Playing hooky in the coast range

I decided to take the morning off and head out to a super secret lake in the Oregon coast range. It turned out to be great fishing.



Only stockers, and nothing big, but I ended up losing count over the course of a couple hours. Some of these pellet eaters were pretty feisty too. Here’s a few:









One fly on an intermediate sinking line did all the work.



And the view on the way out is always pretty great too.

 

[SurfnFish]

GPS coordinates please...lol

 

[TicTokCroc]

I haven't been there in a while, I'm surprised there's no snow.

 

[Billy]

very nice

 

[ColinShots]

I haven't been there in a while, I'm surprised there's no snow.

I was a little worried about possible snow, but there really wasn’t much to be seen. Still a few patches here and there though.

 

[ColinShots]

very nice

Thanks! I’m pretty sure that fly is based on something you posted.

 

[Billy]

Thanks! I’m pretty sure that fly is based on something you posted.

very cool. thanks for sharing. love hearing stuff like that.

 

[Peach]

It has been many years since I have fished that lake. Last time I visited it, the forest land was decimated with clear cutting, but the lake is located on a timber company land so I guess it is to be expected.

Many, many years ago when ODFW just started their "Trophy Trout" program the fish they stocked in that lake were actually pushing true trophy size in the 15 to 16 inch range, raised in not so high density pens, fought pretty well for stockers. The feed they provided these trophy trout contained higher levels of Beta-carotene - so the fish made for fairly decent table fare, I tried one after an accidental killing. If you were fortunate enough to catch a holdover - they put on a couple more inches and reverted a bit more to their wild side, made for a fun day of fishing catching those things. I remember on my first trip up there - I was just content on catching the multitudes of hatchery brats and then hooking into on of those trophy trout holdovers - nice 18 inch fish that surprised the shit out of me when I hooked into it and it gave me a good fight.

But that Trophy Trout program didn't last long. The first two years the fish were as explained above, but by year three - the trophy trout wasn't much of a trophy, more in the 13 inch range and beat to hell, looked all the part of a true hatchery brat. Plus word got out and the coastal lakes that were stocked with these would just get slammed - made it a zoo up there. ODFW discontinued that trophy trout program due to cost a few years later I believe.

ODFW used to stock it with Brood Stock Steelhead in the February timeframe. I hooked into a couple of those and that was a kick in the pants. Didn't land them though . It doesn't take long for them to start deteriorating and die off - but it you timed it right and head up there after they stocked it - the steelies where in pretty good shape. Are they still stocking Steelhead Broodstock up there?

Peach