What kind of spinners??

I would recommend this lake.  Good access.  Kayak friendly.  I trolled the whole length and back in a half day.  Small parking lot for boat trailers so not many PBs.  And its part of the Clackamas river so plenty of chances to pick up a stray Steelhead.

Thanks Andrew, where is the access?

 

Thanks Andrew, where is the access?

Through Milo McIver state park.  $5 day pass or annual state parks pass.  Officially the park opens at 7 am but I got there at 6:30 and drove right in. 

Size 2 or 3, Vibrax Blue fox.  Blue body with silver spinner.

Estacada Lake?
you talking about the Clackamas above River Mill Dam then? Or Faraday?

Estacada Lake?
you talking about the Clackamas above River Mill Dam then? Or Faraday?

Above the damn.  Used to be called River Mill Reservoir.  I'd like to try it again with steelhead in mind instead of trout. 

Above the damn.  Used to be called River Mill Reservoir.  I'd like to try it again with steelhead in mind instead of trout. 

While we're on the topic, spinners for steelhead! Any input? Same for trout, just bigger?

 

I don't have too much personal use (success) with spinners.  I only have used the Blue Fox with success on a guided trip on the Snake.  My own catches are on flies, and the one I caught on a Walleye worm harness.


A guide on the Deschutes showed me what his clients were using(this is years ago).  His group being one of the few really successful ones on the weekend day.  He removed the treble on a Blue Fox spinners (metallic blue) and replaced them with big black Woolybuggers. 
-FYI
Scott

I used to use nothing but Roostertails. Now I am using Blue Foxes. They seem to be more dependable and don't hook themselves as much on the retrieve. They also don't twist the line as bad as Roostertails.

Above the damn.  Used to be called River Mill Reservoir.  I'd like to try it again with steelhead in mind instead of trout. 

While we're on the topic, spinners for steelhead! Any input? Same for trout, just bigger?

 

I've used size 3 & 4 blue fox spinners for steelies in NCA. It works, but wouldn't say it kills like flies or roe. Silver, blue, and purple seemed best. I replace the treble with a single siwash. Also used little cleos, kastmasters, and a piece of white yarn on a hook and they've all worked.

J

Yeah, I'd probably go with a blue or purple body and silver blade if I was going after steelies with spinners. And I have heard that Lil' Cleos are good steelie spoons. I have heard that slightly smaller dark, tarnished spoons sometimes work when the water is low and the fish are spooky.

I'm pretty sure that presentation has more to do with it, though.
I think I read once in an article by Bill Herzog (infamous for using hardware when going for steel) that its a good strategy to let the steelhead see your spoon or spinner bounce off the bottom at least once during its swing.

But I don't target steelhead with spinners/spoons, so the above is just 2nd hand info. I'm still go after steelies with my spinning gear rigged up with a jig-and-float, or my flyrod.

After reading this I realized that I needed to upgrade my tackel arsenal and transition from the Pike, walleye, and striped bass lures to something more fitting for the Pacific Northwest.  Therefore, I chose to stimulate the local economy by stocking up at Fisherman's on spinners and a couple more crab traps (13.99).  I also picked up a Scotty lake troller downrigger for $54.99 (sale ends today).  Its amazing how fast those little spinners can add up. I had no intention of purchasing so many, but they all looked so purty, and I couldn't stop at one. Ah well, my kids can pay for their own College tuition, I did.  I also had no intention of getting the Scotty DR or crap traps, but at those prices I couldn't resist.   The hard part was convincing my wife of the logic of my purchases and I begged her not to look at our USAA account for a couple of weeks.  Ah well, its a good thing she loves seafood.  Also, as they say, its easier to get forgiveness than permission.

Now all thats left is to sneak a paypal payment in for AOT and make time for fishing.