Tahkenitch Report 7/9-12 (pics)

[Hunt'nFish]

If anybody finds themselves over that way this week-weekend, I'm gonna take a drive down and see if I can find some fish to have fun with.
Fishing the mornings most days......site 14 (I think), white Dodge, brown sled.
Would love some company.
My cell may/may not work down there as coverage is pretty spotty, so feel free to tap on the camper and wake me up at daylight.....seriously. And I promise to hold my fire. :wink:
My boat/yer boat makes no differance, but my blk lab goes where I do.
Cell # in my profile.

BassinFever and BassBuster would love to finally tag up & fish w/ ya.
I try and give ya both a call from the road.
Hunt'nFish

Report:
(Click for Slideshow) (http://s111.photobucket.com/albums/n122/Mike_in_Oregon/Bass/7-9-09%20Tahkenitch%20Lk/?albumview=slideshow)
Weather was cloudy/foggy w/ morning/evening rain/mist almost the entire time. A couple days it burned off for the afternoon, but otherwise not great for summer family beach fun.

http://i111.photobucket.com/albums/n122/Mike_in_Oregon/Bass/7-9-09%20Tahkenitch%20Lk/Photo0416.jpg?t=1247604618

But the morning fog/mist/rain showers did extend the morning bite well into the 10am hour. Fishing was hot some mornings and cold others. Not sure I really fully understand why. Maybe location had some to do with it, as I never fished the same place twice. Tried topwater frogs/flukes right off the bat up in the south arm near creekchannel and pads and had very little action. Moved to main lake banks and fished wood. Lots of weed so ran a big green/brass #6 Hilderbrant spinnerbait. No love w/ it. Downsized to a white/silver Mini-King and started to get hit by small fish upto 1lb. Entertained myself w/ that for a morning.
That evening I hit the wood on the north shore across from the campground and picked up a couple better fish, one on watermellon/chartruse laminate 4" senko and one on the green/brass Hilderbrant.
http://i111.photobucket.com/albums/n122/Mike_in_Oregon/Bass/7-9-09%20Tahkenitch%20Lk/Photo0426.jpg?t=1247604937
Another day I hit the north arm and fished a big open water flat w/ old pilings and picked up two of my better fish, again on the big Hilderbrant. Tried cranks as well and just never got hit, so abandoned that.
Another morning, while raining I worked a main lake point w/ sunken trees on the south shore past the second boat house and picked up 5 fish off 2 trees w/ a white/silver willow Boyah. One of which was my big fish for the week. (never got pics of that fish as phone was on the charger.)

Fished for perch a couple afternoons and put a gallon of meat in the freezer.
Here's one of a couple doubles my youngest pulled up:
http://i111.photobucket.com/albums/n122/Mike_in_Oregon/Bass/7-9-09%20Tahkenitch%20Lk/Photo0424.jpg?t=1247605007
Mostly small w/ about 25% going 8-9".

http://i111.photobucket.com/albums/n122/Mike_in_Oregon/Bass/7-9-09%20Tahkenitch%20Lk/Photo0429.jpg?t=1247604847

Talked w/ a local basser from Port Orford than was fishing a bronze jointed J9 Rapala tight to shore around wood/grass and he showed me pics of what he thought was a 8-9lb LM and he also picked up a nice 5lb'er which he pulled from the well to show me. He seemed to be doing better on fish #'s than I was. So I tired a green chartruse Stike King series 1, the shollowest running crank I had, but didn't get any love on it. Bronze pattern might've been a key thing there.
I did throw deep diver cranks Shad Rap & Magwart on deep flats and again no love...didn't throw a craw Norman...maybe I should've. The fish I put in the well for pics were puking up craw parts. Maybe I should've also tried hogs on the edge of the deeper weedline, but w/o a depthfinder I didn't know where the weedline edge was. Long story short, both my Lowrance DF's are down for repair. So I was basically sight fishing structure or blindly fishing deep flats.

All in all a typical Tahk trip. Struggled at times, seemed hot at times, bettered my PB LM record.
One day I'll get that lake all figured out.
I'll post up some pics after I get them off the phone. Didn't get pics of my big fish as the phone was on the charger in truck which the family had taken into town. :passout:
But, here some pics of some others: (Click for Slideshow) (http://s111.photobucket.com/albums/n122/Mike_in_Oregon/Bass/7-9-09%20Tahkenitch%20Lk/?albumview=slideshow)
BTW, all the bass were released at the dock.
Mike
Hunt'nFish

[trouttroller]

I just go this Picture from my Uncle recently. Tahkenithch back in 1968 I'm in the boat sitting in the front seat, I was 6 years old . We use to go every 4th of July growing up. I miss it so.



http://www.ifish.net/gallery/data/500/medium/AMeeker-R1-E006.jpg (http://www.ifish.net/gallery/showphoto.php/photo/103040/size/big/cat//ppuser/2307)

[Smj]

We got a couple of fine cat fish there last September, good eating. Seeing as your camping you might want to give those a try early and late? We picked them up on perch strips right at the weed edge out from the southern point of the island.

We'll be there at Westlake Resort in September again this year, looking to get a little more serious about the cats then.

I'm envious!

Smj

[BassBuster]

Thanks for the call Hunt. Sorry, I have a tourney this weekend. Let me know how you do.

[Basshound]

What? wish i read this earlier! I was coastal this weekend and came home early. how was the fishing? I have usually been there by now, but not this year.

[Hunt'nFish]

Weather was cloudy/foggy w/ morning/evening rain/mist almost the entire time. A couple days it burned off for the afternoon, but otherwise not great for summer family beach fun.

But the morning fog/mist/rain showers did extend the morning bite well into the 10am hour. Fishing was hot some mornings and cold others. Not sure I really fully understand why. Maybe location had some to do with it, as I never fished the same place twice. Tried topwater frogs/flukes right off the bat up in the south arm near creekchannel and pads and had very little action. Moved to main lake banks and fished wood. Lots of weed so ran a big green/brass #6 Hilderbrant spinnerbait. No love w/ it. Downsized to a white/silver Mini-King and started to get hit by small fish upto 1lb. Entertained myself w/ that for a morning.
That evening I hit the wood on the north shore across from the campground and picked up a couple better fish, one on watermellon/chartruse laminate 4" senko and one on the green/brass Hilderbrant.
Another day I hit the north arm and fished a big open water flat w/ old pilings and picked up two of my better fish, again on the big Hilderbrant. Tried cranks as well and just never got hit, so abandoned that.
Another morning, while raining I worked a main lake point w/ sunken trees on the south shore past the second boat house and picked up 5 fish off 2 trees w/ a white/silver willow Boyah. One of which was my big fish for the week.

Fished for perch a couple afternoons and put a gallon of meat in the freezer. Mostly small w/ about 25% going 8-9".

Talked w/ a local basser from Port Orford than was fishing a bronze jointed J9 Rapala tight to shore around wood/grass and he showed me pick of what he thought was a 8-9lb LM and he also picked up a nice 5lb'er which he pulled from the well to show me. He seemed to be doing better on fish #'s than I was so tired a green chartruse Stike King series 1, the shollowest running crank I had, but didn't get any love on it. Bronze pattern might've been a key thing there.
I did throw deep diver cranks Shad Rap & Magwart on deep flats and again no love...didn't throw a craw Norman...maybe I should've. The fish I put in the well for pics were puking up craw parts. Maybe I should've also tried hogs on the edge of the deeper weedline, but w/o a depthfinder I didn't know where the weedline edge was. Long story short, both my Lowrance DF's are down for repair. So I was basically sight fishing structure or blindly fishing deep flats.

All in all a typical Tahk trip. Struggled at times, seemed hot at times, bettered my PB LM record.
One day I'll get that lake all figured out.
I'll post up some pics after I get them off the phone.
Mike
Hunt'nFish

[Blacktailfiend]

Thanks for the report.. I was wondering how the fishing turned out. I used to fish there for crappie a long time ago and always say I am going to go back and try it again. I dont know if its possible to figure out the fish in that lake but there are some toads in there....

[Don Fischer]

My boat/yer boat makes no differance, but my blk lab goes where I do.
Hunt'nFish

Man after my own heart. My setter's go where I go!

[Hunt'nFish]

SMJ, I did pick up a couple cats. Kinda stubby looking things. What kind are they?.....monster bullheads?
Also picked up a couple 18-19" trout but turned them loose as well.

Yeah, Don.....you just try keeping Chance from going fishing w/ me. :passout:
He's such a Bass Licker. :wink:

http://i111.photobucket.com/albums/n122/Mike_in_Oregon/Bass/7-9-09%20Tahkenitch%20Lk/Photo0418.jpg?t=1247605420

Pics Added to top of thread.
Hunt'nFish

[veilside180sx]

I don't think it's possible for Mike to leave the house with the boat w/o Chance going along. =)

[Hunt'nFish]

:laugh:Not a CHANCE!
You should see him when I start laying out camo to go hunting.
He just flops on it... as if to say, "NOT WITHOUT ME YOU DON'T"!
Or, get this....I sent him out the back door to go potty the other day and he didn't return. So I walk out back to find him sitting in one of the marshboats I've been painting & grassing up. One sic dog. :passout:
Hunt'nFish

[Hawk JJ]

Chance is a beautiful pup bro....................& nice fish too........................:D:D:D

[MXRacer105]

Great report Mike.... I always drive right by Tahk on the way to fish Ten Mile, one of these times I need to stop by and fish it.

Nice fish by the way

[1bigfish]

Thanks for the pics Mike. I have tried to talk my wife into going there before but she has always passed on this lake. Maybe once she gets a look at these perch she will change her mind.

[Hunt'nFish]

On the perch...... fished the trussels and got a lot more little fish.
Moved up a wind protected arm and dropped the hook in 18ft just out from the weedline and picked up less fish but better size. Also a couple cats and trout as well. Trout were suspended while the perch were RIGHT on the bottom.
Perch rig was a 1/4oz jighead w/ chartruse curly tail tippped w/ worm. About 8" up a baitholder hook tied drop shot style, and another hook another 8" up from that. Worms on all. A slight jiggin action seemed to produce better. But the school of perch would move away and then back on us. So fishing was spuratic. Also a little spooky since we were fishing right under the boat, so be quiet moving around in the boat.

Based on the number of incidentail trout, I suspect a guy could do real well trolling a ford fender or something of that nature. You know a kokanee setup.

Anyway the perch were boring, but fun for the kids. And of course Chance had fun w/ them in the cooler. Now if I could keep him from pulling them back out.
Hunt'nFish

[raptorschild]

Looks like a real fun trip. Good looking dog too.

[Basshound]

Thanks for the report. Looks like space 17 to me. Best site to see whats going on out on the lake.

[Smj]

""""SMJ, I did pick up a couple cats. Kinda stubby looking things. What kind are they?.....monster bullheads?
Also picked up a couple 18-19" trout but turned them loose as well."""""


Sorry so long for a response Mike.....We've been at Cottage Grove since Tuesday Morning. I'm guessing those cats are just bullheads, they look identical to the ones that used to be fished at night a lot at Siltcoos. I was suprised at the ones we got last year, they were about 12"-14" and had a suprising anount of meat for the size, two made a good meal for two. The meat was red, like the ones at Siltcoos years ago. I've only eaten mostly farm raised cats from the store most times, but those Tach cats were wonderful. I wouldn't need all those little grease spattering perch if I could have those cats instead!

Love the pics....Makes me yearn for our September trip. Last year we got some jumbos by dragging perch strips right at the weed lines there.

If you're going down there again nearer September please shoot me a report, I would like to try and dial in the cats (and perch) a little better at Tach, without having to fish in the dark.

As far as the trout go, if Tach is anthing like Siltcoos, (did you know Silcoos and Tach are connected by pipline), a lot of those trout are native cutthroat. I'm not opposed to eating a couple of those now and then, and they are good and pink meated, just depends on how hungry for fish we are and how good the perching is. I do use larger hooks when jerking perch so the trout don't swallow the bait and we can release them.

Smj