Peaceful
I guess I'm coming around on the steelhead idea, although I probably need to rethink my gear.Is the wilson river system out of reach for your 1hr distance limit? I understand that trout season may have ended in October, but you shouldn't count out the impending Steelhead season. Most rivers support that fishing year round.
Yeah you MIGHT get by with good trout gear, for summer run steel (unless you need to horse them in, because your combat fishing a stream). But definitely NOT for winter fish! Plus a 9' or longer rod is needed for bobber doggin'. Because you want to try and keep the line OFF of the water, and tight to your bobber. Not to mention rods with more backbone, to battle larger and stronger fish. Heavier line that won't break OFF, etc.I guess I'm coming around on the steelhead idea, although I probably need to rethink my gear.
But yes, the Wilson's great in general; I love that river and I'm fishing within 70 minutes or so.
Glad you mentioned that because I'm slightly confused by the regs.And don't forget your tag & Columbia endorsement.
Thanks buddy! I always appreciate (and benefit from) your thoroughness, so very glad to pay it forward.@olshiftybiscuits that's one of the most well thought out responses ever! Welcome to OFF!
That's a good way to put, @Echskech -- it has been a quest! I've been doing the 2-3 hour drives a lot lately, trying to hone my skills (read: patience) with high water streams. I was just reading a section of George Daniel's book, Dynamic Nymphing, where he describes fishing in winter/high water extremes: where I would normally get a fish in 2-3 drifts, I know better that in winter it'll be 30 drifts until I basically place the drift into the lethargic trout's mouth.@Peaceful, had you found some new winter fishing of any promise? Looking for an update on your quest.
@olshiftybiscuits that's one of the most well thought out responses ever! Welcome to OFF!
How often do you get out to the lakes this time of year? Do you take a raft/boat? If not, what's your approach to finding the trout gems?
You're quite a writer, @olshiftybiscuits ! Great read, as always. I think you might be the one underselling a bit with those half a beer rates, no? Then again, my brother lives in Japan and is faced with the hard decision to pay $8 or $9 for a single craft beer ... or drink sake. Hard life, that is.You'll figure out quickly which lakes they've undersold. The one cryptic direction I'll give there is skip the popular lakes when they're popular (Timothy or Trillium on a hot July day I'd only recommend as some strange form of self-punishment), but don't skip them altogether. The biggest resident trout I've caught in my life knows the sounds of Highway 26 well.
A sneakily important part of stillwater fishing is your knots. Using a non-slip mono loop instead of a standard clinch gives your flies a much more lifelike appearance in water that isn't moving. If I go a weirdly long time without a take, 9/10 times I reel in to find I forgot to use the right knot. I'll let you know when Blue and Benson get fish and we can go do a mini tutorial. My price is half a beer for every fish you land, so standard industry rates.
You're quite a writer, @olshiftybiscuits ! Great read, as always. I think you might be the one underselling a bit with those half a beer rates, no? Then again, my brother lives in Japan and is faced with the hard decision to pay $8 or $9 for a single craft beer ... or drink sake. Hard life, that is.
Regarding the cryptic direction, I think I'm picking up on what you're putting down. My parents have a little spot on the Salmon River, so I'm up on Hood often (and finding a surprising number of trout and whitefish in that river, btw!); I'll definitely do some further exploration of the lakes this winter. I'm surprised to hear that the knot type is so important, especially for the chironomid + indicator. Unless... are you trolling or otherwise twitching that rig, too?
I feel your pain. Ever since they stopped stocking the Clackamas with trout in the 90s I have wished for close in river, trout fishing again (I don't count the damned up parts of Clackamas as river fishing). It seems like around Portland the Salmon/Steelhead fisher people get all the best fishing. If you love trout fishing, the place to be is Eugene. My favorite close stream for trout is the Breitenbush river, but it is not open in the winter, is over an hour drive, and is probably a big mess after the fires. I have learned to lake fish but it doesn't really make me as happy.This obsession.
It's keeping me up at night, cross-referencing fishing regs with google maps while listening to Joe Rodder and Tom Rosenbaur podcasts and Jenson "As It Happens" fly fishing youtubes.
I'm looking for some trout water within an hour of Portland.
Here's what I've been trying... Tualatin. Went up to the headwaters of the Tualatin this week, kind of blindly. Unfortunately, too many tweakers have disrespected homeowners' private property up there -- the area is plastered with no parking, "get the hell out of here before we shoot you" signs (which I get). Caught a couple small trout on nymphs, but the whole time I was worried my car would be towed by the time I came out of the woods.
Seems like all the action is 2 hours+ out east or down south. I mistakenly thought the Molalla was open all year (I swear it was open, no?). I'm googling every little creek listed in the regs... seems like the Yamhill is open, but it looks like more people talk about warmwater species there?
Wondering what you Portland-area guys and gals do and where you go when you get the itch in the offseason. Don't need "holes" or secrets -- just hope.
The Breitenbush is actually open year-round for trout these days, although you’re right it is essentially inaccessible due to fire damage and road closures.I feel your pain. Ever since they stopped stocking the Clackamas with trout in the 90s I have wished for close in river, trout fishing again (I don't count the damned up parts of Clackamas as river fishing). It seems like around Portland the Salmon/Steelhead fisher people get all the best fishing. If you love trout fishing, the place to be is Eugene. My favorite close stream for trout is the Breitenbush river, but it is not open in the winter, is over an hour drive, and is probably a big mess after the fires. I have learned to lake fish but it doesn't really make me as happy.
That's correct, it's gated off from the Detroit Lake entrance right up the road from what used to be a sweet little market/gift shop there on the corner.The Breitenbush is actually open year-round for trout these days, although you’re right it is essentially inaccessible due to fire damage and road closures.
Oh manThat's correct, it's gated off from the Detroit Lake entrance right up the road from what used to be a sweet little market/gift shop there on the corner.