Sauvie Island across from Kelly point

[paulages]

I'm not sure exactly which section to post this in, so I'll try here.

Until recently, I hadn't fished for 20 years or so. This summer I bought a boat and some fishing gear, and have been giving it my best. However, I'm finding that it's very hard to find help figuring out how to actually catch anything.

A couple weeks ago, a kind fella at fisherman's overheard me asking an employee for tips on bass fishing and gave me lots of advice, showing me how to rig up a drop shot among other things. A couple nights ago a buddy and I headed up the Willamette from Cathedral park, intending to cast around the mouth of the slough. We boated in around the pylons at the (concrete?) factory there, and right around first cast we heard a good toot, and saw a barge headed straight towards us. The tide was low and we couldn't really get in towards any "fishy" looking cover, so we headed across towards Sauvie island and found what appears to be a rotting dock extending 50 feet or so form the shore, for a few hundred yards.

The water was 5-15' around here, and seemed really bassy, so we set anchor and cast a line. CATCH! ... wait, no, pylon. Second cast, FISH within 15 seconds. However, I tied the line in really poorly and it came loose. We were getting lots of bumps but didn't bring anything in.

I was using a 3" Outlaw tube on a drop shot setup. Has anyone caught anything around there? I'm looking for any advice on how to actually hook anything. I got some bottom walkers, some spinners, some "sturgeon candy" and 20# test line going for some dinosaurs, but man I can't seem to catch anything.

Help? I really can't seem to find general advice anywhere in the web. seems like you gotta know somebody to really know what to do and where to go. All my knowledge was for Tennessee warm water fish... croppy, carp, and bass, and that was 20 years ago. This site has been helpful, but I still feel a little lost.

Any advice appreciated. I have a boat and live in N Portland if anyone wants to go fishing and teach me a thing or two.

 

[Herefishyfishy]

I don't know anything about bass fishing but I will help you as much as I can with other fish. You should be able to get into some catch and release sturgeon right now but retention on the Willy doesn't start until Nov. 1st, but the Columbia opens for retention Thursday, Friday and Saturday Oct. 1st. 38-54" inside fork length. I would recommend at least 50# line for those though, I like the braided tough line, also your hook must be barbless. Look for the deeper holes and fish them. I've personally had a lot of luck with magic threading a piece of rollmop herring to the hook and sticking a half night crawler on the end. I use a weight slider on my mainline, tie a 2 way swivel to that then my sturgeon leader and usually at least a 6oz weight up to 20oz depending on the current which won't be too bad for a little while until we get some good rain. You could also head out of the mouth of the Willy into the Columbia right now and have a good shot at a fall Chinook, they just raised the bag limit to 2. I've gotten into them this year trolling a spinner behind a flasher right along the bottom. a lot of people are anchoring and having good luck with plugs, wobblers, spinners or buzz bombs. Thats my 2 cents! Good luck my friend! There are a lot of really great people on this forum with a lot more knowledge and experience than I who I know will be willing to share!

 

[paulages]

I don't know anything about bass fishing but I will help you as much as I can with other fish. You should be able to get into some catch and release sturgeon right now but retention on the Willy doesn't start until Nov. 1st, but the Columbia opens for retention Thursday, Friday and Saturday Oct. 1st. 38-54" inside fork length. I would recommend at least 50# line for those though, I like the braided tough line, also your hook must be barbless. Look for the deeper holes and fish them. I've personally had a lot of luck with magic threading a piece of rollmop herring to the hook and sticking a half night crawler on the end. I use a weight slider on my mainline, tie a 2 way swivel to that then my sturgeon leader and usually at least a 6oz weight up to 20oz depending on the current which won't be too bad for a little while until we get some good rain. You could also head out of the mouth of the Willy into the Columbia right now and have a good shot at a fall Chinook, they just raised the bag limit to 2. I've gotten into them this year trolling a spinner behind a flasher right along the bottom. a lot of people are anchoring and having good luck with plugs, wobblers, spinners or buzz bombs. Thats my 2 cents! Good luck my friend! There are a lot of really great people on this forum with a lot more knowledge and experience than I who I know will be willing to share!

Ok, let's start with the 'nooks then, since my test is only 20#. First, what kind of water depth should I look for, and how can I be sure I'm working it along the bottom? Will I use a bottom walker or something similar below a leader to keep it down there, or just try and guess based on line length and angle? Sorry, I really have no clue..

Also, advice on what spinners/flashers to use, and how far behind the spinner to put the flasher?

 

[Herefishyfishy]

First, you could probably get away with 20# for nooks but that would scare the heck out of me since your looking at close to $20 worth of gear on that line not to mention a nook that you dont want to get away! I use 40# but if you play em long enough and tire em out good you can probably use your 20. Here's how I have been doing it recently and have had success: I slide a beadchain swivel (one with i think 6 beads) on my main line then 3 plastic beads, tie on a 2 way swivel, chain swivel to flasher, I use the triangle shape with the red or green flash tape, another beadchain swivel off the back of the flasher to about (people are going to dispute this but it has been working!) 2' of leader (most would say at least 4') to my spinner. Try a Bob Toman Thumper or a rainbow spinner, any Chinook spinner will probably work. Here's where some people would shout again but I then tie only about a 6" dropper off the beadchain you slid on your mainline to a 10 to 16oz cannonball weight. I have been catching in about 40' of water but 25 to 40' should do the trick. SLOWLY drop your gear once you start trolling until you hit bottom, give your reel a crank or 2 then CATCH A NOOK!!!

 

[paulages]

Yesterday I was launching at Swan Island as some other guys were coming in from Sturgeon fishing. They said they were catching legal sized fish over and over again right where it goes deep at the end of the channel by the dry docks. The fish finder has shown fish there, but I never know whether to believe it or not, let alone does that mean they're biting..

I need to pick up an anchor bouy and a bit more line. I only have 150' right now.

 

[getreelguide]

there is a bass club out of Salem that has a show in the first weekend of December. There will be pro's from this area teaching you how to catch bass, salmon and stugeon. If you want more info on it let me know

 

[paulages]

thanks! I'm out of the country right now, but will be back by then. I'll M you for more info.

 

[Raincatcher]

Welcome to the forum! We also have a bass section here with some great fisher folks who love sharing just about everything. Check it out and give them a shout sometime.

 

[slimyguts]

Ease up on the line!!! I fish sturgeon with 20# line all the time! use my salmon rod and 20#, what a blast to fight them on!! There are some really good spots near the mouth of the Multnomah Chanel and just up river of the bridge (can't remember the name of that one. Take your boat down through the chanel, TONS of fishy area. Old docks, logs tied up, brush. Look for bass, pan fish and walleye (never fished for them but I see pics all the time) Hooked bass, steel and salmon from there. ALso try the area right off Kelly Point. If you see guys on the bank sturgeon fishin with a campfire, the bite is on. I would love to go fishin. IM me when you need a partner. Can pitch in for some gas.

When Sturgeon fishing, the deep holes are the best spots to try. But if you notice that the bottom is relatively flat with a 2-5 foot depression, DROP LINE IN THAT SMALL DEPRESSION! many times when the major holes are taken by other boats I find a spot like that and catch fish. You will go through lots of shakers before to land a keeper. Best go to bait = nightcrawlers. about 4-6 wrapped up in some spawn sack. Use stretchy thread to tie it to the hook. have landed multiple shakers and a keeper on one bait rigged like this. and worms are cheap.

Good luck.