Side Drifting??

[high_arc]

Over the past couple of months I have heard people mention the term side drifting. What is side drifting? Apparently it can be done from boat and bank.

[Huntar]

Side drifting can only be done from a boat. It is a technique where light weights are used and usually smallhooks and light (6-10 lb.) line. It is called sidedrifting because the baits are drifted alongside the boat while the boat is drifting at the same speed as the baits (which usually requires a small amount of power from either oars or a kicker motor).

[Straydog]

Huntar,

Actually, the same presentation can be made by walking on the bank and controlling the drift just as one does in the boat.

Obviously you are limited by where you can do this from but it is not true that it can only be done from a boat.

[Kruechief]

Good point SD. One could feasibly do this at the Three rivers hole (if it was empty). Or any flat level bank or shore with a decent stretch of water in front of it.

Krue

[Kruechief]

High_arc,

Also known as "boon doggin'"

Krue

[Tilla]

Sidedrifting is effectively done from an open sled with a modest (6 or less degree) deadrise. (Driftboats and from shore are options)
The open sled gives you room as everyone generally stands in the centerline bow to stern and 360 degree fishfighting is common. The modest deadrise prevents turbulence from twisting the hull and making boat handling difficult. Also, since you are not on plane you get some additional well needed clearance. (I don't even fix my kicker prop anymore) :shocked:
You are basically drift fishing from a moving vessel with your bait continually in "the zone". The boat gives you access and the method gives you time. Learning to operate the boat is challenging.
It can be done from a driftboat. There are some ideal SW Wa. streams for this.

[high_arc]

thanks guys, one more bit of knowledge I have gained from Ifish. My brain is getting full.

[Thumper]

I don't even use power to boondog any more. The peace and quiet is wonderful and I probably sacrifice few hookups.

[Bob Barthlow]

I don't know tilla? I seem to catch a lot of steelhead and silvers, side drifting or boondoggin from my
10 degree super vee :grin: ..... on the Cowlitz and NFL that is all I do :wink:

[ 01-12-2003, 03:55 PM: Message edited by: Rapid Robert ]

[thefishnfool]

not to be nit picky but side driftin and boondoggin are 2 different things. In boondoggin you aren't slowing down at all and therefor baits are constantly having to be recast since the boat is goin to be moving faster than the bait which is dragin on the bottom. Like said earlier with side drifting the baits are always moving at the same speed as the boat and if the person controlling the boat is good only one cast per hole is needed. Lators

Tim

[riverraider]

I have to agree with thefishinfool, side drifting and boondoggin are not the same. Terms are mistakenly used interchangeably, but thats an error.
Sidedrifting requires almost constant mini-pivots, oar strokes, sculling, and pushing to keep the baits even with the boat and drifting at current speed.
Boondoggin is more of a dragging presentation where your bait is upsteam of the boat. Not trying to be a smart allec here, just trying to help. Hope this info is taken as such :smile:

[Kruechief]

Hmmmmmmmmmm................

Wow!


Hmmmmmmmmm........


Nope I still don't get it.

I must be doing a combo like maybe sidedoggin'

Krue

[Silver Hilton]

So, I'm a plugger, bait diver guy. Given the previous differentiation between side drifting and boondogging, is one or the other better for catching fish?

Oh and I have a 12 degree boat. Am I hosed? :wink: That's a joke, son.

[Huntar]

Fishinfool and Riverraider are right, sidedrifting and boondoggin' are two different techniqes.
Similar, but different.

Straydog, lets get real.... to do it right you would have to walk the full length of the run, often 200-300 yards, for each cast. Don't forget that currents also run at angles not just straight downstream, so you have to stand back from the edge so you can compensate for that too. The number of runs that would allow for this, combined with nobody else fishing it, is pretty small.

[Gun Rod Bow]

Guys,

There is an excellent article on side drifting in the Feb-March issue of Salmon Trout and Steelheader. Volume 35 #4.

It describes the process very well. It also mentions/shows side drifting from a beach as well as boat.

try www.amatobooks.com (http://www.amatobooks.com) for back issues.

Good Luck,
:cheers:
GRB

PS I use "side drifting" and "boon doggin" interchangably. Don't have a clue what is propper use. Have dragged eggs behind a boat, dead drifting sideways (for Chinook in AK) and side drifted Ah-La the Cowlitz program for steelies. Both catch fish.

[Straydog]

Huntar,

I am as real as a heart attack.

Who made the rule that all side drift runs have to be 2 to 300 yards long? :whazzup: I have pulled plenty of fish out of pockets and short drifts.

Also, I can walk 200 or 300 hundred yards still, have you come up lame or something? :grin:

And last, I didn't say there were as many opportunities from the bank, I just said and still say you are wrong when you say it can only be done from a boat.

[ 01-13-2003, 07:55 AM: Message edited by: Straydog ]

[Kruechief]

Sd,

Sometimes people do not realize that the different geography for rivers in different area is well...different. Down south the terrain is much different then say on the Alsea or other coast streams.

Krue

[Straydog]

Kruechief,

Good point.

[monoman]

Straydog
Do I need 6 degree soles on those shoes when I sidedrift from the bank?
Did you catch any fish?

[Tilla]

RR and SH,
I never said that you could not sidedrift from a hull of greater deadrise, it's done all the time. But I am sure as you know RR that it takes some knowledge and skill to do it right, safely and successfully as a boat handler. Heck, at Blue Creek the Queen Mary will do.
( There is another reference to recommended deadrise in part 3 of 3 in the F&H news Sled article Jan 16-30 issue).
The Cow generally seems to have good deep water later in the year. Some other rivers get a bit skinny for extreme sidedrifting adventures at times in tailouts with larger deadrises. This is especially true if you are trying to squeeze everything you can out of a drift. Thumper knows that a flat bottom is needed on some creeks at times, he just thumbs his nose at my 6 degree hull (and calls it names). :rolleyes: I just close my eyes and tell the crew"the next noise you'll hear ..... :rolleyes: :wink:

[Straydog]

Mono,

Naaa, a guy with your finesse can pull it off with Converse All Stars!!

I did not catch a fish.... wiffed a good rip but that was it for me.

My buddy in the seat next to me caught a pretty little hen about six pounds. Adipose in place so it was released untouched.

That was the only fish we hooked.

Drifted from Robertson bridge to Hog Creek and only saw three or four fish caught.

Had trouble seeing our line, hopefully gonna fix that real soon! :wink:

[Keta]

Huntar,
The Dog speaks true. Not on every drift but it can be done.