catfishing spots

[baltz526]

i'm looking for catfish holes with good current on the columbia above the bonneville dam with access from the oregon side/ good boat launch and camping in the area where i don't have to go armed and i can take my dog for summer training. also a couple of launch points to do day trips or weekend tent trips with the boat. :wave:

[baltz526]

over 50 people have read this post and i can't beleive no one catfishes the columbia. this is prime water for the bigboys and i was hoping to get a starting point.if you guys wanted info on big brown on the upper deschutes i will share :hoboy:

[shalom]

I am sorry that i can't help you . The only place that i fish for cat's is Brownlee Reservoir .I would be glad to share where i fish up there .
:angel: :jester: :yay: :dance: :dance: :angel1:

[FelonFinder]

I don't consider that water to be prime for catfish. I think you need to go farther east or focus on smaller, warmer water elsewhere west of the dam. There are some good posts about catfishing the John Day area, you might want to head that direct. There are occasional cats but the Columbia there is cooler than prime catfish water, such as Brownlee. Sometimes guys get a nice blue cat, but people are probably not offering up advice because it's just not that hot of a fishery in the area around the dam. Go east for the cats if you really want to bag some fish.

[baltz526]

i spend two weeks every year for the last ten, about, fishing hells canyon reservoir, and have fished brownlee and oxbow. i am looking for a new place on the columbia to try a larger fishery. my most important question is the camping situation above bonneville, any blm areas with water access or is the only option the private camp grounds and putting the boat in and out every day. :wave:

[baltz526]

the faster and more turbulent the water, the better it is for catfish to a point, and water temp in mid june is perfect most years in hells canyon res. so i'm guessing the water temp in the mid columbia will be approx. this temp around may 1st to 15th. water depth fom 15' to 45' is about right and the front edge of submerged sand bars is a place to key on.these are some of the types of water i'm looking for.

[DoubleG]

I agree, the Columbia is not the best catfishing river. But a friend of mine fishes the ponds just before you get into Hood River. I have never tried it but he does very well. Sorry I can't give you any more deals. It was just a short conversation about it. Good luck!!

[baltz526]

i'm guessing the reason people are thinking the catfishing on the columbia is not great is due to the sturgeon mind set.when bait fishing for sturgeon you set up on a hole different than you would for catfish, sturgeon you would set up on the up river side of a hole in my experence, with catfish you set up on the end of a hole and fish the rise or flat on the down river side of a hole to my experance this is much more effective for cats. sometimes its a mater of moving the boat 100yds one way or the other. anchor above the hole nothing but sturgeon anchor in the middle of the hole nothing but catfish using the same rig and bait they stack up in the current differently. :wave:

[bucketmouth]

Baltz, you obviously have the "where to" tecniques down. I suspect you know the "how to" as well. So, to answer you question, try camping at Celilo park. There is a good boat ramp, lots of area for your dog to run, and camping areas to pitch a tent, etc.

The Park is located along the Columbia River between The Dalles and the mouth of the Deschutes River.

[YellowDog]

:cheers:

[baltz526]

when we do our scouting trip next month we will check out celilo park for our convoy type expedition for catfish/ everything else we can catch.

[Luckybill]

Well around here I'd have to say above the falls is best. We fished off willamette park at night and got plenty of cat fish although nothing of size. My personal best is a channel cat I picked last summer at the mouth of John Day at Lapage park right off the docks on a clam neck, 24 inches and 14 in diameter.. Thing fought like heck, thought it was a steelhead. Good luck.

[Sling Blade]

Try the John Day arm off of the Columbia. There is also a park and facilities there. My Father-in-law and I along with my son fished up there two summers ago (end of May) and had a blast catching 1-3 Lbs Channel cats. (there are larger cats) My son caught a nice 11 Lbs blue cat. We were up past the boat park using a boat and drifting worms on the bottom. My Father-in-law has fished there a few time and says that fishing near the boat ramp and park area generally results in mud cats.

[baltz526]

what is the campground like. can i keep my boat in the water. is it a private campground, rustic, fancy,good boat launch.

[shalom]

There is a nice campground at the launch . You can use a golden passport if you have one . I am not sure , But i think that you can have a dog there . If you like to tent camp you can put your camping gear in your boat and go upstream about 3-miles to a nice boat only campground .
Talk to Cal when you check in at the booth before the boat ramp . Ask him where to catch crappies and bluegills .He has several books that were published , on panfishing , and he is a great pearson to talk to . There are several good chanell cat locations close to the ramp . I hope that this will help . Maybe we will see each other up there as i am hoping to fish more up there for bass this summer . :angel: :jester: :yay: :dance: :dance: :angel1:

[bucketmouth]

Like Celilo park, Le Page park at the mouth of the John Day river has a nice paved boat launch. The campground at Le Page is a well manicured and maintained facility. Both Celilo and Le Page have restrooms in concrete buildings. There is a nightly fee at Le Page, even if you just want to park there and use your boat to get up to Philippi boat park 4 miles upstream. There is a dock where you can leave your boat moored overnight. I think there is a dog leash rule at Le Page. Celilo does not have a dock. Both parks are administered in partnership with the State of Oregon by the Corps of Engineers.

[Bendman]

Baltz526, If you want to pm me your phone number I’ll get you pointed in a good direction. Not trying to be secretive there’s just more information than I feel like typing. Pete

[Gus Orviston]

Do a search for 5 cents and get his MC report. He nailed a couple there recently. I think it was just under 10#. They were specifically going after them too, and were able to stay out of the sturgeon for the most part. MC Bottom Dweller might not make the table, but they are there.

gus

[baltz526]

i just found the information i was looking for i think. (columbia river cruising atlas) in another thread. i had not thought of a river map. so i'll be looking for one at gi joes in bend. or bend mapping and blueprinting next trip into bend.i have piles of topo maps for hunting, i don't know why i did not think of a river map. :shrug:

[Codfish]

Baltz
Let us know if you are successful in finding cats in the Columbia when you give it a try. I have always figured there have to be some spots in there somewhere that would produce. Just one of those things I've never got around to looking for. Good luck!

Codfish

[baltz526]

there are some guys that can catch salmon where no one else can. well if i can catch some crappie for bait i'll find the catfish in the columbia. freshcutbait freshcutbait also making a bait gob out of fresh ********* guts with thread works very good also. :wave: