Smallmouth on the John Day

[Herb g]

years ago I was told that the 4" Yamamoto worm in #178 and#134 were the go-to bait with a 1/8" jig head. Is anyone familiar with these? I called Yamamoto and these aren't made anymore. I own a ranch on the John Day but have never used a rubber worm. Use black home-made rooster tails, but always looking for something better. Thanks.

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[No_Regerts]

years ago I was told that the 4" Yamamoto worm in #178 and#134 were the go-to bait with a 1/8" jig head. Is anyone familiar with these? I called Yamamoto and these aren't made anymore. I own a ranch on the John Day but have never used a rubber worm. Use black home-made rooster tails, but always looking for something better. Thanks.

Herb, I can hook you up with some baits that have been killer for me. I'm a smallmouth fiend!

Call me when you get a chance.

 

[Flymph]

Try pumpkin and watermelon or the mix of those with black flake, 4" by Yamamoto. I usually put them on 2/0 Owner hooks with split shot about 4" above the bait.
Dry Creek makes a tube jig, best color is old ugly. Use 1/8oz jig head in that, maybe 3/8oz for faster water.
Those work well for me everywhere.

 

[Mikej]

Various neutral colors in clear water. Murky water we used something with a good profile, 4" Yami grub, and black body/chartreuse tail.

The grub that out fished everything, in the Willamette from just below the falls to Milwaukee, was a Root beer Red Flake. They don't make those anymore. Wifey and I did pretty good with nothing but grubs. Hate crank baits. Too much risk un-hooking fish and too much time wasted.

 

[Herb g]

Herb, I can hook you up with some baits that have been killer for me. I'm a smallmouth fiend!

Call me when you get a chance.

That means you & your dad will have to visit the ranch to show me how to do it. How about spring, while the rats are still out. Shooting in the morning and fishing in the afternoon when the water warms up.

 

[Herb g]

Thanks guys, I've always used black rooster tail because first cast ever a 15 incher bit. Usually busy doing other things when there ( like hunting), but I should pay more attention to them. I like the bullheads and channel cats in spring, for eating. The channel cats fight like steelhead. Love Wheeler County! Population 1423 conservatives, and about 2 Democrats.

 

[bbbass]

I fish the John Day from a drift boat with 3" and 2" twist tail grubs on a jig head. I like them because they are easy to rig, easy to fish, and very versatile.

I prefer Kalin's salty grubs but really any will work. Any color is good. Some days one color is best, the next day something different. As mikej said, choose a variety of dark opaque to motor oil and watermelon to the clear with blue flake or silver flake, etc. I always use versions with flake in various colors. So say I have a motor oil with gold flake... I also have a motor oil with red flake... then green flake or multicolor. Same with others. I am very fond of black with red flake.

I have a separate nylon tackle bag that holds plastic utility style boxes just for worms, grubs, and tubes.

 

[bbbass]

Like this:

 

[Otter]

We try to float the JD every year, either from Service Creek to Clarno or Clarno to Cottonwood Bridge. Clarno Rapids can be a wild ride at certain water levels!

Our top producing lure is a Rebel crawdad lure. That river is full of crawdads so they really go for them. With two treble hooks, you can catch two bass at a time when the fishing is really hot. These lures run about five bucks each through and we do get snagged a lot so it can get expensive, especially if the guy oaring the raft isn't into rowing upstream all the time.

What I tend to use because I'm cheap is a 1/4 oz jig head and either white or black Mr. Twister 3 inch curly tails. I've tried other colors and always return to white and black. A hook and a night crawler works excellent. Also had good luck with a black Rooster Tail.

 

[bbbass]

Thanks guys, I've always used black rooster tail because first cast ever a 15 incher bit. Usually busy doing other things when there ( like hunting), but I should pay more attention to them.

Are you bank fishing?

 

[Herb g]

Thanks, bass. I'm guessing those 132 and174 are like those watermelon and motor oil. Another question: know of a good but reasonable bass taxidermist? A friend has a 22" in the freezer for a couple years. He caught two last year same size and threw them back because he already has one. Hate to see it go to waste. Big ones bite in spring, but we're not there. They bite again in fall when the water cools down- like when we're steelhead fishing starting first elk season. We've been getting them on Steelies fishing for steelhead. No idea what a rubber worm would do on them then.

 

[Herb g]

Are you bank fishing?

Yes. Have a 14' Jon-boat there, but seldom use it.

 

[bbbass]

Thanks, bass. I'm guessing those 132 and174 are like those watermelon and motor oil. Another question: know of a good but reasonable bass taxidermist? A friend has a 22" in the freezer for a couple years. He caught two last year same size and threw them back because he already has one. Hate to see it go to waste. Big ones bite in spring, but we're not there. They bite again in fall when the water cools down- like when we're steelhead fishing starting first elk season. We've been getting them on Steelies fishing for steelhead. No idea what a rubber worm would do on them then.

It's all good... smallies bite on anything that's not too big. An 8" Texas worm would be a gulp but ya never know!

As for the 132 and 174... I looked on Ebay and elsewhere wasn't able to find out exactly what color those represent. If you can find out, you should be able to get the updated color match.

I hope your buddy froze the 22" bass in a block of water. I don't know, but I'd worry about freezer burn.

 

[Herb g]

We try to float the JD every year, either from Service Creek to Clarno or Clarno to Cottonwood Bridge. Clarno Rapids can be a wild ride at certain water levels!

Our top producing lure is a Rebel crawdad lure. That river is full of crawdads so they really go for them. With two treble hooks, you can catch two bass at a time when the fishing is really hot. These lures run about five bucks each through and we do get snagged a lot so it can get expensive, especially if the guy oaring the raft isn't into rowing upstream all the time.

What I tend to use because I'm cheap is a 1/4 oz jig head and either white or black Mr. Twister 3 inch curly tails. I've tried other colors and always return to white and black. A hook and a night crawler works excellent. Also had good luck with a black Rooster Tail.

Is that rebel crawdad a floater? I have a 2" rapala type that looks like (color) the 20" squawfish the river is full of. I don't put it near the river anymore, because have not found anything to replace it. Throw it out, let it sit quiet, then give it a twitch, and things explode.

 

[bbbass]

Yes. Have a 14' Jon-boat there, but seldom use it.

Hmmm, not sure what is good for bank fishing. I guess a black rooster tail!

If fishing current, spinners can be good (esp Jed Davis spinners), but you also want to try something that will give a bit of flutter... so either the 4" worm with a twister tail or a twister tail grub should be an option. I don't like fishing crankbaits from shore in current.

Walleye or other drift spinners can be good when rigged as you would for drift fishing for steelhead. BTW, I caught my first steelhead in Canada fishing a homemade drift spinner behind a slinky weight.

 

[Otter]

Pretty sure they float, but they have a lip so they dive. Seems like a fast retrieve works the best, which is what puts us on the bottom and hung up all to often.

 

[bbbass]

Throw it out, let it sit quiet, then give it a twitch, and things explode.

Slack water I'm guessing. Like fishing topwater on Brownlee?

 

[Herb g]

Fish frog water and slow moving...rubber worms work in that?

 

[bbbass]

Fish frog water and slow moving...rubber worms work in that?

Yup! Any water... they are soooooo versatile!

Rebel Crawdad... have only ever seen them as a floater.

 

[bbbass]

Fish frog water and slow moving...rubber worms work in that?

Fast water... let them sweep or tumble
Slow moving... slow crank on bottom, mid level, or near the top
Dead water... slow crank at any level, or let sit on bottom til something moves off with it.