Caution Spring Chrome almost here

[Whamaglass]

Is it just me or are you starting to get that Spring Chinook itch? I can't wait theres nothing a chrome bright springer!

 

[ninja2010]

Is it just me or are you starting to get that Spring Chinook itch? I can't wait theres nothing a chrome bright springer!

ohhhh... i got some itch alright... the pnw-newbie-angler-itch.

still working on the winter steelies, but the springer itch is itchin' too. need to test my new ball point on the tag, is all...

 

[Kodiak]

Quit IT!!!

Quit IT!!!

I wasn't trying to start slobering as I walk around the house, But the first few fish should be hooked in about 4-5 weeks is all:shock:. Man it came back around fast.

 

[Whamaglass]

I wasn't trying to start slobering as I walk around the house, But the first few fish should be hooked in about 4-5 weeks is all:shock:. Man it came back around fast.

A good friend of mine got one 3rd week of November trolling wiggle warts over by the Sellwood bridge!

 

[FishSchooler]

A good friend of mine got one 3rd week of November trolling wiggle warts over by the Sellwood bridge!

Huh? Are you sure that wasn't a fall nook? Springers actually show up before spring... haha notice the name springers... That couldnt of been a springer.....................

 

[ArcticAmoeba]

I got into one at the Confluence of the Clackamas in my pontoon a week after your friend did. It took me for a full spool run on my light bass gear I use to harrass Steelhead. Broke off 8 lb. Siege leader like it was nothing when I finally gave in, pointed the rod, and held my spool...And Schooler...Think about that for a minute, it is before spring, like you said right?...Of course they are Springers... The Mackenzie for instance, gets a run of Spring Chinook. By the time they make it up there, it will be getting pretty close to spring. You always hear of a couple early Springers being hooked up while guys are pullin plugs in the lower Willy. Fun stuff on Steelhead gear. You know instantly its not a Sewer Trout. They don't jump, you don't see 'em until the bitter end, and they just take your gear for a ride! Pretty fun stuff!

 

[ninja2010]

okay, peeps... i need some advice and pointers on these spring chromes. i've read a bunch about them and whatnot. now i want to boat them.

i have a 'toon with a 2hp motor (and oars). am i able to work the sellwood area - maybe trolling/backtrolling kwikfish, hotshots or herring with a diver? what works best for a newbie like me?

when should i start targeting these springers - february/march? (right now, i'm still trying to get a steelhead.)

if someone else on this board fishes the sellwood area on a toon or a small boat, let me know if you're interested in fishing together when the time comes.

 

[ArcticAmoeba]

The Willy probaly won't be open for Springers this year, so in essence, you may be kind of burnt...Especially from your 'toon...I sidedrift Steelhead from mine, and a 1 pound fish can take you for a ride, let alone the Clackamas brute fish that weigh 4-5! You absolutely need a knowledge of how the particular stretch of water works if you are unable to quickly, and easily bank your craft to fight the fish. If you really want to get into some Springers, check the regs. see whats open for retention, and find a guide that fishes the area you plan to target Springers. It is a good way to see waht happens when Chinook fishing. It is a completely different world than the Steelhead. Steelhead are an absolute cinch compared to Spring Chinook! And I can't imagine fightin one from a pontoon without a net, and another person on board to man it. It can and has been done, but concentrate on getting really good a whackin, and stackin the Winters. They are super simple in comparison to Chinook, so get the Sewer Trout skills down pat, Springer retention is a long ways out. And yes March is about when they start gettin in our local Rivers.

 

[ninja2010]

thanks very much, aa. always appreciate your prompt input.

The Willy probaly won't be open for Springers this year, so in essence, you may be kind of burnt...Especially from your 'toon... that's a total bummer drag.

I sidedrift Steelhead from mine, and a 1 pound fish can take you for a ride, let alone the Clackamas brute fish that weigh 4-5! You absolutely need a knowledge of how the particular stretch of water works if you are unable to quickly, and easily bank your craft to fight the fish. yeah, i know what you mean there. i've been taken on a few rides by barracudas and yellowtails on my toon and toob.

If you really want to get into some Springers, check the regs. see whats open for retention, and find a guide that fishes the area you plan to target Springers. It is a good way to see waht happens when Chinook fishing. can i check for the regs online? as far as a guide, that's kinda what i'm trying to do by posting here - hopefully someone with experience can show me the ropes. i cannot afford a guide right now.

It is a completely different world than the Steelhead. Steelhead are an absolute cinch compared to Spring Chinook! And I can't imagine fightin one from a pontoon without a net, and another person on board to man it. It can and has been done, but concentrate on getting really good a whackin, and stackin the Winters. They are super simple in comparison to Chinook, so get the Sewer Trout skills down pat, Springer retention is a long ways out. yeah, that's what i'm gonna do between now and march

 

[Whamaglass]

Huh? Are you sure that wasn't a fall nook? Springers actually show up before spring... haha notice the name springers... That couldnt of been a springer.....................

Actually... It was a springer.

 

[FishFinger]

The Columbia, inspite of some limitations, should be open for Spring nooker retention... Right.

 

[Fishtopher]

. i've been taken on a few rides by barracudas and yellowtails on my toon and toob.

Did you frequently target 'cuda's when you lived in San Diego? I hooked up with one on a charter trip outta Santa Barbara on accident. One of my most memorable hook-ups!! Thats for sure. Whatta surprise.

To stay semi on track, where are some of your guys favorite springer gettin' spots? I'll cough up one now...Out by Bonneville. I gotta spinner tossin spot, and a plunkin spot. Anyone ever drift fish heavy flow water such as downstream of Bonneville Dam. Maybe a 3oz slinky, corky the size of a quarter??

 

[ninja2010]

Did you frequently target 'cuda's when you lived in San Diego? I hooked up with one on a charter trip outta Santa Barbara on accident. One of my most memorable hook-ups!! Thats for sure. Whatta surprise.

i don't specifically "target" those slimesticks, but since i throw cranks and spoons most of the time, they hit often. and yes, i go for a joyride when they're over the 5lb mark...

 

[FishSchooler]

Did you frequently target 'cuda's when you lived in San Diego? I hooked up with one on a charter trip outta Santa Barbara on accident. One of my most memorable hook-ups!! Thats for sure. Whatta surprise.

To stay semi on track, where are some of your guys favorite springer gettin' spots? I'll cough up one now...Out by Bonneville. I gotta spinner tossin spot, and a plunkin spot. Anyone ever drift fish heavy flow water such as downstream of Bonneville Dam. Maybe a 3oz slinky, corky the size of a quarter??

When I was there with the fall nook crowd, I found several drift rigs hangin around beneath big rocks. They had like 14-20 lb leader (Im guessing) with a long tag. Then there is some 4-6 inches of hollow core pencil lead crimped on. Then there was a hook (I forgot size, just say regular salmon size) and 1-3 corkies above it... if there was 1 corkie, it would be pretty big, or just 3 size 12 corkies or sometin like that.

Is your spinner tossin spot on that whitewater stretch right near the dam where the ladder is? Thats where I hooked all the shad last year.... the fish jam up there in the deep pool waitin to move up the ladder. That will be the spot if I do go somewhere...

 

[Fishtopher]

No, but thats where I rack up the shad too. Orange or pink shad darts. Lights out. Enough Sturgeon bait for a lifetime! Speaking of Shad, and Sturg bait, anyone here go Smelt dipping??

Of all the various fish I caught on that charter, tons of sea bass and other rockfish, hundreds of Mackerel, when I hooked up with that Barracuda, it was like I had a Springer on! It was a nice fight, but the charter guys were a wee bit upset cuz I broke the rules of the boat to catch it. Good times.

 

[luv2fish]

The Willy probaly won't be open for Springers this year, so in essence, you may be kind of burnt...Especially from your 'toon...I sidedrift Steelhead from mine, and a 1 pound fish can take you for a ride, let alone the Clackamas brute fish that weigh 4-5! You absolutely need a knowledge of how the particular stretch of water works if you are unable to quickly, and easily bank your craft to fight the fish. If you really want to get into some Springers, check the regs. see whats open for retention, and find a guide that fishes the area you plan to target Springers. It is a good way to see waht happens when Chinook fishing. It is a completely different world than the Steelhead. Steelhead are an absolute cinch compared to Spring Chinook! And I can't imagine fightin one from a pontoon without a net, and another person on board to man it. It can and has been done, but concentrate on getting really good a whackin, and stackin the Winters. They are super simple in comparison to Chinook, so get the Sewer Trout skills down pat, Springer retention is a long ways out. And yes March is about when they start gettin in our local Rivers.

it might be for 3 days a week on willy but as of rite now yes your right its a probability. One thing I don't understand that for columbia there estimate is 298000 springers , which in my view is a good run and they say that its gonna be like that next year as well. So how come the willy quota sucks ??

 

[Irishrover]

luv2fish, they are managed differently. I believe that is the biggest reason. The Willy is a smaller system that over the years has had a lot of fishing pressure. I remember seeing hog lines out of Clackamatte Park and Meldrom that darn near spanned the river. The Columbia has it's share of hog lines for sure but there is a lot more water, tributaries, and a lot more hatcheries. There is also the element of commercial fishing on the Columbia so there is more pressure to keep the numbers up. No commercial fishing on the Willy. I believe they could get the numbers up on the Willy but it would take some effort. Part of that effort is getting the smolts down the river and out to the Ocean. (past the pike minnows and all that). Also more effort by the hatcheries on native(or as close as they canget to native) brood stock. I think they should take a look at the shad and figure out why they do so well. They are an introduced species, dumped into the Sacramento back in the 1890s and they sure seem to be doing very well. This is my non scientific off the top of my head answer with no real facts and semi guess.

Just some history on the Willy that I had on another post. The first Willy system hatcher was on the Clackamas. Built in 1877. It was not to far from Riverside Park. There were already concerns about the Willy fish runs.
1895 Clackamas hatchery clips adipose fin on 5000 released chinook. Only 32 return.

Time to get off the computer and hit the river!!!!

 

[cchinook]

springers

springers

I am confused ! No decision has been reached yet on the springer allocation as far as I know , they will probably not allow us to troll the Columbia or the Willie at all , so if you got one at Sellwood that is a game violation , correct me if I am wrong .

 

[Fishtopher]

Its only a game violation if the fish was retained. And Im thinking everything above the mouth of the Willamette will probably be open for retention.

 

[ArcticAmoeba]

The Willy will be open for retention in the beginnig of the season, but don't count on it to be open for long, but yes we will stack as many as we w=can before they think about closing it up... But the Willy will be open, count your lucky stars for now!