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.
