Sorry for not responding to your post on the "shuttle on the nooch". I've been out of town since i made it. But yes it does apply for the people that can't afford selds. But the majority of people i hear complaining about sleds are complaining because they sound have the commom sence and no better than to launch at the white bridge on the nooch and run up from there. I've seen guys do it when the water was so low i thought about not even drifting it myself. I'm no expert but it that can't be good for the river and the fish. I do believe there is a place and a time for both sleds and drift boats.

The other thing that got me is how can a new guy (like fishindude) within the last 100 to join out of 2300 members get on here and blow his horn. I know he has the right but for a new guy to come on and be as big of an ass as he was makes me want to scream. I don't want to fish next to guys like that. I too fish from the bank a lot. I've found that just asking if they could move down a little and being polite about it i've never had a problem. Just my .02

FM, I have a sled - but I agree with you that they should not be used in many places such as above Black Creek on the 'Nooch.

RT

What is it with guys that own drift boats, they think they walk on water, and own the rivers. I sure have gotten tired of hearing "S*** there is another bank maggot" and " Screw em, lets fish it anyway". I'm told quit my *****ing, I don't own the river. The next breath you say stay off the Nooch and the satsop. I can't row a drift boat due to back problems. I would love to be able to. I found a little 12' with a 25 pump on it. I will use it to get to the holes and still bank fish. My attituide wasn't formed by one person in a db, but by many. And your own comments prove it.

Fishndude

How come people always have to B**** about sleds. I used to be a bank maggot and yea some guys were always running over the top of the hole I was fishing but hey deal with it. On the other hand I have had guys come walkin out into the middle of the river after they watched me drift he hole a few times. Is that right no so remember there is always two sides of the story.
Steel out

I have a question. this summer when the river is low am I going to get yelled at for running up the river in the sled?
We can run the nooch at about 600 fps so I think I should be able to am I wrong for wanting to be able to fish. I cant walk to good right now considering I hurt my left knee or else I would bank fish.
Dances out

dances,

That depends on WHERE you are on the Nooch. Below the spillway is generally considered "sled water" and nobody is likely to say anything. Put in at the White bridge, and you'll be looking for trouble, or at least a bunch of angry glares.

fishindude,

Why would you buy a sled and then bank fish? Kinda defeats the purpose of having a sled, doesn't it? And before you throw a blanket of condemnation on ALL driftboaters, let me tell you something. I NEVER , repeat NEVER allow anyone in my db to fish in front of a bankie. Besides that, most of the goons I've encountered on the Nooch that try to step in on your hole were BANKFISHERS. That doesn't mean all bankies are chumps, but some are. So get off your "bankie high horse" and admit that there are bad apples in every bunch, and you just let your mouth get a little bit ahead of your thought process.

Here we go again with the bankie vs. boater bulls**t again. I fish off the bank and out of both driftboats and jetboats. When banking it I have more problems with other bankies than with boats. Thats why I prefer to fish out of my driftboat. And when Im fishing out of my driftboat other driftboaters and bankies are the problem. Rarely do I have a jetboater cause me any problems. People that are with me will ***** about a jetboat that happens to come by. I tell them to shutup unless I say something about it. The main reasons people whine about the other guy is ignorance and jealousy. True there are a few bad apples within each group, But for the most part all the *****ing and whining is uncalled for.

Dan S,There is nothing wrong with using your sled to get away from the masses and then bank fish.As often as not that is how I fish.The final straw for me was having my dog step on a shard of glass from a broken bottle some idiot left behind.I got her stitched up and bought a small sled.Do I blame all bankies? Of course not.A jerk is a jerk.Put him in a boat or on the bank it doesn't matter.It makes no sense to blame his behavior on what he is standing on.

Leadslinger,

You make good points. I guess a boat is a good way of finding some water for yourself. Still, it seems like you'd want to use the sled to present your bait, but I guess some folks just prefer to drift fish. If it "floats your boat", it's all good.

Thanks Dan.You may be right about using the sled to fish from.I like to walk around though.Its nice to walk some of the larger islands,take my time and let the dog burn off her insane energy level.She doesn't eat as many couches while I'm at work that way LOL.Can't say I'm setting any fish catching records but I like to fish this way.

'slinger,

I hear what you're saying. You can't expect to keep the ol' hound-dog happy being cooped up in a sled all day. Like I said, if you enjoy it, then it really doesn't matter what anybody else thinks.....after all, you're fishing to keep YOU happy

I stay below the White Bridge usualy at black creek and we run up to the barrier and then fish down but I still get alot of dirty looks from people when I am running up river. I learned that the boat can go in about 6 inches of water so I stay to the bank and try to stay off the hole people are fishing and I still get dirty looks and Bad names called at me.
Dances Out

Hey guys how many times have you hooked a fish shortly after a sled ran thru"your" hole? If you think a sled will spook the fish and put them off the bite think again! If that was the case how many fish would be caught on the Cowlitz? That sled that just blew thru the hole probably did you a favor.
I don't personally own a sled and my only gripe with the sled boys is this: don't do me a favor and slow down-keep that bad boy firewalled! Slow down and you'll wash the poor bankie right out of his waders!

Dances, I know how you feel. What I really like is when I pass someone in a driftboat that is ankered (staying as far away as possable) and they shake thier fists at me and yell. They think I should slow down. Wonder if they know who big the wake would be if I did. I own a drift boat also and always wave to a sledder that gives me room and buzzes past. He is just trying to keep the dissruption to a minimum.

Gentelmen, I'm sorry about lumping all of you in one bunch. I like bank fishing. With my back a boat will make it a lot eaiser to get from point A to point B. I really don't have any problems with other bankies down on these rivers. I don't go to the more crowded rivers because of the crowds. Hope all of you had a good opening day of fishing. I had too work.

Fishndude

fishndude,

I sympathize with you. This is the first opener I've missed in a decade.

It's just not right that a fisherman should have to have one of these evil things called "a job" to keep him or her off the rivers.

Good luck to you, and keep that line tight.

I'm a bankie, I always ask the guys in the boats what they've seen upriver and downriver from me.
I figure as popular as this sport is and as many people as there are around here I'm not gonna find a little hole to myself. I like people, it's one of the nice things about this sport, it's mainly the more down to earth type people.

well I had to miss opening day but thats ok
I will have lots of time to fish in the up comming weeks. notice I said weeks not weekends I hate to fish on the weekend because thats when the real idiots come out. Not sayin all people who fish on the weekends are idiots.
Hey BS
On the smaller rivers I have have hooked 6 or 7 fish in one hole only to see some sled comming up the river and run right over my fishing hole and then the bite was off. Not sayin tahts the case at all rivers just some of the ones I have fished
Dances Out

Baitslinger and BK, you are right on about the jetsled wakes; especially the flatbottom ones - they make a much bigger wake going slow, and also are in your hole much longer. I can't understand why some boaters on anchor can't see that. The ones that flip you off for just passing thru are shortsighted doughballs. As for the fish, some may get spooked briefly and others get energized and take it out on your lure. As I mentioned though, I do think there is a point at which sleds should not be used. In the case of the 'Nooch and other marginally sized rivers with lots of traditional driftboat and bankfisher pressure they should not go up there. If they want to fish those type rivers then stay down low where it's wider to avoid conflict and potential boating accidents, and leave the upper area pristine atmosphere in better condition. Same applies to such as the lower Satsop and Kalama (unless they put up a motor ban on the Kalama?). Fortunately, motors were banned several years ago on Oregon's coastal rivers above the Hwy. 101 areas. If they hadn't I am sure many selfserving guys would just push the envelope on up small rivers such as the Wilson and Trask to buzz up and start fishing on down just below the driftboaters. Not a good thing for the river bank erosion and gravel disturbance in such small rivers - and yes, not even ethical in light of the narrow passing lanes and long driftboat tradition there.

RT

RT, I think there is a ban on motors above Madrow. On the Kalama, is'nt there.