Columbia @ Tricities

[Jburke]

So was looking at taking off late this week to head down to do a little salmon fishing around the tri cities.  I have a boat and will be bringing it.  Is the stretch immediately above the Columbia point launch suitable for an outboard though?  I know that it can get tricky the farther up towards Hanford you go but wasn't sure about down lower by town.  Also does anyone know how the fishing has been?
 

[cbond3318]

I don't know how fishing has been as I live out of town currently but the area at Columbia point doesn't have anything to worry about depth wise, as you head north towards Leslie Groves the Islands that split the river have shallow bars off the points, the main and side channel is fairly obvious and expansive. You can most likely fall in line with boats out on the water doing the same fishing and be fine. 

[92xj]

Yes, that stretch is doable with no prop concerns. Common sense can take you all the way to a mile past the wooden power poles north of ringold.  Once you get there either stop and go back down stream or hammer down, close eyes and stay towards the left of the river about 70% over from pasco side.
 Avoid where land slides go into the river easily seen by the big freaking land slides out of the water. Also avoid all points of islands, give them a few hundred yards. Be prepared for salad on your line almost instantly.

[Jburke]

Sweet.  Thanks gentlemen.

[hunt_fish]

Are you going for kings or sockeye or both?  I've also wondered about this fishery around there or even trying it up at Vernita, I've only fished the fall run up at Vernita for the past couple years.  I do know I've seen boats every morning fishing the mouth of the Snake River by the train tressel by Burbank on my way to work while passing the bridge.  I'm not sure if they're going for salmon or walleye though.  By the looks of the dam counts you should be able to get into some fish since it's been over 10,000 sockeye everyday for the past week.

[Jburke]

We will probably be going after sockeye mainly, but I'll probably have a rod rigged and out for Kings as well.