Is fishing the Mac for steelhead and salmon a complete bust this year?

[Yogidabear]

Either people are not posting there catch or it's mighty slow ??

 

[plumb2fish]

I finally got bit from an egg wagon the other day, I haven't done more than a couple steelhead trips because of the low numbers of fish....

 

[JimBob]

I live above the dam, so I don't see any Steelhead fishing.

 

[bran_man]

Its been a REALLY SLOW YEAR!!! Should be an absolute slay fest out there right now. Fish are still being caught, but no where near what it should be. I have been talking to all the regulars out there that have been fishing it for years and most agree this year is one of the worst runs in years....

Mac can be weird sometimes though and switch on for a while or a pod of fish will move up randomly. And I know there are some out the (maybe myself included even) that are still consistently hooking up... So it's definitely not over. Just on the slower side... Posting usually drops a lot this time of year cause most are either out hunting chrome our it gets too hot for some people, so they just aren't fishing as much... There's lots of reasons but it's pretty common for this sight to slow down this time of year

 

[bran_man]

I live above the dam, so I don't see any Steelhead fishing.

I have been told by a few different people that many of the "wild" steelhead are destined to continue to sneak up above the dam somewhere and that select people that know where they and go fish them. The few people I have heard this from have all been fly fisherman. Not sure if that's a coincidence or not?
Also, I'm not sure if the regs change once past above the dam or not (I'm sure they do change) so I'm not sure if you can keep them or not? Again, these are all just things that I have heard. Whether it's true or not, I don't know...

 

[Mad dog]

Same thing on the North Umpqua this year....very slow, warm water!!!

 

[DYJ]

It's definitely been hit or miss this year and I think we got a bit spoiled last season. I don't really fish the Mac, but I can tell ya the other river isn't much better. We've gotten into em but it comes in spurts then turns off like a faucet...

 

[hobster]

Yeah, the warm water isn't helping. Its been really HOT in the valley for this time of year, and its been consistent. 90's all week this week, the Mac is so low its warming up quicker.

 

[steelhead_stalkers]

I have had some of my best days when its very hot and I have to get in the water to fish! Sometimes in the middle of the day its great fishing too. About the time everyone goes home. :lol:

 

[Mad dog]

I have had some of my best days when its very hot and I have to get in the water to fish! Sometimes in the middle of the day its great fishing too. About the time everyone goes home. :lol:

He,he,he....I think everyone going home really helps!

Some holes fish better in the heat of the day in broad daylight...no doubt about it!!!

 

[fishinshawn]

I have had some of my best days when its very hot and I have to get in the water to fish! Sometimes in the middle of the day its great fishing too. About the time everyone goes home. :lol:

All about being able to read water and understanding where a steelhead is likely to go to feel secure, stay cool and oxygenated.

 

[Tred]

Been slower this year for sure. I am 3 away from a full tag but that's because I am able to fish a lot more than most people. A couple weeks back was the best for my boat with multiple fish day each trip. I am using natural bait and colors seem to switch from hot pink to black. Drift fishing is my preferred method. No yarn just smallest corkie n bait.

 

[bran_man]

Wow, ok so I knew numbers were poor this year, but didn't realize how bad. Just compared the numbers to last years and the total number over the falls it's already over 10,000 fish LESS over the falls this year compared to this time last year. That is quite the difference!

 

[JeannaJigs]

Wow, ok so I knew numbers were poor this year, but didn't realize how bad. Just compared the numbers to last years and the total number over the falls it's already over 10,000 fish LESS over the falls this year compared to this time last year. That is quite the difference!

andddd the mckenzie gets the lowest percentile of those fish that do come over the falls.

It's the crappiest spring season I've seen in 10+ years. I don't even want to burn through bait and gas anymore, threw in the towel a while ago, just waiting for fall...last year was the best fall chinook season in many years, so hopefully this year is good as well.

 

[bran_man]

Yeah, from what the Hatchery workers that i talked to a few years ago said Mac will only get maybe 10-15 % of those fish... It's already way dead out there and it should be on fire!

ODFW projected biggest return on Columbia this year in the last decade. So hopefully they are correct and this will also mean big returns everywhere else as well! We can dream can't we!? Lol

 

[dtikey]

I haven't really spent much time out on the Mac this season compaired to past but hit fish almost every trip. I was up their two weeks ago fishing a hole by myself and went 2 for 3 on steelhead in hour fifteen minutes. Released both fish I landed didn't want to deal with them and nobody on river I knew to give them to. At that same time plum to fish hooked couple steelhead out of his boat below me so their is fish and their is biters just have to be on your game because less then should be as Brandon said. Been fishing with my kids a lot this year to pass on the fun and teach them the know how and lots of time in the woods which is where Im headed now to check my trail cams so look for some more pics to hopefully show up in hunting forum page.

 

[rippin fish lips]

^^ Dead on about being on your A GAME.

 

[Bgunder]

And having lots of time to fish helps....