Bonneville or Frenchmen's? (edit: report)

[The Overfishin Condition]

Flying solo tomorrow and not interested in launching the boat in the zoo. So, that leaves me on the bank, I got one last monday at Frenchmen's, but am looking for a bank report from either of these places, and perhaps some information on locale for Bonnie. Though I've never fished Bonnie, I have heard most of the tricks, but need a place where I don't need to hurl lead three miles to be fishing! Thanks for any reports or tips, TOC.

[Pete]

Most of the activity at Bonneville is on Hamilton Island ... not much at Tanner Creek. The crowd at Hamilton has been big. I counted over 70 rods on Friday. They are pretty regimented in their techniques, which seems necessary to keep that many lines from getting tangled every 3 minutes. Frenchman's is a little less intense. There are a couple folks that have constructed semi-permanent chateaux at Frenchman's, but there's enough room to spread out without getting in other folk's gear. That would be my choice.

[The Overfishin Condition]

Thanks Pete, Frenchmen's is usually my stomping grounds when I'm not in the boat. I just hear these stories of people landing tons of fish up at Bonnie and I'd like to try it sometime, or at least spectate (can be entertaining in itself.) I guess I'll keep watching this thread and make a gametime decision. I'll just have big lead and little lead ready for the morn!

[Fshklr]

TOC,

Head to Bonnie.

11 foot rods..8oz'z will work if you get the lead to hold, but take a few 12 and 14's for back up, just in case..most casts are the same as the woodland hole for distance. Many will drive a finish nail or two into the sinker to get it to stop rolling on the bottom.
Be sure to use light lead line dropper so it will break off when you hook-up..believe me..it's required.

1 size below a magnum spin-glo and eggs will work or prawntails..NO SANDSHRIMP..or you'll be into gators and must have barbless.

Fish the deadline some 400 yards below Wa. side of the dam..lots of rods shoulder to shoulder...or head to western lowest boat ramp down river of bonne entrance..park at ramp and walk down the trail on river to the fishwheel!!

Alot of good water is taken at o'dark thirty so plan wisely when headin up.
Good luck and post how you do!!

[The Overfishin Condition]

So I woke up this morning a little after 0-dark thirty, but still pretty early. Was a little slow getting going up to Bonneville, but decided to make the drive to at least check it out, since I've never fished it. Right when I pull up a bankies rod is going off, he brings a nate to the bank and turns it back. I get out and walk around for about an half hour and don't see another bankie hook up, two out of the probably 100 boats backtrolling the area hooked into fish while I was there. I think I want to try that sometime, but will wait until I can get out with someone who knows the ropes up there! Things were a little to close, windy, and slow for me to justify staying there, so I headed back to Frenchmen's to catch the tide change. Talk about a waste of gas. Anyway, Frenchmen's was about the same, only less wind, more sun, and more sand. Tide changed at 11:00 and I was there an hour early, so I just rigged my gear up. I tried using eggs but little peamouths, *********, or smolts just wouldn't leave 'em alone. The guy right next to me hooked a nice one that was probably a little short of 20 lbs, I heaved it onto the beach for him. I saw herschel get one, and one other bankie scored at 2:30 just as I was leaving. Pretty slow day for bell ringers. On the slack tide there were probably a dozen boats trolligg out in front, saw them get nadda. Tight lines, TOC.

[LQQKASTAR]

how do you get to frenchmans bar?

[Fshklr]

Thanks Erik for the report
banking can be tough up there..did you just try the deadline or did you head down to the lower launch and the fishwheel?
sounds like another typical day as we continue to wait for warmer water temps and the Springer run to metamorphis into full swing.

[Jimmy Carl Black]

Thanks for the report. That's salmon fishing huh? Guess we've just got to put in the hours. I'm hoping to ply the banks up there on Friday if I can.

[Reel_Big_Fish]

I know this report is a little late, but one none the less. So here it is.

I was at Frenchman's Thursday (evening), Friday (evening) and Saturday (all day). I only saw one caught Thursday and three caught Friday. Saturday, however, I got there at about 10:00 and within the first 30 minutes there must have been about 10 bell ringers with about half coming unbuttoned. Two natives were to the bank and about three keepers. However, no bell ringers for me. :depressed: I'm beginning to think that I'm doing something wrong Thursday I was closer to the park and then Friday and Saturday I was near the shack downriver past the jetty. I see more fish hooked downriver than I do closer to the park.

Gary aka RBF