NorthWest Kayak Anglers
Regional Discussions => Oregon Kayak Fishing => Topic started by: minnowmagnet on February 21, 2018, 06:28:49 PM
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I got a wild hair to get out of the house today despite the cold weather and see if the myth of the February springer might possibly come true for me. I got on the water bright and early around 12:30 and had my usual area to myself. This was nice but not productive, so I moved above the bridge and joined a couple of the real old time Sellwood dudes trolling the shallow shelf up there. I love trolling around these awesome guys year after year and it is always fun to hear their stories about the springer fishing in the 80's and what it was like back then. It usually makes me jealous because it took me so long living in Portland to start doing this. Today I didn't have to feel as jealous because I got the only bite up there and the old dudes had to watch. It wasn't the biggest springer on earth but it was one of the most thrilling, simply because I got it a full month earlier than I usually land my first. The only downside is that I am going to be pathologically obsessed with these sebaceous white-bellied diamonds for at least another four months now.
It took a red label behind an inline flasher trolled very slowly close to the floor.
The herring was brined in the tears of Jesus.
Cheers!
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Awesome! Any shots of the fillet I can drool over?
Almost forgot.....F'n minnowmagnet!
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Outstanding man! That's so cool to see a February springer from a kayak. Well done!
Where can I find those Jesus tears? :D
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Great fish!
Trying a new way to have new line/hooks ready if I happen to get that lucky. I cut about 3 inches inches off a pool tube and sliced in an inch on one side. Starting on the side away from the highlighter marked slice, set the hook and start winding slowly toward the slice and hook the end in the slice. Repeat with two sets. Like usual, they unwind very nicely from my chair while watching the olympics. I stuck one in a small ziplock in my pdf pocket last time and it seems to work well. Switch out in about a minute with cold fingers. I’ve stuck a small snap swivel on the end of the weight and a double end closed swivel on the end of the shelled lines. Just takes a second to switch and if you start from the cut mark end they come off nicely. I stick the old hooks away from the cut line. Thought someone else might like a shot at it.
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Awesome! Any shots of the fillet I can drool over?
Almost forgot.....F'n minnowmagnet!
Snopro, I'm not sure if these shots do the fillets any justice, but I can affirm that the meat has a definite oily sheen to it and I'm sure it will pustulate heavily on the grill later.
Thanks ya'll for the congrats and I'm looking forward to seeing a bunch of you on the water this spring.
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Congrats! If you're game for company next time you decide to brave the wild I'm game if you want company.
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Very nice! I'm staring out the window at sideways blowing snow thinking about the new salmon and trout poles I set up yesterday. Looks like you snuck out at the just the right time!
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Nice job ,MM! I was just saying to Hugh that it was my job to head them tasty morsels off lower in the river before they could get to you guys. And then I went to Merwin,dang it.
Great write up....have a nice bask in the glory of first kayak Springer...I remember those good old days....but NEVER in February! :o
Continued luck to you sir!
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Way to go, Brian!
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Fantastic! Great work ;D
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Nice job ,MM! I was just saying to Hugh that it was my job to head them tasty morsels off lower in the river before they could get to you guys. And then I went to Merwin,dang it.
Great write up....have a nice bask in the glory of first kayak Springer...I remember those good old days....but NEVER in February! :o
Continued luck to you sir!
Well dberd, maybe it was fear of having to settle for your sloppy seconds that got me out in February in the first place!
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Congrats! This is something I want to try for the 1st time this year. If you don't mind sharing, where do you launch from around there? Thanks!
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Congrats on the first :o ...of many I’m sure ::)
Oh ya almost forgot ..... That F’N Minnowmagnet >:D
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You know that guy you secretly hate because of his success. Yeah, that's you Brian. :laugh:
Way to beat the odds!
-Mark-
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This is awesome! Congrats on this early springer!!
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excellent.
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Solid work Brian! I gotta get me one of those Rabbit Skin Hats! Ya gotta a lucky foot hangin off that thing? Hope I haven't prematurely lost my wing-man for kayak winter steelheading this year. Keep your 2019 February schedule open cause that's gonna be quite the title to defend & repeat next year! :D >:D
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Geez. Now I've got the itch to get out there and not catch one!
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Solid work!! 8)
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NICE!! first yak springer? i nominate for pic of the month!
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F'n Brian! Just kidding, dude. Really nice! ;D
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For those debating where to fish this weekend, I just wanted to throw a little shout toward the Willamette. I was out today after a long break and the water was still a little slate green, but improving. Loving this two-rod stuff! It really keeps me occupied and focussed on what I'm doing. Didn't see any action from the boats today, but my starboard rod took a thrashing from this 33" brawler. It took a red label dyed blue in 16fow.
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BAM! You da man!
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Nice fish! Do you keep it in a ice bag after catch or in the water? Always wondering how safe is it to drag it in the water if seals are around you.
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Nice fish! Do you keep it in a ice bag after catch or in the water? Always wondering how safe is it to drag it in the water if seals are around you.
I always keep my fish in a bag with ice after I'm done bleeding it. Wouldn't want a sea lion altercation, nor would I want the drag. Once the water gets into the 50's, the meat will keep a lot better on ice than in the water. You work too hard for these fish not to take excellent care of them.
It took me a long time to start buying ice before every springer trip, but the fish-gods seem to reward preparedness.
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a little more eye candy from this morning.
Went 1 for 2.
There are definitely some fish around and they are snapping so don't wait.
Red label dyed blue
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Awesome!
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"Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s kayak, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s days off from work, not his secret fishing spots, nor his springers that he posts every day on the forum, nor any thing that is thy neighbors"
Have mercy on my soul!
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That's a beauty! Congrats! I was out Sunday and only the sealions were getting fish.
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You ARE the Fishing God! Nice work man.
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You are the envy of all working on Monday. It was such a nice day too.
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Wow. Again,that's some fine work pulling that gorgeous fish out of a river seemingly devoid of fish. I'm 0-3 and pretty much been looking at s blank screen.
Congrats,MM....that right there is why we get out early and test the waters early...thanks for the stoke ,will probably try again tomorrow. Water conditions have been great....
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Ok, I gotta quit making excuses not to go, so I too can paddle around all day to get nothing
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Yeah, Dberd, the water conditions have been great compared to last year. I remember not getting a good effort in until the beginning of April last year. I feel blessed to be able to get in these successful short trips just 10 minutes from home in such a nice setting, and especially, this early in the season. Today, I got a nice bite trolling downhill with rod in hand in 12fow. It was literally going to be my last pass of the morning.
I'm looking forward to seeing some posts on here from some of the usual suspects showing off some chrome Willamette white-bellies!
In the meantime, here is a couple of shots of today's little scrapper.
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Wow....that is almost as many fish in your kayak as fish that made it over the Willamette Falls sofar this year!!
Congrats.
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Between you and the sea lions there's nothing getting past! :) Congrats on yet another great fish!
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Wow,every year I think I run out of ways to congratulate you on your springer success,but never by mid March,yeah. ::) There was an excellent smolt bite at Cathedral yesterday, I caught 6 haha.
Awesome work,MM....hope ya keep it going!
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Just remember when nobody posts anything it’s because we’re all dead........ your killing us man! Keep it up, how soon you thinking your going to run out of tags?
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You are awesome! There are a lot of guide boats charging people a whole bunch of money that would love to have your success ratio.
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"Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s kayak, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s days off from work, not his secret fishing spots, nor his springers that he posts every day on the forum, nor any thing that is thy neighbors"
Have mercy on my soul!
Too Late... But, way to go MinnowMagnet