Has anybody heard any news about the "B" run fish coming thru?

Just look at the count at Lower Granite and do the timing based on weather and water condition. Ain't nobody going to tell you about the damn run. You want a cake and eat it too? Sitting at home BSing and wanting the true fisherman to drive a hundred miles plus to give you the report. Harsh reply but use some god damn sense man.

Hey Kevin, I think you have the wrong river for B-runs. The Rhonde gets mostly A's with a big fish here being 9-10 pounds with very few larger. Lots of little guys though (5-6pounders). The fish however are starting to get pretty old and colored now. If you look at the damn counts most of these fish have been hanging around for quite some time.

Cheers,

Duke

Ironhead, for your info. I have been doing my homework but obviously not high enough on the Snake. I personaly went down to the McNary Dam to see what the fish counts were and found out to my dismay that both sides (Oregon and Wa.)are closed for repair. Not to be disheartened I went up to Ice Harbor the next day and ...........you guessed it they were shut down too! Ice Harbor wont be opening up until April.
Maybe you could help me find a web site that has the counts or a phone # I can call. I have gotten off my butt and have put in close to 70 hours.Alot of rookies would have quit a long time ago but I dearly love to steelhead and enjoy just gettin out. Next time please don't be so caustic and try to worrk with guys like me just getting started. Thanks.

Thanks Duke for your info. Like I previously posted, I'm a rookie learning the ropes.Any and all information I can get is appreciated.
I was told by Bill (owner of Boggans and the Shilo) that there would be another run of the Wa. hatchery fish starting up generally in the mid of Jan. and goes thru end of Feb. to first of March. Is this true? If it is, that is why I was asking about a "B" run- maybe those are the steelies that came up back in Oct./Nov. and have just been hanging around and have finally decided to make their run? Please help make some sense out of all this. Thanks.

Search for "Dart Adult", there should be a link for all the water conditions and the counts for all of the Snake and Columbia dams. I've used this link in the past but have deleted it. And stay away from the porno sites which will accompanied this search. I've used to fish the Grande Ronde when I was at WSU a few years ago. I tell you something. There are both run in this system especially at around the mouth. You'll be suprised that the clear water and the snake and the grande ronde are all mixed in during the winter. This tri river system is unique in a sense that there is only one run of fish and they stay in the system until spring and spawn. That is why the hens from october-november have very small skeens. Conclusion USE BAIT (eggs, night crawlers, prawns, or anything natural you want+ a small corkie). This is the only river where I've found insects, small sculpins, and crustaceans in the fish's gut.

Good luck

Thanks Ironhead. Would you suggest fishing the mouth (Hellers Bar) or would you go up to Boggans and fish to the Wa. hatchery? For that matter, any other areas of the river?

Kevin,

Hey it's great that your trying to research the steelie situation in your neck of the woods. I might suggest to you that you quit worrying about dam(n) counts and just go fishing. First, the dams are closed this time of year, every year, for maintenance. The reason they close now is because fish are not moving, temps are too low. Remember these fish are not going to spawn until March-May. Literally thousands of them passed over Granite in September/October. Most of the fish in the Grande Rhonde (spelling?) are either in the river or holding in the mainstem Snake below that point. They will typically continue to hold until water temperatures and photoperiod begin to increase. At this point, you will also see dam counts begin to rise as fish begin to really think about getting to the spawning area.....panic. Duke is correct that most of the fish in the G.R. are A run fish-typically one and two salt (years) fish, 4-10 pounds generally. If your looking for the B's, you will have to focus on the Clearwater. Tons of fish are in the river right now, get your gear and head down to the either the Clearwater or GR, both have fish. Your welcome to Email me if you like. Good luck!!

jed

It depends on the water level. If the hatchery is low, then go fish the stretch starting from the mouth and work down the snake. I am not a bait fisherman, but I wouldn't fish this system w/o bait. Remember they are actually thrieving in the system until March-May. Don't waste your time and money on the Clear Water.

Kevin's info is correct. Although not the famed Clearwater 'B' run, steelhead returning to the Grande Ronde do arrive in two groups. The first group, bound for the hatcheries farther upriver in Oregon, typically arrive Oct-Nov time period. These fish are scattered throughout the river from this time on, however they move up and start to concentrate above the Wash. hatchery closer to home at the Wallowa River, etc. about this time of year(if the river ever gets any water). This is the run the fly rodders pound in Oct-Nov from Boggan's to the mouth.
The second wave, bound for the Wash. hatchery, usually stage near the mouth, out in the Snake, until typically later this month. These are the fish, along with fish bound for many other destinations(Salmon, Snake, and some Clearwater strays) that get pounded on by all the boats at Heller throughout the winter.
I have been over there recently and can attest to the fact there are some fish the Ronde. Some of the bucks we caught were definitely colored(just as beautiful), but there were also some chromers to be had. The river is extremely low right now, as low as I've ever seen it. Visibility is unreal, 5 feet plus.
The best advice I can give you is watch the water level(USGS guage at Troy). If it spikes, stay home. This river can be one muddy *****.
Also, bait is always a good bet, but as you will see once you fish the Ronde more, a simple corkie and yarn setup with a little scent will produce very well on this river.

Good luck....

Kevin

The river is definitely worth some time on. From October-the end of the season, the fishing can be hard to beat. It is one of the few places that I have found fish well with even a few inches of visibility (sometimes very well). I have never used bait (falls off my hook sooner or later and gets my fingers messy), but corkies w/yarn and scent or with flies. Pick your method, just realize that between Dec and Feb the fish may be sluggish.

Good luck.

McNary usally gets a push of Snake river "B" run about Christmas time.They also winter at the Twin Towers just below Wallula and I have found them below Ice Harbor dam. They are in the Clearwater right now clear up to Orofino.Look for them in slow deep holes ,fish with bait I prefer shrimp.Grande Rhonde fish are usally small 4#-6# being the bulk.From what I understand Cottonwood creek hatchery got some brood stock from the Salmon river in Idaho which could account for bigger fish. The biggist I have seen was about 15# .The "B" run is Steelhead that enter the river in August and cross Boneville dam after Aug. 25.The"A" run is fish that enter the Columbia river usally begins July the first run not necessarily the smallest of size nor the B run means the biggest there is a mix .According to an article that I remembering reading in S.T.S both Wash.and Idaho summer run records were 2 salt fish caught literly hours apart. Thats awesome growth , fantastic genes!I looked for the right back issue maybe I loaned it out later , ironhead

Forget the ronde fish the clearwater!