Hunting Washington Forum

Other Activities => Fishing => Topic started by: huntnnw on June 17, 2013, 09:35:54 PM

Title: Ronde smallies?
Post by: huntnnw on June 17, 2013, 09:35:54 PM: Anyone ever fish it for smallies...I know the river really well, but for steelhead. I wanna take this kids down as I hear its full of smallies and fun.I have 0 bass exp. :chuckle: looking for what to use and type of water they hold in
Title: Re: Ronde smallies?
Post by: Limhangerslayer on June 17, 2013, 09:59:18 PM: Fish the slack pools to the slow drifts, they all hold smallies. Grubs work great this time of year.
Title: Re: Ronde smallies?
Post by: huntnnw on June 17, 2013, 10:14:21 PM: Thanks.. Iknow a few of them. Plastic grubs or live?
Title: Re: Ronde smallies?
Post by: X-Force on June 17, 2013, 10:19:34 PM: Its a great river for smallies. Anything works. My family does an annual trip down there fathers day weekend.

Slack pools, eddy lines, steep banks etc
Top water baits, grubs, cranks baits... whatever keeps the kids occupied.

Its been a couple years since I have gone. I gotta make time once my daughter gets to be the fishing age.
Title: Re: Ronde smallies?
Post by: huntnnw on June 17, 2013, 10:24:58 PM: I was trying to take the kids somewhere full of action and remembered the ronde and all the smallies and action I hear about.
Title: Re: Ronde smallies?
Post by: Limhangerslayer on June 17, 2013, 10:30:34 PM: Kalins grubs in crawdad colors. Or crawdad pattern crankbaits work great.
Title: Re: Ronde smallies?
Post by: huntnnw on June 17, 2013, 10:36:30 PM: thanks..A trip to the store this week. :chuckle: Ill make sure to post pics
Title: Re: Ronde smallies?
Post by: Limhangerslayer on June 17, 2013, 10:40:59 PM: Drifting or bank? where at?
Title: Re: Ronde smallies?
Post by: Pathfinder101 on June 17, 2013, 10:41:57 PM: I have caught quite a few on flies while trout fishing. Pulling a wooly bugger through the deeper holes works pretty well.
Title: Re: Ronde smallies?
Post by: HUNTINCOUPLE on June 17, 2013, 10:43:12 PM: Not sure where your located? Its not in your heading. The lower Yakima is great for smallies and cat fish as well. Same tactics as all ready noted. Good luck and let us know how you do! :tup:
Title: Re: Ronde smallies?
Post by: huntnnw on June 17, 2013, 10:59:14 PM: Bank..be fishing from bogans to OR.

coming from Spokane
Title: Re: Ronde smallies?
Post by: andersonjk4 on June 17, 2013, 11:19:50 PM: I have been fishing the Ronde every summer for the past 5 years. I usually float from Bogans down to just short of the mouth. I have never fished above Bogans for bass but I'm sure the fishing can be okay. Every year it seems like it takes us a couple river miles down from Bogans before we start getting into fish. Just like the others have posted the slack water and current seams are where you want to concentrate. Pretty much anywhere a fish can hold out of the current could hold smallies. I've had my best luck with grubs in natural colors, but have caught them on almost all colors. I'm actually heading down there this Thursday with a big group of guys from work.
Title: Re: Ronde smallies?
Post by: huntnnw on June 17, 2013, 11:37:09 PM: OH NICE.goodluck
Title: Re: Ronde smallies?
Post by: TommyH on June 18, 2013, 02:28:36 PM: crappie tube skirts. purple and white, have had action on almost any color combo tho. We put skirts on jigs or on a hook with 10-12 inch leader below swivel and pretty large sinker. Add a worm and let it sit. We have got some spots that you cant keep them off your line using one of these setups. The last trip to the river I had one around 5lbs that fought like a shark!! They are some line peeling, hard fighting little buggers.
Good luck!
Title: Re: Ronde smallies?
Post by: Pathfinder101 on June 18, 2013, 02:59:47 PM: I could see purple crappie jigs working well. I caught most of mine on purple wooly buggers.
Title: Re: Ronde smallies?
Post by: TommyH on June 18, 2013, 03:07:43 PM: I forgot to mention that I was not on the ronde. That is just what we use on Roosevelt/Spokane. I would bet it will work there as well tho. We were out on a point on the upriver side of a inlet. Cant wait to go back and get some more of that action.
Title: Re: Ronde smallies?
Post by: jackelope on June 18, 2013, 03:12:07 PM: I've floated a couple times upstream from Bogans and caught a few on black wooly buggers. I caught 1 that was pushing 5 pounds. I don't know where to tell you downstream from there but, as said, in the frog water or in the back eddys. That big fish came out of an eddy. I saw him and cast to him. It was good fun.
Title: Re: Ronde smallies?
Post by: haus on June 18, 2013, 03:24:51 PM: Quote from: huntnnw on June 17, 2013, 09:35:54 PM
Anyone ever fish it for smallies...I know the river really well, but for steelhead. I wanna take this kids down as I hear its full of smallies and fun.I have 0 bass exp. :chuckle: looking for what to use and type of water they hold in
Low end of the river, any pool. Can catch 40+ per day easy. Any plastic worm, grub, tube jig, plug, don't matter. On one summer fishing evening down there we were standing neck deep in the river cuz it was so damn hot out, still catching fish right in front of us.
Title: Re: Ronde smallies?
Post by: quadrafire on June 18, 2013, 03:31:11 PM: Find a copy of sunday's Spokesman review.
Rich Landers did a story on a Smallmouth trip on the Rhonde, it was focusing on a guide and drifting, but he did talk about areas that are accessable from shore.
Good article, and also talked about jigs/colors etc. Basically they are hitting about anything right now.
Title: Re: Ronde smallies?
Post by: huntnnw on June 18, 2013, 09:45:28 PM: thanks for the replies and tips :tup:
Title: Re: Ronde smallies?
Post by: huntnnw on June 19, 2013, 11:47:19 PM: trip may be on hold with all this rain...raised 1300cfs today..not good..probably muddy. I will wait and see friday am
Title: Re: Ronde smallies?
Post by: andersonjk4 on June 20, 2013, 07:02:03 AM: Man all this rain really made the flow rate spike. I hope it isn't too muddy. We are heading down tonight and will be on the river in the morning. I think fish can still be caught with stained water, but maybe not as many. Good luck to you if you decide to make the trip.
Title: Re: Ronde smallies?
Post by: fishunt on June 20, 2013, 04:13:21 PM: Link to article mentioned by quadrafire:

http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2013/jun/16/working-vacation/ (http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2013/jun/16/working-vacation/)

U can call Bogans as well to check the clarity of the river (509) 256-3372
Title: Re: Ronde smallies?
Post by: MtnMuley on June 20, 2013, 04:22:18 PM: You will still bang plenty of smallies no matter how muddy it gets. :twocents:
Title: Re: Ronde smallies?
Post by: WSU on June 20, 2013, 04:26:55 PM: Make sure it eat at bogans or buy something (assuming they are open). Great people!
Title: Re: Ronde smallies?
Post by: fishunt on June 20, 2013, 05:21:37 PM: Actually the river is on the drop: http://waterdata.usgs.gov/usa/nwis/uv?site_no=13333000 (http://waterdata.usgs.gov/usa/nwis/uv?site_no=13333000)

I bet it will clear up well by the weekend. The storm over E. Wa. all friggin day today is not over the Ronde watershed so the river will continue 2 drop and MtMuley is correct, u will still catch Smallies.
Title: Re: Ronde smallies?
Post by: lokidog on June 20, 2013, 07:16:50 PM: I've caught a lot of smallies on Panther Martin spinners and spinnerbaits. Either should work well with non-clear water with lots of vibrations. Also hard to beat a nightcrawler under a bobber for the youngsters.

Have not fished the Ronde but lost a 4+ pounder using a Little Cleo on the Deschuttes after she jumped.

Good luck, I love eating some deep fried smallmouth.