Willy Salem 6/23/09

[1bigfish]

Hit the river again last night from about 4-8pm. The water is about as clear and as low as I have seen it. Didn’t catch that many. My backseater got 4 and I got 4. My biggest was around 2lbs be he managed to get a nice 3lber. Most of the fish came on a drop shot but I did manage a few on a lipless. All the fish we did catch were IN the current.
We spent most of the time just trying to get a topwater fish but it just never happened. I had about 20 blowups on a super spook jr, but only one fish even managed to take it under water. I reeled up the slack till I could feel the fish set the hook and the fight was on till it jumped and shook its head. Then the fight was over as I watched my lure go one way and the fish go the other.:passout: I have seen bass, especially smallies miss topwater baits before but I have never seen them miss the lure that badly, 20 or more blowups and only one take down. I think these fish are in need of glasses.:help: Backseater did do any better on a popper. Less blow ups and not one take down. Oh well it was fun non the less.

All my pics for June are still on my camera so one of these day I will just put up a post with nothing but pics.

[MXRacer105]

I have had days like that on a Spook.... IMO sometimes they are not trying to eat it, they just want it to stop moving, so they swipe at it.

At the very least it shows you where the fish are.

[flippinbaits]

oh, so now u let your back seat catch 3lbers!!! :D

way to go on the size, too bad they werent staying buttoned on the spook. did u try the jerkbait at all?

[boblag]

Thanks for the report. I saw your truck in the lot and was womdering how you guys did. I was only able to manage a few small ones. I can't believe the amount of moss in the water; I came up with it on almost every cast. With that and the "cotton" all over the water it was pretty frustrating.

[1bigfish]

Ryan, Maybe that is what was going on because they sure didn't take it. I have seen them swipe at it to try and stunn it and then come back and take it but these fish would swipe at it and when I would stop it they would just swipe at it again and just leave it there. Next time that happens I might switch to a superfluke or a spook puppy and see what they do.

flippinbaits, I did try a jerkbait several times but fish showed it no love. I never stopped you from catching one over 3lbs. I put you on the fish its not my fault you didn't catch any.:D

boblag, I saw your truck when I was pulling out. You should have gave me a call. I think I must have cleared at least 50lbs of grass off my lures last night. That was part of the reason we gave up fishing the cranks and plastics. We were just tired of clearing the lines after every cast. The areas that we used topwater were clear of the cotton.

[salembassin]

The Willamette has been fishing tough for me this year, I'm already looking forward to fall fishing when the hawgs bite again.

[Hunt'nFish]

Forgive me if I don't push summer out the door just yet. Fall will get here when it gets here soon enough. Might be about time to head for the south coast lakes though.

I hate it when the Willy starts shedding green. But give it some time, it'll clear up.
Until then, brake out the hogs and tubes.
Hunt'nFish

[kmk1012]

I don't think I've ever fished on th 32nd day of June?!?! LOL, just kidding, I happen to be on vacation next week. I hear from an avid Bass fisherman/coworker that the bite is on towards Wilsonville. I'm gonna try this area at least three days on his advice! As for 1bigfish-EVERY time since I purchased my boat this last winter I've been outfished by a guest-not cool but cool if you know what I mean! Post some pics when you can-a catch is a catch.

[arkansasbasser]

Ryan, Maybe that is what was going on because they sure didn't take it. I have seen them swipe at it to try and stunn it and then come back and take it but these fish would swipe at it and when I would stop it they would just swipe at it again and just leave it there.Were they making contact with the bait at all?

[1bigfish]

OK OK I fixed the date.

Most of the time they made contact with the bait there were a few times they missed all together. They would usually knock the bait in the air, I would let it sit and they usually came back and tried again. I have seen bass smack a bait fish to stunn it and then come back and finish the job while the bait fish is laying on the top so I would let the bait just sit there after the first hit. However when they cam back they would usually come up mouth first and knock the bait in the air. One of the smallies came a least a foot out of the water as it knocked the popper my backseater was using at leat 6 feet in the air. Cool to watch anyhow.