Fishing Report for Willamette River - June 30, 2024
This morning on the Willamette River near West Linn, Oregon, the weather was partly sunny with a high near 78°F. The wind was calm, picking up to about 6 mph in the afternoon. The water temperature was a pleasant 67°F, and the clarity was excellent, with low turbidity levels making for great visibility. The discharge rate was around fourteen thousand eight hundred cubic feet per second. The moon phase was a waning crescent, which added to the serene morning ambiance.
Catches!
I had a productive morning, catching a good amount of smallmouth bass (11 or so, but who's counting?), ranging from small to average in size. In addition, I landed a good-sized bluegill. No particularly notable catches this time, but the variety kept the experience engaging.
Effective Baits and Lures
While I experimented with topwater lures, the bass were smacking them around without truly committing to a bite. However, I did have success with a Ned rig, specifically using a Rapala Crush City Ned BLT in Coppertreuse color on a 1/10 oz Z-Man Finesse ShroomZ jighead in green pumpkin, which landed one fish. The most effective setup was a drop shot rig using a 3.6" Berkeley PowerBait MaxScent Flat Worm in Green Pumpkin, which accounted for all other catches, including the bluegill.
Fishing Techniques
The drop shot technique proved to be the most effective method today. Fish were hanging in 12-14 ft. of water, mostly off ledges.
Something I Learned
Today, I spent more time than usual playing around with the Live Scope once I knew it was going to be a drop shot kind of day. It was quite enlightening to see how fish react to the drop shot on the screen.
Personal Insights
Reflecting on the morning, I believe the earlier rain and cloudy skies played a significant role in the fishing conditions. The subdued light and fresh rain seemed brought about a little bit of water color, making them more active and responsive. It was a good morning to be out on the water, enjoying the calm and honing my skills.