Hunting Washington Forum

Other Activities => Fishing => Topic started by: Parasite on March 12, 2025, 08:24:20 AM

Title: Smelt
Post by: Parasite on March 12, 2025, 08:24:20 AM: No smelt between Lexington and kelso
Title: Re: Smelt
Post by: PointBlank on March 12, 2025, 08:50:38 AM: None at gearhart. Reports of activity in cathlamet area might be here by Saturday…
Title: Re: Smelt
Post by: sealaskasummer on March 15, 2025, 10:01:59 AM: Still none at Gerhart. Right at the mouth but not moving in.
Title: Re: Smelt
Post by: Jason on March 15, 2025, 04:57:29 PM: A couple buddies went out this morning and they also said it was empty nets everywhere.
Title: Re: Smelt
Post by: Parasite on March 15, 2025, 07:04:43 PM: Too bad USGS doesnt monitor stream temperature on the Cowlitz. Would probably have been useful this week.
Title: Re: Smelt
Post by: Jake Dogfish on March 15, 2025, 07:13:08 PM: Quote from: Parasite on March 15, 2025, 07:04:43 PM
Too bad USGS doesnt monitor stream temperature on the Cowlitz. Would probably have been useful this week.

Yeah could of saved some gas.
Title: Re: Smelt
Post by: CastleRocker on March 15, 2025, 08:44:25 PM: Not sure what stream temps were going to tell anyone. I've been living by the Cowlitz for about 59 years now, and they used to hit the river about mid to late January, and stay until the first of
April. I dipped them commercially for 6 or 7 years, and I can tell you for a fact that the temperature of the Cowlitz has no bearing on what smelt do. I've dipped them in the single digits, with ice floating down the river, and in the 70°'s in a t-shirt. The river temp won't change as much as the air, but it definitely changes, and they don't really care. Smelt are most suseptible to current. They are not strong swimmers. A high water will blow them back into the Columbia, and then they would head up the Lewis, or some years, all the way up to the Sandy. They aren't like a salmon/steelhead as they don't car what river they spawn in. They spawned one year in the Columbia. We dipped them off Rainier Beach. In the early '80's, they were so thick in the Grays River for two seasons, we dipped there. In my opinion, the shimp fishery has hurt the smelt runs tremendously. Sonar just shows a biomass, so the gear is set, they make a trawl, and "oops" a hundred thousand pounds of smelt are in the cod-end. Doesn't take a lot of those per boat per season to make a difference. Not their fault, as it's a lot of work for no money, and the school looks good on the 'finder. Lots more Sea Lions now that there aren't any commercial fishermen...I sure that's a coincidence.
Title: Re: Smelt
Post by: metlhead on March 15, 2025, 08:45:18 PM: Tacoma Power does. It is a few days late and warmer than temps below the Toutle
Title: Re: Smelt
Post by: Parasite on March 18, 2025, 02:24:39 PM: Anyone giving it a shot tomorrow?
Title: Re: Smelt
Post by: millerwheeler on March 18, 2025, 09:33:26 PM: Tagging thanks everyone on info, I know my boys are looking forward to trying it
Title: Re: Smelt
Post by: fowl smacker on March 19, 2025, 05:48:42 AM: If you're planning on traveling from afar save your gas. Not here yet. Maybe Saturday?
Title: Re: Smelt
Post by: Parasite on March 19, 2025, 05:50:22 AM: I think I'm done for this year. All the reports I've heard is they are staying in the Columbia
Title: Re: Smelt
Post by: CastleRocker on March 19, 2025, 06:08:27 AM: Talked to a friend of mine who is fishing them commercially. They are spawning down by Cathlamet in the Columbia this year. I don't think they'll come up the Cowlitz in enough numbers to dip.
Title: Re: Smelt
Post by: The Gobble-stopper on March 19, 2025, 08:26:16 AM: Anyone getting smelt today, March 19 on the cowlitz?
Title: Re: Smelt
Post by: PointBlank on March 19, 2025, 12:17:28 PM: Heard it’s a blank… might be Saturday or else they are spawning in the big c…
Title: Re: Smelt
Post by: Bigfoot28 on March 21, 2025, 06:00:01 PM: Anyone see any signs in the Cowlitz today? Had heard of a lot of sea lions near Stella but not in the Cowlitz.
Title: Re: Smelt
Post by: fowl smacker on March 21, 2025, 08:35:23 PM: Quote from: Bigfoot28 on March 21, 2025, 06:00:01 PM
Anyone see any signs in the Cowlitz today? Had heard of a lot of sea lions near Stella but not in the Cowlitz.
Nope
Title: Re: Smelt
Post by: Bigfoot28 on March 22, 2025, 08:58:19 AM: Quote from: fowl smacker on March 21, 2025, 08:35:23 PM
Quote from: Bigfoot28 on March 21, 2025, 06:00:01 PM
Anyone see any signs in the Cowlitz today? Had heard of a lot of sea lions near Stella but not in the Cowlitz.
Nope

Appreciate the update, thank you.
Title: Re: Smelt
Post by: The Gobble-stopper on March 22, 2025, 09:35:42 AM: March 22 anyone finding smelt today?
Title: Re: Smelt
Post by: Jake Dogfish on March 31, 2025, 08:41:44 PM: I guess they went up the Lewis. I heard the Sandy in Oregon also got a big run.
https://yakamafish-nsn.gov/news/update-smelt-permits
Title: Re: Smelt
Post by: storyteller on March 31, 2025, 10:07:19 PM: Sandy river had poachers, they got caught with 2500 ponds of smelt. Article on koin tv
Title: Re: Smelt
Post by: HntnFsh on April 01, 2025, 04:43:28 AM: Sounds like they started up the Cowlitz
Title: Re: Smelt
Post by: fowl smacker on April 01, 2025, 06:08:05 AM: Quote from: HntnFsh on April 01, 2025, 04:43:28 AM
Sounds like they started up the Cowlitz
Yep, finally.
Title: Re: Smelt
Post by: Encore 280 on April 01, 2025, 08:49:43 AM: Watched a YouTube on the Sandy a couple days ago and they were in there pretty thick. Limit plus in one dip. Encouraging.
Title: Re: Smelt
Post by: AL WORRELLS KID on April 01, 2025, 01:30:01 PM: Don't give up...Keep Dreaming!
Title: Re: Smelt
Post by: Encore 280 on April 01, 2025, 04:26:26 PM: Norwegian Krak right there! Used to chow down on those when my Uncle smoked em, heads, guts and the whole works! And a Rainier!!
Title: Re: Smelt
Post by: CastleRocker on April 01, 2025, 07:11:40 PM: Stopped and watched some tribal dippers on the way home from work. Looked like they were doing pretty well. Of couse they had no competition, and had both law enforcement entities; WDFW, and Cowlitz Co. Sheriff to make sure there was no harassment or bullying. They squared off to me when I got out of my truck and walked towards them like they'd been watching too much tough guy TV. I just laughed and shook my head, and walked around them to go talk to the guys dipping. Didn't see how much they had in their tote, but they were getting some smelt.