Independence, Or. Small streams, bass fishing?

[Chrom3]

I have a buddy who lives in independence, Ore, he cant seem to find any lakes or streams that are public in the area. Does anyone know of any small streams in the area? Also of any bass fishing lakes near the area, talking with in a half hour. Thank you.

[mkwerx]

He's close to the Willamette (not a small stream, but still close) and according to Google Maps - La Mesa Park is immediately adjacent to some ponds, a short drive north puts him in Rickreall, and Rickreall Crk. runs through town and the farmland that surrounds it. Then in Dallas, there's a number of parks that straddle or butt up to the creek.

[KD Fisherman]

The Luckiamute (south west of Monmouth on 99), EE Wilson pond (South of town 1/2 hr or so), the Willy (parks along the river) and the Big (I think or maybe it is the Little) Muddy are all within 1/2 hour, have pretty good public access and trout & bass. Also, there are three ponds that have bass south of town on the greenway (as you head to Albany on I think it is Buena Vista road).

Cheers,
Kyle

[mkwerx]

Almost forgot - he's within an hour's drive of Butte Creek and the Pudding Rivers also - which are small to medium size.

And he's close to the Santiam rivers - an hour's drive south will put him on the McKenzie near Eugene. Just west of Eugene is some good fishing on Fern Ridge Res. - Bass, crappie, trout.

An hour and a half north and he can fish Hagg Lake (lots of record smallies, plus good largemouth fishing, stocker trout, panfish...) and has lots of creeks in the Tualatin and upper Willamette valley to choose from.

It all depends on really what type of fishing he likes best or feels like doing on a given day. There are much worse places to live than Independence for being close to good fishing.

And we haven't even touched on the coastal creeks that host runs of SRC's, and all the lakes along the coast that have good bass fishing (Tenmile and Tahkenitch come to mind)

[Chrom3]

Thanks, yall!