When can I start bass fishing on the west side?

Stonedfish

Known Grizzler-hater of triploids, humpies & ND
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Its fun to be the weirdo out there fly fishing for bass when everyone else is catching freshly stocked trout.

Saw a guy a few years ago hook up a stocker trout. A 6 lb ditch pickle came out from under the dock he was fishing on and grabbed the trout. The guy netted both and folks on the dock erupted in cheer like they scored the winning TD in the Super Bowl.
It was pretty hilarious to watch and the guy was super stoked.
SF
 

IHFISH

Life of the Party
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Same. I was rowing my son around one of the local put and takes last last spring to get him into some stockers and a guy throwing a big white swimbait under some docks on the other side pulled out a couple of monsters.
 
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PhilR

Whale Shark
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What I want to know is when I can start after carp in the Columbia on the west side.

OMG, am I going to grow up to be like omj, coming in unasked and off topic?
(I kinda hope so)
 

TicTokCroc

Sunkist and Sudafed
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I'm carp curious this year too.. Kinda wish I was still living in north Portland, Smith and Bybee was a 5 min drive, I bet there is all sorts of carp up in there... And tweakers.
 

Rob Allen

Life of the Party
One thing I think Fly fishermen tend to do regarding west side bass is to sell themselves short. There are LOTS of 3-6 lb bass in western Washington. They aren't rare at all and should be the size of fish you are targeting. These are fish in the 18-24 inch range.
 

Rob Allen

Life of the Party
I won’t say I’m THAT good at bassin yet. But I’ve caught enough to know that I should be able to catch more than I do.
Then it's just a matter of figuring them out :)
 

Rob Allen

Life of the Party
I won’t say I’m THAT good at bassin yet. But I’ve caught enough to know that I should be able to catch more than I do.
Do you know where the bass in your lake spawn?

If you do find the closest deep water then find whatever they use as a highway between spawning flats and deep water. Could be structures. Or bottom contours . These are the spots to check out in spring when the water gets to that 50 degree mark
 
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