April & May outing ideas?

As we start into fishing season and HOW season we're looking for ideas on where to get some heroes on some fish. If you have a spot that you like on the west side of the coast range between Astoria & Newport post it up with amenities and why you like to fish it.

Ollala Lake (or is it Olalla?) by Newport/Toledo. Big parking lot by the ramp, scenic, several species present, basic outhouses, though. It gets stocked w/rainbows.

Yaquina Bay South jetty by the fingers -- rockfish and lingcod.  Easy launch from South Beach marina ($6 launch fee for the main ramp shared with power boats). Lots of parking. Marina Store, Flush Toilets, hot water, crab cookers (though I'm not sure if they run the cookers that early in the season).

I would like to try Cape Meares Lake again but it will have to be early in the season before the weeds take over again. 

I would like to do Nehalem, Tillamook, and Yaquina Bays but I think those might be better choices for later in the season. 

Netarts for crabs and clams.  We could do crabhawks off the kayaks that way they'd be easier to pull then pots.  Or cast them from the rocks for those that don't want to take the kayaks across the bay to the clamming spots.  I've only clammed and crabbed at netarts once and never from a kayak so I'm not sure how doable it would be so hopefully someone with more experience will chime in.

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I would like to try Cape Meares Lake again but it will have to be early in the season before the weeds take over again. 

I would like to do Nehalem, Tillamook, and Yaquina Bays but I think those might be better choices for later in the season. 

Netarts for crabs and clams.  We could do crabhawks off the kayaks that way they'd be easier to pull then pots.  Or cast them from the rocks for those that don't want to take the kayaks across the bay to the clamming spots.  I've only clammed and crabbed at netarts once and never from a kayak so I'm not sure how doable it would be so hopefully someone with more experience will chime in.

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I have crabbed Netarts from a kayak, and you will spend time fighting the tide. Not sure I'd ask a newb to try to spend 2 hours going up and down from pot to pot fighting the tide half the time.

What about Devils Lake ?

We did a Netarts HOW event fir Portland chapter vets did not pull pots and we had a jetfisher pilot (jet jockey) as a chase boat.
We are also looking at Big Creek Reservoir in Newport 
Our biggest hurdle right now is having to borrow gear, we're hoping to have our own gear before the end of this season but that's a tall order... pending donations.... so send them donations our way 

What about Devils Lake ?

That looks promising.  Anyone ever fish it from a kayak?

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What about Devils Lake ?

That looks promising.  Anyone ever fish it from a kayak?

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I've fished it from a kayak, not much success for trout, caught a few perch which made great fish jerky.  I think ODFW stocks it early in the spring, haven't looked at 2017 schedule though so not sure when.

What about Devils Lake ?

That looks promising.  Anyone ever fish it from a kayak?

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I've fished it from a kayak, not much success for trout, caught a few perch which made great fish jerky.  I think ODFW stocks it early in the spring, haven't looked at 2017 schedule though so not sure when.

I haven't, because when I was thinking to go, it had algae. Which is why April/May is the right timing.

What about Devils Lake ?

That looks promising.  Anyone ever fish it from a kayak?

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I've fished it from a kayak, not much success for trout, caught a few perch which made great fish jerky.  I think ODFW stocks it early in the spring, haven't looked at 2017 schedule though so not sure when.

I haven't, because when I was thinking to go, it had algae. Which is why April/May is the right timing.

Seems a lot of these coastal lakes are shallow and tend to turn "green" by the time summer rolls around.  So it seems lakes and ponds in March through May and switch to Bays and lakes further inland for later in the summer.

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We might be hitting town lake (PC) in April and one in the Newport area in May

We might be hitting town lake (PC) in April and one in the Newport area in May

That is a teeny weeny lake. Teeny weeny.

Olalla (near Toledo) is at full pool, only two people fishing there today when I scouted it.  A kayak guy and a bank fisherman. Not sure when this lake gets stocked, but it would be an excellent choice for a HOW event!

I think next year you could consider doing a herring jigging outing in February!  That's really fun and super easy. But Late February can be dicey weather.  Can catch the herring without leaving the marina though, so, could be "safe".