Methow/Columbia Steelhead, Last weekend of October?

I seem to have trouble going very far for events, ,  so I'm going to try to start something nearer home. This is a suggestion for a good group event oppurtunity.

For the last several years the state has been opening the Methow and Upper Columbia for hatchery steelhead, usually in early Oct. (Twenty+ years ago, when I moved here, the Methow had the #2 summer stealhead catch in the state- 5400+! )

By Halloween there are usually good numbers of fish in the river. (The fishing gets even better, later, but it gets kind of cold for camping by late Nov... )

Pateros has a linear waterfront park, which has showers. I'm not sure about tent camping, but the Pateros Super Stop offers RV camping with hookups. I can find out about the tent scene, as I know some of the local business owners/ chamber members.  If not, Alta Lake State Park is within 5 miles. If we wanted to have a formal event, I'm sure we could get chamber support. (Brewster, which is the next town upstream on the Columbia, just had a salmon derby, so I imagine we could probably manage a steelhead derby, if it was desired.) The locals know how important the fishery is for the local economy.

The important part, the fishing: For some reason it seems that steelhead on the eastside are predisposed to attacking lures and flies. At times, it seems ridiculously easy to catch them. (I've caught as many as 10 in a few hours! ) The Methow empties into the Columbia at Pateros. People catch fish in the Columbia, in the mouth/estuary of the Methow, and upstream (about 5 miles, or more) in the Methow. The fish tend to stack in the Columbia, and hang out, before heading up the  Methow. Gearheads use primarily jigs under bobbers, with a few towing plugs. For the buggy whip crowd, wooley buggers (and varients) and leeches are a good start. For everybody, the basic color is black, followed by purple, pink, blue and green.

Anybody interested?

http://www.pateros.com/
http://www.paterossuperstop.com/rv.html

Yea I am. Are you talking putting the boats on the water or going it from the bank, either way. I will be gone Oct 25 through Nov 6 to CA to visit my folks. (dad is 83 and hasn't seen his granddaughter yet) So before that or even aftr that. I think I might work something out.

Hows the fire up by you? are you out of harms way. We almost had a lynching here the other day. A contractor who is working up the north fork from us started a brush fire and burned up an acre , luckly the fire depts from Cashmere, Dryden, and Peshastin jumped on it berore it got out of hand.

We can float the Columbia and the estuary. Be a nice change of pace for me, as I usually bankfish the upper river with a flyrod. It sounds like there are some other fly fans out there, and I would be happy to point, or lead the way for part of a day.

It looks like I have the last weekend of October free, and all of Nov. except 11/17-11/19...

Been watching the fire(s) for the last couple of weeks- it (Tripod) started just a few miles east and uphill of where I'm working. It's mostly headed away from us, towards Loomis and Concunnely (sp?). Been some spectacular plumes, late afternoons. Smoke's been settling down into the valley, most mornings, though since we're on the west side of the valley, we've been getting fresh air coming down the Twisp drainage.

I have seen so many stupid things done , it's hard to be shocked anymore- just shake the head...

I used to operate engines on fires, so the smell rings a bell in me that my wife won't let me answer...

Hmmmm.....gears clicking might have to do some planning, pretty close to home, would be a easy trip for me    jim l

Lets keep this one rolling Bill. When exactly does the river open for Steelies, and where is the nears state park or camp, or facilitys. State parks first.

Jim get Kevin and the gang together.

FC

Uhhh, there is no exact opening date, until the state announces it. The river has typically been opening the first week of Oct. It's been opening via special regs., and is dependent on dam counts ( http://www.fpc.org/currentdaily/HistFishTwo_7day-ytd_Adults.htm ), and the state convincing the feds that it's a good idea. The state has been telling the feds that the hatchery steelhead need to be reduced so that they are not competing with the "native" spawners.  (Umm, isn't that risking having the feds telling  the state to simply quit the hatchery program? Oh yeah, and how does this gybe with the comments from a state biologist, that hatcheries are imperative for our basin, because of all the dams below us? )

Counts at Wells are climbing, nicely. Should be some fish in the river already. Saw some huge chinook on Sunday. They should start spawning in 2-3 weeks, which will start a frenzy on the river. The Yakima is also a kick in the pants, in Oct.

Alta Lake State Park is (still) the closest state park. I still need to contact Pateros, to find out if tent camping is allowed in their park.

Hey Pisco,

Yeah!  I'm likin' the sound of this one.  You East side guys were good enough to scoot all the way over to Snow Creek this summer and in good numbers too.  And now you guys sound the fishing bell, so dad-gum it, somebody from the West side needs to truck on over there to your gathering and "represent".  Besides, nothing much is going on over here that I'm interested in that late in the year and so I'd like to join you guys so long as nothing major and unforseen gets in my way.  And I'll tell you now, cold weather camping won't keep me away any.

I don't know a thing about the fishery that you're talking about though, and so you pros will have to help me out with some gear selection.  Don't worry about that for now though, first let me get a little bit more of a solid plan working and then we'll go from there.  I'll start "fishing" around and see if I can dig up a partner to come along and help out with the fuel bill.

Fishin-T

On Friday, I checked with the Pateros City Hall, and the clerk told me that they don't allow camping in the park along the Columbia, except for special events. Messes with their sprinklers.  That means that Alta Lake State Park is the closest tent-camping.

Gear is pretty basic for both spinner/casters, and fly guys.

Gearheads use either a jig and a bobber, or tow plugs. FFers use floating line with indicaters, or tow a sink tip.

I'm also curious about whether Chelan Macks would be worth a shot, at that time of the year.

What about Lightning Pines Campground? 

I hadn't thought of the private campgrounds; the nice thing about Lightening Pine is that you can fish right there. I like that Burma Rd. section of the river. This is the first time, in years, that that section has been open during the regular trout season. I've caught some jumbo 'bows- 

The advantages of the state park are: -that one of members (interested in this trip) has some sort of pass for state parks;
                                                      -it's closer to Pateros, or the estuary, for boat fishing (the river is awfully low, for floating)

BTW; after teaching a casting class this morning, I got out on the river for a couple of hours of my own pleasure. One of the natives that I caught would have met the state's definition of a (wild) steelhead! 

Macks at Chelan are a viable option year round. The burbots I believe go into spawn mode and can be found in shallower water in the winter. (I would need to verify that though) Steelhead sounds good to me as well. Dosen't mean we can't do both.

I've been reading about the lakers staging for spawn. I've got no idea where in the lake they spawn, or how they act towards lures that invade their space when they're trying to get it on. 

Only one way to find out
I thought I read thatAlta lake state park closes the end of sept. You know what that means........freee camping for everyone

Pisco,  is this an artificial lure fishery only, or can you use bait?  I got a few jars of eggs curing up that I brought home from AK.

-Allen

I hear ya, that stretch of water was pretty nice to my friend & I last year!