Welcome, Guest. Please login or register.
March 28, 2024, 02:15:54 PM

Login with username, password and session length

Recent Topics

[March 27, 2024, 12:49:04 PM]

[March 27, 2024, 07:37:59 AM]

[March 26, 2024, 09:10:45 PM]

[March 25, 2024, 05:15:36 PM]

by Spot
[March 25, 2024, 02:39:54 PM]

by PNW
[March 24, 2024, 07:14:07 PM]

[March 23, 2024, 10:59:04 PM]

[March 21, 2024, 06:23:10 AM]

[March 17, 2024, 06:42:23 PM]

[March 17, 2024, 08:44:53 AM]

[March 15, 2024, 06:45:09 PM]

[March 10, 2024, 05:55:18 PM]

[March 10, 2024, 11:20:08 AM]

[February 29, 2024, 07:05:43 AM]

[February 26, 2024, 01:31:23 PM]

Picture Of The Month



SD2OR with a trophy fall walleye

Topic: North Fork Nehalem Report  (Read 3474 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

SteveHawk

  • ORC
  • Salmon
  • *
  • Location: Portland, Oregon
  • Date Registered: Jan 2011
  • Posts: 820
Went out for a three day fishing expedition on the North Fork of the Nehalem last weekend. Three other kayakers and myself spent the time learning the river and trying different techniques for catching Steelhead. Caught my first Steelhead out of my FreedomHawk kayak this weekend.

This is what we learned for this river at this time.

1) These strategies we tried:
   A) Drift and Drag- Drift the river dragging bobbers, and bouncing eggs off the bottom    and plugs (not one of our strengths)
   B) Drift the river, stop at holes and fish the bank.
   C) Drift the river and stop above the holes using an anchor and back bounce eggs/ plugs and what not through the hole. (Nightmare Jigs were awesome)
   D) Trolling

2) C was definitely the winner by far.  We were able to get to out of the way places, fish the hole from above and then move on. We hooked six and landed two this way. More than all of the other Strategies combined.

3) Trolling was the least productive (0)  (We pulled prawn spinners, plugs and anchovies)

4) Drift and Bank fishing come in #2 with two pull downs and one landed.

We had a lot of fun and fished until we dropped. The information above is what we found. Please note that one of the other strategies may of worked better if we would of found the right presentation.

SteveHawk
"if you aren't living life on the edge, your just taking up space"  Thom Rock


Green Outback, Blue Revo


Pelagic

  • Sturgeon
  • *******
  • Location: Oregon City & Netarts
  • Date Registered: Aug 2008
  • Posts: 2469
Nice Report!  If you were actually "dragging" you bobber and jig they won't hit it, keep it down river from you on a slack but mended line.  We call this Bobber Dogging on the Clack, very effective.. Congrats on getting into the fish.  The coastal rivers have been great this year, can't wait to get down for more action this weekend too.


craig

  • Sturgeon
  • *******
  • Location: Tualatin, OR
  • Date Registered: Jul 2008
  • Posts: 3814
Great report Stevehawk.  I am glad you were so generous in donating your time to this endeavor.  I know it was an arduous task and I thank you for working out the details. This is the kind of science experiment I can get into.  Now, the only thing left to do is replicate the experiments.  If needed, I can probably be called upon to help you out.  I do have a science degree so I feel I am very qualified.  Where do I send my resume? ;D 

My two attempts at steelhead this year have been awesomely fun total failures.   But Jammer will be forever memorialzed in Google Earth in a picture I took.  Oh, and so are you and Ihoppa in Netarts Bay.  You looked very comfortable on the adventure Island. 


ndogg

  • ORC
  • Sturgeon
  • *
  • "Fists of Fury"
  • Location: SW Portland
  • Date Registered: Sep 2009
  • Posts: 1767
Thanks for the update Stevehawk, and congratulations on getting into some fish.  I am going to have to give anchoring above the holes and back bouncing a try next time I head out for some steel. 
 


jstonick

  • Guest
Awesome job Stevehawk! That sounds like the trip was quite fruitful and you learned a lot. The only way I see that trip as being better is if I was there catching them with you :) Thanks a ton for sharing what you learned!


IslandHoppa

  • iHoppa
  • Sturgeon
  • *******
  • Location: Camas, WA
  • Date Registered: May 2011
  • Posts: 1914
Steve,

Congrats on a great trip. Wish I'd have been there. When I get back in town in February we need to get down there!

iHop


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
iHop

"Of all the things that wisdom provides to help one live one's entire life in happiness, the greatest by far is the possession of friendship." Epicurus

Hobie Tandem Island. OK Tetra 12, Jackson Coosa


Jammer

  • KayakFishingOregon.com
  • Sturgeon
  • *******
  • Kayak Fishing Oregon
  • Location: Portland, Oregon
  • Date Registered: Jul 2009
  • Posts: 1489
Great report SH!
It sounds like you guys had a great time out there. You guys should look up EOB(Eobasser) next time you fish that area for some local intel. I believe he is still working at the North Nehalem Hatchery and fishes the area often.. I'm hoping to get out there in the next few weeks. Maybe its time to fuel up the Next Adventure van for a group to head out for a "Get out and fish day"..
Thanks again Stevehawk
• Stohlquist • Team Daiwa • Yakima Bait Company

2015 Hobie Fishing Team "Top Gun"
2012 Hobie Worlds Team USA - 19th place
2012 Oregon Rockfish Classic – 1st place
2010 Oregon Rockfish Classic - 1st place
2010 Cape Dis. Dungie Tourney - 1st place

KAYAK FISHING OREGON
www.youtube.com/jmrischer


fishnut

  • Salmon
  • ******
  • 1st Recipient of 2012 A$$hat Award
  • Location: Marysville,Wa
  • Date Registered: Aug 2009
  • Posts: 660
Great report with a wealth of info. Is that river a pretty easy drift in a yak? What type of anchor syst did you use to sit a back bounce down the holes? Any fish porn to add?


ZeeHawk

  • Administrator
  • Sturgeon
  • *****
  • Sauber is my co-pilot.
  • Location: Seattle, WA
  • Date Registered: Sep 2006
  • Posts: 5506
Pics...? Gotta have some pics... :)
2010 Angler Of The Year
2008 Moutcha Bay Pro - Winner
Jackson kayaks, Kokatat, Daiwa, Werner Paddles, Orion, RinseKit, Kayak Academy


SteveHawk

  • ORC
  • Salmon
  • *
  • Location: Portland, Oregon
  • Date Registered: Jan 2011
  • Posts: 820
The area of the river we focused on was the drift from Erickson's put-in to Aldervale.  It is an easy drift with plenty of holes along the way.  Erickson charges an annual $25 dollar put-in  fee with a liability insurance disclaimer. (I think that it is worth every penny) The drift was an easy three miles with a couple of shallow rapids along the way. I would not try a summer drift though.
We also crabbed the area just east of the jetty and trolled spinners and plugs. We got a few crab and had no luck fishing. 
As far as the fish porn, I am nervous about bringing my camera out onto the water. The last time out with Aytch, it almost became Willamette River structure. Will need to invest In a GOPRO.

Has anybody tried the lower Wilson? Trask? Necanicum?

SteveHawk
"if you aren't living life on the edge, your just taking up space"  Thom Rock


Green Outback, Blue Revo


SteveHawk

  • ORC
  • Salmon
  • *
  • Location: Portland, Oregon
  • Date Registered: Jan 2011
  • Posts: 820
The anchor system that I use is a modified bSteves system.  I have an anchor pulley system with the set up seen below.

I use a three pound claw anchor attached to 265 pound test handline which reels up into a plastic Tie-wire dispenser which is held up by a crab ring float. It seems to hold in shallow water just fine. I have approximately 200 feet of Line in the reel.
"if you aren't living life on the edge, your just taking up space"  Thom Rock


Green Outback, Blue Revo


Noah

  • Sturgeon
  • *******
  • Cabby Strong!
  • Location: Tigard
  • Date Registered: Mar 2011
  • Posts: 3593
Great job Steve! A few of us fished the lower portion of the Necanicum last weekend and all got skunked. Everyone was using drift anchors and non-hobies. There isn't enough clearance in most of the river for the fins.