Novice looking for small trout streams

[Murphythedog]

Whew! Good thing! My son and I were looking to head out for some stream fishing (after a couple months of lake fishing), and it was looking like either Deschutes or Quartzville.

We've never been to Quartzville, but i was thinking it would be similar to the Breitenbush or Upper N Santiam. We were on the Breitenbush Labour Day weekend (before the fires) and fell in love with that stream.

We are hoping to try some variation on tightline euro style nymph fishing (given our probably inappropriate equipment).

Quartzville would be a good place to try that. A handful of deep plunge pools just within the first half of the part of the river I explored yesterday.

 

[DOKF]

I went to quartzville yesterday due to a very unexpected day off from work. Fishing was excellent mid afternoon to evening. I didn’t get there til around ten so I can’t comment on the morning hatch. Pretty slow in the early afternoon (10:30-1ish) Lots of bugs around. Caught five fish all on drys. It’s beautiful up there. It was my first time and I highly recommend it for anyone who havent been there especially a beginner as the fish were aggressive and not afraid to make a second or third rise to a presented fly. Lots of risers the last three hours of fishing light. I will be going back for sure.

On a total side note , not trying to hijack the thread, They had the regs posted for there and it mentioned brook trout? Has anyone pulled any out of there before? I have been on a die hard brook trout mission for the last two years and haven’t been able to land any so if anyone has pointers on where to go for that it would be much appreciated.

I've not caught any brookies in Oregon streams, but have in a couple lakes around Mt Hood and Santiam. Ironic, that they are called "brook" not "lake". They tended to be very agressive in the lakes I saw. Back home I always found brookies in small streams, beaver ponds, etc. They tended to be very elusive and cautious in those environs.

 

[DOKF]

I went to quartzville yesterday due to a very unexpected day off from work. Fishing was excellent mid afternoon to evening. I didn’t get there til around ten so I can’t comment on the morning hatch. Pretty slow in the early afternoon (10:30-1ish) Lots of bugs around. Caught five fish all on drys. It’s beautiful up there. It was my first time and I highly recommend it for anyone who havent been there especially a beginner as the fish were aggressive and not afraid to make a second or third rise to a presented fly. Lots of risers the last three hours of fishing light. I will be going back for sure.

On a total side note , not trying to hijack the thread, They had the regs posted for there and it mentioned brook trout? Has anyone pulled any out of there before? I have been on a die hard brook trout mission for the last two years and haven’t been able to land any so if anyone has pointers on where to go for that it would be much appreciated.

Thanks for the report! Choices, choices! The biggest issue may be getting the kid up early enough for the drive down from Portland. But good to hear they are active still.

How big were the trout, and what flies did they seem to like? PMD, BWO, Elk Hair etc? #14, #16, #18?

 

[Fishnsleep]

Hello.

I started fly fishing last year, without anything but the Internet and some of Tom Rosenbauer's thorough and detail-rich books. It is my desire to fish in some small streams as close as possible to the Eugene/Springfield area. I've tried both hills creek and fall creek above their reservoirs with no luck, as well as the siuslaw. Any ideas?

You should check out Quartzville Creek. https://www.bestfishinginamerica.com/or-quartzville-creek-fishing-oregon.html Boulders, a lot of current. beautiful scenery.

 

[troutdude]

I went to quartzville yesterday due to a very unexpected day off from work. Fishing was excellent mid afternoon to evening. I didn’t get there til around ten so I can’t comment on the morning hatch. Pretty slow in the early afternoon (10:30-1ish) Lots of bugs around. Caught five fish all on drys. It’s beautiful up there. It was my first time and I highly recommend it for anyone who havent been there especially a beginner as the fish were aggressive and not afraid to make a second or third rise to a presented fly. Lots of risers the last three hours of fishing light. I will be going back for sure.

On a total side note , not trying to hijack the thread, They had the regs posted for there and it mentioned brook trout? Has anyone pulled any out of there before? I have been on a die hard brook trout mission for the last two years and haven’t been able to land any so if anyone has pointers on where to go for that it would be much appreciated.

Excellent report. I knew you would like that stream. It's a favorite of mine too. About 20 years ago I had a 60+ fish day, with a Fire Tiger Rooster Tail. All caught and released of course.

Nope there are no Brookies in Q.ville. Although I have pulled some schooling Kokes out, at the mouth, by jigging a spoon. And there are Chinokanee which spawn in Q.Ville; as big as 10 pounds (maybe bigger--I first saw some in the 80's). But it is closed to retention; so all Chinokanee must be released unharmed.

If you have a full day to fish...you can continue on up the road and wind up coming out on Hwy. 22. Where you could then also fish the N. Santiam and/or Brietenbush. Or hike into Pamelia Lake.

 

[DOKF]

Excellent report. I knew you would like that stream. It's a favorite of mine too. About 20 years ago I had a 60+ fish day, with a Fire Tiger Rooster Tail. All caught and released of course.

Nope there are no Brookies in Q.ville. Although I have pulled some schooling Kokes out, at the mouth, by jigging a spoon. And there are Chinokanee which spawn in Q.Ville; as big as 10 pounds (maybe bigger--I first saw some in the 80's). But it is closed to retention; so all Chinokanee must be released unharmed.

If you have a full day to fish...you can continue on up the road and wind up coming out on Hwy. 22. Where you could then also fish the N. Santiam and/or Brietenbush. Or hike into Pamelia Lake.

That would be a great loop; Quartzville, N Santiam, Breitenbush. I would love to do that, but maybe a 3 day long weekend to give each its fair due.

 

[DOKF]

Excellent report. I knew you would like that stream. It's a favorite of mine too. About 20 years ago I had a 60+ fish day, with a Fire Tiger Rooster Tail. All caught and released of course.

Nope there are no Brookies in Q.ville. Although I have pulled some schooling Kokes out, at the mouth, by jigging a spoon. And there are Chinokanee which spawn in Q.Ville; as big as 10 pounds (maybe bigger--I first saw some in the 80's). But it is closed to retention; so all Chinokanee must be released unharmed.

If you have a full day to fish...you can continue on up the road and wind up coming out on Hwy. 22. Where you could then also fish the N. Santiam and/or Brietenbush. Or hike into Pamelia Lake.

Chinookanee? A chinook - sockeye hybrid?

 

[Murphythedog]

Thanks for the report! Choices, choices! The biggest issue may be getting the kid up early enough for the drive down from Portland. But good to hear they are active still.

How big were the trout, and what flies did they seem to like? PMD, BWO, Elk Hair etc? #14, #16, #18?

the majority in the 8-10” range with one pushing 14”. I did see some larger ones (guessing 16-18”) rising in one of the pools but I only got one to strike and I broke my tippet on the hook set and I really had to reach out to get into their feeding zone.

I am pretty partial to the purple haze parachute pattern and I threw that to catch all but the larger fish I caught yesterday. The larger one I switched to a Adam’s variation I found in the metolius fly shops dollar tray. It’s a purplish bodied Adams with white wings, tail, and hackle. Both in size 16. Lots of lighter colored mayflys hatching and some larger bugs that I’m not familiar with up there.

 

[Murphythedog]

Thanks for the report! Choices, choices! The biggest issue may be getting the kid up early enough for the drive down from Portland. But good to hear they are active still.

How big were the trout, and what flies did they seem to like? PMD, BWO, Elk Hair etc? #14, #16, #18?

I did try an EHC for a while as a dry dropper set up with a pheasant tail underneath of it with no luck on either but I don’t know if that was just the wrong place at the right time or they were just not interested in either.

 

[troutdude]

Chinookanee? A chinook - sockeye hybrid?

Yes a few lakes have what we call Chinokanee's. Kokes are landlocked Sockeye's though. While Chinokanees are landlock Chinook. They feed on Kokanee and trout; and grow to MUCH larger sizes. Won't surprise me if someone doesn't pull out a 15 pounder some day. Word has it that they don't taste very good. I don't recall why.

 

[DOKF]

the majority in the 8-10” range with one pushing 14”. I did see some larger ones (guessing 16-18”) rising in one of the pools but I only got one to strike and I broke my tippet on the hook set and I really had to reach out to get into their feeding zone.

I am pretty partial to the purple haze parachute pattern and I threw that to catch all but the larger fish I caught yesterday. The larger one I switched to a Adam’s variation I found in the metolius fly shops dollar tray. It’s a purplish bodied Adams with white wings, tail, and hackle. Both in size 16. Lots of lighter colored mayflys hatching and some larger bugs that I’m not familiar with up there.

Good feedback.

Thanks!

Yes a few lakes have what we call Chinokanee's. Kokes are landlocked Sockeye's though. While Chinokanees are landlock Chinook. They feed on Kokanee and trout; and grow to MUCH larger sizes. Won't surprise me if someone doesn't pull out a 15 pounder some day. Word has it that they don't taste very good. I don't recall why.

I used to fish for chinook lots up in Canada. When we caught a "white" chinook, we threw it back. A "pink" one we kept. The colour referred to their flesh; white meant a mainly piscivore, pink meant shrimp / squid diet. Pink tastes way superior. Have also noticed same with trout; hatcheries tend to be pale flesh and meant for the smoker, wild or holdovers with orange / pink from insect / shrimp diets taste better. IMO

As for landlocked chinook; this is my first time hearing of them. Lots of landlocked coho where I grew up, and I became acquainted with kokanee later. The chinokanee must be like lake trout and large browns; fun to catch, but best released.

 

[olshiftybiscuits]

I've not caught any brookies in Oregon streams, but have in a couple lakes around Mt Hood and Santiam. Ironic, that they are called "brook" not "lake". They tended to be very agressive in the lakes I saw. Back home I always found brookies in small streams, beaver ponds, etc. They tended to be very elusive and cautious in those environs.

Lots of very willing brookies in the upper reaches of the OG fork Clackamas above Timothy. I recommend hitting it right after it opens in May.

 

[jamisonace]

Yes a few lakes have what we call Chinokanee's. Kokes are landlocked Sockeye's though. While Chinokanees are landlock Chinook. They feed on Kokanee and trout; and grow to MUCH larger sizes. Won't surprise me if someone doesn't pull out a 15 pounder some day. Word has it that they don't taste very good. I don't recall why.

15 pounds plus are not uncommon according to a guy I talked to that chases them. I heard of 20 plus pounders in Lookout. I've heard they don't taste good too but I watched a show recently and they said they are delicious. Who knows? I've heard of people that think Mcdonalds burgers taste good.

 

[DOKF]

to each, their own?

 

[Sam schall]

Something that is fun, gives a good wilderness experience with no crowds,
And catch a few fish is to fish some of the small tribs that feed the Mckenzie. Some have fish and some don’t but part of the fun is finding which ones do. Often fish are small but you don’t have to cast far. The more you bush whack the more your rewarded. Check the regs to make sure the creek you look at is open