Small lake big bass?

[a-mac]

Dang it. I had an 8" soft trout. I lost it a munsel the other day. I totally here ya though! Its awesome when your bluegill fishing and one smokes it!

Lord how I miss real tackle shops! Everything is a freakin fly shop around here! I'm close to being out of senkos too! Might have to resort to live bait...:naughty:

I do plan to get into the fly fishing stuff a little, but geez its a culture shock not being able to buy senkos everywhere.

BTW, that website is very useful (THANKS!)... there should be something like that for every lake! Saved me from trying Dorena. After looking and comparing the lake levels to the lowest ramp use level its amazing how lazy they are for not extending a ramp a few more feet. Why even build a ramp if its going to be left dry a few yards from the lake. I'm sorry... just venting. You guys have the opportunity to fish year round at these lakes (something we don't have in Indiana) and you are prevented from doing it!

I assume that the boat ramp for triangle is somewhere along 36? My schedule shifted some. I'm trying triangle tomorrow with the hope that there aren't water level issues. Wish me luck!

 

[TTFishon]

I work with an ex semi pro bass angler that used to fish Triangle a lot. I will ask him about the ramp at Triangle and Dorena for that matter. I've seen bass boats at Dorena and Cottage Grove lakes in the winter before.

 

[a-mac]

Well I checked out Triangle. Lake levels seem normal just at first glance. Lots of docks and weeds coming out to about 16-18ft of water. However, I only managed to catch 2 small bass on a weightless senko. I checked out the area where the river drains... lots of nice rocks mixed with weeds but no fish. I'm so confused with the bass here. With the high sun today I was hoping they would be hiding underneath the docks or along the edge of the vegetation... I was apparently incorrect about something.

What do you guys throw here when the water temps hit 50F and are on the decline? Its driving me mad... Indiana bass are going crazy right now (same water temps as here) and are just smoking jigs, tubes, cranks, and jerk baits... and almost everything else. I tried all the above plus a frog, soft shadelicious swimbait, texas rig worm, and a drop shot today at triangle. I have no clue as to whether I'm just throwing the wrong thing, fishing too shallow, targeting the wrong structure, or just targeting places that aren't so hot for bass.... or I just suck at bass fishing in the west (appearing to be more and more likely).

Everyone that I always talk to say that siltcoos, tenmile, and tahkenitch and say those are the places to go. I've been avoiding these larger reservoirs since my powerhead is busted on my boat. If anyone feels like going bass fishing ANY day and needs a back of the boater for some company I really would appreciate it (and will spot some gas money). I've been fishing freeway lakes recently and catching one here and there, but I love the big lakes (and the big motor!).

 

[cbrimhall]

Man, I saw triangle on google maps last night and the satellite pic looked great, lot's of docks to provide cover and ambush spots. I'm not sure what's going on with the largemouth, but I've been killing smallies on the rivers for the past couple weeks as they fatten up before winter. One thing I did notice in moving back to Oregon is that the average population of bass in any given body of water here is significantly less than the midwest. This might actually make it seem like you're doing something wrong when really you are targeting fewer fish without knowing it. This can lead to a situation where the fish that are available have become pretty wary by the fall after all the pressure they've had over the summer. I've been to plenty of places that seemed like perfect bass habitat and come up with nothing to show for it. Depth could be an issue, the smallies I've caught have all been in about 30 to 40 feet of water, but this may have no relation to largemouth behavior. I can suggest trying Hagg Lake in Forest Grove, it's open until the 23rd and has produced bass for years. In fact our state record for smallmouth came out of there in 2002, I think. There are about 7 creek arms that feed the lake with grass flats next to good drop-offs on some of them and all different depths and bottom throughout. Let me know you're thoughts on any of this, I know this is a farther distance for you, but I'd be more than happy to join you if you want company and a back of the boater. Your motor won't be an issue because there's a speed limit of 10mph in place for the entire lake.

 

[a-mac]

Man, I saw triangle on google maps last night and the satellite pic looked great, lot's of docks to provide cover and ambush spots. I'm not sure what's going on with the largemouth, but I've been killing smallies on the rivers for the past couple weeks as they fatten up before winter. One thing I did notice in moving back to Oregon is that the average population of bass in any given body of water here is significantly less than the midwest. This might actually make it seem like you're doing something wrong when really you are targeting fewer fish without knowing it. This can lead to a situation where the fish that are available have become pretty wary by the fall after all the pressure they've had over the summer. I've been to plenty of places that seemed like perfect bass habitat and come up with nothing to show for it. Depth could be an issue, the smallies I've caught have all been in about 30 to 40 feet of water, but this may have no relation to largemouth behavior. I can suggest trying Hagg Lake in Forest Grove, it's open until the 23rd and has produced bass for years. In fact our state record for smallmouth came out of there in 2002, I think. There are about 7 creek arms that feed the lake with grass flats next to good drop-offs on some of them and all different depths and bottom throughout. Let me know you're thoughts on any of this, I know this is a farther distance for you, but I'd be more than happy to join you if you want company and a back of the boater. Your motor won't be an issue because there's a speed limit of 10mph in place for the entire lake.

Crap. I'm sorry for the way my last post read guys. After seeing cbrimhall's post I realized how rude my last post could come across. I actually meant that if someone was going fishing (in their boat) and could use a non-boater (myself) I'd be down and that I wouldn't mind chipping in on gas.

My last post may have came across sounding like I only wanted a back of the boater if they gave me gas money (which sounds rude considering I'm asking for help from you guys). So yeah, my appologies on that guys!

However cbrimhall, I'd be happy to check out hagg if you want to go. I have a pretty solid 82lb trolling motor (knock on wood) and good batteries and can go practically all day with moderate trolling. I went all the way around triangle and batts seemed just as strong as when I started.

 

[cbrimhall]

Well, I have no problem chippin' in on gas for you to come up here, and no worries about the last post, I didn't take it the wrong way. I have no boat right now so I'm always willing to help out or assist if somebody's nice enough to let me go out with them. I know from experience that towing a boat somewhere and then back is not cheap these days, although I guess you're saving gas with just the trolling motor right now! In addition, I always learn something when I fish with somebody else and it's nice to have somebody with the camera when you pull in that hog. Anyway, the weather doesn't look good for the next couple days, but when we get a couple nice days, we'll have to see what we can do at Hagg. I just returned from Alaska, so currently I'm not working and my schedule's pretty open.

 

[a-mac]

Sounds good. Yeah, weather doesn't look so good for a while. We'll keep in touch.

 

[Bassdad54]

Very Low can't launch any boat

Very Low can't launch any boat

had some friend went by ther last week can't launch water level low