Newbie Question for a Non Experienced Wannabe Boat Angler

[tvandy45]

Question for some of the more experienced boat anglers out there

I grew up primarily hunting, our family never owned a boat but I loved to go whenever someone invited us. Fast forward to last year my wifes grandpa gifted us his 17 foot 92 jet craft given that he cant safely fish anymore. Its a solid boat and honestly in pretty good condition. I've taken it up to lake merwin quite a few times to get comfortable launching it, figuring out its quirks, the trolling motor, downriggers etc on kokanee and finally started having success to a point where i feel pretty comfortable.

I want to slowly work my way up and hit some of the local tribs in SW WA/NW oregon. However, no one in my family really fishes and the guys that I used to go with moved to montana. So as far as learning the ins and outs of these rivers i'm mostly chatting with guys at sportsmans or watching youtube videos. I know the best way to learn is to just get out there and do it but i dont really want to be guessing and hesitant on what i'm doing when i hit the columbia for the first time.

Any advice for getting comfortable in figuring out how to fish some of these? Should i just book a guide and take a bunch of notes and then just branch out from there?

Any and all advice is appreciated.

[metlhead]

Seriously, just get out and do it. Run the rivers and enjoy. The Columbia is just a big slow river. We tube and ski it all summer. Run my little sled during the waterfowl season.

[cavemann]

Metlhead is spot on..  Just get out there.  Also, the guide idea is a great one.  I just got back into the bigger water game again.  Pack your patients on success fishing but being out there you will get more comfortable and figure out what works best for your boat and you as the operator.  The fishing success comes with time out there.

Biggest thing to me is more about knowing the regs for fishing..  That can be as difficult as anything at times translating it all and making sure you understand and know the markers and what they are referencing.

[MeepDog]

If you Google Columbia river depth chart, you'll get a result for USA. Fishermap. It's a map of the contours of the bottom of the river. It's useful for trying to find dangerous areas and fishy areas. The danger might not apply as much down in the big and slow part if the river, but it's still useful for finding holes and breaks.

[buggy]

I would recommend reading cryders thread about boat ramps and then go for it!

[Blacklab]

I don't do skinny water except bank fishing. Merwin is a great lake to get your sea legs. The Columbia River is also a great. Keep your eyes open and your head on a swivel, you'll do fine. Electronics with mapping is  . Gives you peace of mind till you get more an more familiar of the areas. Enjoy the memory maker

[BigGoonTuna]

Does your boat have a jet or a prop?  I'm assuming jet since you want to fish the smaller rivers.  There aren't many rivers I'd take a prop on outside of the columbia or lower Chehalis.

Right now is a little dicey on the Cowlitz, 2200cfs will expose a lot of bare gravel on that river.  If you run it right now you might learn quickly what not to do (especially how shallow is too shallow!)   When it gets up around 5000cfs it's a lot more forgiving for a newbie.

[huntnnw]

Id be more worried about running tributaries then the columbia. Gotta be able to read water and know levels and certain danger areas on some tributaries. Columbia is just a big slow current, if you are anchor fishing then there is some do's and donts.

[ASHQUACK]

First and foremost you've done yourself a favor by taking it toothed lake and running it there and getting more comfortable. Some rules of the river are the down river boat running up has right of way. Don't drop in to closely to they guy in a hole 1st. Slow down when passing boats on anchor or back trolling or speed up, either way try to minimize your wake. Some observations of summer time fishing is kyyankers will always take the deepest water, block the launch and unfortunately they have the right away most of the time. A few things about running current, the boat will handle much much differently running down stream and power will get you into trouble but it will also get you out of it to. With a jet the faster you go the shallower you will run, if you feel like your in to shallow of water DO NOT back off the gas.

[Special T]

Take a few coast gaurd online courses... Bare min as the Wa State license is a damned joke.

[tvandy45]

This is all fantastic info! Thank you guys for all the tips.

Will definitely do some research and probably take it out on the big river or the willamette first as its probably more forgiving for a newbie. That said I will not be doing buoy ten until in the foreseeable future until i upgrade some things and build up some confidence. i think the fish finder is about 20 years old or so

ill probably end up booking booking a guide or tag along with someone so that can get some experience on new water and observe how things are done.

[dyhardhuntr]

I’m in the same boat.  I have access to my FILs boat and have taken it to Merwin and silver lake. I’ve been around boats my whole life but have never ran a bigger boat. This last weekend my wife and I went up to swift reservoir. It was windy but I thought we were fine. Well we got out into the lake and I realized I was in over my head. The wind was crazy and so were the swells. A bunch of boats were headed to the launch. I was freaked out but kept my head and got back in. My wife and I talked and we aren’t ready for that kind of water. I’d love to find a course to take to give a heads up on situations and what to do.

[dilleytech]

Hiring a guide for a local body of water is huge for the learning curve. But really every river or trib has a angler west or something similar production YouTube video on one way to fish it. Also go to Ifish and use the search function. But of course getting on the water is important just pay attention to what other successful fisherman are doing. And give them space.