Umpqua - Yellow Creek

[NKlamerus]

After Ford's and Platt in there morning I went west to checkout the yellow creek boat ramp on the umpqua, I've seen it mentioned a few times now

Before launching I did get to meet one of our very own, Fummus! Great meeting you bud, and thank you for the tips on additional spots, I did a little exploring after getting off the water, I may have to try for shad here soon and elsewhere for some larger fish

I launched the kayak and luckily had my trout rod with me, and immediately started catching smallmouth. Switching between a 3" keitech and a 3" senko, I definitely caught over 20 fish

All small though!

Also had a warmouth/panfish get a litte eager and grab the keitech

I spooked one larger smallmouth on a rock flat, easily 2-3lbs, thought it was a largemouth at first

Did have some shad schools go under me as well, but I wasn't rigged for them

At one point I had snagged my jig head in deeper water and went to retrieve it, with a clear view of the bottom I watched the keitech rip free from the weeds and simultaneously watched some kind of large fish dart at it before turning away at the last second

From dead above it really looked like a trout, but was easily 2-3' long, any ideas? Seemed like it had a pointed nose, relatively long and skinny. And I definitely noticed pec, pelvic, and anal fins.

For sure not a carp or sucker. I'm just not familiar with cold water fish

 

[Fummus]

Hey! Was very good meeting you in person as well! Judging from your photo's and report you definitely did better than we did. Only took home two and admittedly they were just barely big enough to get fillets off of. I Also caught a warmouth/punkinseed/??? Took a couple pics to identify it later, but looked identical to the one in your photo. Think we would have done better if it hadn't been so windy later on. Hope to see you again down this way.

 

[NKlamerus]

Another trip yesterday, wind was so strong it was pushing me up current!

Tried some new rigs and lures, would have stayed but the wind was killing me, just about went over once! Only benefit was no one else on the water for a little while

I think I ended the day with 31 smallmouth, biggest went 1-14 though. Did see a couple larger fish and lost one that almost looked black underwater

 

[NKlamerus]

I guess I enjoy torturing myself, I fished yellow creek about 2pm-5pm on Saturday afternoon.

The wind and sun were absolutely brutal, tide was slow and the fish were too. Caught 15 and nothing of any size

They were schooled up tight and I could slowly pick them off with a rattletrap and Ned rig.

Need to start looking at the tides, I'm assuming they were rising/high, as the water flow was slower than normal? Although the water level itself wasn't out of the ordinary?

Or is that less water flow from lack of rain and the summer season?

 

[hobster]

That’s way too high up for tidewater to have any effect on the river. The drought is kicking in, the rivers are dropping and it’s just gonna get worse. Well not for smallmouth fishing, should be smokin soon! Did you see any shad? I think they’re about done

 

[Clbagshaw]

I guess I enjoy torturing myself, I fished yellow creek about 2pm-5pm on Saturday afternoon.

The wind and sun were absolutely brutal, tide was slow and the fish were too. Caught 15 and nothing of any size

They were schooled up tight and I could slowly pick them off with a rattletrap and Ned rig.

Need to start looking at the tides, I'm assuming they were rising/high, as the water flow was slower than normal? Although the water level itself wasn't out of the ordinary?

Or is that less water flow from lack of rain and the summer season?

It is tidal effected to Scottsburg. Just low water levels this summer. Its gonna be a dry one for sure.

 

[NKlamerus]

Went out there last Saturday for about an hour before I got tired of the wind and other people.

Water was surprisingly busy, and someone anchored up over the best smallmouth spot out there

Still caught 8 in an hour which isn't bad, just small fish though.

 

[jamisonace]

If you can get away from the boat ramps the fishing is a hundred times better.

 

[NKlamerus]

Actually went out there today and paddled around a bit. Pretty busy fishing wise, people on both banks and some pontoons

Maybe a dozen fish, all small, and I lost the biggest one at the boat, much darker fish for sure, definitely over a pound

 

[NKlamerus]

9 fish in an hour and a half.

Real weedy and the current is slacking off for sure, algae is getting pretty intense

I tried to fish the south Umpqua but the first ramp was loaded with homeless, and the next one was block by the fair! They wouldn't let me in without a ticket

 

[Vintageflyguy]

Usually the wind is because of the difference between the temps of the coast and the valleys - definite early is better for wind