HELP! All i know is bass - moving to a river how to fish for salmon/steelhead?

[The Constant Gardener]

I've fished for bass for two decades here in SW Washington mostly around Olympia/Rochester.  My family and I are soon moving to a place out in the Chehalis river valley and are super close to the WDFW boat launch at Porter, and i've just got less and less interest in bass fishing, and more and more interest in fishing on the river for salmon/steelhead.

I have no idea the tackle/techniques, apart from what little a neighbor and some diagrams at Sunbirds have suggested: mainline goes to a 3-way splitter, 6"-12" drop weight down, and a 3'-4' leader back to a 1/0 barbless with a spin-n-glo right above the hook, and salmon eggs on the hook. You're -i guess- supposed to kind of slowly troll, but slower than the speed of the current, so it still gives you spin-n-glo action, but is still moving with the river.  Any of that sound correct?  Any other tips?

I've got a little custom-made 16' aluminum johnboat bass boat w/ bowmount trolling motor and a 40 horse outboard, will it work for this kind of fishing?

Thanks all!

[BigGoonTuna]

That rig sounds like something that you'd use for plunking, throw it out on a seam and put your feet up.

If i was fishing for salmon I'd start stocking up on blue fox and flash glo spinners, put single hooks on them and add a small squid skirt.  Eggs and jigs work well too, but i catch most of mine on spinners.

 I haven't fished around porter much but i do fish around Montesano and elma a fair bit, as well as up around centralia.

[bassquatch]

Step 1:  Hire an attorney.  They are the only ones that can actually decipher the fishing regs correctly.

Step 2:  Stand shoulder to shoulder in a river with 50+ other disgruntled salmon fishermen.  Complain about the regs, tribes, seals and libs for six hours with them.  Walk away with nothing but a net full of garbage you couldn't help but pick up cause no one else seems to.

Step 3:  Sell all your salmon and steelheading gear on Craigslist.  Then immediately PM me, and let's  get back to bass fishing!   

Ok, ok, of course I'm joking....good luck in your search! 

[fowl smacker]

I've fished for bass for two decades here in SW Washington mostly around Olympia/Rochester.  My family and I are soon moving to a place out in the Chehalis river valley and are super close to the WDFW boat launch at Porter, and i've just got less and less interest in bass fishing, and more and more interest in fishing on the river for salmon/steelhead.

I have no idea the tackle/techniques, apart from what little a neighbor and some diagrams at Sunbirds have suggested: mainline goes to a 3-way splitter, 6"-12" drop weight down, and a 3'-4' leader back to a 1/0 barbless with a spin-n-glo right above the hook, and salmon eggs on the hook. You're -i guess- supposed to kind of slowly troll, but slower than the speed of the current, so it still gives you spin-n-glo action, but is still moving with the river.  Any of that sound correct?  Any other tips?

I've got a little custom-made 16' aluminum johnboat bass boat w/ bowmount trolling motor and a 40 horse outboard, will it work for this kind of fishing?

Thanks all!

If you're fishing from a boat, plugs are very effective (k11x, Brad's wigglers), also bait diver with spin glo and sand shrimp or eggs, or both are very effective.  You can use either of those anchored or back trolling.  Not sure of your boating skills on a river, but side drifting is very effective also, but more involved.  Now is not a great time to get into Salmon/Steelhead fishing however as our WDFW is a joke.

[Beargravy]

I totally agree with Bassquatch.I did the combat Cowlitz thing once,that was enough.Good luck,bassin will be there when you have had it with salmon/ steelhead 

[Bulldozer77]

Step 1:  Hire an attorney.  They are the only ones that can actually decipher the fishing regs correctly.

Step 2:  Stand shoulder to shoulder in a river with 50+ other disgruntled salmon fishermen.  Complain about the regs, tribes, seals and libs for six hours with them.  Walk away with nothing but a net full of garbage you couldn't help but pick up cause no one else seems to.

Step 3:  Sell all your salmon and steelheading gear on Craigslist.  Then immediately PM me, and let's  get back to bass fishing!   

Ok, ok, of course I'm joking....good luck in your search! 

    Accurate!

[WSU]

Honestly, salmon fishing is tough without a boat.  Most bank locations either have no fish or have lots of fisherman.  There isn't much in between for salmon.

[pianoman9701]

It's almost pre-spawn for bass. Get your head right, man! 

[snake]

TONS of great salmon and steelhead fishing to be had.  It will be discouraging at times.  Most likely you will try it a few times and give up.If you do some research and stick with it, you will have success and will definitely throw your bass gear in the garbage, and probably cry for a few days because you didn't start salmon steel heading sooner.

[hollymaster]

TONS of great salmon and steelhead fishing to be had.  It will be discouraging at times.  Most likely you will try it a few times and give up.If you do some research and stick with it, you will have success and will definitely throw your bass gear in the garbage, and probably cry for a few days because you didn't start salmon steel heading sooner.

Funny. I sold my boat cause the salmon and steelhead fishing is going into the toilet in this state. 

[WAcoueshunter]

Lots of good salmon fishing to be done here, just need to be flexible on the when and where from one year to the next.

[snake]

TONS of great salmon and steelhead fishing to be had.  It will be discouraging at times.  Most likely you will try it a few times and give up.If you do some research and stick with it, you will have success and will definitely throw your bass gear in the garbage, and probably cry for a few days because you didn't start salmon steel heading sooner.

Funny. I sold my boat cause the salmon and steelhead fishing is going into the toilet in this state. 

I hear ya, like i said, it can be discouraging at times.  Ocean conditions have improved.  Give it a few years, runs will improve.  With that said i am sure we could talk for days about the current politics and condition of salmon/steelhead in this state.

[Stein]

Runs will improve but the question is whether we get to fish for them or not.

For the Cowlitz, are black corkies still the go-to? 😂


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[snake]

Runs will improve but the question is whether we get to fish for them or not.

For the Cowlitz, are black corkies still the go-to? 😂


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you're spot on! Would be nice to get some opportunity back, black corkies don't work anymore.  they prefer 3 strands of black yarn. Don't forget to soak it in shrimp scent. You will most definitely get at least one bite per cast, so give it a good rip if you feel anything.