New to Northwest fishing

Alabama Redneck · 04-09-2004, 06:30 PM

Hello all, I am new to fishing in the Northwest having grown up in the southeast all my life. I do not have a boat
and typically take my wife and two kids along most of the time ( this sometimes puts a damper on fishing but it is a necessary evil they like to be around me hehe so I shouldn't complain). Any way I have fished a few times at Vernonia lake and did fairly poor I was catching the little trout they stock there on anything I put in the water which led to several people being happy as I caught their daily limit for them as I don't like to eat the small trout. I love fishing for Bass(Large and small),crappie , Bluegill , etc.. I chartered a strugeon trip 2 yrs ago now and loved it but it was expensive . I have driving around Henry Hagg lake twice now and it looks to be the closest place for me to go fishing. It looks like there are several places that you can fish from the bank with little to no difficulty so I am hoping to try there soon. Any hints,tips, lures etc that are better to use here would be greatly appreciated.
Also hoping to go on a Salmon trip with a guy from work before the end of May if our schedules hold out. Thank you in advance and good meeting you all.

Mike

Hawg Caller · 04-09-2004, 06:50 PM

Welcome abord. :smile: I'm a boater so I do'nt know if I can help you much,

standard trout stuff works there, try the w. end of the lake where the creek dumps in I've done good there from the bank in the past. you might try the bass& panfish forum.

good luck

NEUTRON · 04-10-2004, 06:05 AM

Watch for open seats on this forum... I think that tacklebuster (Chris) is from your neck of the woods.

04-10-2004, 07:08 AM

Welcome aboard Red, what part of Alabama? Watch for an open seat and try to get on one.

shalom · 04-10-2004, 10:37 AM

Alabama Redneck
Welcome aboard be sure to look at the BASS COLUMN. I put a post for you there.

Alabama Redneck · 04-10-2004, 10:12 PM

0

Tacklebuster · 04-10-2004, 10:37 PM

Welcome aboard.
I'm an Alabamamian as well. I grew up just outside of Birmingham, how bout you?

Splash · 04-11-2004, 01:18 AM

Welcome

Stz ll · 04-11-2004, 08:24 AM

Welcome aboard!!

Kentucky Hog Hunter · 04-11-2004, 08:38 AM

Alabama Redneck...

Welcome aboard my friend...Great to have another southerner representing...

Now get out there and

some NW Salmon...They are here and your just in time....

brutusbuck1 · 04-11-2004, 08:41 AM

Welcome!
I have a brother in Decatur who loves it out here, and I moved from the midwest in '97.
The situation as I have come to understand it:

There are an unreal numner of options available to you, so... basically, you have a couple choices.

You can find a local favorite and get to know it well.
Or, you can spend an endless amount of time travelling to very worthy locations.
I've gone the second route, caught fewer fish but it's been great. Oh, yeah, my wife and 2 year old have slowed me down some too. Worth trying:
Bass: Local lakes, sloughs of the columbia around mouth of the willamette, feeder streams to the Wilammette and do not miss the John Day River for smallies.
Other: Sooner or later you have got to check out the coast, the Deschutes, the Pugeot Sound (had a grey whale swim past us so close I could have hit it with a rock), Southern Oregon streams like the Rogue and Umpqua, Panhandle of Idaho and Western Montana, British Columbia, Alaska (did that one twice it was so unbelievable) and my personal fave - The Olympic Peninsula.

Like they say there is no such thing as a bad day fishing. Camping and hiking are worth your time too, and get this - no ticks or poisonous snakes in the woods on the West side of the Cascades, no chiggers, no fire ants, blackflies, and the mosquitos only get bad in certain areas. I've never camped without a tent in the east and do it all the time here.
Enjoy, Summers coming!

Bankking · 04-11-2004, 09:44 AM

Hey welcome to the NW and Ifish. I too do not have a boat. One place i go is the Columbia river side of Sauvies there is tons of bank fishing opprotunities there. There are lots of sandy beaches there and I rarely lose tackle. I've caught over 15 salmon there last spring and five so far this year. I get down there soon the fishing is really pickin up. Oh yeah make sure tide is goin out for good bank fishin..or if your more of social public person than I you can probably find a seat in a boat. Two salmon fill up the freezer pretty fast. If you need more advise PM me and I'd be happy to dial you in.

Alabama Redneck · 04-11-2004, 05:46 PM

I grew Up in Dekalb county in a little town called Valley Head.

Grantspastor · 04-11-2004, 08:58 PM

Welcome to Oregon A R. You can learn enough from this board to be successful with the great Anadromous fish we have. Like Keta said, watch for open seats, but DO NOT take him! He will outfish you every time! (I forgive him though because he brought Albacore Tuna last time we fished together). There are many other great guys on this board as well, and many will share their experience. If you get down this way give me a call and I'll take you. As a Pastor I'm in the "converting" business...and would be happy to make you a "convert" (From Bass to Salmon :grin

Green Willie · 04-11-2004, 09:21 PM

Welcome A.R.! The Columbia River Gorge has some of the best smallmouth bass fishing in the world. And, many or our lakes and sloughs contain some very nice largemouth bass. There are local bass clubs that meet regularly. There is a very informative book called "Fishing Oregon" or something very similar to that. It is available at Fisherman's Marine or G.I. Joes, and costs around $25. This book oulines, by region, nearly every fishable body of water in the state of Oregon. This book is extremely helpful in your efforts to get started. Good luck, and when you go in to Fisherman's, ask and you'll be pointed the right direction. Good fishing.

JN

lost_sailor · 04-11-2004, 09:45 PM

Think about getting an inflatable boat, it's a cheap way to get out on the water. Perfect for the inlets at Hagg.