I plan on going camping down on the cow, and would like to know if its worth fishin?

try checking at gamefishin.com, ask cowlitzriverfisherman, he lives down there and keeps up on whats going on, he was banned from here for trying to correct an error that the commision made.

who needs a cowlitzfisherman when you

got the fat-cow-fisherwoman...

he he he...

Just a joke aunty!

Geez Aunty...

Your new new avatar just cracked me up.... damn, I spit tea all over my keyboard!

Got me thinking about changing my avatar.... just not sure that the hanging banana thing does anything for my image.
:p

I wouldn't worry about the Bananas FnP... The udders would totally blow it for me...

Anyone doing any good at barrier? How about near I-5? Thinking about going down on friday.

By the way, is it true you can't fish by boat in the area of barrier? Anyone know what the distance is?

I'm pretty sure you have to be below mill creek in a boat.

Geez AuntyM -Whats next?

I think U need to spend some time on the water.

Well here it go river was up yesterday drop to 4000cfs this morning. no fishing above Mill creek in a boat.People put boat in and go to other side and fish and are doing good.Last wednesday one guy had 5 springer.I got a early summer run in front of the boat ramp small egg sack.Friday got a 20 pound springer so fishing is picking up on the cow.For more info call the Barrier Dam Campground 360-985-2495

Thanks for the info

Also..the southside of the river from Mill Cr to the dam closes to bank fishing this Saturday (May 1- June 15).
Why do they do this? They close the other side of the river and keep the deadline at 400ft so all those nice hatchery springers can sit up there in that deep pool and rot

RL

RL,

I didn't know about that. Maybe WDFW closes that section to ensure that they get enough escapement into the fish separator to meet their broodstock requirements. WDFW seems to want us to catch fish on the Cowlitz, so it hardly seems they're adopting regulations that result in fish rotting in the river.

It's nice to hear that more springers are showing up now.

Sincerely,

Salmo g.

Salmo,
Im sure that has something to do with it. However, a few years back one of the gamies told us they moved the deadline back to discourage snagging in the deep pool below the dam. So their logic is punish all for the actions of a few (rather than enforce the regs on the abusers). This really pissed me off because those fish WILL eat eggs under a float.
Also, swing by there later in the season and see for your self how many rotting carcasses (whole fish...not filleted) there are....long after the broodstock requirements are met. The same thing applies here during the fall run.

RL

RL,

Finally got a chance to go after some fish with that rod I got from you (was still in steel mode)... Fished down one river or so from the Cow hit a nice springer! Felt good to have a little more backbone for the fight. Thanks!

RL,

Aha. Yeah, sometimes agents request a reg change as a means of coping with an enforcement problem like snagging. Keep it in mind as a future reg change, asking that the Commission not require legal anglers to shoulder the enforcement burden caused by snaggers. They'd listen to the logic that excess hatchery salmon should be angled for and hopefully caught and that enforcement should bust snaggers.

Aunty M,

Your new avatar is making me dizzy, and it ain't a pretty thing! Sorta' like when I get seasick.

Sincerely,

Salmo g.

Salmo,
Next time I stop by there Im gonna talk with the FOC folks up at the store...I need to re-new my membership anyways. I sure would like to float some eggs through that pool again.

Tahoe,
Glad it worked out for you...think I know which river your talkin about. Give me a call when you get chance...summer runs are coming.

Aunty,
The avtar is toooooo much. Nice sense of humor.

RL

That side of the river is closed becuse of all the snagging.Know fish spawn in that water up there.All so fish are truck up river to the upper Cowlitz,Tilton,Cispus.

whats a good way to catch those critters

Weighted Trebles!
I'd wait till later in the season when they stack up reeel good... They smoke better when they're a little darker anyway



J/k... I havn't fished them in years myself. Back in the day from a boat we back trolled herring or eggs/shrimp and a spinglow.

From the bank I would go with the eggs under a bobber. This seems to be the least possibility of snagging...

Before they lowered the sign I nailed three nice sprigers on 1/4 ounce jigs in one hour. too bad there so into protecting those hatchery fish we paid for just to have them turn black before they open it back up on the other side .Talked to Don Glaser at the barrier dam tackle shop, we both got all riled up and pissed off about the wdfw management of the cowlitz hatchery fish. I apologized to his wife Karen for giving fuel to the coals before I left and went bass fishing up at riffe for the rest of the day.

Please don't get Don all upset he feel the pain.I could be wrong but 90% sure that Tacoma Power pays all the cost at the hatchery but not the state work wages at both hatcherys

Micro 101,

Tacoma Power pays all the operations costs at the Cowlitz Hatcheries, including about 25 full-time WDFW staff employees. Those hatchery fish aren't costing you a thing.

If you don't like the regulation, maybe get together with RockLizard and ask the WDFW Commission not to burden lawful anglers with the burden caused by snaggers. If WDFW agents bust enough people there for snagging, angling behavior would probably change. If not, well then Lewis County could probably use the money from citations.

Sincerely,

Salmo g.