Washougal River

[ChuckDog]

Any word on the fishing on the Washougal?

[dawhunt]

The camas boys are not that bad.YES there are fish in the river there was a bunch seen at the lighthouse hole four days ago..I haven't been up to cougar creek yet but the fish should be there maybe even thru by now.So you might start looking a little higher.A friend of mine saw a bunch go thru this morning at Oak Park he was standing on the bridge and saw them.You might let everyone know that the major amount of these are tules your talking about.The snaggers should start showing up real soon.
Bob [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

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

[rob allen]

I grew up on the Washougal and know it extremely well. The chinook fishery on the river is about 99% a snag fishery! in the 26 years I lived and fished there i saw exactly 2 chinooks caught that we not snagged. I would recommend serious chinook fishers to aviod the Washougal!
I am gonna ruffle some feathers by my next comment but if you are ruffled then you deserve to hear the truth. If you are plunking with a corkie or a corkie and yarn YOU ARE SNAGGING!!
Washougal river tule chinook are not biters at all. Someone tells you they are nailing chinook on the Washougal they are either lying or snagging!
Thats the God's honest truth!

Tight lines and wait for the late run coho.
rob

[ChuckDog]

Rock on, guys. I'm going for the silvers anyhow. From what I remember last year, it was an October/November fishery(just kind of hoping they showed up a bit earlier this year) . So the Washougal hatchery rears Tules?!@! What's up with that? I personally don't care for Tule meat and I've yet to hear anyone that does, so why do hatcheries continue to use these stocks? Lower motality rate/higher return?

[rob allen]

ChuckDog
The washougal used to have an awsome Coho fishery. It used to begin with the first rains in Sept. They'd come in right along side the chinooks. They weren't great biters bit drifting roe on no weight would get them. And ocassionally they'd take flies while i was fishding for sea-runs.
Then about the middle of Oct the late fish would show up they were generally larger and more aggressive. This was the time to throw spinners and spoons. One morning at the big eddy I caught 15 on a red roostertail. Now many of the good coho holes are private property :O( But thats ok because thoes Washougal coho are now planted in the Klickitat. I haven't coho fished in the Washougal for a few years now. Thats ok too cause Oct is the best month for steelheading....

[ 09-03-2001: Message edited by: rob allen ]

[CharlieB]

I live next to the Washougal here and nothing is comming in yet. I have only heard of one Chinook caught at the mill hole. Nothing has reached the canyon at Cougar creek yet, and nothing at the Steel bridge.

The water is still too low for any action.

I won't steer anyone wrong on this river, when the fish hit I will post. I want the Camas "Boys" (who are very clickish and think they own the river) to see a lot of people show up when the fish show up!!

Be warry of the Camas "boys" they are very unpleasant to fish with!

[invader]

i fished for silvers a few years ago... can you still fish next to the pumphouse on the wasHougal??... PS ALL MY FISH HAD THE HOOK IN ITS MOUTH TOO.........JOHN

The Washougal has always been a snaggers haven for the nearly 30 years I've fished it. With this low water it will even be worse this year. The abundance of fish brings out the worst in people and sometimes even the state police won't confront a belligerant bunch of snaggers. I will stay away from there again this year it just isn't worth it.
Stew

[rob allen]

As far as i know you can still go in through the mills property to fish at the pumphouse. But i rarely fished that low on the river.

[ChuckDog]

It sounds as if I may be fortunate according to Bigstew. This last year I met someone with a hefty amount of riverfront property and a beautiful run right through the middle of it. I only got into the silvers when I went, but it was phenomenal. All on size 3 and 4 spinners. And just me fishing the run [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img] . The steelhead fishing rates right up there with the silver fishing during Jan/Feb. I've never been skunked in several trips and have never snagged a fish yet. Maybe I need more lead or barbs or something... [img]images/icons/rolleyes.gif[/img]

[Krome Brite]

Dog, is the guy you know an older dude? I met a guy on the Wind one time that lived and fished up on the Washougal.