Largemouth

[bucketmouth]

It seems that most bodies of water we go to in the local area of Ptld have smallmouth in them. But if an angler wants to target Largemouth, he seemingly needs to target specific bodies of water. Now I know Largemouth can be caught on both the Willamette and Columbia Rivers. But the Smallmouth seem to outnumber them in both of these systems. This is true of the Snake and John Day Rivers too. Targeting Largemouth basically requires travel to such bodies of water as:

Dorena
Cottage Grove
Cullaby
Craine Prairie
Hagg (here too Smallmouth outnumber the Largemouth).
Fern Riddge
Ten mile
Siltcoos
Sunset
Tahkenitch
Pot holes
silver
Lacamas
etc...

I'd like to see an area closer to Portland that holds larger concentrations of Largemouth.

Any suggestions?

[Hagen]

Bucketmouth, have you ever gone over to Smith lake by the expo center? I used to go with a rod waders or float tube and knock em dead. :grin: Of course this was about 10 years ago. oh my how time flies. The fish used to run in the two to three lbs range and if you could get far enough away from the public areas you could even find them bigger.
Hagen

[bucketmouth]

Hagen,

Yes, I too used to fish smith bybee lakes ten years ago. Metro's plan for that area has discouraged fishing in favor of wildlife viewing. The lakes are full of carp too.
I have not returned to those lakes since I purchased a boat.

[rebell]

I had some of the best largemouth fishing I have ever had this last fall on the Multnomah channel.

From September in to November, we had many 30 to 50 fish day's. Most of the fish were in the 1lb range, but everytime out we caught fish to 4.5lbs also. Every fall on the channel can produce some good largemouth fishing, but this last fall was as good as I have ever seen here.

[Wannabe]

Two years ago there were a lot of small bass and we had hopes they would grow. It's getting better and better. Who knows what joys we could have this coming fall. Although I love those smallies.
&lt))><

[Perfect Drift]

Are you meaning Scappose Bay area or all the way up to the St Johns area?

[rebell]

Perfect Drift,

Most of the fish were in the lower part of the channel, but we were catching fish all thru the channel. Spinnerbaits, jig's, splitshotting, dropshotting, crankbaits, you name it. The only thing I couldn't get going was any kind of a topwater bite.

[Wannabe]

Rebel,
I to in years past have had trouble getting a top water bite in the channel. Very inconsistant to say the least. But is sure good to see-em coming back. Hope there here for a while.
&lt))><

[hawgcatcher]

Willamette and Columbia used to be mostly largemouth with very few smallies, but then the smallies took over. They seem to be a more aggresive fish and I wonder if they haven't eaten so many largemouth fry that the population has decreased because of this.

Growing up in Oregon City, we caught those big green monsters all up and down the river but only a very few brownies. I like the fight of a smallmouth but still miss those monster largemouth from the back water sloughs.

[Tanner]

Tualatin River.

[Ryan Pultz]

I have gotten a few largemouths from the Tualatin and from M channel but mostly i get smallmouth and for some reason every time I go after smallmouth in the Columbia I catch Walleye and if I go after walleye I get smallies ohh well such is life

[Perfect Drift]

Thank you rebel and Wannabe, think you may have something there with the smallies eating the LM fry. I know I've caught some with smolt in their mouths.
I have really enjoyed, the last few years using the Bandit #100 plugs. They are small and the fish just smack em. I wiggle them thru the grass and tree tops, they have become my go to bait.

[ 01-29-2004, 06:54 PM: Message edited by: Perfect Drift ]

[Beerbelly]

Try Vancouver lake there are lots of big bass around the old duck blinds and the east side of lake also try Lake river, Some of the biggest bass I've caught were there.