McNary

Curlew · 12-13-2003, 06:37 PM

Any bobber fishing at McNary for Steelhead or is it mainly a trolling show? Going over Satus Pass in the morning with the boat is a bit hairy at times. Looking at heading down to McNary to give it a try.

Curlew

FEAR NO FISH! · 12-13-2003, 08:48 PM

Lots of room for bobbering. One good spot is on the Washington side up by the pumphouse. There is a green marker there, trouble is you can only reach it from a boat. Inside the forebay on the WA. side is some good rip rap, trouble is you need a boat. If you have a Oregon license you can bobber fish right next to the boat ramp above the dam. Another good bet is to go up the Snake, above Ice Harbor Dam. There is a log boom there that can be pretty good. Farther up river is another good stretch. Same side as the log boom only three blocks or so. The point by the marina there is good too.

Pasco_steelhdr · 12-13-2003, 09:05 PM

Both above and below the pumphouse upriver of the dam can be fished from shore. The railroad put up a no trespassing sign that limits access below the pumps and I heard they are writing tickets. Regardless people are blowing the signs off and fishing there as would I. Was my one of my favorite spots before getting my boat.

When you come off the freeway to go to the dam you will gain some elevation and wind up thru a big cut in the rocks. As soon as you get "on top" you will be able to see the dam. Immediately after that take a sharp left on the small dirt road instead of dropping down to the dam and the boat launch. The road sidehills above the dam and drops down to the pumphouse area and beyond farther into the HMU.

Curlew · 12-13-2003, 09:37 PM

Thanks guys, How far up stream from the dam is this "pumphouse"? I do have a boat and will be launching on the Oregon side above the dam. Can you see it from the launch? I've only been there once years ago.

I am familiar with Ice Harbor. Have you guys heard any reports from there lately? I was there in early November and picked up one from the point by the outhouses but haven't been back since.

Curlew

FEAR NO FISH! · 12-14-2003, 08:45 AM

After you launch in Oregon, come around the buoy line and you will see it. It is approx. a mile up on the WA. side. If you don't like sitting still you can always drift with the wind or even slowly pull your bobbers around. When I used to fish during the day for Steelies we would slowly row around the forebay pulling our bobbers. By covering more water you get your bait in front of more fish. A 3/8 oz jig with a shrimp tail can be a killer. Set your bobber stop approx. 6-10 feet deep. Don't jerk to soon! Reel down and cross their eyes. [img]graemlins/eek13.gif[/img]

Pasco_steelhdr · 12-14-2003, 02:11 PM

Did the Mcnary thing this morning. Not a whisper of wind when we left the house at 6:00 am but by the time we got poles in the water it was howling. We gave it our best for 4-1/2 hours but it was tough fishing. Very few boats and didnt see anything caught. Mostly guys were working too fast because of the wind or trying to anchor up. Neither is a very good option. One guy had his act together and tied off to the riprap next to the nav lock and was bobber fishing but I didnt see him hook anything either.

We did the bobber and shrimp thing and pulled kwikfish for awhile too. I set the bobbers 5-1/2 feet deep, let them out, and "troll" just as slow as the conditions will allow. All the way from the navigation locks to the rocks where people fish above the pumps on the WA side is good. Normally I try to roughly follow the 20-25 foot contour near shore but have done well in 14-15 feet near the green navigation marker above the WA side launch (not the marker on the point below the pumps although thats good too :smile: )

Wish I had a better report for ya