Siletz/ Strome 7/12

Anyone ever fish around there? I'd been wanting to go check out that part of the Siletz for some time as I have only fished around Chinook Bend and then banked it in the gorge. There's a big in-between part I have never been to. Well, this was my third trip to fish for cutthroat trout in the past several weeks. The first two trips were fairly successful on nearby rivers but today it took six hours to catch a single 10" cutt. I went about two miles above the ramp and the whole place looks very fishy with lots of rock ledges, trees in the water but surprisingly no trout to speak of. I guess the good news is that there are zillions of juvenile salmonids everywhere which  bodes well for future salmon and steelhead runs. I just couldn't believe that there were not a few more trout hanging around. The whole area looked pretty promising for some salmon fishing later on.

For those staying at Chinook Bend for ORC, I talked to a guy who lives on the river right there. He fishes and said he "monitors it (the fishing) daily". Some salmon have been caught recently but it's been slow, he said. His neighbor caught a 30# off the dock this week right above Chinook Bend. So, be encouraged.

I haven't tried the Strome reach yet, but I'm now pretty familiar with the Town drift a few miles upstream.  There were a ton of cutties up there when I floated it last Friday, but the vast majority were resident.  I did get a couple 12 inchers that might've been sea-run fish.  I also landed two spring-run Chinook jacks.

I've fished the Siletz several times this summer and yeah, general consensus is it's a tough year.  Out of 7 trips, I've hooked 1 steelhead, 2 spring-run Chinook adults, and 2 spring-run jacks.  Ironically, I've had more success hooking incidental springers while targeting steelhead.  Other guys I've talked to on the river seem to be having similar success, hooking more springers than steelhead.

Fresh sea-run cutties are currently in Alsea Bay, but haven't really pushed up the river yet.  I got into them pretty good last weekend toplining a Kastmaster, biggest was 16 inches.  Might have more success on the sea-runs closer to the ocean in the Siletz estuary?

Closer to the ocean- that's what I was thinking, too. I was mighty close to the beach on my other two trips and miles inland this time. I used all the same gear all three times and went from stellar to near skunk in a short time period. I could see going back in October and bobber fishing some of those holes up there, though.

Great job exploring new waters, Chris!  Looks like a fun day kayaking What was the water temp?

Great job exploring new waters, Chris!  Looks like a fun day kayaking What was the water temp?

Don't know. The finder started acting up so I shut it off. I had brought my salmon gear but no one was fishing down low so I went straight upriver. I know July isn't red hot and I decided not to try.