springers

[HawkenBob]

79 fish yesterday. This is dismal. It should be 1000 plus right now. Its gonna close the 22nd under Bonni. They probably wont open it again till it picks up in count. Bout like last year though...111 yesterday in 2008. 

We used to fish the Wind and Drano on the 25th and never went unless counts were 5000 plus a day over the dam. That always happened by the 25th to the 27th.

Now people go with 1000 a day. But fishing is relative. I have Friday and sta left. Then 4 days next week for my final hurrah before I bring the truck, camper and boat home form its Washougal stay for a month.

The way its looking I may be shrimping this year after all...

[buckhorn2]

Thanks for the information guys I will try out your suggestions. We did have the rods set straight up and high andnot flat and the back rods were lighter steelhead rods and they seemed to get the most hits and lost the most. I know the dam counts are down but they are still coming my friends really did good at skamokawa and all the way down to deep river so hope they keep coming. I thought I had a lot of plugs but nothing like your washing and I will try that to with the  gloves. Thanks for the information.

[HawkenBob]

Yea it just sucks cause I love to shrimp. And my GF really wants to shrimp. With the rig in SW Wa. its a hard decision. I missed shrimp last year but cant this year. I guess I have to clean up next 2 weeks and hopefully load the freezer. These Springers are the best salmon ever for eating. 

[klickman]

79 fish yesterday. This is dismal. It should be 1000 plus right now. Its gonna close the 22nd under Bonni. They probably wont open it again till it picks up in count. Bout like last year though...111 yesterday in 2008. 

We used to fish the Wind and Drano on the 25th and never went unless counts were 5000 plus a day over the dam. That always happened by the 25th to the 27th.

Now people go with 1000 a day. But fishing is relative. I have Friday and sta left. Then 4 days next week for my final hurrah before I bring the truck, camper and boat home form its Washougal stay for a month.

The way its looking I may be shrimping this year after all...

Thats not a lot of fish being caught.  I have a feeling once the river warms up a little more there will be a huge push of fish. 

As for using jumbo jet divers in shallow water, alot of that has to do line control.  With boats on all sides of you you need to keep your gear near the boat.  I personally don't use the jumbo divers unless I am backtrolling eggs.  If I'm using kfish I will use 30's.  that usually is plent to get down and keep the gear close to the boat.  If you can get away with long lining plugs that is definatly the way to go but in crowded situations you got to use big divers to keep control over them. 

Klickman

[HawkenBob]

Personally I dont think temp effects migration time. I think it hurts the bite. Especially in the Cathlamet area. The run timing is getting later and later every year consistantly.

After looking at last years late return, the numbers are right on par.
4-7-2008 111
4-8-2008 109
4-9-2008 180
4-10-2008 509
4-11-2008 1373

So I think this week will be outstanding compared to last few weeks.

Im hopeing. I still havent had one on the BBQ. All I want is one and Ill be happy. Leaving tonight for another hurrah.

[buckhorn2]

Hawkenbob hope you catch them today. A friend just called who is a fish buyer and the commercial netters caught 3600 fish in 11 hours with a 16 pound average. He told me they left some for you. Good Fishing

[cohoho]

Went today, it was dead from what we saw only a couple caught anywhere near us, we managed to boat a smaller springer....  Maybe next weekend a big push will occur....

[Dmanmastertracker]

 I read about four days ago that there were gill nets on the Oregon side of the river....

[cohoho]

Well that would sum it up for sure.  In AK when the nets were out the count was extremely low, then right after a huge push would come through.  Not knocking the net guys, cause atleast they seriously contributed to the overall enhancement of the fishery, without them alot of hatchery runs would be nonexistent...at least up there, not sure how it works here yet...

[robodad]

Well I have to add that if any of you are thinking on fishing with Cohoho DON'T DO IT !!! because then I wouldn't be able to go !!! 

Seriously though, Big Iron and I had a great time fishing with you guys and although though the fish were less then cooperative the *censored* was overly abundant which was refreshing !!!

I took a few really bad photos so don't complain if you don't enjoy them !!!

We started off the day with a Chinese fire drill !!



Here is the fearless crew !!



Now it's time to get geared up for some springer action !!!



I seriously doubt a fish could weave its way through this without getting snagged by someone, It was like someone said there is a fish in the river and its in this location !!



I finally hook a fish and the captain snatches the rod from me saying I look like a school yard girl throwing a softball trying to figure out how to reel left handed !!!



Then Big Iron is trying to throw himself overboard with the net so this fish don't get away !!!



And the money shot !!!



For some reason the captain and his deckhand kept looking onto the live well at this "springer" they must have been discussing how they were going to split it up 4 ways !!!



Here is what it looked like from the inside looking out !!



The anchor puller !!



Then finally back on the beach for a 5 hour drive home !!!



Thanks again you guys we really did have a blast despite my overly negative summery !!!

[cohoho]

You forgot to add, "someone please take this rod cause the monster at the other end is killing me, he is too big for me to reel".......  Leave it to Robo to hook the littlest Springer in the river ....  Big Iron is netting pro......  As for the Sand shrimp photo, well we packed it in early for springer's, put away all the salmon rods and gear and grab the Sturgeon rods and headed to a past favorite of mine and didn't have a nibble  for Sturgeon....  Left at 6:30 pm, we gave it a fight but the fish just weren't coperating well yesterday.... We got out in the water right at dawn for the Springer's in Cathlamet and I hear this conversation going on about how cool Sturgeon are, etc... Didn't think nothing of it, then again later in the day and again..... It was then I realize crap  I was targeting the wrong fish for who was in the boat....  Figured you guys were combo guys.....  We should have targeted Sturgeon in the beginning and went to where I have been having success all winter long.... Next time guys, next time...  I had a great time also, lots of fun and interesting conversations.... 

[bowhunterforever]

Awsome pics!

[robodad]

I concede, that fish was just a bit too much for my little petite frame to handle, I'll have to work on some of my muscle groups before I go again !!! 


As for targeting the wrong type of fish, You could have said "Hey you wanna go fishing for some dog fish in Quilcene Bay" ?? and we'd have been all over it like white on rice !!! 

Next time ?? I figured you would have had enough of me breaking crap and hooking myself on your lures and cutting the crap out of my leg and making you and the deckhand do all the work with no pay, but hell yeah If you want to take me again I'm always up for some sand shrimp mutilation and torture, it was a blast wrapping their slithering little bodies to a hook with silly string and drowning their crunchy little a$$es, Hell I'd do that here but my wife don't like the smell and she hates it when I hook the dog !!!

I put the game wardens phone number in my phone so next time we don't know the rules we can just call him instead of everyone in your phonebook !!!