Siletz summer steelhead, Mckenzie trout celebrate freedom

On Sunday Matt and I broke free of the high water levels in the Cascade rivers and fished the Siletz River in the Oregon Coast Range.  I can’t describe how nice it was to put down an anchor and have it hold after coping with massive flows in our local rivers.

The Siletz has the distinction of holding the only native run of summer steelhead on the Oregon coast according to ODFW.  Personally,  I don’t believe that for a second.  I think most of the coastal rivers held native runs that were extirpated by poor land use practices but I have no proof.  Anyway, the Siletz also supports spring chinook another feather in its cap.

We floated the “around the town” run which ends less than a mile from where it starts but is about 6 river miles or so.  Weird.  In fact, Siletz means “crooked” in the language of Siletz Indians.  At 3.65 the river is at a good level for drift boating and you have your choice of the “around the town” run (Illahee Park to Greenthumb) or Twin Bridges to Illahee.  Get out and walk your boat around the downed cottonwood near the put in.  We saw someone almost sink their boat trying to run it.

The river is really fishy around the town with numerous riffles, runs and deep pools.  We didn’t catch any fish but at one point as we pulled through a long flat we encountered a school of fish that scattered everywhere at the sight of the boat.  A couple hunkered down in plain sight–spooked they weren’t in the biting  mood.

The river is passable for driftboats at levels of 3.5 and above.  Below 3.5 you can use pontoon boats.

Then on Monday we were off the scrawny water and back on the brawling Mckenzie.  The fishing was fair to slow.  We caught a couple fish, there were some bugs coming off, PMD’s, Green Caddis and Brown Caddis.  Mostly the fish were hunkered down.  I didn’t get to take my hands off the sticks much and couldn’t hold anchor hardly anywhere.

I’d call the conditions poor hovering somewhere slightly above rock bottom.  On the bright side we did see one spring chinook roll, the first I’ve seen this season and possibly the highlight of the trip.