Favorite/least favorite combat Fishing spots!?

[mandinga]

I wanted to see where all of your favorite combat spots are...

I have come to the realization that combat fishing is more of a sport than any other type of fishing!

My favorite combat hole of the past is the "outlet" hole on the feather river in oroville,ca. It is a very dangerous spot to fish, but when the fish are in you can hook a salmon on just about every cast if you know where to put your line. I have seen about 10 fights at that spot, and countless human hookups. I saw a guy take a gamakatsu 1/0 in the eyelid! I also saw guys with 9mm's on their hip holsters and others with giant machetes on their backs. It has been years since I participated in that combat/snagfest, but I can honestly say that I miss it. It really wasnt even about catching fish, it was a macho thing...


please share some stories and/or pics!

[clearjb]

try the north fork of the clearwater river in orfino id on a good springer bite. rediculously crazy there rufuse to fish do to the year guns were drawn at the dam. no people and its a hay day, must fish during the week and stay in the main river on the weekends

[eyeFISH]

Listed in order of personal "discovery":

Confluence of Russian - Kenai for sockeye.

Confluence of Crooked Creek - Kasilof River for kings.

Mouth of Willow or Montana Creeks for kings.

Ship Creek for kings.

Hoodsport hatchery zone for chums, pinks.

Humptulips hatchery zone for coho.

[LQQKASTAR]

I figured i would see ship creek, man i had a blast there :grin:

[Fshklr]

You can have them when you pry my Rod from my cold dead fingers!!
Send over your favorite 10 spots..after I check them out and verify for activity via Rod and Reel..I'll get back with ya asap.

Wouldn't hurt to enclose your egg cure recipe, and $500 gas money, and while I'm at it, one of those hand held GPS thingy's too with co-ordinates of course.

[Slayer]

i like the nile for frogs!

[Mr4am]

At the Barrer dam on the Cowlitz, elbow to elbow when the Silvers are in. Some great snaggers too. not my cup of tea.

[Pete]

There's enough stress in the world without combat over fish ... My favorite combat location is Buoy 10, because it keeps people busy while I'm enjoying other places. :grin:

[ripthevolcano]

Sherrars falls on the lower Deschutes any weekend during Springers.

I also agree w/ eyefish, Hoodsport for Chums/Pinks.

How about Bush Point, Whidbey Island when the Silvers are in.

[GO-FASTER]

Lebanon dam, during the spring and the bite is on. CRAZY

[Day Late]

Trolling the mouth of the Roque in August is a special treat!! :tongue:

Day Late

[AV8ER]

My comabt fishing takes place when my wife is on the boat with me. Just as I start catching fish she gets bored and wants to head home. Thats when combat takes place, right now I'm 0-8 in the win loss column but hey beats sleeping on the couch!

[Hooker]

Three Rivers can't be left out.

[timinthegorge]

What PETE said....

Folks who love combat fishin' won't be seein' me....

[mandinga]

Trolling the mouth of the Roque in August is a special treat!! :tongue:

Day Late

indeed! just stay in line and your ok.

[Bill Monroe]

Sorta what Pete said since I'm at the buoy contributing to the quality of his experience. Gets a bit exciting, too, in some of our own hoglines.

[mandinga]

You can have them when you pry my Rod from my cold dead fingers!!
Send over your favorite 10 spots..after I check them out and verify for activity via Rod and Reel..I'll get back with ya asap.

Wouldn't hurt to enclose your egg cure recipe, and $500 gas money, and while I'm at it, one of those hand held GPS thingy's too with co-ordinates of course.

LOL

If it is combat fishing it must be a huge secret.


I welcome people to go down to the outlet hoole at the feather...only so many people can fish it, and only the strong survive.

[Chromaflage]

My favorite combat fishing spot no longer exists. Well, the spot is still there, but it's no longer legal to fish there. The mouth of the Salmon River on the Sandy used to fill my tag for me.

CrF

[SteelheadBum2]

how about cedar creek on the sandy

[judyfish99]

My couch is comfortable, Thank you!! Hogline at the mouth of the Clack and Bouy 10!! Ouch!! Lots of male egos!!

[Chetco]

That Feather River story sound tough to beat!

The combat fishing was so bad on the Rogue at the Hatchery Hole after the state allowed fishing right below the fish ladder that it now closes each night at 7 p.m.

Now all the drunk combat fishermen race down to Casey State Park after 7 for Round 2.

[MikeN]

Elk River anytime the Chinook are in especially the mouth. The mouth of the Rogue in the summer can get very hectic. I have counted over 200 hundred boats down there before.

While fishing the mouth of the Rogue TH and I had a bankee cast over all 4 lines once when we were trolling. It created quite a mess as you can imagine. Travis just cut the guy's line with scissors and we didn't even slow down and headed for the boat ramp. It was crazy!

[fish boss]

fishing the keni river tributarys in early august.

thats combat fishing

What PETE said....

Folks who love combat fishin' won't be seein' me....

Me neither! Any time I have to do synchronized casting then the enjoyment is gone for me

[Mad Mikey]

Ahh, mouth of the Salmon!! Good memories for me!

I used to fish the main two spots when I first discovered the area but got sick of the crowds at the upper hole.
I switched to spinner fishing the pocket water all the way down to the BW bridge and just kicked butt, rarely ran into another soul.
Chrome Mandinga, if you ever saw a dude in the early 90's with a large yorkie dog fishing that stretch that woulda been me.
Dang, do I miss that fishery.

[blacktail519]

Im with eyefish....The confluence of the Russian river and the kenia for sockeyes....It can be crazy for sure!!

[Plunging Float]

Chromaflage.....I used to fish the confluence too, that was a great hole. It wasn't really combat for me though, I float fished the top of it. I did love meeting my brother at 245 to go fishing though. We got to the hole no later than 4.....that's just plain wrong....

[Chromaflage]

Mad Mikey and Plunging Float - I used to bobber and egg it too up at the top. Sometimes, I'd bring my fly rod in play with Steelhead. Do you guys remember that old guy that would come up every year from California just to fish that place? I think in all times I saw him, he only caught one fish up there. But he was there every year. Good times, they were!!!

One day up there a guy was doing well. While he rested, he let me run his rod - first cast....SNAP!!! Busted in two on a hook set. :blush: :blush: :blush: :blush: Wonder if that was either one of you?

CrF

[Norski]

Shears Bridge, counted 34 guys in one hole, and when they start to cross your lines from the other side, there is always some one who gets bent and comes across and the fur flys, than on a hot day the eye candy is UN-reel, and the beer & the other stuff, you just may see the same lady fall into the river to swim across and go at it again, I have never laugh so hard, one of the rules is if you limit out, and that can be be for 9am, bring down a short case, and share with all and this go's on all day, the next gets his limit, short Case, and on and on.
Now the state boys work this real good, so if you go, be sure to have your TAG.
I have a picture some where, showing bumper to bumper cars, trucks,motor homes, and back 4 years ago it was one big party, just ask Wally,Steve,Big Jim,Mike,Scott, and the name can go on,and-on.

[Angus]

Cape Ulitka, Noyes Is. S.E. Ak. nothing like playing bumper boats on the kelp line during a morning tide change in July. Anybody need GPS numbers

[Chinooked]

Combat fishing=Snag fest. I can't stand the snagging but the theater is unreal and usually the trash too. Two of my favorites are the Hatchery hole on the Lewis in any season there are fish to snag and the Wind river at any public site when the springers are in. I hope they are a little better than last year b/c i will be there. I am thinking about bringing a friend in video production to get some footage for a jerry "springer" episode.

[rock bottom]

What about Lorens drift on the Trask? See a few misunderstandings in there.

[Wreckless]

What Pete said, also....Plus I recall a GREAT pic of Stew battling a searun, by himself on a coastal river while we all "fought" over tidewater Chinook

I have been known to fight the crowd at the mouth of the Cowlitz in the summer and fall, but, "combat fishing" is an oximoron for me, they just don't mix....To me a hogline is me anchored next to a couple friends

PS because of that pic, Stew, I'm going to break out the fly rod and searun fish this year again, after many years, thanks!!

[mandinga]

thanks Norski...great story!!!


That reminds me...


Once every couple days there is this girl in oroville who puts a snorkel mask on and snorkels RIGHT IN FRONT OF THE 30 OR SO FISHERMAN....why you ask? LEAD!!! AND OTHER GEAR....she gets gobs and gobs of gear, but I can think of a better way to get my lead...

when I first saw her I was like "what is this pretty young girl going to do down here?" then she strapped on the mask and in she went...completely fearless! couldnt have been a day over 18.

PS because of that pic, Stew, I'm going to break out the fly rod and searun fish this year again, after many years, thanks!!

You are more than welcome I would be glad to take you to that exact spot and we can fling some reverse spiders together when the season opens

[mandinga]

kenai



Ship Creek

Thanks for posting those pics CM
Not in a million years would I fish in situations even half that crowded.

[mandinga]

My kind of crowd!

[mandinga]

Thanks for posting those pics CM
Not in a million years would I fish in situations even half that crowded.

I could see you trying to speycast in that crowd

[SKP]

Pacific City.

SKP :grin:

I could see you trying to speycast in that crowd

I need about a 20' "buffer" zone when I spey cast

[ibgrizz]

BOUY ZOO FOR ME

[PTS]

Just a hello to those that were with me on the mouth of the Salmon. Today, we might have asked are you an ifisher and had a conversation going.

Did you forget to mention the mouth of the Zig Zag. If you didn't fish there it was even better. I miss those two spots and the entire Salmon River. Does anyone really think that the elimination of that run made any sense?

[Skeets]

Blue Creek on the Cowlitz in mid/late July for summer steelhead. Nothin better.

skeets

This is about as "combat" as it gets for me

[seabass]

The creek behind Chief Green Mbadiwe's house in Arondizuogo, Nigeria. Great catfish, if the natives will let you in. I'll send you a map if you want.

Seabass

[Cliff]

Thats just the start of the line...




Cliff

[James in Idaho]

I've seen it, but didn't fish from the bank, Riggins, Idaho is pretty "busy". Good place to have a boat. Even then, on a weekend you can hear some cross words between the bait/diver and guys drift fishing out of boats.

However, the true combat spot in Idaho is the South Fork of the Salmon. Never on a weekend again. After the season, bet a diver could get a million dollars in gear out of that 7 mile stretch.

[hawgcatcher]

There are so many places that the minute I arrive, so do tons of others. It seems like they all know where I am going so they desend on these places too. It matters not, if it is a lake, river, ocean or mud puddle, thousands grab their rods and beat me there.

The worst I ever saw was the snagging area on the Washugal River when the Coho were in. The banks were lined with people on both sides. Casts were made and the jerking started. Lines snagged and people yelling and pulling. I saw some poor fish that were foul hooked with several lines and the fish were out of the water, in mid air. Went once to see it and never went back. Now that was combat fishing as well as unsportsmen like conduct. Surprised no one pulled a gun.

[Mark Vickers]

Hoodsport hatchery zone for chums, pinks.

Doggonit eyeFish, you're giving away my once a year favorite zipperlip spot.

I've actually learned to stay away from the entrance to the creek/hatchery and take a boat out a little farther away. Less pressure and the same number of fish. That also allows me to use my fly gear without having to worry about who I'm going to hook with my backcast.

[Chinookjinxd]

Hey cliff, you got a pic of me.
Thanks Dude I dont have many from down there

And never really stopped to think, but man compared to now, that is a zoo. But gotta get that into my head before the springers get here.

[steelies_R_US]

Hard to beat mile post 7 up on the Wind River when they raise the limit to 4 springers. Man you KNOW the fishing is hot when you see fish swimming around with 5 or 6 corkies hanging off of them :grin: :grin: Last time we were there saw alot more skin from some local gal than I am sure anybody wanted to see.

[shalom]

Those are some great pictures . It remined why i go Bass fishing now and get away from the crowd's .

[BloodNtheboat]

I like the Zoo for springers at drano lake that trolls around the inlet all day, 50-100 boats trolling the same basketball court sized circle. While I, in the meantime am at the opposite end of the lake all by my self filling my fish box.

[mandinga]

I like the Zoo for springers at drano lake that trolls around the inlet all day, 50-100 boats trolling the same basketball court sized circle. While I, in the meantime am at the opposite end of the lake all by my self filling my fish box.

shhhhhhhhh....lol

[Paddlefish]

Hawgcatcher,

Yup, I had that same Washougal River image in my mind as well. My buddy and I were lured up there by Frank Amato's teaser in STS: "Tens of thousands of salmon waiting for your lure." Of course, we assumed that we could enjoy some fast and fun-filled normally legal fishing as well.

1970, give or take a year, I think. Strapping the machete or Bowie knife onto your calf seemed as natural to those knuckle-draggers as slipping on a fishing vest was for me. And, yes, I do recall seeing salmon simultaneously snagged from opposite sides of the river, then suspended, Golden Gate-style, over the water until something gave (typically the fish's flesh, I'm sure.)

We didn't stay long.

And the worst part: when we headed downriver to find some peaceful, demilitarized zone water, we found the overflow of guys who'd been trained up in the war zone, trying to head off the fresh fish before they made it up to the snaggery.

[Cliff]

haha chinook is that really you?
Nothin like cedar creek zoo!

CLiff

[Plunging Float]

Chromaflage......that was me, lol. I had forgotten about the rod, but I remember you hit that snag and it busted. Lamiglass replaced it for me, I was honest with them, and they were just cool about it. The old guy's name was Joe, him and his wife traveled the country, two months fishing there, then off to colorado every year. I talked with him quite a bit. I used to love that hole, you could pull fish out one after another when it was good. I don't recall your name, but mine is Rob. If I remember right that day all you had was your fly rod.......

[IDFishrite]

Stew Pete

[fishbeast]

I think that the worst, or best spot, to see a fight is at Dexter dam on the long-cast side on the upper Willamette. I have seen fights break out over the size and color of salmon caught. They carry guns, clubs, and knives. The people stand in a line to make a cast then they about 120 yards across the river to the hatchery inlet and if they dont hook/snag a fish on that cast then they go to the end of the line and start all over again. STAY FAR AWAY!