Hunting Washington Forum

Other Activities => Fishing => Topic started by: klikboom on April 28, 2015, 04:22:27 PM

Title: Columbia salmon
Post by: klikboom on April 28, 2015, 04:22:27 PM: I'm up in snoho county and I plan on taking two trips to the Columbia this year to try for kings. My father in law and I have not done well fishing for kings up here (caught a few last year around whidbey). When is the time to go down there for best chance at Kings? I heard on 710 they were talking like it's easy peasy right now for springers at Stevenson. Is it l the best time right now to go? We have a river boat.
Title: Re: Columbia salmon
Post by: Badhabit on April 28, 2015, 04:36:22 PM: Check out the Bonneville Dam spring chinook count. Fishing is picking up in the Wind and at Drano. Lots of info on both at Ifish.com. Best days are during the week. Weekends are getting seriously silly with poor sportsmanship, bad boating skills. Some call it combat fishing. If you fish Drano try not to go the day after the Natives have netted it, as you can guess the numbers are down. If you're really a thrill seeker you can get in line and do the roundy roundy at the bridge. Lots of fish hooked there, don't cross the boundary into the bank fisherman's designated area or your boat will become target practice for weighted plugs and other cast projectiles and obsenities only deciphered by old salt sailors.
Title: Re: Columbia salmon
Post by: SteelheadDC on April 28, 2015, 04:54:57 PM: It is ifish.net and there is a ton of info on that site. Badhabit is right on about drano and the wind, although I think drano is worse. And you can catch salmon out in the big lake, maybe not quite as good but well worth not dealing with that cluster in the circle. Good luck
Title: Re: Columbia salmon
Post by: WSU on April 28, 2015, 05:15:30 PM: Do you want springers or just kings at any time?
Title: Re: Columbia salmon
Post by: klikboom on April 28, 2015, 05:27:21 PM: I just want kings in the freezer, not necessarily springers or fall.
Title: Re: Columbia salmon
Post by: WSU on April 28, 2015, 09:05:53 PM: Pm me your phone number if you would like to chat.
Title: Re: Columbia salmon
Post by: h2ofowlr on April 28, 2015, 09:47:39 PM: Quote from: SteelheadDC on April 28, 2015, 04:54:57 PM
It is ifish.net and there is a ton of info on that site. Badhabit is right on about drano and the wind, although I think drano is worse. And you can catch salmon out in the big lake, maybe not quite as good but well worth not dealing with that cluster in the circle. Good luck

The toilet bowl on Drano is a train wreck!
Title: Re: Columbia salmon
Post by: Badhabit on April 29, 2015, 08:44:35 AM: The "Toilet Bowl" isn't too bad if you're not the skipper and in a low profile boat. The big sleds with a little wind and no drift socks out on the bow makes for a good show.
A few years ago I took my parents out fishing on the Wind. Geez the bank fishermen were right past the RR bridge fishing the boat channel, they cussed me out to the point where I was going to walk back to them and push them in the water to cool off. Kind of silly to think the boat channel is not for boat traffic and get upset at boats coming and going.
Title: Re: Columbia salmon
Post by: Stein on April 29, 2015, 08:50:20 AM: Quote from: klikboom on April 28, 2015, 05:27:21 PM
I just want kings in the freezer, not necessarily springers or fall.

Head to Astoria in the fall.
Title: Re: Columbia salmon
Post by: thegeneral on April 29, 2015, 09:17:25 AM: Just upriver from the Longview Bridge (Lewis and Clark Bridge) 1st week of September. Put in at Rainier, OR and you have to motor less than a mile, pitch the the hook in about 45 fow.
Title: Re: Columbia salmon
Post by: WSU on April 29, 2015, 11:04:24 AM: Quote from: Stein on April 29, 2015, 08:50:20 AM
Quote from: klikboom on April 28, 2015, 05:27:21 PM
I just want kings in the freezer, not necessarily springers or fall.

Head to Astoria in the fall.

This is what I had planned to tell you about. Almost can't miss once you figure it out.
Title: Re: Columbia salmon
Post by: eastcoastguy on April 29, 2015, 07:48:52 PM: Just took my first guided trip on the Cowlitz on Monday. We killed it. There running great now.
Title: Re: Columbia salmon
Post by: klikboom on April 29, 2015, 09:44:27 PM: Who did you use on the cowlitz? How much? That's a lot close than columbia. Anything special as far as tactics?
Title: Re: Columbia salmon
Post by: eastcoastguy on April 29, 2015, 10:11:39 PM: I used robert kratzer.catching them on 3.5 mag lips and also herring. We hes priced at 225. Highly recommend him. He's on facebook.
Title: Re: Columbia salmon
Post by: WSU on April 30, 2015, 07:59:49 AM: Doing well on springers is tougher than fall fish. If you just want volume, fall is where it's at.
Title: Re: Columbia salmon
Post by: klikboom on April 30, 2015, 09:05:51 PM: Wsu I messaged you my number, I'd definitely like to get some of the details on the Astoria fishery you mentioned. I'll plan on making the trip for that one.
Title: Re: Columbia salmon
Post by: h2ofowlr on April 30, 2015, 09:39:20 PM: They are opening the CR this Sat. & Sun. Should be good.
Title: Re: Columbia salmon
Post by: WSU on May 01, 2015, 07:53:05 AM: Quote from: klikboom on April 30, 2015, 09:05:51 PM
Wsu I messaged you my number, I'd definitely like to get some of the details on the Astoria fishery you mentioned. I'll plan on making the trip for that one.

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