Springers are in Eugene!

[CrazyCaptainWillie]

Been spending many evenings at a few choice locations - all close to town, rarely at the dam. Seen em rolling but I can't seem to get them to bite. Been fishing mainly an orange or chartreuse corkie w some yarn and a stick of pencil lead and haven't had anything but trout and suckers. Word from other fisherman is that nobody has really had much luck. Been using scent (anise oil, shrimp oil, salmon egg oil) but hasn't done me much good yet.

Thoughts?

 

[Steelheader4Life]

Thoughts?[/QUOTE]

Instead of using just a corkie and yarn use some bait (eggs, shrimp, sardine, tuna, etc.). I have never had much luck at all fishing artificials for springers. If I didn't have any good bait I would be tossing spinners or swinging spoons.

 

[CrazyCaptainWillie]

Thoughts?

Instead of using just a corkie and yarn use some bait (eggs, shrimp, sardine, tuna, etc.). I have never had much luck at all fishing artificials for springers. If I didn't have any good bait I would be tossing spinners or swinging spoons.[/QUOTE]

Cheers for the tip,
Caught a few at the dam last year on just corkies, ive done fine w steelhead and ive been using scent (shrimp oil) as I hear its not the visual cue of the bait they respond to but the scent, but that sounds good! Tried a bunch of skein eggs a kind fellow gave me one evening but that didn't seem to produce. Should i go out and just buy a tin of skein eggs to hold me over until i net a ripe hen to make my own bait?

Currently my technique for fishing bait would iust be to chuck it in the loop on my snell knot below perhaps a slightly larger corkie to float it off bottom and drift/bounce it down... Wait for more resistance than the constant tapping and put the wood to em'.

Any good options for bait if I dont have any cured up already (and I hate buying live sandshrimp, hate the smell esp once theyve died)


I appreciate all the tips I can get!

 

[taconight2night]

Glad to hear you are getting after them! I have actually caught several more since I started this thread so there seems to be plenty of fish around, at least where I am fishing anyways.. I agree with the above advice, though. I have never had any luck with corkies and yarn for springers. The ones I have caught on corkies and yarn were all foul hooked while drifting for summer steelhead. I feel that you have a much much much better chance legally catching a springer with either large pieces of bait (especially when using eggs and sand shrimp together under a float), or spoons and spinners as I have lately.

 

[CrazyCaptainWillie]

Glad to hear you are getting after them! I have actually caught several more since I started this thread so there seems to be plenty of fish around, at least where I am fishing anyways.. I agree with the above advice, though. I have never had any luck with corkies and yarn for springers. The ones I have caught on corkies and yarn were all foul hooked while drifting for summer steelhead. I feel that you have a much much much better chance legally catching a springer with either large pieces of bait (especially when using eggs and sand shrimp together under a float), or spoons and spinners as I have lately.

Hey thanks, I really appreciate the help. Heading out tonight with a friend and I think Ill trade out my pencil lead for a nice orange spoon. Ill report back - wouldn't be opposed to meeting up and tossing a line together sometime!

-Willie

 

[taconight2night]

Sounds good, good luck out there!
PS- for springers, orange is a good color! Also chartreuse of course.. but if I had to have one- gold lil Cleo or Kastmaster for sure :thumb:

 

[CrazyCaptainWillie]

Sounds good, good luck out there!
PS- for springers, orange is a good color! Also chartreuse of course.. but if I had to have one- gold lil Cleo or Kastmaster for sure :thumb:

Fantastic, heard some good reports lately (not just on this thread) from a lil cleos. Is there any size in particular? And do you ever attach a split shot to the line to get a little more reach and depth? I have some spoons that are just way too light. Im also following techniques that dictate either a 45 degree downstream cast and swing / slight upstream cast (for depth) and a real slow retrieve.

 

[hobster]

2/5 little cleo. They are actually pretty heavy, heavier than most spinners around the same size. I would not recommend adding splitshot, added weight will mess with the action on a spoon. Let it flutter down a bit, you might even get a hit then.
You guys are killing me, I gotta get out! Haven't been out for springers or steelies yet, as soon as the weather warms a bit............

 

[taconight2night]

Fantastic, heard some good reports lately (not just on this thread) from a lil cleos. Is there any size in particular? And do you ever attach a split shot to the line to get a little more reach and depth? I have some spoons that are just way too light. Im also following techniques that dictate either a 45 degree downstream cast and swing / slight upstream cast (for depth) and a real slow retrieve.

Yes, the 2/5 ounce gold Lil Cleo is my favorite springer lure, no added weight necessary. The 3/4 ounce is also a good one and even better if the hole is large and deep. Don't get too caught up with casting angles and retrieve rates and such.. there might be something to be said about all of that, but honestly most of your fish will come when you just wing it out there in no particular direction, let it sink to the bottom, and steadily crank it back in.

 

[CrazyCaptainWillie]

Yes, the 2/5 ounce gold Lil Cleo is my favorite springer lure, no added weight necessary. The 3/4 ounce is also a good one and even better if the hole is large and deep. Don't get too caught up with casting angles and retrieve rates and such.. there might be something to be said about all of that, but honestly most of your fish will come when you just wing it out there in no particular direction, let it sink to the bottom, and steadily crank it back in.

Fair enough. Went our w a few less experienced anglers yesterday evening. No luck to report on but we had a few beers and a good time (obv packed our trash out). Talked to a guy I had seen at the same spot the day before that nailed an 8lb steelhead on a spinner right where I had caught a BIG sucker on a bead and yarn the day before... Darn thing made me think i was going to land my first of the season! Tossed a gold little cleo all evening, which was nice to not need to pay as much attention as drifting or bobber fishing and enjoy the scenery

Going out again tonight in the town run for an hour or two to a hole i know holds fish, albeit the flow is quite high at the moment. Speaking of which, do you guys find these high flows being detrimental to the bite despite the level remaining steady and ignoring the effect of clarity? I hear the temp is important but were well under 55 based on the readings at Jasper. I might need to finally get my rear in gear and make it out for first light to test some new variables...

 

[CrazyCaptainWillie]

Also curious to hear what you guys thing of using braided line w a monk bumper. I have maybe 6' iof 12# mono on the end of my braid but do guys find these fish to be line-shy?

 

[taconight2night]

If you are using braid you will want a bumper, although I don't feel that salmon are near as line shy as steelhead. I use about 8 feet of 10# with a double uni-knot to my braid. Works great and have never had the knot break on me. Tuff as nails

Also curious to hear what you guys thing of using braided line w a monk bumper. I have maybe 6' iof 12# mono on the end of my braid but do guys find these fish to be line-shy?

 

[killigan]

Yes, the 2/5 ounce gold Lil Cleo is my favorite springer lure.

Do you keep the treble hook that comes with it on, or do you switch it out with a single point hook? I have half my spoons with single and the rest with the standard treble hook @taconight2night. Thanks!

Cheers

 

[taconight2night]

I always keep the treble hook that come with the Cleo's for springers as well as with my Blue Fox spinners for steelhead. I feel like I get a much much much better hook-up to bite ratio, if you will, and rarely ever have them spit the hook. The only bad thing I can say about treble hooks is that if you happen to get a hook (or two) in the top or bottom jaw, and get the other hook in the opposite jaw, essentially pinning the fish's mouth shut, the fight is not near as fun because the fish can't breath and it's over very quick. Even worse, if you happen to break the line and the fish swims off with it's moth pinned shut, I would think that that fish will suffocate and die... that being said, I still always keep the treble hook on because it just plain hooks the fish better, and I can't ever recall breaking a fish off with a lure.

Do you keep the treble hook that comes with it on, or do you switch it out with a single point hook? I have half my spoons with single and the rest with the standard treble hook @taconight2night. Thanks!

Cheers

 

[CrazyCaptainWillie]

Another evening out on the river. No fish on the grill to report of, although had a very curious discovery at my usual spot. Bear with me... A dead dog had washed up on a gravel bar where i usually stand. I havent been to my spot in about a week so it had happened since then. It seemed a few days old as it was missing patches of fur and it seemed kind of bloated and nasty. It was still wearing a harness and a collar with tags. Please, anyone, what do you think I should do? Call the fire dept, animal control, push it off with a stick? It was pretty f'n disgusting.

Back to the fishing - saw a few roll but no luck on the little cleo or the orange #4 blue fox spinner. I'll get one soon enough

 

[Artwo]

It was still wearing a harness and a collar with tags. Please, anyone, what do you think I should do? Call the fire dept, animal control, push it off with a stick? It was pretty f'n disgusting.

I think I would at least call animal control since it had some tags on it. Never know what the story is and at least they'd hopefully be able to let the owners know perhaps....................

 

[hanapaa808]

I scouted and found a deep spot a few mins from Eugene. I was the only soul in the area and got this guy on my first cast in the hole! 2/5 once gold Lil Cleo, sink to the bottom and a slow retrieve... POW!

Quality fillets!