Looking for bass in Springfield/Eugene area

[jendtruj]

Hi everyone. I'm new to bass fishing in this area.

I'm looking for some places to fish from the bank, preferably ponds. Are there any good options in the area?

I'm willing to drive an hour in any direction.

Thanks.

 

[Kevinb5688]

seriously, there are more bass than you can imagine closer than you think. any finger off the willamate has bass. , golf ponds( you have to ask but they usually dont care), and best bet is fern ridge lake, across from the damn side. there are ponds below the spill of the damn, just go walking on the main trail theres two more smaller ponds you can't see from the road with great bass in it. just drive around fern ridge and fish every channel, slew, underpass, dock. anything that sticks out you can walk to. try it and if its good keep going back. hope this helps

 

[Kevinb5688]

ohh. creswell ponds are pretty good. you can see them from 1-5 before creswell. theres a lot of water there to walk and fish. good summer top water. thats not to far.
i just took a drive one day in the country and where i seen a pond on farmers property i told them i would give them fish or help once a month around the farm to be able to fish it. usually they just let ya for no cost. some of the best fishing is in the farm ponds. but i wont give out what farmers will let ya . i caught 17 bass over 5 lbs last year out of a 100 yard farm pond!!!

 

[Travisfugate]

I know a pretty good spot. Im new to bass fishin in general, moved up from roseburg a year ago so im used to steelhead and trout. Last summerme and my younger brother went around the back side of a pond by fern ridge and he caught a little like 15 incher. but we had 2 that probably went 4 or 5 lbs jump in front of us. just got my new reel in the mail so im gonna head out there tomorrow. You gotta walk like a quarter mile and REALLY need boots, but its prefect. The water right now has a few weeds here and there. but last summer it was scattered lilly pads. I will try to get on here and let ya know how I did. If you know where the dam is on fern ridge, there is a pond across the road from the lake. go down the pond (away from kirk park) and take the first left. there is a little pull out before the corner. and just walk down the trail. you have to go down a pretty bushy trail right before you come to the spot. but it will be worth it.

 

[Kevinb5688]

Thats funny, i fished that pond your talking about by fern ridge. I used live mice i caught in a bucket trap, flipped them near structure and pulled some 3- 5lb bass out of there. Lol. I let em go and had like 40 mice left i just hucked out on the lilly pads. Bass went nuts for em. A farmer paid me 25 cents a mouse to get them off his property, this was the funnest thing i could thonk to do with them ( they were alive by the way). Decent pond, but in summer bring masquito repelent. They eat you alive. Amd a kayak or pontoon boat is ideal. Not to much bank acces on the best side to fish.

 

[tomriker]

how did you rig up the live mice? ive been wanting to try that

 

[Finneus Polebender]

how did you rig up the live mice? ive been wanting to try that

Usually done with rubber bands behind front shoulders hook slipped under rubber band mice can still swim fine that way ,I have stuck with the artificials ,not sure on the regs for live mice as bait at least in state owned waters. Delta ponds at valley river center used to be great for bass they have done some so called habitat improvement there which I personally think was no improvement at all , but ya never know have not been back since they tore it up.

 

[tomriker]

so how do you keep the mice from biting

 

[Finneus Polebender]

so how do you keep the mice from biting

That would be the tricky part ,thinkin leather glove for banding and baiting ,those little dudes can take a small chunk out of you as most kids find out at an early age!

 

[Kevinb5688]

Ya. I used a smaller 1/0 hook, used dental bands at first but hooking the back of the neck skin worked just as good and WAY easier. Deff. Need leather gloves. Live bait in oregon is not legal. But places like that where i catch and release anyways i figure it only hurts the mice. They only swim for about 2 mins before they tire so make sure you see a bass or its a really good spot!

 

[tomriker]

just fish private water and do what you like ill have to start catching mice in our warehouse and save em

 

[Finneus Polebender]

just fish private water and do what you like ill have to start catching mice in our warehouse and save em

I think I will now plead the fifth as I would not like to incriminate myself or others LOL , We are probably gonna get lectured again

 

[ryan808]

I think I will now plead the fifth as I would not like to incriminate myself or others LOL , We are probably gonna get lectured again

:lol:, Ill make sure to add live mice to my next tacklewarehouse purchase.

 

[Travisfugate]

I was out there earlier with a drop shot plastic shad jig and caught 2 within an hour. had to go to the inlaws for dinner so i couldnt go to the spot i was talkin about. will let everybody know next weekend how it isif i can get out there. if anybody else has a hot spot for bass let me know.

 

[Kevinb5688]

I looked on google map yesterday around where i live and found a nice body of water. Knocked on a door amd they said go ahead and fish it. Weather sucked today, cold, wet and i still caught 9 bass, two over 5lbs!! Best slew ive fished. It 25 acres, mostly length wise with longs, brush, rock piles the works. Got me a new spot to catch some hogs less than 15 miles from my house. Get on google map and check out farm properties that run along a river near your house. Theres bass in all of them i guarentee it! Just knock on a door and be polite. I fish 4 ponds that are amazing just by doing this! Good luck.( ohh and i will tell you the pond i fish are off the willamate river north of eugene a bit) but the exact ponds are my secret.