Fishing Forum

My son and I will be going to Astoria, fishing for Sturgeon during the Mem day weekend and following week. On the way back I want to fish either of these two reserviors as it looks like they will be right on the way. I live in Evanston so along 84 is the route. Have to go south a little for Salmon Falls, and go into Wells for the rest of trip home. Is one better than the other around that time of the year? I want to fish for Walleye, SMBass or other warm water stuff. Ive heard Salmon Falls has nice walleye, CJ has SMBass.... Do both have good ramps? Campgrounds? Is there a fee or pass a guy needs?
Thanks for any help and advice. I am on the Wyoming board alot so I will pass on any info if any of you guys are heading down this way.
MM
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Both Salmon Falls and C.J. Strike have concrete boat launches. If you go to S.F. you will want to launch at the dam. There is a fee camp ground there or you can dry camp down by the waters edge for free. You would be fishing around the 1st of June, it might be ok and it might be a little early depending on the weather. S.F. is over 5000 feet elevation so it is behind compared to C.J. Strike that is around 3000 ft. ele. If you go to S.F do not expect to catch alot of big walleyes, they are few and far between. What you will most likely catch is 12"-15" eyes if your lucky. You can also get skunked there. I have fished S.F. off and on for over 17 years and when it comes to catching walleye there, it is no cake walk. There is also some smb and some good trout in that body of water also. The local Walleye Club will be holding there Tournament at S.F on June 16-17 so that might tell you something as far as time of year goes. This 2 day tournament has been won the last couple of years with less then 15 lbs. of fish, so that should also tell you something.

If you want numbers of fish I would go to C.J Strike. You should be able to find plenty of hungry smallies at C.J. and it will be warmer also. There are some campgrounds scattered around the lake, some are fee areas and some are free. You also have Black Sands Resort by the dam that has RV hookups, boat launch, docks, cafe & bar, and I think a tackle store. It can get windy on this body of water. but if your from WY you should be pretty used to the wind blowing LOL!!!

Good luck on your trip and let us know how it went for you and your son. Have Fun!!

Mike [cool]
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Thanks for the tips. Your right, I am used to the "W". we fish the Gorge alot and it can come up in a hurry there. Sounds like CJ might be the place. What size do the SM average there? I also heard it has catfish and crappie?? Walleye would be nice but from what you say it is not that good and you have been there many times. We might just sleep on the boat for a night in some cove and fish all night at CJ.
Thanks for the help, i will report on our first time sturgeon trip when i get back
MM
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Thanks for the info...where is Brownlee Res.? What kind of fish are in there?
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If you are coming back from the coast on 84, the south end of Brownlee is right off 84. Look at a map for the town of Huntington, Oregon and also Farewell Bend State park. It on the Oregon border near Ontario. The Park is a good place to stay and it has a boat launch, but if that boat launch is unlaunchable for whatever reason go to Huntington which in north about 5 miles. There is a few hotels in that area and the boat launch at Huntington is called Spring camp(I think). There is also a premative campground there also.
You will do really well at that end of the lake for cats, crappie, bass, ect. I only troll with crankbaits on that end and I catch everything I just named on each trip. If you just targeted cats or crappie you would make a killing. There is plenty of places to bank fish also.
I will actually be at the other end of Brownlee at Woodhead campground (Idaho Side) from May 30th to June 4th.
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Thanks! That sounds like it might be the spot. I see it is right off 84 so that would be good. Does a Oregon license work for that one? I will already have an out of state Oregon fish license, so that would ework nice. The crappie and cats sound good to me. Just thought i would hit some new water on the way home.... We will be fishing in Astoria on the 26th of April and need to fish for 5 days to get our limit of keepers (hopefully)so it looks like around the 31st or 1st we could be there. thanks again, I will report on our trip later...
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EZOP....Just a couple of questions about Brownlee. Im looking at a map of that area, and I assume you mean the south end of the lake is good fishing around Huntington going south? Spring Recreation site looks like what you were talking about, it doesnt show a ramp, but my software might not show it. The lake looks like a wide river around there, does it go clear to Ontario? Also Kodiak says to go to the upper end by the dam.....is that also good that time of the year? That looks to be a little out of the way though....going through Cambridge? What about the Powder River arm by Richland? Any facilities there? Sorry for all the questions, just trying to figure out a gameplan so to not waste alot of time searching for ramps and such. I am using Lowrance Map Create as a guide, about all I have for a map of that area. Not bad though. Does the lake have alot of water this year?
Again, thanks for all your suggestions...if you need any info from down this way just hooller....
MM
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If you are going at the end of the month the lake should be full. Check here for elevations. [url "http://www.idahopower.com/riversrec/waterlevels/reservoir.asp"]http://www.idahopower.com/riversrec/waterlevels/reservoir.asp[/url]
You mentioned you will have an Oregon fishing license, so the Powder River or Huntington both will work for you. Spring recreation does have a boat launch and I believe they charge 2 bucks. When you get to Huntington you will hang a right at the bottom of the hill in town. (Might be the only right). This will take you down through the valley to the reservoir. (4 or so miles) The boat ramp holds 40 or so vehicles and it will be packed on weekends. Getting there early is best. From the boat ramp I've never gone upstream towards Ontario. Fish anywhere from the ramp north and you will have fun.

If you do stay at Farewell Bend State Park, they do have a ramp and you should be able to go down stream towards Spring Recreation, but I have never done it. The river is narrow in that area and opens up down by spring recreation. (I'm guessing 4 or so miles by water) I would recommend that you stop at Farewell Bend Park, talk to the park host and see if its any problem boating down stream towards bigger water. I say this because it maybe shallow in areas around there, but I really don't know. But definitely ask the park host, because if it's easy boating from there that would be the quickest and easiest place for you. (right off the Highway).
I've also never been to the Powder Arm by Richland, but have heard it's even better fishing then the main lake. There is a town and I believe campgrounds right there. I've heard you can also camp along the lake in that area free.
Myself, I prefer down by the Dam at Woodhead campground. Mostly because I like the camping facility. The fishings good, but I've probably caught better fish at the Huntington end.
Heres the Idaho Power Link for camping.
[url "http://www.idahopower.com/riversrec/parksrec/woodhead.htm"]http://www.idahopower.com/riversrec/parksrec/woodhead.htm[/url]

Now if I was you this would be my game plan.

On your way through going to the coast, stop at Farewell Bend State Park and asked the Park Host some info about it and also Spring Recreation. It's right off the highway and would only take a few minutes. Good place to take a potty break also. If your happy with it, then you now have a plan on the way back.

If your not happy, then on your way back from the coast I would go to Richland Oregon and fish the Powder Arm from there. It would be the next closest access.

And if your really willing to get down towards the Dam, you can even drive the boat from there.

I should be at Woodhead on the 30th until the 4th or so. And I usually fish around where the Powder meets the main lake of Brownlee. Keep an eye out or just go camping at Woodhead and maybe will meet. The campground is in Idaho so you would need a Idaho license, but then again maybe not if your fishing from a boat and not on land, so your Oregon License would work.
And besides, I could use some fresh Sturgeon.[cool]

Feel free to ask more questions, if I haven't you enough. And yes, I believe the fishing should be great at that time.
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I also see that your coming from Evanston. If you didn't plan on driving straight through to Astoria, this would make Farewell bend about the halfway mark on your trip. There is a hotel right there off the highway as is the Park also, so if you stayed there on your way to the coast you could easily find out all about that end of the lake to help you be more comfortable when you come back to go fishing.
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