Well, since I've read the trash talking threads here and elsewere, I've been feeling kinda bad for all of you out of towners. I don't know if I should post this info or not, but I feel sooo bad for everyone up north that's never fished the big C for springers, that I will offer some of my secret local springer techs.

First off, these fish want to eat meat. Yes, meat. Not Plastic. So, bring out the herring. And, since we're going to have a weigh in, nothing smaller than purple label herring should be used. The only thing red and green label herring will catch are little 12lb. cookie cutter throwbacks (culls). So, big bait=big fish=big bragging rights.

Now, the local secret is in the brine. Yeah sure, regular out of the package herring will catch a fish or two, but this is a contest, and we don't have all season to tally up numbers to see who wins, so you gotta have the secret brine.

First start with a good base. This will be a liquid base. Do not use distilled water, It is too pure. You need local (preferably dirty) water. These fish have entered the columbia river and are used to smelling and breathing all kinds of nasty stuff. So, nothing other than columbia river water will do, especially if it comes from the lower 60 miles.

Now that you have a good base you need to add ingredients. Depending on run off, or local flood ing these ingredients may change. The key to brines is to be flexible and have a couple of batches ready to match current conditions.

One ingredient that I use in all my brines is pure dioxin (Dioxin is nasty stuff, so always wear gloves, and dont let it touch you skin!) Dioxin can be obtained at you local paper mills. Vary the amount of dioxin based on the river flows.

Next you need chlorine. Not just regular bleach, but the nasty stuff used in the pulp bleaching process. Millions of gallons of this stuff are in the river at any given time, and must be included in your brine to give the most "natural" presentation.

Now for the "secret" part of the brine. This is the strike enhancer. Nothing pisses off ol' Mr. Blackmouth like a big ol' turd. So, if the Portland sewer system is a flowing, you gotta have a little bit of this stuff in your brine. Last year it wasn't as critical because of lower water levels, but this year it will be HUGE!

Remember ,I said to be flexible, so if you're not getting bit on the dioxin/chlorine combo, you may have to add a bit of "strike enhancer". Don't ask me how I do it, it can get a bit messy. But be creative.

Hopefully these hints will help some of you not familiar with this fishery. If I'm feeling real generous I may give out some details closer to the event on how to "match the hatch" when the run of willamette river jellyfish are in.

Good Luck to all, :p

Aaron

Good one Aaron, now how are we going to compete with it all laid out on a silver platter for them..
Keith

Are those jelly fish your referring to the ribbed kind or the infamous "French Tickler" variety? Conditions on the Willamete have to be just right for this hatch to occur.

Jellyhead : I've found that if you can catch an inbound frieghter at ,let's say Astoria,before he has pumped out his bildge.You can usually talk one of the deckhands into letting you visit the shaft alley .It's up to you what to offer but the key is "Be Flexible"A couple of gallons of that bilge water will usually last me a season.That is ,for me the best base for the brine.
I also,sometimes will hang a condom on the trailing hook.You need to make as natural a presentation as possible. Don't tell anyone about that one.
Maybe you would like to go with me next time?

Keith I learned some of the best tips from Ron Biggs he used to fish Lewis for springers alot. What he taught me has helped me catch my fair share of those fat tasty springers.Just thought you might have known him!!

Cooter,

I take it you've witnessed the "jellyfish" run before The ones that springers really key in on are the ones that have soaked up water and expanded to 3 times normal size, (remember big bait=big fish )

I don't want to get too specific on tech's for the jellyfish run yet. But I will offer one hint....RESERVOIR TIP

Aaron

Hey Jelly, you're on my team dude. Don't be given any Wassies the 'inside tips'. Especially the one about the brown trout brine additive for the higher water this spring. Because most of them are going to be sh!tt!ng when they see how many springers we are catching right and left - and in the middle too. Now they're gonna crap their brine instead of their pants! And catch a lot of the Willamette bound fish because of it. Geeeeeez. And the purple killer herring tip too. At least you didn't tell them about plugcutting smaller shad for trolling hog springers into the boat.

Dang it.... I was hopeing the FRESH herring I was gonna bring would work,
hey if If feed it to my cat,then wait till she drops it in her box ...Hey that might work,then I'll be fising the same $hit as you Oregoons are ......Os

Fishtale,
Ron Biggs is a great friend of mine, and one heck of a guy!! He knows James and I very well from the lewis and has fished with us a few times on the lewis.
He's one you can listen too for good info plus a great sense of humor, as he's got many of years out there and fishes a lot.
Keith

Sorry RT, I was just trying to throw these guys a bone

Well, due to the overwelming amount of e-mail response I got on this thread from people unfamiliar with these brines, and wanting specifics of the brines, I decided to post the exact recipies here for them. Here are my two favorite brines...

"SUPERFUND BRINE"

1/2 gal. of Columbia river water
1 tbsp. Pure Dioxin
1 tbsp. Pure Chlorine
1 tbsp. Ground lead paint chips
1 cup rock salt

Let herring sit in this overnite, then fish next day. Be sure to use proper safety gear while mixing this concoction

Here's another one...

"MR. HANKEY BRINE"

1 gal. Columbia river water
1/2 tbsp. dioxin
1/4 cup chopped raw peanuts (or you can sub whole corn kernals )
1/4 cup raw sewage

Let sit over nite, and make sure you have your current hepitis shots before handling this stuff

These should get everyone on the right track

Aaron