Portland, Oregon area fishin'

Hiya fellas… My wife & I are heading to portland ths weekend witha nother couple. The ladies…to attend a concert. Frank & I hadn’t figured on going along till a couple weeks ago.
We want to spend our time doing some trout fishing. Any suggestions for a close by stream for that. Fairly good bank access and not too far away. We’ll be staying right downtown in ahotel, and have just one day, probably actually something like 8 hours.
I lived in Portland 30+ years ago, but the whole things changed, and fairly foggy in my brain anyway. We’re not stuck on trout, or streams…crappie, bass and ponds work too…
Thanks for any input…ModocDan

If you are already in Rogue country, it is going to be hard to exceed what you could do close to home. Where are you, around Grantville?

One of the closest public cold water fisheries that comes to mind is the Sandy River. But I don’t know if there are summer steelies in there now. After that, I suppose the drive to the Big D around the Maupin area would be worthwhile. July is caddis season and is a fun time to fish there, but it’s a little early and you’d need to check on the status. With only 8 hours, you’d be pushed pretty hard for time to do a Maupin trip.

I have to take a call, let me finish this later. Depending on the run, it might be a time to catch some salmon in the Columbia.

Howdy Raw…
I’m in So. Ore…Central Point… You’re right about my local waters… I remember the Sandy from years ago…In fact I remember nettin’ smelt there maybe in February… cold, cold water and tons of smelt… I also remember the Clackamas river… I think we’ll have about half a day… so probably it’s the Sandy…Thanks…Dan

Hello Modocdan, well just head up the gorge and when you cross the Sandy, take the offramp and you can start following the river upstream. You could try google maps and in ‘get directions’ plug in portland or to troutdale or to get you close, then right past the troutdale exit you’ll see a river entering the Columbia…click on ‘satellite’ and have a closer look.

Cheers,

MontanaMoose

Edit: This is for everyone…
The feature mentioned above
can put you on the sidewalk at
that ‘old house’ you used to live
in when you were a kid. Yesterday
was showing the wife and could get
a view of the front door of the house
I lived in about 50 years ago.

if you want something off the wall, i’d go for sturgeon. i tried it a couple of years ago and had a blast. caught 2, 8 fters and several 4 fters. it ain’t fly fishing but how many times do you have the chance to catch fish that size. PM me if you want info on a great guide i used. it only cost me $150 + tip

M-Dan!
If you’re tight on time and travel and obviously may not have to chance to “cook and eat your catch”, (because you don’t want to, out of the Willamette anyway!), I’d seriously just fish in and around downtown Portland!
There’s several access points, along the sea wall, down on the waterfront of the Willamette River, right in downtown.
Or, drive towards “Lake Oswego”, (Well marked signs, from downtown leading towards the town of Lake Oswego) and simply “fish wherever you see river access” along the way.
I mention this choice, after talking to the owner of River City Fly Shop, in Tigard, this past week and he was telling me about the 12" to 16" Smallies he and friends have been catching on flies, as he put it… “Anywhere we could get a streamer into the Willamette River, from right downtown Portland, all the way out to Lake Oswego!”.
Just a thought if you wish something close, easy and perhaps a lot of fun!?!
Good luck and have a great time!

Sorry for “hijacking” this thread, but…

HI PAUL! It is great to see a post from you!

Speaking of River City Flyshop, it’s fun place to stop and look around. Especially if you like looking at lots of flytying materials.