What are some people thinking?

[5-Cents]

I know I havent posted a fishing report for a long time but I have been working way too much...

In any event I was down in the Astoria area this last weekend getting my troll on and I saw a few disturbing things...

First off when I was launching at Hammond there was a drift boat launching with a 10 horse motor on the back Two guys jumped in and kicked out on their kicker and disapeared in the fog! I know I am opening the door here on another debate but I just dont think thats too safe.

A few hours later I was trolling up the WA side of the sands across from the Church. Visibility was about 50-75 feet and I couldnt see anyone around us. All of a sudden there was an open 18' or so sled that was trolling next to us. I proceeded to make some small talk about the fishing and then the guy running the kicker looks over at me and says, "Do you know where we are at?"

Now I thought about having some fun and saying we were out near the CR Bouy in the middle of the ocean but I told the truth and said he was headed toward the bridge on the WA side of the sands... the guy shoots a confused look at his friend and says, "I wonder how we got on this side of the river?"

As we trolled off out of site the guy in the bow of the sled looks over to me and says, "I hope this fog lifts before dark so we can get back to the ramp!"

Listen people this is big water that can get ugly fast and if you are in the wrong place at the wrong time you WILL have a good chance at loosing your life! I personally know from experience as I swamped my first boat near the bridge on a huge ebb tide one afternoon a few years ago when the west wind came up.

When I hit Astoria I have my dash mounted GPS, an extra hand held GPS. I make sure my VHF is working and I have two hand held VHF radios just in case. I have a dash mounted compass and a spare hand held one as well. I have a river chart at all times in my boat and my dash mounted GPS has a detailed river chart chip... you cant be too safe out there.

As far as the fishing report goes my son got a nook and a coho and Cracker Joe got a nice chinook and we missed a couple of other bites... its starting to happen but dont go crazy, no fish is worth risking your neck for!

[STGRule]

Well if it was an Alumaweld driftboat with a 15 horsepower motor (and an ifish sticker) with 2 50ish year old dudes in it, that was my husband and his fishing buddy. The driftboat has the Plastic Jesus. They were heading for the sawdust hole. Out of the channel. The beauty of a driftboat is being able to travel in very shallow water so there is no need to head for the channel. Mr. Boat has spent it's 15-year history fishing in the Columbia from Hammond to The Fishery. They knew where they were going and what they were doing. The boat only fishes in calm water, in places that they know. Only would have been crazy if they were headed for the spark plug.

[fishbait]

I know some people do it, but after fishing for salmon for about 30 years now, 20+ in the esturary there is no way I would go out in a DB. I have a smal;l sled and I don't take it there. Just too easy to get into trouble and as far as I am concerned, it's just not worth rishing my life for a few fish. I don't care if it's a 20 fish day and I've had plunty down there. my 0.02 worth and 5 cents, I agree 100%.

And as for the guys in the fog, chances are they will not be in the gean pool for all that long...............What's a cheap hand held gps on ebay going for these days, $50.00 or less, perhaps $100. Small price to pay to live another day.

You see old salors and you see risky salors but you never see old risky salors............. Be safe, make good decision, have backups

[Bait Bucket]

Don’t ya just love it when you ask a boat dead in the water what they are doing and they respond, “listening for barges?” No joke. It happened to me.

[Jennie@ifish]

If you are out in the fog and become disoriented, look for shallow water and anchor up!

Yikes! Been there!

Jen

[Get Bit]

Anybody ready to launch the driftboat off the beach at Ft. Stevens with me? Once upon a time..... Way too much at stake now. Just turned into a pansy I guess.

Get Bit

[KZ4LIFE]

Just say No to /// you cant fix /// well I probably shouldn't say it. More people Drown on Sunny days than foul weather days but the people that drown or become Freighter Fodder on foggy days are unfortunately just as gone.
:blush: :blush:

[Jennie@ifish]

I used to tie my raft to the beach with a long rope, paddle out and drop my bait, and then paddle back to go tend my rod on the beach. Couldn't cast far enough to get over the drop off. LOL....

Those were the days!

Jen

[5-Cents]

SR that could have been the outfit but I didnt really see the guys... I still wouldnt feel comfortable in that setup no matter how many times I had been out. It only takes one time to mess up and a lot of times you dont get a second chance!

[stlhdr1]

I always take my handheld GPS in the woods and on big water... It's important. Plus take extra batteries, a GPS with dead batteries is worthless.

Keith

[Pete]

My first trip to B10, years ago, I encountered 4 foot standing waves on the outgoing rip that extended all the way up the south channel past Astoria. A 23 foot Duckworth went down under the bridge, taking the two fathers of the surviving boys. The whole day scared the bee's wax out of me and I won't soon forget how quickly all that nastiness happened. GPS, Radar, charts, VHF, cell phone - none of that mattered. The estuary got ugly and unforgiving that day with no warning.

[fishboys]

Pete, I was out there that day, I was above the bridge and it took me a little more than a hour to get to the ramp.Thats the day i think of when people say it can get rough inside.I saw the copters and USCG boats buzzing all around I knew something happend but didnt find out until I read it in the paper the next day.That was the day i found out my 20' deep sided sled could turn real small real fast. Troy

[STGRule]

That's the idea. Never be totally comfortable. No matter what boat you are in. It can go bad at any second. If you are slightly uncomfortable and in the back of your mind always thinking about what can go wrong, you can have both an enjoyable fishing experience AND a safe trip on the water. They never lost sight of land because of the fog. Stayed close to shore where bigger boats can't go. Had a blast fishing and came home. They are indeed old sailors. :grin: Anything risky and they would have turned around.

I run boats from the driftboat up to a dual-motored 26' aluminum tank for work. And I work on boats up to 40'. I'm never completely comfortable and it has served me well for the last 30 years on the water.

[River Ranger]

I used to take my drifter to Hammond.I would just troll close to shore up to the sawdust pile and back,no big deal.

Now I did see a drifter at B10 and thought that was nuts.

RR.

[STGRule]

I agree. That is too far from shore/ramp at the speed the water can get "confused".

[Sturgeon Ryan]

We came through there about 10 mim. befor they did and it was not a fun ride. I did here that the captin had gunned it hard and instead of climing the next wave he shot through it and broke the windshields out and filled the boat.

[Herring Impaired]

In 2001, we saw a guy trolling between buoy 10 and Hammond on a PWC! No kidding!

[Norm]

When it's nasty there is no shame in pulling up to the beach and trolling from your beach chair . The only place I've ever been scared in the water was crossing the CR channel on a "nice" day with 4' wind waves . When it's iffy I won't even launch.

[NorthRiverS]

I've seen a drift boat at the Buoy 10 line.
NS

[KingFisher85]

Been out there when my grandpa has his 48fter on bad days when you could not even get out of Astoria. You might catch me in a DB at John Day gator fishin, but not B10...

[Premo]

We've seen a guy in raft at 10.

[daydreamer]

I carry a handheld gps and a dashmounted VHF. My first year trolling around Hammond in the fog, after netting two Salmon,I became disorientaded in the fog. I thought I was trolling up stream and my gps said I was heading west. I didn't beleive that I turned around in the fog but I thought trust your instruments. After a couple more times, I finally realized that I was always facing east but the current was pushing me westerly. Strong currents there, Trust your instrumnets

[CATCH AND EAT]

Two years ago there was a 12 foot Jon boat with a kid of 9 years and two yokals sitting sideways in the traffic flipping everyone off. Not a smooth day and I saw a little water go inside that sucker when another Trophy went past it. Poor judgement on those dudes part. BTW NO LIFE JACKETS ON!

[YaHoeeFishOn]

I was on water when the sled stuff wave and blew out windows. I heard they were new to boat and had gunned it through standing ebb waves, nosed over into one. I was out there when 25 ftr sank right on 10.( worst day I'd seen, full on gail) I was out there when 21 ft open bow sea ray was on peacock , same day crabber went on beach as well. It is a Grave yard . Remember to stay away Sands , Away from wing dams , watch for ship and barge and tugs , watch tides, wind and fog, watch for all other boats , watch for logs , crab pots , Watch for wakes and ones you cause,

Catch fish but be prepared and keep eye out .

I did see the 19ft bayliner run between tug and its Barge about 3 yrs ago.

No not me a blue white chopper gun amf 125 hr Force OB with 3 kids in it they set down right off me as I trolled by I asked them what they were doing , They didn't see tow chains or relize the barge was in tow. They had motored right over top tow chains and cables. The Tug had to slack his tow to save these guys and they we're clueless. No wonder he has honking his horn. We almost had a runaway barge go side ways through the 10 line.


The PWC is Blue Water Bob , he sells PWC in Gladstone, he fished Wind that year as well. He even said that stunt was a little insane.

[freespool]

I did the 19ft bayliner run between tug and its Barge about 3 yrs ago.

:whazzup:




salmon hugger

[timinthegorge]

These stories are unbelievable. People can be so stupid and/or just Ignorant of the power of the river/ocean.

Several years ago I was fishing out of Ninilchik, AK. Our Captain launched his 28' Koffler mega-boat off the beach with a John Deer tractor, and once we got out and were heading for 'but-land, I looked back to see a couple of rather plump guys in chest waders, pushing a drift boat off the beach with 3 foot breakers..... They made it out, but they didn't make it back. We heard on the radio on our way back that they were missing.

I don't understand how you can spend any time on the water and not understand the danger.... but that's me.

[Amahnee]

I don't understand how you can spend any time on the water and not understand the danger.... but that's me.

It's the law of natural selection and unfortunately some folk's can only learn the hard way. Hey, at least their not tying up the fast lane on the freeway.

[timinthegorge]

Clearly, those two weren't part of any "Intelligent Design."

Sorry..... couldn't resist.....

[Ethical hunter]

Last September I was navigating the lower river in THICK fog with a buddy of mine. He knows the lower river very well and was just watching the compass, I was driving and watching the GPS. I have all the buoys marked on the gps and was navigating down the green line to below desdemona sands. My buddy just watched the compass and I drove by his direction - not the gps. A few moments before each buoy came into view my buddy would annouce which buoy was next and where it would be, he was right every time! He was MORE accurate than the gps - just by watching the compass.

Knowing your equipment is the key.

BTW none of us should ever be caught saying "it worked fine when I put it away last year"

HB