Northwest Fishing Reports

Hey guys, Ive recently begun to start fishing Smallmouth bass in the Columbia river. I have tried many different lures, but out of everything I have found that a simple worm and hook has worked the best. I was just wondering, what has worked the best for you? According to colors, sizes, etc. Anything will help.

If your fishing a rocky bank, I love fishing cranks if they are active. Jointed Shad Raps work great for me...I can't remember if I'm using the size 5 or 7...

http://www.rapala.com/products/luresdet ... salt=Fresh

Blue shad or silver shad works great for me....Lake WA smallies love em...

Otherwise, can't go wrong with robo worms on a d-shot for smallies

Good luck and post back with results...

-SK

also, it might be worth getting in touch with kzoo, chrisb or danielt. I know they fish for smallies quite often and are great fishermen....I'm sure there are more who fish smallies more often but those two pop to my mind first...

If you are fishing around weeds try ticking a lipless crankbait over the tops of them.

Don't forget tubes and jigs.

Might try a few X-RAPS...These things are starting to turn into my confident bait.

Thx guys, those are some great tips. I'll test out a few things and get back to you soon. Im also shore bound right now, so who knows what might happen. One thing I do know, is that Im fishing in sand and occationally the current carries my bait to the rocks. I think Im gonna try some softplastics first and then work my way to lures. Like I said, I'll get back to you.

Thx

The1fishingpro

Can someone provide a link showing a tube and jig setup?

Curly tailed grubs on a jig head:-$ brown in color or smoke:-$

SnohoBassGuy wrote:Can someone provide a link showing a tube and jig setup?

This is for rigging a tube
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bigbasstaz wrote:Curly tailed grubs on a jig head:-$ brown in color or smoke:-$

Everyone is telling ya the truth! To add to staz statement also use chartreuse, smallies seem to love bright colors as well, also instead of jigging the grub just slow roll it with a 1/8oz head just ticking the bottom, soooo deadly. Another trick is to T-Rig a tube bait with brass and glass, oh snap, I should have not told you that one.

Rat-L-Traps, diving crankbaits, and tube jigs are my faves for the Columbia.

4" weightless senkos can be very effective. If you are fishing in a current, you might try letting one drift on a slack line. I usually go with natural colors like watermelon and pumpkin, but it depends on water clarity. This one works good in murky water:

Took your guys advice to the river today. Tried dropshotting red worms for a while with no success. Idk if it was the color or my presentation. I do in fact have Curly Tailed grubs in Chartreuse that I had bought from a guy at Sportsmans. He said they kill smallmouth out by Joes CrabShack. I forgot all about them. Next time I go out I will try those and maybe some more things.

Thx guys you have been very helpful.

Ive had success using creature baits fishing near shallow rock piles or drop offs. They look just like crayfish. I caught the one in the below picture by creating my own jig by puting a senko on a jig head and placing a skirt near the jig head. Ive had good success doing so.

A electro and a net.You will catch every thing around you fast.

fishnislife wrote:Sniper Snubs and Bolts on the D-Shot in Sand.

I also have good success with a crankbait 7-10ft diver in either trout or craw pattern.



fishnislife

Oh no you didn't. You done let the cat out of the bag.

The DS and Cranks are my strengths. We'd fish pretty good together.

FishinPro,

What part of the Columbia are you fishing and do you stay on the WA side? My brother lives not too far from the 205 bridge in OR and I want to know if that section of the river at 205 is smallie worthy.

islandbass wrote: My brother lives not too far from the 205 bridge in OR and I want to know if that section of the river at 205 is smallie worthy.

There are small mouth all through out that area but the most productive water is up by the Johnday river. I grew up in the Portland area and heard of small mouth being caught all up and down the river.

Try Mayer State Park just west of The Dalles on the Oregon side. Lots of shore access.

Hey guys, I went back out today and tried your guys advice. First cast..sure enough I was getting hammered. I actually only tried the Curly-Tailed grub this time, but yeah man they work good. Set up drop-shot with the curly-tail as the bait and reeled it in slow with the occasional twitch. Soon after that I switched to old reliable (worm & Hook) and caught myself a decent sized Sturgeon. It was my first one ever, but It wasnt a disappointment thats for sure. Put up one Hell of a fight and it even jumped 2 feet out of the water to give me a spectacular show. Thx again guys. I will be heading out again soon.