Lower Columbia Grass

[Thumb Burner]

I have been plunking on the Columbia near Rainer and been having a problem with green weed looking grass catching on the line. With talking to the locals this has been by far the worst they have ever seen. It seems to be worse on the sunny days. First we thought it was just from so much water in the river, but now the river has dropped and its getting worse. You pretty much have to clean your glows every 20 minutes to make sure your fishing. I am ready to find lure that wont collect the crap as bad. But I am not sure what to use. I heard the Washington side isnt half as bad. What is weird is the day by day changes. Early mornings isnt as bad. Yesterday it was bad, last week it was ok, week before was terrible. When the sun is out it seems a lot worse. Does anyone know where this is comming from, or are you having the same problem out of the boats?

Anyone have any suggestions of something else to use besides glows that wont collect the grass as bad? Even if I have to set up a bobber up on my leader and use a type of lure I am ready to.

The old timers on the beach say 20 years ago there wasnt this crap in the water, there theory is it is a weed made it here in the river from the vessal traffic dumping water in the river.

Any thoughts, comments or suggestions?

Steehead_Scout

[GutshotApe]

Originally posted by Steelhead_Scout:
The old timers on the beach say 20 years ago there wasnt this crap in the water, there theory is it is a weed made it here in the river from the vessal traffic dumping water in the river.<font size="2" face="verdana,arial,helvetica">Could very well be its some exotic weed brought carried here by ship bilge/ballast water. Exotic, invasive terrestrial and aquatic species of many types are already here with more arriving all the time. Things are going to look different in Oregon in the future. :depressed:

[fishchaser]

If you look at it you will reconize it as "Hydrilla". You know, that grass you throw bass grubs into. Give you any idea as to where this is coming from? Thank the BASS masters tournaments and Walleye tourney's for bringing in these non-native plants from the warm water lakes to a river near you. :sick:

[Jellyhead]

Fishchaser,

If you look at it closely, it is a stringy "weed" or "Moss".....NOT HYDRILLA!

When was the last time you fished the lower columbia plunking???

When was the last time you rode in a sparkley-metalflake bass boat???

I can tell you I've done both in the last month, and the weeds collecting on my spinglo's are algea(sp?)

The weeds that tend to grow in lakes and backwaters are hydrilla. The two are very different.

Don't be so quick to point a finger at bass and walleye boats for spreading the weeds talked about by columbia river plunkers. Show me a columbia river bass fisherman, or a walleye fisherman that is churning up hydrilla and I'll buy you a cold one. The two things don't co-exist.

Now you could easily show me a ski boat that was running around Lake Oswego or another ski lake, that might transplant an exotic weed. But as most shiny-sparkly bass boat owners would tell you, they wash they're boats well after each use, It's a pride thing...who wants a dirty, weeded up metal flake, warp speed, spiny ray machine??? Also, You are gonna be hard pressed to find a NW walleye guy out churning the weeds for eye's. How did you catch you're last walleye fishchaser?..........That's what I thought :shocked:

Aaron

[The Overfishin Condition]

Whoa! Fishchaser, hope you had your flameproof suit on there! All I can say is that the grass I get into around "the 'Couv" looks like the leafy stuff they have in fishtanks. My guess it's the same stuff they have in the lower river, I guess I probably am in the lower river anyway. http://www.cdfa.ca.gov/phpps/ipc/hydrilla/images/hydrilla-inf.jpg Looks like the stuff I'm always getting on my line, but I don't think blame needs to be placed on anyone, I'm sure if the whole river is infested, it was a group effort. TOC

[k9jeff]

put a couple plastic "golf tee's" above your speader or 3 way. This will HELP in keeping the weeds off your spinglo,,,
Good luck...


K9

[ 06-26-2003, 01:38 AM: Message edited by: k9jeff ]

[fish4life]

sure looks like millfoil to me

[WaterDog]

Almost sounds like the "moss" we get in the Willamette above the falls once the water warms up. It's an algae of some sort and make fishing impossible up here late in the spring.

[Time Off]

What suprises me is that this grass will grow 100+ feet deep. There couldn't be much sunlight that far down. I thought all plants need sunlight for the photosynthisis &lt;spelling?&gt; thing.

[BigBeanCounter]

Whoops......thought this thread was about something else !!!! :grin: :grin: :grin:

[rob allen]

Most of the "grass " in the columbia is Milfoil!! and it comes from boaters who don't wash down their boats after having had them in milfoil infested waters. it also comes from birds who do the same. Evr seen one of thies sighs that say's "stop spreading it around" well anyway thats what it is and where it comes from bad for plumkers good for bass..

[HammondSeaRanger]

golf tee's k9 ??

tip through the spreader ?

never heard of that before ...

We've been getting pretty grassy around jone's beach as well ... ALOT of junk in the water this year.

[ 06-26-2003, 06:17 PM: Message edited by: BluePig ]

[Trick]

Jellyhead and waterdog are right about it being algae. I was plunking near St Helens a couple weeks ago and the stuff was horrible. Been heading down lower on the CR and have not had near the problem and we are catching alot more fish.

There is some hydrilla and millfoil around but it was not causing near the problems the algae was for us.

Do what I do....move around until you find a spot thats not so bad.

[Thumb Burner]

Thanks for the tips guys. I went out for an evening fish lastnight at Prescott and it was better. You could actually fish for 45 minutes before pulling up and cleaning. Saw one steelie caught thats it. I am thinking about heading down river farther tho. Maybe Jones beach. Never been there but how are the crowds? I also heard that there is a beach in Warrenton where they use a cork and herring and do pretty well. Anyone got any advice in these two areas?

I hope the Algea bloom is done for a while. Golf tee is a good idea I will try it.

Steelhead Scout