Willy smallmouth. My largest so far!

[Snagglehook]

I Launched my kayak from Cedar Oak ramp Saturday to huck around some crankbaits with my new casting setup. Figuring I was going to get really well acquainted with backlashes, I also brought my spinning trout rod to troll a froggy F4 flatfish behind a 1/4 oz sinker.

Sure enough, right as I was winding back yet another bird's nest I had just cleared, the trolling rod starts peeling off. This guy ran deep and put up a good fight; bent the rod nearly to the handle!

I think I found the anti long-arm angle in these shots; it was 15" or so. Released him to find another OFFer's hook someday.

Further downriver something else took the same setup, and put up an even bigger fight! On its third diving run, it found some structure to wrap around and broke the line. Never saw what it was, but I'm now completely sold on the froggy flatfish!

Final note: the Willamette was really low. The docks at Cedar Oak were in the water, but not floating. There was a 15ft stretch of silty mud at the bottom of the boat ramp before you hit the actual water. I ended up launching from the beach.

 

[troutdude]

Nice report. Sounds like a good day on the water. Can't see the pics though.

 

[bass]

Good job and thanks for the report! Maybe the fish you lost was a coho.

 

[Snagglehook]

I resized the photos, hope that fixes it.

You know, in hindsight, I think the fish was even bigger, but I started yelling at it which made it shrink a few inches.

 

[amnis]

Sweet man! Great pics, have you fished George Rogers yet? It's a sick spot plenty of eager fish and with a kayak it could be deadly. You should try it out!

 

[sapo]

I resized the photos, hope that fixes it.

You know, in hindsight, I think the fish was even bigger, but I started yelling at it which made it shrink a few inches.

Good one

 

[Fishermen Jim]

I caught my largest small mouth on the Willy at Hyatt park near Albany this week also (Sun Sept 12) it was 14.5" and fat. Dang thing jumped out of the water 3 times.

 

[FishOutOfWater]

Nice Fish. I don't know that you are making it look smaller, that thing has quite the belly on it.
Umm... Are you saying you were fishing two rods at the same time?
I too have had good success on the Willy this year, mostly in the upper river between West Linn and Canby. I have caught more 13" + fish this year than any other. I had 2 consecutive trips in July of pulling in at least one over 16".

 

[Snagglehook]

Umm... Are you saying you were fishing two rods at the same time?

Yep, got my 2-rod validation two weeks ago when I picked up the casting rod and reel. Pretty late in the season, but it was only $17. Now I'm all paranoid. Is the Willamette excluded? I didn't find anything in the regs that said so. I'd welcome some clarification.

I have caught more 13" + fish this year than any other. I had 2 consecutive trips in July of pulling in at least one over 16".

I wonder if these fat bass are a direct result of the salmon die-off? That's a ton of nutritious carrion that got dumped into the river this summer. I don't know if bass would feed on the carcasses directly, but surely their prey were well fattened by the bounty.

 

[DrTheopolis]

Yep, got my 2-rod validation two weeks ago when I picked up the casting rod and reel. Pretty late in the season, but it was only $17. Now I'm all paranoid. Is the Willamette excluded? I didn't find anything in the regs that said so. I'd welcome some clarification.

There is that part in the regs where the 2 rod is only valid in certain lakes, and never in rivers.

No harm, no foul.

 

[Snagglehook]

Thanks for clarifying,...and calling off the pitchforked mob.

"A validation which allows an angler with a current resident or non-resident fishing license to angle with two rods or lines when angling on standing water bodies which include lakes, ponds, and reservoirs including Snake River impoundments above Hell’s Canyon Dam but excludes the Columbia River and its impoundments. Seasonal or permanent backwaters and sloughs of rivers, streams or creeks and bays, estuaries and ocean waters are also excluded from the Two-Rod Validation."

Man, I read and reread that second sentence and thought, "that lists everything but rivers, I'm golden!" Somehow failed to realize that the Willamette is an impoundment of the Columbia.

Good thing nothing I was doing that day with the casting setup could be considered fishing by anybody's standards. A lot of winding, cursing my thumb, unwinding, and asking deep questions like, "Really?!" and words of encouragement like, "Oh, C'mon!" , but very little fishing. I'm glad the spinning setup came through.

 

[FishOutOfWater]

Well, I'm not sure about the Willamette being an impoundment of the Columbia, but it is not a "standing body of water." The 2 Rod validation is meant for lakes, ponds, and reservoirs, not streams and rivers. I had a feeling you had the validation and just didn't understand the regs. I'd love to be able to fish 2 rods (legally) on the Willy.

 

[GungasUncle]

Nice catch!

I used to fish (from the bank) MS Young and Cedar Oak a lot, some nice hawgs that hang out around there. Have you ever tried the lagoon? I found more largemouth hanging out in there than smallmouth.

 

[Feel That Bass]

that's pretty sweet. i love fishin' the willy for bass. they can get massive...