Appears to be the right lure

Considering what's already in its mouth.  The pattern is a crawfish pattern, which you can't quite tell from the photo.  This is a Smallie in the Willy.  Good times!

Nice lip and chin combo he wasn't going any where

Yeah, I felt bad about that chin hook and I did my best to limit damage on the release.  Probably got the second treble during the fight, which is always surprisingly strong with bass.

Yeah, I felt bad about that chin hook and I did my best to limit damage on the release.  Probably got the second treble during the fight, which is always surprisingly strong with bass.

I wasn't going to ask if you C&R but I figured if it was in the pdx area most fish aren't real clean and a lot of people won't eat them plus if he swam away don't feel bad , I have had them throw the other hook in there eye

Always amazes me how so many people want bass released, but just hate pikeminnow. 

Man that's a big crawfish. Looks like it's trying to crawl back out. Cool pic

Always amazes me how so many people want bass released, but just hate pikeminnow.

Yeah, I guess my rationale is that I want to catch that bass again.  I'm sure it's eating as many smolt as the pike minnow.  Also, I'm wondering if there's no bounty on bass because they are considered native, but pike minnow are not? 

Actually, Bass are not native, and pikeminnow are.  I'm betting it's all economics.  Bass fishermen typically spend lots of money that translates to good economic impacts and more tax revenue.

Thanks Lee, I get your rationale.  Does anyone here eat bass from the Columbia or Willamette?  I've been assuming they contain high levels of toxins, but maybe I'm wrong.

Thanks Lee, I get your rationale.  Does anyone here eat bass from the Columbia or Willamette?  I've been assuming they contain high levels of toxins, but maybe I'm wrong.

I don't think I would personally eat anything out of those rivers

I just found this link:
http://public.health.oregon.gov/HealthyEnvironments/Recreation/FishConsumption/Pages/index.aspx#fishmap

So, yeah I don't think I'll be cooking up any resident fish considering the parts of those rivers I fish in and the fact that my kids love to eat fish.  Now, salmon on the other hand...😉

Sweet! Got to love the active feeders - that looks like a big crawfish! A long time ago on the other side of the country I used to make good sport of using live crawfish for smallmouth bait. Not legal in Oregon unfortunately.

You're a brave man to post your bass lure color/pattern... Respect!

I don't feel compromised on posting my bass lure.  Bass fishing is just a fun little distraction for me and I think the whole bass scene is pretty mellow around here.  Now, if this were Alabama or Texas...

I don't feel compromised on posting my bass lure.  Bass fishing is just a fun little distraction for me and I think the whole bass scene is pretty mellow around here.  Now, if this were Alabama or Texas...

I've been around some guys who'd look at you like you'd just asked for cords to their halibut hole if you asked what pattern, let alone color or heaven forbid location! But yeah, overall fairly mellow around here.

Alot of.people talk about how much smolts that the minnows and other fish consume. At the same time these fish provide our juvenile salmon and steelhead a smorgasbord of easy quality food, to ensure that they grow. I'm sure the other fishes impact is far greater, but If remove them all, the numbers of salmon trout.steelhead would dramatically decrease. At least in smaller river systems.