Willy Bank Bassin' Tips?

[Joel O]

Good morning everyone!

I've been doing alot of bass fishing on the Willy lately and it's been a bit of a struggle. I've been managing to scratch out a few fish here and there...but nothing worth bragging about. I grew up bass fishing from a boat, and those techniques don't really translate well to bank fishing(i.e. crankbaits & jig 'n pig).

What should I be using?

The only success I've had(not really success) are with 3" grubs dragged slow across the bottom. Fishing mainly around the Jefferson St. ramp and Elk Rock Island.

Any tips would be greatly appreciated!:anyone:

[fishnfun]

I've been doing decent from the bank throwing a crank bait along the shore but I have been fishing exclusively in the evening right before and during the topwater bite. If the fish are not aggressive dropshotting a small worm a minnow imitation is a killer!

[Twothirteen]

I've been doing decent from the bank throwing a crank bait along the shore but I have been fishing exclusively in the evening right before and during the topwater bite. If the fish are not aggressive dropshotting a small worm a minnow imitation is a killer!

Yeah you can definitely throw cranks from the shore, but be sure to watch how high you're fishing them... unless you like swimming. :D

From the shore though; I'll typically throw a senko or a zoom lizard. This time of year is quite productive for top-water fishing too. You'll lose a lot less lures, and you'll catch a decent amount of fish. (especially in the mornings :wink:)

Good luck and have fun.

Edit: My 213th post!

[boblag]

Fish from about 4:30 or 5 am to 8 am, and then again from 6 pm to 8 or 9. Try fishing in the 3-10 foot range around rip-rap near deeper water. A 3/8 oz. Rattlin' Rap in craw thrown parallel to the bank will work. Also, Baby Brush Hogs or 4" Senkos in pumpkin or green pumpkin are good. It should really start kicking in any day now, if it hasn't already.

[Joel O]

Thanks! I plan on heading out this evening and testing out these techniques.

:pray:

[salembassin]

Try 3" senkos on the bottom, or Zoom super flukes. Ive caught 90% of my willamette smallies on these.

[Joel O]

Try 3" senkos on the bottom, or Zoom super flukes. Ive caught 90% of my willamette smallies on these.

I've got a pack of 3" senkos(pumpkin wBLK & GRN)...should I be fishing these Texas, Carolina, or Wacky w/Drop Shot?

[fishnfun]

Wacky on the dropshot or just on the bottom!

[kmk1012]

Just caught me first bass of the season yesterday-a little (12") smallie on the willy in salem! I'm no pro fisherman but I've been on both sides of this-why do bank fishers wish that they could cast where the boats can and the boats wish they could cast where the bank fishers can? Just an observation.

[a12seccrx]

Just throw a simple spinner (Blue Fox, roostertail, etc...), they catch em just as well on the Willy as anything else.

[Joel O]

I threw the entire tackle box at them last night...no luck.

Bass were jumping all over the place, it was insane, I've never seen that many fish without even getting a strike.

:shrug:

[catphish]

Greetings, first post. Not a lurker either, i found you and jumped right in. I like to fish Elk Rock as well. Lately, I have been having better luck with the shad looking baits. The smallies are eating heavy on the shad right now. Try a shad jig, or rapala lure. Anything that resembles. We may cross paths there. Im always the guy in the Red Sox hat with the green backpack. Tight Lines!

[chevytatt]

I bank fish the Willy anywhere from 2-6 times a week in the evening after work, and have always had pretty good luck with a carolina rigged 3'' senko.

[uhmw]

Well someones got to say it. :passout:hook a night crawler wacky on a strait wire hook so the head of the hook is imbeded in the body and toss it with no weight using an ultra light rod set up. let it settle on the bottem then twitch it every 2 min and watch your line for sighns of tailing off.:D :thisbig:when all else fails of course and no ones looking:wink:

[built2fish]

A 4" pumkin seed green senko rigged texas weedless on a 3/0 EWG Gamakatsu with a split shot 8" above the hook (split shot rig) will catch fish just about anywhere and will do so at Elk Rock Island no doubt. When I used to bank fish a lot, this was my go to rig almost 90% of the time.

Fishing will be best from first light till 8am and in the evening as was afformentioned, however, you shold be able to catch fish all day. Just cast it out, let it sink to the bottom, and reel it back in slowly so that you are feelling the gear in constant contact with the bottom.

The lipless crankbaits are working still but are by no means "the hot ticket" this far past post-spawn. If there are that many fish jumping, try a Heddon Zara Spook. I personally prefer the Super Spook as it tends to weed out many of the small ones, though I do catch fish smaller than the Super Spook quite often while using it. :passout::D

All of that said,the Willamette is really not the most "bank friendly" river to fish. IMHO the Tualitin River offers much better bank access.

[IslandBass]

I threw the entire tackle box at them last night...no luck.

Bass were jumping all over the place, it was insane, I've never seen that many fish without even getting a strike.

:shrug:

I bet we've all been there. However, it would help to lose your perception that techniques from a boat don't translate to the shore. This attitude is only going to hurt you.

As one who is permanently shorebound, I have successfully used many techniques from the shore that boat folks use. I can see that you're paying your dues. It's going to come together and pay you dividends.

Sometimes, the simplest approaches are ones we won't or more likely forget to consider such as the recommendation of going to earthworm mode. In addition to that, do not forget to give spoons and inline spinners a shot. And if those don't work either, you'll just have to chalk it up to it being one of those days.:D

My last two outings for smallies, they would not hit anything but a 3" senko on the drop shot wacky rigged. Nothing else, not even when it was nose hooked. Strange critters. :flowered: