U rock Cowlitz Kid...I sent u an email...thanks a zillion!!!!!

The Toutle River is closed, but the cowlitz at the mouth of the Toutle is open? Sorry, but I just needed verification...My attourney is out of town.

J.K. yes the toutle is closed tell June 1. I sent you a E-Mail.

Looks like them springers are going to be a bit easier to get at soon at the barrier. Tcl wants to lower the river to 3000 cfs so they can fill riffe by memorial day weekend. Nevermind the "native" fry in the river right now!

:rolleyes:

Micro,

Bummer. Not for the native fry, however, as there aren't many of those (wild ones anyway). However, a healthy spring flow makes for higher survival of both the hatchery and wild smolts leaving the system now. Was down there today, and it's crawlin' with hatchery steelhead smolts. I saw lots of guys shakin' them off their lines. I'd like to see the smolts move on out, as fast as possible, and high water tends to speed up their migration. Besides, 5,000 cfs has made for some good fishing conditions this past month or so.

Oh, one thing the smolts weren't hitting was 7" plug cut herring.

Sincerely,

Salmo g.

Salmo g. herring dog you herring dog go it am.

salmo g were u fishing from a boat? I fished the mouth of Toutle Thursday nite and didnt see any rolling or anything, however I couldnt really fish it that well cuz i had hip waders on and could have used chestwaders to get out to the bar...Thanks again Cowlitz Kid for the lead. I think the next couple months I'm gonna do most of my fishing down there and see how it goes...Its much quicker not having to deal with the Edmonds ferry trying to get to forks. I sense that perhaps the lewis river and Kalama might even be better than the cowlitz. Anyone got any info on those rivers theyd like to share? Are they narrower than the cowlitz? Is there good bank access?..Thanks in advance!!! Jim

The best way to figure out the Kalama, and most other rivers, is to get a good quality map and drive the river looking into every pull-out or trail. It takes some time, but it is also great fun figuring out new places.

SA

JK,

Yes, I was fishing from my boat. Maybe I should have mentioned that I'm mainly a fly fisher for trout and steelhead, and I barely know diddly about salmon fishing. I just putz around at it from time to time. This is my first year giving spring chinook fishing a try. I was just getting the hang of a method on the Columbia before it closed. It's very different on the Cow, and what I'm doing doesn't "feel" right, so I know I've got a ways to go. It's really hard to stay focused, cuz I had to pass up some beautiful drifts that I could cover very effectively with my fly outfit for steelhead. But it's fun trying to learn a new trick. And springers make the best eating. Yum.

Sincerely,

Salmo g.

Salmo,
Do you run an older sled with the a fly rod holder mounted on the bow?

RL

Thanks for hitting me back Salmo. Ive always enjoyed reading your posts. They always sound educated and phosisphicated. Ive always invisioned you as as the Magnum PI roomate type (always knowing and never not knowing)<<<

_________________________
Engage your brain before you throw your mouth in gear!

J.K Glad you like that spot.Fished the Cow yesturday with no luck.

Sorry to hear about no fishys Cowlitz Kid...Have u heard any reports on the Kalama or Lewis...I think i might give them a try this week...were u bank fishing?

J.k.heard the lewis was a zoo so try the Kalama.

Thanks Cowlitz Kid...The question is why was it a zoo? Perhaps many fish were being caught? Wonder if anyone has a report?

JK,

You're very welcome. Although only slightly educated, nearly everyone thinks I'm highly phosisphicated - which invariably makes me feel good. I'm only sorry I don't know enough about fishing for springers to be really useful to you. I spoke with a bonafide chinook "expert" this morning, and so far I've learned that fishing for chinook takes a whole lot more phosisphication than fishing for steelhead, which is probably why I've concentrated on steelhead the last 30 years. That, and becuz fly fishing is way simpler than this king fishing is turning out to be.

RockLizard,

I used to run an ancient wood sled, but am presently driving a new Lund, 16'. Ain't got much class, but is more practical for me. And rod holders are a problem; I've got fly rods sticking out the back, out the side, out the front. Not sure if there is a solution.

Sincerely,

Salmo g.

Salmo,
That's cool, I thought it might have been you I talked to at Massey bar last week, but it looks like its not.
The guy that I talked to used the same type of rodholders that the fly guys use to transport their rods from hole to hole (the ones that mount on the hood of a truck or car). It seemed to work well for him, as he had a sled with a forward windshied.
I run a olive drab G3 flatbottom with a Yamaha on the back. Ill be sure to hollar the next time I see fly fisher zoomin around in a lund.

RL