Absolutely floor's me how much money people pay out for a fishing boat! Got mine used for $3000. Old 15' Jon boat with 2014 Honda 20 hp. As a kid, long time ago, we fished out of wooden row boats. Hard to believe but we caught fish in those old thing's and a lot of them didn't leak!

That was Joes. originally G.I. Joes! Kind of miss them. Maybe 30 yrs ago I got a tackle tray that belted on around my waist. Thing finally broke about a week ago and I'll never find another. pretty much if you wanted it, Joes had it!

Until a couple years ago I'd never heard of Kastking. Then a guy on the internet was trashing them and I could not believe anything could be that bad. Looked them up and found one on amazon for about $40. the Rover 40, I like the round casting reels. For $40 I figured I'd get it and see for myself if it was really that bad. Been an absolutely beautiful reel. In fact liked it so much a got a small spinning reel from them for an UL crappie rod, wonderful spinning reel too. Those two made me decide to try a small low profile level wind from them to set up on a casting rod i have rated for 2-8# line and try out on crappie and small mouth bass. I do have a Daiwa low profile and it is a very nice reel but low profile and I like round reels, got a bunch of them! Got a lot of hope for this Kastking low profile to make an UL casting set up for me. have an Ocuma Kokanee Pro rod for it. Rated as UL and with 2-8# line and 1/8th to 1/2oz weight's. I think had I got that Rover 40 before i got any ABU's I'd have several Kastking round reels today. I broke down and got a Daiwa Millionaire years ago when Joes had a going out of business sale, been a great reel! Think I paid $30 for it. Tell you what I think and that's that there are a lot of reels on the market these days that are way ahead of most our older reels. Nice thing is with one's like Kastking they are new and you only have to buy the reel, not the name on it! have a couple Ocumas also, couldn't believe how nice they are no more than they cost!

I've fished out of LaPage park a number of time's but all I ever caught was bull heads up near the falls. Went inn
there last spring and the water was full of junk and so shallow up past the boat park I turned around. last spring had an over abundance of wind too. Used to love LaPage park. Used to park there and go up the river bird hunting several times a year.

Those Morman Crickets are really popular over at Huntington! My son got some one time and ya buy them frozen! But great bait for cats! Like to get in below the dam over on the Washington side and fish where the water comes out. But My boat isn't really big enough to fool around crossing the river! Little 15' Jon Boat. Gonna take it to Irrigon and try it. Just out a ways from the launch is supposed to be clam beds, read where that should be a good place. Went down to Clarno again this evening but didn't do any good. have heard shrimp are supposed to be good bait so got some to try. Nothing hitting on anything this evening and the shrimp don't stay on the hook to well. Went a little early to try out an UL level wind casting rig I set up. small Daiwa reel with 6# line on an 6' ugky Stick i picked up today. rated mediun but for 6-12# line. Casting a 1 1/4" round cork slip float with a 1/8 oz jig and augar tail. Didn't catch anything but the rod and reel handled really well. Tried that rod last year for crappie and couldn't cast it with less than a 1/4oz jig on it. Don't reall care for the low profile level winds but this set up was really nice! Got a small Kastking on the way and an Ocuma 7' Kokanee Pro rod for it. Rated UL for 2-8# line. Got a spool of 4# for it when it get's here. I simply like casting rod and reels and only spinning I have are all UL.

last fall was my first time targeting channel's. Best bait For me was chicken breast in strawberry kool aide and garlic. My son used worms and did well too. Haven't tried cut bait yet. Not sure what your allowed to use in Oregon. Probably pike minnow. Thinking I try that I'd just filet it and use the filet's. Son got a pike minnow at Clarno last year and gutted it. then got a cat on the guts!

Let me know if you can make it up and your welcome to come along.

10" are? I've never seen an 8" one! as a kid we quit keeping all the small ones and started throwing back everything under 3"!

If it works for you, how wrong can it be?

I like round casting reels, got a bunch. Not real big on low profile casting reels. But recently I've been hit with a brain storm and that's UL casting! Got this small Daiwa low profile reel . Don't know why I got it but I did, just haven't used it much. Then found an Ocuma Kokanee Pro rod, casting rod. UL action, 2-8# line and 1/8 to 1/2 lures. Huh! Decided to see what I could do with it. Spooled it with 63 test line and put it on that Ocuma rod. Put a 1 1/4" round cork slip bobber on it and dropped a 1/8th oz jig with it. felt good so got excited and ordered a new inexpensive small Kastking low profile reel and went looking for another rod. Oh yea, also got a spool of 4# line for the new reel. Found a 6' Ugly Stick for 6-12# line and a med action. Got it home and put that little Daiwa on it with the cork slip bobber and 1/8th oz jig and tried casting it. Boy this worked great! cast's like a dream. Going to the river for cats this evening but gonna leave early and try this new UL casting rod and reel on some small mouth bass. Gonna start with the jig about 2" below the bobber when it hit's the stop! That 1/8th oz jig with a small auger tail on it. have caught a lot of small mouths out of the river with 1/4oz jigs and auger tails just pulling them back through the water. This time I'm gonna throw out and let the river walk it down. Will see what I see! Go down an hour or so early and see what happens.

That's not entirely true. I have more than a short like for fishing but I also have a short money supply. I don't always go looking for cheap but can't afford a lot. Loomis and St Croix are way out of my league! But there are the middle road rods and reels that I can afford and I tend to get them. Then again I own three ABU's but they are old and when I got them, my 6500 was about $60, that was a lot of money for me. I am absolutely certain if I were in a higher income category my thought's would change but I'm not there. Live off a Social Security check! And I won't spend more but just buy less equipment. I hear about lost of guy's of better means than myself that say buy once cry once and if you look at their equipment, they have a couple dozen or more expensive rods and reels! They hope they last a life time and probably will, my ABU's are very old! Then with all these lifetime rods and reels they simply add to them. Point is outdoor people are equipment buffs. The only reason for a new rod and reel is ya want one! Count me in on that!

Been thinking about that just haven't tried it yet. I have had really good luck with chicken breast for some reason I don't understand!

Something about Ugly Stick rods, and other decent rods. You buy an ugly stick from Walmart and it's still an Ugly Stick!

I've been down by Twickingham several times. Go in normally from Young Life compound past Horse Heaven. Few really nice looking spots over there but access is a bit short. Parked at the bridge in Twickingham last time there and that access looked really short. Went home through Fossil.

That spot on 30 mi creek is getting close to Cottonwood canyon.

I was wondering about up by service creek. Long drive but I'd do that for some good cats. usually only get two or three an evening at Clarno. Checked out a new place BLM recently opened over near Condon. Last six miles kind of slow going, they recommend 4 WD on it. Really nice down there though so gonna give it a try. Down off 30 mi creek. Where do you live at you fish Service Creek? Just got into channels last year and been a hoot! About all I use is chicken breast in strawberry kool aide and garlic. My son use's night crawlers! Will let you know when I get down on 30mi creek how it goes. I figured closer to the falls might be better. Have tried at LaPage Park up to the falls but all I've ever got there was bull heads. Gonna give Irrigon a try this year. Walleye guide took me in years ago and said we were on a clam bed. Saw a video recently that said clam beds were a good spot, find out!

Not a whole lot of catfish fishermen around Oregon!

One more question. Down at Clarno they all seem to come in at about 20" average. Smallest we got was 14" and only one. Rest were 18" to 26" and ave maybe 20". Nice size fish! Ya know, I've lived here in Antelope over 30 yrs now and never realized the cats were down at Clarno!

:-) I can just imagine that!