Springer/Sturgeon Report 2/18

Tacklebuster · 02-18-2002, 06:53 PM

Trolled cut plug and anchored with spinners for a couple of hours without a bump. I picked up anchor and decided to soak some smelt for a change of pace. Boy was that a change of pace! I stayed away from the puchbowl and the hole by marker 40 cause I was way to late to slide in there. I ended up finding some current in about 42 feet of water on the Washington side and hammered them. 35 fish total with 2 keepers on a rope and 1 released for 3 rods :grin: We ran by the punchbowl on the way out and saw 4 boats in the kill zone slaying them. I'm not sure how the fishing was in the deeper slots by Sauvie Island but the fish are in the flats and shelves feeding big time. We only had 2 boats in our general area all day. Sweet........

Game Chaser · 02-18-2002, 07:49 PM

Hey bud, another good day for your boat. Looking forward to those springers getting hot soon. Gonna give KP a shot on Friday. Maybe will see you out there.

GC

Ol' Blue · 02-18-2002, 08:07 PM

AArrrgghh. Two days of chasing them and their baack!! Gotta get out. Gotta get out. Thanks for the report Tacklebuster.

Fresh or frozen?? Tides?? Time of Day?? Anything specific. We usually can't get out before noon, but are willing to give it five good hours in the afternoon.

Thick-N-Thin · 02-18-2002, 09:51 PM

I tried the fishery Saturday and it was the slowest it's been in a long while. Talked to several boats and the same for them. Just a few shakers for the day.

birdsnest · 02-19-2002, 07:11 AM

Fished KP area Monday

Trolled for Springers first 3 hours. Nothing....

Then

Found a spot in the punch bowl for a couple hours. 6-8 shakers, 1 oversize that broke off after 10 minutes, and two Keepers 44 and 51.

Then

Trolled for 2 more hours and just after saying let's call it a day. Whammmo. Springer on.... 10 minutes and a couple whacks on the head later 24lbs. of fresh springer in the boat. Dinner was good last night.

Man I love fishing....

Tacklebuster · 02-19-2002, 09:45 AM

Ol Blue,
Don't concentrate on the time of the day but plan a trip to fish the ebb. High slack and the outgoing tide is the time to be out on the river. Fresh is best but I have chosen frozen. It will all catch fish. The tide will be perfect for you this week. You should have water running out until dark all week long. Let me know how you do. The fish are feeding in the 40 to 60 feet range. Don't spend all your time jockying for position at the punchbowl. If a spot is open, take it. If not, find some current on the Washington side and you will get BIT

Rimshot · 02-19-2002, 02:33 PM

I have just started fishing KP for the first time. I have asked a lot of questions and learned a lot about the holes from this board. I am wondering where the "punchbowl" is. I keep hearing it mentioned. Is that where the Willamette and Columbia meet? I always see about 10, 000 boats anchored there. However, I always go down river. I can't stand fishing in a crowd. It's a big, big river....

Tacklebuster · 02-19-2002, 02:40 PM

Rimshot,
Yeah, it's the spot that 10,000 boats are usually anchored in. Gotta get up pretty early in the A.M. to get there. I agree about the crowds, if I am desperate I'll get in the mix. Most of the time though, I am the boat anchored all by himself yelling FISH ON :tongue:

Rimshot · 02-19-2002, 03:04 PM

Amen brother! :grin:

Rimshot · 02-19-2002, 03:19 PM

Tacklebuster,
I was wondering what you look for when you're looking for a place to drop anchor. I too like to get out of the crowds and I have been looking for small holes or depresions and fishing the upriver end of them. It's pretty obvious where a hole is. However, it sounds like the fish are not in the holes. I have no idea what to look for on the flats, other than other boats, and I don't like that option. I have fished all my life and consider myself fairly knowledgable but I just fulfilled a lifelong dream about a year ago and got my first boat. I'm trying to learn as much as I can about sturgeon fishing. I love it. I have caught several hundred shakers and quite a few oversize but....no keepers. I must be the most unlucky guy on the planet, or....I'm doing something wrong. Can you give me some pointers? Anyone else.....? Thanks :whazzup: