Well with the River closed Sun-Tue had to take the day off and fish wednesday. Fished an area above Willow Grove and it was Hot! we had a group of us that contained 5 boats, 12 lines in the water and we caught 26 Springers, 6 of which were Natives released and 20 Keepers. I got my limit with a 16lb 10oz and a 19lb 12 oz. Really liked this new spot, as with our 5 boats included, there were only about 12 boats total fishing this area. And from what I heard, and judging by the Willow Grove boat launch, the more popular spots were packed!


Any other reports from the Columbia yesterday?? Interested in how some of the other area's fished.

Sweeet! Got any pictures you wanna show us?

Easy,
I have a new theory on Digital Cameras in the boat, I think it's kind of like having Bananas! Took the Camera on my first two trips this year and skunkola! Decided to change the luck this time and left it at home....Bam, the bites on! But I'll probably take it with me on next Wednesday's trip, so hopefully I'll be able to post the resulting pictures from that trip!!

Is the camera yellow? If the camera is bringing you bad luck you may want to take it back.

Fished at river mile 43, just below the grain elevator at mouth of Kalama Wednesday morning. For 30 boats in the area anchored with kwikies or trolling with herring I only saw four fish landed, two being native. Saw two additional take downs. NOTHING for my boat.

Someone was telling me about that ramp at Willow Grove; said it was really nice. Can you send me directions to it? And how about a general idea where and how you were fishing? I've got a really bad case of skunk on my boat and can't seem to get rid of it.

Thanks.

Go Harley,
Willow Grove Boat Launch is on the west side of Longview. Head out thru Longview on HWY 4 and as you leave town take a left on Coal Creek rd and watch for the Boat Launch sign on your right. It is a great launch, tons of parking and gets tons of use. $5 fee to launch there. We were fishing up river from there by the Rainier Bridge with Herring Hoods right off the bottom in 12-20 ft of water. Hope next wednesday is just as good as I plan on being back down there then!

Had a buddy fishing over at the mouth of the Kalama yesterday, trolling in a Smokercraft Lodge. Said he picked up a 14 pounder around 3pm but had seen only one other kept. I just wonder if all those dang sealions have something to do with the slow fishing there this year. Normally that area is a good producer.

Are there a lot of sealions down where you were? We were pestered all day on wednesday, and lost a nice one to the sealions. Second one lost to a seal this year. I may have to look for a new spot.

SH,
Were you by Kalama??? That is why we went to a new area, there are just too many sealions hanging around Kalama. We didn't see a single seal or sealion all day!! Can't wait for next wednesday, hitting again!

I've found out that forgetting the camera is one the the sure fire ways to hook fish. The other of course is forgetting the net. DOH. I'll be down right after I get my gobbler.

We lost three of our six fish last week to sea lions, down by Puget Is. its starting to effect, effect, effect me!

For any of you that fish the Willamette, there was a heck of a squirt of fish coming through thurs and friday. About 3 miles upriver from the sellwood bridge, the neighbor and his buddy brought nine to the boat on friday to get
their non-nats. I don't think it gets much better than that. No, I don't know what they were using for bait.

Just got back from Cathlamet where I spent the last 3 days. Fish were way less numerous than last weekend but still pretty nice - we would up with 3 20 pound keepers for 3 days plus some more wild fish released and even more fish crackered off, including one that took a 3 foot leap, zeroed in on the leader like a smart bomb, came down on it with open mouth, and sliced it off clean Also tons of sea lions, and I got one fish that had a gash nearly clear around it's belly and was trailing guts - still ate the herring though

I also hear from a reliable source that the river may be shut down for good after today - between the overharvest by the commercials, the pittance we possibly injured by releasing them, and huge allocation that has to be dedicated to upriver tribal non-selective fishing impacts the allowable impact on upriver ESA fish has been exceeded. We'll know by Tuesday so they say

UMRules,

I've been fishing up above the Rainier bridge. Lots of seals, but have been hammering the fish. 23 in the boat so far. Just losing a few to the sealions along the way. Fished one day over at Kalama, went 5 for 11 there. There are plenty of fish, just gotta have the Hilton mojo working for them.


On the run closure, I did an estimate, posted over on Ifish, that I think indicates that we may see the season continue.