Wind river-Drano

Cowlitz Kidd · 02-17-2004, 01:32 PM

When is a good time to start fishing up there for springers.And is there camping there.I here it's a trolling show with plugs.

Mojo · 02-17-2004, 01:36 PM

Look at the dam counts for Bonneville. When they go over about 500 for a week , head to the Wind. Just a rule of thumb. Last year it was around the middle of April.

Lure Dragger · 02-17-2004, 01:55 PM

Last year they started catching them in March, but like mojo said, watch the counts over Bonneville. Yes it is a trolling show for sure and most people use Magnum wiggle warts, and if you are wanting to catch fish then it better be orange. There isn't much of a place for camping. When we go down we always camp im my boat out on the river. Be careful when you head out from the boat ramp, it is extremely shallow. If you have never been there then it is best to follow another boat out. Head for the pilings from the boat ramp till you almost get to the bank and then cut over to the bridge, after you go under the bridge hang a right and follow the bank out around the point. From there you will run into about 200 to 300 boats, just fall in line.

Bounty Hunter · 02-17-2004, 02:04 PM

One fish went over on the 10th. What are you guys waiting for? GO GET HIM!

:tongue: :grin:

Just Fish · 02-17-2004, 02:25 PM

I have fished drano and the wind for 40 years.There is a lot more tricks than the orange plug.But early in the season the plug works very well.

Lure Dragger · 02-17-2004, 02:45 PM

Just Fish, I agree with you. I was just saying that if you have never fished there you can't go wrong with orange. We have caught them several different ways there and this year I have come up with something new to try. It has been working really well on the steelhead and I am thinking that it will work even better for the springers. We will see.

Lwagg2 · 02-17-2004, 02:55 PM

I heard that fishcar just penalized that 1 fish for jumping the start and sent him to the back of the longest line

Cowlitz Kidd · 02-17-2004, 04:05 PM

Thanks Mojo and Lure Dragger.Timeing is every thing.

Just Fish · 02-17-2004, 04:22 PM

Luredragger are you into giving up some drano tricks

Waterfish · 02-17-2004, 06:10 PM

I've only fished Wind River one time (last spring). I got to the parking lot the night before and was planning to sleep in the boat and launch at daylight. Then I found out that no one can even park in the parking lot at night. So I ended up staying in a county campground a couple of miles east.

If the weather forecast was not predicting a windy day, wouldn't it be easier for us Oregonians to launch from Cascade Locks and cruise up to Wind River? I think this would be around 5-6 miles (a little further to Drano). That way you wouldn't have to deal with the limited parking at Wind River, or the shallow spots between the ramp and the trolling area. I r3ealize that if the wind forecast was wrong and the wind picked up, you may get stranded a long way from Cascade Locks...

Lure Dragger: Where do you park your truck when you're camping on the river in your boat? Have you found a protected cove in the Columbia where you can safely moor the boat while you sleep on it?

Born to Fish · 02-17-2004, 06:16 PM

Here are some camping options in the area -

1. Skamania Coves RV Campground, Stevenson, WA 509-427-4900; 30 sites, reservations recommended.

2. Beacon Rock State Park, Skamania, WA 509-427-8265; 35 sites, no reservations taken.

3. Lewis & Clark RV Park, North Bonneville, WA 509-427-5982; 75 sites, will take reservations.

4. Big Foot Park, Carson, WA 509-427-4441; 19 sites, will take reservations.

There may be others that I'm not aware of but this is what I found via the 'puter.

Tight lines.

Dean

SPAZZ · 02-17-2004, 06:20 PM

Like they siad (sp) watch the fish counts over Bonneville

snit · 02-17-2004, 06:21 PM

They're some tricks to try; like dropping spinner/prawns or spinner/herring rigs in the 20' slot right off "point" where the bankies cast wiggle warts, or even drag big quickies (wrapped) with a dropper trolled really slow down in the depot (downstream boundary) or by the old log docks. But a red or orange wiggle wart is fished by 95% of the fisherman. There's not alot of secrets, when you're 8' from the neighboring boat :smile: !

We camp under the highway bridge in the boat, or just stay in the camper on the shoulder of the road. Just park the truck on the highway and don't leave anything of value in it. It's not a "wilderness experience" by any means, but there's alot of fish that duck in there. I like it when the counts are steady for a few days of at least 2-3000 fish over Bonneville. Good luck, snit

Cowlitz Kidd · 02-17-2004, 06:26 PM

Thanks Born to fish that what I needed some place to stay when I'am there. show those drano thick somebody.

Cowlitz Kidd · 02-17-2004, 06:38 PM

Thanks Snit

Kentucky Hog Hunter · 02-17-2004, 06:56 PM

What LureDragger said...

However, anytime is a good time to fish...

dampainter · 02-18-2004, 05:03 AM

snit/others....how much weight would you run on a prawn spinner at the wind? am thinking of using nanooks spinner that he posted on "prawn spinner illustated" if I used say...a two? foot leader and I use a three way swivel to how long of a line to my lead? is this something you bounce off the bottom or suspended say...a couple feet off the bottom? dang, I wish I knew how to fish [img]graemlins/1zhelp.gif[/img]

[ 02-18-2004, 06:04 AM: Message edited by: dampainter ]

bribri76 · 02-18-2004, 09:35 AM

Hey there is a nice little campground about a half a mile down the road from the bridge. It is right across from the store. Just keep driving east cross the bridge and it is just down on the right side. Its right next to a park. I allways stay there when i fish up there.

Blue Water 23 · 02-18-2004, 09:43 AM

I want someone to reply on Waterfish'es questions. Can you put in at Cascade locks and run up there. It is only a couple miles from Cascade locks to the mouth but can you go up the mouth. How deep is it? How far is it to Drano Lake?

Bob Barthlow · 02-18-2004, 10:08 AM

Yes you can run from Cascade Locks to the mouth of the Wind river, but 8 out of 10 days in the spring it would be pretty rough.

Just remember some mornings it may not be to rough to cross, but that west wind can can up in minutes and make a safe crossing into the wind bad.

The run from the Wind river upto Drano Lake is 7 miles, again only try on calm days.

When entering the Wind river from the CR, stay a little to the right of the point(on left where bankies are casting) line up on the channel markers and you'll be in the 18'-20' dredged channel that will take you to the R/R and Hwy 14 bridges(this channel holds fish too!)

If you are heading up the Wind to the launch give the plunkers under the bridges room, don't cutt the corners.
Once under the bridge cutt to the right and follow the piling to the launch.
Let me know if that answers your questions.

[ 02-18-2004, 11:12 AM: Message edited by: Rapid Robert ]

seasel · 02-18-2004, 10:12 AM

Water depth is no more a concern than normal.

Your greatest problems crossing the Columbia from anywhere to the Wind or Drano will be wind, serious wind, and waves, serious waves. People do it, but they usually get out of the boat about an inch shorter due to the boat riding up a wave and then slamming down, compressing their vertebrae. You'd want a large V-hull, not a sled.

When I used to ask my Grampa questions like this, he'd say, "Yep, you can do that. You can also drive your boat with your eyes closed if you want, but it's not real healthy."

Seasel

night stocker · 02-18-2004, 10:18 AM

I have always wanted to run up there from Cascade Locks,but the only problem I could see is an out of state license that I needed to fish there.I have launched in Stevenson and ran up to the Wind.It's not more than a couple miles or so.It is a fair ramp,no dock and parking is almost nonexsistent.I have run to Drano from the Wind,it takes about 15 to 20 minutes at 30mph on a calm Columbia.I have caught them on a prawn spinner.Just a simple mooching rig,a few beads and a little blade.I don't remember the size of lead,seems like a 3 or 4 oz.Just experiment with that as it could take 2 and other days it could take 4.Just bounce the bottom.I also had some success trolling a Blue Fox spinner #5 with the orange body.One thing to keep in mind is they don't call it the Wind river for nothing.Make sure your boat is capable of handeling some big Columbia chop.Years ago, a buddy of mine launched at Stephenson and went to the Wind.Well, the wind blew 30 to 40 mph and he had to get a ride back to the ramp to get his truck and pick up his boat at the Wind ramp.I thought he was putting me on and I told him I would have tried to get back in my sled.He says no way as my boat is as good as yours.Well,maybe but you would have died trying.Hope this helps.

Blue Water 23 · 02-18-2004, 10:27 AM

I have anchored up there in 3-4 foot swells so that isn't a problem. I am thinking the Wind River is the river across from Cascade Locks, with the bridge going over the entrance. Is that it? So has anybody had success trolling from the mouth up to Drano? If you cross the Bridge of the Gods how far is the Drano boat ramp from there? Is there plenty of parking?

Lure Dragger · 02-18-2004, 10:36 AM

The Columbia is closed between wind river and drano. You have to stay inside the deadlines at the wind river.

illbfish · 02-18-2004, 10:44 AM

In every other year the Wind River & Drano are closed until the season is set in March or April.
I agree with all, the boat ride from anywhere else could be a nightmare.
Everything works up at the wind. Some of the more sucessful are fishing Herring, but plugs will put fish in the boat most of the time

night stocker · 02-18-2004, 10:46 AM

BW,no that is not the Wind.I think it is a little slough or something.I think your thinking the bridge before Stevenson.Looks like you could catch bass or shoot some carp in there.The Wind is several miles upstream.Usually,at least when I have fished at the Wind,the Columbia is closed for salmon.There is a fair parking lot at Drano,but it fills fast and there are a lot of people parking on the road.I think it used to close on May 15?Not sure.It has been a while, but I used to go up there late April early May.Bring your good humor and tons of pacience as this fishery gets tons of pressure.

Just Fish · 02-18-2004, 12:07 PM

I launched at hood river its 7 mile haul to drano in the peek of the run there a couple years ago there was no parking unless you wanted to walk a mile to the boat ramp it was nice when I left but that afternoon it was a nasty getting back to hood river in a 30 mile a hour wind.

WhiteSalmon · 02-18-2004, 11:03 PM

Right now, I don'think you could launch at Drano. They are re-building the parking areas, probably doubling the size, and moving the ramps to the east side of the parking area. I was by there yesterday, and it is pretty tore up, and there is construction equipment working there. I don't know if they will do away with the old ramp, but moving to the east side with all the wind, you will be loading into the wind instead of the wind at your back. Should make loading easier. You need to make sure you can launch there before you go, otherwise you may have to launch at Stevenson, or?

dampainter · 02-19-2004, 04:47 AM

Thanks for the tips Nightstalker...am looking to do something different this year than just pulling plugs the whole time.

Born to Fish · 02-19-2004, 05:53 AM

Kingdeepsix - happy to provide the camping info. I had to search it out to get a place to camp. Team Moose Drool will be pulling in Thursday night, April 22nd, and fishing through Tuesday, the 27th. We'll be staying at Skamania Coves - look us up if you're in the area at that time.

From there, some of us will be moving down river to fish the Willamette for springers [Wednesday, Friday, Saturday] and the lower Columbia out of Deep Creek on Thursday for gators. Yee Haa!