Willamette River Fishing Reports

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Thanks for the report @bass. Those are some nice looking fish. It seems like the water clarity has improve quite a bit in the Willamette over the last couple of weeks.
 
Your welcome @fromthelogo The bass were nice and healthy. I love how hard they fight all summer long.

I think the water is about as clear as it gets for the year. Maybe there are some algae blooms here and there that cuts visibility a little but it should mostly be clear enough to be able to see the bottom in 8 or so feet of water in the mornings, before the the water gets the water churned by pleasure craft, until the fall rains.
 
Have you tried fly fishing out of cedar oak?
 
I am a novice fly fisher at best. My gear is more trout oriented and not heavy enough for bass flies and poppers. Also, my rear seater gets nervous when the fly line starts whipping. When I retire in 10 or so years, I hope to get into fly fishing more. Like golf, I just don't have to time it would take to get good at it now.
 
@fromthelogo
Almost all the bass I've caught on a fly rod have been on 6 wt and 4 wt trout rods. I just trim the leader down a bit and add a section of 6lb or 8lb tippet depending on what I'm throwing and where I'm fishing. Try the gear you have. It should work.
 
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@pdxflyguy , I have not fished for bass with a fly rod in Oregon. I used to fish for bass in ponds in NC sometimes with a fly rod. I never had a bass weight fly rod and just fished with a 5wt or 6 wt with a straight 8lb test leader. I am not very motivated to fish for bass with a fly rod around here since that is just even more gear to bring on the kayak.
 
Thanks for the input, gents. I'm stuck in a world where i personally want to spend all my fishing time honing my fly skills but i have two little boys whom i need to start with spincasting. So i'm always looking for places local (live in west linn) to sneak out for an hour two and get my flies in the water. Going to try Swift Shore Park tonight or tomorrow.
 
The last two times I have been there (mornings), the lagoon was full of swimmers (swim teams) and youth kayak and paddle board lessons.

It is a great place to teach kids to fish. I recently came across some photos of my son catching one of his first bass there.
 
do you guys know if the bridge that they put in around april-may reduces the amouth of fish in the lagoon? since it's at the upstream start of the lagoon.
 
To be honest, I haven’t fished inside the lagoon in 10 years. I image the water in the lagoon is quite a bit warmer than the river.
 
With hearing about only poor fishing reports from salmon, to bottom fishing, to tuna, from the Oregon coast, decided to stay local and pursue some walleye, in the lower Willamette River. I am a novice at walleye fishing, have only been a few times, but have a friend who is I would say a pretty darn good walleye fisherman. We took his boat out with his two sons on Sunday, started fishing about 8:00 a.m. Over the next four hours or so, we landed eight walleye, one baby shad, a few baby yellow perch, and one very large catfish, which I caught, I was hoping for my biggest walleye ever, but still a good fight, and a nice fish, released the catfish unharmed. We were using bottom bouncers with small blades in front of a night crawler. The idea is to keep in constant contact with the bottom with the bottom of the bouncer. Holding the rod to make sure you do this is probably best, and it is very exciting when the fish hits, and you get to feel the take. All in all a very pleasant and relaxing way to spend a day fishing locally, plus no salt to clean up, no ninety minute drive home, etc.

20200802walleye.jpg
 
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awesome fish and walleye's are about has good as it gets to eat.
 
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NICE! On my bucket list. Hear they are really tasty as well
 
They are very tasty:)
 
Why didn't you keep the catfish? Illegal or just dont like them? I love eating fried catfish.
 
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Great job! Were you on the Multnomah channel or the main Willammette river?
 
Went on a guided walleye trip years back with my best friend. Feb and pretty cool out 20*! Spent 8 hrs on the water and we both got one fish! Had a great time but had no idea I had a fish on when I pulled up mine. Everybody say's they are great eating but I don't recall, but, I did eat it. Was out there 8hrs because the guide guaranteed we'd catch a fish! Had a great time with my buddy but we may have embarrassed the guide. When we got back to the dock, he flew out of there! Friend died a number of years ago, miss him! One of these days 'm gonna try them walleye again in my own boat!
 
Great tasting fish for a shore lunch....Chuck
 
jamisonace said:
Why didn't you keep the catfish? Illegal or just dont like them? I love eating fried catfish.
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Good question, had walleye on the brain, I suppose. I agree, fried catfish is awesome:)
 
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bass said:
Great job! Were you on the Multnomah channel or the main Willammette river?
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In the channel, down by Scappoose.
 
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