Springers!!!

Thumper · 11-29-2003, 08:48 AM

Ok, I've got the boat ready, tank filled, the rods and reels all spooled up, lubed and polished, the tackle box all squared away, leaders tied, rock salt ready, electric motor batteries charged up ..... I'm READY!!!!

What now? [img]graemlins/1zhelp.gif[/img] Am I early???? [img]graemlins/eek13.gif[/img]

TH · 11-29-2003, 08:56 AM

ME TOO
well actually no boat yet! :smile:
But it'll be done soooooooon.
I get so excited just seeing the word springer on the board!

CARTMAN · 11-29-2003, 08:57 AM

Not early, just ready. [img]graemlins/idea.gif[/img] when I put the boat up for the winter I did it while keeping springers in mind

. My wife asked if i was putting thing away or getting ready to fish. I told her it pays to be ready. I think the boy scout got it right "be prepared". Now if i could find the fast forward button on the remote of life I would be set [img]graemlins/1zhelp.gif[/img] .

[ 11-29-2003, 09:58 AM: Message edited by: CARTMAN ]

gotZem · 11-29-2003, 08:58 AM

I'm hip Thumper! Bring 'em on! That "WWF" (Wrestles With Fish) just calls to ya"! You have a nice day!
GotZem!!

David Johnson · 11-29-2003, 09:00 AM

Nawww, there's a few hundred steelhead to be caught first

Away2Long · 11-29-2003, 09:08 AM

Cartman - you must be a young buck -

I'm looking for the frame by frame/ slo-mo button for life........and I'm not even close to retirement!
Life is like a roll of toilet paper: the closer to the end the faster it goes. (or something to that effect)
And yes, we are all looking forward to Springers once again.

Pete · 11-29-2003, 09:08 AM

Well, while you're waiting, you might help the Washington and Oregon Commissions understand the value of sport caught Spring Chinook as they decide on the Sport/Commercial allocation and our seasons. The Oregon Commission is accepting written testimony through January 9th, 2004. The Washington Commission has a hearing scheduled in Olympia on January 16th and 17th and will accept public testimony at that time.

Read More HERE.

CARTMAN · 11-29-2003, 09:46 AM

yep younger. Ripe old age of 28. It is a two fold reason. Can't wait for my new daughter to be old enough to sit up on her own and springers, springers, springers and oh ya springers. I know I should enjoy the time as It really does go quick, but I still have the itchy reel thumb. i have yet to catch a spring nook so I am looking forward to getting out of the house, other than work, and do some fishing. Right now my only savior is ice hockey. Love Coaching. But there is something about the water.

Cartman

Riverliver · 11-29-2003, 09:50 AM

DID SOMEONE SAY SPRINGERS IM GOING TO START THE REPORT CHANNEL REPORT JAN 1ST AND DO IT WEEKLY UNTIL THE FIRST SPRINGER IS CAUGHT THEN I'LL START A DAILY REPORT AGAIN.

devonian · 11-29-2003, 10:15 AM

a few years ago i was fishing the clack and spoke with someone from ODFW and he said dog creek got its first springer jan. 1.

wouldn't it be something to get one around christmas time?

Thumper · 11-29-2003, 10:17 AM

Yes! Riverliver rules again!

Pete --- So what are your thoughts?

1) 50-50 sharing of impacts between sport and commercial?
2) 40 percent sport and 60 percent commercial sharing?
3) 60 percent sport and 40 percent commercial sharing?
4) 70 percent sport and 30 percent commercial sharing? or
5) Use of a decision matrix used in the 2002 and 2003 fisheries which would likely result in a 65 percent sport and 35 percent commercial sharing of impacts?

Better yet --- What option can we all support that has a chance of being acceptable? Can Ifish take a position on this?

Back to polishing hooks...... [img]graemlins/1zhelp.gif[/img]

gottafish · 11-29-2003, 01:27 PM

Sombody please take meIm not much trouble and I will split the bill I have yet to catch a springer But i have no boat eather :whazzup:

River Ranger · 11-29-2003, 01:35 PM

maybe we can get out this spring Gottafish.Float the clack or fish the columbia.I start fishing the columbia april 1st.
R.R.

gottafish · 11-29-2003, 02:50 PM

oh yes please, please and thankyou :grin: :grin: :grin:

Pete · 11-29-2003, 02:59 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Thumper:
Pete --- So what are your thoughts?

1) 50-50 sharing of impacts between sport and commercial?
2) 40 percent sport and 60 percent commercial sharing?
3) 60 percent sport and 40 percent commercial sharing?
4) 70 percent sport and 30 percent commercial sharing? or
5) Use of a decision matrix used in the 2002 and 2003 fisheries which would likely result in a 65 percent sport and 35 percent commercial sharing of impacts?

Better yet --- What option can we all support that has a chance of being acceptable? Can Ifish take a position on this?

<font size="2" face="verdana,arial,helvetica">I think the 70% sport option is both preferable and achievable. Consider that the gill nets are indiscriminate in their killing of fish in spite of the tangle net experiment and the "Lazarus" boxes. The threatened and endangered stocks that sports fishers release with fairly low mortality are killed at a much higher rate by the commercials. There are large numbers of marked fish that we don't have the opportunity to catch when the commercials reach their impact quota. The lower the commercial quota, the more fish sport fishers get to catch. Sport fishermen have modified their techniques to reduce their impact. We can do better by keeping fish to be released in the water, avoiding the use of nets and perhaps use of barbless hooks. The tangle net experiments tried by the commercials have mortality rates on threatened and endangered stocks that could be as high as 30% (We'll know more after the latest study is released this coming Tuesday.) Last year our season was cut short because of very high commercial mortality rates ... it isn't fair for sport fishermen to lose part of their season due to the indiscriminate methods of commercials. Until the commercials make significant advances in their impact on threatened and endangered stocks, I don't see that they should be given priority seasons which allow them to target the early, big Willamette springers or cause sport seasons to be abbreviated.

FishinMission · 11-30-2003, 07:28 AM

Thumper...Sometime in April I'd like to show you the Milwaukie area of the Willamette...in exchange of course for a trip on the Lewis. :grin:

Mark

Tilla · 11-30-2003, 07:43 AM

Your'e not gonna get that thing wet Thumpster?

Thumper · 11-30-2003, 09:06 AM

Tilla --- At least when mine goes into the North Fork there will still be room for another boat or two. Unlike the Bazooba Boat, which blocks the entire river.

Mark --- It's a deal. I've got two more weeks of travel, then we start fishing on the NF for steelies. That is, if there's room to get it into the river .... :tongue:

Back to lubricating my swivels ...

[ 11-30-2003, 10:08 AM: Message edited by: Thumper ]

Silver Hilton · 11-30-2003, 09:28 AM

A little late, aren't you?

spinnermaker · 11-30-2003, 09:55 AM

Its steelhead time if you jump right to springers you end up wishing your life away. :grin: life is short injoy the fishing time you got and live day to day. :smile:

[ 11-30-2003, 10:56 AM: Message edited by: spinnermaker ]

FishinTechnician · 11-30-2003, 03:53 PM

Riverliver...your report will be much appreciated as I intend to start early!!! I fully intend to start putting them in the boat before the end of February given half decent water conditions. Many years ago my Dad went out to check the boat out and hooked three trolling by himself in the Portland harbor. Landed two of the three.

the bear · 12-01-2003, 02:30 AM

come on guys,just getting pumped about winter steel cant handle the pressure of springers yet :shocked:

k9jeff · 12-01-2003, 04:06 AM

only about 90 days... give or take a few....it will be here before you know it.

I had better start buying rock salt and bluing...some vanilla... I had better start a list.

CATCH AND EAT · 12-01-2003, 06:55 AM

Dang Jack, and I thought I was excited about springers. You win.

Riverliver · 12-01-2003, 10:14 PM

Shotshell,
Ill be out there with you! Im going to start DARN early this year I have one heck of a goal to meet this season! I don't plan on NOT meeting my goal this year with out a fight.
But I've got a ace in the hole Pickle Juice. :smile:

dampainter · 12-02-2003, 05:10 AM

went springer fishing yesterday...not a bump

:grin:

212hjet · 12-02-2003, 09:25 AM

Funny thing everyone is "mentioning" Springers....a buddy from Boise and I and one of my sons were sitting in the drift boat fishing for stellies on the Clearwater (Idaho) last weekend and SPRINGERS!!!! were a big part of the slow day. From the Wind to the Clearwater and Salmon rivers here....we are likewise anticipatory, beyond belief!
Good luck to all on their remaining steelie fishing and Springer dreaming.

FishinTechnician · 12-02-2003, 04:34 PM

Riverliver, when the time comes I'll look you up and maybe we can do some fishing together. I know I'll be doing most of my February and early March fishing alone.

dawhunt · 12-02-2003, 05:41 PM

I'm always ready for springers.A word of warning for those of us that fish around Camas-Washougal next year IF !!,we're lucky we'll get the same season we had this year--
two weeks in April if we're lucky !!!.So I'm going to start inearly Feb.I caught my firat one around the middle of Feb. this year 35#'s caught two others(22 & 25 #'s and lost one about the same size.
Bob

Plum Crazy · 12-02-2003, 07:27 PM

I'm with DJ and Bear,

I can't wait for the Winter Wonderland -Steelies all around and the warm glow of coals under my Dutch oven, cooking my homemade chili, the buzz of my boats heaters just over my kicker's humm while I backbounce that rattling PLUG. FISH ON.
Just as DJ's boat floats by Skunked again I yell.
Oh, :blush: I'm sorry guys this one got away from me.

What were we talking about???? :whazzup:
Fire

Riverliver · 12-02-2003, 09:34 PM

Sounds good shotshell

boater · 12-07-2003, 12:40 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Thumper:
Better yet --- What option can we all support that has a chance of being acceptable? Can Ifish take a position on this?

<font size="2" face="verdana,arial,helvetica">option 4 or 5 would be acceptable, anything less would not be.

any esa impact number less than last year would mean that the sportsman are not benifiting 100 percent from a new lower mortality rate on released fish.

i personaly will be amazed if we get the same impact as last year, i perdict that our new rule of having to release fish in the water to lower the mortality rate will be a direct benifit to the gillnetters and we will get a lower esa impact number than last year but we will probly get close to the same amount of fish.

slabhunter · 12-07-2003, 02:03 PM

At the Commission meeting yesterday I understood the options were based on split of the catch. Third year mortality information for jaw tags is still being considered by staff. In my public testimony I supported the leaving of fish in the water for hook removal. Even if the rule is just for sportfishers it sets out the willingness to reduce our impact. Because it's all about preserving the wild fish is'nt it?

boater · 12-07-2003, 03:11 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by slabhunter:
Because it's all about preserving the wild fish is'nt it?

<font size="2" face="verdana,arial,helvetica">if the new lower release mortality rate from leaving fish in the water isnt used in figuring the allowcation of fish out for next year then it`s a conservation measure, if it is used and mentioned anywhere in the negotiations then it being used as a tool to harvest more fish.

Mr. Shannon O'Brien · 12-07-2003, 03:50 PM

It's rather amusing how thick they become right after winter steelhead dies down.

I think if F&H News had their way it would be earlier and earlier every year. Have to get the hype out so there is something to report!!

SHOUGALNITE · 12-07-2003, 07:02 PM

dont over look the best tasting fish in the N.W.

steelhead

Silver Hilton · 12-07-2003, 08:59 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by SHOUGALNITE:
dont over look the best tasting fish in the N.W.

steelhead

<font size="2" face="verdana,arial,helvetica">Son, no offense, please, but have you ever tasted Columbia river spring salmon? While I like a little barbequed steelhead as much as most folk, comparing the two is somewhat like comparing chuck steak from albertson's to a Ringside T-bone. I can make either one taste good, by I know which to serve when the mother in law is in town.

Lure Dragger · 12-08-2003, 11:29 PM

I have to agree, the spring chinook we caught on the columbia last year was great. Almost like eating candy. I like steelhead as well but they can't hold a candle to the springers.

skahorse · 12-08-2003, 11:45 PM

No time for Steelhead fishing... The ducks & geese are calling my name! :grin: January 25th, last day of duck hunting season. :depressed: January 26th, first day of springer season! :smile: River ranger, you wait until April 1st to fish the CR?

I've heard of people catching them as early January, and definitely by February.

--Skahorse