Smelt Update 3/6/04 - They are on the Way!!!

[Born to be Wild]

Where though is the question!

I went out looking again I guess out of boredom and this time I went down to Gearhart Gardens.
I no sooner pulled up and a truck which looked to me might be a fish sampler took off.
So I started the van ran him down with the horn a blazing and pulled him over.
Nice guy and I didn't give him a ticket. :grin:

He was at Mill Creek/County Line area last night and saw smelt out there in the Columbia.
He said he didn't have his bino's but it was obvious that they were smelt with all the sea lions and diving birds.

Like he said you don't know where they are heading and could possibly even spawn in the Columbia.

More on him later.

I saw a truck at the boat ramp that might have been Earl's (SteelheadSlayer) so I hung around and waited.
3 boats came in and no fish and no Earl but the red Dodge was still there.

A truck pulls up to the boat ramp and a guy gets out and starts dipping for smelt.
Well me being the nosey character that I am, I drove over to the ramp and watched.
After 3 or 4 dips without a smelt I got out and proceeded to talk to him.

His wife and daughter were waiting in the car and when I said something to the guy, he said; "they're on the way"!

I asked him where he heard that from or knew and he told me that they were seen at Mill Creek area last night (or yesterday) and that 1 gillnett boat got 1,000#'s and another got 500#'s!
I thanked him for the information and he said that he is a gill netter and left his boat at such & such place.
He told me that the smelt move at about 2 miles per hour and was surprised that they weren't there yet and said that they were just around the corner at the mouth then.
(They have it down to a science).

So I don't want to encourage everybody and their brother to pat $1.75+ a gallon of gas and head for the Cowlitz, but that is two confirmed reports that I got and I could tell neither was bs'ing me and had no reason too.

So Blacktail, you might have to use the ( :blush: ) Graemlin yet! :grin:

I'm still stricken with this flu Crud, but hope to get out later tonight and check it out.

So keep your ears open and eye's focussed because the "optomism level" has just gone to "Orange"! :grin:

No springers to report from either the boats or the fish sampler.

Dano

[jukemove]

thanks for the post

[Bobber Down]

Thanks for the report Dano. Actually you beat me to posting as I had heard the same thing. I have a friend that lets say that is on the river almost daily that called me to tell me about the smelt that (most likely) will be on their way. Happy dipping..............Bobber Down

[blacktail519]

Hey Dano,
I really hope they do show. I know several people that are still waiting. I have wrote on here several times for people to wait and see your reports before going. Your right though, I may have to use the :blush: But if i have to, it will be a good thing. I guess we just have to keep the fingers crossed.... There is always hope.... Todd

[Fish Hawg]

Thanks for the report Dan [img]graemlins/applause.gif[/img]

[Born to be Wild]

Yea, there again I don't want to raise any unecessary hysteria, but these two reports were confirmed by me but that doesn't rule out that the smelt aren't going to spawn in the Columbia or show up elsewhere.

But the bio's I talked with back mid to late February still had some optomism stating the indicators were good, sometimes they don't materialize until mid March and these guy's have a better handle on things than most folks want to admit.

So, we'll see.
Hope they show up in the Cow, NF and Sandy and everybody has a great time.

Dano

[gottafish]

I drove by the sandy today saw three gulls water is high but I am hopeing some will show

[Born to be Wild]

I know and I saw that Todd!

Sometimes heresay can be misleading.
You didn't know but for that reason I went down and confirmed my smelt reports before I posted because I was in a position to do so and realized inaccuracies due to word of mouth and apparently practical jokes sometimes.
But I realized you knew that my reports were as accurate as I could possibly provide.

Unfortunately folks come from some distant areas to catch these critters for various reasons and if someone were to burn up a tank of gas for a practical joke, it could turn into a big wasted expense, time and dissapointment.

I was just having fun with ya and razzing :tongue: you a bit.
Like you said, that would turn out to be a good thing!
Let's keep a watchful eye and keep our fingers crossed!

Now booking:
2004 Blacktail Cowlitz Smelt Guided Trips.
February through March
2003's top producer!
(All gear, Coffee and Dramamine included) :grin:

Dano

[AnchorManagement]

Thanks again for the update Dano! I trust your reports/judgement, I am very thankful for your postings so I don't have to keep driving all the way up to the Cowlitz for nothing. Take care & I hope you start feeling better soon!

[blacktail519]

:grin:

[bribri76]

Hey everybody I have a friend who works for wdfw and he sayed that have confirm that there is smelt in the columbia. They where reported just below the cowlitz yesterday. They may pass the cowlitz and go to the lewis. Its all about water temp. I hope they hurry up and make there minds up. My nets ready.

[Spruce Goose]

Thank you for the excellent report Born to be Wild/Dano.

Will be in church later this morning praying for a right turn into the Sandy....

One of my earliest fishing experiences was dipping for smelt in the Lewis with Grandpa. He would use "telepone pole" nets (huge wooden poles with galvanized steel hoops) that were unbelievably heavy. My job was to stay in the shallows and empty out the net.

When I had a turn dipping, I was done for the day after a handful of sweeps. Grandpa grew up on the homestead in Canada...I was a city kid...plus he was a lot bigger at the time.

Smelt as bait? No way. We'd gut 'em, roll 'em in corn meal and fry 'em up crispy! Still do.

I still have and use his last net...an aluminum job I gave him upon retirement. 25 lbs. in one dip with that net in 1977 on the Sandy. Many of you will remember that drought year and the jillion fish that came up a tiny channel that was the Sandy that year.

Herrrrre they come again! (I hope.)

- Spruce Goose

[Sore Back]

Dono, you the man. We will hold off until we hear from you then, "ready, get set, GOOOOOO."

Thanks for the info.

Sore Back

[HntnFsh]

I saw lots and lots of birds.Seals and sea lions about a mile below Weycos dock yesterday.Looked like there must have been smelt there to attract so many critters.There were 3 boats in the area fishing.Maybe it was a board member with a better report.

[Bluetick]

bri bri, BRIAN I hope your right I can,t wait. I'll call Jim at Sinnetts in Longwiew first thing in morning and check for report.
Jeff

[hookumhi]

smelt on yeah baby

[Bobber Down]

Thought I would let everyone know that there are some more smelt in the lower Columbia today (Sun.). Lots of birds diving as well as the seals.................Bobber Down

[BUGLEMAN]

Hopefully they will bypass the Lewis and keep on heading up to the Sandy :smile:

[onepiecerod]

Just got a phone call from a GOOD friend and he said there are smelt in the Cowlitz.

[We B Fishin]

Thanks for the report! [img]graemlins/applause.gif[/img]