A day on the Umpqua

[WillametteT]

Had an outstanding day on the Umpqua yesterday near Sutherlin, OR. The small mouth were biting on rooster tails and grubs. I caught and released 50 before the day was done and went home content.

 

[hobster]

Sweet! I hit the Qua with my daughter today and we didn't do quite that well but had a blast and even did a little swimming in the faster water. They were all over my large nymph pattern, it was a blast fighting those fish on a 9 ft. 5 weight fly rod!

 

[rogerdodger]

Had an outstanding day on the Umpqua yesterday near Sutherlin, OR. The small mouth were biting on rooster tails and grubs. I caught and released 50 before the day was done and went home content.

excellent, that sounds like big fun. I hope you didn't release them all and perhaps took home the 15 fish limit for each person; smallmouth bass is an introduced/invasive fish in the Umpqua so there is an interest to reduce their population as much as possible...cheers, roger

Umpqua River Basin (Douglas Co.): includes Umpqua River, Smith River, North Umpqua River, South Umpqua River and their tributaries
• 15 smallmouth bass per day of any size, 2 daily limits in possession.

 

[jamisonace]

They make excellent fish tacos.

Coat fillets in mustard and roll in crushed saltines. Fry them in a little oil.

Place in heated corn tortilla and garnish with cabbage and chipotle sauce.

Chipotle sauce:

1 part mayo, 1 part plain yogurt, 1/2 part salsa chipotle

excellent, that sounds like big fun. I hope you didn't release them all and perhaps took home the 15 fish limit for each person; smallmouth bass is an introduced/invasive fish in the Umpqua so there is an interest to reduce their population as much as possible...cheers, roger

Umpqua River Basin (Douglas Co.): includes Umpqua River, Smith River, North Umpqua River, South Umpqua River and their tributaries
• 15 smallmouth bass per day of any size, 2 daily limits in possession.

 

[Throbbit _Shane]

They do make great fish tacos but make sure to release the big ones. Any over 14" or over two lbs. Arnt worth eating since they are old fish and the younger fish are much more abutment and will eat much better.

 

[WillametteT]

Thanks for the great comments and especially the fish taco recipe! I'll have to give them a try. I have nice fly rod I haven't used in quite a while so, wouldn't mind trying to catch them with it.:thumb: I'm new to small mouth fishing so, can anyone explain the procedure of filleting them?

 

[jamisonace]

I filet them just like a salmon or steelhead. YouTube has good videos.

 

[Richard W T]

Nice work!
That fish taco recipe sounds amazing!

 

[CoastalMoe]

smallmouth bass is an introduced/invasive fish in the Umpqua so there is an interest to reduce their population as much as possible...

Just what I need... To be encouraged to catch more bass...lol...

Just curious... Is this due to the Bass feeding on young Steelhead and Salmon which are natural to the environment?

 

[WillametteT]

Just what I need... To be encouraged to catch more bass...lol...

This is great encouragement isn't it! I'll be back down there as soon as I can get the time!!:thumb:

 

[rogerdodger]

Just curious... Is this due to the Bass feeding on young Steelhead and Salmon which are natural to the environment?

exactly.

 

[Throbbit _Shane]

exactly.

How do you explain the stellar runs of Winter Steelhead and Fall Salmon on the Umpqua if the destructive bass are eating all the salmon and steelhead smolts??? The Umpqua also has good runs of of Summer Steelhead, Spring Salmon and Shad, Stripers, Sturgeon, Bullhead Catfish. Imo the bass limit should be lowered. 15 bass a person per day is an insane amount of fish that IS NOT supplemented with hatchery stock. I don't mind keeping a few fish to eat for dinner, but keeping a limit, especially of big fish wont really help anyone. Keeping big fish bass will just make room for many other bass that arnt of that size but can multiply a lot more and can wreck more havoc on your precious eco system. Just my 2 cents...

 

[rogerdodger]

How do you explain the stellar runs of Winter Steelhead and Fall Salmon on the Umpqua if the destructive bass are eating all the salmon and steelhead smolts???

I don't recall saying that they were eating ALL the smolts..eace:

 

[steelhead_stalkers]

The returns are not stellar. A river the size of the Umpqua used to support much larger runs of Chinook and steelhead. Pre-spawn bass are feeding when steelhead and salmon are migrating out of the river. They are just another deterrent to the fish runs, same as seals and birds in the bay.

 

[bass]

Wow, that water looks really great. Thanks for the report.

Also, to all of the complainers. I am sure that the bass eat some smolts, basically the slow ones, sick ones, i.e., the ones who would not make it anyway. Bass don't make a living chasing and eating the healthiest fish, like any good predator they prey on the weak.

 

[WillametteT]

No problem. I am getting some more jig heads and grubs to try when I go again. Also, got my new Berkley Cherrywood series rod and my new Shimano reel in and will be giving them a try next time out! Anyone got some other lure suggestions for smallies on the Umpqua?

 

[Jdangler xD]

Wow, that water looks really great. Thanks for the report.

Also, to all of the complainers. I am sure that the bass eat some smolts, basically the slow ones, sick ones, i.e., the ones who would not make it anyway. Bass don't make a living chasing and eating the healthiest fish, like any good predator they prey on the weak.

This has my vote

 

[jadleybray]

I would say that about 90% of the smallies I've caught on the main have a crawdad in their belly, you can see the tail hanging out their mouth!!!