Sandy River Smelt this year???

jet · 03-14-2001, 07:30 AM

It would be sooooo cool. Maybe this will be the start of it, hopefully. Cross your rods,fingers,and smelt nets.

I would vote to not dip it if it did happened and let all the little buggers spawn and dip it next year. It brings back some good memories... Sandy river smelt.

Oops I sound like Jen now.

UPDATE>>>>> I-Fish special guest says their are Smelt in the Sandy, ALL RIGHT! now all just leave them alone and let them do their thing.

Jet~~~

[This message has been edited by jet (edited 03-14-2001).]

Clamman · 03-14-2001, 03:46 PM

Smelt are in the lower Sandy river. Lots of birds flying and dead smelt floating when I checked this morning.

ISG

otter · 03-14-2001, 06:04 PM

Would the lower river be considered the area around Lewis & Clark park?

I know, it's a dumb question.

KRM

Mrdorkfish · 03-14-2001, 08:19 PM

We used to dip them as far up as Jack's Place where everyone swims in the summer...but take a look on the downriver/West side of the I-84 bridge...where there is a poop outlet....birds have been flying around there at this time of year for at least 3 years now.... I seen um.

Mrdorkfish

HOGTIDE · 03-14-2001, 08:49 PM

The run definitley appears to be moving up river from my point of view. Large flocks of gulls are crashing the surface on the Wa. side of the Columbia at Columbia City. Smelt must be moving up into the Lewis River.

dogfishboy · 03-14-2001, 09:51 PM

Hog',
Yea, we noticed last Sunday that the gulls were thick and catching a big old smelt every time they swooped down on the water. It was amazing, they were gorging themselves. The smelt were thick around our boat all the time we were fishin' above #77. Fresh fried smelt for lunch was quite tasty. My hope was the same as Jets, that the Sandy run might be returning. Does the Lewis get a run these days? We also were concerned how an abundance of bait fish might negatively affect the springer bite... or not?

jet · 03-15-2001, 03:44 PM

Do not dip in the Sandy, there are enough in the Cowlitz to support the whole area. My .02 and I wanted this to move up to the top.

Jet~~~

Artwo · 03-15-2001, 03:50 PM

Jet,
I agree, would like to see ODFW step up to the plate and shut it down, but we know that won't happen. Did you see my post on the other Sandy river smelt thread. It sounds like from what Jack said that allot of people don't agree with us.......to bad. I for one would like to see the smelt have a chance to return to the Sandy from now on.

JK

garyk · 03-15-2001, 05:12 PM

From the very little bit I know about 'em, it sounds like smelt are opportunistic spawners and don't necessarily return to their natal waters.

Sounds like crowding sends them further and further up the system.

So, taking some from the Sandy may not impact future returns.

On the other hand, it seems ludicrous that ODFW has maintained the 25# limit - as compared to Washington's 10# limit. As sparse as they've been a more conservative limit is warranted and prudent.

I do intend to check the Sandy out on Sunday to see what's up. (And even if they're thick I wont be killing 25# of them).

Fishhead · 03-15-2001, 09:57 PM

Yes the smelt are in. The dead ones are floating from the Sandy all the way down river to Chinook landing. I picked up some that were floaters to use for bait. Every where you look on the Oregon side the banks are littered with them. If you plan on using them for bait just pick up the dead ones. Let the others live to produce more. My .02 worth..........Fishhead Vic

Mrdorkfish · 03-16-2001, 05:57 AM

garyk, I agree with your opinion....opportunistic spawners, conditions have to be right and i think they'll enter any river and pop-off when they feel like it.... Jet..jet...jet...Is this a native run of smelt nobody should touch? Just because they are here this year doesn't mean they will be here next..or the year after that. I will have smelt!

Mrdorkfish

Artwo · 03-16-2001, 12:12 PM

Got a report last night that they are all the way up to the Stark street bridge, don't know in what numbers though. I did see the news clips on tv last night from the Troutdale bridge area and it didn't look like all that great dipping. Allot of people scooping up empty nets or with only a half dozen or so. If that's an indication than it might take you awhile to limit out. The news reports are saying there are millions, it didn't look that way to me.

JK

jkfrabel · 03-16-2001, 06:37 PM

Go to www.localfishermannews.com they�ve got a bunch of pictures of the zoo at the Sandy. What a shame I can�t believe that ODFW didn�t do an emergency closure to let the run reestablish itself, and they�re letting them take 25lb. limits to boot. Sometimes I wonder if they really do care about our resources.

ssteelheadsteve · 03-16-2001, 07:23 PM

As of 5 PM the Smelt run was over in the lower Sandy.

MoJet Driver · 03-16-2001, 11:37 PM

Jimminy Jeepers! Drove by the lower river and the place is a zoo! Guys were carrying out nets that haven't seen daylight in 20 years. Didn't see a whole lot of 'grunting' going on if you know what mean. Could be an after daylight, early morn thang!

Got mine from the Cow this year so the only dippen' I'll be doing till next year is out of a Copenhagen can.

jet · 03-17-2001, 05:45 PM

sssss

What do you mean over? closed, or the little bugger just did their thing and are gone. Or did the run just dry up???

Jet~~~

The lower channel was really slow today, tons of boats. A quick bite around the tide change around 9:30-10:00. Rain, boy did it rain, finally it feels like winter/spring fishing. None for us maybe Sunday.