Springer Questions

Steelie Ben · 01-22-2002, 12:23 PM

I have only fished for springers for one season, last year. I fished only up at Tanner Creek with all the crazy's. I used only a large spin and glow plunked on the bottom, I did pretty good. I was just wondering if there are any other meathods I could use off the bank in "big water"? I have heard of people casting plugs, is this method viable or just a waste of time. I am also curious as to terminal gear, I was using a 3ft 25# leader with 40# mainline. Is this overboard or am I pretty much on target as far as that goes? One more thing while I have your attention, is Kelly Point Park a good bank spot as it is only about ten minuets from my house. What is the fishing like there, what should I use ect... thanks for any info.

P.S. Look at me I am no longer a fry, I have returned as a 240# chromer!!

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Fishing freak · 01-22-2002, 02:43 PM

SB,

There is a beach down by Trojan that supposedly turns out alot of springers. Haven't tried it and for the life of me, I can't remember the name. Can any I.fisher's help me out. It is probably not any further from Portland than Tanner creek and not so many crazies.

rob allen · 01-22-2002, 03:00 PM

Hi Ben

I am certainly not a springer expert! Last years was my first year ever springer fishing and my first year plunking. I am sure there are hundreds of places to catch spring chinook from the bank on the Columbia, just with last year being the first opportunity since the 70's they are a mystery. I fished several places on the Columbia last spring and I caught fish in all of them but one, which I only fished once for 30 minutes.
I think you can approach the Columbia just like any other river. Look for current breaks and drop offs, often they seem to occur at the same place. The Columbia may look like a docile river but it is not. The fish expend a lot of energy in the Columbias main current. This leads me to believe that the fish are going to be looking for the easiest possible way up stream. They swim up the eddies then around whatever obstical is creating the eddy then slip into the next eddy upstream. I wish I could draw a diagram.

My best spot was just behind a rocky outcropping that creates a huge eddy I'd place my cast right on the main current seam just like I would if I was steelhead fishing in a smaller river only with 4os of lead :blush: )
My secondary spot was in an eddy behind an Island I simply walked down stream from the island until I could cast out to reach the seam reated where the eddy and the main curent met.
I would think off of any island or point of land woould be a good place as long as the water wasn't too deep. Places like this exsist by the hundreds of not thousands in the Columbia.
As far as other methods, I wouldn't know how to help you there, but I'd guess that if you were willing to cast your arms off with spinners or plugs you'd eventually hook up but thats a heck of a lot of work.

From whay I have been hearing with this high waters plunkers are going to be spending a lot of time checking their rigs because there will be a lot of stuff floating downriver.

24 on/ 48 off · 01-22-2002, 04:30 PM

Fishing freak,

Are you thinking of Prescott Beach?

--spud-- :smile:

01-22-2002, 07:03 PM

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01-22-2002, 10:39 PM

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Steelie Ben · 01-22-2002, 11:16 PM

Hey ******, you ever use double bladed spinners? I used to fish them all the time up at Cascade Locks for summer steelies and just slayed them. Do you think this would work for springers? Still have a couple of them laying around, should I break them out of retirement?

Fishing freak · 01-23-2002, 07:06 AM

24/48. That would be the one. Have heard that bankers take alot of fish out of there.

24 on/ 48 off · 01-23-2002, 08:07 AM

Prescott beach. They do very well from the bank for both salmon and steelhead.

--spud-- :smile:

01-23-2002, 09:37 AM

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hawgcatcher · 01-23-2002, 02:13 PM

Fin,
There is some good plnking water up at woodland off the dike road. Go just past woodland and take the dike road turnoff. Go under I5 and follow the road about 4 miles or so. On the right there is a campground called Columbia River RV Park and just before it, is a road that goes in toward the river. Lots of plunkers there that do well. We stayed at the RV park for several days in August and saw some nice steelhead taken there. Need a parking sticker for your vehicle though.

Firedog · 01-23-2002, 11:15 PM

The higher water this year will change a lot of the spots that were good last year. I fished at Tanner a bit myself last year in the boat and off the bank, this year you probably wont be able to get anywhere close to where we fished last year off the bank up there. The plunking that does go on will be with heavier gear, will cut down and the guys fishing with light Steelhead rods and killing the natives because they couldnt land them quick enough.

Looking forward to springers though, I will be on the bank and in the boat. I plan on being out on most of my off days.

Steelie Ben · 01-23-2002, 11:31 PM

I saw guys using steelhead rods up there last year too, I saw them kill lots of natives. They just threw them back into the water and watched them float downstream saying "Oh he's just a little tired, he'll make it." That really chapped my hyde. I use a 12'6" sturgeon rod for plunking off the bank spooled with 40# maxima, I use a 25# maxima leader. I caught one big native last year and you know what, when I let him go he accually swam away, not floated. Anyways, thats enough about that. I was up there at daybreak several times and had to go above tanner creek to get a place to fish. There was no one fishing on the up side of the creek so my buddy and I had it all to ourselves, we caught twice as many fish as the guys below the creek. I don't think they could've got to the hole with their flimsy steelhead rods throwing 8oz of wieght. I was absolutly amazed at all the boats just hammering them, I silently wished that I had a 20ft sled so I could be out there too.

finclipped · 01-23-2002, 11:52 PM

Anyone do any good fishing from the Washington Bank last year? I spent my days on Bradford and caught a few, but didn't have the same luck on the Washington side.

Fished in the bumber boats too, but luckily I wasn't driving the boat. I can tell you it was combat fishing and worse than it looked. Makes me stressed just thinking about it. Guides earn their money on those days.