Davis Lake Bass

[BassBuster]

Ok...I might be opening a can of worms here...but I wanted to get other Ifishers opinions.

I am a rather strict C&R guy when it comes to bass. It really makes me sick when I see an 8 fish 40+ pound stringer of bass come out of Davis Lake. Now don't get me wrong..you won't here me bash anyone for keeping fish that the law allows you to keep....I just would rather leave them there for later. I also understand the dilema the bass cause in a "trophy" trout fishery...so here is my point.

What would be the problem with an ODFW organized bass only event one weekend at Davis. They could bring the fish stocking trucks and allow all anglers to deposit large and trophy size bass in the trucks. The fish could then be transplanted in more suitable bass waters. This is just a thought and was wondering what others thought about it.

This is something I have been pondering and might explore the idea with ODFW. Fire away boys I would like to here all opinions :whazzup:

Stefan Z

[nitrobass]

I'm pretty sure this has been done before at Davis, and the fish were transported to Lost Creek Res.

I'm sure you'll get plenty of "we should kill them all" responses to your post but I like the idea of catching them and putting them elsewhere.

Its not the fish's fault when they get planted somewhere. People shouldnt be bonking them or banking them for purposes other than eating.

[baltz526]

would fish traps work,that way odfw could sort out the trout and transport the bass out of the area. a few fishermen will not have any real effect on the long term removal of bass from davis lake. they tried to catch them out of davis several years ago

[High Life]

i may be mistaken and correct me if i am,but doesnt davis lake dry up about every ten years?

[InBassPursuit]

I didn't know there were large mouth bass in Davis. I have enjoyed fishing for them in Crane Prairie. Do people have much luck catching them? :noway:

[BassBuster]

Skeeter it gets pretty low but I have never seen it dry up to where it killed all of the fish. Trapping would probably be a good bet, however it costs more money and we all know how that goes.

There are a few guys who target the bass and do very well. It's fly fishing only and there have been some ingenius modifications to the gear to help catch the hogs.

Stefan Z

[bassfishingnw]

I thought I would post some links to pictures of the big bass coming from Davis. I have never fished Eastern/Central Oregon for any fish but I think I would break out the fly rod for this lake. I try and practice catch and release whereever I go and have nothing against taking any fish. I just don't because I have cleaned to many planter trout and bluegills as a kid! I guess you get lazier when you get older.

Enjoy the pics!

http://www.westfly.com/forum/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=4;t=013664#000007

http://www.westfly.com/forum/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=4;t=013834#000000

http://www.westfly.com/forum/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=4;t=013760

Again...please enjoy the pics and would any of us like to take quality fish like that on any rod???

:cheers:

[High Life]

why is it fly fishing only?

[SilverFly]

why is it fly fishing only?



Skeetrboy,

You ask a very good, honest question.

For many years Davis has been managed as a trophy rainbow trout fishery. It is very well suited to fly fishing since it is a shallow lake with an abundant aquatic insect population. Trout grow very fast in this lake, and to promote the trophy fishery, limits have been very restrictive (I believe 1 fish per day over 20"). With the low release mortality associated with fly fishing, it is a perfect match for a fishery such as Davis. Add to this the fact that most flyfishermen release all the trout they catch. As a result Davis has (historically) had some of the finest rainbow trout fishing to be found on the planet. There are only a handful of places where a person could reasonably expect to catch numbers of 4-10 pound rainbows and possibly even bigger. That would not be possible if bait fishing were allowed as this picture illustrates:

DEAD TROUT (http://www.ifish.net/gallery/data/500/medium/4925FNL6-0505010.jpg) Note: Found in a "selective-gear rules" area of SW Washington (flies/lures only with barbless single point hooks).

As for the bass, I have nothing against them. They are a great and exciting game fish. BUT, IMHO we already have thousands of outstanding bass fisheries in the nation as it is, why on God's green Earth would we destroy a crown-jewel of trout fishing just to have one more bass lake?

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[InBassPursuit]

Back in the 60's we caught some large rainbows. Not many but big. This was ok untill later in summer when after catching a few and noticed a worm or two would pop out of the fish's back, look around and go back in. I have heard it ok to cook and eat them but it was a good time to start the catch and release idea.
We used fly rods and drug a wet fly back about 30 yards. I'm wondering now if it would be leagle to use one of my bait casting rods with a wet fly tied on the end?