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Knot Fishing Sober
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Since I don't have many stories about fishing in Oregon I figured I'd give you a peek into a different type of extreme angling. Fishing the clackamas this weekend with frozen rod guides I realized how different my fishing adventures will be here in Portland compared to what I dealt with in California. This past summer my fishing trips were insane! We would leave the house around noon. We would have a little over an hour drive to get to the Alamo River. The Alamo river is nothing like the water around here. It flows from the Colorado river to the salton sea and along the way it gets polluted with agricultural runoff and other undesirables. This river sits in the middle of a desert which reaches 115 during the July/August months. There are monster sized cats throughout the entire Colorado river and its outfalls. We would chase these beasts all summer! Once in the area we would bait fish until the sun went down. Using live bait was always the best way to get action and California's regs allowed it as long it was bluegill or talapia caught in the same body of water. Between two guys we liked to have about 20 palm sized baits. Throw nets are illegal in cali. We used cane poles to catch them since rod and reel seemed to be more trouble than a quick dip with the cane pole. From the Aberdeen hooks the baits went into a home made bait tank in the back of the truck. Keeping the water cool and clean was a constant task, talapia are especially dirty. Once satisfied we had enuff bait we would scout for a good spot to fish, sometimes driving for an hour or more in and out of farm fields and random desert roads. Once we found our money spot we drove pvc rod holders into the ground and got to work. Bluegills went on a 9/0 or 10/0 circle or khale hooks and 9 oz of lead to hold them in place. Heavy rods with 65 lb braid or mono depending on preference. Round baitcasters some like abus I like the penn 320 and diawa saltist personally. Once baits were swimming, 2 rods per person, we would set up camp. Zero gravity chairs to sleep in, small fire to help keep mosquitoes away, and eat some food. After fishing in the heat all day you feel pretty beat and its still 90 degrees at night. When the clickers start screaming is when the payoff comes. These beasts commonly reach 70 lbs and pull like crazy. They like to dive right back under the stump they came out of and have very strong tails. A night with 10 runs was average with about half the fish landed. Nothing like waking up to a clicker! After pictures cats were released. We would fish until 9-10 am and head home filthy and happy. Three months later I'm fishing with frozen rod guides and yarn balls ahahahah!
