My Weblog
Tuesday, April 29, 2003
April 29: Another great day on the water with friends Duane Finsaas (503-760-7636) and Master Angler (our 15th this year) Gary Hartung (503-601-3243). It was 34 in Fossil this morning, 44 at the river with the water at 48, 7-8 clarity, running 4720 CFS with clear skys. We boated the first fish at 9:15 and had 6 by lunch, then it got better. Gary boated a nice 20 3/4" X 13" Master Angler fish at the Pat MacInnes Hole, and a trophy (18 incher) later. Duane boated an 18 1/2 incher at the Dan Ponciano Hole. The big fish again came on a Carolina Rig covered with Smelly Jelly. The water warmed up to 51 this afternoon and the clarity dropped down to a 4-5 with the temp up to 52 at the takeout.
Steve Fleming Mah-Hah Outfittters www.johndayriverfishing.com bassinbuddy@centurytel.netMonday, April 28, 2003
April 28th: Took the husband/wife team of Tom and Becky Bobbit (503-641-8935). The temp in Fossil was 34 degrees, the temp at the river was 42 and the water was still cool at 46, running 4920 CFS, 3-4 clarity on a cler morning. The first fish cam at 10:30, and we only had 4 by lunch. We ended up with 17 fish, and TOM CATCHING THE BIGGEST FISH WE'VE EVER BOATED 23" LENGTH x 16" GIRTH. USING THE FORMULA OF GIRTH SQUARED TIMES THE LENGTH DEVIDED BY 800, IT WAS 7 POUND 5 3/4 OUNCES. TRUST ME IT WAS A HUGE FISH AND TOM DID A GREAT JOB GETTING THIS PIG TO THE BOAT. WE CAUGHT IT ON A CAROLINA RIG COVERED WITH SMELLY JELLY.
April 27th: This was the Wright Chevrolet Annual Trip. The water was running over 5000 CFS, had dropped in temperature to 46 degrees with a clarity of 5-6. Tough conditions, but they boated 38 fish with Denny Goodwin (541-384-6000) boating a nice 21 1/2" X 14 1/2" Master Angler Smallmouth. Tom Troxel caught the most with 9 smallies, Denny Gooddwin the biggest, and John Geer caught the five longest for the Championship. Thye did a great time under tough conditions. By the way for a GREAT deal on a NEW Chevrolet call 541 -763-4175.
Friday, April 25, 2003
April 24: "The Day it Rained" Fished with a great couple from The Dalles, Dan and Lori Nelson. It rained till 3 PM in the afternoon, but the fish were still biting. Itwas 39 degrees in Fossil,42 at the river and the water was 49, 4790 CFS, 3-4 clarity, and very overcaast morning. Lori caught the first fish at 7:45 AM and by lunchtime they had 11 smallmouth bass. The water temp after lunch was still 49 and the air about 48, with a clarity change to 5-6. They stayed with it and caught another 11 fish during the afternoon. The secret seemed to be grubs fished on the bottom covered with Smelly Jelly.
April 24: "The Day it Rained" Fished with a great couple from The Dalles, Dan and Lori Nelson. It rained till 3 PM in the afternoon, but the fish were still biting. Itwas 39 degrees in Fossil,42 at the river and the water was 49, 4790 CFS, 3-4 clarity, and very overcaast morning. Lori caught the first fish at 7:45 AM and by lunchtime they had 11 smallmouth bass. The water temp after lunch was still 49 and the air about 48, with a clarity change to 5-6. They stayed with it and caught another 11 fish during the afternoon. The secret seemed to be grubs fished on the bottom covered with Smelly Jelly.
Tuesday, April 22, 2003
April 21: THE DINKS ARE OUT, once the water reaches a fairly stable 52 degrees in the afternoon the little fish are now biting. Good news is mosre fish being caught. Skip and I took Barry and June Snook (503-266-3411) and David Giller (June's son) and girlfriend Amie Thomas today. It was 45 degrees in Fossil at 5 AM, 46 at the river, water temp 51 degrees with the river flowing 3390 CFS, water clarity of 2, and overcast sky. David caught the first fish about 8 AM and we had 13 fish by lunch. The tempoerature after lunch went up to 55 and the water 52. They ended up with 38 fish; Barry getting an 18 1/2" and June an 18 1/4" trophy fish. Most of the fish came on grubs covered with Smelly Jelly fished on the bottom and slow. June caught the most with 16 and may have to drive everybody home!?
April 19: I took Larkin DeYoung and Bill "Lost the big One" Heilman who work together. We had 26 degrees in Fossil, with air temp at the river of 36, and water temp of 45 degrees, river was running 4040 CFS, and clarity of 2-3. We caught the first fish at 7:30 AM, but only had 1 fish by lunch. We ended up with 23 fish by fishing all Carolina RIgs in the afternoon. The water temp went up to 49 with the air temp up to 64 and the river was getting clearer with clear skys. Lots of Smelly Jelly Craw/Anise seemed to be the secret in the afternoon. Bill had two huge fish on, but we did get them in the net.
Skip Geer was out on the river with Clinton Dyer of Fossil. They caught over 40 fish with most of them coming after 4 PM, but Clinton did catch our 11th Master Angler fish on a crankbait in the middle of a long flat about 8:30 AM in the morning. So we now have Clinton's Flats hole. Clinton also caught an 18 fish and Skip a 19 1/2" tropohy. They also caught most of their fish on grubs fished on the bottom, covered with Smelly Jelly.
Wednesday, April 16, 2003
April 15: Took three good friends from the John Day Mt. Vernon area fishing; Don Miller (541-932-4486, Dave Fronopel, and Red Iler. It was 36 in fossil, 37 at the river with snow frosted peaks on the way down to the river, water was 48 degrees, flowing 4980 CFS, clarity of 7-8, and a clear morning. Don caught the first fish at 7:56 AM. We had 10 by lunch then the river started getting more off color and went to a 9 by day's end. The river water only went up to 51, it got overcast and the barometer was droppping by 4 PM. We still caught fish up against the bank, but all but one fish was caught with grubs covered with Smelly Jelly fished almost dead slow from the bank out (only good water against the banks). Once the water gets dirty with silt it's almost impossible to get a crankbaits to work. We ended up with 26 fish, and Don boated a nice 19 1'4", 18 1/16, and 17" (he also boated 14 fish). All were fat and looking good.
Steve Fleming Mah-hah Outfitters www.johndayriverfishing.com bassinbuddy@centurytel.net
Monday, April 14, 2003
April 14: Took Randy and Kathy Reum on the second day of their two day trip. It was a cool 36 in Fossil this morning, 43 at the river, the water temp dropped to 47, CFS was up to 4650, and it was clear sky and sunshining. We didn't get our first fish till 10:25, and Randy caught it in a hole he caught a 20"+ smallmouth a couple of years ago. It was hot at lunch and the water was up to 51 degrees, but we only had 4 fish boated. The afternoon proved better and we boated a total of 17 fish today. The barometer was going up and down, and it got cold late afternoon and stormy. We caught fish on crankbait and grubs, ostly on grubs covered with Smelly Jelly.
Steve Fleming Mah-Hah Outfitters www.johndayriverfishing.com bassinbuddy@centurytel.netSunday, April 13, 2003