Frenchmans Bar Report - July 26-27

[garyk]

July 26 -27
Frenchmans Bar

Saturday got off to an encouraging start. About 30 minutes after a 10am start, anchored in about 41', MrsGaryk got a heavy takedown. Down river it goes, up it comes, and just before I release the anchor line -‘ fish-off’.

Stayed until about 2pm and that was all the excitement we had except for sailboats GONE WILD! Some kind of regatta race. Downriver they came, tacking against the wind. I’ve always liked and admired them. Except for the ones today that tacked over our, and the adjacent boats’ anchor lines; coming dangerously close to snagging their keel. I was really concerned about a guy on the outside, alone in a little 14' open boat. At one point I was sure a sailboat was gonna grab his line and capsize him. They came extremely close but fortunately missed his anchor line. We twice had to sound our horn to warn-off boats whose captains’ vision was obscured by the lofted sail. (Good reason to keep a loud air-horn aboard in addition to the electric horn).

Later on we did see SureSet heading upriver but couldn't tell if he had his usual load of salmon aboard.

Sunday was similar, minus the sailboats. Nice day to be on the water, at about 40' of depth. Several hard line-bumps, or drive-by’s, - or whatever you call those - made us sit up and take notice, but nothing stuck. Until 2:30 (nearly low slack) when MrsGaryk’s rod flattened out. The 70f water didn’t dull Sammy’s fight at all, a ripping downstream run had me hustling to break free before she got spooled. After a very nice, determined fight we got him alongside and saw the big ‘ol adipose. I would have liked a pic, but we left him in the river, and with a turn of the pliers I had the lucky Alvin back and he was off. Although the surface water was really warm but he didn’t appear stressed at all.

Both days we fished double rigs of chartreuse tip Alvins and flash ’n glow spinners.

[5-Cents]

Thanks for the report Gary. Did you see there were already Coho over the dam? I think the runs my be early this year!

[Hottamale1]

Garyk,

I fished Friday night along Government Island in 30+ feet of water...One fish on, then gone.

Fished Saturday night and Sunday morning for anything and got nothing! Didn't see or hear of a fish caught anywhere along Gov't Island.

After this weekend, I'm fishing on weekdays only!

Scott

[SureSet]

Garyk,

Sounds like a good weekend for this time of year, landing anything with the limited nooks around is noteworthy. Not a thing for me Sat., I got out while the skier/jetski/pleasure craft crowd was just getting started. I'll be glad when that N-NW wind is gone. It beat me all Sat. morning and then again on Sunday at the coast. Nothing can wear on you and ruin a day like the wind. Oh well, there's still a bunch of SH around and the 5:30-10am crowd at the ramp can't be beat..........

SureSet

[Dipnet]

I know what you mean about the sailboats :depressed: . We were sturgeon fishing just below KP on saturday and there were 2 other boats anchored not too far from us. Those crazy sailboats were going around and between us and came almost close enough to reach out and touch them!! Couldn't figure out what the point of going between us was as there was the whole other 2/3 of the river they could have been sailing in!

Dipnet :grin:

[garyk]

SureSet, I was especially pleased to land Sunday's fish as we had this really weird streak going, of the prior three getting off. Two were even on Alvins and we normally just do not lose fish hooked on those. Fish bites Alvin = Dead fish. Anyway, very glad to break that losing streak.

DipNet, we probably passed you up there. Saw that cluster of boats up by the Kelly Point dolphin piling and then a few more anchored downstream on both sides of the Columbia. How was it? We brought some smelt out but kept thinking we were gonnna get bit and couldn't bring ourselves to leave the slot we were in to chase sturgeon.

[Dipnet]

garyk, it wasn't too bad! Between the husband and myself, we caught 25. There were a couple really small ones and there were several in the 36"-40" range. No keepers though. It was a nice day and a lot of fun just catching!! We used smelt and pickled squid. They'd bite one for awhile and then would bite the other.

Dipnet :grin:

[Cohodependent]

I was fishing up at the head of Government Island on Sunday with a couple of buddies. We got into several shaker Sturgeon but that was it. No keepers and we did not see any one else boat a fish. We moved around a lot and caught fish at ever stop with Sandshrimp.