MCNARY STEELHEAD DERBY SATURDAY!!

Lure Dragger · 12-31-2003, 04:50 PM

They have changed the steelhead derby to saturday. I took my boat over this afternoon while the roads were half way decent. I talked to three different people and they all told me that the derby has been changed to saturday. The roads weren't too bad although there was a wreck at the Dallas rd. exit tonight. He was just plain going to fast. They had passed me about 5 minutes earlier doing about 70mph. I did get to fish for about an hour and a half. I caught one native about 12 pounds. There is about 3" of snow covering the parking lot right now and all the way down the ramp. I didn't have any problem getting my boat in or out though and I have a 21' custom weld. It was 25 degrees when I left there. Most all of the snow was gone of the roads but they were still wet and I am sure that they will be icy in the morning, but should be ok for towing a boat unless we get more snow tonight. I will be back fishing in the morning and through the weekend.

bellinghamangler · 12-31-2003, 04:57 PM

Sweet! I didn't want to miss out. Good job on the fish.

FEAR NO FISH! · 12-31-2003, 05:12 PM

I have a frozen boat. Just got done shoveling all the snow out of it. We will be heading down to pre-fish for Saturday. I know the Kicker will start and the electric runs but I am afraid the ol Sportjet is just too cold! See ya tomorrow.

Lure Dragger · 12-31-2003, 07:10 PM

I forgot to mention, I found out what one the derby last saturday. they were suppose to pay three places, and out of 40 or 50 boats there were only 2 fish weighed in. 6 pounds was second and 15 was first. Any keeper at all would have been worth a couple hunfred dollars probably. I look for there to be a lot more fish caught this saturday.

See you tomorrow

Kentucky Hog Hunter · 12-31-2003, 07:11 PM

You guys have a great tourny over there Leo...

Most of all be safe...It is just to risky for us to drive over there with so many weather systems being predicted...

I will just keep fishing the coast over here and look forward to hear your report...

Good luck to you and have a great New Years...

Lure Dragger · 12-31-2003, 07:17 PM

Terry, I don't blame you for not driving up. There was a wreck right in front of me just outside of Richland. It was a guy that had passed me 5 minutes before going about 70mph. I don't know what some people use for brains. It is always the other people that I worry about.

FNF, be careful on the roads tomorrow. Most of the snow was off the roads when I came back home but they were still wet. They are undoubtedly going to be slick in the morning but if you take your time I don't think you will have any problem. I'm glad my boat is already there. Hopefully we won't get anymore snow tonight.

Lure Dragger · 01-01-2004, 06:15 PM

Made the drive to McNary this morning, the winds were suppose to be 5 to 10. Boy were they wrong. The wind was blowing so hard the waves were splashing up over the cement wall at times. Waited a few hours but never died down so I came back to the tr-cities. Thank goodness my boat is already over there now. The winds are suppose to quit around midnight so I will be back over there by 6:30 in the morning. Now the only problem will be getting a boat in the water. Just got off the phone with a guy I know over there, sounded like they got about 8 to 10 inches of snow. If the wind kept blowing that hard all day I can't imagine there being too much on the ramps. If we have to we will hook pickups together to get the boats in. I will give a report tomorrow night as to the conditions and how the fishing was and more about the derby on saturday.

bellinghamangler · 01-01-2004, 06:25 PM

How is I-82?

Lure Dragger · 01-01-2004, 06:36 PM

When I came back to the tri-cities this morning about 9:00 there was packed snow on the road, it didn't appear to be very slick. I don't know what it is like now. We got quite a bit of snow here today, around 10". It is starting to warm up now so who knows what it will be like by morning. Im' just glad My boat is already there. But if it wasn't I'm sure I would try it. The guy I talked to tonight said he was going down to put salt on the ramp before he went to bed so hopefully the ramp won't be too bad. Are you coming in the morning?

FEAR NO FISH! · 01-01-2004, 09:42 PM

We were at the boat ramp at 0545. We came thru a white out just to see the good ol McNary Maelstrom. What was even better, was getting to drive back home thru an even worse whiteout! My boat tried to pass me twice. :shocked: Now I have 9 more inches of snow to clean out of my boat! I am not sure I want to take another chance at rusty steel. [img]graemlins/eek13.gif[/img]

Lure Dragger · 01-02-2004, 01:19 AM

FNF, you msut not have hung around very long, we got there about 6:10, we must have just missed you. I just looked at the weather on yahoo. It said it was 36 degrees at Umatilla and the wind was at 5mph. I will be heading over this morning around 5:00. I am glad I don't have to pull my boat over this morning.

bellinghamangler · 01-02-2004, 06:20 AM

Thanks for the report LD, I'm going to wait untill it clears up, I have had too many bad experiences driving long distance in the snow. I'll be down there in the next day or two.

Lure Dragger · 01-02-2004, 04:33 PM

Just got back from McNary. There were 6 boats out today and saw 7 fish caught. Unfortuantely none in my boat. After driving all the way over there and unloading my boat I realized that I only had 2 lures with me. I had taken all my tackle boxes out of my boat and then left them home this morning. What an idiot. I did have one take my rod down but didn'y hook up. Metalic red was the color for the day. The roads are all pretty much bare now except they are a little icy around I-82 at the tri-cities. Other than that they were in pretty good shape. No problem getting the boats in and out at all the upper ramp is almost all bare. Steelhead derby is still on for tomorrow although it may be a little windy according to the forecast. Nothing to prevent the derby I don't think though. Sign up at the ramp by 7:00. See you in the morning.

FEAR NO FISH! · 01-02-2004, 07:45 PM

Good luck guys. I'm fighting some kind of sickness that I got when we ventured out the other morning to see tne McNary maelstrom. Drive careful! Don't think you would have seen me if I was healthy! Try to get some pics.

Lure Dragger · 01-03-2004, 12:28 PM

The weather kept a lot of people from entering the derby today. There were 52 people enterd and after two hours most of them were gone. The wind started blowing and just continued to get worse. By 10:00 it was to the point you weren't even fishing just trying to keep your boat from swapping ends. At 11:00 we finally bunched it and was the last boat to head in. There were 4 an 5 foot waves around the dock and made it next to impossible to load your boat. You got one shot at it and that was it. But after all that I did manage 2nd place, lost another fish at the boat that might have won it. Not a bagging size fish by no means but good enough for $126. 11 pounds won it and paid $210. I HATE THE SNOW AND THE WIND

Southfork · 01-03-2004, 05:34 PM

LD.... congrats....

you know your a steelheader when.....