in search of bass trip

[iptmike]

Hi, this is my first post on this forum. I usally view and post on the "Salty Dogs" forum. This season I've been frustrated by the salt water fisheries. I've had at least half of my trips called due to ocean conditions and the trips I've made usally result in 2-3 days of recovery from being beat up from the trip. I'm considering giving up the salt water and look at bass fishing as a primary fishery. I grew up in the Midwest and bass fished. I'm looking for either a guide or a bass angler to go out with and experience some NW bass fishing. I'm in the Vancouver,WA area but am willing to travel. I'm also fully prepared to compensate or help with expenses. Is there anyone interested in helping out a fellow angler? I love boats and fishing.

[tnj8222]

you are in the perfect spot to fish the columbia river.. a buddy and i are planning a trip up there pretty soon, we dont have a boat for that big river but we are planning on fishing the sloughs and ponds there... i will pm you our phone number and you are more than welcome to come... by the way it wont be for about 3 or 4 weeks

[Hunt'nFish]

This season I've been frustrated by the salt water fisheries.


Don't EVEN get me started. It seemed like the 2 & 3 @12sec days were always Mon & Tues! :tongue:
Have yet to put any albi in the can. A couple butts and that's it. Oh well fisherman have been been waiting on Lady Blue for thousands of years. BUT HECK NO!...You CAN'T give up on her! :bigshock:

Just have to learn NOT to hang your hat on the weekly marine forcast. You just have to learn to say, "screw it...I'm going to go play w/ the bronzebacks." Just think of them as little football albi's hiding behind every rock and sunken log. :wink:

Now is a prime time to get out too. The water is cooling and fish are on the feed.....Fall is a wonderful time. I LOVE IT! Was out on the Willey Sunday, a multi-puropse blast & cast day (sept geese). A pretty lazy day (up at 7 on the water by 8:30, fish'n by 9am) ...no geese but the fishing was red hot. First cast out hooked a big ol fatty that came unbuckled at the boat estimate honestly at 16-18"..maybe 3lb....perhaps 3.5 w/ the bulging crawdad filled belly. Man they are fat right now! Anyway, was fishing plastics on a shelf 15ft deep and just about every cast something would grab it. On a ultralite rod and 6lb line, 1.5-2lb fish can be a heck of a lot of fun. I fished for about 3hrs, 9am to noon, and the bite never slowed and caught fish after fish. Sun shining...great fall day. Did a little water work w/ the dog on dummys, boat launches and boarding....I was happy & the dog was happy......and you know what?.......it beat any day out on the rockpile for butts. TUNA!?????.....NOTHING beats TUNA!...but good bass fishing can come close.....And it's a LOT cheaper! :wink: :wink:

As for your request for help.....man I promise this and I promise that, and I never seem to make do on them....so I won't even offer.
But what I can offer is encouragement & a suggestion to hit the Portco launch just east of I5 and hit the rocky area upriver. Fish 15-20ft deep and work tubebaits on the bottom...that is also walleye water so who knows what will hit. With that in mind I might upsize my rod to a med action w/ 8lb just so I stand a better chance w/ the walleye.

I would also PM Cliff aka "Bassin". He's up in Ridgfield and knows the Washington side very well. He's also getting his feet wet in the salt w/ a new boat, so you guys might hit it off.

Anyway HAVE FUN and enjoy the fall. I WILL!
Hunt'nFish

[iptmike]

Don't get me wrong, I like the salt. I've got a 2003 24' Pursuit Center Console. It's got all the goodies and is a fishing machine. I took it out last Sat from Garibaldi halibut fishing with 3 buddy's. We got 10 halibut (released 2) and a big ling cod (released) in 2 hours of fishing time. Great fishing for this trip but the conditions were rough. 4 days later and I'm still sore. I've also put a couple of tuna trips on boat this season. But the salmon fishing has just sucked.

Going out on calmer water for just a couple of hours has alot of appeal to me now.

Can anyone recommend a guide for bassin?

[InBassPursuit]

rogerlu@tek.com

Check with Roger...he could help you.

[iptmike]

Thanks!

Any other recommendations?

[rob allen]

i'd recommend getting hooked up with the local bass club.. it's a great way to learn about the local fisheries.

Information about the Vancouver club can be found at columbiariverbassmasters.org

hope to see you there

[iptmike]

Good information, thanks.

[Super Fluke]

Exbassguid could hook you up with somebody.

[bassin]

PM sent.