Twickenham on the John Day Report

[BuKuBass]

Spent five hours over there today; nothing over fifteen inches but since I went exclusively top-water in the middle of the day, I didn't expect otherwise.
Sorry Steve but I only had one hit while walking a BIG tube. The pattern seemed to be fairly fast [brisk walking speed] water 3,4 feet in depth and the lure had to make a commotion. Too much current for a buzzbait, poppers worked, however best lure was a Tiny Torpedo, bullfrog color. Is there anything more fun than two smalljaws [an 11 and a 12"er] hooked on one lure? Answer...Yes, if they were both 16" or better.
While cooling off by sitting in the water on a steep gravel bar, about five feet away, a 5 or 6 inch bass twice ran itself against the shore. The third time something BIG nailed it! All I saw was a four inch high bronze flank as it turned after taking the little guy. OK, no more top-water. I tried Sluggos, Bassn Assassins, Super Flukes, all in appropriate colors, dead-sticked, drifted and dredged. Zip, zilch, nada, no way-no how. Then again, if I had just eaten 10, 15 percent of my body weight, I probably wouldn't be hungry either. But that's all right; I know where it lives.
Best catch of the day was when my straw hat blew off at the top of a short rapid. After hustling downriver for 75 yards, I hooked it on the third cast, using a 5" smoke/copper-flaked Kalin grub on an Owner 1/8 ounce darter-head jig, 2/0 extended shank hook.

[MarlinMark]

Were you strictly bank fishing? How much access is there? Thanks for the report.

Mark

[Lane]

I'm headed there next week - will mostly fly fish - are there good numbers of fish? How was the water level holding up - still floatable in a raft from Twickenham?

Thanks!

[skein]

Thanks for the report, BuKu, it's always fun to read your stuff. I can really picture what's going on. That's a fun little river to fish and beautiful country. Always something going on.

BTW, did the hat put up much of a fight? I've caught a few ballcaps in my day but never a wide-brimmed straw-belly. I'll bet if one gets its shoulder in the current it could really put up a tussle. :grin:

Skein

[BuKuBass]

Lotza fish; size depends upon technique.
Here's the current level:
http://waterdata.usgs.gov/or/nwis/uv?14046500
For a forecast, use this site:
http://www.nwrfc.noaa.gov/river/station/flowplot/png/SERO3.HG.0.0.1.0.png

You shouldn't have any problem with a raft.

Marlin Mark...I was fishing from the bank; access was gained via relationships I've built with local ranchers over the years. However, most are restricting who they allow due the slobbish behavior by a few. :smash:

Skein...After it made a brief run, I was able to coax it into an eddy. Length=16.5", girth=33". I estimated its weight was close to two pounds but by the time I got it to a certified scale it had dried out and weighed only four ounces.

[FallRiverGuy]

Best catch of the day was when my straw hat blew off at the top of a short rapid. After hustling downriver for 75 yards, I hooked it on the third cast, using a 5" smoke/copper-flaked Kalin grub on an Owner 1/8 ounce darter-head jig, 2/0 extended shank hook.


:laugh:

Hey Rog, were you practicing catch and release?

[B.J. Lilly Hunter]

There is a little bit of BLM land around Twickenham. I was there with my 4 year old son this weekend, and had a great time. My son got an Ugly Stick, and an Okuma reel for his birthday in April, and has finally caught on how to cast in the last month. I caught the first bass, but then he caught the next 2 all by himself. He unhooked them and everything. I was so proud. We ended up catching about 20 or so, mostly dinks with one about 14". We were using 3" grubs on 1/8 oz. jigs. Pumpkin and other shades of brown seemed to work best. The water is like bath water. You just don't want to get out. My son allready has the "Last Cast Syndrome" He took about 30 of em.

I went down to the BLM office in Prineville, but I believe they all have them, and got both the Upper John Day and Lower John Day maps for free. There aren't many accesible spots, but there are a few.

[sbasser]

If you guys go through Prineville, be sure and get a PIZZA at Cinnabar Pizza (at the West stoplight). :dance: Right, BuKu?

When you actually fish, Senkos work great. I probably screwed up, by using 4", but gained a lot of confidence in Whacky rigging Senkos (#4 Yamamoto splitshot "circle" hook). Green Pumpkin: Don't leave home without it! C&R, Steve

[BuKuBass]

As I recall Steve, you did well with "blue ice" also.
This is my current "flavor of the year" (http://www.madtoms.com/JW.htm) in watermelon red and pearl hologram. The white one looks just like a small fish that's spent a couple of days in a smalljaw's craw.
re: the pizza [NE corner of 3rd and Main]....after spending the day wading and paddling, I grab a "Meatlover's" on the way home; wonder why I gain two pounds after every trip? :whazzup: :grin:

[sbasser]

Roger...I may have used some #240 "Smoke Blue Pearl". Haven't used any other blue Senkos. http://www.baits.com/order/images/chart/240.jpg
What was the flavor of pizza we got at the Cinnabar? Wasn't it a "Meatlovers"? Dang, it was good! MMMMMMMMM! :cheers:
If you're gaining 2 lbs per trip, you're just fishing too much, or need to find a route around Prineville. C&R, Steve