A few pics from the Willamette Falls

[TJO]

This past Friday early morning I walked over the 7th st bridge and looked down and saw all these fish jumping. At first I thought they were salmon until I took a closer look. Sturgeon! Wow, I've never seen wild sturgeon jumping like that. I soon discovered the public fishing dock. Since no one was there fishing I just assumed sturgeon fishing was closed. I told my wife about what I had seen and that I would show her this place on Saturday morning. To my surprise, we arrived and saw fisherman shoulder to shoulder along the dock and boats stacked side by side in the river. Yup, sturgeon fishing had opened for that day. My wife and I really enjoyed watching all the activity. These are a few shots I took while watching the show.

There were lots of sturgeon jumping and I was lucky enough to catch one with my camera.


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[Moe]

Those people aren't fishing the right side lol, I swear I've hooked more fish on the bank side if the dock in the little slew, especially in high water the oversize go back there

 

[Lowell Life Fisherman]

wow! great pics, and how good a photographer you are to catch a shot of one jumping! Oh how I miss this place, the best bank fishery for sturgeon I have ever seen! I just hope the fish and game dept. didn't reach their quota last Saturday in hopes that maybe they will be opening retention for one more day since I will be back in oregon in the next two weeks and maybe will be lucky enough to get my mitts on one of those tasty hard fighters!

anyone that may have info on that care to chime in?

once again nice photos man!!

 

[C_Run]

Excellent pictures! I have never been there but it really gives you a good idea of what that scene is like.

 

[TimberTodd]

Thanks for sharing the great pictures.

 

[troutmasta]

There is at least one OFF member on that dock. Can anyone guess who??

Its not me.

 

[Hipshot270]

Like the pics, but i would like to know what day these were taken. Sturgeon fishing has been closed on that part of the Willy since july. It was only open for two consecutive weekends. It is catch and release only, according to the regs....?????

 

[troutmasta]

Like the pics, but i would like to know what day these were taken. Sturgeon fishing has been closed on that part of the Willy since july. It was only open for two consecutive weekends. It is catch and release only, according to the regs....?????

Sturgeon retention was opened last Saturday, for what will porbably be the last day in many years.
http://www.dfw.state.or.us/news/2013/october/101613.asp

 

[bass]

What TM said, it was an additional one day of retention. I steered clear and I am glad. A friend of mine said that there was a moron in a speedboat water skiing between all the anchored up boats in the Cedaroak area. He said the sheriff showed up and gave him a nice $400 ticket.

It will be nice going back to the river when there are only a few folks on it. Really need some rain to scare away the last few fair weather folks.

Beautiful photos TJO. That free jumping fish is really nice! What kind of camera were you using? Did you just focus on a spot and wait for one to jump or were you just snapping pictures of the river hoping to see one?

Some days the sturgeon just love to jump. Last winter I had one jump and land on the front of my kayak and several others jump close enough to splash me good. I have never really correlated their jumping to them biting. It does not seem to matter one way or the other. At least if they are jumping you know you are in the right neighborhood.

 

[TJO]

Beautiful photos TJO. That free jumping fish is really nice! What kind of camera were you using? Did you just focus on a spot and wait for one to jump or were you just snapping pictures of the river hoping to see one?

I'm shooting a Canon 5D m2. There were so many jumping that I just picked a very active spot and just waited a few minutes and Bam! There it was. 10% skill, 90% luck.

 

[Hipshot270]

Thanks for the info. I dont know why i didn't get the update . I signed up to recieve all updates. Nice pics.
\

 

[eugene1]

Very sweet photos!

I have only been to the OC for spring salmon and it is even more of a zoo. Might be fun for you to document in the springtime.

Anyway, I'll have to have a colleague that I work with check out that jumper. She'll love it as she works on sturgeon research down here in California.

Best,

 

[Raincatcher]

Amazing pictures! :thumb: Thank you for sharing. :hi:

 

[NWDiscer]

Sweet pictures :thumb:


So when will odfw make the next decision on another day?

 

[jamisonace]

Truly amazing photos. THe colors on the top one illustrate perfectly why this is my favorite time of year.

 

[bass]

Sweet pictures :thumb:


So when will odfw make the next decision on another day?

I am sure it is done for the year. The harvest seemed pretty high from what I heard. It has already been agreed between ODFW and WDFW to be closed next year. My guess is that this was the last harvest day for many years.

 

[Big3d]

I love that dock for c&r, didn't bother with catch n keep, wouldnt want to haul one back up the ladder anyway. But ithat spot nearly always has jumping sturgies. And an all day catch. I froggin love that spot!