Smelt in the Columbia?

[bait boy]

It was also 25 Lbs in the Sandy last year if you found the little buggers that might cut down on the # of trips....

[Pitch Pocket]

True, but I'm thinking the mouth of the Cow in the Columbia. Where is the deadline for the Columbia and the Cowlitz? If you can get just outside the legal end of the Cowlitz, you know they have to go through there.

[PRINCEMASTER]

Newbie to the smelt dance here. When do they run and what kind of net are you using?

[Pitch Pocket]

While reading the 2002 Oregon Fishing Regulations, I noticed that in the Columbia Zone, you could keep 25 lbs of smelt per day, while in the Cowlitz, you can only keep 10 lbs. I've had no problems netting smelt in the Cowlitz, but have never heard of anyone netting in the Columbia. It would be nice to get the smelt necessary for the next years sturgeon fishing (and maybe snack on a few fresh myself) in one trip rather than 2 or 3. Has anyone had any success dipping in the Columbia?

[Capin' Dan]

Chuck, They start running in Feb and march on the cowlitz. Give me a yell if you want to go and net some sturgy bait. I'll keep you post when they start to show.

Dan!