Wynoochee River access help please

[Dbax129]

So I am not planning on fishing the river, but I have questions about boating on it. Can I use any type of motor? What rate of flow is needed to do so? If I put in at the furthest point north I think thats off the 7400, or white bridge, not real sure yet, as its unfamiliar to me.   Sorry, I dont know a lot about boating on rivers, but I basically want to get from point A to point B on the water. Any help is greatly appreciated.

[TheHunt]

Are you running a motor on the river? 
I have see a few on the lower part near black Creek boat launch.  Someone had a jet up by White Bridge and when they messed up the water after a person had a fish on there was some pretty good conversations...   To be honest I would like that entire river be drift only. 

[7mmfan]

You could potentially run a jet in the extreme lower river right now, but its SKINNY. Anything above Black Creek will be drift only at this level.

Last I checked, the 7400 access is gone. No put in there anymore and I'm not even sure if the gate is open. That leaves you with White Bridge or Cross-over as your only access points above Black Creek.

You can also put in at Black Creek and float down to the bar above Twin Bridges, at the WDFW headquarters.

[WSU]

I would definitely say jet only.  What kind of boat and motor?

[Dbax129]

I was thinking of grabbing a little flat bottom john boat or something. And a little 5 horse ob to help scoot down faster where permitted. With paddles for the shallower spots. I plan on doing this in early December, not now.  Any thoughts on that? Where exactly are those to put in spots? White bridge and Cross-over?

[PolarBear]

From someone who has fished that river a lot, with that set up in December, you are setting yourself up for disaster. IMO

[7mmfan]

I wouldn't float any section of that river in a flat bottom john. There are to many unseen obstacles that a square chine could grab, shallow water to drag over, and tight places where you have to be able to maneuver well. That set up lends itself to none of those. You can find a small cheap aluminum or old glass drifter for cheap and throw a trolling motor on the back. Way better for what you want to do.

Cross over is the Wynoochee-Wishkah Road. White bridge is a few miles upriver from there. Drive the road, you'll find it.

[Dbax129]

Thanks! I will have to start looking for a drift boat then! Again, this river stuff is all new to me. Im all for jumping in amd figuring it out as I go, but I really value the advise of folks who have done it and can point me in the right direction before I jump.  Plenty of more reading and looking to so before december.

[BigGoonTuna]

I used to see a guy fish it out of a 12' jon boat in the summer when I lived out there.  It's a pretty tame river, but plan on doing some dragging this time of year.

[Damnimissed]

From someone who has fished that river a lot, with that set up in December, you are setting yourself up for disaster. IMO

[7mmfan]

I used to see a guy fish it out of a 12' jon boat in the summer when I lived out there.  It's a pretty tame river, but plan on doing some dragging this time of year.

Summertime is one thing, but wintertime with cloudy water, there are plenty of obstacles that a small square john boat could grab and flip in a heartbeat. 

[PolarBear]

I used to see a guy fish it out of a 12' jon boat in the summer when I lived out there.  It's a pretty tame river, but plan on doing some dragging this time of year.

I fished 2 guys out of the Nooch that flipped a drift boat below Black Creek during the summer at really low water.  That river takes a life every couple of years.