Ok, I'm going to start springer fishing for the first time this year, starting in 3-weeks. Probably fishing the lower Columbia, Cathlamet area to start, from a boat. Do they use the dyed prawn w/spinner in the lower river too like they do higher up, or is it mostly herring or wrapped kwikfish in the lower river? It's not exactly a zipper-lip location.... Anyone have some recomendations for where to start down there? Does kwikfish color make much differance? (Chrome/chartreuse is what I hear the most)

Going down there tomorrow myself Basically you have your hog-liners and trollers. I'm a troller myself and can only speak about what works for me, which is big plug-cut herring fished on a 5-6 foot leader behind a trolling rudder with an 18" dropper and 4-5 ounces. I fish dead slow, into the current, and keep the lead dragging on the bottom. I prefer the incoming tide, and except at slack tides I fish the shallow flats - some of the best fishing I had last year occurred in 3 feet of water - why I don't know - springers are crazy

fishingtoo,

There's too many good techs for springers to fit here, even in a long post. (I have lots of springer techs in my STS column in the upcoming April/May issue, due out in about 3 weeks). But I'll give you a little feedback on it. The pink or red prawns will work in the lower Columbia real well; especially cured properly. I like to put a 2" piece of spinner wire in them to get a slight crescent curved shape, and put them on the same double hook herring rigs. They get better action by hooking them on the less common way of head facing upriver against the current. The key is putting the upper hook thru their face and curled out the thorax, then either using some leader loop or red bait wrapping thread to keep the head snugged to the upper hook shank. Then curl the lower hook thru the underside tail meat. You usually get a great action spin that is deadly for springers from the lower Col., Willamette, and lower Wind/Drano. It also works well backtrolling this rig up with Jet Planers on big trib rivers such as the Cowlitz, NF Lewis, and Clackamas. With the expected colder, higher, and more colored water this spring, I suggest putting a small Spin N Glo above a bead on the upper hook. Or an in-line plastic clevis spinner blade works great too. This rig up works better than those pre-rigged long wire with spinner blades for prawns because the prawn itself gets great action; and the head hood stays on longer with it faced against the current. ... Herring works great too, of course. I like using small red pack whole ones; but the popular thing is to plug cut green or blue pack sized herring. I usually use about a 2 ft. lead dropper to troll the incoming tide, and anchor fish the outgoing tide; depending on the current of the area being fished. With the Kwikfish, use K-14/15's, or the new K-13's, in the chrome with chartreuse tail. Also, use the search feature to find my posts on "RT's Injured Baitfish" custom painted pattern (works great!). With the water colder and more colored this year they are likely to be caught in closer to shore. Or close in to the islands of the lower river - such as across from the Cathlamet boat basin you're going out of. I've caught them in as shallow as 5 ft., but prefer fishing in 10' to 25' deep water, depending on location. Keep your trolling slow, but with good action on your bait or plugs. With 350K of 'em coming thru and about 60% clipped for harvest this spring, you should be BBQing a lot the next couple months or so!

Thanks for the info S-Out & RT. Started my tackle shopping today, hope to fire up the BBQ by end of the month! I'll look forward to your article in STS.