ifish comes through, again

[crabbait]

I read a post a few pages back about shad fishing at Coon Island and thought I would give it a try. Picked up my brother and his son this morning and off we went.

Got to the boat launch at the mouth of the Lewis (about a 5 mile run to Coon Island) and some idjit (me) had left the fishfinder on (dead battery). Luckily we were able to push start it. Ok, not really, but I am very thankful to my brother for taking the pull-rope duty on my 115hp Merc. Off we went.

Found Coon Island and anchored right were the previous thread had advised. Used Dick Night in all brass and a couple of green and white. Kept twenty-eight shad and "released" many others either long line or along side the boat as we were just lifting them over the side rather than deal with the net tangle.

There were about 15-20 boats fishing the area and plenty of room for more. Everyone seemed to be catching some, some more than others.

Between the rain showers it was a great day with plenty of action. I have never fished the area at all before. Our success was solely due to the good info available on ifish. Gotta love it! :cheers:

[Pete]

That's a heck of an area for shad. Good catching seems to extend about a half mile above the island, just off of the marina, too. I saw a half dozen kings picked up just below Coon a couple Sundays ago. Did you see or hear of any today?

[k9jeff]

I also have a 115 merc... love it,, although pulling is a big pain the the behind. Check around for a "jump box". one of those little units you chage at home and he has jumper cables attached for jump starting a car. I store it under the seat and out of the way. I have never had to use it, but ya never know..
I bought mine on sale at joes for $25.00 normaly the run about 40-60 dollars.... a great hunk of equipment in the boat. If the batt goes dead in my truck I can walk.... if it goes dead in the boat,....you get the idea..... :grin:

sounds like you have a great day... Im going to OC in the morning for Salmon,, but might try shad if the bite is off.

Jeff

[Dan Christopher]

isn't it nice when the people here are not so tight liped on stuff,..it makes it a little more fun

hey crabbait ,buy a northriver the batterys never go dead :grin: ,,just kidding..i sold 3 jumper boxes in my sale today.

p.s the green spinner paint i got is dryed up and no one in town has green so i will have to reorder some..sorry for the wait dude

[fishinfool]

OK where is this Coon Island you guys are talking about? I am wanting to get into some shad but I don't really know where to go. Thanks in advance

[Myles]

Coon Island is in the Multnomah channel, 1/2 - 1 miles upstream from the Gilbert river launch ramp on Sauvie Island. You can launch from there or St. Helens and go upstream a few miles. If your heading upstream towards the island, go to the left channel by the docks, you'll see the other boats.

myles

[fishuntr2]

Fished the Island again sunday with my son and a friend of his from school that had never salmon fished. We were fishing for salmon with kwikfish but also had shad lures attached. Jim, my sons friend, tied into a salmon that managed to straighten out one of those "quality" ball bearing snap swivels. It might have not been fully snapped closed and the fish pulled loose after a too short tussle. We ended the day with 23 shad. A boat next to us also lost a salmon. How long will salmon continue to be caught here? Also I have been using the ferry street boat launch on sauvies island and running downstream to Coon. It is a small, free, nice launch that isn't full or busy if you get there at o-dark thirty!

[Play'n Snooky]

Hey Crabbait,
Are you talkin about the launch on the North side of the Lewis? If so, is that a public launch?
I have trolled by and seen many of the same boats on shore there for what seems like months on end ? Just curious, I use Ridgefield
and am always lookin for new sites!
thanks

[Play'n Snooky]

HEY COULD SOMEONE TELL ME HOW FAR UP FROM ST. HELENS IS THE COON ISLAND AREA?
I HAVE ONLY BEEN UP JUST ABOVE THE SCAPPOOSE BAY AREA. I NORMALLY LAUNCH IN RIDGEFIELD AND COME ACROSS TO THE LOWER CHANNEL, WONDERING IF IF COON ISLAND IS CLOSE ENOUGH FOR AN AFTER-WORK SPEED RUN?
THANKS IN ADVANCE
PLAY'N SNOOKY

[PeterMac]

It takes me about 10-15 minutes to run up to the island from the launch just east of St. Helens.

PeterMac