Labor Day weekend at Frenchmens Bar

WaterDog · 09-01-2001, 04:12 PM

Fished frenchmans today with Phunybonz. Tacklebuster was next door. Looked pretty slow to me, only saw 5 fish caught counted 75+ boats. As we were picking up to leave T slams a 25# nook as he reels in. [img]images/icons/rolleyes.gif[/img] [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img] The guy can catch fish! Anyway it was a fun day with lots of good conversation.

Tomorrow, Sailcat and wife will be aboard. I think Tacklebuster will be a nieghbor again and phunybonz says he'll fire up his scow and practice anchoring techniques. [img]images/icons/wink.gif[/img]

SureSet · 09-01-2001, 04:37 PM

I think I saw three or four Nooks landed. I ended up with a nice clipped 15.5# silver for my trouble. Only action I had all day and it sure surprised me when I saw it. Trying to look for a fin while landing it alone is a nice added dimension... [img]images/icons/rolleyes.gif[/img]

SureSet

FishinMission · 09-01-2001, 04:42 PM

Yeah...it was really dead slow out there. Had 'Where's My Bobber and his lovely wife Eileen with us today. Maybe a couple of line bumps..but no real takedowns. Not impressive. Neighbor dude fished the mouth of the Clack today......"Zippo"...they're not there in any numbers yet either. Saw very few fish on my "tube" today...how about you guys?? [img]images/icons/frown.gif[/img]

FishinMission · 09-01-2001, 04:45 PM

One other note to you guys and gals fishing Frenchman's....be sure and stay til the water stops...as some of the best action I've seen has been when my sea anchors have been hanging down at about a 45 degree angle. Most folks are picking it up and leaving 1/2 to 1 hour too soon!!

Tacklebuster · 09-01-2001, 05:16 PM

Thanks for letting me hang out beside you and phunybonz today. Good fishing, great conversation, and talk about luck! I got home and she was 28 pounds on my scale [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img] [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img] It was slow out there today but I bet we stir something up in the morning. I look forward to seeing SailCat and company out on the Columbia tomorrow. Hey Phunybonz, remember to bring those new wobblers! See ya at the ramp [img]images/icons/cool.gif[/img]

Steelie Steve · 09-01-2001, 05:41 PM

Did anyone notice if the bankies were doing anything today? I am considering hitting Frenchmans on Monday and am wondering if it is worth the effort. Also, any news on either N Fork Lewis or Kalama? [img]images/icons/confused.gif[/img]

Pete · 09-01-2001, 06:05 PM

I sure wish I had been able to stick to the low slack, but it was my daughter's first ever fishing trip ... it was important to make sure she enjoyed herself. 8 hours is a long time to confine a 22 month old. When she gets a little older the priorities will change. We came darn close to putting the first fish on her tag .... too bad the hook didn't hold a little longer.

fishergirl · 09-01-2001, 08:01 PM

I didn't see any action from the bank and little action in the boats save for a couple of pulses of fish moving through. Here's a question - which is best, a three, five or six or ?? lead line?

Uncle Bob · 09-01-2001, 09:55 PM

lead line...I think that it varies.
The farther you walk it out the flatter your line will be and the closer to the bottom. If you asked 50 fishermen, you'd get at least 10-20 differnt answers. i did well last week with 3ft leader and 5ft dropper.
Good Luck!
UB

FishinMission · 09-02-2001, 05:26 AM

Pete...Thank God for quick reflexes...and I'm not referring to grabbing the rod!!!Looked like it from where I was. For the dropper question....5 feet has been working well with us...fishing just beyond our sea anchors.

[ 09-02-2001: Message edited by: FishinMission ]

CharlieB · 09-02-2001, 12:04 PM

Steelie Steve:

North Fork is Boiling. I got a 12 pound silver sunday.

I went to the Kalama yesterday and there are fish in the Rv Park and about a hundred anglers. The fish trap is in so there are no hens above.

The lower river is OK but you have to go with the tides. Start an hour or two after low tide and fish an hour after high tide.

I would stick to the columbia or North Fork where you can definately get a fish.

I used to fish Frenchmans from the bank (20 years ago) durring Spring runs and do very well. I wouldn't know anymore!

Chris Nordling · 09-02-2001, 04:31 PM

Hey everyone:

Talk about SLOOOOOWW. We only saw 3 fish for our line,(one was an early release just shy of the net), and 1 was in my boat as we were finishing breakfast [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img] [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img] . Small chinook around 10 pounds, but the first fish of the day is always nice. Had one other slamdown, but no fish on the hookset. We saw one boat dropping out above us as we were motoring back, appeared to be a nice chinook taken about an hour before tidechange. Didn't see much from the bankies, but we're not really close enough to see em. For those of you keeping score at home : Chrome Alvin(Brad's), and some fancily placed blue tape( my budddy called it a lateral line and eye pattern?????) with a 6' or maybe a hair longer lead line. Oh yeah, he was fishing halfway to Morning Breeze about 40' behind the boat.Good luck to all Monday!

Chris [img]images/icons/cool.gif[/img]

WaterDog · 09-02-2001, 05:11 PM

FWF1,
You were in the valco right? I was in the white Motion Marine a couple of boats to center of you. Yeah it was real SLOW to say the least. I need to regroup and think if I want to spend one more day out there or do I want to catch up in yard work. [img]images/icons/rolleyes.gif[/img] I'll get Sailcat into a fish one of these days provided he doesn't get lost. [img]images/icons/rolleyes.gif[/img] [img]images/icons/wink.gif[/img]

Tomorrow, to go OR not to go???

Pete · 09-02-2001, 05:16 PM

FishMish ... we didn't have any close calls with my daughter. Well, she did declare once, "Get out of boat", which I was able to thwart ... the life jacket stayed on the whole time and she likes wearing it...but we're still working on tagging the first fish. I'm sure it will be before her 2nd birthday in October.

Tacklebuster · 09-02-2001, 07:08 PM

Waterdog,
Sleep in and do some yard work. Hopefully we will get a shot of rain and it will light the place up. If you do decide to go, fish one rod for Salmon and lob a smelt out on the other. At the very least you should get something. I never really Salmon/Sturgeon fished at the same time before until today. Payed off though [img]images/icons/smile.gif[/img] If you do decide to hit it, let me know. I'm always game [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

SureSet · 09-02-2001, 09:04 PM

FWF1, it may have been me you saw, white boat right behind the tan auto ship? Ended up with a 22#URB around 3:30. [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img] Only saw one other fish landed all day. Fish checker at St. Johns had only seen two when I checked in (4:45-5:00). If it looked like I worked it for awhile, I did. I wasn't about to lose one on a day like today when the hits were virtually non-existent. It was so slow I even saw a few guys going to Coho plugs (to no avail).

SureSet

Chris Nordling · 09-03-2001, 03:03 PM

Talk about a rough day. My buddy woke up late and then proceeded to be sick the rest of the day! [img]images/icons/frown.gif[/img] The bite seemed to be better today, the "inside" line seemed to do the best, but we saw a few to the center also. Most fished seem to come on clancy, at least the three that were real close to me. It still seems slow for this time of year tho. Last year we seemed to be into more fish, but who knows, anyday this place could explode!
Sureset, I'm sure that was you guys, was that boat close enough for you?? Seemed to Josh and I that you did some fancy boat work to get around him. How big was the fish?

Hey Waterdog, I have a ? about something I saw you guys using last week when you're wife's rod was just Smokin! [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img] I think my e-mail address shows up, if not I'll check back here when I get back from work in a few hours. I would like to know how you keep things from tangleing (sp) up on the rod that was yours and had the bonus lure attached? Yep, that's me in the Valco. I just bought it in July and it pretty fishy so far, we'll have to see how she does on the Clack. for silvers [img]images/icons/smile.gif[/img]

I'm tryin to go afterwork this week, so I'll let everyone know the haps.

Chris [img]images/icons/cool.gif[/img]

SureSet · 09-03-2001, 06:42 PM

It was slow again but somehow I pulled a 22.5# out of a hat today. Son #2 is going to be delivered tomorrow at 7:30AM so I guess I settle for a fish 3 days in a row and call it a good start to September! [img]images/icons/wink.gif[/img]

SureSet

fish-n-alot · 09-03-2001, 08:51 PM

It was a nice day regarless of the slow bite and a lot of folks transiting back to Portland from the coast causing a bit of chop at times but ......

Picked up a nice 10 lb coho just before the current ended..

There is next weekend right? See ya there! [img]images/icons/smile.gif[/img]

WaterDog · 09-04-2001, 06:52 AM

FWF1, I sent you an email. It figures that the bite would pick up. Decided I needed to take a break and visit some family instead. Oh well, wife and I will be there next weekend. She likes the later tides anyway so she can sleep in and still catch a few fish. [img]images/icons/rolleyes.gif[/img]

Tacklebuster, I've done that one salmon rod one sturgie rod thing before. Just cant bring my self to do now tho'. Gotta get them nooks when I can. We'll talk later in the week.

tshanks · 09-04-2001, 07:54 AM

Im from the valley area and don't get to Columbia much, except Cowitz and Astoria area. Could you let me know where Frenchmans is? We're planning on shooting over to Astoria/Church Hole Fri., but don't want to waste a trip if it's slowed down.........
Thanks

garyk · 09-04-2001, 09:10 PM

Wow, three days, 16 hours and one chinook to show for it. This holiday sure put the the 'Labor' into salmon fishing.

There's definitely a bit of action on the last two hours of the outgoing tide. I wonder -- are they really going on the bite, or does the slackening current move our wobblers in a more appealing way?

Sunday's surface temperature was 72, Mon.'s was 71. Tonight the air temp. along the river its 56, so that may drop the water temp. a bit more. I'd be curious to hear what the water temp.is from anyone out there on Weds.

SailCat · 09-05-2001, 07:16 AM

It was a nice trip with Waterdog last saturday, even if fish-free ... it's great just to get out. Good company, great weather, fun time.

It only gets better when actually catching fish is in the mix, but we'll get 'em next time ....

Thanks again, Rich!

~MT

Tacklebuster · 09-05-2001, 04:41 PM

Waterdog,
Check your mail [img]images/icons/cool.gif[/img]