Upgrade to enjoy this feature!
Vital MX fantasy is free to play, but Premium users receive great benefits. Premium benefits include:
- View and download rider stats
- Pick trends
- Create a private league
- And more!
Only $10 for all 2026 SX, MX, and SMX series.
Also....on the boat thing. I had thought about the kayaks as well , but wanted something I may be able to bring an extra person on. I also have no room really to store it and can't have anything over 11' since that's all my van can haul. I also liked the idea of being able to deflate it and store it inside when the weather gets bad. I really want to hit some of the shallow streams and so forth.....as crawdad fishing is something I've done my whole life.
You mentioned your living " down there "?.......You're not in WA any more? Did you move back to Florida?
That was a couple weeks ago , my pops and I got into the trout . Added some venison for the win.
The Shop
DeCal Works Huge Plastic Inventory of UFO and Polisport kits.
Luxon 4-Post Bar Mounts
$189.95 - $239.95
Free shipping: VITALMX
This is still the most fun fishing for me . Early fall ,down river after Niagara Falls . I took a few years off but i'm gonna retool and fish salmon in the lower river again . I've had some serious battles down there with 20-25 pound salmon from shore . I only use 12 or 15 pound test line so there is a good chance of breaking the line and forcing you to use finesse . I've had some 20 minute battles that leave your arms like jello .
As for Hagg Lake: The Ned Rig works awesome for spotted bass & smallies there.
Using 6lb fluorocarbon.
Anywhere from 6ft of water to 40ft - points and the mouths of the bays & creeks and down any of the shore lines with wood & rock.
Green Pumpkin Jighead - in different weighs depending on depth you are fishing
With these in Green Pumpkin & Canadian Craw.
As for drop-shot - nose hooking these little gulp fry worms(in green pumpkin and watermelon pearl) on a size 1 drop-shot hook works amazing too.
You been doing much saltwater fishing at all?
Summer time you'll find them a little higher up but rarely near the surface. Jigging off the bottom works too, but trolling a bottom bouncer with your lure tipped with bait of some kind is very effective.
* this is for lake walleye, tactics will be much different in rivers or streams. I almost only fish lakes.
And thanks again Eddy on all the fishing advice. Heading out now to go and try and pick up everything you listed above. Hitting Hagg lake tomorrow if this weather holds out. Plan on heading out early and hiking around that lake as much as possible and make a nice long day out of it.
One other question.....coming from Portland , you have any advice on some good lakes to fish , where I could setup camp and stay for 3 - 4 days? I don't have a 4x4 , just my big cargo van , so I have to be able to drive to it. Plan on doing a lot of this , this summer.
Pit Row
Picture is the world record burbot caught in Deifenbaker Lake, Saskatchewan.
Sorta reminds me of growing up in the 80's & early 90's up in the Northwest.
As for places to camp at lakes/rivers that have bass in them in Oregon...
I'm not much into camping - but Le Page Park Campground might be a good spot
it's on the John Day - tons of smallmouth in that area.
The John Day
https://www.recreation.gov/recreationalAreaDetails.do?contractCode=NRSO…
Coastal lakes...Like Devils Lake near Lincoln city.
Both Siiltcoos & Ten Mile lake have campgrounds I believe also.
Cullaby lake near seaside at the beach may have camping too.
The only 2 places I know of that are within an hour or so of PDX is mainly in Washington state.
You'd have to get a Washington fishing license.
But there's Battleground Lake (theres spotted bass & LMB's) ,Silver Lake(you need a boat - not many bank spots - but theres LMB's in there and some spotted bass - main pattern is is mainly flipping the pads).
In Washington a bit father away....
All along hwy 14 from Beacon Rock all the way to Crow Bute - there's camping places.
All that rocky shoreline holds smallmouth - the Wishram area is very good fishing - not sure about camping but you could probably find somewhere to park and camp.
Or you could literally start bank fishing and around Beacon Rock...then just get in your van and head east and stop at any spot that looks good. Just fish lots of areas covering water and shoreline from the bank- next best thing to being in a boat. Then just find a campground.
There's also little lakes on the Washington side all down hwy 14....plus tons of bank fishing spots on the main river.
They start around Franz lake/Skamania county...
You have Green Leaf,Grant Lake,Drano Lake, Tunnel Lake,Mouth Of The White Salmon River,Bingen Harbor,,Rowland Lake,Hewett,Mouth Of The Klickitat River,Horsetheif Lake(probably the best lake along there).
Get on google maps and check it out.
I've come to the conclusion that I need a boat of some type. I went fishing at Hagg lake all day yesterday , and there is so much of that lake I can't get to for fishing. Lot's of cliff's every where and brush right on the shore line. It didn't help that every person within a 100 mile radius was there playing in the water. Place was packed , and I hit it on a bad day. About 90 degree's out. I got 3 fish on the line , and landed the 3rd one. The first one was definitely the biggest as it yarded my pole really hard , and I'm almost positive he hit my lure before It even touched the water ( was using a top water Cicada ). 2nd and 3rd were close to the same size , which were about 2lbs. Not big , but it was my first in a long time , so I cleaned right there on the shore line , took it home and cooked it up. Really good!
Fishing from the shore , in the very few spots I could find was pretty fun , but I only got to hit maybe 1 out of 10 spots , because either someone else was fishing , or people were just playing in the water. Next time I go , it'll be cooler , overcast and on a week day.......hopefully in something that floats! And gawd dang.....legs are feeling it today , as I think I hiked a good 8 - 10 miles!
This is a king I caught with my dad last summer on the Kenai
Sockeye, the best eating salmon IMO
Spawned out pink, too easy
Never gets old!
Speaking of.....I have been stocking up a bit on my trout gear as well. I finished a really tough two week job yesterday , and went out and spoiled myself a little on a couple new reels. Picked up a new Lew's Pro Magnesium Speed Spool and a Shimano Stradic FK Spinning Reel. Both of these reel's are so freakin' nice! I'm trying to get myself all setup to do both bass and trout , with some other fish.
And man..... I'll tell you what. This Lew's Magnesium carbon pro.....blows the doors off my Mach crush reel! I mean there is like no comparison. Tuning is so much more advanced and the length of that tuning is way more thought out. I'm way more sharp with my cast. I also hooked this thing up to a medium light / moderate action Berkley lightning rod , which only cost $40.00.......super light and is one awesome combo! Shit!!!......I can't wait to get back to the lake!!
Post a reply to: To the guys who fish.....Switching from Spinning reels to Baitcaster reels.