Snake River

Sammy · 11-04-2002, 07:45 PM

I was going to fish the Grande Ronde this weekend until I heard that ice was coming down and the forecast calling for several days of rain. Thinking about fishing the mouth of the Clearwater or up around Asotin. Never fished this area before from a boat. I dont have a sled so Heller's bar is not an option for me. Can anyone give me advice as to where to launch at either of the two places. How do they fish these waters. Plugs, drift baits, etc. Thanks for your help.

Sammy

Uglygreen · 11-04-2002, 07:49 PM

You better post a fishing story or Mel is gonna get ya!

UG

Mojo · 11-04-2002, 07:52 PM

Fished there last week. I'll tell you everything I know if you post a good story!

Miss B Haven · 11-04-2002, 07:54 PM

Ah Ha - UG, you caught one! He's kind of a sneaker though , might have to throw him back!

Sammy - just kidding, but you do need to tell us a Story (an intro would be nice too!). There's a bunch of Pogies around here and you get bugged forever if ya don't! :grin:

Sammy · 11-04-2002, 08:07 PM

Okay,

I was flat fishing White Salmon at night with my buddy in September. He decided to not put his rod in the rod holder. We were shootin the crab and all of a sudden his pole disappeared. Completely left the boat. He could see it floating behind the boat because of his lite stick. He was yelling at me to row real fast. Not only did he get his pole (Cork grips were a lifesaver) but the fish was still on and he landed a nice 10lb hatchey fish. He is luck it wasn't a big "B" run or even a salmon. Got lot's of stories, but this is the first that came to mind. Thanks for letting me share.

Sammy

Mojo · 11-04-2002, 08:22 PM

I'll pony up,.. that was a good one. Trolling at the mouth of the Clearwater was pretty productive, if you fished at night using Vortex's. Clear w/black back and red w/ black back. Use smelly jelly (salt shrimp) and a small piece of shrimp on the front treble.

Pull plugs during the day (check at the Black Sheep [Lewiston] for colors and styles)

Also slow drifting bait (Roe) with a corkie (shiny on clear sunny days, bright red/orange on darker days) works. Might buy some (or make) dyed shrimp (Cherise/Hot Pink).

[ 11-05-2002, 02:55 PM: Message edited by: Mojo ]

SteelieKing · 11-05-2002, 12:32 PM

Ok. I need some info. on the Ronde too.

As an introduction since im a new member. My name's Ben Peters. Go to school at WSU. Pretty much hunt and fish year round. Also pretty nice to have a dad that commerical fishes.

I guess the one story i can remember i as a kid and we were fishing the Lyre River. I started fishing a hole we call the Rock hole and i hooked into one. I started yelling my head off for someone to bring the net and that i had one on. Well, anyway the fish heads across the river, gets tangled in some branches and figured i was done for. Kids hate losing fish. But i put some pressure and popped him out of the branches and got the steelhead. Made my dad.

I fished the upper section last week above the highway bridge on the Ronde and didnt catch anything. Does the river need water to push those fish down low up or does the upper section get better later on?

Mojo · 11-05-2002, 02:00 PM

It has been a while since I fished the Ronde, but there are fish there now. They get A-runs early. I know guys that have been catching them since August.

The big numbers are hanging in the Snake near the mouth. As soon as there is a good flush, they'll head upriver. We get a decent rainstorm, and watch out. The water temps have crashed. That will slow things way down. We need warm rains and a reversal fo this cold snap. Might be lots of lockjawed metalheads for a while.....

outback · 11-05-2002, 05:54 PM

Fished Snake River 10/25. Very slow, saw a few fish taken. Put in a Heller Bar and Ran to mouth of Salmon River. Lots of boats. Water temp. is about 56. and very LOW, we Need Rain. There are about 5 Ramps between Asotin and Heller.

Sammy · 11-05-2002, 07:39 PM

Thanks to all of you folks for the information. You are a great bunch of people. I really appreciate your willingness to help out a newbie who has never boat fished the area. I am looking forward to the weekend and will post how we did this next week.

Sammy

The Bad Fish · 11-05-2002, 07:50 PM

i used to fish the ronde when i lived in spokane. right at the mouth usually around thanksgiving did pretty well.. even on flies some days.. good luck to you. kb

Vandal · 11-06-2002, 07:28 AM

Your biggest "B" run fish will bew found just upriver from Lewiston. Above the Lewiston Bridge and below the ugly "bubble casino"
plu...plug...plug and some shrimp
(you can get there with a prop if you are careful) :grin:

Mojo · 11-06-2002, 08:42 AM

Vandal,
Water in the (once) mighty Clearwater is so low, that you probably can't run to the Casino. I was up there week before last, and it was pretty low then, even for my sled. It has dropped about 600 cfs since then due to the cold weather freezing feeder creeks. The temperature dropped from around 50 to the high 30's as well. One of my fishing partners fished there on Monday and said 36 degrees. YIKES! We need a little warming and some rain (sound familiar?).

The Snake is still in the low 50's and high 40's.