anybody fishin lower columbia for springers?

[fishing is life]

i was curious if dragging some herring or prawns near kalama, lewis, cowlitz mouths for springers would be worth it. maybe plunking spinners/alvins might be good too. what depth? has anybody ever done this and is anybody trying? one would think that they all have to go pass these places and may hold. any info is appreciated.

[AnglersRental]

Trick knows about such things? Also Rayjr... I havnt been, but I would bet that there are guys on prescott / larulwood beaches.

Too early for alvins... thnik spinglo / bait.

UG

[tipndwater]

there is no boat presure at all, but just as ug says the beaches with spinnglows and bait is the best investment this early. i have a few eager friends and they are only fishing sturgeon right now. i will start fishing springers from my boat some time in feb :shrug:
the earliest springer i have boated was feb.20th. i feel that they follow the end of the smelt run. in fact i have heard of poeple even using fresh smelt :wink: and doing well, it is a timing deal. i have cuaght springers with hands full of smelt in there bellies! i am getting a little jazzed up just talking about them. springer fishing is my all time favorite fish to fish for, i luv em graemlins/hearton.gif
tipndwater

[fishing is life]

thats funny you said that tipindwater, i was thinking of using smelt instead of herring during the smelt run. i heard the same thing last year springers with smelt in their tummies. does it work better? thanks guys. i am getting the jitters to go.

[Killertraylor]

I've cought a springer on fresh smelt on a 101 herring rig (spinner blade above the smelt) on the lower Columbia, but the herring always seem to outfish the smelt. Smelt aren't as shiny, but they are real sturdy bait. I fish them whole. Many of the early springers I've cleaned are gorged with smelt. I think it's early yet - I put 44 springers in the boat last year and didn't start fishing until March 17. They won't start fishing the lower Columbia in significant numbers until the end of February. It can't hurt to get excited though!

[wetaline]

Dont ask me how this happend - and I wasn't part of it... but this last summer my buddies dad and friend got out on big blue w/ frozen smelt instead of herring .. .well they limited none the less....

If your looking for a herring alternative on the columbia - try cured prawns.... w/ small spinner blade or spin glow in front... its usaully a willi thing - but work just as good on the big river.

[Killertraylor]

edsr - I'm not sure if there is another name for the 101 rig - they sell it under that name at GI Joes and Fishermans Marine Supply. It's similar to a "Rogue Spinnerbait rig" except the spinner blade is a little bigger. You can rig one yourself - starting from the top they use a Spinnerblade on a clevis, a 1 1/2 inch piece of green or blue tubing (like a straw) over your line as a spacer, a little silver thing that looks like a sequin from your wife's cocktail dress (again - threaded on the line) and then a regular 2 hook mooching rig. The sequin keeps the tubing from digging into the plug cut. It looks great in the water - spinning cut plug with a spinner blade a few inches above it. I've had excellent luck with this rig anchor fishing in the lower Columbia where there's lots of current.

[Tyeebuster]

If you make the ris your self you can do without the sequin by tying a fixed rig and pushing the tubing over the eye of the top hook. For added "attraction" fill the tubing with your favorite scent.

[fishing is life]

remember killertraylor, Steve King is saying these are 5 yr old fish and they are coming back early. if you go out give me a shout, i would love to learn the lower better.

[edsr]

KT - What is a 101 rig? Would I know it by some other name?

edsr