sturgeon fishing the columbia

Wernergonefishin · 11-02-2001, 03:59 PM

Im going sturgeon fishin sunday have some family here from south Dakota. Was wondering if some one could point me in the right direction for some good action. I normaly fish the coast but had hope to find some think up river.These are a couple of spot Ive heard of not sure if there any good or what to use .Any help would be greatly used. 1 frenchmens bar
2 The fishery
3 trojan plant
4 Mouth of Wilamette river

whitewaterbill · 11-02-2001, 05:45 PM

Frenchman's is hit and miss right now. Everything I here points to the Fishery. 2nd choice would be St. Helens/Columbia city for closer to home.

Bill

Mofish · 11-02-2001, 06:25 PM

Fishery is the place to be. (smelt) you will have a good time make sure to take alot of bait.

Mofish

:tongue:

salmonlips · 11-02-2001, 08:26 PM

The fishery is probably the location of choice. When you pay to launch, pick up one of their maps. All of the spots they've marked are OK but a couple of other places not marked are the flats a quarter mile or so below horsetail falls, midriver to washington side, shallow water, less anchor hassle and productive at times and the area between Skamania Island (opposite Multnomah Falls) and the Washington side. Good luck.

wiser · 11-03-2001, 08:08 AM

Fished the 64 marker on the Oregon side Thursday and Friday. Thats the viewpoint below Rooster Rock. I made the 15 minute run up from Chinook both days because I tried Lady Island for coho each day too. Looks like boats are launching at Rooster Rock now. I saw a couple boats go back into the lagoon in the PM. On Thursday I put a sand shrimp bait out and was tying up a second when I hooked a 56" fish. After five minutes in the water I had to go back down to Lady Island salmon fishing. Friday took a little longer. Released about fifteen shakers, some close to legal, before boating a fat 46" fish. It took about two hours of fishing before getting the keeper. Couldn't find anyone who could fish with me on my weekend(Thursday and Friday) so had to go out and enjoy these fine fish by mysef.
By the way, salmon fishing at Lady Island was pretty slow. I saw a few fish caught each day but it took work. I caught one a week ago Friday but didn't have a take down in the better part of the last two days.

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bait boy · 11-03-2001, 11:39 PM

Wiser? thats a shame you had noone to go with on your weekend. Hey what a coincedence, I just so happen to have those very same days off. I have all of the prerequisite gear to fish out of a boat but alas my boat owning partner has been bitten by the Mallard flu. Sometimes I must also succumb to the mallard flu but most thurdays are free.

Capin' Dan · 11-04-2001, 03:46 AM

If you fish the fishery make sure you have the proper anchor materials. That place can kill you quick. Fast currents and high winds make it dicey sometimes. You need 2 to 3 hundred feet of rope and a rocker style anchor and a bouy. these guys on the board can give you all the particulars. If you really want to give them a thrill buy you a large shad and give it a whirl for the big boys.

Dan!

Pilar · 11-04-2001, 06:29 AM

Or use a smelt and hook up on big daddy anyway!!

Crabby 2 · 11-04-2001, 07:03 AM

Way to go Wiser?!! Dave and I are hoping to soak a few smeltcicles and shrimpballs on Wednesday. We'll probably give the Fishery a try since the silver fishery is nearly over. Dave got a nice chinook at Tbay last Wednesday. I'll report Wednesday evening.

Dale

brshooter · 11-04-2001, 02:21 PM

I hear ya Pilar. Hooked my second big boy in three trips on smelt. The wife and I fished out of The Fishery this morning. We hit the river at first light and it was like glass. A bit of west wind started up about 10:30. Not enough to cause any worry. Didn't really matter much by then. We were just putting things away by then while our second keeper was bleeding out. My wife picked up a 43" and I got a nice fat 53". I also had about 5 or 10 minutes of excitement with a big boy. I got bit by what felt like a nice keeper. It took a bit of line and was heading toward the middle of the river. Nothing I couldn't control at that point. I put the thumbs to him a bit and felt him coming up to jump. It came out of the water and then down like a bullet. That was all my rod could take. Heard the tip snap and then the line snap. That was all. Thankfully, it was not a GL3 like Pilar's. I was using one of the Buzz Ramsey rods rated at 15-50 pound with 50 pound tuff line. No match for a fish that big. It is quite a sight whey those big fish come out of the water. We estimated him at about 7 or 8 feet. The boat by us thought the same. We were fishing the flats using Cowlitz smelt with sturgeon feast. Probably had about 20 shakers to go along with the two keepers and a big boy.

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Barnyard · 11-04-2001, 03:30 PM

Fished below the Longviewbridge early and at Trojan late this morning...Not red hot but a pretty goodbite all day..Coul only manage 1 fat 44" taged fish...Probble 20 fish in all...Barn

Pilar · 11-05-2001, 07:44 AM

Sunday, went to the Fishery again. Took one look at the zoo below the launch and went upriver to the deadline. We got there a little earlier this time around noon. I still don't have my fishing buddy broke in on the early morning thing. The boat ramp is even more special than I remember. Only one section of dock is floating and you can see the bottom from the dock. Rooster Rock is also too shallow and the Washington side ramp is real far down with the entire dock sitting on the ramp.

Cat made up for the short day with a fat 46" keeper. Her fourth sturgeon ever, was her third keeper! A little while later she hooked up on an oversize for 15 minutes or so. That fish ended badly on an anchor rope but was great fun until then.

The boat next to us was there all day and limited out. They also hit 4 or 5 oversize.

The bankers right above Tanner creek were catching quite a few 4' fish. Only saw one salmon taken on bobber and eggs.

I agree with you Capin Dan about the river by the dam. It is a boat eater and tackle buster. If you wanted to try it now though, it is about as mellow as it ever gets with low flows and easy anchoring.

There's plenty of fish to be had, keepers and peelers. Smelt is the bait of choice. We put a little Anise on ours.

With the number of big fish hitting smelt, I suggest using heavy gear and toughline. The big boys will bust anything that is not worthy.

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Ed · 11-05-2001, 08:01 AM

I fished out of the Fishery on Satuday. Ya know, if they (whoever they are) would move those commercial boats off of the dock it certainly would provide some relief dealing with launching and loading! However, I have to say everyone was good mannered Saturday afternoon while loading. BTW, has anyone used Dalton Point down the road?

Pilar · 11-05-2001, 08:06 AM

Hi Ed. Dalton point is ok when the water is higher. Right now I think it is unusable. The other thing is the car theft problem there. Many people have break ins and stolen car troubles at that location.

BlueWater · 11-05-2001, 12:03 PM

Fished trojan late sunday afternoon evening with the kids for 2.5 hours. Only moved twice but managed 2 shakers and several takedowns missed. Saw one dragging behind a boat and also saw another 6 or so released by other boats. It was fun to be out with the kids sturgeon fishing. It is so much less stressfull to do with the young ones than trolling. My 2 and half year old even got to kiss her first "baby" sturgeon. I only see things getting better! :smile: Smelt was the bait of the day.
BlueWater.

Barnyard · 11-05-2001, 06:48 PM

Bluewater...Did you let your kid bring in a fish.. If so we were in the white duckworth above you...Was great seeing a kid out fishin..Wish mine would go with me....

Pilar...We got to get together and do a little Gator action....I owe you a trip and if you wanted to do the lower section..Longview or even Deep river drop me a email....Barn