Eugene pond hopping

[NKlamerus]

I took the kayak out to fish some small water, fish are super active but these ponds are connected to the river due to it's current height, so water temps about 54 degrees and they haven't spawned yet.

Lots of fish on a Texas rig, broke out the ultra light and caught some bluegill as well.

One of them has seen better days, broken back and empty stomach!

 

[troutdude]

That 'gill on the left is PURTY!!! Well done.

P.S. My elderly self looks much like the one with the broken back. ;-)

 

[NKlamerus]

Did some more exploring today and then ended up back in the same puddle. 5 nice fish out of it including the swerved one again

 

[DOKF]

You are getting to be on first name basis with repeat catches!

 

[NKlamerus]

You are getting to be on first name basis with repeat catches!

They just can't resist that senko!

 

[DOKF]

They just can't resist that senko!

They never quite learn ...

 

[NKlamerus]

Nothing crazy yesterday but lots of action for a quick your trip yesterday. Surprisingly no senko, started throwing a crankbait for a change.

 

[DOKF]

The last fish looks a bit roughed up?

 

[EJB]

Decided that NKlamerus has got this fishing thing figured out so I bought a used Nucanoe and got this guy on Kirk pond last week.

 

[NKlamerus]

The last fish looks a bit roughed up?

Likely one of the falcons/ospreys around, there's a ton of them with all the farm land around

 

[NKlamerus]

Decided that NKlamerus has got this fishing thing figured out so I bought a used Nucanoe and got this guy on Kirk pond last week.

Welcome to the nucanoe club! Looks like an unlimited? Kinda surprised you found a used one locally, the only one I've seen was from a guy in Bend and he was firm on the price!

Let me know if you want to get out, shoot me a PM.

 

[EJB]

Thats the one I bought. Got him down to $1400 with the Minn Kota, paddle, wheels, wiring kit. Not a steal but its a 2021 with the deck pads and had only been on water a couple of times so I think I did OK. I live in Eugene so it was a small road trip but worth it. Following your lead I was out on Alton Baker this AM and caught a bunch of trout. Lost a big bass (maybe 4 pounder - a fish I am pretty sure u have gotten before) from under the first dock u come to across the pond. Had him to the side of the boat but he shook me. I am a complete newbie to kayak fishing and been out of the bass game for a long time but have enjoyed my 4 outings in the yak so far. Thanks for sharing so much intel on the local ponds. The rattle trap was crushing the trout today.

 

[NKlamerus]

Dang I'm pretty sure that's what I offered him last October-ish!

Gotta carry a net for them bass! They have some great angles against you next to the kayak, not to mention the nucanoe brings you up quite a ways from the waters edge

Be sure to hit the bushes around the edge of the pond, especially near where they dump the trout in, it's a feeding trough and the bass know it

Kirk is on my list still for the year, but I think traingle lake might be the next trip I take west.

 

[NKlamerus]

Slept in this morning and just did an afternoon trip, 4 bass all on a jig for a change. First real luck with black/blue

Got hit by some crazy weather, heard the tornado sirens go off locally but it was dead still where I was until this front came through

 

[FairweatherFisher]

Are there bass in the Willamette? A side note, would you consider fish out of the Willamette and/or Alton Baker canoe canal safe to eat? I’ve heard several people say they wouldn’t advise eating anything out of there, and I’ve always wondered why. I’ve not personally caught anything worth keeping out of either, as I mainly fish the McKenzie.

 

[NKlamerus]

Are there bass in the Willamette? A side note, would you consider fish out of the Willamette and/or Alton Baker canoe canal safe to eat? I’ve heard several people say they wouldn’t advise eating anything out of there, and I’ve always wondered why. I’ve not personally caught anything worth keeping out of either, as I mainly fish the McKenzie.

Yes there are bass in the Willamette, just not as many smallmouth as there are further downstream. I would argue there's more largemouth here (upstream), not sure if it's less competition or maybe a difference in flow/water temp

Are you eating the trout or bass? Most of the trout your catching out of alton are stocked pellet fish

The bass are probably fine, little more bioaccumulation but if I wanted something to eat I'd be targeting crappie

 

[FairweatherFisher]

Yes there are bass in the Willamette, just not as many smallmouth as there are further downstream. I would argue there's more largemouth here (upstream), not sure if it's less competition or maybe a difference in flow/water temp

Are you eating the trout or bass? Most of the trout your catching out of alton are stocked pellet fish

The bass are probably fine, little more bioaccumulation but if I wanted something to eat I'd be targeting crappie

Trout’s the only thing I’ve ever caught around here. I’ve eaten the hatchery trout from the McKenzie, and it’s been fine. Just had three on Friday in fact! But I’ve never caught much of anything from the Willamette, so I was wondering if maybe I’m just fishing for the wrong thing. Haven’t caught a bass since I was 13 on a camping trip in Canada.

 

[NKlamerus]

Trout’s the only thing I’ve ever caught around here. I’ve eaten the hatchery trout from the McKenzie, and it’s been fine. Just had three on Friday in fact! But I’ve never caught much of anything from the Willamette, so I was wondering if maybe I’m just fishing for the wrong thing. Haven’t caught a bass since I was 13 on a camping trip in Canada.

Alton would be an easy bet for trout, theres also a good pile of stocked and natural trout usually sitting in the river right below where Alton pours back into the Willamette, lots of people also fish the grate at west d boat ramp

My very first trout in Oregon was caught at Clearwater park, on a rattletrap of all things, I ended up catching a few sitting in a back eddy while I was targeting bass

I might try and cook some smallmouth off the Umpqua this year, beer batter goes a long way in correcting fish texture!

 

[FairweatherFisher]

Alton would be an easy bet for trout, theres also a good pile of stocked and natural trout usually sitting in the river right below where Alton pours back into the Willamette, lots of people also fish the grate at west d boat ramp

My very first trout in Oregon was caught at Clearwater park, on a rattletrap of all things, I ended up catching a few sitting in a back eddy while I was targeting bass

I might try and cook some smallmouth off the Umpqua this year, beer batter goes a long way in correcting fish texture!

Thanks for the tip! Fished a little this morning just upstream of the duck pond near defazio bridge, but no luck today.

Gonna float the McKenzie with some friends this afternoon and gonna bring me rod. We’ll see what happens!

 

[FairweatherFisher]

Alton would be an easy bet for trout, theres also a good pile of stocked and natural trout usually sitting in the river right below where Alton pours back into the Willamette, lots of people also fish the grate at west d boat ramp

My very first trout in Oregon was caught at Clearwater park, on a rattletrap of all things, I ended up catching a few sitting in a back eddy while I was targeting bass

I might try and cook some smallmouth off the Umpqua this year, beer batter goes a long way in correcting fish texture!

Thanks for the tip! Fished a little this morning just upstream of the duck pond near defazio bridge, but no luck today.

Gonna float the McKenzie with some friends this afternoon and gonna bring me rod. We’ll see what happens!