Columbia Steelhead day 1

[Hoytstaffshooter83]

Today was a great day on the water! the FISHING was fantastic! the CATCHING not as much....... the current was really ripping from the dam, the fastest I have ever seen it this time of year in fact, and that played a huge part in the sad sad total for the day...... we ended up 3-19  yes  3 FOR 19!!! we had 19 hook ups on steelhead along with a half dozen drive bys...... so 25 takesdown in just under 12 hours! on a normal day these 3 guys would have been limited by 7 am with 6 fish and their way back home!  the fishing is great right now and only 1500 fish a day are going over the dam, the run has just begun!!! last years peak was over 11k and it will stabilize at  3-6k/day here in the next few weeks........ IMO there is not another steelhead fishery that can touch the columbia this time of year, with our 19 hook ups, we also saw id guess 15 fish landed and plenty others lost......... this fishing is relaxing, fast paced and fun! the gorge is some of the most beautiful scenery on earth, especially on days like today!

[Drop Tine]

sounds and looks like a great day. 

[WDFW Hates ME!!!]

I watched a boat yesterday had 22 on in 4 hours while i was there, not sure how many they had before i got there.
What pissed me off is they were anchored 30 feet from the bank in front of a normal plunking spot and the guys there said they came in to the spot while they were fishing, had words and were told basically so what, get over it. That guide had the whole river but chose to sit right there where the bankies usually fish.
Water also came up 2 feet while i was there. 100 degree weather in CA plays a part in the water flow.

It is starting, i had 5 on yesterday and i only fished for 2 hours.

[tmike]

Are you pulling plugs? Bait divers? How are you getting them in the heavy current and can you drift fish for them? Never fished the Big water for steelies. I imagine your still working the softer seams.

[Hoytstaffshooter83]

I watched a boat yesterday had 22 on in 4 hours while i was there, not sure how many they had before i got there.
What pissed me off is they were anchored 30 feet from the bank in front of a normal plunking spot and the guys there said they came in to the spot while they were fishing, had words and were told basically so what, get over it. That guide had the whole river but chose to sit right there where the bankies usually fish.
Water also came up 2 feet while i was there. 100 degree weather in CA plays a part in the water flow.

It is starting, i had 5 on yesterday and i only fished for 2 hours.

 22 on in 4 hours might have been why he fished where he did? if he came in after the bank guys thats kind of messed up, but these fish run really close, so  boats/bankies will always have issues, where I fish bank guys are all around but I TRY  and give them as much room as I can, we cna all fish and have fun.

[Hoytstaffshooter83]

Are you pulling plugs? Bait divers? How are you getting them in the heavy current and can you drift fish for them? Never fished the Big water for steelies. I imagine your still working the softer seams.

  I use bait/spinners   and you try and find soft seams but in the gorge there really isnt any, where I fish is a current seam along the bank, the fish come right up it

[tmike]

Thanks! I've got to try that, sounds like a blast!

[LongTatLaw]

Yes Tmike...

WEEEEEEE  definitely gotta try that! Ill be in WA in less than two weeks! I got gas money bro

Nice post hoyt

[Hoytstaffshooter83]

If you guys want to see what it is about, I have seats on my boat.....

[MuleySniper]

Thanks! I've got to try that, sounds like a blast!

YAWN.... Dude if you have never been steelhead fishing, try to book a float trip up on the peninsula. I know anchor fishing is productive, but you will never do it again after a day floating the bogi, queets, ho, the duc, etc. Not trying to jack business from anyone, but you can't even compare the two styles of steely fishing.
MS

[huntnphool]

the fishing is great right now and only 1500 fish a day are going over the dam

 Hey Hoyt, where do you think these fish are heading?

[tmike]

I'm not trying to book a guide, I've never fished the Columbia for steelies and was wondering what the technique was. I've floated and caught 100's of steelhead on all those river you mentioned out of my 68 Eastside. Have 3 over 20 under my belt. Sometimes it's nice to explore different rivers and different techniques. That's all.

[MuleySniper]

Right on! I was just assuming. I know everyone has their own style. I would just get bored anchored up but thats just me.  Good luck if ya go out. PS: If were bragging, I'm in the twenty pound + club too
MS

[SkookumHntr]

Thanks! I've got to try that, sounds like a blast!

YAWN.... Dude if you have never been steelhead fishing, try to book a float trip up on the peninsula. I know anchor fishing is productive, but you will never do it again after a day floating the bogi, queets, ho, the duc, etc. Not trying to jack business from anyone, but you can't even compare the two styles of steely fishing.
MS

--I fish all the forks area rivers and Fish the Columbia more then most and I know guys that would take summer run fishing on the Columbia over any other fishery anyday of the week and visa versa. In the winter I fish with my forks guide buddys and in the summer they fish with me, They have as much fun fishing with me as I do with them! There both killer fisherys!

[Hoytstaffshooter83]

the fishing is great right now and only 1500 fish a day are going over the dam

 Hey Hoyt, where do you think these fish are heading?

i would guess  amlot are heading to the snake system, along with the clearwater, although those fish come in more in august, along with every other trib above the dam, john day, klickitat, wind river, yakima, grande ronde, salmon river etc...... hence why the fishing is so good

[Hoytstaffshooter83]

Thanks! I've got to try that, sounds like a blast!

YAWN.... Dude if you have never been steelhead fishing, try to book a float trip up on the peninsula. I know anchor fishing is productive, but you will never do it again after a day floating the bogi, queets, ho, the duc, etc. Not trying to jack business from anyone, but you can't even compare the two styles of steely fishing.
MS

Thats your own personal  I also have fished every river I can think of and I still come back to the summer runs on the columbia, you cant consistently hook the numbers of fish you can on the C anywhere else.. the cowlitz, grand ronde etc are great and you certainly can have 15+ days, but its not the same, plus for me drifting/back trolling  is not as fun and relaxing as sitting on anchor, we dont lose gear, your not casting every  20 seconds and you can relax and FISH...... thats why I enjoy it so much.....

[MuleySniper]

Thanks! I've got to try that, sounds like a blast!

YAWN.... Dude if you have never been steelhead fishing, try to book a float trip up on the peninsula. I know anchor fishing is productive, but you will never do it again after a day floating the bogi, queets, ho, the duc, etc. Not trying to jack business from anyone, but you can't even compare the two styles of steely fishing.
MS

--I fish all the forks area rivers and Fish the Columbia more then most and I know guys that would take summer run fishing on the Columbia over any other fishery anyday of the week and visa versa. In the winter I fish with my forks guide buddys and in the summer they fish with me, They have as much fun fishing with me as I do with them! There both killer fisherys!

No doubt they are both killer fishery's. The Columbia is arguably a better summer run river, I wasn't trying to say it wasn't. My opinion was more on the style of fishing. All I'm saying is Id rather walk banks in Forks and maybe have a few hook-ups over sitting anchored boat to boat reeling in cookie cutters all day. Thats all!  Actually, any day on any river is better than being at work.
MS

[Antlershed]

the fishing is great right now and only 1500 fish a day are going over the dam

 Hey Hoyt, where do you think these fish are heading?

i would guess  amlot are heading to the snake system, along with the clearwater, although those fish come in more in august, along with every other trib above the dam, john day, klickitat, wind river, yakima, grande ronde, salmon river etc...... hence why the fishing is so good

Yep, most of the bigger fish generally come through later in the summer, but not all. Biggest I have seen is 24lbs in September. You can definitely tell when you catch one bound for the Snake versus a Cowlitz hatchery doink (where I fish).

I wouldn't discredit this fishery. You get to relax, BS, and hook close to 20 fish a day. It may not take much skill like drift fishing, but it is still fun. The main problem where I fish, is how popular the fishery has become. It means getting on the water at 3am to fish by 6.

[tmike]

In my opinion any steelhead on the end of my line is a good steelhead, no matter how it gets there. If I was bragging I would have told you about getting LongTat his first 4 steelhead using 3 different methods. If you know him that's no easy task  Sorry Dave. Another place I've never caught one but want to is on the Klick.

[Hoytstaffshooter83]

the fishing is great right now and only 1500 fish a day are going over the dam

 Hey Hoyt, where do you think these fish are heading?

i would guess  amlot are heading to the snake system, along with the clearwater, although those fish come in more in august, along with every other trib above the dam, john day, klickitat, wind river, yakima, grande ronde, salmon river etc...... hence why the fishing is so good

Yep, most of the bigger fish generally come through later in the summer, but not all. Biggest I have seen is 24lbs in September. You can definitely tell when you catch one bound for the Snake versus a Cowlitz hatchery doink (where I fish).

I wouldn't discredit this fishery. You get to relax, BS, and hook close to 20 fish a day. It may not take much skill like drift fishing, but it is still fun. The main problem where I fish, is how popular the fishery has become. It means getting on the water at 3am to fish by 6.

My personal best is a 23lb from the kalama in september, the 7th be to exact, took a break from hunting mid day and whacked that monster....  the same thing goes with where I fish, I was on the water at 330 to get my spot to fish at 5 am.... it sucks but you cant argue with limits daily

[jackelope]

i'm gonna agree with muleysniper...i'm more in it for the experience than the number of fish(which could translate to...i don't catch *censored* ever...but i like the scenery  )...but with all the talk of crowding bank guys and arguments and stuff, i'm not into it.
it's definitely a great fishery, just not for me. most of the fun for me comes from navigating the whitewater in my drifter.

[Hoytstaffshooter83]

I am as well, the experience is awesome, I dont have issues with bank guys and the gorge on a sunny day is as goregeous as anywhere..... and then there is that hooking tons of fish thing, but thats overrated.... I also like a coastal stream  drifting as well, I love the washougal in the winter in a drift boat... I just really enjoy the relaxing fishing this offers you

[WDFW Hates ME!!!]

I fish summer steel to catch fish, it is to hot to worry about anything else. I do alot of plunking and we catch a ton of fish, i am doing it to fill the freezer with fish for the year. If i wanted to drift fish i could but i still don't catch as many fish doing that. Plus plunking is great for a 10 year old. he gets to play on the bank and then when a fish hits he gets to reel it in. 20 fish days are not uncommon.
I could pay someone 150 bucks to take me fishing but i can do some exploring and do it for free, try new things and find new spots. Summer runs on the big C are my favorite.

I have offered to take a few guys but no takers yet. Off to fish, talk to ya all later.

[tlbradford]

In my opinion any steelhead on the end of my line is a good steelhead, no matter how it gets there. If I was bragging I would have told you about getting LongTat his first 4 steelhead using 3 different methods. If you know him that's no easy task  Sorry Dave. Another place I've never caught one but want to is on the Klick.

Method 1 - Diving into the water with a knife between his teeth and stabbing it in the eyeball
Method 2 - Shooting it with a bow, cutting the gills out, and rubbing the blood on his cheeks like warpaint
Method 3 - Waiting quietly in the current, stunning a passerby with a karate blow to the back of the head, and submitting the fish with a variety of MMA moves.  

I will take any and all of the methods or rivers you guys have described.  

[Hoytstaffshooter83]

I like the submitting the fish with a mma move

[tmike]

Were you with us when Dave did all 3 of those methods    I can't remember but my head sure hurt afterwards. Solitude or crowds they all have a place. I love a huge crowd on the river when I'm standing by myself hooking fish on another. Sometimes a good old meat run in is in order too.

[Hoytstaffshooter83]

this fishery is the best of both, a meat run and a hell of a time

[LongTatLaw]

tlbradford....

you know...thats kinda a metphor for how I do things....but it really happened too

Ill agree, Tmike showed me how to catch fish any way there is! He could probably catch steelies with his bare hands!

I like the drift fishing (bottoms with sandies or eggs) but man does an aggressive fish that hits a plug fight like hell!  Seeing a fish that big go 5 feet outta the water a dozen times is tough to beat! I loved it and then went right back to bottom fishin'

I like being on a lonely river without a soul around!

Couple times Tmike and I went down the river it was rainy or maybe just luck but for hours it seemed like we were on our own private river that no one else knew about!

Thats the best to me!

That said...  someone take me big river fishin and change my mind!

[tlbradford]

I haven't done any of the offshore fishing that people talk about so much like bonefish, or tarpon or tuna, but for freshwater fishing I don't think summer steelheading can be beat.  As for my absolute favorite method for pure fun, it would be spot and stalk fishing for big fish in smaller waters.

[huntnphool]

Hey Hoyt, how about a in depth tutorial on how to fish this system, pics of rigs, lines, rods etc. It sounds like lots of guys would love to try it.

[Hoytstaffshooter83]

Sure, Ill take some pics tommrow and post one

[fishcrazy]

Hoyt,

Could you post the gps numbers to this spot? 

Sounds like a fun fishery I have yet to try. Have wanted to try it for a few years but just have a hard time getting down that far for a couple sewer trout. But like I allways say. Don't nock it till you try it. I need to try it. I'll give you a wave if I get down that way the next few weeks.

Kris

[buckhorn2]

Hoyt I am waiting to see the pictures of the spinners. My grandson is bugging me to go but I don;t know what I need. Thanks I hope your still in them .

[Hoytstaffshooter83]

im sorry I will post them tommorow, I forgot to grab my camera the other day

[fishcrazy]

I have found the best way to learn a fishery is to just book a trip with a guide and tell them you want to learn to fish it on yer own.  A good guide will have no problem helping you learn it. Just an idea for those wanting to learn the whens are hows of this fishery. Get a trip booked on his boat and see how he does it. Hoyt sounds like a cool guy but this is how he feeds his family. If you are willing to pay to go with him I bet you will learn allot more.

It's more than putting the right spinner in the water sometimes. Sometimes it's not.


Kris

[Hoytstaffshooter83]

thanks kris, I agree, I have no issue helping people the best I can, but at the same time no amount of pics of text can replace actually seeing it first hand..... many of my clients take their own boats out and even out fish me some days after a trip with me! I enjoy the teaching aspect as much as anything!!

[huntnphool]

 Oh for crying out loud, I serously doubt Hoyts family will miss a meal if he posts a little information for people on here. We all understand Paul does this for a living and is very good at it, is it really too much to ask that he share a little of the "how to's" with everyone? Its not like the river is going to be flooded with boats the day after, and if he believes he can post a thread like this and not expect people to ask questions then maybe he should think twice about it from now on.

 

[Hoytstaffshooter83]

I never have had a issue with posting pics or answering questions....... Im here to help, but I agree with kris as well, I will have a post up soon with pics and tactics

[huntnphool]

I never have had a issue with posting pics or answering questions....... Im here to help, but I agree with kris as well.

 Thanks Paul, I agree with Kris too but I seriously doubt you have anything to worry about In fact most may realize they still don't have the gear needed or even the boat for that matter, and you may get even more business.

[fishunt247]

I know I'm coming in kinda late on this, but I fish summer runs the exact same way as Hoyt and think it's damn fun. You can't argue with 20+ fish mornings. The big C is ripping in spots, and the fish have a crazy amount of energy in that current a week or so out of the salt. I've fished nearly every other method (besides a pink worm) and enjoy them all, especially fishing smaller streams with my spinners, but I always come back to the Columbia every week. Living on the eastside, there aren't too many options right now. And it really isn't that easy, which is why there will be 20 or so boats, maybe 5 will pound fish while the others stare at their rod tips. It's easier than skating flies, but nothing is really "easy" for steelhead. I just got back from fishing down there today (dead camera battery), and saw plenty of guys with that blank bewildered "why the hell am I not getting fish like him" look. The river was F-ing rough, but worth it. I just hope this doesn't get to be like a dry fly vs nymphing debate.

[Hoytstaffshooter83]

Thanks for your input! I love it as well, but man it hs been rough the last few days for everyone!

[WDFW Hates ME!!!]

Paul it has been a weird year. We were used to limits quick the last few years and this year we are really having to wait it out. We are catching fish on the incomming tide.
Still really slow but we are catching fish every day. I have caught more nates this year than ever before...

[Hoytstaffshooter83]

it has been weird, same up near the dam, thursday aside it has been slow with the majority of the fish being native...... it has to get much better

[WDFW Hates ME!!!]

Have you looked at the dam counts... seams like they are trending toward the 10 year average in return so far this year. But it seams like there have been way more unclipped fish, for everybody. Big boys will show up in a few weeks.

[Hoytstaffshooter83]

ya damn counts are good, but they dont mean much, we hooked 19 fish on a day 1200 went over and 4 fish on a day 1600 went over.. figure that out

[huntnphool]

we hooked 19 fish on a day 1200 went over and 4 fish on a day 1600 went over

 I would be giddy to hook 4 in a day though Steelhead are my fave to catch!!!!

[Hoytstaffshooter83]

I love them as well, thus why I love the big river so much

[fishunt247]

In years past, I have always caught more natives early in July. The last two years though, it has been opposite for me. All five fish on Tuesday were hatchery. Last year I landed 18 in the first two days I fished, only one was wild. I don't know why that is. I primarily fish two different cures, while always having an experimental cure with me...different ingredients, different scents, etc. I have noticed that one cure commonly catches more hatchery fish, while the other catches more natives. I've documented all of this, watching the trends, and it is quite odd. Coincidence??? I'm not sure.