Black with white stripe on the upper Willie

[bass]

Yesterday was my first skunk ever in my kayak. Made it a year and a half, not bad. I figure it is not fair to only post the good trips.

Even though I did not catch anything it may have been my favorite trip of the year. When I got to the water and out of my truck the silence was incredible. Not a human made sound could be heard. I strained trying to hear something, it was almost spooky. After a few moments the birds started chirping again. I felt like I was in the middle of the wilderness. It was amazing. The whole day was really filled with solitude. Very few people around, for the most part I had complete silence the entire day interrupted only occasionally by the conversations of folks walking their dogs. Never saw nor heard a single power boat. Car noises were rare and not the norm. The only company I had on the water was one guy took his sea kayak out of a paddle in the late afternoon and I said hi on the way out and the way back. Truly serene.

As to the fishing. I launched and was anchored up by around 9am. First drop down, I feel the familiar thunk, thunk, thunk and I am thinking this is going to be a lights out day. It was definitely a sturgeon bite, but I kept waiting for it to really move off with the bait. Finally, it stopped and did not come back. I should have set the hook. I did not get another bite for about an hour. I moved my bait all over the place, but nothing. I said to myself that if I do not get a bite on the next drop I will move. Don't you know it. Thunk, thunk and then the fish started swimming off with the bait. I started reeling in to set the circle and nothing. I am still confused. I spend another 2 hours at that spot without another bite. I moved quite a few times during the day and had one other spot where I got a bite (not counting the peck, pecks of bait stealers). I ended up fishing all day without a hook up.

I will definitely try the upper river again. I am sure that there are sturgeon there and I want to figure out exactly where. It will be fun figuring out this fishery. The lower Willamette has so many fish that while fun is not really a challenging fishery. I am looking forward to cracking this nut

 

[Scott M]

Great story, my feet got cold just reading it!

 

[eugene1]

Nice post, good luck on finding them on the upper river.

 

[C_Run]

There are a lot of places to explore-it's a big river. I also had a real good streak of not getting skunked out of the kayak at first regardless of what I was fishing for. I thought I had found my silver bullet but , it eventually came to an end. I'm about a year and a half into it and usually go out thinking I'll be successful but it doesn't always happen now. I was just checking out all the maps of the Willamette in "Fishing in Oregon" yesterday. So many places, so little time.

 

[troutdude]

A most excellent skunk report! Made me feel, like I was along for the ride. Thanks for sharing.

 

[Casting Call]

Yep! I know what long runs are about. Savor the times. Now to flip the run I've gone a year and half without a sturgon hook-up. Oh yea I got tap,taps and short runs that broke off. Been doing it for 50 years, caught 32 in one day, hooked 11ft. under the Golden Gate during herring egg laying time. So I say again, congrats on such a long run. Cherish the times. Oopp's got a Casting Call ttn

 

[bass]

There are a lot of places to explore-it's a big river. I also had a real good streak of not getting skunked out of the kayak at first regardless of what I was fishing for. I thought I had found my silver bullet but , it eventually came to an end. I'm about a year and a half into it and usually go out thinking I'll be successful but it doesn't always happen now. I was just checking out all the maps of the Willamette in "Fishing in Oregon" yesterday. So many places, so little time.

I am always torn between fishing somewhere new and exploring a spot I have already been to more deeply. I find both types of trips really interesting and enjoyable for completely different reasons.

I agree that when you look at how much fishing opportunity is out there on just the Willamette it is mind blowing. Now that I feel a lot more secure in my kayak, I am going to be more exploratory this year than I was last year.

 

[bass]

A most excellent skunk report! Made me feel, like I was along for the ride. Thanks for sharing.

I am not sure if making you feel like you were along for a skunking is a good or a bad thing

 

[minnowmagnet]

Is there any chance you brought a banana with you in your yak this time? Skunks love bananas, so I've been told.

 

[bass]

Is there any chance you brought a banana with you in your yak this time? Skunks love bananas, so I've been told.

I don't believe in the whole banana myth. I have eaten bananas while fishing for most of my life and never felt like I had a bad day because of it. Funny thing is that I did not have a banana on board on Sunday (usually I do). Maybe bananas are actually super good luck and people try to hide that secret.....

 

[Jiggy]

I don't see why sturgeon couldn't get up the ladder at the falls, or go over like salmon. But I've never heard of sturgeon on the upper river. Am I missing out on something here. Have you actually caught them above the falls before?

 

[eugene1]

Sturgeon don't like to (or can't) use fish ladders that are designed for salmon. Some sturgeon were stocked above the falls though.

I don't see why sturgeon couldn't get up the ladder at the falls, or go over like salmon. But I've never heard of sturgeon on the upper river. Am I missing out on something here. Have you actually caught them above the falls before?

 

[Jiggy]

No kidding? That's pretty cool. I always wondered if anything was up there. I assume that there've are the same as the rest of the river. I'll look it up if I ever try it, but that's interesting.

 

[bass]

Here is a bit of info on upper river sturgeon:

http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Some+...turgeon+might+be+ready+to+reel+in.-a088731992

The upper river is so peaceful right now, it seems like the perfect place to catch a sturgeon from my kayak. I will never have the crazy, fast action that you can get in the lower river, but it would be worth passing that up to catch a few in such a serene setting. In my two fruitless trips so far I have not seen nor heard another power boat.

 

[Jiggy]

Nice, you won't hear me, I'm gonna be chasing steelies for a while! Good luck