Post by: metlhead on June 24, 2024, 12:57:05 PM
Post by: nwwanderer on June 24, 2024, 01:35:53 PM
Post by: Mfowl on June 24, 2024, 02:42:31 PM
Post by: Machias on June 25, 2024, 10:20:57 AM
Post by: bigdub257 on June 25, 2024, 12:55:43 PM
Post by: HillHound on June 25, 2024, 03:41:42 PM
Post by: TSLPE on June 25, 2024, 04:15:24 PM
Post by: Kola16 on June 25, 2024, 04:22:09 PM
Would a 22-23 foot northriver boat be too big for there? What about the launch on the west side of river?No not too big, but it is definitely on the big side. Just pay attention to your steering and you will be "okay." "Okay" meaning you will only piss off 30 boats, so nothing out of the ordinary for that spot :chuckle: Unless you have a jet, do not launch at the west boat launch without experience. It is shallow getting up river.
Post by: metlhead on June 25, 2024, 08:45:02 PM
Post by: Kola16 on June 27, 2024, 07:20:25 AM
Since I got plenty of time, I will motor down to Wanapum early AM and troll light gear nearest the fish outlet. Was also thinking the area under the I90 bridge is a nice funnel. Gotta be spots in the pool that are still secrets.People have caught kings near the fish outlet. I would have a rod out for kings as well.
Post by: bigdub257 on June 27, 2024, 08:37:00 AM
Post by: nwwanderer on June 27, 2024, 10:17:42 AM
Post by: Mfowl on June 27, 2024, 10:36:36 AM
Is the fish outlet on the West side?
There are 2, one on the Westside and one east of the center. When I fished there the east/center one was getting all of the action. The fish come out, but the riprap over to the Eastside of the river and bomb upstream.
Post by: cjc23 on June 27, 2024, 02:06:32 PM
Post by: cjc23 on June 27, 2024, 02:08:04 PM
Has anyone tried below Rock Island dam? I was preparing to try and fish Wanapum pool this year to see if I could catch any kings or sockeye to avoid the crowds, but fishing below one of the dams does make more sense. Still may try it though. Might even book a guide for that area to learn the ropes if anybody has any suggestions or references.
I drive past the dam everyday on my commute and have never seen someone out there salmon fishing. A few boats will anchor up for sturgeon there including a few guides but never seen someone fish salmon there.
Post by: bigdub257 on June 27, 2024, 02:52:40 PM
Has anyone tried below Rock Island dam? I was preparing to try and fish Wanapum pool this year to see if I could catch any kings or sockeye to avoid the crowds, but fishing below one of the dams does make more sense. Still may try it though. Might even book a guide for that area to learn the ropes if anybody has any suggestions or references.
I drive past the dam everyday on my commute and have never seen someone out there salmon fishing. A few boats will anchor up for sturgeon there including a few guides but never seen someone fish salmon there.
OK. Good to know. Sounds like the stretch below Wanapum or directly above the dam are the places to try. I'm going to take the old duck boat out there and give it a go. I have a buddy that does really well for sockeye and the occasional king up by Brewster. Will probably employ similar techniques he uses and also some more "king" specific lures near the dam and some other areas. I'll probably be running downriver from Sunland Estates.
Post by: pickardjw on June 27, 2024, 03:04:19 PM
https://wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/regulations/emergency-rules/lower-columbia-river-salmon-and-steelhead-fishery-update-2024-06-1
Post by: Machias on July 02, 2024, 01:05:19 PM
Post by: Kola16 on July 02, 2024, 03:23:10 PM
Post by: C-Money on July 02, 2024, 05:15:17 PM
Post by: TommyH on July 02, 2024, 06:16:37 PM
Post by: huntnnw on July 02, 2024, 09:43:59 PM
Yes closed in the pool. Juvenile die off from flooding if I recall correctly..
:yeah: its still open for bridgeport fishery and below the pool to wells July 16.
Post by: huntnnw on July 02, 2024, 09:45:06 PM
Quick question for anyone familiar with Wanapum Dam area, can you fish from the shore up near the dam? If so, how likely are you to hook into a sockeye from shore with a float and bait? I was kicking around the idea of hitting it the afternoon of the 12th before I head up to Brewster for a guided trip the following morning? Thanks for any thoughts.
I would say that would be a very low success to catch sockeye from shore there
Post by: pickardjw on July 03, 2024, 06:06:55 AM
Never fished this stretch of the big river. Should go higher up and focus on kings or stick with the reach for socks?
Post by: Kola16 on July 03, 2024, 03:06:13 PM
Post by: dilleytech on July 03, 2024, 03:11:38 PM
If I remember correctly, people do fish from the bank. I could be remembering incorrectly. I am not sure that your bait under a float idea would work though. Sockeye are a very niche fish. You have a chance of casting and retrieving lures for kings on the bottom though. Brad's superbaits packed with tuna are what I would start with.
Bobber fishing certainly works.
Post by: bigdub257 on July 03, 2024, 03:15:03 PM
Bobber fishing certainly works.
[/quote]
With a shrimp dangling?
Post by: pickardjw on July 05, 2024, 08:08:59 PM
Post by: metlhead on July 05, 2024, 08:54:19 PM
Post by: pickardjw on July 05, 2024, 09:17:06 PM
Lots of fish above the dam. One school after another this morning but like it was said earlier, non biters. Even the fellas floating shrimp in their faces struck out. You could net them.
Yeah a kayaker last night picked a sock up if I remember correctly. Or had it and lost it. Then he picked up a pike minnow. I marked kings, lost another kwikfish in the rocks (3 in a week for me now) and couldn’t buy a bite. Was out from 6pm to 9:45pm or so.
Post by: metlhead on July 05, 2024, 09:21:29 PM
Post by: bigdub257 on July 06, 2024, 12:27:15 PM
Post by: pickardjw on July 06, 2024, 01:42:37 PM
Post by: WSU on July 06, 2024, 02:17:48 PM
Post by: metlhead on July 06, 2024, 02:38:34 PM
Post by: Machias on July 09, 2024, 03:29:25 PM
Post by: Machias on July 09, 2024, 03:34:04 PM
Post by: MeepDog on July 09, 2024, 04:05:09 PM
Too windy above the dam for my little boat this morning. Huge bummer. Bailed down to Ringold and struck out again. Sockeye in the Reach might just elude me until I can get a seat with someone that knows what they’re doing.I thought it was as simple as anchor in 14 feet of water by the edge until I had a guy try to explain flow rates and bottom contour based on water level. It's the strangest thing in the reach. Youll see a pocket where the sockeye are constantly surfacing and piled up in the eddies just out of the current. If you try to fish that same pocket the conventional way at anchor with shrimp and dodgers youre wasting your time. I'd love to understand why they just wont hit anything when theyre all bunched up. The dodgers dont even function right in the slack current and if you troll they still dont want it. If theres a way to get the fish in that scenario to bite, I would love to know it.
Post by: bigdub257 on July 09, 2024, 05:07:36 PM
Too windy above the dam for my little boat this morning. Huge bummer. Bailed down to Ringold and struck out again. Sockeye in the Reach might just elude me until I can get a seat with someone that knows what they’re doing.I thought it was as simple as anchor in 14 feet of water by the edge until I had a guy try to explain flow rates and bottom contour based on water level. It's the strangest thing in the reach. Youll see a pocket where the sockeye are constantly surfacing and piled up in the eddies just out of the current. If you try to fish that same pocket the conventional way at anchor with shrimp and dodgers youre wasting your time. I'd love to understand why they just wont hit anything when theyre all bunched up. The dodgers dont even function right in the slack current and if you troll they still dont want it. If theres a way to get the fish in that scenario to bite, I would love to know it.
I'm assuming you were above the dam? Hoping to try over there next week and see if I can figure it out myself. I'm totally unfamiliar with the water and currents below the dam, but may give that a try if it's not too crazy! :chuckle:
Post by: RockChuck on July 09, 2024, 08:33:52 PM
Post by: Machias on July 10, 2024, 12:34:13 PM