Spring is almost upon us! Any large mouth bass fishers out there?

[SFGIANTSGUY28]

Been in the Beaverton area for several years now and cannot seem to find a pond or lake that I can consistently pull large mouth out off. I come from a land where every pond has at least a couple 5 pounders.

I don't have a boat as of right now only a float tube.

If any one knows areas, ponds, lakes that house a decent stock of large mouth please PM me. Also if you want a bass fishing partner I am free most weekends.

Caught a couple out of hagg lake last year but for some reason I don't like it there. Maybe it was all the dirty diapers and trash along the shore.

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[jbett98]

Springer season is just around the corner. You might want to get in on that action, as it's a lot of fun and there isn't a better tasting Salmon around. Plus, they're a lot bigger then a bass and more fun in my opinion.

 

[Timbertodd]

Vernonia pond is suppose to have some big bass. There is a paved path that runs all the way around the pond. It is not huge so the float tube would be ideal.

 

[SFGIANTSGUY28]

Good call I forgot about Vernonia pond. I fished there for a few hours last year but I had the girlfriend in the car and we were on our way to go camping. It a was late summer and the weeds had pretty much taken over by then.

I will try it earlier in the season this year.

 

[Mikej]

This is more "Smallmouth Country" locally. A lot of access along the Willamette and when the water hits and stays at 53 degrees the fish will be nearer shore.. I like plastics in natural colors if the water's clear and black/dark with some chartreuse for colored water. A drive up the Gorge will get you to good smallie water too.

As far as big mouths go, check out ifish, they have their share of them!

No, seriously, Hagg is going to be the premier largemouth water near you, unless there's a private pond you can get into. So maybe you could learn to like it? As close as it is and for the amount of water accessible to you? Back waters of the Willy above the falls hold some largies. The coastal lakes all pretty much hold largmouth. Central coast is my preference. Not real local to you, but Crane Prairie in Central Oregon has a bunch of largies. The trout guys would thank you if you took limits every day, and I doubt the you could really hurt the population.

 

[No_Regerts]

Springer season is just around the corner. You might want to get in on that action, as it's a lot of fun and there isn't a better tasting Salmon around. Plus, they're a lot bigger then a bass and more fun in my opinion.

You've obviously never been on a hot frog bite........

Salmon fishing is boring as hell. Drag stuff around, wait, change bait, drag it around more, three outings later get a bite.....seal gets it first.....no thanks. I have had fun twitching jigs for coho, but thats about it.

 

[jbett98]

That's a fair description of 90% of salmon fisherman, but I'm in the 10% category that know the how, where and why of filling a salmon tag.

 

[No_Regerts]

That's a fair description of 90% of salmon fisherman, but I'm in the 10% category that know the how, where and why of filling a salmon tag.

But....can you get a salmon to blow up on a frog or buzzbait? It never gets old.

 

[SFGIANTSGUY28]

But....can you get a salmon to blow up on a frog or buzzbait? It never gets old.

When we going!

 

[No_Regerts]

When we going!

I'm in the PDX area from time to time. We should hook up sometime. I mostly fish up north around the Puget Sound area. You have a float tube? I have a pontoon, a 14 foot aluminum tiller and a 20 foot alumaweld. The 20 footer isnt much for bass fishing but it can be done. My next boat will be a multispecies boat. The lakes around me are full of LMB.

 

[SFGIANTSGUY28]

Most definitely. i will travel for a good top water bite any day! Im looking for some good lakes to camp around this spring/ early summer up your way? got any suggestions? shoot me a PM. don't want to be blasting your spots in the open.

 

[Mikej]

But....can you get a salmon to blow up on a frog or buzzbait? It never gets old.

Some years ago a buddy I was fishing with caught a 10# springer near the South end of the Sport Craft docks on a crankbait. Does that count? I once had a springer chase a 4" grub almost to the surface.

 

[No_Regerts]

Some years ago a buddy I was fishing with caught a 10# springer near the South end of the Sport Craft docks on a crankbait. Does that count? I once had a springer chase a 4" grub almost to the surface.

 

[jbett98]

What Southern state was that filmed in?

 

[jbett98]

 

[No_Regerts]

What Southern state was that filmed in?

Who knows, but it illustrates how much fun it is to throw a frog. Watching a fish go azz over tea kettle is awesome. The closest thing Ive had with salmon are the occasional coho that grabs a bait while I'm letting out line for setback while trolling with downriggers.

 

[oknow]

no need to worry about that rod holding up to a big bass.

that is the way it should be done instead of winching them in because of the sealions

 

[No_Regerts]

Yeah, he did a good job of playing that fish.

 

[Mikej]

We were fishing for perch, on a dead calm morning and were pretty much right up against a RR trestle that went across an arm on the lake. Wifey had hooked a 6"er and was waiting for me to take it off. I was in the bow and facing away and heard this huge BOOOSH! When I turned around and looked at Wifey the front of her jacket and face were splashed with water. We knew a bass had busted on the little perch, and missed it. I told her, "just let it sit!". We sat there and watched, and I finally could see, just barely, the back of that bass as it came back to about a foot under the surface. Looked to be 4#-4.5#. Wifey had a better view with the angle of the early morning light. She said she saw that bass back up slightly, raise its head and start to open its mouth, at that point I saw the fish bust the surface and in milliseconds had that 6" perch sideways and was GONE. Wifeys rod tip slammed toward the trestle, drag buzzed and the rod tip "Popped" up. Hook leader and sinker still there. The 6" perch and the strip bait were gone though.

It a real shame I hadn't though to get some video. I had time if I'd thought about it. The reason she was waiting with that perch on the line is because I was in the bow waiting for a perfect sunrise pic. I had the camera in hand.

 

[bbbass]

Salmon vs bass, sigh. Why not both?!!

My wife and I have caught lots of fall salmon from my drift boat on the Chetco by casting spin drift baits (not boring). One early morning I was drifting eggs and she was casting straight downstream and slowly retrieving the spinner driftbaits (just a blade, split ring and tiny swivel 18" below pencil lead). I spent so much time putting away her five salmon that I only had one in the box for me before it was time to go to where I worked.

I also caught a 40lb hen from shore on the Winchuck with a #5/0 silver blade Jed Davis weighted spinner. Cast it out next to where 3 girls had been fishing with no luck all morning. Got the hookup on the first cast. 12lb line on a steelhead spinning rod. Woohoo, she ran so much and I finally finished the fight by beaching her on a sand bar. The wife held the rod while I waded out to get her.

Oh, to be young again!

You can see the tip of my steelhead rod in the background. Very lightweight!

How about striped bass on the Smith?

Best places in the state for smallies: Umpqua river, John Day river, casting small plastic grubs. Brownlee, Oxbow, and Hells Canyon lakes on the Snake River. Also have up to 5lb largemouth. Topwater in the mornings and evenings and various casting lures or plastics during the day.

I have caught 5lb and 10lb largemouth on Unity reservoir. Phillips lake used to be good but some people that like walleye and perch fishing have ruined it with illegal plantings... it's full of weeds now.

I'd invite you over to the eastside of the state but I have sold all my boats due to the price of fuel for the tow vehicle. Sorry, but around here it's not much fun to fish from shore... too many inaccessible areas and of course that's where the bass hang out!