Mckenzie River bank fishing

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a_fishing_duck
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I am in love with the Mckenzie but have not had any luck this year, anyone know of any good spots to go for some bank fishing?

Also I have read about a lot of people using lures on here. What is a good size to use?

Sorry, I just now starting to really get into fishing and would love all the advise I could get.

I live in Eugene but am willing to drive wherever to get some good fishing
Thanks.
 
My favorite lure is a 16th oz. Thomas Lure. Lately I've my best luck with the copper with red and I think black spots. I will give a better description after work tonight.
 
Welcome

Welcome

a_fishing_duck said:
Hello all,
Just joined the group here.

So I am in love with the Mckenzie but have not had any luck this year, anyone know of any good spots to go for some bank fishing?

Also I have read about a lot of people using lures on here. What is a good size to use?

Sorry, I just now starting to really get into fishing and would love all the advise I could get.

I live in Eugene but am willing to drive wherever to get some good fishing
Thanks.
Click to expand...

a_fishing_duck;
Welcome to the forum. I wish I had some useful information for you. We all know how frustrating it is at first. I don't get down to your neighborhood very often so my knowledge is pretty much zilch. Luckily for you we have several very experienced fisher folk in that area. Most are probably snoozing right now,but they will be back. In the meantime,you can enter "McKenzie" in the search box at the top of the page for past entries. Again,welcome.
Be safe.
Barb
 
Welcome to the club duck. The Kenzie is nice water. tends to be clear as a bell. I run 1/16, 1/8 spinners blue fox or panthers, and Thomas Bouyant spoons, but I want to pick up some of Kodiak's lures from TCO.
 
what they said, thomas spoons in gold and red are goldddd on the mighty mac. There's some good trout holes below the town of leaburg, right off the road. Pretty much anywhere there's a pullout on the highway, you will find good water to fish. Beware, there's some hard hitting steelhead in there the rest of the year as well that like to hit thomas spoons and spinners.
 
Heading up to Olallie campground on the upper McKenzie next weekend. Will take spoons with me. Any tips on good areas to toss one in? Will be bank fishing. Anything else I should try? Are they that far up?

Thanks
 
I don't know where that is, but there are still some fish around Leaburg. Chad and I were up there for 4 hrs today and hooked 2, I landed mine of course:D, just because Chads fish was in the 20lb range and he was using 6lb leader is no excuse. Seriously though, we were not 100% sure that it was a steelhead, but if it was, it was the biggest summer steel I have ever seen. You guys will have to watch the video when its done and see if you think it was a steelhead or a nook.
 
I am spending the night crying!! :doh: :wall: :redface:

Oh well, that's why we do it!!
 
Sorry to be a downer, but the Mac is closed for Chinook angling as of the 15th of this month, and You can only fish for them up to Just below blue river when the season is open, so Olallie would be out, it's way too far upstream. HOWEVER...Take your steelhead gear dude, there's a ton of steelhead all through there and you can fish all the way up the river, I've caught them way above there, and this year you can retain non clipped fish as long as they are >24 inches. Check out the reg book though on specifics because there are sections of the river that are artificial only throughout the year. starts on page 52.

Good luck
 
Thanks for the info. Appreciate it. I wasn't expecting to hit a nook but did want to try for some summer steelies. I'll check out the regs but looking to stick with spinners or maybe some jigs/yarn.
 
Well...I would go with real small dark yarn balls or jigs up there if you can find the right water, but up there it's real fast, so that's when I switch over to some spinners/spoons. Toss some brass/black combos, again, smaller is better up there. There's a lot of bank access if you want to hike along that trail along the river way up there below trail bridge. There's a really cool spawning bed below the trail bridge damn too, there should be a lot of salmon in there right now, so if you're into a little hiking, it's something worthwhile to check out, you just hike down the back side of the damn (it's a hefty hike though).
 
Just got my new packet of black combo spinners from R & B so should be good to go. Appreciate all your help.
 
bir48die said:
Just got my new packet of black combo spinners from R & B so should be good to go. Appreciate all your help.
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Right on you should be good, toss those into some tailouts and they should produce if there's fish nearby.
 
bir48die said:
Just got my new packet of black combo spinners from R & B so should be good to go. Appreciate all your help.
Click to expand...

You will not be disappointed!! I have been hooking steelhead on the McKenzie with my R&B spinners with regularity, now landing them is another thing! :lol:
 
SS what size and color R&B lures have you been fishing. I was gonna order a few to better my odds on the Mac, have not been doing as well as I hoped.
 
Well I go against what everyone says and throw the number 3 blue body and sliver blade! It has caught a lot of steelhead in the middle of the day, bright sun and all. But then I also like the number 2 black with the copper body! Its a very good low, clear water spinner.
 
I just started buying the R & B's so don't have a ton of history on them. Been getting the standard Blue Fox's and can't wait to try these.

However, I just ordered the Summer Steelhead packet to check out the colors.

Just got on line to check the TCO's. Look very interesting. Looks like another expensive year for me trying out but not catching.
 
I would say pick one style or technique (spinners) and try to stick with it until you learn how to catch steelhead that way as its a very good choice for summer steelhead. You can really see the difference when looking at a blue fox then comparing it to the R&B's, they get down faster and fish perfectly!

Now for winter fish I would try to learn a different technique, of course my fav is float fishing using a variety of bait and jigs, but drifting bait off the bottom can be productive depending on the river. Then you would have two techniques that you are confident in and can catch you fish. The most important thing is to not try to many things when you are getting started because you will not have enough time to try them all and you will not be very successful always changing up. Pick one, stick with it and you will be on your way! Just my 2 cents.
 
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Agree on your strategy. Just haven't found the right combo yet. Have watched a few of your videos. Some good stuff.
 
Thanks, keep with it!! I taught myself how to drift fish and for the longest time didn't know what it felt like when a fish bit (tough winter steelhead conditions). Well the first steelhead I hooked was around 15lbs and I had no idea it was on the line until it came 3ft out of the water, suffice to say that fish got off shortly there after.

Once you get a few steelhead to the bank its all up hill from there!
 
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