The Cedar Creek area, located below the state salmon hatchery just north of the town of Sandy, is one of the most popular areas along the upper Sandy. The reach has loads of classic steelhead water, and it is also the location for most of the smolt releases. That means fish pile up in the holes below the mouth of Cedar Creek as they stage for their run up the creek to the hatchery. This fact is well known, and anglers can expect to find considerable fishing pressure here when the runs are good. Most fishermen cross the river just below the mouth of the creek, and fish the mile or more below that is accessible. This will be harder to do when the dam is removed, and the river carries more flow. There is good water above the creek as well, and access for about a mile.

The upper Sandy fishes well with drift methods, including Corkies with yarn or bait. Hardware lovers will find plenty of spots to fish stamped brass, and most of the well-known steelhead baits will work. Try Blue and Green Stee-Lees, or Blue Fox Vibrax in sizes 3 and 4. The R & B Spinners, available at Jack's Snack and Tackle in Troutdale, proved very effective on last year's run. In low water conditions, try jig and bobber.

The Sandy has some good fly-fishing water, in both the upper and lower river. In low water, the long rods actually lend anglers an advantage. Popular offerings include the single-egg pattern, and the egg-sucking leech. Also effective are the green-butt skunks.

WILD RUN
For the wild steelhead fanatic, it would be hard to beat the water from Marmot Dam down to Cedar Creek. This reach is above the hatchery release site, and sees little hatchery straying. The wild steelhead will outnumber the hatchery fish 5 to 1 in this water, so for the angler wanting one of those 20-pound-plus, rod-busting wild winter steelhead, this is the place to be!

There is an excellent drift for about 1/2-mile below the Marmot Dam, and the hole just below that is aptly named the Slaughter Hole.

In recent years, the wild segment of the winter steelhead run has shown signs of rebounding. Even with last year's low water, the wild return was at about 1,000 fish. While this is better, managers such as Allsberry believe the run will not be fully restored until the returns number 2,000 to 3,000 fish.

The Sandy River is a navigable river, and anglers can fish freely along its banks. However, only the area below the normal high-water mark is public. If you are crossing someone's lawn or property to access the river, you are trespassing. Please do your part to promote good relations between landowners and fishermen, and stay out of posted property. The future of fishing access, on the Sandy and elsewhere, depends on it.

FOR YOUR INFORMATION
Anglers wishing to fish the Sandy would do well to book a trip on the river with a good guide, and there are none better than Jack Glass (503) 666-5370. He is freely open with the tactics he uses to take winter steelhead, and a fisherman can learn a lot by spending a day on the water with him. Glass can also be heard every Saturday from 6-7 a.m. on the Outback Angler Hour on AM 1080.

For the most recent conditions and reports from the lower river, as well as tackle and bait, contact Rob Brown at Jack's Snack and Tackle in Troutdale near Glen Otto Park, at (503) 665-2257. For upper river reports, as well as fresh bait and tackle, contact The Reel Tackle Shop in Sandy at (503) 668-5791.

Many hotels are available in Troutdale, as well as restaurants and a couple of good brew pubs to wet your whistle after a day on the water. The town of Sandy also offers restaurants and a hotel.