A Century of Smallmouth Bass in the Mid-Columbia

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“Toss a spinner over by that rock pile,” my supervisor said. “Big bass move into this backwater slough to spawn.” As his subordinate, I felt obligated to obey.

The 3½-pound smallmouth bass hooked on my first cast served as a rousing introduction to a fish whose fighting prowess has destroyed more than one cheap spinning reel. The salient event occurred in White Bluffs slough nearly four decades ago, before the general public was allowed access to the heart of the Hanford Reach of the Columbia River. My supervisor had spent the previous two years using radio telemetry to study smallmouth bass migration behavior.

Smallmouth bass are sometimes referred to as bronzebacks, black bass, brown bass, white trout, redeyes, and smallies. Original range was limited to the Great Lakes region and large river systems that included the Ohio and upper Mississippi. Purported to possess “legendary sporting quality” and “delicious flesh,” it’s no surprise numerous introductions took place throughout North America beginning in the mid-19th century. Back then, anglers brought their favorite fish along when they moved to another part of the country.

Introduced to the mid-Columbia River in the 1920’s, smallmouth bass quickly established a popular sport fishery in the Yakima River. Early populations continued to spread throughout Columbia and Snake River reservoirs, the Hanford Reach, and associated tributary streams following the construction of mainstem dams. As evidence of their abundance, the three-rivers area near the Tri-Cities supports several bass tournaments each year. Lake Wallula (McNary Reservoir) has been described in “America’s Best Bass Fishing” and the Columbia River holds a top 25 ranking on Bassmaster magazine’s “best western bass lakes of the decade.”

Smallmouth move from winter holding areas in the Columbia River to the Yakima River and other tributary streams in early April. During the pre-spawn period, they hold in back eddies and deep holes near the bank, favoring instream cover that includes boulders, rootwads, and basalt cliffs. Bass are aggressive feeders and can be taken with spinners and flies when they frequent riffle-run habitat throughout the summer.

Two years ago, in early June, a buddy and I floated the lower Walla Walla River upstream of Nine-Mile Ranch in pontoon boats. Flows had recently dropped from late season snowmelt, providing 18 inches of visibility. Bank anglers and recreational rafters were both out in full force. We enticed smallmouth bass with 1/8-ounce Maribou jigs cast into deep swirl holes and hooked others from the cover of overhanging willows using a Bunny Leech fly pattern. I’ve since spoken to anglers who cast small spinners for bass as far upstream as the Mill Creek confluence.

Backwaters of the John Day Pool provide excellent action when adult bass stage near spawning beds located near sunken reefs and gravel patches. Throwing soft plastic baits and shallow diving plugs in Paterson and Crow Butte sloughs can lead to 50-fish days in May and June. Most boaters show up early to take advantage of the morning bite. In contrast, my regular fishing partner prefers to start at noontime, a choice that typically gets us home well after dark. “The best bite occurs at sunset,” Wayne tells me when catch rates are slow. “We can’t leave now,” he says, when fishing gets fast and furious.

Looking for non-stop action? If so, consider a summer float trip to the Hells Canyon Reach of the Snake River or the Grande Ronde and John Day Rivers. Multi-day trips offer families plenty of fun for small bass, whether tossing a surface popper with a fly rod or a 1/8-ounce jig and curly tail worm using ultra-light spinning gear. Impressive landscape and abundant wildlife enhances the experience. Guided trips are available starting at around $100 per person per day.

Thriving smallmouth bass populations have created a dilemma for fisheries managers tasked with restoring depleted salmon and steelhead runs. Along with walleye, smallmouth bass have largely replaced native northern pikeminnow as the apex predator in some waters. A study conducted from 2013 to 2015 showed predation of smallmouth bass on juvenile Chinook salmon increased 15-fold in Lower Granite Reservoir over the rate noted in 1996 to 1997, explained in part by increases in smallmouth bass consumption rates and increased density of subyearling hatchery Chinook salmon.

Washington and Oregon fisheries managers recently removed size and harvest limits on bass in the Columbia and Snake River and tributaries upstream of McNary Dam on the Washington-Oregon border, citing a need to reduce predation on juvenile salmon and steelhead. The decision did not come without controversy, however. Devoted bass anglers fear increased take of trophy-size fish with little benefit to declining salmon populations. In other locations, a 5-fish per day with restriction on number of large bass harvested may apply.

Over the past several years I have had regular occasion to revisit my early bass experience in the Hanford Reach. A trip in early June last year happened to coincide with a friend who conducted research on bass feeding habits. One difference was that I have long since developed opinion of my own and he didn’t have to point where to cast.

 

 

Product Review- Range Reels

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            Two words come to mind when I open the flexible waterproof case that holds a 5-6 wt, Avail fly reel: classic and elegant. Precision forged from high-grade aluminum, the reel’s single-piece design exudes performance and longevity. Its fully-sealed, carbon fiber drag system starts slow and evenly applies the brakes to control tension on hooked fish during both fresh and saltwater applications. The grooved out “saddle” spool allows for more abundant even-spaced backing than traditional fly reels. Other important features include a mid-arbor design to provide fast line pick up and a hex head screw design that ensures years of use. If a mid-priced quality reel is what you are looking for, this one covers just about every situation that can happen to a fly caster on the water.

Range Reels (www.rangereels.com) is a new and original fly reel company that’s an offshoot of “built in the USA” Walton Rods. The Avail model retails for $219 and is available in 3-4 wt, 5-6 wt, and 7-8 wt sizes. All reels come with a lifetime warranty and a 30-day satisfaction or refund guarantee. Whether your quest is for bluegill, smallmouth bass, steelhead, or northern pike, you will not be disappointed.

Springtime fishing for Smallmouth Bass

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“Fishing will be slow but bass are large this time of year,” Wayne said, as incentive for me to join him in early March when a cruel northeast breeze ruffled the surface of the Columbia River. The only evidence of spring was a flock of sandhill cranes that chortled as they circled overhead. An empty boat launch suggested our efforts could be futile.

I was lucky enough to land the first bass, maybe 2 lbs, vertical jigging in 40 feet of water with a 5/8 ounce Blade Bait. Wayne caught the next two on a drop-shot rig, including one that weighed a hefty 4 lbs. “Smallmouth overwinter in deep water,” he shared, expertly maneuvering his boat over a deep drop-off lined with washtub-size boulders. Despite a lull in action, Wayne stayed vigilant at the bow until the sun slipped below Rattlesnake Mountain. Meanwhile I lost interest after donating four rigs to the bottom of the river.

For Wayne, bass fishing is not an avocation so much as it’s an obsession. Once a tournament angler, he now fishes for fun, and for no other species than bass from early March to late November. He records water temperature, technique, and the length and weight of all bass caught. Favorable locations are logged as waypoints on his sonar. If the bite is slow, Wayne stays on the water until he figures out why. If bass are biting, he can’t stop casting. Wind, rain, and a rising moon do not deter him.

In preparation for our next outing, I spent a weekend organizing tackle bags, many which reached a general state of disarray over the winter. Careful inventory showed over three dozen packages of soft baits, including both 3-inch and “lunker” grubs, Hoochie Koochies in two-tone and sparkle combinations, various Tube Jigs or Gitzits, scented Power Worms, crawdads, and lizards.

A tangle of crankbaits, Blade baits and spinners filled out my portfolio of bass lures. The sheer volume of gear bordered on ridiculous, but you never know what bass will be biting on any particular hour of the day.

Early April found us back on the water again, this time in the lower Yakima River. Smallmouth bass move from the Columbia River into the lower “Yak” and backwaters each spring, attracted by warmer water temperature. Wayne brought in four nice smallies using a silver-and-blue Square Bill Crankbait, while I focused on refining my latent netting skills. I got even a week later when I jigged six bass on a 3-inch Sassy Shad. “You have the hot lure this time,” Wayne said.

“Give credit to the presence of juvenile salmon,” I replied. “My offering likely resembled fall Chinook smolts on the early part of their seaward journey, a favorite prey of bass.” My advanced degree in Fisheries may not make me a better angler, but it leads to more theories about what works and what doesn’t.

Smallmouth bass are abundant throughout the four lower Snake River reservoirs, where they frequent rubble shorelines and backwater channels. The Hells Canyon Reach is notably famous for providing non-stop action. I recall a hot summer day following a jet boat ride to Copper Creek Lodge. Casting for smallies while standing waist deep in the river was a great way to cool off. Further upstream, Brownlee Reservoir is excellent for smallmouth bass (also channel catfish and crappie). Coves where tributaries join the reservoir are favored, as are rocky outcrops.

Multi-day guided raft trips on the lower Grande Ronde and John Day Rivers offer families plenty of fun for small bass, whether tossing a surface popper with a fly rod or a 1/8-ounce jig and curly tail worm using ultra-light spinning gear. Impressive landscapes and abundant wildlife enhance the experience. Shuttle service is available for anglers whose idea of adventure is casting from a pontoon boat.

On calm days in May I will test my luck in warm backwaters of the John Day Pool. Where adult smallmouth bass gather near sunken reefs and gravel patches in preparation for spawning. Throwing soft plastics in colors of Motor oil, Pumpkin, and Fire Tiger in Paterson and Crow Butte sloughs has led to 50-fish days in the past. Sometimes a drag and twitch technique attracts bass like a frantic crayfish and other times bass want to eat something that swims like a crippled minnow.

I can’t wait to try out my new 5/6 Avail fly reel (www.rangereels.com). Its innovative carbon fiber drag is sure to put the brakes on any large bass that moves into shallow water to feed. Oversize flies such as Clouser Minnow, Maribou Muddler, Rattle Tube, and Bunny Leech, are often effective. Spun deer hair patterns that mimic a small mouse are a favorite choice on the Grande Ronde River. By early summer, post-spawn smallmouth are aggressive enough to go airborne when they smack a Bug Popper worked on the surface. That’s when the real fun begins. If I’m as successful as I imagine, this time around it will be me telling Wayne, “We can’t leave now. Don’t you know? The best bite always occurs at sunset.”

 

Try Quincy Lake WA for Spring Trout

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Any text message that begins with “Let’s go fishing!” should lead to quick resolution. However, most of us retirees have definite opinion about where, when, and how to fish. Three days, 29 text messages, and 13 e-mails later, we three long-time friends decide to haul our pontoon boats to Quincy Lake.

Quincy Lake is located in WDFW’s Quincy Wildlife Area, a popular fishing and hiking destination. Access to the 54-acre lake is afforded via a dirt road off WA-281 N, southwest of the town of Quincy. The shallow basins that form Quincy Lake, nearby Dusty Lake, and four small, disconnected lakes known as Ancient Lakes, were carved out when waters from the Ice Age Floods poured out of the Grand Coulee. Geologists describe the surrounding landscape as “cataract-lined alcoves separated by basalt ribs.” Anglers refer to the water bodies as “desert seep lakes.”

Fellow fly caster Ted jumps out of his truck and hands me a checklist of required items for the trip: fly rod, reel, flies, spare leader, landing net, stocking foot waders, boots, fins, oars, oar locks, life jacket, whistle, lunch, water. Once satisfied I have everything, we load my partially deflated pontoon boat atop theirs and we are on our way!

The right pocket of my pontoon boat is stuffed with six boxes of flies that contain chironomids, beadhead nymphs, wooly buggers, leeches, and other assorted soft hackle patterns. I start with a two-fly tandem that includes a Brown Wooly Bugger with a Leech trailer. Wooly buggers are a streamer-type fly designed to resemble natural trout foods such as minnows, crayfish, and aquatic insects. Leech flies come in all colors of the rainbow. The orange version I used was basically a maribou feather wrapped around a no. 12 barbless hook and tied off at the eye. What causes trout to strike either pattern is a subject of debate among flycasters. Characteristics that include undulation and contrast come to mind.

I used variations of the same two patterns all day. As Ken stated, “You have to have confidence in your fly or you won’t catch fish.”

We inflate and launch our pontoon boats. Ted paddles to the east end of the lake, where steep basalt cliffs crown the shoreline. I follow Ken’s wake to the north shore, let out 50 feet of intermediate sink line, and am immediately rewarded with a 14-inch rainbow. Ken leaves me after landing a trout of his own and ventures into a narrow arm where he caught an “18-incher” on his last visit to Quincy Lake. When an angler with a small outboard motor joins him, I peel off to explore where fly casters work the main launch area from prams.

Big mistake. Most anglers are fishing tiny chironomid patterns under a strike indicator, aka bobber fishing. Also, the west end of Quincy Lake is shallow and crowded with submerged vegetation. Lesson learned: when you fish a lake for the first time, follow someone who has caught fish there before. Do not waste valuable fishing time surveying the entire lake by yourself.

Over the next hour, I paddle against a stiff breeze, out of casting range of bank anglers that toss Power Bait. While doing so I am reminded of the limitations of trolling with child-size fins, that my oars splash like a frantic coot trying to lift off from the water’s surface, and a need to mount my seat further forward to relieve the strain on my sore back.

When I finally reach the east end of the lake, Ted reports he has caught nine trout. His success and my two-hour dry spell inspire me to troll slower and deeper. My daydreaming is soon interrupted with a vicious strike. I land the deep-bodied, silvery 16-inch rainbow, but my peanut butter sandwich dives into the lake when wind blows me into the bulrushes. Ken eventually joins up to share in the success. Our regular shouts of glee are interrupted by the “rattling bugle call” of sandhill cranes that circle the channeled scablands and a “conk-la-ree” of redwing blackbirds from their perch in the willows.

Dark storm clouds loom when we paddle back to the launch. “A great day of fishing,” Ted announces, as we tip a cold one. A double rainbow forms to the northeast on the drive home, during which Ken entertains with stories about rattlesnake dens and a pet scorpion. “What did you feed the scorpion?” Ted asks.

“Mostly spiders and soft-body bugs,” Ken replies. “He would pounce on them, sting them, and eat them like a candy bar.”

Having a pontoon boat or float tube allows you to fish several walk-in trout lakes popular to regional fly casters, including Lenice, Nunnally, and Quail. Closer to home, anglers benefit from recent plantings of catchable-size and jumbo trout in Quarry Pond, Hood Park Pond, Fish Hook Pond, and Dalton Lake. Columbia Park Pond is open to juveniles 14 years of age and younger, and holders of disability licenses.

Seven lakes that make up the Tucannon Lakes complex are also stocked with several thousand trout each year. Number and timing of stocked trout for all Washington water bodies can be viewed on the WDFW website under “catchable trout plant reports.” Given all the choices, it’s no wonder trout anglers can’t make up their mind where to fish.

Night Time is the Right Time for Big Walleye

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“There’s not enough antifreeze in my blood to stay on the water for another pass,” I say to my fishing partner. It is the last week in January. Our rod guides are iced up after trolling in dense fog for three hours without success.

“Suits me,” he replies. “I never figured you for a good guide.”

I’ve caught walleye on my first cast of the day and the last cast of the evening. I’ve caught walleye when gale force breezes blew my boat sideways and when hail filled the bottom of my boat. I’ve caught walleye on Dick Nite spoons when I trolled for American shad. Two years ago, during the sockeye salmon run, I caught a 10-pound walleye on a spinner-shrimp rig. I once jigged up three eater-size walleye in 10 minutes while my buddies watched and wondered, “What does he have that I don’t?”

I’ve also been skunked in the presence of others far more times than I care to remember.

I’ve done all these things but hadn’t fished for walleye at night until late February of this year when hero shots of large walleye populated Facebook pages, anglers with LED headlamps strapped to their forehead. My boat trailer was in the shop for repairs so I gave BT a call. “Sounds good,” he said. “My freezer is low on white meat.”

We made a warm up troll along the Richland shoreline as the sun sank low on the western horizon. When darkness fell, we outfitted rods with deep diver Bandit lures and spooled out 100 feet of 15 lb test braided line. The light sticks on our rod tips winked staccato time as we trolled one mile-per hour upstream along a 20-foot bottom contour.

Time passes slowly in the dark. It is difficult to judge distance and details of the landscape are obscured. Luckily BT had a Fishfinder GPS and sonar with bottom charts to guide the way. We bundled up in insulated bibs and stocking hats to ward off the chill. The intermittent honk of resting geese, far off sound of police sirens, and the purr of BT’s kicker motor broke the stillness. As luck would have it, one hour into the moonless night produced our first strike. I grabbed the pulsing rod and felt the pull of a heavy fish.

“Put a light on my reel, will you?” I yelled to BT, when five minutes of steady cranking failed to bring the fish to the boat.” BT complied. The line counter dial read “200.”

Lesson learned: large winter walleye fight like a log. Tighten your drag, put the motor in neutral, and keep constant pressure on the fish. We eventually brought my largest walleye ever to the net: 35 inches from nose to tip of caudal fin and an estimated 17 pounds. Two more passes through the same stretch of river and BT’s rod went down to a more modest size walleye. That one went into the fish box.

Why all the fuss over walleye? For one, their filets are firm and flaky with a flavor described as “delicate with a buttery flavor.” For me, walleye fishing provides an excuse to get my boat out when salmon and steelhead angling is not an option.

According to Tyler Miller (MillerTimeFishing; 509-942-9044), trophy walleye season brings in a large number of out-of-state clients for trips he runs on the Columbia River. Tyler prefers to start his fishing day a few hours before sunset. He keeps his boat on the water until the bite slows or clients get tired of reeling in fish. In addition to onboard electronics, he carries extra lighting and hand held GPS that automatically sends your location for help if needed. “Some trips I don’t get home until midnight,” he says.

Following introduction to Banks Lake and Lake Roosevelt in the 1960s, walleye migrated downriver to find a home throughout the Columbia and Snake River system. Wide-open flats between Wallula Gap and the Snake-Columbia River confluence remain as one of the best places to find large walleye in the United States. Both the Oregon and Washington State record walleye have been caught in McNary Dam Pool (Lake Wallula) at 19.96 lbs and 20.30 lbs, respectively.

In the lower Snake River, Lower Monumental pool has the most to offer, with walleye found from the mouth of the Palouse River upstream to Little Goose Dam. Winter anglers from the upper Columbia region favor Lake Roosevelt, Lake Rufus Woods and Banks Lake. Moses Lake and the Potholes are popular spots for anglers following the ice out period.

Walleye don’t favor strong current and move to slower water off the main current when river discharge is high. Trolling is the most effective way to find fish when they are scattered in open water. Once a school of biters is encountered, anglers might switch to a vertical presentation with lead head jigs or blade baits. Universal colors of silver, white, and chartreuse provide improved visibility at deeper depths.

Washington and Oregon fisheries managers recently removed size and harvest limits on walleye in the Columbia and Snake Rivers, citing a need to reduce predation on juvenile salmon and steelhead. However, devoted walleye anglers release larger females and limit their take of smaller fish.

Walleye feed on juvenile shad, salmon smolts, lamprey ammocoetes, and bottom-dwelling resident fish that include sculpin and sandroller. A unique layer of light-gathering tissue in the back of their eyes, the tapetum lucidum, allows them to detect prey at low light. Consequently, night fishing increases the odds of hooking trophy-size walleye that move from deep water to the shallows to feed. No wonder anglers are willing to drive hundreds of miles to fish in the dark for a chance at a “walleye of a lifetime!”

 

A Century of Smallmouth Bass in the Mid-Columbia

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“Toss a spinner over by that rock pile,” my supervisor said. “Big bass move into this backwater slough to spawn.” As his subordinate, I felt obligated to obey. The 3½-pound smallmouth bass hooked on my first cast served as a rousing introduction to a fish whose fighting prowess has destroyed more than one cheap spinning […]

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