Way to go on the good fishing knotguilty.Great report as expected.

I  think a few were really close to 4'.Only those of us that were in the middle of them and saw them up close really know just how nasty it was because it looked really bad but when your in the thick of it it's worse than expected.
I was stupid enough to try to fish through it in open water thinking oh hell I fished in worse but I was wrong,in fact I forgot till just now but after awhile my son got a little sea sick which never has happened even on the ocean.

Hate to say it but yes that was me with the blue tarp.But what the heck I had to make the boat a fishing machine the best I could in a short time or miss the derby.

Good for you guys.Those hood cat guys did they have an oregon # on the boat?
To all those who leave the night bite before dawn this would be a great example of why you should stick it out.I have caught some of my largest fish and great numbers of fish in the last few hours of darkness.Again great job.

Glad I went as always but I made some bad moves.I had to borrow a boat at the last second this year because of bad planning on my part    Oops.
Got to the lake on thursday afternoon later than ever.Got the boat in the water and found it was way under powered but made it to our sleeping spot at a slow pace.You all may have seen me and my 16' aluminum river boat with a homemade tarp cover okie boat for sure.I was around rattlesnake most of the weekend.
The boat was just one bad move I made.I decided after years of fishing the same spots and catching large numbers of fish I wanted to try new spots in hopes of getting into some money fish and a nice change.
All friday afternoon we fished new spots and got only two bites and one break on the hookset.By dark we moved to what I felt should be a good night spot,delt with the wind in open water all night for only 5 fish.Before sunrise we moved to one of my old night spots and got 2 in the first 30 minutes then the sun came up and that was it all day.
Hard headed I went to another new spot and had to deal with the largest wind waves I ever fished in.These things were HUGE.After hours of fishing with no action made the white knuckle move across the big flat on the backside of rattlesnake through HUGE water.Just before dark I made it to a night spot by rattlesnake that in the past was never a big producer for me but what the heck.The night bite got me 4 fish and a few missed runs.
I ended the derby at 11:30 sunday after drift fishing the morning and hitting an old goto spot for another 4 fish.
Our fish were for the most 13 to 16lbs which was nice, with a few I did not weigh that were about 9 to 12Lbs.
Did not sleep a wink all weekend,fished hard,Worked for each fish,and left it all on the lake.Next year I hit all my old spots where I know I will catch fish.

On a side note:I caught all my fish on Fresh mackerel.

I get at least 1/3 of our fish during the day.I like to go a bit deeper in the daylight fishing about 15to 25' than move in 6'to10' at night.Back side of rattlesnake in open water has always been good to me for numbers of fish.

 I still think it's the young males but I don't know everything.

I thought the young male channel cats would have the odd large heads?I have landed many of those in the past all being about 3 to 5lbs and the body looks just like a channel with its color not like a bullhead.Im no expert just food for thought.

Without fail I also always get my largest catfish on my lightest rod when fishing two.Thanks for the report.
These reports are all I have to get pumped for derby time since I live sooo far away with no catfish near me.

Everyone should try night fishing for bass.Come late summer during a heat wave try brass & glass with a large plastic and you might be shocked at the quality of the bass you will catch.

MACKERAL?? It was shad he's throwing you off the trail of the cats. Just messing around
anyway glad to hear a good report.

Great to hear a new catfish report,Thanks for that.It sounds like so so fishing at best.I would have expected anyone out now would kill em?At least it sounds like a great time spent with the family which is always a nice trip in my book.

Great news about the upcoming catfish report from legcramp.Its strange the lack of reports for catfish on this board,just a few years ago plenty would have been posted by this time of spring.

Sheriff?? We have none in josephine county, oregon due to no money.If you get ripped off it's up to you or the state police to take care of it.

I would love to pre fish but six hour drive & lack of time say no.I also would love to see some cat reports but people seem not to report much anymore.
KRAZ88 we only fish the same lake one weekend a year so this year lets make a point to pull a quick drive by at some point and say hay on the lake so I can put a face to your name.Anyhow I will stick with the oaks side of the lake again this year.
I hope for nice weather & water but will take whatever comes.
It looks like the water may be a little low this year??? which may drive me to a seldom fished spot[by me anyway] but who knows.
I have a gut feeling my boy will get his big fish this year which got me thinking how I would like him to win big in the kids part than me winning the big $$$,part of  being a dad I guess.