Willamette zone Catfish

G
GerbilManBoa
Any info on catfishing in the Willamette zone? I'm a first timer to fish for catfish.
 
M
Moe
Wait till the early summer and fish commonwealth lake for the bullheads. fish at dusk wiht nightcrawlers on a double dropshot rig.
 
G
GerbilManBoa
Moe said:
Wait till the early summer and fish commonwealth lake for the bullheads. fish at dusk wiht nightcrawlers on a double dropshot rig.

Actually I am looking to catch Channel Cats.
 
S
Sgrunig90
GerbilManBoa - I'm originally from Idaho, in where Channel Cats are easy to find. The only place I have heard that has some Channel Cats, are at St. Louis Ponds, and Waler Wirth Pond in Salem. I have been told for good catfish, you need to go east. Over the past 3 years here, I haven't had much success on the Catfish department...which is sad, seeing that's what I fished for in Idaho... I could go to a local pond and pull 15+ channels out daily. Not much of a environment for Catfish here in Western Oregon; at least from my experience and what I've heard. I could be doing it wrong, who knows...my methods in Idaho never failed...Just came upon this site recently, so maybe we can get some answers... :)
 
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G
GerbilManBoa
Thanks. I also know Benson Lake, Hartman Pond, Multnomah Channel and some of the ponds at sauvie island also have Channel cats. I haven't tried them yet, but I will try them out. I just was hoping for some some info and of course, some reports. Thank you though. :)
 
A
adambomb
GerbilManBoa said:
Thanks. I also know Benson Lake, Hartman Pond, Multnomah Channel and some of the ponds at sauvie island also have Channel cats. I haven't tried them yet, but I will try them out. I just was hoping for some some info and of course, some reports. Thank you though. :)

Don't be a report chaser, be a report maker!!!
 
brandon4455
brandon4455
adambomb said:
Don't be a report chaser, be a report maker!!!

amen.
 
Irishrover
Irishrover
Sgrunig90 is right about those cats. In 1966 through 1969 I went to school at TVCC in Ontario Or. The Sanke river was right there to be fished and at the mouth of the Malhuer is where I would fish for cats. If I could put together some gas money it would be off to Farewell Bend. Nothing there back then but the park and a good place to fish. Over here in the metro area you would think that out on the Columbia you might find a few. I have wondered at times while sturgeon fishing where the cats were. I'm sure there must be some around, but it's hard to think of cats with all the salmon, steelhead and trout here to chase.
 
S
Sgrunig90
Irishrover - Fishing where sturgeon are seems reasonable, yet they both are bottom feeders... I have noticed not a lot carp (another bottom eater) around Salem area. So I don't think you will find nice cats in area where there are sturgeon. That just how I feel. I could be wrong though. I've fished for cats numerous times on the Willamette out of Salem no lucky...
 
S
ShdwmnkyX
I heard years ago from an older gentleman that there were Channel Cats in both the Columbia and the Willamette. I've also read recent reports that say the same thing. However I think the water is generally too cold for them to be very active. I think I heard something about people having luck out at the Multnohma slough around Sauvie's island. I do think that your best bet for one in the North East Portland area (or at least close to it) would be Hartman pond right across from Benson. They were stocking them in there a few years back.

Take that with a grain of salt though, I've never caught anything but Yellow Bullheads.
 
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GungasUncle
GungasUncle
There is a deep, deep hole on the Willamette, between Canby and the falls, where the river takes a bend. Water gets at least 80' deep there. Couple seasons back, fishing from a boat w/ a friend, we pulled some channels from there. Inaccessible by the bank, you need a boat. And a lot of anchor line.
 
S
ShdwmnkyX
Now that you mention it there was thread on here about a guy who was fishing at the park out in West Linn (Willamette I think) and he wound up catching a cat fish and it bit him. It's a pretty funny story. That would be in the general area mentioned above.
 
D
dangerranger
Ive cought a lot of catfish in the tualatin river in the summer just fishing the bottom with nightcrawlers. Good fishing from a small raft or tube you can also access the bank at cook, tualatin, and jurgens park... jurgens park and cook park both have nice fishing docks. also a lot of carp and bass in there.. its a very overlooked warm water fishery close in to town
 

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