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Middle Fork John Day River Report
Grant County, OR

Details

07/18/2014
96° - 100°
Casting
Smallmouth Bass
Sunny
Jig
All Day
76° - 79°
07/19/2014
5
2980

What a trip. My Dad and I drove down Thursday after work to get ready for a full couple of days fishing for small mouth on the John Day River. So, early Friday after meeting up with our party (8) pontoons. I fished from monument, Oregon to half way down to big bend campgrounds (about 7 miles). Wow, what a beautiful float. In the first 3 miles I laned over 100 smb. No lie. We started a little late so by about 3 I was ready to pack it in (started at 830), so I skipped a lot of water to fish. The wind kicked up and the float turned into a row. The last two miles I was rowing like a bad out of hell just to keep up with the wind. Start early to avoid the wind. We had planned to fish Friday and Saturday but due to unforseen medical reasons we hard to cut the trip short. 40 hours of no sleep, a midnight ride through the mountainside, an ER trip and a hospital say later I can honeslty say I am tired. All things cosidered a good fishing trip, all be it stressful. A word of advice, if you want to float this river, you will catch fish (and a lot of them) for chirst sake take lots of water; make sure people drink the water. All is well in the end, now I am tired and drinking some wiskey to un-wind. There are plent of fish to catch and I would links to fish this again, just a little shorter float. Dam good.

It was hot, and we threw everything in the book at them. Rapalas, grubs, half eaten grubs, grubs with not tail, jokers, everything.


Comments

Mike Carey
7/20/2014 6:43:00 AM
We've fished this and yup, there really are that many SMB. Sorry about the ER side trip,, hope all is OK.
RobinHood
7/20/2014 4:27:00 PM
Everything turned out alright. Just a little dehydration. Its hot down there.
Amx
7/20/2014 4:49:00 PM
Good thing all is ok. When you feel thirsty, it's too late. Have to drink even when you don't want to, and to start drinking plenty of water the day before going out into hot weather, especially if you aren't used to hot weather/temps.
Anglinarcher
7/20/2014 6:40:00 PM
Agree with the water. If you don't need to take a leak at least once an hour on the water, YOU ARE NOT DRINKING ENOUGH! In the Army, during desert training, they told us to drink a canteen of water every half an hour if active, and you ARE ACTIVE fishing.

Always wanted to fish that area. What was the size? Was it fly fishing type or lure type fishing? Great report.
RobinHood
7/22/2014 8:15:00 PM
You know it really didn't matter what type of lure. I had success on 4 in grubs, rapalas, and some flies. They where more tuned in the plastics. I think I only caught a hand full on flies.
noops
8/2/2014 1:22:00 AM
I recently fished the john day as well...i never wouldve belived 100 smallies in a day.but sure enough.i only had 4 cast without gettin atleast a bite.only one big bass all day.still worth the trip.im goin again tmwr.ill try to remember water
Mike Carey
8/2/2014 6:38:00 AM
not big on our trip, dinks is what we call them, but occasional nice 2-3 pounder and there are a few bigger ones.
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Available Guide

Available Fishing Guide:
Website: Darrell & Dads Family Guide Service

Phone: (509) 687-0709