Last year, there seemed to be a lot of river reports on the Pisc Pursuits web page under River Reports. There are very few this season. Anybody know why? Is there another web page people are using to report current conditions/fishing success?

I'll give you what I know: Eagle Creek was slow today by all accounts from the hatchery down to Eagle Fern Park. Creek had risen slightly from last weekend, with the color changing from gin clear to slightly green. Pressure was moderate.

Deep Creek in the Clackamas watershed looked like someone was dumping mud upstream and was running very muddy. Should dillute well once it meets the Clack, but damn that was ugly.

The Clackamas at Meldrum Bar had lower than usual pressure today with only two boats in the mouth and no rods on the blacktop. A few rods were downstream on the Willamette, which was cooking pretty well. No reports on success rates.

[ 01-06-2002: Message edited by: Dave Jackson ]

WC,

I don't access the River Report page, so I don't know about it's dynamics. But I do know that there has been a lot of criticism toward unwitting members who post about success on lesser known rivers or lesser known hot spots on medium rivers. This is a challenge for fishing websites in the modern 'information age' on the internet. Part-time fishers often aren't aware that serious fishers disdain seeing reports about smaller 'zipperlip' rivers. For a good reason; it can bring more pressure to that limited area because of the widespread readership on this site. I don't think it affects the pressure as much as some would have you think, but I do agree that they should be left off internet reports. Those special places don't need more anglers. Have fun finding them by yourself. But for bigger rivers or other well known spots, that's fine to share info about the water conditions and general fishing success for those needing to make an important decision whether to skip work or cash in 'kitchen points' at home for! I think that is proper and a big value site memebrs. ...

I will go you one further as far as a question. While there are more Washington members here, there are a lot of Oregon members too. But almost all of the fishing reports are about Washington rivers on the BB. So my Q is, whazzup with that? Are you Oreos afraid that Wassies will start coming down to fish in Oregon if they read a good report? Not many for sure. I would like to see more Oregon river fishing reports on here - within the above guidelines.

RT

And that is the strange thing, RT. While I understand not publicizing special spots on larger rivers or lower-traffic streams at all, there are plenty of other services like The Guide\'s Forecast that go into detail as to where the bite has been and where it might be in the future. I bought that one for my Dad for Christmas based on the free one that he sends out weekly.

It's like my pitiful report above. If I had seen fish caught I would have reported it. There are fish in there, that's for sure. It's just being there at the right place at the right time with the right presentation in front of the right fish.

Damn, no wonder I haven't caught anything.

[ 01-07-2002: Message edited by: Dave Jackson ]

Some people think a certain spot is a zipper when it really isn't. In the past I've reported on success at the boat ramp at Oxbow Park on the Sandy and been beaten up (figuratively) for "telling everyone". I enjoy seeing other people catch fish so I like to let others know what is happening and even offer any insight I might have. When the fishing turns on, the word get out quickly anyway. I participate quite a bit more on another DB but will try to add more general information about conditions and success on the non zipperlips I am familiar with. My email is always open for questions.

I love to fish down in Oregon for summeruns but don't like to post about it because the locals have been very good to me, basically have mentored me, and don't like to see a lot of "flatlanders" out on the coast. This particular river I fish is always in the fishing magazines this time of year. Thank god STS doesn't name holes. The Washington/Oregon fishing magazine likes to name the holes. How would you Oregonians like it if a Washingtonian blabbed about fishing in Oregon?

There are all sorts of resources for finding information or reports. Try the newpaper or state web sites. Oregonlive, seattletimes, tribnet, bremertonsun, seattlep-i, wadfw, odfw. Also talk to people at work or in the tackle shops that fish. Also try other bbs like ifish or steelheader. I'm finally starting to get some steelhead closer to home in Washington on my own.

Also try the email. Most people wont mind pointing you in the right direction. Once you're on the section of river you can tell where the people fish by the pull-outs.

I think live chat is okay for discussing more specific information on where to go.

I think there's not been very many reports because Bob is recovering from surgery and the reasons RT posted about.

[ 01-08-2002: Message edited by: Steelheadman ]

[ 01-08-2002: Message edited by: Steelheadman ]

[ 01-08-2002: Message edited by: Steelheadman ]

Oh, the other thing that I forgot to post came to mind when I saw the chum thread. I spoke with a gentleman Sunday who told me that a friend of his caught a mint coho the week previous on Eagle Creek. Talk about being late to the big dance!

Too hard of a call Aunty, with all this bankfull water. I don't like to talk about even semi-zippers, but the Necanicum near Seaside on the north Oregon coast is one of the very fastest dropping clearing smaller rivers, with a decent run of steelhead. The prob with it is that the bank access has been choked off by an increased glut of No Tresspassing signs in recent years. And for the limited driftboat run, floods have put new fallen trees to portage around. Difficult but do-able (a sunk driftboat near a logjam is a stark warning of the 'adventure that awaits). I ran it with Kevin before X-mas and we got into multiple fish, with very few boats to compete with. Not far away is the non-zipper crowded NF Nehalem, which also drops and clears very fast. It does get great runs of fish, especially for a smaller river - due to good hatchery returns and re-cycled steelhead. But it gets too crowded for me! If you look around, there are many small quick clearing streams with steelhead in very NW Oregon. Similar to very SW Washington. ...

As for the Siltez, it will be a good while before that big coastal river is ready. A good smallish medium river that clears fast and gets good runs is the Kilchis River just north of Tillamook. Best fished from a driftboat, it still has some decent bank angling. Don't overlook the very upper areas of the medium sized rivers such as the Wilson or Nestucca. A hot spot during the slow drop from high water is to fish the clearer water of smallish Three Rivers (name of the Nestucca trib with a steelhead hatchery on it) or the clear water line it puts out over stacked up or fresh moving fish just out into the Nestucca that will enter that small but fish filled little stream (good parking and bank access - expect crowds). Lots more, including the real zippers - so e-mail me before you come down this way for some suggestions Marsha.

Steve

[ 01-08-2002: Message edited by: RT ]

[ 01-12-2002: Message edited by: Bob ]

I must respond to RT's comments about the Kilchis River. Fortunately, Bob has seen fit to edit out portions of his post -- such as my address and his insinuation that it has been publicly printed on the Internet. Yes, we have given limited permission for bank angling in the past.

Having read RT's post, made without our consent, we have no alternative but to respectfully decline access to our banks to any but personal friends of years long standing.

Sincerely,
William E. Hedlund

NOTE FROM BOB: Please reserve the rest of this for private email. Thanks

[ 01-13-2002: Message edited by: Bob ]

Well said Bill

Fuzzy

Oh chit, that's funny. LOL! Time to go fishin!

[ 01-13-2002: Message edited by: Dave Jackson ]

anyone who would post information about a good bite is crazy. much less to ever tell where you fished is nuts. i've read so many posts of guys that get so excited about catching fish. and thats great,but what you don't realize is that everyone in the world is listening. so for example last year.........

a guy posted how awesome he had done on the wilson in Dec. last year,(2000) he had caught his two steelhead, went home and picked-up his daughter and then hooked another and gave the rod to her to land it. now this all sounds good except he BROKE THE LAW. and to beat all this he confessed it all on the net. he may have just made an honest mistake but his bragging will eventually get him in trouble. trust me the cops are not all nice guys just doing their jobs. some cant stand to see you catch all the fish.

enjoy those places to yourself, or it will not be long before someone finds out, and your secret becomes blue creek. not my idea of fun fishing. i would rather fish a river and catch one fish and see nobody, than catch 20 fish next to 20 guys.

To quote Kevin: "i would rather fish a river and catch one fish and see nobody, than catch 20 fish next to 20 guys."

Bravo, well said! I prefer serenity to a meat market any time. Well said, simple but insightful.

Riter; HOT HOT HOT,25 fish,olny 500 people and 3 dogs.Can't wait to get back,fish are huge 4&half pound average,lots of dark smokers too.where else can you fish and catch gear on every drift and incounter a true fishing expert on every third rock.

To reference a recently-departed NBC sitcom that I never watched, wouldn't they ALL be on "The Third Rock"?