WEATHER: Sixtysomething with partly cloudy skies shifting to mostly sunny in the afternoon. Medium breeze.
WATER: River was at 4.9' at the Newport guage and falling. Water temp was 52 degrees at noontime and very clear. Leaves not a problem. Rocks polished from heavy recent flows.
HATCHES/FORAGE: Nothing of note: A few caddis here and there but no rises; some dace along shoreline eddies with vegetation; no crayfish seen.
Hit some of my old haunts this afternoon.
Although the river was about 5' I left the boat at home and was able to wade as well as fish from shore. I was surprised how gin clear the water was. There were some anglers out and about and I chatted up some of them (they all had a good day) although for a beautiful Saturday afternoon I had expected to see a lot more boats. Well, it's hunting season and this takes some guys off the rivers. I had some success fishing low and slow with streamers. Never tried poppers today. Fish were around slower eddy areas but not all of these held fish - had to move around to find fish. Some large fish were laid up along shoreline vegetation and I spooked several while stumbling along the shoreline. Took some decent fish today with several in the mid-teens. Top fish was an 18.5" from a current break that ate my stonecat; best SMB for me this season.
It felt mighty nice to finally be able to get out on the big rivers for some bass fishing after a mostly blown summer. Don't give up yet on river bassin - there's still some time.
WATER: River was at 4.9' at the Newport guage and falling. Water temp was 52 degrees at noontime and very clear. Leaves not a problem. Rocks polished from heavy recent flows.
HATCHES/FORAGE: Nothing of note: A few caddis here and there but no rises; some dace along shoreline eddies with vegetation; no crayfish seen.
Hit some of my old haunts this afternoon.
Although the river was about 5' I left the boat at home and was able to wade as well as fish from shore. I was surprised how gin clear the water was. There were some anglers out and about and I chatted up some of them (they all had a good day) although for a beautiful Saturday afternoon I had expected to see a lot more boats. Well, it's hunting season and this takes some guys off the rivers. I had some success fishing low and slow with streamers. Never tried poppers today. Fish were around slower eddy areas but not all of these held fish - had to move around to find fish. Some large fish were laid up along shoreline vegetation and I spooked several while stumbling along the shoreline. Took some decent fish today with several in the mid-teens. Top fish was an 18.5" from a current break that ate my stonecat; best SMB for me this season.
It felt mighty nice to finally be able to get out on the big rivers for some bass fishing after a mostly blown summer. Don't give up yet on river bassin - there's still some time.
