[PDXmGunner]

After my second trip today and reading about others excitement, I think it’s time we get this going! Turbidity is down, water is high and cold. Get out there and make some reports! Good Luck and if you see a fellow fisherman, throw a wave and remember we are damn lucky to get a swing at these fish!

 

[Reddog 1909]

After my second trip today and reading about others excitement, I think it’s time we get this going! Turbidity is down, water is high and cold. Get out there and make some reports! Good Luck and if you see a fellow fisherman, throw a wave and remember we are damn lucky to get a swing at these fish!

So Gunner two trips so
give us details, water temp any fish o the finder etc.

 

[eyeFISH]

Second wille fish of 2022 has been caught

 

[AnnaDraMoss]

I know of a third, although I never saw a picture of either

 

[PDXmGunner]

So Gunner two trips so
give us details, water temp any fish o the finder etc.

Water temp is 42-43°, no Salmon marks yet. Lots of wildlife activity though, I have seen a big sea lion too. Debris is way down.
I drug plastic last two trips. Haven’t purchased any herring yet.

 

[Jcbacalar]

The Yellow Pig will be on the river tomorrow. Can we use two poles each yet? Or do we need to wait until March 1?

Never mind I found the Post. NO TWO POLE USE UNTIL MARCH 1.

Two-rod allowance on the lower Willamette River

Two-rod allowance on the lower Willamette River The Commission also passed a temporary rule in a 5-1 vote that allows the use of two rods on the lower Willamette River from March 1-Aug. 15. Anglers with the 2021 two-rod validation will be able to use two rods while fishing for all species...

www.ifish.net

Which is a bummer as I was planning to practice with myself and my two friends to see if we can get a six pole set going on a troll. I know I can do 4 but I was hoping to do 6 and get practice before it gets crowded.

 

[PDXmGunner]

No fish today but I did get to watch a sea lion thrash a 100lbs Sturgeon..

 

[Reddog 1909]

No fish today but I did get to watch a sea lion thrash a 100lbs Sturgeon..
View attachment 973474
[/QUOTE]
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No fish today but I did get to watch a sea lion thrash a 100lbs Sturgeon..
View attachment 973474

so so sad🤬

 

[PDXmGunner]

Sorry guys, wish I had a better report.

 

[NorthRiverRick]

Regulation Updates as of January 19, 2022

These are in-season regulation changes adopted on a temporary or emergency basis. Please see e-regulations for permanent regulations.

March 1 through August 15, two-rod validation is allowed in the Willamette River downstream of Willamette Falls, including the Multnomah Channel (see details below).

Anglers above Willamette Falls are currently limited to use of a single rod; however, the 2-rod endorsement will be considered for this area based on in-season passage results.

 

[pearl]

As you can see in the link that rule is still temporary and was only set for 2021. Fishing with 2 rods is not currently allowed in the lower Willamette in 2022 by the regulations. The ODFW is having a commission meeting on February 18, I’m hoping they will again allow this and make another temp regulation for 2022. I have written a letter to the commission requesting that this is approved again (for 2022) in their next meeting. If you want 2 rods for the Willamette, I suggest you let them know also. I’ve also requested that they make this a permanent rule to decrease confusion in future years. You too can contact them here: [email protected]
Cheers,

Morning Rick - The commission approved the two rod endorsement at the January meeting. Its still a temporary rule and goes into effect March thru August. Give me a shout if you want to jump in the boat this spring. Dropping it into the slip this afternoon.
7.) 635-017-0090 Allow Temporary Use of Two Rod Validation in Lower Willamette River Adopted Date Adopted 1/10/2022: effective 3/1/2022 through 8/15/2022. The proposed rule amendment would allow for the use of the two-rod validation in the lower Willamette River while fishing for all game and non-game fish species, except sturgeon. The area includes the lower Willamette River downstream of Willamette Falls (including Multnomah Channel), and that portion of the Clackamas River downstream of the Highway 99 Bridge (just upstream of the confluence with the Willamette).

On a side note its a little soupy out there this morning.

 

[Kirkll]

Beautiful weather if you didn’t start too early. I saw the fog out there, and just down shifted. Had another cup of Joe and decided on a late start. I thought it was going to lift about 9 am, but visibility was very low until 10 am in the Milwaukie/Sellwood area. That’s about the time I launched.

turbity was excellent for this time of year, but the water still pretty cold. My little Lorance was showing 44 degrees. Personally I could deal with browner water in the low 50s temp better than 44 degrees… There was definitely a presence on the river as far as fisherman goes today, as well as a friendly county sheriff visiting the guys one by one. I was fishing the hidey holes along Waverly golf course when he came in behind me and started nosing between me and the bank. I didn’t recognize the boat as a sherif and threw up my arms, like “What the hell are you doing? I’m fishing here….” When I saw it was the sherif I started laughing. He found it funny too and said “You didn’t know who it was, did you?” I’m still trolling as he pulls up along side me, and asked if he needed to check me out? He asked if I had my new license this year. I said I sure do…. Let me reel in…. and reached for my pole. The guy says “That’s ok you can keep fishing, can you just hold up your license and tag? Wow…. This is pretty casual I’m thinking. So I pulled out my paper tag and waved it at him, and that was good enough for him. Hell of a nice guy, and I never broke stride fishing. Pretty cool…. No runs, no hits, no errors, but it was a nice day to fish….

I did mark a few fish around sellwood and there were sea lions working the Milwaukie area. I too saw one with a sturgeon.

Kirk

 

[Rykat]

Beautiful weather if you didn’t start too early. I saw the fog out there, and just down shifted. Had another cup of Joe and decided on a late start. I thought it was going to lift about 9 am, but visibility was very low until 10 am in the Milwaukie/Sellwood area. That’s about the time I launched.

turbity was excellent for this time of year, but the water still pretty cold. My little Lorance was showing 44 degrees. Personally I could deal with browner water in the low 50s temp better than 44 degrees… There was definitely a presence on the river as far as fisherman goes today, as well as a friendly county sheriff visiting the guys one by one. I was fishing the hidey holes along Waverly golf course when he came in behind me and started nosing between me and the bank. I didn’t recognize the boat as a sherif and threw up my arms, like “What the hell are you doing? I’m fishing here….” When I saw it was the sherif I started laughing. He found it funny too and said “You didn’t know who it was, did you?” I’m still trolling as he pulls up along side me, and asked if he needed to check me out? He asked if I had my new license this year. I said I sure do…. Let me reel in…. and reached for my pole. The guy says “That’s ok you can keep fishing, can you just hold up your license and tag? Wow…. This is pretty casual I’m thinking. So I pulled out my paper tag and waved it at him, and that was good enough for him. Hell of a nice guy, and I never broke stride fishing. Pretty cool…. No runs, no hits, no errors, but it was a nice day to fish….

I did mark a few fish around sellwood and there were sea lions working the Milwaukie area. I too saw one with a sturgeon.

Kirk

I wonder how a deputy does that if he's by himself and you are too and your license is on your phone like mine is? Two deputies I see they could tie off with you, steer both boats while you get your ODFW App open. Hmmm

 

[MikeT]

I've had the sheriff's boat come alongside, ask us to hold up the license, then he inspects it through binoculars.

 

[TheFishingWookie]

Well, there's a giant springer towing around $30 dollars worth of gear in the Willamette. We almost got him in the net until this happened.......😂 Dangit! Marked a nice group of fish early. Boy was it foggy though and lots of debris in the water. Be safe out there! Also there was 2 different sea lions out. Haven't seen them there this early.

 

[Ryan Pultz]

Trolled the channel on Sunday for a few hours did not see many people out. Marked a few suspicious looking fish on the finder but nada for us. Did see three big sea lions on the hunt.

 

[AnnaDraMoss]

Well, there's a giant springer towing around $30 dollars worth of gear in the Willamette. We almost got him in the net until this happened.......😂 Dangit! Marked a nice group of fish early. Boy was it foggy though and lots of debris in the water. Be safe out there! Also there was 2 different sea lions out. Haven't seen them there this early.

That is unfortunate. It really is a bummer and I’m sorry that happened. I’ve lost fish at the net due to many different reasons but never from my rod breaking. Especially from a boat. Looks like a little Buck Fever. Let ‘um run if they want to run….
Great report and thanks for the awesome pictures. Hopefully you get the rod replaced with no problem.
Good luck when you get back at it.

 

[Denneroll]

Fished about 7 hours out of Willamette Park. One clipped smolt released and saw 3 Sturgeon ripped up by sea lions . Water temp high of 46. No debris.
I’ve never been skunked in February before! (Never tried to get one this early)


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Spinitrode]

Well, there's a giant springer towing around $30 dollars worth of gear in the Willamette. We almost got him in the net until this happened.......😂 Dangit! Marked a nice group of fish early. Boy was it foggy though and lots of debris in the water. Be safe out there! Also there was 2 different sea lions out. Haven't seen them there this early.

Yikes! That's a cleaner break than I've personally ever seen before, usually they have more lengthwise and/or irregular splinters. Did it maybe get whacked on a gunnel or something similar to create such a sharp shear point? Extra heartbreaking to have it happen on a fish.

I recall snapping one on a steelhead hookset before, but the break happened at a spot where the blank had been dinged previously falling on a rock while banking it; didn't really think much of it beyond an ugly chip in the finish and didn't realize it obviously must have compromised the fibers underneath until it was put under a sudden load. Kinda hard to fight a fish holding a section of rod in each hand and figuring out how to reel up without a 3rd hand free... didn't last very long.

 

[PDXmGunner]

Well, there's a giant springer towing around $30 dollars worth of gear in the Willamette. We almost got him in the net until this happened.......😂 Dangit! Marked a nice group of fish early. Boy was it foggy though and lots of debris in the water. Be safe out there! Also there was 2 different sea lions out. Haven't seen them there this early.

Oh man, those sting for months.. Congrats on the action though. I broke a rod netting a Chinook at B10, it was a loud crack and they guy next to me heard it.