Sandy River Salmon

[Navigator]

Glad to hear that the party went well.

I hit a milestone. Caught my first Salmon on the Sandy today after trying for 11 years - perhaps close to 50 hours. Surprisenly, it was a big ole Chinook - male. I put it at 36" and easily 25lbs. The fish was in surprisenly good shape for a Tule, faded with a pink hue. Big ugly hooked jaw. I released it.

It hit a Les Davis Bolo spinner, 1/4 oz, silver blade with dark red body. Hooked firmly in the lower and upper jaw - like vice grips.

What made this fish special was that I finally could throw a spinner on a drift rod. I actually had fun fishing. (For those of you having trouble casting drift rods, what got me over the hump was just practicing down at the schoolyard.)

Thanks to the two fishermen that were very cordial and let me downstream to play the fish on 10 lb. leader and 14 lb. mainline. (I was fishing for Coho). And thanks for taking the picture.

Can't help but think that being a part of the IFISH community is what got me over the hump. Virtual elbow-rubbing.

Oh, as far as the report goes. I was on the lower Sandy below Dabney State Park. No sign of combat fishing. And the coho were biting - saw four on the bank and a couple lost. Everybody spread out and made room for each other.

Can't wait for the next one.

[This message has been edited by Navigator (edited 09-24-2000).]

[This message has been edited by Navigator (edited 09-24-2000).]

Like what I hear about the Sandy there. And congrats on your fish!

[Mrdorkfish]

MoJet, You are right there in Troutdale? The past years the standard has been drifting eggs or casting #4 vibrax spinners.....even bud spinners. It's about time for myself to start hitting the lower river before i head to work or in the evening...maybe i'll run into you.

Navigator....does the water still have that glacial look to it? (cloudy green)


Mrdorkfish

[MoJet Driver]

Geeez Mr. D... whip me(!) whip me! Yeah I used live even closer to the river than I do now, but I still didn't fish it much. Same story as the Navigator, too many years between fish. So I practically gave up on it except for springers. Now that the silvers are in strong, I have to give it a shot again.

I'll be hitting in the evening since it's pretty much dark when I head to work. Shoot me an email if you want to hook up!

[Navigator]

Mojet Driver, Mrdorkfish:

Three of the four coho I saw landed were taken on spinners - two for sure on a vibrax - one was black, the other that new neon yellow (w/ some flourescent orange on body) with the black tiger/neon yellow blade). The bobber fisherman had hook-ups on small egg clusters but were having a tough time landing them.

Yes, the water was milky green in deep slots and holes. I didn't take a water temperature - 65 degrees maybe.

[MoJet Driver]

Nav,

Were you able to see what they were using for the silvers (ie. drift gear, eggs)?