Cowlitz Smelt Report Sunday 3/14 Slow!

[Born to be Wild]

One guy limited out this morning and two guys got a half bucket each at the spot I have been posting lately 1 mile above Allen St bridge.
That took place between 6:00AM and 7:00AM.
By 7:30 am it was dead.

The Longview-Kelso bridge area was one-z's and 2-z's when I stoped by.

Gearhart Gardens had plenty of gulls and sea lions but the dippers weren't getting anything.
An x-commercial fisherman there said that the smelt were there.

So the early birds got the worm and as far as I know it is still very slow currently but that could chane at any minute.
I told a few of the dippers about the sportmen's show at Bob's today and they are suppose to come by later and give me some reports.
I will update then.

I've already had a couple calls from ifisher's this morning.
Feel free to call me on my cell phone today if you would like for an update.

(360) 560-0201

Dan or Dano :grin:

[FishFreak]

I was planning on heading up this evening from Portland. In my limited experience I've exited at the Kelso exit ...over the freeway... cross the bridge and take an immediate left after the bridge... there's maybe 1/2 mile of riverside access there.
Are there other places I should be considering...where is the market I keep hearing about?
Pray for Smelt.... the freezers only half full

[MasterCaster]

Take exit 39, take a left at the light and that will take you across the river. Once across the bridge take a right at that light and you will be heading up the river. You can dip right there around the bridge area but it seems to be better up a mile or so farther. Just look for the rigs parked along side the road. The carnival market is a litle ways farther up river on the left side and the area there that is dippedis on the right side straight across from the market.

If you do a search for smelt reports from the past few weeks you will find better directions also.

Good luck.

Jon :smile: :grin: :smile:

[ 03-14-2004, 10:21 AM: Message edited by: MasterCaster ]

[Born to be Wild]

A customer came into Bob's about an hour ago, bought a smelt net and said that they were getting 8-10 smelt per dip in the Lexington area.

I'm going after the show and tear down.

Dan

[ 03-14-2004, 09:58 PM: Message edited by: crabbait ]

[gottafish]

Just got a call two, they said the same. Only I herd it was more like 1 then nada then 4 then nada then nada then 30 then nada the 2 and so one he limmited in about a hour.

[FishFreak]

Dan.
Where's the Lexington Area?????

[Born to be Wild]

My OD readings I previously posted:

Lexington 46.3
Chevron Station 47.0
Rocky Point 47.6
Carnival Market 48.6
Signal Light 49.7
Bridge 50.0

The bridge is the Allen St bridge which is the one you cross when you get off at exit 39 on I-5.
So it appears the Lexington area dike that has been so good at times is 3.7 miles north or up river from the Allen St bridge.

It could be good further down stream also and I am going to go check in a few.
It could be dead for that matter.

Dan

[FishFreak]

Well... despite terrific directions..... there weren't any smelt. Lots of dippers... quite a few gulls and even a seal or two but the most I saw was one guy who had maybe a quarter of a bucket.
My results??? after over an hour I had ONE smelt.
How much was that gas?????

[Born to be Wild]

FishFreak, sorry about the wasted trip!
The smelt are out in the Columbia and hopefully they don't give up on the cold water and spawn there.
I recieved some interesting info tonight and will try and post it tonight.

Dano

[buckfish]

Went out today about 4, approx. 1/4 mile up from water treatment plant intake. Best dipping i've seen this year. About an hour I had my limit and help the 2 guys next to me get limits too. Had stopped down at Gearhart before going there and nothing was happening except lots of birds.

[Born to be Wild]

Buchfish, are you the one I ran into at the Carnival Market store and you told me you got your limit at that same place you just mentioned?
Maybe around 7:00PM?

This has been a real wierd smelt season experience for me and others. :grin:

Dano

[Born to be Wild]

One of the smelt dipping groups from Tacoma I met on the river this morning came into Bob's about an hour ago and said they were up and down the river both sides and it was scratch fishing everywhere they went and everyone they talked to.

Could change at any time but who knows.

I will go over to the river when this show ends at 4:00PM and see what's happening.

If I hear anything different I will update this report or maybe someone else will.

Dan