HELP NEEDED: Impromptu Oregon Fishing Trip

[Ashley Frohwein]

I just learned a few days ago that I'm traveling for work to Salem and Portland, OR this coming week and weekend. I have one free day (Saturday), and I'm looking to do some DIY wade fishing within ~1.5 hrs. of the Portland airport. Oh, and get this: I've never fished on the West Coast, nor have I ever fished for steelhead or salmon. I've tried to do some internet research, but other than the Orvis 101 salmon/stealheading videos, I haven't found much.

So here's my plan (which I need and would appreciate input on):

I'm planning to fish the Sandy River. (Do you know of any better options in the area? I need something wadeable and relatively simple, since I've only got 1 day to fish it.) I'm bringing an 8 weight (salmon) and 5 weight (trout) (both singlehanded), both with floating lines. I have a full sink line for the 8 weight, and a sinktip floating line for the 5 weight, both of which I'll be bringing. I've got some generic salmon and steelhead flies, and will pick some more up while I'm out there. I'll be using 9-11 foot 8-12 (and maybe even 16) lbs leaders.

Any advice/input would be much appreciated.

-Clueless.

[Yambag Nelson]

My advice would be to drive an extra half hour and go fish the deschutes.  It is one of the great rivers in this country and should be fishing well in June. There are two very good flyshops right in Maupin that will have all the info you need.  There is tons of public water easily accessible by road.  You can just drive along and pick whatever spot looks good to you.  While it is an outstanding steelhead river they don't start showing up in numbers until late august/september, trout are the game in June.  The native redsides are some of the hardest fighting trout i have ever caught.   If you are interested in the deschutes I can provide some more info.

If you have never fished for steelhead i don't think the sandy in June is the place to start.  There might be a few fish but it is far from prime time as it is better known as a winter river.  Some of those other rivers near portland like the clackamas may have some summer brats.   Not sure. If you are dead set on the sandy there is a fly shop in welches, I would call them and see what they say.   Regardless, you can leave the sinking line at home.

[Ashley Frohwein]

Many thanks. It looks like the Deschutes is a little too far out, but i am looking into Clackamas now.

[peter odell]

The Sandy is not good this time of year. Deschutes fantastic, but a very long day trip.

Clackamas better choice though I would stop by river city fly shop in beaverton for some local advice.

[Yambag Nelson]

One other idea I'll throw out there is the salmon which is a trib to the sandy. I fished it after work a few years ago so it is not far from Portland. It was a smaller, very pretty river. Fishing was just.OK but I caught a decent number of smaller rainbows. It supposedly gets steelhead but I never saw signs of any. I think I was there in June but can't remember.

[adam tarr]

Hi there - I am going to be in Oregon next week and plan on spending a few days on the Deschutes near Maupin. Have been searching the forum archives for info and came across this post, where you offer to provide additional info on the Deschutes. I would really appreciate any info you have to offer. I land at PDX at 2 pm next Monday and will be driving straight to Maupin, where I plan to camp until Wednesday or Thursday (I may fish the Metolius on Thursday, unless I cant get enough of the Deschutes).

thanks!

Adam Tarr

[Yambag Nelson]

Best advice for the Descartes is to focus on the banks. I am not sure what is hatching this time of year as I have not fished it this early, but maybe march browns? The fly shops in may pin can help you there. Right now it is a trout game. It is a huge river but the best thing to do is ignore 90 percent of it and fish near the banks. Thee are trout throughout the river but will be fewer downstream as you move towards macks canyon.

Is there anything in particular you are looking for?

[Tim Donaldson]

Both the Deschutes and Metolius are amazing.  If you are deciding based on access, the D involves getting in and out the car occasionally whereas the Metolius you can park at a campground and walk and wade all day.  I am a strong wader and have had some close calls on the D.  Be careful wading there, certain spots can drop off steeply and that water is moving.  If you have felt soles bring them (although check regs, it's been years but I think they;re still legal in OR).    

If I was going now, and since it's not Steely season I would fish the Metolius.  That said both rivers are world class in my opinion and you can;t go wrong with either one.  

[BHombre]

one link to get you started for the Deschutes, http://www.flyfishingdeschutes.com/monthly-hatch-chart and give them a call for more detail;  for the metolius, it is a fun challenging stream, shallow clear, spooky fish, stalking is necessary due to clear water  http://perfectflystore.com/wmetoliusr.html. recommend calling any of the flyshops to get details on access to fishing especially the Deschutes.

the lower Deschutes can be reached by going through the gorge or go over hood on 26 to Maupin, to get to the metolius you have to go farther south toward Mt Jefferson. If you only have a day you are going to have to pick one or the other. best bet is to call to see what is active for the hatch and if it is stonefly the hit the Deschutes. the Deschutes is best accessed by drifting but there are locations where you can fish from the bank just be careful the footing can be treacherous. (do your internet recon)

be prepared for colder water temps due to elevation, insulated waders are nice in the spring and necessary if steel heading in the winter.

there is too much to do in one day so try to focus on that one thing you want to do.

If you like micro brew beer and coffee and fresh seafood your are going to a great place. One place to stop for dining, beer, etc and it is close to the airport and sits at the mouth of the Sandy river is a place called the edgefield and it is in the city of troutdale which is at the mouth of the Columbia gorge.

Enjoy your visit and good luck fishing.

P.S.

If you think you will do this on a regular basis recommend picking up the fishing Oregon guide, good book of sites to fish across Oregon with directions on how to get there. I used it to find lakes in the cascades around hood and south to hike in and fly fish from a float tube, and it also helped me find places to fish on the Deschutes.

On Sunday, June 5, 2016 at 6:28:11 PM UTC-4, Ashley Frohwein wrote:

[robert mills]

This is probably a little late but I was on the deschutes about two weeks ago fishing an emerger under a generic hopper pattern, we were fishing tight on the bank, I mean, tight. Some fish were feet away from me. 9ft leader to the hopper and 2-3ft to the emerger/nymph under. I spent the entire day roll casting that and about 1-10ft of line. Caught tons of fish, and the weather was perfect. I saw a few people out with trout spey setups casting from the opposite banks (I was in a drift boat going hole to hole) but never saw any takes. 

 My dad has been fishing the sandy (he works about 30mins away) this season and has said the steelie run was awful, a one fish day, and sometimes a one take day, was a good day. I've been told by multiple guides thats been the case this year all over the columbia river area, the olympic penn. has supposedly faired a touch better. We'll see what the salmon run is like, I wouldn't mind heading back up there for silvers again this year.

On Sunday, June 5, 2016 at 6:28:11 PM UTC-4, Ashley Frohwein wrote: