Fishing the Molalla - Pudding Rivers for Bass

[Trout]

I've got some buds at work who are going out Friday to an area on the lower Molalla for bass at a known bassy spot. I would join them but I currently have no rack on my truck for our canoe, and they are floating down the river aways to reach this bassy spot.

But now I have bass on the brain (whats left of it) and looking at Google Earth it appears there is access to the Molalla where it meets the Willamette -- in Molalla River State Park. So I may head out there try my luck for the heck of it along the bank -- I have both waders and hippers. Has anyone fished this area for bass ? Any info is appreciated - I'll be flinging flies - weighted rabbit strips - woolley buggers - I have some poppers if need be.

i have got to get a rack on the damn truck ... or is that a damn rack on the truck ...

 

[ryan808]

I have fished the mouth of the Pudding where it flows into the molalla. There is a bunch of bass there, mostly cookie cutter size fish. If you work that the northern bank of the pudding you should be able to pull most of them out of there. The Molalla State park has little to access to bank fish; anyone correct me if I am wrong. I remember floating the Molalla into the Willamette and pulling out at the parks boat ramp and seeing little access from Molalla mouth to the ramp.

 

[mezzfin]

I looked at Google maps and thought the same thing: the mouth of the Big Mo is right in the park, so I drove there one day and headed off. Bad idea. The mouth is surrounded by 100 yards of blackberry & underbrush on all sides. And from what I gather, if you hacked your way to the bank you'd find a pretty steep drop. It's too bad, because it's some of the only public access on the lower Mo. If you find a way to the water, let us know!

 

[chrisohm]

There is very little bank access. If you used a jig and dropped it on their heads in some brushy spots you could get some action. The hike to the mouth is nice and hip waders or boots would be advisable. There is plenty of bassy water there. You can get squaw, bass and sometimes catfish. If you go further upstream the waders are a must and you will have to cast towards the southern bank for decent action. They are small fish just like ryan808 said. If you were to go into the pudding then you would be in some fun water from what I have been told by some old time locals. Things hitting a spinner on 8lb test and breaking you off, most likely a heavy squawfish. My boss has a creek on his property that dumps into the pudding some miles away. There are resident trout, bass, catfish and squawfish in that creek so you never know what to expect.

 

[Trout]

Oh rats ---- I'll have to devise some other plan for this week. I thank you all for saving me a trip to the briars.