Smelt report - Where are they thick?

fisheromen · 03-10-2001, 07:51 PM

We were at the Allen St. bridge with about 300 other people and it took us (me and my two kids) about 30-40 minutes to get our limits. I am going up to tomorrow again and wonder if anyone found them really thick anywhere up or down river. Have waders, will travel. Please be generous with directions and revelation of where the mass of them are.

finclipped · 03-10-2001, 08:32 PM

Tonight, I was getting 1-3 pounds per dip across the road from the Carnival Market. Took about 2 minutes. No waders needed.

orsturgeon · 03-10-2001, 09:24 PM

This morning @ mile marker 4 on Hwy 411 (the road that goes through the industrial section) 1 to 5 lbs. per dip. Lots of people, everyone having fun. When the fish are in everybody is pleasant. Waders a plus. The only bummer is that some folks are taking gross advantage of the limit. Too bad.

Fuzzybutt & Angel · 03-10-2001, 09:37 PM

Does anyone know how the smelt are doing on the Cowlitz? We're heading down Sunday morning with the kids, and hoping for a fun day

Angel
www.silentapproach.com

03-10-2001, 11:48 PM

Angel. I think the only river open for smelt is the Cowlitz, so the good reports above must be from there. ...

And where are the smelt the thickest, Fisheromen? Well, about around the mid belly area. Unless they have an oversized head. ...

Excuse my silliness lately. I think it's because of the strong fullmoon (brought 9+ ft. high tides). It's a challenge to get serious smoetimes

. I'll keep trying. - RT

nivtup · 03-11-2001, 06:08 AM

Here goes,

I dont know any of the road names down there, so this is the best I can do.

Last two weekends we:

South on I-5 to Castle Rock, turn right to cross river by fair grounds, turn left at first intersection, follow this road for a ways, you will pass a place where there are 15 corvettes sitting in the yard, (wow 15 vettes) keep going a short distance and you will start to enter a residential area, dike along the river on left. There is a very thin strip to park along here, keep going til it widens just a bit on the left.
(There is a cyclone fence around some equipment on top of the dike.) Over the dike, down the well worn trail.

We got, and this is no *****, at least thirty pounds in first dip, poured most out for ease of lifting, the kids, 6, 6, and 10, all could get them very easily, gobs and gobs of fish here.

It looks like they are starting to break down a bit, so this is probably the last good weekend?

Good luck.

Oh yeah, 5 people, 5 limits, 7 minutes.

[This message has been edited by nivtup (edited 03-11-2001).]

Fuzzybutt & Angel · 03-11-2001, 06:21 AM

Thanks nivtup! were on the way out the door now, we'll give that spot a go......got 2 kids and three adults...should be fun.
thanks again!

Fuzzy and Angel

Fuzzybutt & Angel · 03-11-2001, 01:37 PM

Its 2.30pm and we just returned from smelt dipping. We caught our limits, and had a ball.. What a great experience for the family

Thanks alot for your directions, we didn't quite get to the places you told us about, but found a great spot anyway downstream from the bridge in Castlerock.

No more paying $6.95 for 5 smelt to go sturgeon fishing!!!

Angel
www.silentapproach.com

HOGTIDE · 03-11-2001, 02:56 PM

Just got back from dipping, too. Took my daughter. We dipped a wash bucket full in about 15 minutes. It was very fun and over too fast. My initially hesitant daughter didn't want to stop, once she got the hang of it.

Cleaned enough for a couple good fries. Bagged a bunch for bait...just in case I get the itch to go gator chasin'.

bathtub bob · 03-11-2001, 05:11 PM

Nivet is right on I was there sat at 6am on my way springer fishing. put flashlight on the water and smelt were so thick you could almost walk on them. No springers at clifton either.

Jim · 03-11-2001, 06:19 PM

40 pounds in 30 minutes...today...at the fairgrounds...very fun...you could see the smelt...never dipped like that before...didn't even have to be close to the bottom.

Jim

Smelt...the magical fish, they easily turn into Sturgeon and Crab!!

brshooter · 03-11-2001, 06:33 PM

I have never dipped smelt. Looks like I could have the time next weekend if the little critters are still there? How long does the smelt run last? Should next weekend still be productive?
Bill

HOGTIDE · 03-11-2001, 09:04 PM

Don't know how long they will hang in there. My only advice is to go a ways up the river. Lotsa spawned sliders aimlesly drifting down stream in the lower river stretches. Folks were actually netting these! Hope they are gonna use them for bait..looked kinda scabby, yuk! Go up toward Castle Rock and net frisky fresh ones at the head of the run....fer eatin'.

Lives_to_fish · 03-12-2001, 05:51 AM

We had never done it before, so we drove across the bridge and stopped at the first gas station we came to in Longview. There we were told to hit Industrial way and follow it to the river. When we got there, we ask a guy with a net where to go and he said, �right here is good�. We grabbed the homemade net and bucket, walked down the bank and in 5 Min. had our two limits and were on our way back to Oregon with all the bait we need for a year of fishing.

It was an amazing sight. A column about 1 � feet thick just swimming along the bank saying, �Come get me�. It was hard stopping with 10 Lbs. a piece.