View Full Version : Low water tactics.....
FishinMission
07-08-2001, 07:51 AM
Man...I was amazed at how low the water is out there on the Columbia. Obviously this is going to effect our steelie fishing and upriver brights this fall. I've always been a believer in Flash Glo spinners, but I'm finding the flow combined with the tides is equalling very little flow at times, in fact..barely enough to turn baldes at times, especially the incoming tides. Yesterday, I kept the blades in the tacklebox, and went with the flatfish...just because I knew they'd be a good call in the slower flow..and I actually got lucky. Perhaps the way to go this fall will be with Spin N Glo's and flatfish. If we all pool our successes here maybe we'll all get a bit luckier. It'll be interesting to see how many boat ramps will be accessible come August. The Caterpillar Isle place was busier than I've ever seen it yesterday, and one guy commented about how priceless a ramp with 3 feet of water was!! Gonna be interesting, hmmmm???? My guess...if the water drops much more...this ramp will be out of commission on the low tide!!
Perfect Drift
07-08-2001, 09:42 AM
FM, you are just a store house of knowledge!
I figured it out, since you were below me yesterday, you got the only fish in the stream!
Caterpillar Island ramp is my home ramp. I've used rock salt to melt the ice, been the only guy there all day, going off of the end of the cement pads yesterday, YICKS
Enjoy it now !! Cause next month --
Once I hook up, I'll share what it took.
Nanook
07-08-2001, 03:49 PM
Smaller and smaller as the water temp goes up. Hope the water temp does not boil our August water?
The low water is starting to scare me. St. helens marina boat ramp is no good at low tide, somtimes even no good at high tide. And if the water gets to low scappose bay will be two shallow.. what happens then !? images/icons/confused.gif
Perfect Drift
07-09-2001, 06:49 PM
Shall we all start calling the WDFW AND ODFW
and ask if anything can be done?
It's not to soon to start planning.
Nanook
07-09-2001, 07:00 PM
No cold/cool water upriver anywhere to release it. I know we are enjoying the Sun, but hope is RAINS HARD and for a few days sometime up stream before August.
FishinMission
07-10-2001, 01:23 PM
How far down do those boat ramps go??? images/icons/shocked.gif
local_hooker
07-10-2001, 01:38 PM
They started releasing water from Dworshak Dam three days ago to cool the river. They were increasing the flows daily till today when they were supposed to have reached a maximum flow level. I don't know how long it takes to get down here, but according to the corps it should only cool the river a few degrees?
Nanook
07-10-2001, 02:37 PM
That's at least better news than it is going up another couple degrees. Thanks.
[ 07-10-2001: Message edited by: ****** ]
dogfishboy
07-10-2001, 06:47 PM
Hey Dustin,
Your right about the ramp at the marina. It has a VERY NASTY HOLE on the downstream lane. 'Doghouse' skipper and I were rinsing the salt out of his motors a couple weeks ago after some coastal fun when he started to pull out and there was a images/icons/shocked.gifLOUD images/icons/shocked.gif crack that could be heard over on the Island. The boat tilted at least 45 degrees or more ...I thought it was going over. We looked after he pulled up but didn't notice much. Later when he got home he phoned to say that 4 of his 6 cross members on the trailer were cracked. Only the first and last cross member were intact. Its amazing he made it all the way up Cannan road. That trailer is toast! I also watched folks over the fourth struggle with the ramp... but most of those were just idiots images/icons/rolleyes.gif Be careful people if your puttin’ in at the St. Helens marina. Use the center or upstream lane.
Dustin, you may need to save some money so you can get a slip from mid August thru mid September. Best action for those summer 'nooks below #77 is from August 20th to September 15th...if they don't close it early. images/icons/rolleyes.gif
See ya 'round Dustin.
[ 07-10-2001: Message edited by: dogfishboy ]