Willamette valley crappie

[fish4life]

I was just wondering if there are any decent crappie fishing within an hour and a half from home, molalla. I ussually go over to brownlee res. but looking for a place closer to home. I heard there are crappie in the willamette but dont know were to target them, was wondering if there are any above the falls around where the tualitin dumps in. I have a boat and also dont mind banking it either.

 

[Outdoor_Myers]

I been trying to find a good place for them also all i ever heard of was the tribs off the willy or henry hagg lake. hmmm fried crappie fillets are soooo good /sigh its nothin like the midwest for crappie around here lol. good luck!

 

[troutdude]

Google the small town of St. Paul (north of Keizer/Salem). I don't recall the name of the lake, but it runs north - south right through the middle of the town.

 

[brandon4455]

look on google maps and find any ponds/sloughs near the willamette and try to gain access to them those sloughs usually have a lot of crappie

 

[Troutski]

I would tell you but then I would have to - well you know. :lol:
Hills Creek Res. has a better than average Crappie population, As does Lookout Res. Now locating them at this time of year is the trick, a boat is your best bet - both these lakes have year round boat access. If you decide to make the trip south let me know - I have a MAP I put together over the years. No matter where you decide to go, tight lines and plenty of smiles to you.


Chuck

 

[troutdude]

Check out Minto-Brown Island Park on the south end of Salem out River Road. Also the following:

Bluegill Lake @ Cascade Gateway Park in Salem (next to Walter Wirth)
Goose Lake 7 mi. north of Salem
Mission Lake - Willamette Mission St. Park Salem
St. Louis Ponds 2 mi. west of Gervais
Woodburn Pond east of I-5 from Woodburn
Benson Lake near Portland
Blue Lake 3 mi. NW of Troutdale
Bybee Lake Portland
Government Island Slough north of PDX
Mirror Pond in Rooster Rock Park south of Hwy. 30
Rooster Rock Slough
Smith Lake Portland
Yamhill River mouth to Lafayette Locks
South Yamhill River McMinnville & around Whiteson

Ready to go fishing??? Good luck!

P.S. I'm glad that Chuck won't have to throttle you now!

 

[fish4life]

Thanks for all the info, Im not planning on going out until probably may. I will definitely have to check out hills creek and lookout res. Do you know if there are any campgrounds there and if a 14ft smokercraft boat, not an alaskan has lower sides would be safe. It is pretty stable I just worry about if it gets windy and pretty choppy. I had it up a clear lake on Mt hood one year and wind must of beeen blowing 30 it was fine when I was going with the wind but when I would turn into it the wind wanted to lift the bow up. if I would of had another person in the boat I think it would of put some weight towards the bow.

 

[fish4life]

I will also have to check out the willamette Ive been wanting to try some bass and maybe some sturgeon fishing on the upper part anyways, but i think I would be afraid of eating fish from their and I do like tasty crappie fillets. And St paul also, is that the one where the road runs through it and water on both sides of the road Ive seen people fishing there before.

 

[Troutski]

Thanks for all the info, Im not planning on going out until probably may. I will definitely have to check out hills creek and lookout res. Do you know if there are any campgrounds there and if a 14ft smokercraft boat, not an alaskan has lower sides would be safe. It is pretty stable I just worry about if it gets windy and pretty choppy. I had it up a clear lake on Mt hood one year and wind must of beeen blowing 30 it was fine when I was going with the wind but when I would turn into it the wind wanted to lift the bow up. if I would of had another person in the boat I think it would of put some weight towards the bow.

Both these res. can get rather knarly at times. Keep an eye on the weather and it shouldn't be a problem, both lakes have multipul ramps throughout; both have overnight camping either pay or free.

Chuck

 

[fish4life]

Thanks again Chuck, Ill have to see if I can get down there for a weekend once the weather gets nicer.

 

[GungasUncle]

It's not exactly within an hour or hour and a half - but the South-central Coast is full of lakes that have excellent warmwater fishing - Tenmile, Siltcoos, and Takenitch are super fisheries - all have camping, all have boat ramps, and all are fishable year round. They've got everthing from trout (cutts and bows) and panfish to bass to carp & catfish, to coho salmon in them. Takenitch has some outstandingly stellar yellow perch fishing, the crappie are eager and willing also. They're fairly large lakes, but there's LOTS of cover to search. Some excellent fishing opportunities!

 

[The Nothing]

Blue Lake 3 mi. NW of Troutdale
Bybee Lake Portland
Government Island Slough north of PDX
Smith Lake Portland

There aren't any fish in Smith-Bybee Lakes anymore. They were drained a couple years ago, and still haven't recovered.

All the rest are on or near superfund sites, and eating anything out of them is NOT recommended...

 

[adambomb]

Molalla river state park in Canby has a series of 3 or 4 small ponds that are teeming with bluegill and black crappie. There are also some large mouth bass and warm mouth in some of them too. Be sure to sharpen your ninja casting skills as the shorelines are super thick. I pulled a couple dozen 12"ers out of there last summer and they tasted great!

 

[troutdude]

There aren't any fish in Smith-Bybee Lakes anymore. They were drained a couple years ago, and still haven't recovered.

All the rest are on or near superfund sites, and eating anything out of them is NOT recommended...

Thanks for adding those fine comments Mr. Nothing. My reference book, did NOT include those important details.

 

[troutdude]

A-Bomb...you've got me salivating. I'm gonna have to go fish those ponds too, for some crappie fillets!

 

[adambomb]

A-Bomb...you've got me salivating. I'm gonna have to go fish those ponds too, for some crappie fillets!

Some of the best fish I've ever had!!

 

[troutdude]

I was only salivating...but now...

I am SLOBERING AND NEED A BIB FAST!!!

 

[Drew9870]

Tenmile, Siltcoos, and Takenitch are super fisheries, They've got everthing from trout (cutts and bows) and panfish to bass to carp & catfish, to coho salmon in them. Takenitch has some outstandingly stellar yellow perch fishing, the crappie are eager and willing also. They're fairly large lakes, but there's LOTS of cover to search. Some excellent fishing opportunities!

Carp in the coastal lakes, I don't think so, I've been fishing Siltcoos since I was able to walk, and I have never heard of Carp or seen them in there, lots of gas bubbles though, which looks like feeding Carp, Largescale Suckers might be your Carp. Devils Lake is the only place with Carp, and they are stocked + illegal to target, so that doesn't count, lol.

And for Crappie in Siltcoos, good luck finding a meals worth, Crappie seem to be extinct in that lake since the flood of 96, once in a great while you can find a school, but you would have to be dedicated to the lake for that to happen.

Perch are another story, coastal lakes are the place to go, but Siltcoos is also not doing too well for the Perch fishery, Munsel Lake gets much deeper, and has no shortage of Perch, nice Rainbows in there as well, just be careful about the Bull Trout.

 

[amateurmatt]

The St. Paul pond being talked about is right next to the cemetary just on the east side of town. Many people fish from the bridge, however I'd recommend hitting it from a different area.

Head north either on the Highway through town toward Newberg or on French Prairie Rd. Turn onto Buyserie Road(gravel road) and you'll eventually come to wear it is damned up. You can have decent success for crappie and bluegill from the shore(and catfish late afternoon to evening). If you have a small boat(you'll need to put it on the water by hand) you can row on out around the bend and get out into the stumps(more like trees missing their branches. Out there you can find some nice crappie and some excellent bass.

I will also have to check out the willamette Ive been wanting to try some bass and maybe some sturgeon fishing on the upper part anyways, but i think I would be afraid of eating fish from their and I do like tasty crappie fillets. And St paul also, is that the one where the road runs through it and water on both sides of the road Ive seen people fishing there before.

 

[nwkiller]

Cottage grove lake, although contaminated with mercury has a huge number of pretty good size crappie