Spring is finally showing at Lookout Point

kemfish · May 15, 2023

Hit Lookout Point today.

Caught a good number of smallmouth, couple of them looked post spawn, many still had fat egg bellies.

Caught a pair of crappie in 10-15ft of water. Both filled with eggs. 10 days ago all the crappie seemed to be bunched up 45ft or so down. Many still there, but at least some are coming up.

Seen water temps in the 60's finally. Also need sunscreen and a good hat now.

NKlamerus · May 16, 2023

That's awesome! Glad you were able to capitalize

Not sure how long we will have it

https://www.nwp.usace.army.mil/Medi...-deep-drawdowns-at-green-peter-lookout-point/

Fishing might be really good with no water left

kemfish · May 16, 2023

I don't know how I feel about these drawdowns. Don't have a feel for how much the drawdowns improve smolt survival/passthrough or if that's even a major contributor to the salmon issues. Issues too complex and everything helps, but my gut is adult salmon predation and poor spawning habitat probably more impactful areas to address.
Longterm probably not great for everything else in the reservoir. BUT, this fall in the first year of the drawdown there might be an interesting Opportunity for robust kayak fisher peoples to lug their rigs down to the reservoir and take advantage of some concentrated fish before their numbers start to dwindle.

Umpqua finally looks to be settling down, right be time to get down there and get some of that smallmouth action.

kemfish · May 30, 2023

gone twice more since last post

Crappie are up. Smallmouth are still all over the place although small ones are starting to become more prevalent. I'm going to have to see if I can refind the nice ones as they move to their deeper summer residences.

Still no walleye, although in fairness my last trips have been focused on the crappie with bonus smallmouth.

kemfish · Jun 7, 2023

Went to Lookout again today. Having a blast with crappie and smallmouths.

Noticed the water has dropped 2-3ft since I visited last week. First year fishing it so I don't know if this is normal variance or the start of the big drawdown that's supposed to help the salmon migration

kemfish · Aug 30, 2023

went out on Tuesday to see what the water level looks like and see what's biting. Crazy to look at all the dry structure that I was fishing a couple months ago. Interesting to see the spots where I was catching fish. Some of them are pretty obvious fish holding spots once you remove the water and can see them.

Tiny bit of ramp still in the water. Friend Called the Corps of Eng, they plan to close the park as soon as the ramp is out of the water which is any day now. Bummer since its about the only good access point.

On the positive side the fishing is still good. Smallmouth are biting, crappie are around and fat, pike minnow get you excited and a walleye even showed up for me.