Grande Ronde/Wallowa steelhead

[kolarvandal]

Gonna be in La grande visiting family that now lives there. Uncle and I are looking to do some steelhead fishing this Saturday. We've both fished the lower deschutes with spinners/plugs/wobblers and side planers. Just wondering which river would be the better option and roughly where. And if those same techniques work on those Rivers. Thank you!

 

[Raincatcher]

Welcome to the forum! We have a member in that area who fishes the Columbia at the Umatilla boat ramp with fairly good results. Other than that lil tidbit I'm absolutely no help at all. Good fishing to you and your uncle. Come back and let us know how many monsters you get.

 

[EOBOY]

Kolvarvandal I will put a call in to my buddy that fish's the Grande Ronde I'll get back at ya this afternoon.

Welcome to OFF!

EOBOY

 

[kolarvandal]

Grande Ronde/Wallowa steelhead

thanks, looking forward to it. glad I joined the forum

 

[EOBOY]

thanks, looking forward to it. glad I joined the forum

Kolar:

I'll send you a PM with my buddy's # He is hard of hearing but know's the area well. And the rivers. He is not sure about Regs. and such. He might talk you to death but if you ask the right questions he probably know's the answer.

Dana

 

[SteelyDan's]

Welcome Kolar,

I grew up in Pendleton and frequent often as most of my family is from the area still. You will drive through Pendleton about 45 min before you get to La Grande and that run doesn't start until around Nov. I haven't fished those rivers much but know that it is same time frame as steelhead going up the Umatilla (runs through Pendleton) which starts in Nov and just gets better from there. So just a bit early for steelies down there. There is at least 1 old thread from that area from a couple years ago in the Eastern Oregon thread so check that out. Blue Mountain Anglers shop in Pendleton usually reports on those rivers throughout the season. So if your going soon your probably gonna miss them, in a month and a 1/2 your chances will be much better but I think those rivers might even be a little longer wait as they are farther upstream than Pendleton and still have a ways to go up the Grande Rhonde before you get to La Grande. Hope this shed some light for you.

 

[Jordy]

I fished the Ronde a bit over the last decade. We dont usually fish it until late december or early january. We fished with the zoo out of the la grande area. Im not sure if you could find better results lower in the system earlier, but I would try closer to the mouth.

Also, when I say zoo, I mean litterally the most crowded small river fishing i have ever seen in person. Think Lorens drift meets sellwood springers meets bowling alley all in one. Luckily i was fishing on private property so we drove right passed the crowds but I was amazed. Hopefully you can avoid it by fishing early?

Hopefully theres a big B-run fish who raced up early to give you and your pops a hard time. Those fish are something special...

Sent from my SM-G920P using Tapatalk

 

[kolarvandal]

Grande Ronde/Wallowa steelhead

well... I lost a big one, close to 24" never got it close. but when it came out of the water, I almost think it was a bull trout. besides that, lots of rainbow trout to be had in the wallowa river.