Striped Bass

Abalone · 02-14-2004, 10:37 AM

Not to change the subject or anything but one thing I have always wanted to do in Oregon is
to go Striper Fishing. I did a search on the subject but found very little. Are there any Striper fisherman on Ifish ?

When is the best time to go ?
Bay or River or Ocean ?

I hear that fight like Hell.

FishfulThinking · 02-14-2004, 08:49 PM

Having vacationed in Maine almost all my life, I've done lots of striper fishing, and they're tons of fun to catch. Last summer, before going to Maine I went to GI joes to see if they had any good plugs for stripers, and got to talking to an employee there who said that he knew of guys targeting stripers in the Willamette. He couldn't give any specifics, as this is either a relatively unknown and zipperlip fishery, or he was pulling my leg. Stripers are most active on the surface early morning and at twilight. If you see any bait being busted on the surface, throw anything at them and they'll bite. Let me know if you find out anything more.

1pump · 02-14-2004, 08:57 PM

Stripers on the Willamette? :whazzup:

I always thought it was a coastal fishery. I know the Smith River and a few lakes in the same area had some stripers at one time, as well as those funky hybrid white bass.
I always wanted to fish for them as well, but I thought the fishery was dead. :depressed:

SalmonJeff · 02-14-2004, 10:16 PM

a good friend of mine is guide but he is not an ifish guide so I don't know if I can mention his name but he guides for stripers and catches allot of them even some in the 30lb class :shocked: I grew up in California and caught them one after another in the summer and fall But for some unknown reason in Oregon no one really cares

You can P.M me and I can give you some contact information. BUT as for the willy it is the middle fork I think down by eugene area that they run up. But it is a zipperlip deal.

ChuckDog · 02-15-2004, 12:15 AM

There ARE zipperlip locations in the lower Willamette...Portland harbor being one of them. Monroe has mentioned it on his inside line fishing report a year or so ago. Not many people know about it so not many people target them. I'd gauge the temp/season for the stripes then look for the bass boat(s). 30#'s is about right...

Abalone · 02-15-2004, 05:45 AM

That Zipperlip location is Swan Island.

I know about that one but I would rather head South and fish the Smith.
They fish for them at night with lanterns and toss rapalas. And they fish for them in the Bay pulling large plugs. I read the article about people catching them in
the surf while perch fishing.

I guess what I am after is When. My preference would be in the bay.
I would like to know a good guide and I would like to know when. It would be fun to
make one or two trips a year to Coos Bay and bring home some meat.

I am just wondering if anyone on IFISH has experience with it.

Seems like there would be a few that go after them.

[ 02-15-2004, 06:47 AM: Message edited by: Abalone ]

Jignfloat · 02-15-2004, 08:41 AM

Talk to anyone who calls the Umpqua River home. I know it used to be a very popular fishery there, even to the tune of local derbies. I have heard the run has dwindled considerably, however, it may be worth finding out more. The tackle shop, cant remember the name, in Florence??? had pictures and mounts on the wall....hope this helps.

Russ

Chilly one · 02-15-2004, 10:04 AM

Stripers! Oh yes! It used to be a hot fishery on the So. Coast meaning the Coos System, Umpqua, and the Smith and Coquille River and estuary. Now it's a fishery that isn't quite as productive by the same numbers as in the past, but can be on a given night or a given series of tides. It kicks off during the spring months when the salmon smolts are in the down river migration.
A couple of GOOD guides to check with are:
Todd Hannah, Oregon Angler I believe, and has a website.
Darell Gabel, North bend/Coos Bay area. Don't know of phone #.
We used to troll for them at nite and I have had 15 fish nites all 10 to 25 pound schooolies. I have also caught them in the Umpqua tide lower river area and in he summer with plugs and live bait, ie. bullheads, herring, and pogies. They are a good fishting fish the first run or two. they burn off alot of line on top the first few minutes.
They eat well too. We filleted and cooked then like you would halibut or lings, bleed 'em immeadiately.
Good Ruck! "Happiness is a Bent Rod!"
Chillyone

bucketmouth · 02-15-2004, 08:12 PM

I went in May one year and hired Todd Hannah to guide me. He took me to the Smith River and we went several miles up river from the launch. I caught one striper but had to release it because it was only 29 inches. 30 inches was the minimum. The fish lived up to it's reputation. It fought really well. Caught it on a jointed hologram red & white rapala. Nailed it at about 10:00 am. Nothing more for the rest of the morning.

I remember reading a Bill Monroe article a few years ago where he was talking about fishing for stripers in the serf in November. Seemed like he was talking about a beach just south of the Coos Bay area.

The hybird striper state record comes from Ana Reservior. The guys down there catch them on dyed prawns.

tailchaser · 02-16-2004, 07:01 AM

There are a lot of stripers down this way in the springtime and early summer. Right now you can catch them in the surf on sandshrimp and usually are picked up while people are after pinkfin. The best time seems to be late march and into may as soon as the weather warms up and brings the river temps up as well. The more notorious rivers are the smith and umpqua and the ones people don't talk about as much are the coquille and coos. However, the coos has restrictions upriver compared to the other three. My advice on the guides are a little differenty than mentioned, pm me if you're interested. One thing I have to stress though is this fishery is usually hit or miss big time. A good striper fisherman spends a lot of time on the water before he gets fish, just something to remember. But when it's hot, it's really wild.

tc

K-Mac · 02-16-2004, 02:18 PM

Try Tenmile Creek on the Oregon coast. It's pretty good at the right time.........

K-Mac · 02-16-2004, 02:19 PM

Try Tenmile Creek on the Oregon coast. It's pretty good at the right time.........

Sublime · 02-17-2004, 02:26 PM

Anyone know the timing on the swan Island stripers?

Are they like regular bass, waiting for the right time to come in and spawn? or?

I'm like the rest...still learning, but wouldn't mind trying it out this spring