturday was less.

anyway, after lunch, i headed back upstream to continue my skunk streak for another few hours before all the pumpage died and i decided to head home.

i took some photos to share. i know, they're just shots of a river. but to me it's a beautiful experience to be able to enjoy a day out on one of the most beautiful places on earth. makes me happy to live in oregon... even if i can't catch any feeeeesh...

Next time take a fly rod and some Glow Bugs.
If you fished that water and didn't catch anything you
deffently will on them Glow Bugs.

 

[ninja2010]

Next time take a fly rod and some Glow Bugs.
If you fished that water and didn't catch anything you
deffently will on them Glow Bugs.

thanks, man. i don't fly fish, but can i use that flow bug under a bobber?

 

[Cake]

thanks, man. i don't fly fish, but can i use that flow bug under a bobber?

I imagine you could, I've never had anything in my hand other than a fly rod,
I'm one of the fanatics. Oh, it's Glow Bug.
If you go to youtube.com and type in Glow Bug there are many that will show you how to tie one up. I could never see paying a dollar for some yarn on a hook. If you don't want to tie one, you can go to a craft store and buy small pom poms, that can be super glued to a size #4 hook.

The water in your pictures surely contain a steelie.
I'd wish you luck, but there is no such thing as luck, only good planning and skill.

 

[ninja2010]

i see, so the glow bug is just like an egg...

i can try that next time i'm out.

but i do believe luck does play a factor - on the size and quality of fish. i call that the fish god factor. the other factors would be: skill/experience of the angler and choice of gear/lure.

 

[Cake]

i see, so the glow bug is just like an egg...

i can try that next time i'm out.

but i do believe luck does play a factor - on the size and quality of fish. i call that the fish god factor. the other factors would be: skill/experience of the angler and choice of gear/lure.

You got it.
Do this link, it'll tell ya more than you want to know.
YouTube - Tying the Glo-bug: Easy steelhead egg pattern

 

[FishFinger]

Ninga, perhaps it's time to add a 3rd techniques to your arsenal. The "dead drift" Jigs / floats & spinners have their time and place. However drifting a nice; often small, presentation dancing just off the bottom, through holes, and marginal water is a time tested producer.

The glow bug and other yarn flies, beads, corkies, ect as well as baits can/should be drifted right along with the current and into a waiting fishes mouth.

 

[Cake]

Ninga, perhaps it's time to add a 3rd techniques to your arsenal. The "dead drift" Jigs / floats & spinners have their time and place. However drifting a nice; often small, presentation dancing just off the bottom, through holes, and marginal water is a time tested producer.

The glow bug and other yarn flies, beads, corkies, ect as well as baits can/should be drifted right along with the current and into a waiting fishes mouth.

You got that right. If it was up to me, and it isn't, everyone would have a fly rod in their hand. I have nine of them, five of them I built myself.
The last two are spit cane, a #4 and a #5 wieght, I love fly fishin, you may have noticed.

 

[ArcticAmoeba]

Everything has it time and place, like "Glo Bugs" or simple yarnies, and rags too. Although the only rag I will fish is the Hippo Fart. They work well in lower, clearer conditions, for sure, especially on the Wilson, and Necanicum. Same with Gnat Creek. But I do not recommend using a fly rod to get them home on the Wilson. There are so few stretches that Winters hold in, that a proper fly swing will produce more than a few fish a year out there. Just the way the river is. That is why the regular killers drift fish, not fly or float it. Cake, being a purist fly angler is so limiting when targeting Salmon or Steelhead. Unless you set-up a rod to do the bastardized fly drift method. That is more fun, than effective. Although in small streams it is nice to be able to mend line, and have your stuff drop into the slot when the fish hold tight behind logs and rocks.

 

[halibuthitman]

wow!!

wow!!

Ha! man you just made me picture gnat creek-nooks-and a flyrod, I believe the proper set-up would be a 14 weight 5 1/2 ft sage with shooting taper piano wire and a 6ft chain leader with a stilh chainsaw for your fly!!! :shock::shock:

 

[beaverfan]

I went out to the wilson today. Water seemed pretty low and clear and there wasn't a fish to be seen. Tried many holes with jigs and spinners and got skunked. Every other time I have gone to the Wilson when the water is low and clear you can see them swimming by quite regularly. I was there for 10 hours and didn't even see a trout. Still a wonderful trip. Found out one of my buddies from high school is one of the game cops that patrols the area. The weather was awesome so overall the trip was a success.

 

[Green_Tackle]

Water seemed pretty low and clear and there wasn't a fish to be seen. Tried many holes with jigs and spinners and got skunked.

I was there on wednesday and it was the same... too low and too clear. Nothing. When it was raining yesterday (Saturday) I went back thinking all I need is a *little* rain. I talked to two people and they were catching steelies and I hooked into one myself (though I didn't land it so I got skunked too).

But, it's hard to call a trip out to the Wilson anything but a success... such a beautiful river, always a good time.