Fished the East Fork 11-22, water looked great, had 2 fish swirl at my bobber, landed 1 summer run and a friend lost 1 unseen fish. Shouldn't be long b-4 it gets good.

2nd try at a response, first one must have gone to Mars. Buzz, EF Lewis usually has a early shot of winter fish sometime during last half of Nov. Most of this early shot are natives. I have found that these natives come in Nov following the big tides and in a large group of only 4-5 days depending on river levels. Then smaller numbers of natives twinkle in with the hatchery fish through Jan, then of course the hatchery fish dwindle off to near zero by mid-Feb. Then the native count increases slightly more than Nov-Jan, but Feb-Apr natives are big tackle bustin' sizzlers. I have also caught early "Springer/Summer-runs" as early as Feb 25th, years ago. EF Lewis has a small native run of "Winter (Very late Fall) Chinook" as well that I have hooked as late as Jan. These fish do not look anything like the Tule chinook of Aug/Sep. They are bright. Have never killed one, but I imagine the flesh is red. They can be a real surprise. I have lost some of my favorite plugs to these fish. Hate to trade river yardage/miles for following them, especially some of the good water below Widow Maker. EF Lewis has been through some tough times. I began fishing it in '70s and was there during 1980 when the state record was tied/busted 4 times with Maygras 32/12 out of the second falls at Lucia. Favorite water is Feeders. Had my own Shangri La there from 70s-80s until it was shutdown in '94. Still hike in there though. Heard Swansons sold it off to County. Hate the gravel miners. See ya down there.

Thanks for the info. I am currently a bankie but am going to look at a 10' mini drifter primarily for the East Fork and Kalama. Does anyone have any experience with this size of boat?

Was fishing some holes below daybreak before this last rain. No luck at all!! I was using a sink tip and some light flies. any suggestions for this feather flinger?
thanks for the reports buzz and extreme! :-)

keep your fly in the water, I talked to a guy using a spey rod the day I went and his friend hooked one that day too....

Two things:
Thing 1: Buzz, I use an 8ft "Bronco" by Bucks Bag to cover the EF Lewis and Kalama. It is a bladder type catamaran, single seater boat. Sold my 16'x54" Willie (All my friends and relatives got their own drift-boats, so using a "bigger" boat is no prob.) I like inflatables for rocky areas and low water. They are more forgiving. I saw a small 10-14ft mini-drifter get pinned on "Oh [Bleeeeep!] Rock" below Heissen in Dec '96. Nothing hurt but pride, 'cept the boat was lost. My bro-in-law lost his green/white 16' Clackacraft Jan 12th this year on EF Lewis when his anchor bracket got stuck in a tree, fast water did the rest. Mark Angel got the boat out and it was repaired. 10ft boat, with experienced guy on the sticks, normal flows, would have no prob with anything below Daybreak (EF) or Red Barn (Kalama)
The "Bronco" comes in handy late in seasons for Moulton to Lucia to Heissen or Lewisville on the EF or Upper Hatchery to Red Barn on the Kalama, Mechantile Store drift on Washougal, or even the Coweeman River. I have had it on every Columbia Trib below Bonneville except the Grays and Cowlitz.
Thing 2: Flyfishing the EF, water below & above Daybreak, also above Lewisville. Possible canyon water for summer-runs above Moulton. Green Butt skunks always a fav. Check in with "Greased Line Shoppe" for more.
Extreme.

I've looked into the pontoon boats as well as the watermaster ( formerly tote'n'float) and I still am not sure what I want. I live right near the bridge in LaCenter so that would make it easier to take out there but thats an awful lot of frog water to cover in a raft. what do you think???

Buzz,
I E-mailed ya a response, hope ya get it.
Extreme.

I appreciate the good info! Any one know if all E fork hatchery steelies are finclipped. Also, where does WF&W release the hatchery smolts ( where do most return to ).
THanks Buzz, Extreme

I dont know where they dump the smolts but the hatchery fish are fin clipped. I only landed one native last year but that was one bee-u-tee-full fish!!!!

thanks buzz. i should have been out there today, but domestic duties called and i had to answer. i hope to get out there this week!
good luck!!

Hey EXTREME,
you sound like you know the E.Fork pretty well. A friend of mine lives in Battleground and has been after me to bring my boat (16X54 Alumaweld) out there and to take him fishing. I was thinking about doing it this winter but all your crash and swim stories have me a little leery. I've been there a few times but haven't floated it. What's a good source for info, maybe a river map, on floating the E. Fork (other than you, that is!)? Thanks,
Stinkfoot

Stinkfoot first, Greenhorn second,
First: EF Lewis is a beautiful river that I have had the chance to spend a-lot of time on. Parents, now us siblings, have had property on it with a cabin since the '50s. Anyway, once I could drive, I broaden my range to include most rivers in SW WA and NW OR. EF Lewis remains my "Home" river.
Depending on your rowing experience, EF has it all. "Crash and Swims" can happen nearly anywhere and most I have seen/heard about are mainly "Pilot Errors", EF included. I know of two river maps for it; Old issue of F&H News and Jim Conways book with river maps. Boat ramps are the same, river has changed some. E-mail me if ya get really, really serious, up to you.
Second: Plants on the EF are usually at Daybreak ramp/bridge and at the upper end of Lewisville Park. Years ago they were at Dole Valley bridge but the ESA has confined them to the lower river. As you will see from the crowds, these are popular spots.... the surrounding river bank, bottom, and trees look as if Walt Disney "Threw-up" they are so colorful with lures.
Summer-runs have been clipped since '87, winter runs shortly after that. My ratio on summer runs is 1:7 (Nat vs Hatch) and 1:11 on winter-runs since '87, when it went in style to worry about.
Bye.

thnaks for response extreme, i sent you an email

thnaks for response extreme, i sent you an email

I was curious about that water treatment plant at the bridge in lacenter, what are they putting in the river........kind of creepy!!

Extreme:
thnaks for response extreme, i sent you an email

everyone:
I was curious about that water treatment plant at the bridge in lacenter, what are they putting in the river........kind of creepy!!