Drano Lake
Boat anglers, if your not intimidated by close quarters trolling Drano Lake is the place to be. Call off sick for this one. It's going to be a crowded nightmare this weekend.

I saw at least a boat per fish, many people limiting out by 9 am, fish being caught all day long. Of course most of the action was prior to 830 am. Get out on the water early. Try running whole shrimp behind a spin-n-n glow at about 15-17 ft near the bridge, or troll herring out in the middle of the lake. Fish were being caught on plugs, herring, spinners, shrimp, and probably cut-plug pickles. Use the smallest herring you can find. 12,500 fish expected to return to this tiny impoundment off the Columbia. I bet there are 3-5 k of them in the lake now.

Ron Holt limited out 4 people the day I was there by 730 am. If you want a guided trip on Drano it might be a short day, but good chance of going home with a loaded cooler.

clancysfishing@localaccess.com
Reservations: 1-800-871-9549
Office: 360-262-9549

Not recommended that you take your 8'6 purple pontoon and trolling motor out amongst the hordes. The wind kicked my pontoon and my ass. I felt like a wet purple twinkie floating in a log jam.


Wind River


When the numbers finally come out, I expect the catch rates will be almost as good as the Wind River. This if from word of mouth, and the only word I heard was that the catching was good. Again, be prepared and be out on the water by very early light !4:45 AM! not 8AM. Boaters were taking the majority of the fish as is expected.


N Fk Lewis


Small change of plans and ended up fishing this Monday evening, and Tuesday morning/afternoon. Tuesday morning was a very slow bite. I had fantastic company however, as Clancy Holt was my guide for the morning. Learned a few new surprising tricks (secrets, so don't ask me, book a trip instead).

Clancy Holt & Ron Holt
Reservations: 1-800-871-9549
Office: 360-262-9549

We only bonked one fish. Clancy said it was his slowest day this month, and a big change from the day before. I hung around after the trip, and fished the afternoon and was off the water by 6 pm (dead trolling battery). A slow bite at the hatchery hole and also downstream. People WERE catching fish. It just wasn't as great a bite as was in previous days. I'm guessing another messload of fish is due the next few days. If you know this water, probably now is a good time to go. Looking at the numbers I'm expecting this is near peak of the Springer run.



Kalama


No fish in this river. Lots of smolts, tweakers, and angry white folk. Lots of disappointment. Salmon starved little children crying on the banks, and fathers screaming out "Why us Lord, oh why have you taken the fishes away, oh God, oh God, oh God. My poor hungry children." The sounds of the bodies of mothers repeatedly hitting the ground as they tryed to leap to their deaths from the roofs of their one story trailer homes.

It was very distracting. And if I see you out there this week I'm gong to yell at you for not reading my report.


Good Luck. Lurkers, If these reports are helpful let me know.


Mike L, I left my phone and your address at home While I was packing at 3 am. I might make it around this week. Thank you for holding on to my tackle. You should have tagged a few fish this week. I'll want to see pics.

Vhawk.

thanks for the beta...

Is it worth it to bring a driftboat to the wind, or is it strickly a trolling deal? (i've fished it twice from the bank upstream, but thats it) bankies catch fish there?
ps- i don't have 150 yds of cable on my winch for lowering into the canyon(!?), nor does it look runnable in MY willieboat...any advice (including bank fishing beta) would be helpful. The wind looks like it would be fun to fish with a wetsuit and IK...

The info I have on the Wind is all second hand, other then the 20 minutes I spent glassing boats from the highway watching people catch fish. I do know that the driftboats were having some trouble on Drano because of the winds.

Kalama is on fire right now. I don't get it. Whatever.

JK
I think he was being a little tongue in cheek.

Now that's a fishing report. Thanks Vince!

Ike

Good job Vince!! I have fished with Ron before on Drano and he wroked very hard for us. He is a Dam good fisherman.

Great report! Thanks for the tips.

However, I'm not sure about the Kalama. I was there on Wednesday morning. I didn't get a hit. Most anglers I talked with didn't either. A couple boats that drifted past indicated they had a hit or two right at sunrise but they didn't have any fish either. My assessment was that a bunch of springers came into the river last weekend but they have since spread out throughout the river. Fishing was hit or miss. Mostly miss.

And definately do NOT go to the Cowlitz!

Those are pretty fish. What did you hit them on? I'd like to hit the Cow again in the sled.

Nice report, nice to know there are some fish around.

And never never ever us a brined herring with a black diver back trolled between mission and olequa

Welcome to the NFL my friend. Super hot one day, super slow (for most) the next. The true regulars seem to grind out the limits, hot or not. Just got be willing to switch things up a bit on the days the fish are not super fresh and suicidal and biting any retarded bait that comes in front of their faces.

I'm laughing at your "surprsing tricks" comment above.

After your "surprising trick" comment that coho will actually bite a sardine wrapped K-15 on the Hump (oh crap, sorry about giving that secret away! ), I'm truly dying to know what you think a "surprising trick" is!

Come on, teach this Old Dog something new and surprising on the NFL!

Parker
Just talk to Keith his knows the special brine
I am sure he got it from the fellows down on the
NFL. He helped try to revive the person that gave it to me!! Or just ask Clancey if it works!!