3/5/10: 14lb sack on the middle willy

team doyle · 03-05-2010, 06:17 PM

played hookey and it paid off. lipless cranks and shakey-head dingers went to work for me.
saw my first 20inch fish on the wilsonville stretch. that, combined with a 3lb. 10oz fish and a
handfull of 2pounders set me on the path for the season. my photos are weak. solo cell shots...

water temp is 49 degrees now. better get out before it blows out during this upcoming week. not a soul out today. absolutely not a darn soul!

raptorschild · 03-05-2010, 06:36 PM

Amazing! I can't believe you guys already have 50 degree temps!

Nice work. A 20" incher is a whale of a fish!

bucketmouth · 03-05-2010, 07:00 PM

Great job Joe. I knew it was only a matter of time before you would get into them. You landed an extraordinary fish in that 20 incher. They are most definitely few and far between. Exceptional sized fish like that really define what we go for and why we spend so much time on the water! Kudos to you Joe!

Besides your skill, it is perhaps your determination and spirit that impress me every time I get to read one of your many, (well written), fishing reports.

dragon67 · 03-05-2010, 07:52 PM

Alright way to go!!!!! Sounds like a great day to me

FelonFinder · 03-05-2010, 08:05 PM

What a blast!

raptorschild · 03-05-2010, 08:32 PM

Joe,

How many fish that size do you usally catch per year? That thing is a toad. The mouth looks like a largies.

team doyle · 03-05-2010, 08:42 PM

raptorschild, very few!!!
i've never had a 20 inch fish on the willamette.
you've got me second guessing what i actually witnessed today

the biggest i've seen caught is a 19" on the willy,
and that was by rich tombleson (bucketmouth).

my biggest smallies on the columbia are just 4 and-a-half pounders.
even they just barely get to 20 inches. the fish i got today
was not bulked up; but with a bigger belly she could easily have gone 5.
when the big'ns load up on the fiberglass cranking rod it's like a big
piece of timber just dropped into your hands. spongy wonder!

such a bummer i didn't have someone along with me
to photograph the fish with me holding it. some perspective
would have really helped.

FelonFinder · 03-06-2010, 06:10 AM

Sometimes we do not have, because we do not ask. :>

Hunt'nFish · 03-06-2010, 06:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by team doyle

.....such a bummer i didn't have someone along with me
to photograph the fish with me holding it. some perspective
would have really helped.

Joe, I know EXACTLY how you feel. Congrats on a great day.
Hunt'nFish

Tar Heel · 03-06-2010, 11:04 AM

Thanks for the post.Impressive catch in sub 50 degree water, that's for sure.
My girlfriend bought a place near Cedar Island boat ramp with good acess, so maybe this week I'll call in sick, although I hear the springers are starting to bite too--decisions, decisions. Man, are we lucky or what! We go from duck hunting, late goose, right into bass, springers and steelies. Cant wait to retire and have more time to join the fun.

raptorschild · 03-06-2010, 03:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hunt'nFish

Joe, I know EXACTLY how you feel. Congrats on a great day.
Hunt'nFish

You guys need to get intimate with your camera and figure out how to quickly take a timed picture of yourself. On my camera its 1 button and click. I set the camera on the seat on the bow and I stand/crouch near the console.

Alot of my bass pics are taken by myself and there are no cut off fins to speak of. A quick check on the camera and the bass is back in the water. All of this takes in the 30-45 second range if I have the camera handy.

That said....I think those photos are great for a cell phone.

Thecrease · 03-06-2010, 04:28 PM

Great job! I love those kind of days.

Hunt'nFish · 03-07-2010, 06:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by raptorschild

You guys need to get intimate with your camera and figure out how to quickly take a timed picture of yourself.

Yeah, your probably right. But right now my camera is my cell phone.
But I can't even master that. Went out Sat and hit some fav pre-spawn haunts and managed a couple fish, one that went 3.2lb, but guess what?....camera in truck.

Oh well, next time.
Hunt'nFish

raptorschild · 03-08-2010, 06:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hunt'nFish

Yeah, your probably right. But right now my camera is my cell phone.
But I can't even master that. Went out Sat and hit some fav pre-spawn haunts and managed a couple fish, one that went 3.2lb, but guess what?....camera in truck.

Oh well, next time.
Hunt'nFish

3.2!!! Nice fish! You guys are killing me. I'm still on skunk street. Nice work.

1bigfish · 03-08-2010, 06:45 AM

Well done Joe.

It's good to know there are a few fish that size swimming in the Willy. I am still looking for my first 4+ smallie on the Willy.

As for not having someone with you to take the pic.... you have been fishing long enough to know that had you had a good camera and someone to take the pic that you likely would have never landed that fish to begin with.

raptorschild · 03-08-2010, 07:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 1bigfish

you have been fishing long enough to know that had you had a good camera and someone to take the pic that you likely would have never landed that fish to begin with.

Aint that the truth. Maybe I need to "forget" my camera in order to get the skunk off my back.

BassinJay · 03-08-2010, 10:06 PM

good to see the smallies are starting to get active, i wonder what this cold fronts gonna do to them though, it was looking like this year was gonna start really early.