There is going to be a lot of springers and a lot of boats. Backbounced eggs or prawns are going to do well, and so are K-14/15 Kwikfish in sliver with chartruse colors. I haven't been up there to try it yet this spring. I have a couple questions I'd really appreciate feedback on - perhaps to my e-mail if you are more comfortable with that ( reeltruth1@aol.com ). Does that Beacon Rock State Park open to the boat launch area there early or is it gated off until daybreak? If open, how early would I have to get there in line there to get launched well enough before dark and get a parking spot? And the same questions about the other Washington side ramp up toward the dam (near the power lines?). Is it well marked and how early for that one? Which is the best alternative of those 2? Thanks so much - this is likely the only opp for me up there this season. - Steve (RT)

RT,
This is a little late fo rthe wed fishing but might help out later in the week. We were putting in at the North Bonneville ramp earlier in the year until we got tired of the crowd. If we were there by 5:30 it wasnt bad but after that the line started and that is a small ramp with limited parking. I dont know about beacon rock. Good luck and if you get up there you should get fish. Everthing is working upi there we fished 8 trips and landed 40+ fish.

Thanks for your feedback Firedog. We got into the already long N. Bonneville ramp line at 4:35 a.m. and didn't get to launch my sled until after it was light out! 6 somthing a.m., and the line got really long behind me. They were still launching after 8:00 or so. Guys were only launching single file. If that ramp were widened only a small amount they could go 2 boats at a time. ...

With the dam counts only around 1/3 of what they had been the fishing slowed quite a bit by all reports. I fished with 'Fly & SAUKit and it was the first time up there this season for all of us, so it took a little time to dial into what was working. Turns out that backbouncing just good egg clusters out in 35' to 40' of water were doing the best; no Spin N Glos on them - and the Kwikies were taking some too. 'Fly got 3 adipose fish and SAUK got us 1 keeper. I had one good head shake take and missed it then I just had to put down my backbouncer and fish with a diver and plug - way too many bumper boats and constant waves to fight with the tiller handle to be comfy continuing to bounce. We did get a few other takedowns w/o hooking up. I won't be back - at least until the counts are back up into 5 digits next season. What a cluster****. Hard to beat those red meated upper Col. springers though.

RT

Yes it was quite interesting and fun up there today, kudos to Steve for handling the boat so well while I was high fiving the guys in the boat next to us. Anyways reminds me of when I lived on Whidbey Island and the fishing was hot at Bush point, everyone playing bumper boats trying to get pole position. Anyways we started slow, but once I got us dialed in on the bounce/ hover techniche and slowed it down I had 3 fish in 3 passes, they don't really bite it hard , they just kind of lay on it and then you will feel the wieght of them followed by the slight shake and then you gotta smack em like a BEEEEEaaaaattttccchhhhhhh!!!!!
Oh and By the way,The shimano rep told me that the new improved corsairs were flawless and that I would be very happy with them. WRONG!!!!!! the first fish I had on siezed the drag and before I could get it to free spool snapped the 25 lb ultra green leader, yes it was a big Fish, almost took the rod from me when it siezed up, so they will be going back to were they came from.
Also be careful down there as for the coast guard and sherrif are writting tickets for open containers.
Peace Superfly

Believe me I know that crowd is frustrating. We were one of the first boats fishing that area this spring and had it to ourselves. Thought it was bad when ther were 30 boats in there. Was interesting how the backbouncing eggs started we we up there that day and the boat that started it ran out of sardines and decided to start bouncing eggs and were into fish pretty consistantly. After that bad crowdss got worse and we went down river. To hard to fish that with clients in the boat. We even had two of us taking care of things. Did just as good down there, got fish everyday and not near the stress. Tight lines

I fished between the oak tree and beacon rock.Hooked 6 landed 5 only one with out the fin missin.What a zoo.Good luck,
STRIKE ZONE

Six to the boat RT, two keepers in the boat
on spinners. I'm done up there too. To sum it up:

SHEET!