New to Portland

Hello, I just moved to Portland from Boston and need to do some kayak fishing.  I have no job, I know its kind of stupid but I planned for it, so I am available just about anytime.  I am a bit gear limited as I had to fit a lot of stuff in my car.  I have my yak, fishfinder, waders and splash top, a 5 wt, an ultra lite setup and an Abu C4 reel with 30 lb powerpro.  I am thinking about pairing the reel with a Berkley IM8 rod in X-heavy.  

If anyone is going out and doesn't mind showing me the ropes I will happily tag along.  Even if you are not fishing and just going to play outside (hiking, climbing or anything else) I wouldn't mind tagging along either.  


Thanks
Nathaniel

Welcome Nathaniel,

There are quite a few fellow kayak anglers here in the greater Portland area.  In fact, for the past 6 months of so we've been gathering on the second Thursday of the month around 7 pm to discuss kayak fishing and have a beer.  Sometime around the beginning of the month we try to figure out the details of the months meeting.

If and when it ever stops raining this year and the Willamette River level drops you might want to check out some smallmouth bass fishing which is about all that is going on right now there.  You're ultralight rod would be perfect for that.  Later in the year you can try some sturgeon, salmon, steelhead with a heavier rod.

Henry Hagg Lake is a reservoir about 50 minutes west of Portland and offers a nice mixed bag of bass (LMB and SMB), panfish and trout.   There are also a bunch of small lakes up near Mt. Hood about an hour away that offer decent trout fishing.

Eventually you'll want to check out the ocean for some rockfish and lingcod fishing.  The nearest launch is about 1.5 hours from Portland and you have to time things right with the weather, but once you get out there the fishing is usually a blast and you can fill up a freezer pretty quick.  Check out the recent "Oregon Rockfish Classic" posts here to see what I'm talking about.

Brian

Hey NDogg, welcome to the party.

Sounds like you are pretty well set up as far as gear goes.

First do you have any experience on the ocean?  The sea is flattening out , and so you should start seeing more of us posting about beach launches.  For the Portland area folks, by and large the common launch site is Pacific City/Cape Kiwanda, since the cape provides good protection for a relatively smooth surf launch and landing, and the haystack isn't a wildlife refuge, so you can get close to it.  Plus the fun of having fish all over the place, the occasional whale, porpoises, seal lions, pelicans, and beer when you land.  PC is about a 2 hour drive from Portland.  If I'm not up in Seattle on Saturday morning, then I'll probably be out at PC - if you have never launched from a beach before, PC is a good place to start (I learned how to launch there last year, and it has been the only place that I have tried a surf launch).  You should be okay in the waders and splash top if you know how to handle a kayak in the surf - although the water is still pretty cold right now (mid-50s).

Other spots in and around Portland are the launches along the Willamette, although the Spring Chinook run is winding down - there are Steelhead and Shad in the river right now as well.  Clackamette park is a pretty decent launch site, and gives you access to the mouth of the Clackamas as well as the Willamette.

Some other good spots to try out would be Hagg Lake, Timothy Lake up on Mt. Hood, etc.  For the 5wt, and depending on the size of your kayak, you may want to give Trillium lake a try before it is flooded with swimmers and people on tubes.  I know that Hagg and Timothy both get really windy on a regular basis.

Hagg Lake as the sun comes up in the summer is flat and gorgeous.  Spent alot of time out there last year (10 mins from my house).  The Nothing live's out in Portland as well and regularly hit Hagg Lake with me.  Good times!

A good link to get you started from Oregon Dept of Fish and Wildlife:
http://www.dfw.state.or.us/RR/index.asp

Couple of book suggestions:
http://tinyurl.com/22lsnmz
http://www.amazon.com/Complete-Anglers-Guide-Oregon-Shewey/dp/1932098313

That second one is at Hillsboro Costco right now for $18.99.  Got it for Fathers day 

Thanks for the info guys.  My fiancee actually bought me the Fishing in Oregon book the first time I came out here to visit her family.  She had the whole moving back to Portland thing planned for years.  I have a T-140 and spent most of my time chasing stipers out of Boston Harbor.   I have limited experience launching in the surf, as there are plenty of bays and coves to launch from near Boston, but as long as it is reasonable I should be OK.  I won't be able to make the July get together as I will be rafting the Selway in Idaho (there may be an extra spot if anyone is interested) that week. 

Madoc, if you are headed to PC on Saturday let me know and I will try to join you.  I went there to get beer a few years back and all I could think of was fishing out by the rock. 

Looking forward to meeting you guys,

Nathaniel