Cowlitz

[hollymaster]

Any general tackle recommendations for blue creek/cowlitz steelhead for bank angler. Used to other fisheries using float and jig or floating beads and eggs. But hearing its a drift fishing show with long leaders. Making me scratch my head a bit. Figured I would see what you guys had to say from personal experience of methods along this stretch of river. I have a little knowledge as well as some tackle for all method types so can be prepared to run a wide variety of setups. Thanks for any tips guys

Long leaders = flossing

[spoonman]

Any general tackle recommendations for blue creek/cowlitz steelhead for bank angler. Used to other fisheries using float and jig or floating beads and eggs. But hearing its a drift fishing show with long leaders. Making me scratch my head a bit. Figured I would see what you guys had to say from personal experience of methods along this stretch of river. I have a little knowledge as well as some tackle for all method types so can be prepared to run a wide variety of setups. Thanks for any tips guys

If you are in a boat it’s a drift or float game. From the bank either will work as well. It a a great river to learn to swing spoons on. I only fish spoons down there and pull more than my share of steelhead out of there swinging spoons. I use to run a sled down there multiple days a week (I don’t miss it) and it was just a drift game back then. Now it’s a float show as well with all these golf ball sized stupid beads. It’s just more fun to catch fish on spoons and you catch the fish that are more aggressive!

[brew]

my buddy's roommate guides down there...been eating a lot of fresh steelies....main method is side drifting a single bead.  They boated 6 today

[duckmen1]

Any general tackle recommendations for blue creek/cowlitz steelhead for bank angler. Used to other fisheries using float and jig or floating beads and eggs. But hearing its a drift fishing show with long leaders. Making me scratch my head a bit. Figured I would see what you guys had to say from personal experience of methods along this stretch of river. I have a little knowledge as well as some tackle for all method types so can be prepared to run a wide variety of setups. Thanks for any tips guys

Long leaders = flossing

Exactly my thoughts. I would rather run yarnies on a 28 inch leader paired with a hard or soft bead trailer then do the flossing game. Hopefully pull the presentation through the strike zone not the line. Or float jigs or beads, pull spinners/ spoons, or bait, steelhead worms. Lots of opportunity other than flossing. Nice to hear what presentations you all might enjoy using down there. I would love to pull one out on a spoon sometime.
Glad to hear there's a chance at a fish.
Are you guys mainly fishing the main river or the creek too?

[fowl smacker]

Any general tackle recommendations for blue creek/cowlitz steelhead for bank angler. Used to other fisheries using float and jig or floating beads and eggs. But hearing its a drift fishing show with long leaders. Making me scratch my head a bit. Figured I would see what you guys had to say from personal experience of methods along this stretch of river. I have a little knowledge as well as some tackle for all method types so can be prepared to run a wide variety of setups. Thanks for any tips guys

Long leaders = flossing

Not necessarily

[spoonman]

I’d say most boats are running 5-6’ leaders. It’s a leader length that puts the offering at the right depth in the water column. Now if you see Leo with 10’ leaders then that’s flossing. Also a flossed fish will be hooked from the outside in instead of the inside out.
Drift eggs, beads, sand shrimp, and number of other things, just run the right amount of lead. Float anything you want and you’ll hook fish as well. If the water is at 9000cfs or less fish seem to be in all areas but if the water is up (11000+) they tend to run close to the bank. I do better in higher water on the cowlitz swinging 50/50 spoons close to the bank. One thing I can say is to take one setup down there instead of 4 rods for 4 different techniques. You’ll never be proficient at one technique until you force yourself to just use that one rod till you catch fish. It’s rarely the case that the fish are only biting one lure. I would of never been as good at spoon fishing if I hadn’t listen to a old guy tell me to just take the spoon rod and a box of spoons till I catch fish. Flit fishing is the training wheels of river fishing, drift fishing can be a pain in the butt for all anglers and swinging lures takes time to learn where your lure is in the water column.

[Platensek-po]

We used to slay steel on the cowlings running plugs. Yakima baits dr death is incredible on that river. That or side drifting with a 2ft leader 2 ez eggs and pink yarn. Pulling plugs makes it easier to drink beer too tho. You can fish bobber and jig too from the bank. Focus on the 3-4ft deep water. Guys will be standing out there up to their chest and they are standing where the fish are. I used to fish the cowlitz a ton but it’s a mess down there and the fish just aren’t there in the numbers they used to be

[duckmen1]

My current take on blue creek. Heavy boat traffic in the area. Didn't see but one hookup on a boat. Out of many bank anglers saw a few hookups. Every single person there but 1 guy was a 10 to 12 foot long flossing leader kind of game.