Oregon salmon & steelhead fishing

[556shooter]

I have been an avid salmon & steelhead fisherman in Oregon for 25 years but this is the first year I wont be buying a fishing license and enjoying my home rivers.
The price and politics of fishing has gone up every year in Oregon while the fish counts decline.
Very sad state of affairs, however it has brought me back to spending more time on the trigger.
Maybe it's time to start enjoying some of the other species of fish Oregon has to offer but the runs of salmon and steelhead are all but gone here now.

 

[gillettehunter]

I skipped steelhead fishing last year after the run tanked. Over 30 years of going every year. Not much better this year either. Gonna go for a cpl of days and see how it goes. Hope they get something figured out. Costing some folks a good part of their normal income....
Bruce

 

[556shooter]

I skipped steelhead fishing last year after the run tanked. Over 30 years of going every year. Not much better this year either. Gonna go for a cpl of days and see how it goes. Hope they get something figured out. Costing some folks a good part of their normal income....
Bruce

I agree, I know guides that are sweating it right now. They closed fall salmon fishing for the year early fall and those guys lost a lot of money.

 

[Salmonchaser]

Sucks, many factors involved but jeepers no point in buying a fishing license.
One of my younger brothers was a biologist for ODFW. He quit them 20 years ago because politics trumped science back then.
Sure is a shame what's happening to fish runs and all people do is point fingers.

 

[556shooter]

Sucks, many factors involved but jeepers no point in buying a fishing license.
One of my younger brothers was a biologist for ODFW. He quit them 20 years ago because politics trumped science back then.
Sure is a shame what's happening to fish runs and all people do is point fingers.

Was that Kevin Gray by chance?

 

[Salmonchaser]

Was that Kevin Gray by chance?

No, it's not, but the name you mentioned is familiar.

 

[Barrelnut]

Sold my boat and called it quits maybe 5 years ago. Got tired of watching the sea lions eat everything. Don't regret it a bit.

 

[Salmonchaser]

Sold my boat and called it quits maybe 5 years ago. Got tired of watching the sea lions eat everything. Don't regret it a bit.

I shipped mine to Alaska 10 or 12 years ago so I had a nicer boat to guide out of. Haven't missed it a bit either. Just never seemed like the fishing was good enough to give up a hunting day anymore.

 

[Sevy]

Sold my boat and called it quits maybe 5 years ago. Got tired of watching the sea lions eat everything. Don't regret it a bit.

Supposedly they are gonna do away with the sea lions on the docks at sports craft by Willamette falls. Dont know the whole story but something about they keep coming back after relocating them and somebody got the ok to get rid of them for good. I haven't steelhead fished for a couple years but I have been told that the fish aren't their. Especially on the clackamas where I always fished.

 

[Barrelnut]

Supposedly they are gonna do away with the sea lions on the docks at sports craft by Willamette falls. Dont know the whole story but something about they keep coming back after relocating them and somebody got the ok to get rid of them for good. I haven't steelhead fished for a couple years but I have been told that the fish aren't their. Especially on the clackamas where I always fished.

Yea, talk about a dollar short and a day late! Seals hammered the sturgeon in the Willamette pretty hard too. Was not unusual to be setting in a hog line or something and see a seal come up from the bottom with a keeper size sturgeon. Take a big chunk out of it and toss it and go back down for another.

 

[556shooter]

Supposedly they are gonna do away with the sea lions on the docks at sports craft by Willamette falls. Dont know the whole story but something about they keep coming back after relocating them and somebody got the ok to get rid of them for good. I haven't steelhead fished for a couple years but I have been told that the fish aren't their. Especially on the clackamas where I always fished.

I live 2 miles from the mouth of the Clackamas. It was where I started fishing in 1994 and it was hot then. Just never came back after the floods in 95/96

 

[Barrelnut]

I think the shad fishing is still pretty good! LOL

 

[Sevy]

I really hadn't ever thought about the sturgeon down there actually. I bet they did though. What a joke. Ahhh. My mind just went blank because of frustration. We should have amazing rivers for salmon and steelhead but instead we have crap, in this area at least.

 

[Sevy]

I doubt I am 2 miles from the mouth and been fishing it since around then also I bet. Maybe a couple years later. Its went downhill for sure just since I can remember.