Several folks have asked about Flotilla 4. This is Gizmo's (Walt's) baby, but I'll try to answer a few of the more general questions.

We will be meeting at Sand Island directly across from St. Helen's after fishing. We have been looking to pick a date (a Saturday) that has a low slack tide near mid-day since most folks fish the outgoing tide for springers in the Columbia. The thinking is that everybody is on their own until we all get together for a big party near or after low slack.

There are acceptable tides on March 1 (low at 3:33 PM), March 16 (low at 2:43 PM) and March 30 (low at 2:27 PM). I believe that Spring Break in Portland is the week of March 23-31. That may not favor that Saturday. March 1 is probably too early to ensure that the nets will be out, so the date will likely be either March 16 or 30. My vote would be to have the event on March 16, though that may find us with nets in the river yet. We'll see. Walt and Keith (Stlhdr1) will make an executive decision on this. I am merely their humble servant and bait boy.

This area fishes a huge number of boats of all kinds and sizes. The mouth of the Lewis River is excellent for springers, and people fish that in 12-footers, drift boats with electric motors, all sizes of prop boats, 30-footers or bigger (anchored), etc. Very productive multiple hog lines set up at this location, and good trolling is also available.

Bachelor Island is only about a half mile upstream of Sand Island. It is on the Washington side and is a popular area for trollers, hogliners and plunkers (off the beach). There you will find many hoglines and boats of all sizes.

Just upstream from Sand Island is the popular troll/plunk area at Warrior Rock off the North Unit of Sauvie Island and the mouth of the Multnomah Channel (trolling). These are on the Oregon side.

Downstream from Sand Island is the Marker 72 (Oregon) and Picket Fence (Washington) hogline and trolling areas.

All of these locations are within about a mile from Sand Island, which will be our picnic and gathering spot. There is excellent mooring space and toilet facilities at Sand Island.

Boat launching facilities will include St. Helens itself (a stone's throw from our party spot), Beebe's, Pekin Ferry and several other places in the lower Lewis (0.5-1 mile from our party) and I'm sure several other places on the Oregon side.

Walt and Keith will be adding a whole lot more info about this event in the near future.

Done with flotilla 3.5 Bring on 4 had really good time anybody thinkin about attending flotilla 4 I highly recommend it. It was a reel class act down the clackamas Sat. The columbia will put out alot fish and make some great storys. Last year off the mouth of the lewis had a couple 10 fish days with one almost goin 35lbs.Hope to see ya all there.

I couldn't go to 3.5 (guess I didn't miss good fishing from what I heard). But these are more than fishing. Lots of fun at the after fishing get togethers. Flotilla 4 should be the best yet! With 350,000 springers headed thru there and 60% fin clipped for harvest, compared to last spring's 40%, we should have no shortage of spring chinook steaks for the BBQ and brew on Sand Island afterward. Hope to see you there. Let's dump a 5 gallon bucket of Gatorade on Giz for headin up this big one for us; with help from Jack and Keith.

RT

I don't know what Walt wants to do, because I haven't had the chance to discuss it with him or others but my vote would be to have the Flotilla 4 as close to the end of March as possible. This way we can hopefully avoid the nets and the later we get out there the better the run return will be. I'm really looking forward to meeting everyone on this board and I'm sure others look forward to it also so hopefully everyone will have the opportunity to make it out to this one.. As mentioned, it should be a great fishery and with the phenominal return this year everyone will have the opportunity at some springers.. For those who haven't fished this fishery feel free to email me or I will start another topic to help those who haven't fished this fishery understand what it takes to get into some fresh springers in March.
It will be tons of fun and we'll figure out some stuff to give away for the largest springer(s) plus the most springers by a boat to the dock... Perhaps there will be some other categories we can give gifts away for.
Let's all work together to make this the best Flotilla yet and reality is this will be the first I will participate in.
I plan to have some Ultimate Egg Cure ready for some of the give-away prizes....
Keith

Some have even suggested a date in April. The next Saturday with a mid-day low slack tide is April 13 (2:47 PM), then another on April 27 (2:23 PM). So the possible event dates would be March 16, March 30, April 13 or April 27. All have similar tidal changes and low slack times.

All times are corrected for St. Helens....BUT... Would someone please doublecheck the tides I posted to make sure that my 7-year-old tides CD is accurate? Man I would hate to be responsible for screwing up the tides and facing 200 PO'ed springer fishermen at Sand Island! Ugly thought.

[ 01-21-2002: Message edited by: Thumper ]

When are you going to take the head count? Put me down for 1 boat with 2 guys.Are most gonna stay in Woodland? Are we fishing any water on Ore. side that I'm going to need an Ore. lic. for?
Fished Lewis last year for Springers....what a blast!

I would vote for 3/30 or 4/13. Good timing for combined good fishing and weather prospects. Heck, the winning boat is likely going to have to be determined by an 8 springer weigh off.

I think the regs are still that you can fish either state's side of the lower Columbia with just a Wash. license or just an Oregon license. The only place that will need an Oregon specific license near this F4 event will be for fishing up into the Willamette; the lower channel just up from St. Helen's, or for long runners the mainstem up from Kelly Point.

We should be able to get enough prize sponsors to be able to have a raffle drawing after the biggest 3 prizes go to the top finshers? There are going to be alot of boats/participants! I can get a gift certificate for Amato Publications for one of the prizes, to add to Keith's Ultimate Egg Cure bottles. How about some of you rod and tackle companies? Hey, do ya think Willie will donate one of his new 21' Predator sleds for the boat with the most springers? [no Steve] Oh. What other kinds of tackle can we come up with from sponsors?

It would be a good idea for those with bigger sleds that can bring BBQs along to alert Gizmo, Jack, or Keith (via e-mail or posts). Same for other picnic type items needed. ... It was mentioned recently on the BB here that the only dumb question is that which goes unasked. In light of that, would it be reasonable to have a keg or two of draft beer sitting on ice at St. Helen's Marina to bring over for the 3:00 (or 4:00) BBQ party? Only for guys with designated boat and truck drivers? Or byobandmeat?

RT

Some possible changes to be aware of since the F4 proposal was first posted here on Piscatorial's BB. After nominated organizer Gizmo posted that no websites will become the designated main sponsor of Flotilla 4, that scenario is in the process of a possible change of mind. To my knowledge, F4 has only been posted about on 2 large NW fishing websites - here first, then on ifish. Apparently, the ifish administrator has come in wanting to make F4 an "Ifish" event. It's nice that Jack named F4 'The Really Big One' after our Bob here. But my 0.02 cent opinion is that if there is a change of mind by Gizmo, that it be a combined Piscatorial/Ifish event. Opinions?

RT-
Don't know about the PP/ifish stuff, but I would like to make a head count soon.. Perhaps we can all vote on this thread for a date to go. As mentioned earlier the later we decide the more fish there will be to be caught. I'd prefer no earlier than March 30th. But let's have a vote..
Keith

My first post here...have been reading for a long time. I would hope that the two primary NW websites could pull off a very fun day of fishing. I will plan on being there with a couple of friends. I took a guided trip last year and we fished out of Cathlamet. It was a great day with three rods keeping or releasing a total of 17 fish! That is the only area I know, can I fish there, trailer the boat and make the barbecue?

doc

Welcome aboard Fishdoc. And nice day down in Cathlamet last spring! But since you caught 17 springers one day there in your honey hole, I vote that Cathlamet is ruled out of F4. Naah, jk (just kidding). That's up to Giz, Jack, and Keith - unless they get outvoted by a majority of participants? Lots of fish will be everywhere in the entire lower Columbia, Cath. to Bonny, March 30th or April 13th - which ever gets voted in. I would think fishing it wherever should be fine? More fun if the majority are fishing in near vacinity though. ... Wait a minute - FishinMission Mark has too good a honey hole above the I-5 bridge, so I'm back to voting in vacinity only again. Naaah.

BTW, the 3 organizers are all from Washington. Two of them post a lot on this BB. Let's get some more of you guys trash talkin it up in this thread; like for the F3 event. And voting in your date preference between the 3/30 or 4/13. They are doing a lot of that in this same thread on the other board and made it a long one. Can you Wassies catch Columbia springers and beach party it up or what?

[ 01-23-2002: Message edited by: RT ]

By the way, RT, the Ifish administrator did not suggest that F4 be an Ifish event at all. Jenny, Walt and I discussed the event at F3.5 and she suggested that it be promoted on both boards since it might be possible to make it even more successful with involvement of the sponsors on both boards. Again you go out of your way to bash Jenny. Not fair.

Date doesn't matter to me as long as I get to go fishing. Anyone going to help me out?

Matt

Sure Matt, we'll make sure you get into a boat. There will be lotsa room.

Count me in, whatever the date.

I'm ready to spank some springers. This is my back yard. My team will have the home court advantage.

Herring, CHECK

Mooching rigs, CHECK

Kwickfish, CHECK

Yup, I'm ready to go!

Look for the 16' skeeter bass boat, with livewells overflowing with fat springers!

Aaron

I have an 18' Seaswirl, down riggers, etc. and room for three others. It is a prop boat, any issues with that? Sounds like an opportunity to get out. I'm tentatively in.

Jack and Aunty and Jennie, please excuse the slip. But allow me to express it wasn't a bash at her, because trying to promo it as an Ifish or Piscatorial event is a good business move. Nothing wrong with that, so no bash. I just was looking out for Piscatorial interests. I wasn't aware she contacted Bob about the idea?

(Aunty, I'm having trouble getting past step 2 in the program. I need to call my sponsor Jeff. Sorry, I'll try harder.). ...

I forgot it was posted on steelheader. Can you put up a reminder post there Aunty. Thanks.

[ 01-23-2002: Message edited by: RT ]

RT --- I don't know whether or not she contacted Bob. I merely pointed out that she did not propose this event as an Ifish event. She favored having both boards involved.

Thanks Jack. I had the wrong impression that it was for exclusive ifish sponsorship of the event. For that I appologize to Jennie for not finding out if she had plans to include Piscatorial; or other websites. ... In fact, it's time I put up a thread to explain and appologize for some other mistakes that I have made - mostly recently.

Steve

No Jack you are dead wrong I'll tell you what's not fair and maybe you will finally open your eyes and realize what type of person it is you "go out of your way" to defend. Email me for the "real truth"