Hood River Bass Sillyness

Chrissy and I visited Hood River Oregon the other day for ice cream and a gallon of Hood River's best apple cider. I enjoy going to Hood River because it gives both of us a chance to enjoy the day by doing a little bit of this and that together. After a few hours of shopping around we usually go down to the river to take a few photos and a few casts in the hopes of finding sunsets and bronzebacks. IM just not used to looking for bronze with brass... After sampling the water for a short time I found smaller active bass swimming around the harbor area that only seemed to be interested in this single banged up green and brass #5 R&B spinner I still had on from my last steelhead trip.... I had intended to change to a "bass" lure when I got up there.



This is not really a plug for R&B lure Co. although it could be since a brass R&B saved the day for me yet again. I was actually kind of surprised my normal bass lures would not work that day. Offerings such as Rapala count down minnow in "trout" and "gold" patterns, top water lures in 2 colors fished around the weeds and even blue and silver wildeye shad all fished inside and outside the of the harbor recieved little to no looks at all. If I switched back to the brass knuckles I would see fish glued to its tale almost every other cast often times striking as I pulled the lure near the surface decreasing their available attack time. This seemed to cause a strike reaction that was almost predictable. I noticed the blade on this one was highly damaged and warped. I had to bend it partaily back into shape with my pliers to get it to run straight again. It looked as if I had really beatin the crabs out of that spinner buy landing it on to many rocks over the last few weeks while fishing for steelhead in the Sandy but it certainly still had plenty of flash.



Even more crazy is that the water color inside the harbor was very clear with about 3 to 4 feet of visability......Silly, I know.......and if I had it to do over again I would have just brought my spinner box and left the Bass gear at home! If you would like to try this for bass I suggest changing your hooks out to a single matzuo sickle or siwash to avoid pinning the jaw as shown in the second photo. It cooled down ALOT that evening and as soon as the clouds blocked out the sun the bite was over for good. IM guessing the large brass flashy blade is something they are not used to seeing often and since it was super bright out it must have "really" acted as an attractor pattern....as only science could have dictated....



Beautiful Hood River Afternoon Scenery

The amber color in the cloud line is actually a smoke layer from an afternoon fire in the West end of the Columbia Gorge.


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