Where to fish for smallies?

[beerheaven]

Where is good places to fish smallmouth near Portland or Vancouver?

 

[O. mykiss]

The Columbia, any parks along the river in the gorge have smallmouth

 

[bass]

The Columbia has bigger fish than the Willamette. The Willamette has more fish. Any rocky structure in the gorge is a good bet for the Columbia. Same holds for the Willamette. Lots of parks along the Willamette and they all have bass around them.

 

[beerheaven]

any specific park should i try? i haven’t fish smalie awhile so i miss them

 

[bass]

The Willamette is running fast right now but 2 good shore spots are George Roger's park and Willamette park in West Linn (where the Tualatin dumps in). I have not shore fished the Columbia so i am not sure which spots would be good. I would look on Google maps to see what looks good. .

 

[O. mykiss]

There are a few areas up in cascade locks to fish, get online and find some spots

 

[beerheaven]

Thanks for the comments

 

[flundar]

Where is good places to fish smallmouth near Portland or Vancouver?

I used to fish the lower Willamette and Multnomah Channel for smallmouth in a small boat modded as a mini bass boat with decent success. The area just north of downtown Portland was my stomping grounds. Spinnerbaits and little crankbaits cast around rocks, logs, pilings, and riprap, especially on steeper banks, will catch fish from early spring to late summer. They are very shallow in spring. About 2-8 feet in summer. The Lower Willamette can get very turbid, use loud presentations in gaudy colors then. Tides are a big factor. High is best. Fish will sometimes go up into structure that's dry at low tide. In rising and falling tides, the current can cause eddies that hold fish. Smallmouth love eddies. Low tide is the doldrums. I sometimes went around and under big ship piers and old derelict docks and had success. In fall, deep diving crankbaits and lead head plastic baits in 9-18 feet are good. Especially on points or deep structure. In winter, bottom bouncing rigs like walleye spinner/worm rigs in 20-30 feet works, if you're crazy enough to even want to try that. Better off sturgeon fishing or napping. The fish are modest size. 1-ish lbs is average. 2lbs is nice. 2.5lbs is great. 3lbs is a lunker. But they are reasonably plentiful. Takes a while to find the spots, but they are there. Not a destination fishery, but if you're stuck living there... well, it scratched my bass fishing itch. I used light gear, had fun, and very rarely got skunked once I got a feel for it.