Best Smallmouth Bass Rivers in Eastern Oregon
John Day River Ranks With Top Bronzeback Fishing Spots in America
Sep 17, 2009
On an August day not long ago, Steve Fleming had five clients catch 670 smallmouth bass on the John Day River.
Here’s another number from Fleming, whose Mah-Hah Outfitters is a well-known guide service on this northeastern Oregon river: He often ends his season with clients landing around 50 “master angler” bass of around 20 inches.
Those kinds of numbers have secured the John Day’s reputation as a must-fish destination for bassers in Oregon. It’s not only near the top of a list that also includes the Umpqua River and Brownlee Reservoir, but the fishing here is so acclaimed that it attracts anglers from across the country and beyond.
And the John Day is not alone among Eastern Oregon’s fabulous smallmouth rivers. Double-digit – and perhaps triple-digit – fishing days are possible in the Columbia River and Snake River, plus a handful of their tributaries. And in most places not only are the bass willing – especially in the summer – but the scenery is stunning and the streams are typically uncrowded.
John Day River has World Class Smallmouth Angling
The John Day Fossil Beds National Monument brings lots of lookers to the region every year, but if you’d rather pick a fight with a fish with plenty of meat on its bones, try casting a line into the John Day River, which not only has great smallmouth bass fishing but also is a very good river for steelhead fishing.
The John Day is a long river, one that can be fished for a few hours from bank access points to a few weeks on a leisurely float. For detailed access information, Fleming recommends ordering the Lower Deschutes and John Day Rivers map and the John Day River Recreation Guide – Kimberly to Tumwater Falls, both available by mail from the U.S. Bureau of Land Management’s regional office in Prineville, Oregon.
How to Catch John Day River Smallmouth
For shear numbers of smallmouth – those 100-fish days – stick to the hot months, starting in June and holding up through September. At this time of year, Fleming said most techniques will catch plenty of fish. A good bet is a 1/16th-ounce lead-head jig with a plastic grub.
Smallmouth can be color selective, so bring a variety of lure colors from white to black to suit their moods. Fleming also likes to add Smelly Jelly scent in either Craw/Anise or Anchovy to his plastic baits.
The warm months also are great for fly fishing, when aggressive bass will smash topwater poppers and attack Woolly Buggers.
If you are after larger fish and are willing to give up some fast action, March through mid-May can produce some lunkers but fewer smaller fish. It’s tougher to read the water, but usually the best approach is to fish slowly, such as a plastic baits fished with a Texas-style, split shot or Caroline rig. A 5-inch Ripple Worm from Outlaw Baits is a good choice, he added.
Crankbaits also can be effective for big smallmouth bass. Fleming recommends a Rapala in the CD07 size (2-3/4 inches) in a variety of colors, particularly early in the season. Try topwater plugs during warmer weather.
Fleming’s suggestions and other popular smallmouth techniques also will work on Eastern Oregon’s other smallmouth rivers.
Columbia River Offers Big Water and Lots of Bass
Starting at Bonneville Dam, which forms Bonneville Pool, and on into the arid east side of the state, the Columbia River is divided into a series of pools by massive hydroelectric dams. The three reservoirs above Bonneville along Oregon’s north border are known as Lake Celilo (or, The Dalles Pool), Lake Umatilla (John Day Pool) and Lake Wallula (McNary Dam Pool).
Bass in such a big river occasionally can be harder to find than in a typical stream, but smallmouth fishing is good enough that tournament catches can be impressive.
Bass are plentiful just about anywhere an angler can get access to the Columbia’s abundant rocky structures, islands, and drop-offs, but this isn’t always easy on the Oregon side with Interstate 84 and railroad tracks forming a barrier in many places. There are several parks and boat basins with bank access.
Boaters will find access to many good fishing areas, although start early because windy conditions can make boating uncomfortable and potentially dangerous for small craft by afternoon.
Note: Smallmouth bass fishing also is good in the free-flowing stretch of the Columbia River below Bonneville Dam.
Snake River Runs Wild With Smallmouth
The Snake River, which forms a boundary with Idaho in the far northeastern corner of Oregon, is well known for Hells Canyon. But smallmouth anglers also find a little piece of heaven between the whitewater.
The northern stretch of Oregon's part of the Snake is designated as a Wild and Scenic River, both attributes that are undeniable in this case.
The river also is a popular fishery for channel catfish and other warmwater fish, as well as resident rainbow and migrating steelhead trout, spring chinook salmon, sturgeon and lots of smallmouth bass. Fishing for smallies is productive from late spring until the cold weather arrives about mid-fall.
The upper section of the Snake, upstream from Brownlee Reservoir, is better known for monster catfish but also supports a healthy bass population.
Other Eastern Oregon Rivers Hold Smallies
The John Day is the undisputed champion for moving-water smallmouth east of the Cascade Mountains, and the Columbia and Snake are fantastic in their own right, However, other streams in the region (some fairly remote) with good populations of smallmouth bass include sections of the Grande Ronde, Owyhee, Malheur, Burnt and Silvies rivers and Pine Creek.
Additional Resources for Oregon Streams With Smallmouth Bass
- Fishing in Oregon: The Complete Oregon Fishing Guide (Flying Pencil Publications, Scappoose, Oregon), by Madelynne Diness Sheehan
- The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife website
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