Springers

[castie2504]

Got after it at Drano today. About 57 degrees air temp, water 46.2. Went 1 for 2, got one on a skinny mini ladybug pattern, lost it, and then one on prawn spinner. They were suspended, running 22’ on counter using 12 ounce weight.

[castie2504]

Not a ton of fish over the dam or many boats on the lake but it beats the hell out of the madness that’s going to be in a couple of weeks. Good luck out there, stay safe, and give em hell.

[AROTTY]

Congrats. I was there yesterday fishing prawn spinners and only saw 1 fish caught.

[Dan-o]

Well done!

Way to get the kids out.

[MLhunter1]

Nice work with such a relatively small number over the dam so far. We got two today in the lower river.

[pickardjw]

Awesome! I'm considering getting the little 14'er out there this year. Am I misunderstanding the regs when they say bank fishing only for what I thought included Drano?

From Bonneville Dam upstream to the Tower Island power lines (approximately 6 miles below The Dalles Dam):

March 1-March 31:  Salmon and steelhead:  Daily limit two hatchery steelhead.  Release all salmon and wild steelhead.
April 1-April 26:  Salmon and steelhead:  Daily limit six, up to two adults may be retained of which no more than one may be an adult Chinook.  Release all salmon other than hatchery Chinook.  Release wild steelhead.  Salmon minimum size 12 inches. 

Fishing from a vessel is prohibited. Bank angling with hand-cast lines only.

[castie2504]

The reg you’re referring to is only for the Columbia. Drano has its own regs.

[pickardjw]

The reg you’re referring to is only for the Columbia. Drano has its own regs.

Ahh gotcha, thanks for the clarification.

[trophyhunt]

Before the madness, I love it! 

[nwwanderer]

Good job Dad!!  Great color on the fish, thanks

[206]

great pic

[Mtnwalker]

The reg you’re referring to is only for the Columbia. Drano has its own regs.

Ahh gotcha, thanks for the clarification.

I tried looking the other day too and couldn't make heads or tails of it. All this technology available and they still gotta make the regs detective work

[castie2504]

I use the WDFW app that lets you just click on the body of water and brings up the regs for that area. It automatically downloads the updates when you open it. It’s not perfect but it is much easier than doing it the load fashioned way. If you haven’t tried it, give it a shot. 

Yesterday’s fish was very memorable, my 6 year old caught the first of the year while my 10 year old was captaining the boat. He decided on the line and earned his brother the takedown that led to the catch! Pretty cool watching them get it done together. The cool thing is that they have no idea that one day they’ll be captaining their boats and I’ll just be another passenger that just gets to fish! It’s all coming together 

[castie2504]

Congrats. I was there yesterday fishing prawn spinners and only saw 1 fish caught.

Numbers are inching up slowing, there will be a great leap in them in the next couple of weeks. Get after them before the circus starts!

[castie2504]

Cut up real nice.

[Dan-o]

CONGRATS!

You're hammering them pretty darn good.

[Blacklab]

Good eats

[castie2504]

Today’s Drano Report:

Fish count over Bonneville on 18th: 413

Water Temp: average 48.1 F
Air Temp @ 1200: 62 F
Miserable windy conditions, sustained 15-20 mph with gusts up to 30, white caps and rough

No takes for my crew and I. Two Adults, 3 kids running 4 rods. Ran 2 chrome pro trolls and 2 chrome short bus flashers. Ran 2 prawn spinners (chartreuse, red, Mexican hat and others, switching colors constantly) with red coon shrimp, ran 2 rods each one with the skinny mini (rotten banana, Seahawk, ladybug and others) or the Kokanee cut plugs (same patterns as mentioned earlier) with tuna. Couldn’t grind out a take. Got blown off the water at 1230.

Saw 1 fish caught, heard of 4 others caught and several lost. The biologist had only counted one fish when I spoke to him at 1300. About 35 boats probably averaging 4 anglers a boat.


The wind made for challenging conditions but not impossible. First trip we got skunked this year. Been able to scratch out a fish with lower numbers over the dam before this trip. Fun trip though, boys had fun. It was an adventure, headed back in a few days.

[castie2504]

The time is now. Numbers have greatly improved and the peak is just around the corner. Let the madness begin! Get after them, slayers!

[trophyhunt]

My first time doing the drano was last year on a guided trip, we went 1-4 during the madness.  It was crazy, but pretty cool as a client, no way would I want to captain a boat on that mess.  But I have tried to talk my cousin to take his boat down there, lol.   Awesome report by the way!! 

[castie2504]

My first time doing the drano was last year on a guided trip, we went 1-4 during the madness.  It was crazy, but pretty cool as a client, no way would I want to captain a boat on that mess.  But I have tried to talk my cousin to take his boat down there, lol.   Awesome report by the way!!

Hopefully you can get out there with your cousin. I’d recommend staying out in the lake and avoiding the bowl until light. Good luck, get after ‘em.

[treeclimber2852]

The Wind River is producing and gives more room to maneuver.  Launch at Stevenson and motor up if you can. 

[castie2504]

The Wind River is producing and gives more room to maneuver.  Launch at Stevenson and motor up if you can.

Great fish! I’ve yet to try that area.

[castie2504]

The Wind River is producing and gives more room to maneuver.  Launch at Stevenson and motor up if you can.

Great fish! I’ve yet to try that area.

5/05 Report: good weather, little breezy but more than fishable. Boat launch parking full, cars almost parked all the way to the tunnel. Lots and lots of boats, the toilet bowl packed, lake had lots of boats but not too crazy.

Ran 4 rods, 3 anglers. 2 protrolls, 2 brad’s 360 flashers with prawn spinners on each setup with millennium coon shrimp. Got first fish in brads flasher running a high class chartreuse/pink blade and red coon shrimp, 12 oz at 24’ on counter at daylight on east end of lake next to road where the depth was 28’. Second fish on protroll flasher, Mexican hat spinner with red coon shrimp 12 oz at 28’ on counter on east end of lake at 30’ depth. 2 fish caught about 20 mins apart, by 630 am the bite slowed tremendously and saw no other fish hooked in lake until about 10.

It’s prime time now, get there early otherwise the launch line will be long. Get after ‘em!

[metlhead]

The bone was tossed out! Lower Columbia opens up tomorrow for retention. Gonna be a crowded weekend