View Full Version : Astoria Weekend Results 6/10
Tacklebuster
06-10-2002, 04:52 PM
Fished out of Hammond on Saturday, Sunday and a couple of hours this morning. Our totals were 5 keepers tagged, 5 keepers released, and about 18 shakers that averaged about 38 to 41 inches :cheers: We had fierce line ripping out of the rod holder takedowns and almost every keeper was a jumper. All fish were caught on anchovies in about 12 feet of water. I fished the flood on Saturday and Sunday and fished about 2 hours of the ebb this morning. Man I love the estuary this time of year. It is just getting started, July will be hotter than a 3 dollar pistol. We had intentions of hitting the CR buoy for nooks but the wind kept us inside. The tail end of the Desmonda Sands where it makes that 90 degree turn right out in front of Hammond was the place. It was pretty bumpy but well worth the trip. Better hit it while the hitting is good :wink:
Timber
06-10-2002, 06:41 PM
Cool we fished the same spot sunday 2 to 4pm in 5 feet of water 4 keepers 14 shakers some fresh fish in from the big pond.
Hey Tacklebuster, was bait easy to find at Hammond?
Marc
Walleyed
06-11-2002, 06:17 AM
Keep seeing it,Keep thinking I know but I don't
What is the estuary??? :depressed:
(The new at this stuff skipper)
skipper,
The estuary is the mouth of Columbia down around Astoria....the best keeper sturgeon fishing anywhere....well...maybe russia has better but its a different fish.
Jim
Biteme
06-11-2002, 06:37 AM
the estuary is the columbia river mouth or the bay where the river dumps into the ocean. It is the best keeper sturgeon fishery in the world. Russia is having big problems with there sturgeon fishery because since the fall of the soviet union the russian mofia has taken over the caviar trade and the blackmarket is huge for sturgeon. If things continue at the present rate there wont be many sturgeon left in russia or the former soviet union countries very soon.
web page (http://www.nwfish.com)
WaterDog
06-11-2002, 08:10 AM
MPT, bait is east to find. Go to Tackle Time in Warrenton and they will take care of you. They are one of the sponsors here. You can even reserve bait if need be. That is way cool. :cool:
Tacklebuster
06-11-2002, 10:06 AM
MPT,
Just as WaterDog posted above, TackleTime has fresh bait and Free Willy does as well. The anchovies are really big this year and plentiful. We didn't even have to reserve it. One of the better baits that sometimes gets mixed into the bait bag is the small herring. The sculpins won't bother them as much and the sturgies love them. Good luck and post your results.
Hey WaterDog,
You been to the estuary yet this year? I usually don't start making the long drives until the last part of June but the fishing is good enough to start a little early. If you want some gps numbers for the spots I hit, shoot me an e-mail. See ya.......
WaterDog
06-11-2002, 10:57 AM
T,
You got mail buddy. :grin:
I havent been there yet this year but I'm fixin' to get ready! :cheers:
Tacklebuster,
I'm hitting the estuary for my first trip this saturday...mind sharin' any of those hotspots with a newbie? graemlins/1zhelp.gif :cheers:
Brandon
wildlife fishing
06-13-2002, 08:06 AM
Oh what a weekend in Astoria, I was there Sat and Sun. we were throwing 44 inchers back at 6:30 am looking for bigger. Only had a few shakers the rest were all keeper size. We hooked one line ripper that surfaced behind the boat I fiqui=red he was 7ft before he decided he wab=nted to be elseware.
we ended with 44,52,47 Got to love that place when its hot. We were throwing frozen smelt in 15-20 ft of water. Anchovies we reated second that day. Oh how the menu changes.
Heading for BC this weekend to fish next week, should be a hoot.
Wildlife
Tacklebuster
06-13-2002, 10:12 AM
Eats,
Go to Free Willy out of Hammond. When you hit the big river, just head straight like you are going to the Washington side. You will hit some shallow flats as soon as you cross the shipping lane. Anywhere in those flats (12 to 4 feet of water) will produce a heck of a bite if you get on top of a pod of fish. I wouldn't sit on a spot more than 15 minutes if you don't get hammered. The sculpins will sometimes kill ya but when your in the sturgies, your bait won't sit on the bottom long enough for the bait robbers to touch them. I really like the shallows out of Hammond because if you hit a good pod of fresh ocean fish, the bite is a fierce line ripping out of the rod holder experience that you don't tend to get anywhere else. Good luck and post your results :cheers:
King Fisher
06-13-2002, 10:27 AM
Don't forget the crab bite, we were getting hit by crab and sturgeon in the same spots out of hammond. Check bait regularly. We ended up with 54,45,47, and about 12 shakers. The 54 jumped out of the water right next to the boat. We thought he would jump right in the boat. We got bait at free willy.
Uncle Bob
06-13-2002, 10:45 AM
Would my 15 ft Gregor with a 25hp Merc
work out there for those sturgeon?
I'm not as suicidal as a few others on this BB :grin:
UB
King Fisher
06-13-2002, 10:59 AM
We had great weather coming in, but most of the day was brutal. We were getting soaked and only going 10mph on the way out. I wouldn't chance it unless the weather was ideal and you were close in.
WaterDog
06-13-2002, 11:06 AM
UB,
Put in at the John day ramp and fish the flats and potholes above tongue point. This area is more protected from the wind. Should be no problem in you boat. You still gotta pay attention to the weather tho’.
Uncle Bob
06-13-2002, 11:21 AM
I don't mind getting wet (rain or boat spray), it's the part where the Personal Floatation Devices get tested that I don't like.
Thanks for the advice
UB
fishchaser
06-13-2002, 11:45 AM
UB
It might take you a while to get out there, but you boat would be big enough. I took my Spectrum out there. I have also seen smaller boats @ buoy 10. I wouldn't go past buoy 24, Just go slow and wear your rain gear. you have common sense and you know what your limitations are.
good luck
Uncle Bob
06-13-2002, 11:55 AM
Yep, I do try to error on the side of caution.
There's something about being able to come home
and hugging on the wife etc. etc. :grin:
No fish is worth that much
UB
DRUNK COWBOY
06-13-2002, 11:57 AM
What time does Free Willy open up? Are the anchovies frozen or are they fresh? :whazzup:
Thank you all for the heads up!
I ditto the Drunk Cowboy. Thanks to Tacklebuster and everyone who posted with help. See ya on the river saturday, I'll be in a 15' Arima, the "Lynne Marie". If you see us yell EATS and all 3 heads should snap. Good luck.
kevray
06-13-2002, 04:37 PM
If I am not mistaken isn't there a closer on keeping sturgies in the Columbia coming up? Does anyone have more info??
DRUNK COWBOY
06-13-2002, 04:38 PM
Eats,
I had to change plans. My buddy with the Boise Jet is going to the race this weekend. Now I am out of a boat, so I am off to fish the canyon at the Wind.
The weekend after we are planning a trip to Astoria. See you around! :cheers:
oh ya, what/where is a free willy? graemlins/stupid.gif
invader
06-13-2002, 09:41 PM
why would you throw back a 44 inch fish?....what am i missing here??. did they raise the size limit again??....john
fishchaser
06-13-2002, 10:11 PM
The closure is in July, around the 15th or the 20th, something like that. :whazzup: When you are down @ the boat ramp just ask there, they will know. :tongue: I know it is after the the 15th. I'm going down on the 3rd, and will be down there til the 7th. Hoping to get some sturgeon fishing in while we are down there. :cheers:
Fishplay
06-13-2002, 10:33 PM
Invader, sometimes a fish is of legal legnth but is very skinny. I've thrown back bigger fish than 44 because there was no meat on them.
Eats
Freewillys is the bait shop right at the ramp in Hammond. You can't miss it. There is a whale painted on the side of the blue building.
Good luck up there!
Small Fry
06-13-2002, 10:53 PM
Free willy is also a small delivery van at the John day ramp. can't miss it. :wink:
Some one asked why would you throw back a 44 inch fish. My first fish last Thursday was 51 inch's, The wife landed a 40 1/2 that was built like a football,Fat Fat Fat
Keeper to shaker ratio is 50 50 from my experience. :shocked: You gota go try it. graemlins/hearton.gif
Last year on 7/18 we threw back 10 fish over 50 and that was before noon.
Why hasen't anyone mentioned how hard they fight compared to the fish in the upper river.
These fresh fish are wild!!!! :grin: :grin:
Hope to be on the lower river 6/20/02 see ya there. :cheers:
[ 06-13-2002, 10:59 PM: Message edited by: Small Fry ]
Salmonator
06-13-2002, 11:23 PM
Invader... it only takes one trip to Astoria on a hot day to find out why you would let a 44"er go. I will be there for 4 or 5 days the first week of July and would have to say that there is no trip that makes me lose sleep like a trip to the estuary :cheers:
Small Fry
06-14-2002, 12:06 AM
Cowboy I was at the ramp a weekago at 5:15 and she was already open.
DRUNK COWBOY
06-14-2002, 12:15 AM
Thank's small fry.
I am thinking a budy and I will hit the river this saturday. I am amazed at the depth of water everyone is catching these fish in. I never would have thought of fishing 3-7 feet of water. graemlins/stupid.gif This sounds like fun and I will tell you how well we did and where we were at.
Walleyed
06-14-2002, 05:59 AM
Hay there small fry! lost my crew,Will be down for the 20th-23ed. Flyin solo on the 20th.Maybe we could hook up and you could give me some pointers. :cheers:
the skipper
No Wishin Just Fishin
06-14-2002, 07:43 AM
Fished out of East Basin yesterday(13th) and limited the boat with a 46 49 53 and a monster fat 58. Fishing 54 feet of water with fresh anchovies from Tackle Time. Also had over 15 41 inch shakers. Prefer Warrenton shallow bars but wind blew 30 knots all day yesterday. Happy Fishing
ReelMcCoy
06-25-2002, 06:14 AM
We fished up river from tounge point on Saturday. We keeped a 45,46 and 52. Took a friend and his son out for the first time. It was fun to watch the 10 year old fight the big fish. I have got to the point that I don't keep anything less than 46 any more. No need to there are that many fish out there. I know there are a lot of limits coming out from Tounge point on down every day. I did not fish Sunday as I only have two slots left for the year.
Tacklebuster
06-25-2002, 10:23 AM
Invader,
Sturgeon are not created the same. Sometimes a 44 incher will not yield that much meat. Sometimes a 44 incher will be a fat toad that is far heavier than a 47 or a 48. Your typical estuary 44 inch fish will be one of those fat ocean toads that most people will keep. More times than not in that area if you are in a good bite, keeping a 44 incher will result in you throwing back a 50 inch plus fish that weighs almost twice as much.
Take my daughter for example, she caught a 45 inch fat toad at the estuary last weekend. We were in an awesome bite and against my advice, she decided to tag it. Not thirty minutes later she set the hook on what turned out to be a 55 inch monster. She learned a lesson that day that she will remember. My wife proceeded to tag a 52 inch fattie that yielded twice the meat of that 45 inch fish of my daughter's.
If the fish are tough to come by that day and you really need the meat, keep a 44 inch fish. A lot of the sturgeon anglers I fish with hit the sturgeon pretty hard all year and will usually not keep anything under a 46 or so. A little game I came up with at the first of the year was to make up a slot limit of my own. I would only tag 5 fish in the upper 40's and the rest would have to be 50 inch plus. Here it is June and I have no tag space left. Looks as if I need to re do my slot limit for next year :wink:
See ya on the river...