Gators at dawn

Pilar · 01-31-2002, 05:16 AM

Alrighty then! Time to exchange small slimy fish for large toothless fish. Off to Kelley Point with some buddies. Report when I return.

The tide is running all morning and we have high hopes.

Cool Texan · 01-31-2002, 08:00 AM

Good luck Pilar...let us know how you do. If you come back empty handed let me know, I can give you some pointers on how to catch them!! :grin: :shocked: :grin: :shocked: :grin: :shocked:

Pilar · 01-31-2002, 01:04 PM

Big fish and lots of them. Man I love it when the smelt are in. All told, (10) legals boated and 20 or so shakers. We were tagged out by 0820 for only 20 minutes effort. 1st fish was legal and the biggest was a fat 50".

The slack bite is back. A lot of the nice gators bit unnoticed and swam up on us before getting hooked.

We left Fishbait out there in his solo sled. Maybe Mr. Fisherman will join him this after lunch.

whitewaterbill · 01-31-2002, 02:21 PM

Cool Tex....

You better stay up on the porch with the little dogs when Pilar goes Sturgeon fishing...No body does it better!

While you are praying for things....Pray for a Sturgeon trip with Pilar!

SLUTGODDESS

happybrew · 01-31-2002, 03:52 PM

Geeze, and I was feeling pretty good about my 3 lb. greenling from Boiler Bay. Now I don't quite have the same level of self-esteem that I had before. According to the pop psychologists, that's a bad thing. Could you do me a favor, Pilar, and stop fishing so I can feel better about myself? :shocked:

That is so awesome! Someday I'm going to have to get in on that. Right now, my rubber raft would end up getting towed around indefinitely if I tried it. I salute you Pilar!

happybrew

fishbait · 02-01-2002, 05:07 AM

Hey Pilar,

Wasnt me, wish it was though. Working my A## off right now. IF those types of reports keep comming in, might have to take a morning off sometime soon. Got me a new pickling recipe...........

Pilar · 02-01-2002, 05:51 AM

Oops! Make that Bait Boy. How about it Rick did you score? What happened after the dredge blew everyone out of the hole?

Threemuch · 02-01-2002, 08:28 AM

An absolutely awesome day. Food Chain Reaction Fishing. Dip smelt Wed night, slay gators Thursday. Gotta love trading them smelt up for diamondbacks.

Thanks Pilar for taking Karl and I out and lending us your vast knowledge of the Sturgeon. That was an incredible day.

bait boy · 02-01-2002, 08:43 AM

got really slow in that spot after you left I think you hada the magic bait. Ray made it out for a couple hours .

Later, thanks for the help,

Rick

Pilar · 02-01-2002, 12:22 PM

Fuzzybutt, love your handle, I can relate believe me. I would be prepared for dissapointment if you use frozen bait. This time of the year the feedbag for the gators is huge. There are smelt throughout the Columbia river.

You don't have to go dipping though. You could go to the market and buy a couple five pounds at like $1.99/lb. Well worth it. Or even better have someone who is fishing this weekend dip you a few.

I've seen this time and again. With the hours old bait I can outfish anyone out there. There is always one guy using old bait who never even gets bit all day.

Scents ... hmmm. In the summer I use Mikes anise oil laced with Cravex. But right now I use fresh dipped smelt laced with bucket o spawn.

Fuzzybutt & Angel · 02-01-2002, 01:06 PM

Well, Pilar, it looks like I'm bummin' then, as I live in Seattle and its a three hour drive to the river, and to get the spot, I need to leave here at 3:00 am. and its a big chance to find some fresh smelt at a market down there before 6:00 am. it's a long drive to come up empty handed for fresh bait, and a long day sitting watching the rods with bunk frozen bait. I'm in a dilema, what to do? I guess I'll have to take frozen bait with me, hope the smelt oil works, and on the outside chance, try to score some fresh somewhere in Longview. thanks for the heads up, I appreciate it.

Fuzzy

Silent Approach Jigs

whitewaterbill · 02-01-2002, 02:00 PM

Safeway had fresh smelt last week $1.99 / pound. You might find it at home a day or two before you leave. That was the bait I used last Saturday and it worked just fine. It will be much better than frozen and almost as good as fresh out of the river.

Bill

Beer Waggin · 02-01-2002, 02:58 PM

I disagree with the great Pilar and Slutgod.
I used last years frozen smelt last weekend and didn't have any problem bringing sturgeon to the boat. Is the fresh stuff that much better? Probably so, but scent does wonders to old bait.

[ 02-01-2002, 03:58 PM: Message edited by: NorRivDave ]

jfia · 02-01-2002, 03:12 PM

I also have to disagree with the pill man. A friend and I were up there a few days ago did not even get to the hole untill 3:30 first 2 fish on(at the same time) with in 3 minutes of droping the hook. a fat 48" and a 46" We taged the 48 and continued to hook fish on almost every cast. Much to the boats around us dismay. On guy watch the show for about 20 minutes and left with that glare in his eyes. By dark we had 7 keeper size sturg to the boat and many close. All this on last years frozen vac pac bait. The guys next to us were using fresh bait and were not doing so well. The key is location and good bait.

whitewaterbill · 02-01-2002, 03:25 PM

Dave....You are just trying to start some trouble here.

Behave yourself!

As I said....Even a blind squirl finds an acorn once in a while....even with frozen bait!
Especialy with Sturgeon Cocktail injected in it!

Down boy!!!

jfia....When you can do it every trip as Pilar does....I'll buy into it. One trip only says maybe you are correct or maybe you were one more Squirl

Bill

[ 02-01-2002, 04:31 PM: Message edited by: SLUTGODDESS ]

jfia · 02-01-2002, 03:55 PM

I just had to inform the poor guy that has so far to drive that his bait might still be good. As far as the catching I don't git out on the river as much as others but This is not a once in a while thing for my boat. It happens almost every time. Must just be luck :grin:

Wood Shampoo · 02-01-2002, 05:28 PM

Question for the Smelt Masters, when you say "Fresh Smelt", do you mean smelt that were dipped that day and never frozen? I just dipped last week, vac pac and froze them and plan on using them on Saturday. Are these concidered not fresh smelt?????

Twoshottom · 02-01-2002, 07:43 PM

Ok Pilar I've got a question. Why are you and others on the board doing so well for sturgeon so far above the Cowlitz River when the smelt run up the Cowlitz? It would seem to me the fishing would be better from the Cowlitz down. But to contradict my theory I've been out fishing a few hours the last two weekends below the Cowlitz in the Longview area and haven't caught a fish. :whazzup:

whitewaterbill · 02-01-2002, 07:49 PM

Tom,

Pilar will know the answere to your question....All I know is that historicly late January and early February produce a lot of Sturgeon up by and below the mouth of the Willamette..

Bill

Pilar · 02-01-2002, 10:39 PM

I'm guessing here but I bet the Columbia has smelt in it up to the Sandy. Every fish in the last two weeks has been stuffed with smelt.

Ditto on the frozen bait. I use it 10 months a year. It will work. The fresh product is better in my experience. Fresh as in this years run. Same day is what I like to use if possible. Gives me an excuse to chase two different fish in one day.

Go for it Fuzzybutt and maybe some nice fisher will give up a few fresh at the hole and your bait will work. The really good news is that the area around Kelley point has a good supply of fish in the right size class. So far this year we have had the least shakers to legal fish in a long while.

WD 40 is a great scent, works everywhere.

[ 02-01-2002, 11:44 PM: Message edited by: Pilar ]

Fuzzybutt & Angel · 02-01-2002, 11:29 PM

Hey, Way to go Pilar! I dont get down there to Sturgeon fish very often, and can only fish from the bank, I have a couple of pretty good spots on the lower river that I have done well from, for the last 10 years. I was thinking of going down next weekend, I have a couple questions for you, if you wouldn't mind. I won't be able to dip fresh smelt before I go, but I have a bunch of last years Cowlitz smelt vacuum sealed, will those work for me? and what can I do for added scent? I know you are the man down there, so I would appreciate your thoughts on scent. I have had luck in the past with the Sturgeon cocktail, smelt oil, and anchovie oil. any help would be appreciated. thanks Pilar.

Fuzzy

Silent Approach Jigs