McNary Dam at Night...

FEAR NO FISH! · 10-08-2001, 12:04 PM

Last night we hooked 17 fish and
landed 10. Lost two lighted vortexes
to big fish. Ouch! 5 hatchery steelies
ranging from 8-15 pounds. 3 Natives
released. Also caught 2 chinook,
both weighing approx. 20 pounds. Water
temp was 64.2 degrees. Now is the
time!!! Red with a black back is the
hot color. 1st trolling pass my buddy
Brad hooked and lost three fish! [img]images/icons/shocked.gif[/img]

Krome Brite · 10-08-2001, 02:10 PM

Say this sounds like the exact same thing you posted last year. Just kidding. Dang, I hope PETA doesn't read this board. [img]images/icons/shocked.gif[/img] Were the fish you got bright? Just the two of you fishin', huh? Five fish a piece. Lucky.
[img]images/icons/rolleyes.gif[/img]

[ 10-08-2001: Message edited by: Krome Brite ]

FEAR NO FISH! · 10-08-2001, 11:23 PM

Krome Brite.
Tis the season to night fish. Last
year our best night was on the 12th
when we hooked 20 and landed 16. I
will be back out tomorrow night to
spank them again. This is really an
effective technique. The salmon don't
look as good as they did when we were
hooking them at Chinook and Ilwaco but
they still smoke up and can, just
fine. Sure makes for too much fun. We
had to handline one fish when my buddy
had me cut the wrong line. Sure glad
it was him holding on to the 20 pound
fireline. [img]images/icons/shocked.gif[/img] Didn't cut him too bad. It was pretty funny watching his arm shake like a noodle rod.

bellinghamangler1 · 10-09-2001, 05:52 AM

Ok, I'm gonna try it. Your reports are too good to not give it a try. How deep do you have to go? Do you run your plugs off a downrigger? Thanks, Ill be in the white Hewescrft (if you can see me)
Brandon

FEAR NO FISH! · 10-09-2001, 10:44 AM

Brandon,
Take the time to make sure your
lighted vortexes will not leak. I
superglue every seam and around the
bill. Also, make sure you superglue
around the hook attachments. After you
put the batteries in, put a mound of
aquarium sealant on top of them and
then screw the lid down. DO NOT OVER
TIGHTEN, just until it is snug. Smooth
over excess, around and over the lid.
Let set up for about 30 minutes.
Change out split rings and replace
hooks with Gamakatsu #4 treble hooks.
Smear up plugs with shrimp salt smelly
jelly. THIS IS IMPORTANT: put small
chunk of shrimp on front treble. It
should be on the bottom tine. See how
the hook will ride against the body of
the plug. Because of the split ring,
it will want to lay a certain way. You
do not want to have the chunk of
shrimp on the wrong tine as it will
throw the action of the plug off.
Troll as slowly as possible. Make sure
clicker is on and put a glow stick on
end of your rod tip. Wait for the reel
to squeal and the laser show at the
end of your rod! I will be in the sled
with the searchlights on top and FEAR
NO FISH! on the sides. Fish all night
and sleep all day. You can have two
steelhead and two salmon before
midnight and two steelhead and two
salmon after midnight. If you do bang
this many you will have to wait until
midnight of the next day to begin the
carnage again. Check your hooks after
every fish and also check your leader.
When a vortex starts to leak and they
will, change plugs. A leaky vortex
does not catch many fish! I make up 8
vortexes a night in advance. It gets
expensive but who cares! Its all about
whupping a fishes tail! A headlamp is
a very valuable tool. When you do hook
a hog keep the light off of them until
they are tired. Then net. Flat line
the plug at 35 pulls. I like 20 pound
Fireline. Stay out of the barges way
but get ready for action as there is
usually a barge bite every time they
come through. Thats all there is to
it. One other secret I like to do is
to heat and dip my treble hooks into
glo in the dark, powder coat paint. It
isn't necessary but it does work!
Dress warm and know where everything
is in your boat. Again, a headlamp is
a very valuable tool!
[img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

10-09-2001, 12:05 PM

Hey Fear..you gettin' any?.........sleep? [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

FEAR NO FISH! · 10-09-2001, 12:20 PM

Backlash2,
The entire forebay will produce fish.
Be aware of shoaling conditions near
the NW corner near boat launch. I lost
a kicker prop there and know of two
people who lost lower units. My
regular pass is a race track path
along wingwall to blinking red light
100 yards upriver of wing wall. Some
people troll all the way to the pump
house but I like to stay in forebay.
Also some people troll to mid-river
following the no boat zone line. Just
remember you can't fish on the Oregon
side at night,(LAW) as those
Orygunners like to let their fish
sleep.
******,
You remember the golden rule, once you
are married you don't get any,
anymore! [img]images/icons/shocked.gif[/img]

Phil Layer · 10-09-2001, 02:03 PM

No night fishing in Oregon, eh? If I launch and take out in Oregon, will I go to jail? Do I have to have a Washington license to fish at night there?

It think we should combine the two states and call the new one Columbia.

Thanks FNF for all the great info.

Vinny · 10-09-2001, 03:13 PM

Moby,
Our two states do so much together that they should offer a combined license (WA and OR) to anglers in either state.

I doubt that your Ore. license will allow you to fish the Columbia and follow Washington's rules.

It's my understanding that if you buy a Wash. license you can then follow Wash. rules. I don't it matters from which shore you launch. Anyone know for sure?

FEAR NO FISH! · 10-09-2001, 03:40 PM

Moby,
I like to launch on the Oregon side as
it is 100 times better than the
Washington side. As long as you motor
over to the Wa. side to fish, Oregon
does not have a problem with it.
Oregon law states that you cannot
angle for Salmon, Steelhead or
Sturgeon unless it is one hour before
sunrise or one hour after sunset. Of
course everything in between is legal
also. See ya on the water! [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]
ps. Washington allows Oregon anglers to fish on the Washington side, we even allow you to launch there if need be.

[ 10-09-2001: Message edited by: FEAR NO FISH! ]

Vinny · 10-09-2001, 11:12 PM

FNF,
I can feel the excitement in words! [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

Just one comment and a question.

It sounds like you might be headed past the middle of the scale on the "Neurotic - Psychotic Chart!" [img]images/icons/shocked.gif[/img]

Dipping hooks into powder coat paint? Are you nuts? [img]images/icons/tongue.gif[/img]

O.K. so that was two questions. Good Luck. Let us know how it went tonight.

FEAR NO FISH! · 10-09-2001, 11:30 PM

Vinny,
Who says compulsive obsessiveness
doesn't help you catch more fish? Yes,
I am a complete whacko when it comes
to nocturnal fishing for steelhead and
salmon. It is extremely exciting! The
glo trebles have worked for springers,
walleyes, steelhead and salmon. You
gotta be willing to do a little
experimenting. Make no mistake. This
isn't sport, this is WAR! Those fish
have invaded our rivers. I will smoke
them out of their holes! [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

Vinny · 10-09-2001, 11:42 PM

FNF,
You're killin' me man. You're killin' me! [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

I go skunked twice last week on the Columbia just past Port Kelly. Have you heard if things have picked on any the bank?

I used shrimp from 4 - 10 feet. Zero! I only saw two fish caught all morning from the bank. Maybe my smell is off. I'm changing my laundry detergent (see yesterday's post "Dynamo Stinks").

FEAR NO FISH! · 10-10-2001, 07:43 AM

Last night was the coldest yet. I
actually had ice on my guides! Here's
the short version: 6 on 3 landed. 3
hatchery steelies. Had 3 tommahawk
chop rips, but they came unpinned. My
theory is they grab the light and run,
but no hook ever touches them.
CCCCCCOLD NIGHT! [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

bellinghamangler · 10-10-2001, 06:43 PM

FNF, thanks for all that specific information. I'll post a report when I give it a try.

Fish mojo · 10-10-2001, 07:11 PM

FNF,
Have you seen the new Hawg Boss and Flatfish with the new glow in the dark colors? I just got mine in the mail (nobody has them in stores Ive seen) Mail order from yakimabaits.com They really glow bright and they could work.

FEAR NO FISH! · 10-10-2001, 10:25 PM

Fish Mojo,
There is something about a little
blinking red light that really makes a
fish mad. I know that some baitfish
give off a tiny amount of luminescence
when fleeing but they definitely don't
look like a bright blinking red light.
I have been using lighted vortexes for
over 12 years. I should be part owner
as I have bought over 500 of the
blasted things in that time. I just
wish they would quit making the things
so cheap. They are not made very well.
The thing is, they work. So I keep
buying more. I have seen the new glo
colors on the hawg bosses. I will put
a vortex up against them anytime at
night above the Dams. Who would have
ever thought that a steelhead or
salmon would hit a disco lure? Good
luck. See ya on the water! Taking my
wifes boy and his buddy out tomrrow
night. His buddy has never caught a
steelhead before. I can't wait to see
him jump when that klicker starts
screaming!

[img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

Vinny · 10-11-2001, 05:14 PM

FNF,
If they made them better, maybe they wouldn't sell as many! [img]images/icons/shocked.gif[/img]

From the looks of the fish counts, you're losing the battle.

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>by FNF a couple of nights ago:
Make no mistake. This
isn't sport, this is WAR! Those fish
have invaded our rivers. I will smoke
them out of their holes! <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Now get out there tonight and make us proud! [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

FEAR NO FISH! · 10-12-2001, 04:56 AM

Well, it was a slow night but we did
hook 3 and landed one. Jonathon caught
his first steelhead. It was a 10 pound
native. He couldn't understand why he
didn't feel the fish. The fish was
swimming straight for the boat. Once
it saw the boat, it just about pulled
him in [img]images/icons/shocked.gif[/img] We were able to release
it unharmed. Jake had a tremendous
fight with a silver. Actually it
kicked his little butt. After coming
out of the water for the sixth time,
it threw the vortex. It was last seen
heading for Idaho! Sure is fun when
the klicker scares the heck out of the
boys. I lost a fish on the middle rod
when it got hammered. Can't catch em
all! [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

bellinghamangler1 · 10-12-2001, 07:29 AM

I gave it a try last night, had one take down but didn't hook up. I need to get there earlier so I can see the place in daylight. Thanks again for your help FNF.