1 - EXCELLENT on 05/07/2010
Fish counts are holding strong again this week with nearly 30,000 andronomous fish now in the river system. Spring Chinook and Summer Steelhead numbers continue to climb. Most fish will be in the lower sections of the river around the convergence of the North and South Santiam, but warmer weather will pull more fish into the North as time goes on. We're definitely on target to see the 60,000+ Chinook that ODFW has forecasted.
(05/07/2010 at 10:26 AM by dcarp)
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1 - EXCELLENT on 04/19/2010
Big numbers of Spring Chinook are moving in. Summer and Winter Steelhead counts look strong as well. Careful with those steelhead smolts. Give them a shot to head for the ocean and come back as Adults!
(04/19/2010 at 04:23 PM by dcarp)
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1 - EXCELLENT on 04/09/2010
The river is a bit on the high side, but there are a lot of fish in the river this early in the season. Good numbers of Winter Steelhead have been in for a while and fresh Spring Chinook and Summer Steelhead are moving in.
(04/09/2010 at 10:43 AM by dcarp)
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1 - EXCELLENT on 04/05/2010
River level has stabilized this week and looks great for the weekend. Spring Chinook, Winter Steelhead and Summer Steelhead numbers are climbing steadily. Gunna be a great year from the looks of it!
(04/05/2010 at 10:52 AM by dcarp)
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1 - EXCELLENT on 03/10/2010
Water level is pretty low, but fish are still moving in. The first Summer Steelhead and Spring Chinook have entered the system. Keep watching the Oregon Outdoor Excursions website for regular fish count updates!
(03/10/2010 at 09:38 AM by dcarp)
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1 - EXCELLENT on 03/01/2010
The river is still quite low for this time of year at 4 ft. (at Mehama). This makes for great fishing as the fish have less room to spread out. The first couple Spring Chinook have passed through Willamette Falls and are heading this way. They are about 2 weeks ahead of last year. ODFW is projecting a really decent run this year.
(03/01/2010 at 10:19 AM by dcarp)
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1 - EXCELLENT on 02/16/2010
The North Santiam is very stable lately with lots of fresh winter steelhead heading this way. The fish count is nearing last year's total for the winter run. The fish are spread from Detroit to the convergence with the South Santiam. That makes for spotty catching, but also for opportunity throughout the system.
(02/16/2010 at 02:17 PM by dcarp)
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1 - EXCELLENT on 02/08/2010
Army Corp of Engineers are still holding water at Detroit and Big Cliff reservoirs so the river is running very low. The temp is still below 40, so you need to put the fly on thier noses.
(02/08/2010 at 09:16 AM by dcarp)
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1 - EXCELLENT on 02/04/2010
The North Santiam has been stable for the past couple weeks - on the low side of normal. Great news for steelheaders though - it means fewer holding spots are available to them. Good numbers of fish are in the system.
(02/04/2010 at 11:45 AM by dcarp)
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1 - EXCELLENT on 01/29/2010
The N Santiam is in perfect shape for steelhead fishing. Rain is on the way, so that may change over the weekend. If you're looking for solitude, this is the time of year to fish the N Santiam while the crowds are working the coastal streams.
(01/29/2010 at 10:21 AM by dcarp)
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1 - EXCELLENT on 01/26/2010
The river is still running low and steelhead green! A great time to be fishing with lots of holdover summer run steelhead and fresh & feisty winter run fish moving in. Shaping up to be a great winter run of fish.
(01/26/2010 at 11:57 AM by dcarp)
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1 - EXCELLENT on 01/20/2010
The Army Corp of Engineers is releasing a stable flow of water from Detroit and Big Cliff upstream, so the water levels are on the low side. This is great news for anglers because there is less room for the fish to spread out. Look for fish in the usual places. Boulder patches and "walking pace" flow are your best bet. Work the head and tailouts of deep pools.
(01/20/2010 at 09:33 AM by dcarp)
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2 - GOOD on 01/17/2010
The river is low right now but rising. A great time to be fishing if you can handle a little rain.
(01/17/2010 at 09:25 PM by dcarp)
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2 - GOOD on 01/10/2010
Running a bit high still at 7.21 feet at Mehama. Work the pockets and eddie seams for your best shot
(01/10/2010 at 11:32 AM by dcarp)
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2 - GOOD on 01/02/2010
The river is high, but fairly clear and should improve towards the end of the week. Still a good quantity of late summer steelhead in the system along with the winter run that is just starting.
(01/02/2010 at 06:47 PM by dcarp)
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3 - FAIR on 12/25/2009
Still running high and off color. Most feeder streams are cleared up, so look for those inflow locations for a good shot at fish.
(12/25/2009 at 09:58 PM by dcarp)
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3 - FAIR on 12/24/2009
The river is still a bit high and off color but should continue to clear over the next few days.
(12/24/2009 at 02:01 PM by dcarp)
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3 - FAIR on 12/22/2009
Still have high water conditions, but holding steady and should start dropping in a day or two.
(12/22/2009 at 07:44 PM by dcarp)
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4 - POOR on 12/21/2009
Blown out and probably won't recover for a few days. Tie flies instead and hope Santa brings some dry days. Happy Holidays everyone!
(12/21/2009 at 02:26 PM by dcarp)
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2 - GOOD on 12/20/2009
River is rising and off color a bit. Recent rain and release from Detroit Reservoir are the culprits. Fish near the bank and at the seams between fast and slow water. Give those back eddies a try as well.
(12/20/2009 at 08:00 PM by dcarp)
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3 - FAIR on 12/14/2009
Winter Steelhead are trickling into the system, not in huge numbers yet, but it should pick up in the next week or two. The good news is that the river level is low and that makes the fish a little easier to locate since there's not as much room for them to spread out. It' definitely time to bring out the big, bright winter flies.
(12/14/2009 at 10:24 AM by dcarp)
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2 - GOOD on 12/03/2009
Lower water this week makes for better opportunities to connect with the holdover Summer Steelies, the fresh Winter Steelies and the remaining Coho in the system. A great tip from my buddy Derek Young for cold weather. Spray a little PAM cooking spray on your rod guides to reduce ice buildup!
(12/03/2009 at 10:34 AM by dcarp)
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2 - GOOD on 11/17/2009
High water levels make for some challenging fishing lately. Steelhead and Coho are spread thoughout the system, but can be found in the calmer water. Small flies (#18-20)can be effective for native trout species following rain showers.
(11/17/2009 at 11:11 AM by dcarp)
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2 - GOOD on 11/03/2009
Clear, crisp skies make for a beautiful time on the water. Fall colors are exploding this time of year. The river is running high, but clear and the fishing is good for Steelhead, Coho and Trout species.Nearly 24,000 Coho are in the system and can be retained in all parts of the river until December.
(11/03/2009 at 09:47 AM by dcarp)
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2 - GOOD on 10/26/2009
Ever-changing weather conditions are making for spotty hatches. Still seeing October Caddis, Tan & Olive Caddis, BWO's and Spinners dropping now and then between storms. Coho have been spotted about the Fish trap as far upstream as Big Cliff. Keep in mind that until Nov 1, Coho can only be kept if caught downstream of the Stayton Bridge.
(10/26/2009 at 01:26 PM by dcarp)
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1 - EXCELLENT on 10/16/2009
A good time to be on the river in the evenings. If you catch a break between rainstorms, try flinging big caddis patterns, tiny midge dries and emgerger patterns. Trout are loading up for the winter months ahead and are very aggressive. Coho #'s still climbing and passed 17,000 last week.
(10/16/2009 at 12:54 PM by dcarp)
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1 - EXCELLENT on 10/11/2009
Good weather will hold through Monday, then rain forecasted for the rest of the week. October Caddis Hatch picking up just before sunset. Bigger trout caught each evening this past week. Coho over Willamette Falls counted at nearly 15,000.
(10/11/2009 at 12:15 PM by dcarp)
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2 - GOOD on 10/05/2009
Coho counts topped the 10,000 mark last week at Willamette Falls but haven't heard or seen any in the N Santiam as of yet. Surface activity slowed with the cool wet weather. Nymphs and soft hackles working fine though. October Caddis hatch is spotty.
(10/05/2009 at 11:41 AM by dcarp)
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1 - EXCELLENT on 09/28/2009
The river level is beginning to stabilize and clear. Coho #'s are still looking strong and the bigger trout are feeding more aggressively.
(09/28/2009 at 02:08 PM by dcarp)
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1 - EXCELLENT on 09/25/2009
Water is being released from Detroit Reservoir at an increased rate which is raising the level of the North Santiam. The water has become a bit more cloudy, but should setting out some as the river level stabilizes. A few more October Caddis Adults are showing up each day. Use your big dries, but don't hesitate to switch to nymphs if things slow down.
(09/25/2009 at 10:26 PM by dcarp)
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1 - EXCELLENT on 09/23/2009
Been seeing more and more October Caddis adults each evening this week. Chinook Salmon are spawing in the upper river and that means big trout and steelhead will be hanging downstream waiting to pick up drifting eggs. Fall Coho entering the lower section of the river.
(09/23/2009 at 01:35 PM by dcarp)
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2 - GOOD on 09/18/2009
Late summer/ early fall is the best time of year to fish the North Santiam. Still plenty of Steelhead in the river and they are getting more aggressive. Bigger Rainbows and Cutthroats also get more active. Looking for a big Coho Run coming soon - 20,000 fish projected!
(09/18/2009 at 11:26 PM by dcarp)
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