beetlespin
05-04-2005, 04:41 PM
It’s about time I checked in. Here’s my short story. I’ve bass fished most of my rememberable life but only a couple of times a year, so never really developed the skill. I moved here from Texas/NM 8 years ago and remained landlocked, working myself to death, until I took early retirement a few months back. Since then I bought a 1999 Fisher (19’, 3.0 MeriCruse I/O) and outfitted it with a 74#, 24v, Minn Kota and a Hummingbird 47 3D FF/sonar system and am ready to explore this beautiful Pacific NW, pluggin' for bass all the way.
My fish story: In the mid ‘70's I lived in El Paso and Dad, brother and I towed a bass boat into the interior of Mexico (Lake Granero) in search of the elusive large mouth. Back then plastic worms were just becoming popular, at least in in my area. The worms were huge 8” purple creatures and the worming rod was as stiff as a broom stick. The method of the day was to set the hook so hard that you ‘cross their eyes’. During my first pickup in Mexico, I set the hook so hard I somehow pulled a muscle in my shoulder. For the next three days I gritted my teeth in pain after each hookset. It was kind of like a love/hate relationship. A pickup got the adrenaline going followed by the thought of the forthcoming pain. My 84 year old Dad can't remeber much but he still remembers that trip and finds humor in recounting my delimma. I did manage to land a 4#er that hit the worm in about 1 foot of water leaving a swirl like top water hit. It is still the largest bass I’ve nailed.
Here’s my questions. I’m trying to get up to speed on local conditions. I’m not use to currents or tidal effects. I fished Scappoose Bay yesterday for the fist time (Texas rigged- 1/16 oz- senkos, lipless crankbaits and small spinnerbaits). The water temperature was about 60, a few degrees warmer than the channel and nearby Columbia. I fished the pilings, logs and riprap banks on the upper part of the bay all the way to and around the mouth. I never got a hit, even though there were fish around the structures. The conditions seemed perfect and I read that Scappoose Bay is a bass haven during prespawn. The fish policewoman at the marina told me the salmon fishermen were also having a bad day.
I checked my handy dandy Northwest Fishing calendar last night and noticed that I arrived a few hours after high tide and left just about at low tide, so the tide was outgoing the entire time.
• How is bass feeding affected by tidal changes?
• Is the current in the Willamette above Willamette Falls affected by tide?
I really enjoy the postings and just can’t believe there are so many great bass fishing opportunities in the area and so few fishermen even interested. It’s like dying and going to heaven.
Mike
My fish story: In the mid ‘70's I lived in El Paso and Dad, brother and I towed a bass boat into the interior of Mexico (Lake Granero) in search of the elusive large mouth. Back then plastic worms were just becoming popular, at least in in my area. The worms were huge 8” purple creatures and the worming rod was as stiff as a broom stick. The method of the day was to set the hook so hard that you ‘cross their eyes’. During my first pickup in Mexico, I set the hook so hard I somehow pulled a muscle in my shoulder. For the next three days I gritted my teeth in pain after each hookset. It was kind of like a love/hate relationship. A pickup got the adrenaline going followed by the thought of the forthcoming pain. My 84 year old Dad can't remeber much but he still remembers that trip and finds humor in recounting my delimma. I did manage to land a 4#er that hit the worm in about 1 foot of water leaving a swirl like top water hit. It is still the largest bass I’ve nailed.
Here’s my questions. I’m trying to get up to speed on local conditions. I’m not use to currents or tidal effects. I fished Scappoose Bay yesterday for the fist time (Texas rigged- 1/16 oz- senkos, lipless crankbaits and small spinnerbaits). The water temperature was about 60, a few degrees warmer than the channel and nearby Columbia. I fished the pilings, logs and riprap banks on the upper part of the bay all the way to and around the mouth. I never got a hit, even though there were fish around the structures. The conditions seemed perfect and I read that Scappoose Bay is a bass haven during prespawn. The fish policewoman at the marina told me the salmon fishermen were also having a bad day.
I checked my handy dandy Northwest Fishing calendar last night and noticed that I arrived a few hours after high tide and left just about at low tide, so the tide was outgoing the entire time.
• How is bass feeding affected by tidal changes?
• Is the current in the Willamette above Willamette Falls affected by tide?
I really enjoy the postings and just can’t believe there are so many great bass fishing opportunities in the area and so few fishermen even interested. It’s like dying and going to heaven.
Mike