Terrible stink on the river around Newberg

[bass]

If you did, I apologize - it was me. Man I had one of my worst days of fishing ever. It just seemed like everything went wrong.

Leaving the house I forgot my diet cokes, shady hat and sunscreen. On the way to Newberg I remembered I had forgotten my sunscreen so I stopped at a quickie mart and bought some. However I have not yet realized I forgotten my drinks.

When I get to the river I notice I have two water bottles (I use them to fill up the little well that my transducer sits in). I figure I will bring one with me but "wisely" dump the other one out - still not realizing I have forgotten my diet cokes.

It took me forever to launch, it seemed like I have to do everything three times to get it right. Forgot to hook up battery to FF, forgot to get out weights for sturgeon, after I put stuff away I realize I did not have a leader so back out comes the stuff. Just after I put it away I realize a leader is pretty ineffective without a hook.... that is pretty much how the whole day went.

I left the house at a bit before 6am and I was not anchored up until 8am. So feeling kind of cursed I go and anchor up in a spot that seems like it would hold sturgeon. I did not even get pikieminnow bites. I have never had a day where I spent that much time with a juicy morsel resting on the bottom of the Willamette without any interest at all.

So after about 4 hours of nothing I decide to fish for bass. I figured with the warming water that the bass fishing should be on fire. I pull up the a first spot that looks pretty good. Steep bank, big rocks, some wood. I fish it pretty hard and miss two fish before catching a 12" bass. I was psyched since I figured I was on top of things. Unfortunately that was all of my action for the day.

I just never felt like I was fishing effectively. It seemed like I was either working to free a snag or fishing well off the bottom. I just could not seem to do anything right. I tried fishing in shallow water, in deeper water, in current, in protected areas. After that first fish I did not have another sniff. I fished for bass for about 5 hours before giving up. So many good looking spots that did not produce anything. Confusing and a bummer. Eventually I decided to spend the last hour trying for sturgeon, but once again I could not get a sniff. So once again the upper river sends me home with my tail between my legs.

I want to thank everyone for the advice that was offered. Unfortunately, I felt like I was just going through the motions rather than giving it my best effort.

 

[C_Run]

We could have an entire subforum on "things gone wrong" while fishing. Some of my last couple of trips would include sunburn, truck stuck in the ditch in remote location w/ no cell coverage, almost out of gas in same location, pocketknife disappears, essential gear lost early with no backup, etc. At least you got a fish.

By the way, are there people salmon fishing there now?

 

[bass]

Saw about 15-20 boats fishing for salmon. I did not see nor hear of anyone catching one. I saw tons of smolt jumping, but I never saw an adult fish jump.

 

[Casting Call]

Thanks for the report John. Look at it this way, it all happened at once like losing your wallet that had a 2 week old expired drivers licence, locked keys and cell phone in the car at the mini mart and have people look at you with a coat hanger in hand and hear a whaaaa! as the cities finess pulls in the driveway. When are you gonna have another day like that? It's over for another seven years, CC

 

[TJR_84]

I have to hand it to you for keeping after the upper river sturgeon. I hit Oregon city Saturday and had one of the best catching days ever sturgeon fishing ever. Could not keep the fish off the hooks, Everybody all around us even the dock were pulling in fish.

 

[bass]

Thanks for the report John. Look at it this way, it all happened at once like losing your wallet that had a 2 week old expired drivers licence, locked keys and cell phone in the car at the mini mart and have people look at you with a coat hanger in hand and hear a whaaaa! as the cities finess pulls in the driveway. When are you gonna have another day like that? It's over for another seven years, CC

Thanks CC! It is good to have a trying day like that every now and again to remind me how little I really know. Sometimes when the fishing is easy I start to think I know more than I do

 

[bass]

I have to hand it to you for keeping after the upper river sturgeon. I hit Oregon city Saturday and had one of the best catching days ever sturgeon fishing ever. Could not keep the fish off the hooks, Everybody all around us even the dock were pulling in fish.

Funny thing is that a bad or tough day of fishing makes me want to go try again more than a good day. The lower river sturgeon fishing has been so good that after a few trips it seems a little boring. The challenge of the upper river is somehow far more compelling. When I finally do get success it will be as sweet as it gets

 

[Liphooked]

Dang I feel a little better knowing it isn't just me. I thought I was not getting it. It's the fish they are a bit shy right now. I had the same kind of three days on the Columbia river .

If you did, I apologize - it was me. Man I had one of my worst days of fishing ever. It just seemed like everything went wrong.

Leaving the house I forgot my diet cokes, shady hat and sunscreen. On the way to Newberg I remembered I had forgotten my sunscreen so I stopped at a quickie mart and bought some. However I have not yet realized I forgotten my drinks.

When I get to the river I notice I have two water bottles (I use them to fill up the little well that my transducer sits in). I figure I will bring one with me but "wisely" dump the other one out - still not realizing I have forgotten my diet cokes.

It took me forever to launch, it seemed like I have to do everything three times to get it right. Forgot to hook up battery to FF, forgot to get out weights for sturgeon, after I put stuff away I realize I did not have a leader so back out comes the stuff. Just after I put it away I realize a leader is pretty ineffective without a hook.... that is pretty much how the whole day went.

I left the house at a bit before 6am and I was not anchored up until 8am. So feeling kind of cursed I go and anchor up in a spot that seems like it would hold sturgeon. I did not even get pikieminnow bites. I have never had a day where I spent that much time with a juicy morsel resting on the bottom of the Willamette without any interest at all.

So after about 4 hours of nothing I decide to fish for bass. I figured with the warming water that the bass fishing should be on fire. I pull up the a first spot that looks pretty good. Steep bank, big rocks, some wood. I fish it pretty hard and miss two fish before catching a 12" bass. I was psyched since I figured I was on top of things. Unfortunately that was all of my action for the day.

I just never felt like I was fishing effectively. It seemed like I was either working to free a snag or fishing well off the bottom. I just could not seem to do anything right. I tried fishing in shallow water, in deeper water, in current, in protected areas. After that first fish I did not have another sniff. I fished for bass for about 5 hours before giving up. So many good looking spots that did not produce anything. Confusing and a bummer. Eventually I decided to spend the last hour trying for sturgeon, but once again I could not get a sniff. So once again the upper river sends me home with my tail between my legs.

I want to thank everyone for the advice that was offered. Unfortunately, I felt like I was just going through the motions rather than giving it my best effort.