bass
Most Featured
I have never tried to fish for bass in February before. Last year was the first time I fished for and caught bass in January and I had wanted to fish in February but between bad weather and other commitments I did not make it out. So I was really excited to make my first February bass trip ever!
I hit the Columbia out of Stevenson on Sunday. The day before had been warm, sunny and beautiful but the wind forecast in the gorge was a no-go. So I found myself launching in a steady rain but at least the temp was not too bad (~45F). I was dressed for the weather so I was not too concerned. I was really excited to be fishing in February!
The water temp was 41F so I figured the bass would be pretty sluggish so I prepared myself for a day of painfully slow fishing. The good news was that it was calm, the current was not too bad and that the water clarity was awesome - at least 3' of visibility!
I started fishing on a big flat that is around 35' deep. It is pretty nothing looking thing but for some reason the bass seem to like to hang out on it in the winter. I guess the bottom has enough roughness to break up the current and so it is a good wintering spot. (I have done well on this spot on multiple January trips this year and last).
I started dragging a Ned rig on a 1/4oz head around. I would cast upstream a short way and then position my kayak to make my line be as vertical as possible when the Ned hit the bottom. I would then carefully control my drift to maintain that vertical presentation. This greatly reduces the number of hangups.
I spent about an hour and half probing this huge flat when I felt a "tick". I set the hook on nothing. "Just wishful thinking I said to myself". I pedaled back upstream and repeated that exact drift (by using my maps and track to start me on the exact same spot). I drifted downstream past where I had my previous phantom bite when I felt another "tick". This time when I set the hook I knew I had something solid!
In that cold water the fight was rather sluggish and it did not take too long to get the fish near the surface. When I saw it in the clear water I gasped because it was much bigger than I had expected. The sluggish fight had belied the size of that fish. When I slipped my net under that fish I whooped out loud!!
My first February bass. Also that gave 12 straight months with a Columbia river bass!! I was so stoked. That beauty weighed in at 3lb 12oz and was 19.25" long. That's a good one indeed!!
I wish I could regale with tales of other fish but that beauty was my only one for the day. Well, I said to myself "If you're going to just catch one at least it was a good one!". The rest of the day did have some high points though. At one point a couple of otters swam by the kayak. So I followed them for a short while just to enjoy and perhaps get a tip on a hot spot. The otters however were zipper-lipped and provided no help
Later in the day a group (convocation) of 4 eagles starting cavorting and screaming over the middle of the river. I can only assume it was some king of mating dance or something. They were only there for a few minutes before zooming off but it was quite the spectacle to see. I usually only ever see them soaring while hunting and their aerial acrobatics were really amazing to witness.
In terms of fishing though, I spent the rest of the day trying hard but I just could not get another bite. I tried depths from 3' to 60' but I just could never find another bass. Then just after I had finished packing up to leave I think the fishing gods wanted to taunt me with this:
I know in my heart that there was a pot of smallmouth at the end of that rainbow
Anyway, here is a very short video from the day:
I hit the Columbia out of Stevenson on Sunday. The day before had been warm, sunny and beautiful but the wind forecast in the gorge was a no-go. So I found myself launching in a steady rain but at least the temp was not too bad (~45F). I was dressed for the weather so I was not too concerned. I was really excited to be fishing in February!
The water temp was 41F so I figured the bass would be pretty sluggish so I prepared myself for a day of painfully slow fishing. The good news was that it was calm, the current was not too bad and that the water clarity was awesome - at least 3' of visibility!
I started fishing on a big flat that is around 35' deep. It is pretty nothing looking thing but for some reason the bass seem to like to hang out on it in the winter. I guess the bottom has enough roughness to break up the current and so it is a good wintering spot. (I have done well on this spot on multiple January trips this year and last).
I started dragging a Ned rig on a 1/4oz head around. I would cast upstream a short way and then position my kayak to make my line be as vertical as possible when the Ned hit the bottom. I would then carefully control my drift to maintain that vertical presentation. This greatly reduces the number of hangups.
I spent about an hour and half probing this huge flat when I felt a "tick". I set the hook on nothing. "Just wishful thinking I said to myself". I pedaled back upstream and repeated that exact drift (by using my maps and track to start me on the exact same spot). I drifted downstream past where I had my previous phantom bite when I felt another "tick". This time when I set the hook I knew I had something solid!
In that cold water the fight was rather sluggish and it did not take too long to get the fish near the surface. When I saw it in the clear water I gasped because it was much bigger than I had expected. The sluggish fight had belied the size of that fish. When I slipped my net under that fish I whooped out loud!!
My first February bass. Also that gave 12 straight months with a Columbia river bass!! I was so stoked. That beauty weighed in at 3lb 12oz and was 19.25" long. That's a good one indeed!!
I wish I could regale with tales of other fish but that beauty was my only one for the day. Well, I said to myself "If you're going to just catch one at least it was a good one!". The rest of the day did have some high points though. At one point a couple of otters swam by the kayak. So I followed them for a short while just to enjoy and perhaps get a tip on a hot spot. The otters however were zipper-lipped and provided no help
Later in the day a group (convocation) of 4 eagles starting cavorting and screaming over the middle of the river. I can only assume it was some king of mating dance or something. They were only there for a few minutes before zooming off but it was quite the spectacle to see. I usually only ever see them soaring while hunting and their aerial acrobatics were really amazing to witness.
In terms of fishing though, I spent the rest of the day trying hard but I just could not get another bite. I tried depths from 3' to 60' but I just could never find another bass. Then just after I had finished packing up to leave I think the fishing gods wanted to taunt me with this:
I know in my heart that there was a pot of smallmouth at the end of that rainbow
Anyway, here is a very short video from the day: