Irish Bend largemouth

[NKlamerus]

Decided to fish the local rock spot, was aiming for smallmouth but I'll take any tight line.

I misscalculated the drive and only got to fish for about an hour and a half.

Both fish were in a hole behind a bend, waiting for stuff to drift by I imagine

 

[plumbertom]

Not bad looking bucket mouths.
My understanding of that area is that there is fair sturgeon fishing to be had in the deeper water under the bluff across from the stony beach launch area.
I've considered giving them a try there, even bought and rigged a rod for that particular purpose, but I've never actually gotten back there to try it out.

 

[troutdude]

Hmm...smallie versus bucketmouth? I'd take either one too man! ;-)

Not sure if I've ever fished that bend; but I sure the heck have driven past thousands of times. Good lookin' stretch.

 

[troutdude]

Not bad looking bucket mouths.
My understanding of that area is that there is fair sturgeon fishing to be had in the deeper water under the bluff across from the stony beach launch area.
I've considered giving them a try there, even bought and rigged a rod for that particular purpose, but I've never actually gotten back there to try it out.

@plumbertom & @NKlamerus ... I have also heard about that hole. I inherited a map from an old Steelheader's club, from my dad a couple of years ago (RIP). It's about 6' long x 3' wide and was likely printed on an early HP-type of plotter. It show's a long stretch of the Willy--and where EVERY species are found too! I'm not sure if it shows that stretch; but I'll check and get back to you.

 

[NKlamerus]

@plumbertom & @NKlamerus ... I have also heard about that hole. I inherited a map from an old Steelheader's club, from my dad a couple of years ago (RIP). It's about 6' long x 3' wide and was likely printed on an early HP-type of plotter. It show's a long stretch of the Willy--and where EVERY species are found too! I'm not sure if it shows that stretch; but I'll check and get back to you.

That'd be awesome, I love some old maps.

There is some river contour maps available online that seem pretty accurate, I checked before going. I almost brought my depth finder with me, and should have.

I know for absolute certainty that some sturgeon were caught a few miles south towards Harrisburg

On a side note, by buddy has a map of Springfield/Eugene before I5 was even there's, has to be from the 50s? My whole house and gateway area was just farmland with some houses randomly thrown on it

I should have looked at the river closer

 

[NKlamerus]

Not bad looking bucket mouths.
My understanding of that area is that there is fair sturgeon fishing to be had in the deeper water under the bluff across from the stony beach launch area.
I've considered giving them a try there, even bought and rigged a rod for that particular purpose, but I've never actually gotten back there to try it out.

Definitely could be, at least for the drastic change in bottom material, they might like that sand

The launch is not ideal, the dolly sized wheels sink right into the river rock

The current right now is pretty tough, not sure if it would be slower or faster with more water? She drastic depth changes and bars just south of the park, and lots of trees down there

 

[troutdude]

I just busted out my aforementioned map. It does show that area. However there are no spots marked for Sturgeon in the Irish Bend area. But that doesn’t mean that some haven't moved in there—since my map was printed.

 

[plumbertom]

I've stopped on the bluff side of the river, on Irish Bend Loop, while out driving around looking for places to fish some time back, and walking up to the edge to have a look, saw a couple of guys on the ledge just below the bluff fishing for what they said was sturgeon. They claimed to have just released one shortly before I arrived.
Of course, you know what fishermen claim and what is accurate sometimes gets confused.
But it does look fishy and I just can't see someone fishing on that ledge, unless they had a reasonable expectation of something.
As far as river charts go, the only one I have found is Navionics, and it shows a hole below the bluff of 15 ft. The guys I was speaking to claimed there was a much deeper hole there. But as to that, see my previous evaluation of claims.

 

[plumbertom]

I just busted out my aforementioned map. It does show that area. However there are no spots marked for Sturgeon in the Irish Bend area. But that doesn’t mean that some have moved in there—since my map was printed.

I've read that sturgeon have been captured as far up river as Dexter Dam.
If they are, in fact, that far up, it's reasonable to assume they are anywhere suitable further down River.

 

[troutdude]

I've read that sturgeon have been captured as far up river as Dexter Dam.
If they are, in fact, that far up, it's reasonable to assume they are anywhere suitable further down River.

I've also heard that some of those prehistoric beasts, have been caught below Dexter too.