Originally posted by: Kimchee on 10/20/2005 12:39:57 PM

I am relatively new to oregon, new to the west altogether. I grew up on the Great lakes & moved to the chesapeake bay area later in life. I have been fishing since I was 6 but think I'm still a novice. No one else in my family fishes, I had all girls and my husband gets seasick. I've Been looking for info on Oregon striper fishing for a while now. When I first relocated I thought I would go to the smith/umpqua and catch a few smaller ones and get my 'mojo' going for the new water. (I had delusions about a new state record.)
I had seen topwater feastings but did not catch any. 'Oh well' i thought. I had had a record year in the bay this past year and figured, new water, weather tides etc. Its my turn to fish not catch...'Its ok' I thought for 2 years, use this time to do your home work and continue to go back out, read new waters. So I did and I did and I did...(oh how I miss the chesapeake) ok, its been 3 years and Im about ready to head back east just to catch one.(except I cannot let the fish win.) Yes, I have caught the salmons,the perchs, the steelhead, fished almost every river from westcoast to 205, caught beatiful trout, even went bass fishing several times just to bring something home...
...upon inquiry of locals fishing in reedsport this month I was aked twice why I wanted to catch bass in oregon. (Its not just a bass.) Then I tried to book a guide who advertised 'striper' fishing, I just wanted a little knowledge and was willing to pay a guide for it. He replied that I may want to book a nice steelhead trip instead....ok already I know I'm appearantly nuts for striper fishing in oregon in the fall...I dont care, not since the bonefish incident have I been this crazy. The real question is am I the only nut in the whole state? Is there anybody out there regularly fishing stripers? Fall or otherwise.I have no boat (yet) so I pay for it all. I would just like to have the pay out pay off in knowledge. I am a semi retired engineer so my schedule is my own. I often pack up and go out to the rivers, lakes, resv. Does anyone know anyone? Does anyone know anyone who knows anyone? Does anyone know a guide who is more educational than 'tourist', maybe willing to learn a novice a thing or two? Thanks for any and all responses.K