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Picture Of The Month



SD2OR with a trophy fall walleye

Topic: Wickiup/Odell camping and fishing?  (Read 1636 times)

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Clayman

  • Salmon
  • ******
  • Location: Newport, OR
  • Date Registered: Feb 2017
  • Posts: 778
I'm looking to do a weekend camping trip somewhere inland this weekend.  The large kokanee of Wickiup and the potential for macks at Odell sound very interesting.  Thing is, I've never explored that area.  Ideal situation would be dispersed camping on a lakeshore where I can just beach the kayaks.  A co-worker told me there's ample opportunity for that on Wickiup, not so much on Odell.

Anyone have any recommendations for camping/fishing in this area?  I'd prefer to take some tasty kokes, but am open to fishing trout as well.  I'm not intending it to be a hardcore fishing trip, but I'd love a crack at a 20+ inch kokanee  ;D.
aMayesing Bros.


bb2fish

  • Sturgeon
  • *******
  • Location: Oregon
  • Date Registered: Feb 2013
  • Posts: 1499
The Wickiup Derby hosted by Kokanee Power of Oregon is happening Saturday, June 16, so there will be a bunch of boats and lots of occupied camping (including the dispersed campsites that have easy access to the shores of wickiup).  Many anglers prefish and also spend Sunday fishing since they are on the lake for the derby.  So, this weekend might not be the best weekend for kayaking Wickiup unless you're planning to participate in the derby or connect with someone that already has a campsite.

Wickiup kokanee are a blast - my personal best kokanee came from Wickiup 21".  Wind can be a big issue for kayaking that body of water, so pick a day when winds are calm and storm fronts are stable.  Mid to late june is typically better weather, but you still need to watch carefully.  It helps to have a downrigger and know where the deep channels are - otherwise fishing wickiup as a beginner or first time on the lake can be frustrating.

Odell gets its own share of wind - seems a bit more predictable in that 1pm the wind machine turns on.  So, you can kayak effectively from daybreak till the wind becomes annoying.  Even though there isn't any shoreline dispersed camping for kayakers, there are some good options for camping and launching from the hoodoo managed campgrounds: Trapper Creek, Princess Creek, Sunset Cove, East Odell Lake Lodge.  Personally, I don't camp at Shelter Cove - it has become too overpriced and numerous "fish camp" 30' RVs which doesn't really fit my style of camping.  Kokanee are running about 11-12" at odell right now.  Trolling is effective.  I caught 24 trolling last week and I was mostly in the top 10' of water (orange super mysis by kokaneekid).  I think jigging is still productive too (mostly on the west end by trapper creek).  The Mackinaw will chase kokanee tackle, and I've hooked 30" lake trout and brought them to the boat on my kokanee gear (it takes a while)!  It's effective to jig or troll plugs/kwikfish for macks.  The macks are easy to find - they're chasing the schools of kokanee!!  World class mackinaw on Odell and Crescent. 

PM if you want further info.  I was considering a day trip to Odell but I'm watching the weather and Sat/Sun aren't looking especially delightful for camping or kayaking. 



nomas

  • Rockfish
  • ****
  • Location: NE Portland
  • Date Registered: Mar 2017
  • Posts: 117
I’ve camped at east Odell lodge campground and fished there a couple times. It was out of my powerboat using downriggers (before I started kayak fishing). It’s a bit of distance out to where some really popular spots for Mack’s are, but I’d totally kayak there. I targeted them pretty consistently near the bottom in 120’ of water trolling blue/silver k13s or U20s. The lodge has some photocopied lake maps with highlighted areas that I found helpful.

The Kokanee were nothin too special, but the Mack’s are terrific.

One of these days I’m going back with the kayak to jig for Mack’s at that same depth. Maybe even mount a downrigger for the trip.


Merz

  • Lingcod
  • *****
  • Location: Charleston
  • Date Registered: Sep 2010
  • Posts: 356
I usually camp at Princess creek. There are some spaces directly next to the water. Ive done pretty well for Macs right in that area. Actually I was there a couple weeks ago and just drove down some dirt road and camped to save the $14, then launched at Princess creek in the morning.
-Evan
1st 2016 AOTY
1st 2018 SBAOTD
1st 2019 BCS
1st 2022 SBAOTD
1st 2023 BCS
1st 2023 OKBF Davis Lake Flying Kayak Open
1st 2023 SBAOTD


Clayman

  • Salmon
  • ******
  • Location: Newport, OR
  • Date Registered: Feb 2017
  • Posts: 778
Thanks a bunch for the replies everyone.  Gives me a lot to chew on.  Unfortunate to hear about the kokanee derby this weekend, but if it's crowded there then maybe Odell would be a good fall-back option.

When it comes to fishing at depth, I'm more of a jigger than a troller.  Used to have great success jigging for kokes and macks in NorCal, even when 99% of the other anglers were trollers.  Chartreuse/blue P-Line Laser Minnow in 3/4 ounce was a total money lure for both species.  I'd just hunt around with my depthfinder until I spotted marks, drop the jig on em, fish em for 30 seconds then reel up and hunt for more marks.  It was very effective there, so that'll be my likely approach this weekend.
aMayesing Bros.


Merz

  • Lingcod
  • *****
  • Location: Charleston
  • Date Registered: Sep 2010
  • Posts: 356
I use the same technique. Ive tried trolling plugs with a dropper weight setup, similar to what I use for salmon. Also tried using a downrigger. All of my Macs have come while jigging. My best day I caught 7 on a 4 oz lancer jig. Since then everything has come on Fish-field jigs in 3.5 oz.
-Evan
1st 2016 AOTY
1st 2018 SBAOTD
1st 2019 BCS
1st 2022 SBAOTD
1st 2023 BCS
1st 2023 OKBF Davis Lake Flying Kayak Open
1st 2023 SBAOTD


Clayman

  • Salmon
  • ******
  • Location: Newport, OR
  • Date Registered: Feb 2017
  • Posts: 778
I use the same technique. Ive tried trolling plugs with a dropper weight setup, similar to what I use for salmon. Also tried using a downrigger. All of my Macs have come while jigging. My best day I caught 7 on a 4 oz lancer jig. Since then everything has come on Fish-field jigs in 3.5 oz.
Sounds like we're on the same wavelength regarding macks  8).


How about Crescent Lake?  Anyone have experience with that one?  Supposed to hold smaller kokes and a lot of macks.  Looks a lot cleaner than Odell on the satellite photos.
aMayesing Bros.


Mojo Jojo

  • Sturgeon
  • *******
  • Suffers from Yakfishiolus Catchyitis
  • Location: Tillamook, Oregon
  • Date Registered: May 2014
  • Posts: 6006
You could always join the plastic naval fleet at the TBKD4 and join a Big after party potluck with a lot of members of the kayak addiction bug. Either way have a great day on the water.



Shannon
2013 Jackson Big Tuna "Aircraft Carrier"
2011 Native Mariner Propel "My pickup truck"
2015 Native Slayer Propel "TLW's ride"
20?? Cobra Fish-N-Dive “10yo grandson’s”
20?? Emotion Sparky “5 yr old granddaughter’s”


Clayman

  • Salmon
  • ******
  • Location: Newport, OR
  • Date Registered: Feb 2017
  • Posts: 778
You could always join the plastic naval fleet at the TBKD4 and join a Big after party potluck with a lot of members of the kayak addiction bug. Either way have a great day on the water.
Thanks for the invite, but I'm looking to get away from the coast for this trip.  Hope you guys have fun this weekend!
aMayesing Bros.


ballardbrad

  • Salmon
  • ******
  • Kayak Fishing Washington
  • Location: Ballard, WA
  • Date Registered: Aug 2010
  • Posts: 626
I use the same technique. Ive tried trolling plugs with a dropper weight setup, similar to what I use for salmon. Also tried using a downrigger. All of my Macs have come while jigging. My best day I caught 7 on a 4 oz lancer jig. Since then everything has come on Fish-field jigs in 3.5 oz.
Sounds like we're on the same wavelength regarding macks  8).


How about Crescent Lake?  Anyone have experience with that one?  Supposed to hold smaller kokes and a lot of macks.  Looks a lot cleaner than Odell on the satellite photos.


My buddy Jordan and I fished Crescent back in March on the drive back from Shasta Lake.  Crescent is beautiful.  We had to bust through a bunch of ice to get to open water.  Jigging is the way to go.  With a good fish finder you'll find fish.  Here's an article I wrote for Kayak Fish Magazine https://www.canoekayak.com/kayakfish/kayakfish-features/kayakfish-destinations/monsters-in-the-depths-mackinaw-lake-trout/


Merz

  • Lingcod
  • *****
  • Location: Charleston
  • Date Registered: Sep 2010
  • Posts: 356
I fished Crescent once for a few hours and didnt have any luck. I didnt do any kind of research before hand though, and only fished a small section. Its a nicer lake. Very clear water when I was there. Supposed to be slightly less windy than Odell, which is another thing you should be aware of. Odell gets very windy.
-Evan
1st 2016 AOTY
1st 2018 SBAOTD
1st 2019 BCS
1st 2022 SBAOTD
1st 2023 BCS
1st 2023 OKBF Davis Lake Flying Kayak Open
1st 2023 SBAOTD


Clayman

  • Salmon
  • ******
  • Location: Newport, OR
  • Date Registered: Feb 2017
  • Posts: 778
Thanks a lot for the replies guys.  After hearing of dismal fishing and a rapidly dropping water level at Wickiup, we're going to head to Cortana CG on Crescent Lake.  Fish in the morning, mushroom hunt in the day, fish in the evening.  I'll post a report when I return!
aMayesing Bros.