Gales creek dam removal…

[mattsavage]

Looks like this finally happened…

Dam Removed Carefully in Steps to Protect Fish and Habitat — Tree for All

For decades, an obsolete dam at Balm Grove, 12 miles upstream from the confluence of Gales Creek and the Tualatin River, has acted as a major fish passage barrier for aquatic life in the Tualatin River Watershed. Its removal in September 2022 opened up nearly 35 miles of prime habitat to threatened

www.jointreeforall.org

Hopefully it doesn’t drive them to change the trout season regs… it’s nice having a fun little stream to fish year round, 30 minutes from home.

Fwiw, I’ve only caught cutthroat upstream of the town of Gales Cr. But yesterday I caught several rainbows, one nearly 12”. I wonder if removing that dam already has some other fish moving up?

 

[mcswny]

Looks like this finally happened…

Dam Removed Carefully in Steps to Protect Fish and Habitat — Tree for All

For decades, an obsolete dam at Balm Grove, 12 miles upstream from the confluence of Gales Creek and the Tualatin River, has acted as a major fish passage barrier for aquatic life in the Tualatin River Watershed. Its removal in September 2022 opened up nearly 35 miles of prime habitat to threatened

www.jointreeforall.org

Hopefully it doesn’t drive them to change the trout season regs… it’s nice having a fun little stream to fish year round, 30 minutes from home.

Fwiw, I’ve only caught cutthroat upstream of the town of Gales Cr. But yesterday I caught several rainbows, one nearly 12”. I wonder if removing that dam already has some other fish moving up?

Unfortunately this line in the article tells me they’ll probably change the regs.

“opened up nearly 35 miles of prime habitat to threatened species such as the winter steelhead and Pacific lamprey”

Never fished gales, always looked like a fun 3wt stream when it actually had water.

 

[mattsavage]

Yeah, it’s a good time in the spring and fall. I fished a 7.5’ 2wt and my 10’ 2wt euro rod yesterday. The larger rainbow actually took an emerger I was using as the indicator on the surface, with a midge nymph on the dropper. The cutts we’re taking the nymphs.

But yeah, come July august it’s pretty low and warm on the upper part.

 

[Banned user]

My grandfather told me about catching steelhead out of Gales Creek; this would have been the early 1920's. He also caught lots of cutthroat there, and also caught both on Fanno Creek, which runs through Tigard!

 

[Canuck from Kansas]

I built a Dennis Stone Gale Creek 3 wt cane rod. Really fun little rod, wish I had had got a chance to fish it on its namesake.

Glad the dam was removed.

Cheers

 

[Evan B]

That is a pretty little stream. I love driving along it when I head west. Though I usually have big fish tackle on board when I'm headed that way. Never really considered fishing it despite knowing about it.