Northwest Fishing Reports

This Monday, Im going to Silver lake for the 1st time. I've fished Lacamas/round lake for many of years, and almost everytime I fish off bank. I've gotten to the point where I dont expect to catch anything, because I never do. Thats why im asking you guys off washingtonlakes to help me out. I want my Silver lake experience to be a great one, that makes me wanting to go back. Like Cavdad45 said on the Silver lake post, Most ppl end up going and catching nothing then state that they would never go back. I know for sure that I would never give up on any lake that I wasnt good at. Thats why im still fishing Lacamas lake to this day. But just so that I get off to a great start. I would like to know your guys opinions on which lures to use off bank. Im not sure about the weather for Sept 3 forcast, but I always bring lures for every accation. Plz hook me up with some helpful advice. I rather not use worms and catch pan fish. Jigs are the only thing that I've been using lately, but out of 6 or so trys, Im still skunked beside a few bites now and then. Im thinkin Jigs would be my best bet at Silver, but not ever being able to get a hook set is kinda a let down. Helpful advice would be greatly valued

Don't give up on worms. Jigs are good if you know how to use them. It takes a lot of practice to "get jiggy" (BBD quote). I've banked fished for a long time. I would suggest rigging up a 1/2 oz. drop shot with about 12" to 18" of line between the shot and the hook (1/0 hook preferred). You have a lot of options with this simple set-up. You can stick a split tailed grub on it, a worm, a senko, you name it.

I've had the most success on a spinning rod, just like you would fish a drop shot from a boat. Give it a good hurl and "dead stick" it for about 20 seconds then twitch it a few time, THEN reel it in a few feet and repeat that. After about 30 seconds or so of that process, reel 'er in and do it all over again.

You can cover a lot of water using a drop shot from the bank. Good luck, let us know how it goes.

bassackwards

1/2oz weight on a drop shot? For a spinning rod? Its going to feel like you are trying to cast a bolder. If you really need to cast it far 1/4oz is plenty but stick with a 1/8th if you can. On 6lb line you can get that out far enough.

That fact that you are fishing from bank just means you will have to move around a lot more. Largemouth dont travel and school up like smallies so YOU need to find them. You can use anything you would from a boat including lipless cranks and spinner baits. Carolina rig, texas rig and shaky head. If you want to jig... just cast out a 3/8oz football on a baitcaster and slowly drag it back. Don't over work your bait because you can never go to slow. If you have never been to silver before then you may get skunked for lack of locating the fish but that doesnt mean you didn't have the correct tackle. Since silver doesnt have any deep area just try places next to cover especially since we are getting a small cold front this weekend.

good luck

I havent really fished Drop shots before unless thats the same thing as bottom fishing for trout. and by the way, im using 10lb test on a steelhead rod. the way it looked when i researched drop shots, the plastics just dangle above ground like 1 or 2 feet, how can that be as good as plainly casting out with no weight, letting the lure sink slowly to the ground and then jigging it the same way as using a drop shot? Idk, maybe u guys know this from experience. So I'll give ur method a try, but if 2 hours goes by and i get no success or if i keep snagging up because the weight keeps getting stuck, im switching back to the pitching method and just chucking it out and jigging. I usually use a 1/2oz black jig with a black or orange trailer such as a split tail grub or a random creature or something. Sweet beavers have never worked for me, i think its because the bass at Lacamas lake like more action and the beavers just dont have any action to them at all. Another thing, I looked up football jigs and I dont think they sell them at Sportsmans Warehouse or at Joes sporting goods. Idk, i might be wrong tho.

the1fishingpro wrote:I havent really fished Drop shots before unless thats the same thing as bottom fishing for trout. and by the way, im using 10lb test on a steelhead rod. the way it looked when i researched drop shots, the plastics just dangle above ground like 1 or 2 feet, how can that be as good as plainly casting out with no weight, letting the lure sink slowly to the ground and then jigging it the same way as using a drop shot? Idk, maybe u guys know this from experience. So I'll give ur method a try, but if 2 hours goes by and i get no success or if i keep snagging up because the weight keeps getting stuck, im switching back to the pitching method and just chucking it out and jigging. I usually use a 1/2oz black jig with a black or orange trailer such as a split tail grub or a random creature or something. Sweet beavers have never worked for me, i think its because the bass at Lacamas lake like more action and the beavers just dont have any action to them at all. Another thing, I looked up football jigs and I dont think they sell them at Sportsmans Warehouse or at Joes sporting goods. Idk, i might be wrong tho.

I think it is the reverse of a bottom type trout rig. The weight is below the bait (ie, bait is between you and the weight) on the drop shot as oppose to having the weight between you and the bait.

You will need to do a little more research on drop shotting. With regard to your question, it is not so much so that the drop shot is better than a weightless rigged worm. However, you should realize that a weightless worm is not going to work for you 100% of time. Hence, the drop shot if anything provides you, the angler, another option to coax the bass to take. In addition, the drop shot rig enables you to keep your bait at a certain height or depth that you can control with ease. This is something that is more difficult to do with a weightless worm. Another thing about the DS rig is that if you do get snagged, you have a greater chance of losing only the weight as opposed to the entire rig. The clip of the DS weight will come free with enough exertion on your part and as a result you will usually save your hook and lure.

Not that I am a jedi and you a padawan, but 1-2 hours is barely enough time to give the drop shot or any other technique a chance. There is a learning curve we all go through for each method we learn and it will take time. Every one has to pay their dues regardless of the technique. I highly recommend you spool up with the fluorocarbon line of your choice in 6-8# (make sure the rod is rated for it. if not, use the lightest line the rod can protect) test to maximize your chances of success. Also, check out the articles section here. There is a little piece on the fundamentals of drop shotting. If there are fish in the area you work it and you take what you can from the article to help you, I can almost assure you of success with drop shotting. It is far more effective a technique than you give it credit, but you will soon learn how kick fanny it is. Remember, 6-8 # line, FC if you can, and then, go get 'em!

As for the football jigs, I finally grabbed so myself, but haven't gotten around to using them yet, despite having a rod well suited to handle jigs. Unfortunately, I'm stuck on a drop shot fix I can't seem to shake.
:bigsmurf:

P.S. Just to let you know, the drop shot has been responsible for 100% of all the smallies (over 30) and about 70% of the largemouth I have caught this season. In addition, all of them were caught from the shore. This is not to brag on my part. I am permanently shorebound without a boat. I just hope to share with you that you can still get into good fish from the shore with a positive attitude and a little luck.

you might want to try renting a boat at silver - a boat will open silver up Wiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiide for you.

Are you going to the resort/motel or where will you be fishing?

well im only traveling to silver to spend a few hours (maybe 5) so im not sure where im gonna fish. Boat will be possible in the future, when i decide to hook it up and drag it down there. But for now, bank is my only option.

can u rig drop shots with a jig on it or do u only place a soft plastic on a hook tied to the line?
DO poppers or zara spooks work at Silver lake, because im gonna be there at like 5:30am and there might be a top water bite. If so, i think im gonna start off using top waters. then maybe switch to spinner bait, then finaly jigs and drop shots.

from what ive heard, jig n pig works the best at Silver, but that might make a difference if ur in a boat or not.

yes you can use a jig in replacement for the weight on a drop shot but you are just going to make a simple application more complex so I wouldn't do it. Also, like I said before its not that jigs or any other bait works good at silver ANYTHING works you just need to locate fish. Jigs work good everywhere and they do sell the footballs at sportsmans. I would also recommend renting a boat if you can otherwise dont expect to crush the lake your first time there from shore.

Bobber and worm, always worked for me.

If you are fishing from shore go early in the morning or toward night fall and work topwaters like Jitterbugs or Pop-R's in the open water and plastic frogs and spinnerbaits near the pads.

I would definitely rent a boat though. A half day is around $35 or $40 at most resorts. A little less for a row boat. It really opens up your options.

Slow down as much as possible. When fishing off the shore. I like to have two rods with me. No more, it's just too much to drag around. I'll rig one up with like a Rapala or Spinnerbait if it's really shallow, and another rod, I'll rig up a plastic. This way, I rip the rapala/spinnerbait out first, see if there are any really aggressive biters, then before moving spots, work something really slow like a senko and just work the area till I've made atleast 5 casts while standing in one spot, casting a bit to the side of the previous cast, to avoid working the same water over again. Then, move a few feet over and work brand new water. Your USUALLY limited to bank access while being on the shore, so you might as well cover the water as thorough as possible when fishing off the shore.

Sam Kafelafish wrote:Slow down as much as possible. When fishing off the shore. I like to have two rods with me. No more, it's just too much to drag around. I'll rig one up with like a Rapala or Spinnerbait if it's really shallow, and another rod, I'll rig up a plastic. This way, I rip the rapala/spinnerbait out first, see if there are any really aggressive biters, then before moving spots, work something really slow like a senko and just work the area till I've made atleast 5 casts while standing in one spot, casting a bit to the side of the previous cast, to avoid working the same water over again. Then, move a few feet over and work brand new water. Your USUALLY limited to bank access while being on the shore, so you might as well cover the water as thorough as possible when fishing off the shore.

You are right about carrying two rods. To get around that, I created something that will enable me to carry 3 rods in one hand. I figured 3 is a fair number for someone shorebound as I am. I call it a "rod quiver" and it allows me to hold 3 rods all with one hand. This here is my prototype and as you can see, depending on the shape chosen, the design can be configured to hold even more rods. Fortunately, it keeps the rods off the ground that aren't in use and with it, my basic attack plan is: 1 spinning (drop shot, finesse), 2 casting (T-rig or Jig and the second whatever else I feel like tying on, like a crank, jerk, or spinner bait)


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Rod Quiver in use - Note: Rods and Reels not included

Great idea! Maybe you should patent it.

MAN, WHERE CAN I GET ONE OF THOSE QUIVERS? PM ME. AWESOME IDEA!

MICHAEL UNBEUWST

You should apply for a patent that is really cool.

bpm2000 wrote:you might want to try renting a boat at silver - a boat will open silver up Wiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiide for you.

i 2nd that

:king:

more so, use lures you are willing to lose. i have lost more lures on shore, than i have on a boat.

islandbass does it again!! What a cool setup.

T Dot wrote:

bpm2000 wrote:you might want to try renting a boat at silver - a boat will open silver up Wiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiide for you.

i 2nd that

:king:

more so, use lures you are willing to lose. i have lost more lures on shore, than i have on a boat.

yea no doubt - ive lost so much tackle i dont even wanna know the $$$ ive left in the bottom of the lakes haha

So pretty much, all you guys say that Silver Lake is a waste of time off the bank! Unless you are willing to put the time and effort into fishing a huge area of water! Well I guess I'll leae Silver Lake for a day when I Have a boat, Because I really dont want to be wasting my day not catching anything. Thx for the Info guys, helps a lot.

ps. Great Idea Islandbass, You really need to profit off of it!

the1fishingpro wrote:So pretty much, all you guys say that Silver Lake is a waste of time off the bank!

not really

:king:

if you just want to get out and relax and have some fun fishing, silver lake resort is a good place to go if you are shore bound. they have a decent piece of land with alot of docks.

now if you want to get more serious search out some larger fish, go out and rent a boat.

they are 2 different styles of fishing if you ask me.