Fast and furious John Day River bass fishing

[Otter]

Just got back from a John Day River bass fishing trip. Water levels finally hit a decent CFS and the weather cooperated, and wow, were the bass biting. Wasn't too unusual to catch 3 or 4 in a row out of the same hole. Size was improved over prior years as well, at least in most of the river.

One of the highlights of the trip was on the second night when a cow elk walked into the camp across the river. It was a food mooch, and they ran it off. They didn't like it sticking its nose into their rafts. It crossed the river and hit us up for food. We wouldn't feed it, but it also wouldn't leave. It laid down close to the raft and just hung out for about an hour before it crossed the river again and headed off toward a local ranch. Talked to a guide the next day who told us her name is Dorothy and she favors Doritos. Anyone else encounter her?

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[DirectDrive]

food mooch

 

[Flymph]

I'll have to hit up the river with my pops soon. Sounds like a fun trip!

 

[Otter]

Would have been better with pics I agree, but I don't normally take a camera on the water, and my cell phone has a crank on the side. Better hurry if you want to float and not drag your raft down the river. It dropped 500 CFS while we floated 4 days and I doubt it will stay above 800 for more than another week or two.

 

[malakajim]

That's crazy about the elk! I've seen deer behave like this, but not elk.

Where abouts were you? Don't need to know your honey hole or anything, I've fished all over the John Day and was just curious.

My dad and his friends were out by Clarno a few weekends ago and said that the river was raging. Not much luck.

 

[Otter]

We floated Service Creek to Clarno. Overall the entire section was a honey hole. Normally the first day is slow fishing for some reason and this time it was some of the better fishing with the biggest fish. We also like the Clarno to Cottonwood section too - more scenic and often better fishing, but my rafting buddy who normally is on the oars is legally blind and running Clarno Rapids can be dicey at lower flows since it has those huge rocks in it.

JD was raging up until about two weeks ago, running 10,000 CFS and higher. We hit it at about 2,200 CFS and took out with it running 1,700 or so. Water was pretty clear too. One of our best trips.

In March or April during those warm spring rains the river blew out to 30,000 CFS. No major changes to the rapids, but there were some changes in where the main channel is now and some gravel bars were eroded away pretty bad and new ones had formed.

 

[malakajim]

Nice report. From what my dad said, it was dicey out on the water with rafts. I can only imagine what the CFM's were then.

My favorite used to be from Kimberly to Service Creek. Though I never floated it there, just camped alongside and occasionally put in a craft.

 

[KKG]

I never got really excited about Bass Fishing but having been Fishing in Minnesota's Northern Pike, Walleye and Musky waters I do enjoy eating White Fish.

The year we moved out here to the PNW I had been Fishing in MN using "Bait" that was 3" bigger than "Legal" Trout so until I got into Fly Fishing in Streams, well, it's just VERY different.

I'm glad you had a good few days on the waters!

 

[malakajim]

Well, yeah, that is a different kind of fishery I bet.

I prefer removing gear from bass better though.

 

[titsonritz]

From the title, I thought Eric Holder was in town.

 

[KKG]

Well, yeah, that is a different kind of fishery I bet.

I prefer removing gear from bass better though.

VERY true, VERY true. Lake of the Woods looks more like an Ocean than a Lake. Like the saying goes "My worst day Fishing is BETTER than my best day at Work" also true!