Mouth of the Clackamas.....

[MrGrumpFish]

Hey all,

This is a question for the boat guys out there. I am going to put my boat in at Meldrum Bar tomorrow morning and fish the Willamette for a bit. My question is, has anyone or can you head up the Clackamas river from the Willamette for a ways without suffering prop or hull damage?

Thanks,

Chris

 

[Modest_Man]

Depends on the river level, boat type, and operator skill. Guys run the entire lower Clackamas (up to McIver) during low summer flows in small jet boats. Their boats are designed for shallow water and they know what they're doing.

 

[MrGrumpFish]

Im pretty sure the clack is higher than summer levels by now. Again, I have a prop powered boat. It is a Smoker Craft Alaskan so no deep v to worry about. I have had it in fairly shallow water about 2 feet, but that doesn't mean I am comfortable with that. I am really looking to just anchor up on my rock anchor and float some eggs where I don't have to worry about anyone on the bank. Probably stick right around the mouth but was thinking I would run up the hill a bit if there were a lot of people bank fishing around that area. Its been a long time since I have had a boat in the willy by that area. Just trying to do some recon before tomorrow morning. I know fishing has been a little slow there so Im thinking there wont be too many people around this early. May be a chance at a steel or silver though. Maybe even a nook, although I doubt that...

Thanks,

Chris

 

[Modest_Man]

The Clackamas is still pretty darn near standard summer levels. It jumped up with the rain on the 31st but dropped hard and fast. With that boat and a prop I don't think you're going to want to go above the bowling alley hole, which restricts you to a couple hundred yards of the river unless it rains a ton overnight.

There isn't much in the way of fish right now, so I doubt you'll have company wherever you chose to go.

 

[FishNinja]

You won't have to worry too much about bank anglers. There's not exactly very many fish in that area right about now. You got a shot for a late coho or an early winter steelhead. If i were you I'd just fish the willamette for sturgeon.

Sent from my LG-H631 using Tapatalk

 

[DrTheopolis]

You're probably already there, and I don't boat that stretch much, but at the current 12.1 height (I always use the Estacada guage), you might be able to squeak up the first riffle without doing the gravel-churn.

Bear in mind, the tide on the Willy dictates the depth of that lower section.

And if you catch a nook, handle it with kid gloves while releasing it (pretty sure it's closed to nooks right now). Very few fall run nooks, and it would be nice if they came back in good numbers.

Generally (can vary wildly), once we get to this time of year, the only coho you'll catch (and there can be a ton of them) will be wild... but you never know. You can still catch summer steelies, but I doubt there's many that low in the river. Every once in a while, you can get a very early winter this time of year, but don't hold your breath.

For future reference, if the river level is up (say, over 12.5 or so), you can drop the boat in at Riverside, Carver, or even Barton and fish those immediate areas. All of them have places you can fish without running too far up or down... and starting upstream is a good idea -- going downstream and finding out you don't have the power to get back up kinda sucks (and it often takes more power and momentum than you'd think).

 

[ChezJfrey]

There isn't much in the way of fish right now, so I doubt you'll have company wherever you chose to go.

There's not exactly very many fish in that area right about now.

Naysayers...bite me



Today, Clack, mouth.

 

[rogerdodger]

excellent...

 

[DrTheopolis]

Is that an elusive "fall run"?

Caught a couple over the years, but not many.

 

[ChezJfrey]

Is that an elusive "fall run"?

Caught a couple over the years, but not many.

Not sure...are they typically wild fish?

I'm not sure exactly what this was...it was clipped. Thought maybe a rebright, but every summer I've ever caught on the Clack had a right max clip. This fish did not.

But, this one was already olive-backed, which most early winters I've caught are brighter chrome and have the bluer back. Here's another shot of today's fish, from the right side:

 

[DrTheopolis]

The ones I've caught were all unclipped.

And I think you're right, that the summers that come from the Clackamas Hatchery (I don't think Eagle Creek does summers) have the max clip, which leads me to think...

either a mis-clip, or maybe it's a stray from an Upper Willy trib that was too lazy to go over the Falls? Not a crazy idea, seeing you caught it near the mouth.

Interesting specimen.

 

[Hooked Up]

Couldn't help but notice you caught that on a spoon. Huh.. who'd a thunk it?? :confused-new:

 

[ChezJfrey]

Couldn't help but notice you caught that on a spoon. Huh.. who'd a thunk it?? :confused-new:

Crazy, huh? LOL

Swung a fly.
Floated a jig.
These days, I swear I try to make the spoon my last resort, but it so often just works

 

[Modest_Man]

Did you check higher up? Lots of summers still holding in the tailouts upriver.

 

[sapo]

Nice fish!!

 

[MrGrumpFish]

No fish for me yesterday but had fun trying. I also ran up and fished Faraday for a bit, but it was fished out long ago. No rain all day! I was surprised we were able to dodge it.

Cheers,

Chris

 

[logo1039]

I am wanting to go this weekend on the Clackamas for some winter steelhead. I have a 15 ft smokercraft that has a very small v haul. Will I be fine and how far could I go upstream? Thanks