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I did something I hadn't done before and it payed off. In response to a post from an fellow ifisher who stated that he wanted to learn some new ways to springer fish that he hadn't experienced before (AKA as looking for a seat)I extended an invite to do a little deep water trolling on the Willamette last Saturday.
I met Woody at my boat moorage at 5:30 and set out to try and pull a late May springer out of the mid river. We ran from Sellwood up to Hog Island and proceded to do the down river troll. Pulled some custom prawn spinner rigs most of the way down. Marked alot of fish but no biters. I had been straight with my new fishing partner and explained that the bite had not been to good over the last week with the water warming to near 60 degrees, there were no sure things today. About the time we hit Milwaukie it was time to change one of the rods. I gave Woody the option to keep fishing a prawn or switch to a spinner or a herring with a twist. He choose the herring and it proved to be the right choice. 15 minutes after the change his rod takes a vicious bend toward the water. Since my back was to the rod all I had to do was look at the expression on Woodys face to know it was time to dance.
Anyway to make a short story long, Woody fights the fish like a champ and after a 10 minute battle it's in the net. The smile on his face made the morning. He then told me that it was his first ever spinger !
The moral of the story is.....I met a great guy that I didn't know before that morning. Hot coffee, good conversation, and got to be involved with someones first springer ( always a special fish). They do bite in May.
Check out the smile
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I met Woody at my boat moorage at 5:30 and set out to try and pull a late May springer out of the mid river. We ran from Sellwood up to Hog Island and proceded to do the down river troll. Pulled some custom prawn spinner rigs most of the way down. Marked alot of fish but no biters. I had been straight with my new fishing partner and explained that the bite had not been to good over the last week with the water warming to near 60 degrees, there were no sure things today. About the time we hit Milwaukie it was time to change one of the rods. I gave Woody the option to keep fishing a prawn or switch to a spinner or a herring with a twist. He choose the herring and it proved to be the right choice. 15 minutes after the change his rod takes a vicious bend toward the water. Since my back was to the rod all I had to do was look at the expression on Woodys face to know it was time to dance.
Anyway to make a short story long, Woody fights the fish like a champ and after a 10 minute battle it's in the net. The smile on his face made the morning. He then told me that it was his first ever spinger !
The moral of the story is.....I met a great guy that I didn't know before that morning. Hot coffee, good conversation, and got to be involved with someones first springer ( always a special fish). They do bite in May.
Check out the smile
Off we went on to the Willy. He told me, and of course I already knew, the bite was off because of the warming water, and there were no guarantees. No problem, I thought, I've got a thermos full of coffee and the weather is great. 
