Best town for a sportsmen in the northwest

[Grits]

I was talking to a friend yesterday about the best place to live in the northwest if you are a fishmerman. He said his choice would be Longview WA because it is 45 minutes from Hammond, 2 hours from the Olympic Penn., on the Cowlitz/Columbia close to the Lewis and then name several lakes that were also close by.

I couldn't argue with his logice but it got me wondering what town Ifishers would deem the best choice for a fishermen in the northwest to live in.

[Howard]

Central Washington, Moses Lake area.

1 1/2 to 2 1/2 hours from Lake Roosevelt depending on what part of the lake. 45 min to the Columbia, several large lakes; Roosevelt, Banks, Billy Clapp, Moses Lake, Potholes, Sprague, and numerous smaller ones.

Several places for flyfishing.

Waterfowl, deer and elk hunting is in your backyard or a short drive away as well.

Really the only thing missing is salt water.

Howard Homesley
Moses Lake WA 98837

Wrangle, AK

Moose, elk, deer, goat, brown and black bear. More ducks and geese than you could believe (every snow goose in the US stops at the Stikeen Flats to fatten up on the way south.

All 5 species of salmon, steelhead, halibut and bottom fish, dungeness, tanner and king crab as well as spot and coonstripe prawns, right in front of town!

All this and a nice small town.

[ 04-20-2003, 10:18 PM: Message edited by: Keta ]

[steelheadslayer]

I'd have to second the Longview for obvious reasons. However, after going to school in Ellensburg, Howard does have a point about the Moses Lake area.
And Howard, did you forget to introduce yourself with the obligatory story? STORY, STORY, STORY!!!

[Born to be Wild]

Longview!!!

Half a dozen major rivers within 30 minutes. Warm water fisheries also. Hunting. Bob's. Brad and a lot of other cool folks. And the razor clams are only an hour away!

I be moving there!

[Jennie@ifish]

Tillamook.

Wilson, Trask, Nestucca, Nehalem, Miami, Kilchis, Tillamook Bay, Nehalem Bay, The ocean, 1 1/2 to the Willamette or the Columbia, either way.

How could you live anywhere else?

Hunting, fishing, you got it, baby... right here.

Jen

[Born to Fish]

Boise, Idaho?

Let's see....my favorite reservoirs have been drying up. On the upside there's still water in CJ Strike [1.5 hours] and Brownlee [2 hours].

Good Interstate Highway systems providing access to the coast [9+ hours]; the Middle Columbia River [4.5 hours]; Henry's Lake/West Yellowstone [6 hours]; Willard Bay/Ogden area [4.5 hours].

Okay, so what did I do wrong [img]graemlins/dork.gif[/img] ....I'm being punished - right? :whazzup: :grin:

[ 04-20-2003, 06:59 PM: Message edited by: Born to Fish ]

[Silver Hilton]

I woulda said Longview as well.

[TYEE-FISHER]

My choice is The Dallas because.... Deschutes, John Day, Deschutes, Columbia, Deschutes, McNary, Deschutes, Hood River, Deschutes, Wind River, Deschutes, Klickatat, Portland River's 1hr 20min away and last but not least Deschutes!!!!!! Oh yea no traffic too.

[Fshklr]

Mt. Vernon Wa. is Prime Sportsman country. Skagit, Sammish, Cascade, Sauk, Stilly, Snohomish, Skykomish, Nooksac, Rivers and more. The entire San Jauns, Crabbing, Oyster and Clam beds on nearly every stretch of beach front, Heart, Tyee, 16, Mcmurry, Big, Campbell, Beaver, Devils, Baker, Shannon, lakes and many many more. Numerous Whitetails, Elk, Bear, Duck, Geese, Grouse, Phesant! All within 45 to 90 minutes of drive time. :grin:

[ 04-22-2003, 08:41 AM: Message edited by: FSHKLR ]

[dawhunt]

Washougal,I'm 2-3 hrs from everything good.Ore. coast and streams,Wash.coast and streams.Also very close to to the Washougal :-)
1/2 hr from the lewis across the river to the sandy a 1/2 hr from the Willamette 1/2 hr to bonniville dam.AHHHH YES !!! the pacific northwest no place like it in the world.
Bob [img]graemlins/applause.gif[/img]

[ 04-20-2003, 07:29 PM: Message edited by: dawhunt ]

[live to fish]

Born to Fish
Thats why i moved to oregon better fishing

Saint Helens

[Howard]

The west side has some nice area but what you all fail to mention is the RAIN & TRAFFICE. Over hear we have sunshine and little pressure/competition for the waters.

I am a real newbie here so what’s this "tradition" about stories?

[BonkBonkBonk]

Originally posted by Born to Fish:
Boise, Idaho?

Let's see....my favorite reservoirs have been drying up. On the upside there's still water in CJ Strike [1.5 hours] and Brownlee [2 hours].

Good Interstate Highway systems providing access to the coast [9+ hours]; the Middle Columbia River [4.5 hours]; Henry's Lake/West Yellowstone [6 hours]; Willard Bay/Ogden area [4.5 hours].

Okay, so what did I do wrong [img]graemlins/dork.gif[/img] ....I'm being punished - right? :whazzup: :grin:

<font size="2" face="verdana,arial,helvetica">boise kicks butt
i went up to CJ strike today, only caught a decent sized smallmouth..however, i hooked into some really big fish..carp or sturgon maby? whatever they were pulled hard(and i was using mys teelhead pole!)

[Fish Hawg]

woodland wa ,lewis river, kalama, cowlitz,columbia,ect good deer, elk and waterfowl hunting real close and oh ya G-loomis and lamiglas in the same town Quick Fisher

[IFISH4U]

Ya, Longview is awesome, I live about 45 minutes north of their and always wish I was closer, since I travel there everytime I hook up my boat.

[metalhead madness]

Carver Oregon :grin: :grin: :grin: :grin:

[Salmonator]

Astoria. Razors, crab ,sturgeon, halibut, salmon, warmwater lakes, and I'll bet there's some good elk huntin' near by

[ 04-21-2003, 08:17 AM: Message edited by: Salmonator ]

[Conspiracy Theory]

I agree on Longview, WA. But since I live there I might be a little prejudice.

[1pump]

I'd vote for the T-Bay area, or maybe Newport if I had a boat that was big enough for blue water. :smile:

[Tyeebuster]

Kalama, Washington. Has everything Longview has as far as location without the traffic lights!! As an added bonus it has an excellent boat launch 2 minutes from I-5.

[Neptune]

Banks, Or. that a nice place to meet up and go!
and still rural.

[Snapset]

I have always been kinda fond of the Roseburg area. The Umpqua is absolutely a full service river, Silvers and spring and fall Chinook, Summer and winter steelhead, sturgeon, shad and smallmouth down lower. Brown trout above Tokatee, Diamond Lake...... Gorgeous country with all that madrone savannah. I guess the real question is why I don't live there.

[Grantspastor]

Hard to beat Grants Pass

[RogueFishr]

I'm not saying because then everyone would want to move down here :grin:

RF

[BrionLutz]

Grits,

I'd give Portland a vote.

Bounded by the Columbia, Willamette, Clackamas and Sandy Rivers.

I wonder if any other spot sees more fish?

Brion

[Born to be Wild]

Quick Fisher and Tyeebuster,

Posted by tyeebuster:
Has everything Longview has as far as location without the traffic lights!!

<font size="2" face="verdana,arial,helvetica">Everything?

Both places are nice (Woodland/Kalama) but I am too use to the convenience of the big city now days. One of the biggest faults of Depoe Bay is it does not have fast food, the town closes up at 9:00 and has more traffic than you want (you tourist). Longview has Freddy’s, Izzy’s, Taco Bell, Bob’s, Burger King, Office Max, etc. Never really had a problem with the traffic there, only the drivers and they are lame! :shocked: Never seen so many folks run red lights in my life! [img]graemlins/berry.gif[/img] I’m posting from Vancouver tonight. Talk about traffic! Be in God’s country (Longview) tomorrow.

Besides the fact they have better zipper fishing up there!

Grits, I think you should do a poll! Looks like Longview has the edge so far. I was just telling Born to Fish last week when he was down here from Idaho that Longview was the place.

[thefishnfool]

fshklr-
living in Mt. Vernon area my whole life I would have to agree with ya on that one. (even if you did misspell half of the rivers :-) ) Maybe not the numbers as some area's but less traffic and the most awesome scenery that is hard to beat!
Tim Lennox

[Straydog]

"It's the Climate", plus the Rogue, Applegate, Illinois rivers, 90 miles to the ocean, small town, fewer people, lakes all around, the Cascades to the East and close enough to "the city" that one can get there in a fair amount of time if they must go.

[Capin' Dan]

I'll have to go with the longview/Rainier area.
I see elk almost weekly, Deer usually daily, Fishing lets see, astoria 45 min to an hour (Ducks and salt water fishing, Rivers lewis, cow, Kalama, Elocoman, and a couple of other smaller streams that can produce. Also the best part of the columbia.
It is laid back lite traffic good shopping. Great palce to live.

Dan

[k9jeff]

Salem area...close to the willamette, Santiam and within an hour of the Coast, Columbia, clack etc....

Its also where all my stuff is at...

[Mr. Carp]

I agree with Quickfisher! Woodland is where it's at! It has everything he said plus it is more rural than Longview and you are only 25 mninutes from Portland and 20 from Longview. Tha also measn that you are 20 minutes to the Bonneville/Middle Columbia area for sturg and salmon fishing. We need to start a poll! He also has a point. You break your pole, you drive 5 minute to get a new one because most everyone uses a G-Loomis or a Lamiglas. We used to even have LCI and the famous and now gone Larry's Sport Center.

[etacada]

Estacada, i'm right on the Clack, down the street from the sandy and willamette. almost to much to fish here!

[AtWorkALot]

I would say Banks as well. You can access a lot of prime fishing and hunting spots in 90 minutes or less. Columbia, Willamette, Sandy, Clackamas, Necanicum, Nehalem, NF Nehalem, Miami, Kilchis, Wilson, Trask, Tillamook, Nestucca, etc... That's a pretty impressive list for fishing. Don't forget about all that big bull country right in your back yard...

[Cohoangler]

You're all close but Vancouver, WA is it. You've got all the Washington Rivers previously mentioned (Cow, Lewis, Kalama, Washugal, etc) and a quick trip over the big river (w/ OR license) and you can hit the Sandy, Clack, Willamette and tribs, etc. In the fall, I can take two coho from the Lewis and then two more from the Sandy on the same day! :grin: :grin:

It's the best of both worlds, plus you don't have to live in a big city environment (i.e., Portland).

[snit]

My vote is for Central Washington as well. Namely Wenatchee. Big and small game minutes away from town. Spiny rays everywhere. Excellent salmon runs on the Columbia (and they're still good fish this far up), lots of summer runs (if they let us fish for them) and a little over 2 hours to Puget Sound, 3.5 to Wind River, and 6 hours to Astroia. 300 days of SUNSHINE a year, and NO traffic.

[luguando]

Since I live in Longview I'm biased to say this is the "best" place. I try to keep my fishing radius within a 2 hour drive. This radius includes Tillamook and Nehalem Bay, Hood Canal, the tributaries to the Chehalis and Lower Columbia Rivers, Willamette River, and the Columbia River from the mouth to Drano Lake. I feel very fortunate to live where I do.

[DanS]

Really the only thing missing is salt water

<font size="2" face="verdana,arial,helvetica">Whaa? That's like saying "It's a nice place....the only thing missing is air."

Olympia, Wa. gets my vote. Not too big, not too small......and there IS such a thing as too small.

[BrionLutz]

Cohoangler,

You're all close but Vancouver, WA is it. You've got all the Washington Rivers previously mentioned (Cow, Lewis, Kalama, Washugal, etc) and a quick trip over the big river (w/ OR license) and you can hit the Sandy, Clack, Willamette and tribs, etc.

<font size="2" face="verdana,arial,helvetica">I think that makes Portland/Vancouver metro the spot which is what makes the area unique. Not many places in the world where living in the metro area is the hottest fishing area particuarly for fish that most folks think of as trendy, spendy guide/lodge trips to Alaska or Sawtooth Mountains etc.

Brion

[outfishem]

Vancouver WA is the the only place to live ot's only 2 hrs to the coast, 20 min to the Lewis, 30 min to the Kalama, and about 1.5 hrs to the Wind. :smile: :smile: :smile:

[willametteriveroutlaw]

Salem ain't bad.. 20 minutes to goose hunting, duck hunting within 20 minutes, santiam with in 40 minutes, nestuc, salmon, oregon city, and lil nestuc with in 50 minutes. beach, alsea, wilson, detroit, clack within an hour.

[timinthegorge]

Goldendale, WA. Bar None! I've lived in places from Bellingham to Ashland, with some central Wa. and Or. towns in between over the last 30+ years, and this is the Spot!!!

But, we do have to deal with lots of traffic!

And large crowds are the Norm! :tongue:

We've got the best turkey huntin' in the world, upland birds of all colors, we're just north (by a few minutes) of both the JD and TD pools on the Columbia. Steelhead, Salmon, Sturgeon, Bass, Walleye, Cats. Did I mention the Klickitat River? You name it.....

Also, did I mention we have 300+ days of sunshine?

I was lyin' about the crowds and traffic. Please don't tell anyone..... I'm tryin' to keep it quiet. :grin:

Tim

[GutZ]

Forks!
No Traffic. No Sleds. All the Rivers! and the Ocean too! Maybe someday I will get out there.

Vancouver Washington is so centrally located. I suppose that wouldn't be too bad. I didn't see any help wanted signs, though.

There are only three nice days a year in Moses Lake when it isn't too hot, too cold or too windy. At least in Forks you know what the weather is going to be like! :grin:

[wife&3kids]

Anacortes, WA

Ducks and Geese Galore. This year while we were waitin they were killing them.. MY folks have a place up there.

We Clam
Shrimp,
Crab
Hunt Ducks, Geese and Pheasant,
Fish for Salmon, and lots of others...

[Born to Fish]

Live to Fish - you've got a point there and that's why I'll probably relocate when I retire in a year or so.

A lot of the guys make a good case for western Oregon and Washington locations that I'm familiar with. While I don't disagree, I wouldn't want to live in the "rain belt" again - did that up on the Olympic Peninsula and got real sick of the weather. Then too I want a balance of both salmonids and spiny rays.

I like the mild climate of Boise, and considering my above comments, am thinking that either the Tri-Cities area, or Umatilla/Hermiston are the likely candidates for where I should go.

Without a doubt.....Tillamook

[BonkBonkBonk]

I like the mild climate of Boise, and considering my above comments, am thinking that either the Tri-Cities area, or Umatilla/Hermiston are the likely candidates for where I should go.

<font size="2" face="verdana,arial,helvetica">boise is getting too big for my tastes, and its getting really hot here in the summers, but its still a really cool place to live if your into outdoors stuff

[DAB]

Hey SANDY OREGON Is the place to be. Within driving distanct of the Big " D "
and all the way to the coast. Thats why my rig is 3-3/4 years old and has 115,000 miles plus on it ...
DAB

[ 04-21-2003, 07:22 PM: Message edited by: DAB ]

[Jerry Dove]

I have always thought Tillamook Oregon was
Gods country. All these rivers and bays, plus the ocean. BUT, if they close our hatcheries, then I might have to move to Van. Wash area. They seem to want to keep raising fish and puting then out for folks to catch. I have a lot of friends that only fish that area any more and they live in Oregon. We can help save our hatcheies by being in Salem Thrus. April 24th, 1PM, room 170 capital. Thanks Jerry

[4 REEL]

I will have to agree with WILL.OUTLAW, Salem is pretty centrally located. We seem to go every which way, never know one week to the next!
Have always thoght Eugene wouldn't be to bad as there is alot of water around there also.But have been hearing a ton of great stuff about Grants Pass . My brother and sister inlaw live down there with their two young boys and love it.
Maybe it's time to move all 30,000 of my friends and relitives down there. Or maybe someone would pay me $30,000. not to !!!!

[fishuntr2]

Vernonia...I am less than an hour from everywhere I hunt/fish and in fact can hunt and fish in my backyard. My son picked up a nice 5-pt elk shed yesterday and got within 20 yards of a small herd. all within walking distance from the house :grin: Although if I still lived in Coos Bay I would pick that area instead.

[ 04-22-2003, 05:52 AM: Message edited by: fishuntr2 ]

[Mojo]

I think Mountain Home Idaho. 45 minutes from the big city of Boise. Small community. No crime.

Awesome ducks, geese, pheasant, quail, chukar, huns, sage hens and forest grouse hunting, all within 30 minutes. Deer, elk, antelope, bear, and mountain lion hunting, all within 30 minutes. South Fork of the Boise River 20 minutes from my front door. Silver Creek, 1 hour 20 minutes. Henrys Fork and South Fork of the Snake, 3 hours. There are a ton of lakes in southern Idaho that have great fishing for everything from walleye, trout, bass, crappie, catfish, sturgeon, kokanee, pretty much any game fish. C.J. Strike is 15 minutes from my front door. Brownlee, 3 hours. Riggins (Salmon River), 3 hours. Stanley 2 hours. If you have never been to Stanley Idaho, you do not know what you are missing. Umatilla/Hermiston is only 5 hours.

The only drawbacks are 2 hours to salmon and steelies at Stanley, 3 if you have to go to Riggins, and no Ocean. HOWEVER, I don't know anywhere on the coast that you can go Antelope, deer, elk, bear, duck, goose, pheasant, quail, sage grouse, blue grouse, and hungarian partridge hunting, and fish for trout and perch all on the same farm. I got that right down the road from here.

[Mojo]

You know after reading all the posts, just about anywhere in the Pacific Northwest is perfect. You just have to adapt to what lives in your backyard. You guys on the coast get to go fishing in the salt, I get to shoot elk and flyfish for trophy rainbows and Browns on Silver Creek.

Thank God I don't live in New Jersey...

[tailchaser]

I'll have to chime in on this one. Coos Bay is one of the best places I've ever seen. It sits on the ocean and has everything to fish for out there from hali's,tuna,salmon,bottomfish closeby. In the spring there's springers in the Umpqua and Rogue. Sturgeon in the Umpqua, and Coos River, in the fall the choices for salmon in the river running all the way until the end of the year, tuna in the ocean, elk, deer, or bear hunting in the woods, and in the winter there are 5 rivers within 20 min. of town that hold steelhead. Oh yeah forgot to mention the stripers and huge runs of shad. I can't think of a single month out of the year where I can't catch some kind of fish.

A common saturday in September is Elk hunting in the morning, salmon fishing during the day and then hunting again in the afternoon. Terrible ways to spend the day.


tc

[ 04-22-2003, 08:28 AM: Message edited by: tailchaser ]

[DanS]

Thank God I don't live in New Jersey...

<font size="2" face="verdana,arial,helvetica"> [img]graemlins/applause.gif[/img]

So do you think the people that DO live in Jersey are there because they actually like it, or because they just don't know any better?

[Fshklr]

Thefishingfool,
I edited the spelling of nooksac. :grin: All the rest ARE correctly spelled! I do love my present location Vancouver, and all the possibilities here, (not to mention the HUGE URB's) but being a born native Skagit Valley boy of 35 years it's hard to not look back at my roots. :grin: Tightlines and happy hookin