New and wanting to start fishing!

[astromech_kuhns]

Hey everyone, im new to this forum my name is Kolton.

I use to fish when i was younger with family but haven't for a long time now, recently just got myself a nice rod and reel, and tackle bag, and some basic tackle for getting some trout. i have a license and all so i think im pretty set.

I do have some questions though, i have a regulations guide, but some of it is confusing. what is open to fish right now and what areas/species are seasonal and what are some of the seasons? i mean, could i go trout fishing tomorrow for example? or do i have to wait for a "season"?

Also, i live in albany, what are some good places right around here for catching trout? the calapooia is in my back yard basically, but it looks like streams arent even open until may 25th, and im not sure what is even in the calapooia or if its even really fish-able... so im looking for anything around albany or even slightly outside of albany that would be good to start trout fishing asap.

Thanks guys!

Kolton

 

[RoryONeal]

E.E Wilson Pond is right around Corvallis, and is stocked pretty good. Usually heavy traffic there though.

 

[Casting Call]

Welcome to OFF Kolton! I see you are all set to go. So GO. your right on time. May 26th for most moving waters. That means you have two months to get warmed up to your gear and make some adjustment. I am sure that with-in the next two months a lot of fishing gear will go on sale. Read the regs. Lakes and ponds will help you find your groove and adj. ur gear for the new season to come. Hope to hear some good reports. CC

 

[Metz84]

Waverly lake in Albany was just stocked with trout this week along with Freeway lakes in Albany.

 

[WillamiteNewbie]

First OFF welcome to the thread I joined here last year with all the same questions. Fortunately for me I worked with a buddy of mine from high school that eat, sleeps, and breathes fishing. So i've learned a lot in the past year, and still am. So my biggest advice for you is just talk to people, find a friend that you can talk with about tactics, life, joke around. It really helps and makes it much more enjoyable. On the seasons question, go to the oregon wild life page and look at the stocking schedule, make sure to check regs, ie, if it's open, limit, C & R, little stuff like that. start at ponds/lakes cause that's the only thing open right now like someone said above, end of may is open on most rivers for the trout season. Lakes are pretty easy and just teach you the basics when you move to the river it gets a little tougher. I'm still trying to get this drifting thing down and just can't quite get it right always snag up. i'm now doing bobber and jig and having much more success in that, for steelheading. You can always fish for $hipoopy fish, they fight the same just don't take em home and try to eat em. learn your area and youre OFF! hope this helps.

 

[astromech_kuhns]

So in the Willamette zone, lakes are open all year long, and it looks like freeway lakes east, was stocked 5 days ago, so its still good to fish? basically, i can go fishing tomorrow morning at freeway lakes? its very close to my house, pretty short drive. also, what is the best time to hit the water by if i plan to go fish it tomorrow, and what is the best rig to use to catch some trout? also, the body of water the parking lot is connected to, i assume that is where they stock at, since its the eastern most body of water and the link for stocking dates says freeway lakes east?

Thanks for the info guys, i appreciate it, i would like to get out as soon as i can!

 

[astromech_kuhns]

Update: I went to freeway lakes today, and started out with bobbing and baiting, with no luck at all... i talked to one guy who said he was doing well, and he said he was floating his bait from the bottom. a quick google search showed me how to do that, so i rigged her up, cast out, let it sink, reeled the line to a taught, and BAM! Fish on! i pulled it in, unfortunately was over some bushes, and wasn't thinking at this point in the excitement to move over where i wasn't in front of a bunch of bushes, i lifted it up, the thing swung a couple times and got off... no landing it, but i did get one very close, so i now know my mistakes and will go out tomorrow and fix them! ill catch a fish and get some pictures up when i do! Thanks for the info so far guys!

Kolton

 

[Raincatcher]

Way to go, Kolton! Keep at it and you'll be having a fish fry in no time. :dance:

 

[Socaaron]

Welcome to OFF Kolton.
Looks like the folks have got you started in the right direction. Albany puts you right near the Willamette as well as a short drive to the South Santiam, both OFFer some great runs of Salmon and Steel when you're ready to try for them. And if you're lucky maybe a fellow OFF'er will help show you the ropes as learning those fisheries from scratch isn't the easiest thing. The South Santiam has some pretty good trout fishing as well once it opens. As to the Calapooia the upper sections have some good opportunities for trout and the lower slower sections have some good warm water fishing for bass and panfish. The newest Edition of Fishing in Oregon is due out soon(next month??) and that will provide you with some excellent information as well as some productive waters to hit near your location. It was a "Holy" book of Oregon fishing to me growing up.
My tenth edition is getting rather beat up...lol

 

[astromech_kuhns]

Hey all,

I went back out today with my dad, and we had a blast! we started out not getting anything, until i switched to a green power bait worm, then i got a bite real fast, so my dad switched to my green power bait, and so did i, we caught our daily limit after that, something about the green was making them bite today! we sure had fun and the fish tasted good, just being stocked and all, they didn't sit in the standing water too long. Here was my first fish i caught:

Honestly, if you look at the picture, you can see the worm, the hook is on the worm, and the line runs down into his mouth, and he must have swallowed it deep cause he was hanging by it and never once came off, he wasn't even hooked, that or it came out, either way it was some luck on that one! we proceeded to catch 2 more big ones like that. We took them home and gutted them, and BBQ'ed some. i think tomorrow, when i gut them ill also skin them at the same time so we dont have to deal with that when we cook them.

 

[trouthunter92]

if you get some decent size ones you might try filleting them, that's how I like to do it anyway. not a fan of picking bones out of my dinner.

 

[astromech_kuhns]

Yeah i caught more and ive skinned them, the next thing im going to try is to fillet them.