Best places to fish at AB?

[everett464]

In my experience, Aton Baker is always stocked on the Thursday immediately following the listed date. For instance, the list up there says that AB will be stocked Moday, February 28, but it will almost certainly be stocked Thursday, January 3.

So, Thursday, January 3rd.

 

[csimkalo]

yes it will be stocked on thurs hatchery just updated phone message and jcp will be stalked on wed

 

[troutdude]

Ummm...if the schedule says Feb. 28th...don't you mean it will be stocked on March 3rd?

 

[everett464]

Exactly. Like I said, March 3rd.

HEY! Look! A Unicorn! (I slip away while you are frantically searching for the mystical beast)

 

[troutdude]

ROTFL!

I had a sneaking hunch, that you meant to fo fishing for a unicorn...or his cousin the pot of gold.

 

[Dietz03]

I tried AB yesterday and was completely skunked. I was pretty dissappointed because I brought along my much younger cousins who sadly don't get outside very often and I had hoped for a good day of fishing that would get them hooked as had happened in my childhood. They still seemed to have a good time learning to cast though.

 

[the_intimidator03]

dietz tomorrow junction city pond (off highway 99 heading to junction city) will be stocked i think AB will be stocked thursday. its been a couple weeks or so since AB was last stocked so its pretty much dead for now

 

[thefishinkid]

ya i went to jc pond today right after the stock truck got there and only a few people caught some. One guy caught a brooder but it was really slow from what i saw for being stocked an hour before.

 

[bran_man]

JCP and ABC are great little beginner spots! Lets you get in some good practice and especially if you are newer to fishing! One thing I like to do is normally the majority of the people will be fishing a certain way/ bait, I always try and do the exact opposite from all of them... a lot of times, standing out from all of the others like that will get you the fish. the last 5 times i have fished ABC, I have limited out within 20 minutes or less while I talk to some who have been there for HOURS with no action at all.... just a thought

 

[czoom]

The deeper slower moving spots

 

[Fisher.King]

An arm length leader for Alton Baker? I've been from spillway at I-5 all the way to the spillway leading into the Willamette in a small boat, the only place you'd need such a long leader is about an 80 foot stretch just before the duck ponds start (near the canoe rental hut.)

I'd suggest no longer than an 18-24 inch leader anywhere in that place, especially if you're floating a bait on a slip sinker (like powerbait)

As for places to fish there, starting from the Willamette and working towards Autzen:

Bike bridge #1 near the Willamette: Clip one or two 1/8 ounce weights, I forget the name the clip on ones that don't move, above about 18-24 inches of leader with an octopus hook or treble. Salmon eggs or fluorescent power bait catch lots of trout after stocks here casting in the rapids under the bridge.

Islands: Cast between each island and a bit towards the Willamette here using a #2 octopus hook, no leader or weight, with a small ball of bread for carp.

Bike bridge #2 to car bridge: Standard bullet slip sinker over an 18 inch leader, eggs or fluorescent power bait = trout. Floating a couple salmon eggs under a bobber works here too.

All water between the car bridge and the canoe shack is prime carp territory on summer evenings. I use a #2 octopus hook with a small amount of bread, nothing else. Sight fishing here is fun too, the carp will even nibble at dry flies sometimes.

Canoe shack to the spillway only gets 5 feet deep or so, getting shalow as it moves towards the spillway then getting 3-4 feet deep again in front of the spillway. It's the same here as the second bike bridge, slip sinker above an 18-24 inch leader with eggs or fluorescent power bait.

The evening of the day after a stocking is epic trout catches with a white or black 1/8 ounce rooster tail in the entire canal. I counted once and lost track in the 50s XD

 

[troutdude]

Personally, I have caught way more trout by always using a slip sinker; than an attached weight of any kind. Why? Because when a fish bites, they don't feel the slip sinker as the line slides right through it. The results with a slip sinker equals more bites. And more bites equals more fish.

When the fish feels an attached weight, they'll usually drop the bait with the first bite. Then the fish stops biting. So, the result is that you'll get less fish. Try it for yourself and you'll see.

I have also caught more trout with a longer leader (3 - 3.5') in most lakes and ponds (even in the final ABC outflow pond). But, there are certainly places where it's too shallow for long leaders. Just remember that trout look UP and not down. So, it's always best to keep it OFF the bottom to some degree (as was suggested in the previous post).

 

[Fisher.King]

I suggested the clip-ons because it's a fast moving hole. I should have clarified it's for drifting a couple salmon eggs from about 20 feet above the falls until they fall down the falls and into one of the pockets on either side. I only use a single 1/16s or 1/8s for this, unless I want them to fall into one of the pools below the falls. You need hop the fence and stand on the concrete pylons to fish in those pools effectively though, in my opinion. Careful not to drop your gear, it'll be gone fo evah

 

[xclgreen]

thanks brandon. you made it so clear. this is kinda very beneficial to me, too.