Springer Tech

[Jeffhead]

I have seen a thread on what everyone likes to use to catch the elusive springer. A thread on how some of us think we got screwed in the allocation of those fish and a couple of threads on isolated reports from some of the areas. Given the mainstem Columbia is one damn big river, what I am going to ask the board for in this thread is for some of the experianced folks who have fished this before to share some of there knowledge on where to fish for springers and the closest/best ramp to access those areas for some of us folks who have not had the opportunity to experiance this yet!!! I know we have talked about sharing or not sharing this kind of info before but in my mind this is not giving up your honey hole on some small, quiet, isolated river. Thanks in advance.
Good luck and tight lines, Jeff http://www.ifish.net/forum/images/graemlins/grin.gif http://www.ifish.net/forum/images/graemlins/grin.gif

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"Never be afraid to try something new."

Remember, amateurs built the ark.
Professionals built the Titanic.

[Deleted User]

You are right Jeff, that's a lot of water to cover in a post. I will give you some less crowded places to fish it when I come up to fish Elliot B. this weekend. When you do get out on the Columbia I suggest anchorup fishing herring/prawns or Kwikfish/spinners on the outgoing tides and trolling the same stuff on the incoming. Concentrate between 12 to 25 ft. of water. This is just a loose rule of thumb that will vary in different areas. I posted a long tech piece on this type of fishing a long time ago - maybe somone can find it via the search feature and copy and paste it here? For now here are some popular known launches/areas for Col. R. springer fishing, starting from low on up:

- Out of the Oregon side just above the tonque point area (I can't remember the name of that one launch - Deep Cr. maybe?).

- Out of Cathlemet Washington. Try along the N.E. side of the island, in the Wash. channel.

- Launch in the lower Clatskanie tidewater - Oregon (or is it the Klastanine) and run out to the Columbia.

- Fish off the mouth of the Cowlitz River, accessable from a couple Wash. launches.

- Launch out of Rainier, Ore. or further up at Goble, Ore. The fishing is good in many spots between these 2 launch sites. They're around 8 miles apart. For boaters, the couple mile area below the bank plunkers at Prescott beach is particularly good on the Ore. side. Again, trolling on the incoming and anchorup on the outgoing (unless the drought keeps the water flow too slow to anchor fish this season). You can also access the area off the mouth of the Cowlitz from the Rainier launch and the mouth of the Kalama River area from the Goble launch.

- You can also launch on the north side of the Kalama tidewater and run the short ways out to the Col. from Wash.

- Launch from St. Helens Ore. to fish both the Columbia, near Sand Island and the mouth of the Lewis, and the Willamette up in the channel.

- Access the Col. from the lower Lewis R. and fish the area off the mouth. And there are a couple other Wash. launches in that general area that some of the guys may help you with.

- There is a launch off the Col. side of lower Sauvie Island and a Wash. launch near Ridgefield to fish the big river along lower S. Is. Maybe WWB will give you directions to another launch in this area; in which you can also run up to the Frenchmen's Bar area - an excellant springer location (but lots of boats - same as near the mouths of the mentioned tribs).

- You can also excess the Frenchman's Bar area via the lower Willamette by launching at Fred's Marina at the head of the channel or launching at Cathedral Park under the east side of the St. John's Bridge.

- When it's open above I-5, next is the 'Airport' launch above Hayden Island, accessed along Marine Drive - Ore. side.

- Then Chinook landing - Ore. side. Washougal area launch - Wash. side. This good fall chinook area should also be good for springers.

- Heading up the Gorge, you can launch from Beacon Rock state park in Wash., and from Rooster Rock park or the Fishery further up, both in Ore., to launch and fish a lot of great spots from the Bonneville deadline on down river for a number of miles.

- I don't know if the mainstem Columbia will be open for springer fishing above Bonn. Dam or not. You can launch small cartoppers and driftboats at the mouth of the Col. Eagle Creek. On up, you can launch at places such as Cascade Locks and Hood River on the Ore. side, or the Wind R. and Drano L. launches on the Wash. side. ....

I know I've forgotten some launches because I'm just winging it here. Maybe some more help will be posted.

RT