Fastest fishing in the northwest!?

[DaleDor]

I’m planning next year's trips for taking my 5 year old nephew.

He’s open to ANY species (pikeminnows…anything) and ANY size (5” is even ok). Our boats can handle “any” location in OR, WA, and BC.

He gets bored if we go more than 5 minutes without a fish, however.

My question is: what fishery, during it's peak period, is the “fastest” in the northwest!?

(One is Silver Lake in Cowlitz county for panfish the last week in May where it's a fish every 2 casts or so. But we want to hear what fisheries you pros out there recommend!)

Thanks!

[ 11-27-2002, 06:23 PM: Message edited by: DaleDor ]

[fishing is life]

take him to a trout farm.

[ChrisN]

Shad fishing thru the months of May and June on the Willamette or Columbia should keep him entertained.

Chris :cool:

[FEAR NO FISH!]

Perch fishing at some of my Zipperlip lakes :wink:
Scootney or Soda lakes near the potholes.
Everytime you get to the bottom, you are bringing a perch up. :cheers:

[SailCat]

I'd hafta second the shad fishing suggestion, plus a trip up to view WIllamette Falls can be a memorable experience.

~MT
The Guide's Forecast (http://www.theguidesforecast.com/)

[blubeast]

You should watch for the trout stocking schedules and hit the lakes shortly after the new fish have been planted. Sometimes like fishing at the trout farms, without the cost.

[lost_sailor]

Odell Lake kokanee, first 2 weeks of June. Unless he really gets bored in FIVE minutes ... then leave him onshore until you get it "dialed in."

Trillium Lake after a good stocking.

[NAUTI-NOTIONS]

Sekiu in late August for Coho, large number of wild that get to free. lots of great action. easy fishery.

[Captn]

I will not disagree with any suggestions so far, but would like to add another. When the weather warms up, after labor day, camping and fishing on the John Day with a youngster is guaranteed fun. Bobber, worm, and smallmouth bass equals unlimited fun for a 5 year old. That also works for a 55 year old, but he usually needs special stuff.

[FastAction]

Yakima river in Prosser WA, in July, worms and bobbers.. it could be a 15lb carp or a 6'' bass

[Fishrite]

Take the kids to Brownlee. It is an dam on the Snake River. There are Crappie by the millions. We fished the Powder River arm out of Richland (thats a 38 mile drive out of Baker City). We brought back 205 good size fish in a couple days of fishing. :smile: We were really a couple
of weeks early too. The sqawn had not yet started and the fish were just moving into the shallows. My brother and two 7 and 8 year old girls caught 159 in an afternoon just 3 weeks after we were there. Good eating fish too! :grin: And no limit ............that's kid fishing!! Not bad for us old folks as well. :wink: Fishrite

[1pump]

Anywhere on the lower Columbia, Multnomah Channel or Scappoose Bay. Throw a worm or whatever on the bottom with a sliding egg sinker. You'll never know what bites next, especially at night. It might be a chub, carp, squawfish, sturgeon, mud cat, flounder, bass, sculpin or walleye. Ugly fish all, and not vey sexy, but it's usually non-stop action. :smile:
A lot of fun on a hot summer night, and it beats watching reruns of "Alf".

[ 11-27-2002, 02:41 PM: Message edited by: 1pump ]

[Barviewrocks]

I used to like Brownlee Reservoir as well. However, they discovered there is mercury contamination in many of the fish. So just catch and let them go. Used to be if you did not catch a crappie in a minute, there must be soemthing wrong with you.

[Pilar]

1) Shad is the bomb, more fight than any other fish for size. The bite is a trainwreck. Good crabbait too. Use a steelhead rod and 2 dick nites on a rig. Doubles on this rig will make you cry.

2) Oh and then you can upgrade the 5lb shad for a 500 lb, 100 yr old sturgeon. You then have to let the big boy go.

3) Herring in Yaquina bay. This has the side effect of producing laughing kids as they catch 3, 4, 5 at a time. Another side effect is primo salmon bait. Last 2 years now, in the bay from Feb to Sept.

[Grits]

Detroit is the most stocked lake in Oregon. Launch at the day use area head for the island. Use 1-2 oz weight tied to cowbells tied to a rubber snubber tied to a wedding ring (18" Leader) tipped with worm and corn. Put it out at 25 pulls fish at 2 mhp 50-75 from the island (around the tip closest to the day use is usually the sweet spot but move around if you aren't into them). I often take 3 boys age 4-6 and have to go to 1 pole so I can keep up with the bait job. When you get ready to go let me know and I can meet you or give you more info if needed.

[Adam]

try around oxbow dam on the snake river! if you go in July you will catch a smallie every 5 minutes max. you also will get an occasional catfish or trout. if you troll along the bank and cast small crankbaits you will get em every few casts (or troll them). If you go anywhere on the snake river be prepared to get hot. it is over 100 everyday in the summer pretty much.

[chummer]

If you're gonna take a 5 year old fishing for shad, you better tie a rope a round his waist and tie him to the boat! :grin: Those little silver bullets can put up quite a fight. Dick Nites, some current and a big cooler, you'll need it. :cheers:

[fishpatrol]

Have him catch 'chovies in any of the river estuaries. When he's ready for a break then you get toplay with all the bait he caught! It works for me.

[DaleDor]

I did some checking, and yes, Brownlee is very very good for crappie in the spring. Good call, guys.

[Paddlefish]

The last couple of years I've taken beginners out on "Free Fishing Weekend," (typically in mid June.) I especially like the put-and-take trout lakes where they might have special how-to demonstrations scheduled. You just KNOW that there'll be plenty of freshly planted trout there!

We troll from a nice, quiet canoe -- at least it's quiet until the kids start hooking trout -- and their favorite method is a very small silver Flatfish or Kwikfish, either unweighted or with a couple of tiny BB shot.

Our rule of thumb is, "If you haven't gotten a strike in three minutes, check your lure, as it must be tangled or towing weeds." :cool:

I don't think we've ever fished a whole three hours and the kids' typical result is a five-fish limit to take home to Mom (Yes, I clean them first, :rolleyes: ) plus a number of fish lost apiece and dozens of missed strikes. Even those fin-challenged hatchery 'bows perform pretty excitingly with next to no weight or gear.

Plus, they've occasionally gotten free snacks at the demonsration sites, or free T-shirts, or had their pictures taken with their fish -- and discovered themselves in ODFW ads the next year! :cool:

Above all, it's a FUN day for dads -- or uncles, or substitute dads, or grandpas!

Just don't plan on fishing yourself: you'll be too busy driving the net. :grin:

[ChrisN]

Rumor has it that the springers that are heading up the falls or the Columbia might whack at a shad lure too.

Talk about excitement !

Chris :cool:

[ 11-27-2002, 12:01 PM: Message edited by: FWF1 ]

[Tagster]

For quick and fun fishing I would highly recommend North Fork Lake in late May. Fish the West bank under the powerlines and troll slow up that side along the bank up towards the dam.

Try a super duper long lined with a small split shot. Another favortie is a willow leaf with a worm tipped hook. Pretty much guaranteed 20-30 trout caught per person. Usaully they run 9-15".

We always have our best catching before 11:00 a.m.

Good luck!!

Tag

[ 11-27-2002, 12:38 PM: Message edited by: Tagster ]

[DaleDor]

I'm takin' notes...keep'em coming!

[ 11-27-2002, 01:27 PM: Message edited by: DaleDor ]

[k9jeff]

You said youngster, My spring chinook pardner just turned 6. I take him out with me, he had his own tag, rod etc.. I just putchase some kids books (harry potter type) on tape, plug em in, and turn em up. He will color, draw and listen to the tape all day. He likes the fishing end also.
Nothing like watching him fight a chinook, he sits in my lap for the needed assistance.

[cannonball]

you might think about omak lake for lahotion (spelled wrong) cutthroat. lots of acton on spinners and flies and nice sized fish. Shad fishing on the columbia would be a close second.

[DaleDor]

FYI: Umpqua R. can also be great. In the summer, for lots of smallies.

[Terry H]

Dale--I got my kids hooked on fishing [now 26 & 28, damn that happens fast] by taking them carp fishing.
Now don't go to the next post just yet.
The kids don't really care if you take the thing home to eat,but they will have a ball[and remember forever]catching these 3 to 5 lb monsters[and some so big they will never see them -- only feel the rod and hear the reel scream].
Here's how---
Carp are not a game fish,so it is ok to chum.Now get some rabbit food[it sinks]and chum the area you want to fish.Now you can catch these in almost any water that has not been poisened to plant trout.We would fish the Columbia,Will R,Mult C,but almost all larger water has carp.
After chumming,and waiting a few hours[camp ,swim fish for other stuff------
come back and fish with dough balls[I used bran flakes mixed with water--good and stickey],cast out and let lay on the bottom.Bringing a camera---the pics are great years later.
Have fun
Terry

[Green Machine]

1) It's not really fishing, but smelt dipping is always guaranteed action and he can fill everyones bucket for them. I get a kick out of watching a kid fill mine for me. Cowlitz, February and March, follow the crowds.

2) Humpies or Pink salmon on the Skagit :grin: or the Skykomish. You can usually catch 50+ per day per angler on light gear and it is during nice weather. (August and Sept.) Skagit is better suited for different types of boats than the Sky. Great family trip!! Let me know if I could help you on this one.

Green Machine

[Silver Hilton]

McKay reservoir outside of pendleton, memorial day weekend, for perch. I took my kids, and niece and nephew. We couldn't keep three rods in the water. If the bobber didn't go down in literally 30 seconds, we'd move it to a different place. Caught approximately a jillion perch in the 6 to 10 inch range. Also some crappie. Great kid fishery. I haven't found the equal west of the Cascades.

[POS Clerk]

My son and I have been doing kill and release on Northern Pike Minnow (squaw fish) several miles upstream of the Wheatland Ferry since he was 5.
Use floro-carbon line, a clear weighted casting bobber, and half a night crawler. Do not use lead weights. Cast out, let the line drift down stream and watch schools of 5 to 7 inch fish attack the hook. If conditions are right and the bait holds up you could catch over 100 fish between the two of you. July and August is the best time…

You could also try Hebo Lake in March right after they plant. It’s a great place to take little kids…

Good luck
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[ 12-24-2002, 07:11 PM: Message edited by: POS Clerk ]

[justdave]

The puddle lakes along 101 in florence area. If the odfw trucks have been to the larger lakes, they've more than likely put some in the puddles. Inflatable works well in these too. Lots of other stuff for the youngster also. Beach, bays, dunes.

Just Dave

[SafetyChain]

Brownlee is excellant in the spring, just have to watch for the water level to make sure you can launch. Small mouth, crappie, Bluegill and cats.

My never fail spot, and where my kids got "hooked" is just around the corner, downstrem from the Rowena boat ramp. Rownea is between Hood River and The Dalles. Drop anchor just ourtside the weed bed and cast near the stump. Trout poles, sitting on the botom with a nightcrawler are great. Especially if you have 4# test and hook a 30inch shaker or 15inch bass. Kids think they have a whale and the pole doubles up. Guaranteed. :dance:

[Steelie]

I took my kids to Newport for the herring run. They still talk about it and you can keep the spoils for bait.
5 fish at a time and they will want their own fishing program. :grin:
Right off the dock on the south side.

[Snapset]

I would second the Herring suggestions, but for small kids I would recommend cutting the herring jigs in half. Too many hooks equals way too many tangles. Use the ones that look like they have a piece of fish skin tied across the top, the smaller ones work better. Start in front of the Coast Guard station and fish the current seams. A snoopy pole is ideal for this. If you want to know where some of the Perch schools hang out in the bay, E-mail me. The striped perch can be a blast, but getting the little people to hook them takes some special techniques. I like to use a # 6 or smaller hook, and a small oval egg sinker. As you approach the spot where the Perch are with your boat, Idle slowly and don't allow the wash from your motor to hit the school. Cast above the school and as it slowly sinks, you will feel the fish hit it,don't set the hook until you see your line start to move sideways in the water.