Hi guys (and gals),

I just got a nice little , 12 foot, jon boat from Spike and I have a little kicker, 6hp, that should send this 120lb boat screaming. Is the Cowlitz calm enough in the areas that you don't see from shore to take this boat out in? I also have access to a Honda 10hp as well. The boat is rated for a 10hp max.

The boat has a 48" beam and 16" of freeboard with a nice slope in the bow. My kicker will push my 4,000lb 18 foot boat at about 5 mph, so I figure that I can get at least 20mph or more from the combo. I will know more when I am done with the repair work on the boat, all minor, and check it by GPS.

Is this a venture that I should not even think of attempting, or should I go ahead and give it a shot? I remember the comments about the canoe and know that I would not float the river in one of those because of the sleds. Thanks in advance.

Andy

I saw a couple of guys go down past blue creek in a 14 foot row boat once. It didn't look like a very good idea. There is a little more current there than you may think.
At the least it could easily cost you a prop.My brother used to live beside that river and at least one person a year got into trouble because they though it was such a calm river. If you are not ready it can surprise you! Good luck.

My dad and I fished summer runs about 15 years ago from the I-5 boat launch down river a half mile or so in a 12' klamath with a 6hp long shaft. It was dicey in a few places because of the long shaft, but we did ok. I personally wouldnt attempt blue creek with a prop. The first corner at the clay bank is fast and shallow.

Andy, personally I think you'll be safe if you launch up at the Barrier Dam boat launch, hang out up around that water. I personally wouldn't take your boat more than a 1/2 downstream from there. Anything after that, with these super low flows, you'll lose a prop, or possibly more.

The salmon stack up below the barrier launch, so at least you'd be cool for them.

Hay Andy,

Take HEY YALL advice. It will be OK for you to lunch at the barrier dam, but don't go down river very far. It gets pretty hairy about a half mile down, i.e. lots of skinny water with big boulders every ware! The other areas you might be able to use your 12 foot boat is the area just above the Toutle river where dumps into the Cowlitz.. There is lots of calm, deeper water up there, but you almost need to know someone to lunch in that area. Maybe you can lunch your 12 foot boat at the mouth of the Cowlitz and fish out at Carol's Slue area.

This time of the year, there are lots of steelhead and a few really nice big up river bight Salmon that hang around out there. Every year, I see lots of 12 footers trolling or anchored up fishing the out going tides. The one thing that you must watch out for if you lunch at Gearhart's Garden Boat Ramp is the sand bars! Lots of sand bars all the way out to the mouth, but if you follow the guys out that know the water, it will be a piece of cake. Just take your time the first time out.

Good luck

Cowlitzfisherman

Is the taste of the bait worth the sting of the hook????

Hey Andy,
I've fished the Cowlitz from the Barrier Dam to I-5 with my 12ft Valco and a 25HP Johnson with a jet. My boat is rated for 15 hp and I get about 15 hp at the pump. It works fine, but I would not want any less power going up Blue Cr corner, or any of the fast water above the trout hatchery. I think if you stay down by the Toutle, with a small prop job, you'll be OK. I haven't fished down below the Toutle since the mountain blew, but the fall before, we hammered the kings and silvers, freedrifting and tossing golf tee spinners.
Mitch

I've seen small boats in the Cowlitz and they appeared to do OK. Like everyone says, be very wary of the Blue Creek area, (as in Don't) but there's a lot of water you can do at and above the launch. I-5 to Olequah should be do-able, and I havent seen the water up close from Olequah to Castle Rock, but the gradient of the river doesnt look too bad.