Spillways on long Tom River?

[datsunwhacko]

it looks like there is

wrong dam in pic. not monroe. there is a concrete fish "ladder" on the west side of the dam. sattelite view should show it on the opposite side of river compared to your pic. pull a tape measure....pretty sure that if you fish from the east side(grafitti'd wall~~fu#kin' vandals) you are 200 feet away. I will challenge an officer to verify distance if I run into him........challenging tiptoeing across the river on the bottom lip of the spillway without slipping off and "wading". "Nicely" saying you can't fish there won't work with me.
As citizens we have the civic duty to question and say "NAY" when applicable.
I have fished there since dec 1980....even while in plain view of law enforcement. Always smiles and "how's the fishin?"(even on the fish ladder west side!) Hell I've casted spinners,bobbed worms/jigs above the dam while standing on the fish ladder in my adolecence. I'm sure retired Monroe police officer Frank Thayer(think he is mayor now) would help clear things up if you seek him out. He lives block past library heading up the street from highway 99. Fishing for non-game species(CARP).....different regulations~worthy of mention to an officer. there are two more spillways....err 3 between monroe and fern ridge. One is in private land 2 miles above monroe. try the one on Fergeson(spelling) Rd near the Conser Quarry, caught a nice cuttroat there few years back. real small spillway less than 3/4 mile below fern ridge dam. never fished it much but old timers with crappie jigs do at the right time of year. ive seen crappie in an old timers 5 gallon bucket that couldnt fit without bumping nose and tail to the sides of the bucket......BIG. I watch them old timers.....they usually know what they are doing!

 

[Admin]

wrong dam in pic. not monroe.

ready to bet a dollar? )

 

[datsunwhacko]

ready to bet a dollar? )

I don't gamble but I do have to laugh at myself a little. The pics from ground level are looking upriver with low water level, current direction towards the "south" or bottom of page view. Long Tom actual current flow towards the North,like the sat view(top of page view). At first glance I mistook the view~my bad. Must be a high water sat image too, spot guys fishing from/picture view would be 3'+ under water.(should of seen it during the flood of 95-96!) I haven't been down there to fish for at least 4 years too....landmarks burned into my memory have changed. Fish ladder side used to have a grain mill and feed store. The property has changed ownership couple of times.... maybe they are cop callers. 100 or so years ago(before the Fern Ridge big mud puddle) a ferry used to navigate up from the Willamette!
I had my first Steelhead on a week ago. Been knee deep in waders ever since, I understand the obsession now! I always figured there was a reason those fools would drown themselves in the freezing rain. Quick study.....just had to beef up my tackle a bit. Incidentally catching a whole mess of fat/healthy redside Rainbows each day....ill write up and post pics. I need to grab the dog and go drown a nightcrawler! Sun is about up! I need to land a Steelhead soon so I can resume "real" life.