marktfd

The event had 34 boats, with big wind being the dominate factor in the tourney. It was won with 27.15 lbs all smallies, 2nd had 26.4 and 3rd had 24+. Alot of boats left after Saturday. Sunday the wind started off bad but died down by 11am.

Check at Lake Chabot over near the Oakland foothills. It was planted with Florida strains and the lake record is in the 16lb class. I believe it is fishable with both rentable jon boats from the county park site, float tube and shore fishing. I would suggest the BIG swimbaits for this lake as it's planted with trout every year. Mark

I will be fishing this lake next year (end of may first of June) as part of the TBF Northwestern Divisionals. I have looked at the Google Earth map. Looks like a long narrow canyon lake. What should I expect on this lake. Mark

Two key factors in dropshotting smallies. The hook you use and the legnth of the leader from the weight to the hook. I have tried them all and I have settle on two different hooks for dropshotting. If the bait is really small or needs alot of action imparted on it, I use the Gamakatsu dropshot hook in #1. Most of the time about 75% I use the Owner down shot hook. I have had much better hookup to land ratio with this hook. The down side is this is a full size hook. With really small baits I then use the Gama. The other key is the legnth of the leader from hook to weight. On any given day, this will change. I have experimented for 3 yrs now with tourney partner and me, working different length's and it comes down to one thing. The smallies will change every day on you. One day they want it 6" off the bottom, the next day they want it 3' off the bottom. As a rule of thumb. If the forage is a baitfish, then I start around 18" off the bottom and adjust from there. If the forage is a crawdad type bait I start around 6" off the bottom and work from there. It's amazing that smallies predominently feeding on crawdads, will not hit a jig or carolina rig, but put a crawdad imitator on a drop shot a few inches off the bottom, and bam, fish on. Hope this helps Mark

Try the Rapala Glass Rap. It is a lure that is used in the Northwest by us to troll for smallies up here. It can be fished at alot of different depth's depending on the amount of line put out behing the boat. Fairly snagless in rock and produces fish. mark

I'm with ya on this one. I tried it and it was as weak as a spider web. Just looking at it crossed eyed and it broke. Needless to say, it's not in the fishing arsenal. Mark

The Berkeley Lighting Rod would be a good buy. The 6'6" or 7' in med to ned Hvy would be my choice depending on the type of cranks your throwing. I prefer the 7' med hvy because I throw alot of deep divers. Mark

Hey Bass junky, I have fished that area. Try fishing up river in the Washougal / Camas area. There is a BIG flat with numerous rock bars on the north side. You will be well out of the main river current. Find one of the rock bars and fish the down current side. Cranks, and carolina rigs works for me. Mark