Bar crossing

[RKB]

This weekend will be my first time crossing the bar in my own boat.Been over in charter boats before always different when your doing the driving any help would be great up to and including a fishing trip on me sunday or monday.
Thanks Ron

[Bait O' Eggs]

http://www.ifish.net/forum/images/graemlins/grin.gif Wear a life jacket http://www.ifish.net/forum/images/graemlins/grin.gif

[RKB]

With that reply I think I will wear two.

[Bait O' Eggs]

Just kidding you above. I am by no way a bar crossing expert. I have crossed Garibaldi bar several times and am comfortable with when I will and wont cross it. Not sure where you are trying to get out of. Just because the bar is "open" doesn't mean it can be safely crossed. Depends on boat size, experience, bar conditions etc etc... Good luck

[RKB]

Bait o' Eggs I will be going out at ilwaco in a 22' boat.And I know that you were kidding besides if I can't take a load of ###### from a fellow fisherperson I should get out of the game.
Ron

[Deleted User]

Everyone should wear a life jacket when crossing a bar! It's best to go out on non-windy days at low tide and return by high tide. Once it starts running back out into oncoming ocean swells is when it gets rougher. Watch where other boaters run the bar so as to stay away from trouble spots (which are more common toward the sides, obviously). Take waves heading into them at a very slight angle, instead of exactly straight on. I recommend having a GPS unit along (good ones cost as little as $140) in case a fog bank rolls in. At least a compass, and know your bearings. A ship-to-shore radio is good too in case you have motor problems. If there is a hot bite approaching high tide, leave it and get inside the bar! - With the bite being so hot, if you can't get your motor started at the dock, do as I once did in Hammond by asking the nearest Coast Guard officer if they tow stranded vessels across the bar. When they say yes ask them to tow you out there! http://www.ifish.net/forum/images/graemlins/smile.gif - RT



[This message has been edited by RT (edited 08-08-2000).]

[RKB]

I just want to say thanks agian for the help that you guys have given.
Thanks Ron

[Pilar]

Ron, I wondered about giving you GPS #'s and possibly contributing to your loss of innocence regarding the bar crossing. Just the fact that you admit to being new and that you express reservations gives me a warm fuzzy. The big problem is when a guy doesn't realize his limits and goes on testosterone alone. I cross the bar every chance I get in my 19 footer..... OK I'll confess because its a rush! Do you know about Captains Nautical Supply? They are in downtown Portland. They have charts of every patch of water you might want to fish. If I was going to unfamiliar ground I'd want a chart. All the other comments are good. Most of us have a love/hate relationship with the Columbia at the mouth. Thats because its unpredictable and can change quickly. Let me share the few rules that I follow religiously.
1)Never be afraid to cancel the trip due to weather/wind. Even at the boat ramp!
2) Log on to WWW.Weather.NOAA.GOV (http://WWW.Weather.NOAA.GOV) and check out the coastal forecast before you go. I start a day or so before the trip. The present forecast is important but the trend is the most important. It might be nice now but when the squall line rolls through this after lunch it will probably go to hell. A nice day with an improving trend is the ticket.
3) Have the right gear. A short list.... VHF Radio and/or Cell Phone... 2 means of navigation IE: Compass, GPS, Loran ... Safety gear, Life jackets that fit for all persons on board, Fire extinguisher, Flare kit... A float plan, tell someone that worries where/When you are going and call them when you get back...
4) Fix it in your driveway, not at the boat ramp. No excuses here, if you don't trust your boat go fish at Haag Lake. I have a small outboard (15HP) and a Mercruiser I/O. Everything works on the boat or I don't go.
5) Avoid the Ebb tide, especially on Full and New (maximum) moon tides. Study the tide tables and plan to cross (going out) on low slack or an hour after. Be across (coming back) by high slack. The most hazardous conditions are half way through the Ebb tide. Avoid this at all costs. I will sit behind the South Jetty and wait for low slack rather than cross when it is ebbing.
6)If the wind starts to blow, go home immediatly.
7) When you screw up learn from it. Nuf said.

I love that place, Ron but it has taught me some hard lessons. Use your head and you'll do OK. Oh and there's tons of fish and no crowds. What would you change? Sorry so windy but you pushed my button. Next.... The bend is your friend!

[RKB]

Pilar Thanks for your concern and I promise that if its not realy nice out.I will not be going across the bar no fish is worth loss of life and boat I'll be going thru portland on my way to ilwaco.I agree that I need to have the proper gear.Before I go and atempt to do anything.what is the address of CNS and I will stop by on my way.
Ron

P.S. It's good to have someone that cares and won't let others rush in.

[This message has been edited by RKB (edited 08-08-2000).]

[Richter]

Ron,
Pilar gave you some great info. The Columbia River Bar can be down right nasty even on a good day. I have crossed all the "bad bars" in Washington and Oregon. The Columbia is the only one that still makes me pucker everytime! Be Safe, and definitly avoid ebb tide if you can.

Rich

[Pilar]

Ron, try CNS, 138 NW 10th Ave. Portland, OR. 97209 Phone (503) 227 1648. Also Tackle Time at Warrenton, Or. for local info, ask for Gene,(503) 861 3693. Best bait around and nice people too. Call ahead of time to reserve bait. I'll get you a chart # when I post the GPS #'s at 21:00. Good luck and happy hunting. Oh, check the fishing rules, the ocean is only open Sun to Thurs and there are other bag restrictions. The bend is your friend!

[RKB]

Pilar thanks will be in ilwaco friday this gives me two day's to watch the bar and do a little fishing at 10 before the ocean opens on sunday..
Ron

[Pilar]

Ron, Sorry I'm late, family stuff you know. Here goes, chart #18521 'Columbia River, Pacific Ocean to Harrington Point'. Published and maintained by NOAA. I say maintained because they update it periodically. My chart is the 65th edition April '98. Time for a new one. Notice the area called Clatsop spit and the water in blue to the north of it. Avoid this area altogether or perish. The coast guard trains thier troops here. You'll see the breakers just south of bouy 10 to 14. I usually follow the red buoys (the red line) all the way out to Red Buoy 4 and then go due west to Buoy 1. The GPS #'s are
Buoy 1 Lat. N46 13.417' Lon. W124 10.835'
spot1 Lat. N46 13.583' Lon. W124 11.001'
spot2 Lat. N46 14.000' Lon. W124 10.647'
spot3 Lat. N46 13.719' Lon. W124 13.251'

Buoy 1 is green and you should easily spot it from the first #. Spot1 is just North of B-1, pretty deep many fish here. Spot2 is farther north on the flat spot where they dump the dredge spoils (85ft). Spot3 is west of B-1 and deeper(180ft). If you make a triangle of the three spots and find the edge of the drop off, good things will happen. We fished about 5 to 8 pulls real fast (2.5 mph). Big Abe and Al flasher, #0 silver diver and whatever, green hootchie or whole herring. It didn't matter what we dragged as long as it had a hook in it. It's a kick to shut down the boat and just drift, listening and watching the life in the water. Bait and salmon, birds. Makes me glad I live here in this place. I plan to try it out on Sunday. Salmon eat breakfast so I'll cross as soon as the bar lays down at low slack and first light. Look for a white on blue Bayliner Jamaica with no top that has 'Pilar' on the side. Hope to see you there. The bend is your friend!

[Salmonator]

I saw those rollers off of clatsop spit while we were coming in sunday. We crossed back in 2/3 of the way into the outgoing and what a ride it was. Those were Hawaii 5-O class breakers off of the spit and it was scary watching them from a half mile away... sal

[This message has been edited by Salmonator (edited 08-08-2000).]

[aye fsh]

Pilar,
Right on! People like you make this board. Plan on being out there off and on 18th -27th and will be looking for you so I can shake your hand! Really appreciate the information exchange that keeps us newbies safe! Thanks-Todd


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ayefsh,there4iyam

[aye fsh]

Pilar,
Right on! People like you make this board. Plan on being out there off and on 18th -27th and will be looking for you so I can shake your hand! Really appreciate the information exchange that keeps us newbies safe! Thanks-Todd


------------------
ayefsh,there4iyam

[RKB]

Pilar thanks.As it should be family.always comes first no Hawaii 5-O waves for me thanks and for your help dinner on me any night you feel like it Ilwaco or Tri city you pick .
If you would like portland is ok to we will be there on first week end in sept thanks.
Ron

[RKB]

pilar I would like to go over when you do e-mail me and I will give you my cell phone #### and we can meet up any time you like and any were.
Thanks Ron

[SLEDDER]

I piloted Scarrabs as a special forces sailor
we just punched holes in the waves. Wasn't our boat and we were all a little crazy, looking for unique ways to die. On a serious note R.T. sounds like he knows what he is doing, watch your backside one wave over the back and you could be in trouble. Don't be afraid of using your horsepower, If waves are big, and you are stuck outside. Try to stay on down side of wave,as close to the crest as possible, limit amount of time in troughs.

[Ramstrong]

Pilar,

Those spots you gave were dead on! We went out yesterday and slayed them. The ticked was green/chart hoochie with herring chunk. At 15-20 pulls. Heading from spot 2 to spot 3, just when you hit the drop off the fish were there. We limited the boat in 1 1/2 hours. It would have been sooner, but this was my wifes first time out and she farmed a few with the barbless hooks before killing her two. Thanks a lot for helping make the trip so memorable.

[Pilar]

Hey Ramstrong, good deal. I saw a lot of happy fishermen yesterday. I don't know what you were driving so maybe I saw you there too. We got a late start, crossing at 07:30. Tried the sturgeon fishing first (nope!) and then went out. The ocean around green #1 was pretty sporty at first but laid down by when we left at noon. I think breakfast was over for the Ho's and we had to work for our fish. We could only get the correct action on our gear by going with the flow off to the SSW. Soon we were 4 miles from Green #1. I had a hell of a time getting my buddies to reel up for a run back to the buoy for another pass, because we'd`get a hit evry few minutes. Once we started hanging around green #1 we just killed em. Three guys had Nineteen on and Five in the fishbox. Caught many 20" chinook jacks and a lot of "wild" Ho's. The rig of choice was a flasher and a whole herring on a diver. All of our fish were 7# or so and just packed with herring. I met RKB at the bar and he followed us out to the fishing grounds. What a nice looking boat, Ron! You didn't waste any time hooking up either. So the boat is good looking and lucky, what a combo! All in all a good last hurrah for the Ocean Coho fishery this year.........
If what I posted has helped you have some fun, good deal. You'll return it someday. The bend is your friend!

[RKB]

Pilar
Thank's for taking us out.what A day 25 fish 1 30'' silver and a 20 lbs king what A great day.Weather could of been better but theres always next year.If I can talk the sickies http://www.ifish.net/forum/images/graemlins/frown.gifin to going back.our rig of choice was the same as pilars seemed to work great for us.
RKB.

[Pilar]

All this talk about B-10 is making me miss summer. Here's those #'s for green #1 bouy. Only 7 months till we can do it again!

The bend is your friend!

[Barnyard]

Ain't it the truth...Best time of year! Well that and Late Sept. at Garibaldi

[GutZ]

I saw a Bar Crossing the road out in Forks last weekend.

[Phish_on]

RKB, if you have been out on charters, I guess you know what you are getting into. The Columbia is not to be taken lightly. It's OK to chicken out - but if you do, turn around quick. Taking one over the back is scary, taking it on the side is adios amigo.

It's all been said well above - ride the backs of the swells and keep an eye out in every direction.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ DOH! ~~~~~~~~~~~~
OK, duh, this post is from last year -- another beer please.



[This message has been edited by Phish_on (edited 01-26-2001).]

[RKB]

It was A great time over the bar with Capt pilar leading the way can't wait till next year RKB



[This message has been edited by RKB (edited 02-02-2001).]

[WaterDog]

AMEN!!!

[Mr. Fisherman]

Amen Brother Pilar,

Hope to continue our silver slaying in July.

Let's put something together images/icons/grin.gif.

[joru]

You talk about bar crossings: props or jets? I have a 460 c.i. with a 212 Hamilton on a 21' sled. What do I need to know?

[AngleThis]

The bar is the original northwest "great white knuckler". You didn't mention how big your boat was. I'd imagine that's a rather huge factor. My boat is on ly 18', so coming in in anyting but a super flat day, is like manning a power surfboard ("surf's WAY up dude!"); great fun but absolutely no margin for error.

I am reminded of the Two's Rule, which is key to long term "grave yard of the Pacific" survival...2 engines, 2 fuel supplies, 2 fuel filters, 2 water separators, 2 batteries, 2 navigation systems, 2 radios (or one and a cell phone), 2 PFD's, 2 flares, 2 float plans, and two guys to pray when you screw up. If you don't have all of the above, combined seas had better be no higher than 1/3 of your boat length.

[AngleThis]

Yes Pilar,

Leave the barge at home, and lets surf back in after bathing Adriana in Coho blood. It's about time you see what the fruit of your labors can do. Know what I mean bro? U gots my #.

DC

[Pilar]

Silver Salmon anyone? I can't wait, the long dryspell is about to end!

Good luck and be careful at church my brothers and sisters.

Can I get an Amen?

[RKB]

Its that time of year agian just bring it to the top.Good advice never dies. images/icons/wink.gif