Fall chinook planning

[JHawk]

We're new to salmon fishing on the Columbia, and we're trying to scout and learn as much as we can. We're bankies and I have two questions about fall Chinook.

• I’ve read a couple of places that the fall chinook tend to run on the Washington side of the river. Is that true and should we get our Washington license to fish that side?

• Being new we’ve spent a lot of time scouting areas up around Warrendale and down below St. Helens. Would we be better to fish the run down low from St. Helens to Astoria , or would it be better to target the area just below Bonneville if the fish keg up at the dam?

Thanks!

 

[OnTheDrop]

They tend to run deeper than their Springer cousins because the water temp is much warmer at the end of summer. Most action will be in the boats! It can be done from the bank though. Some people use canoes and rafts to drop there wobblers out in the traveling lanes and wait for the bell to ring!

Nowwww, if ya want to go coastal and hookup on some picturesque water. Shoot me a message. Drift boats and chinooks is as good as it gets!

 

[eugene1]

Should be a good year for fall nooks again.

Can't help you with the Columbia, but if you are in PDX area and willing to drive up to Bonnie, you could also head out to tbay?

Best,

 

[JHawk]

I've been looking for 6-15 FOW for steelhead. How much water should I be looking for with fall Chinook? 20-30 FOW? Deeper?

 

[OnTheDrop]

I've been looking for 6-15 FOW for steelhead. How much water should I be looking for with fall Chinook? 20-30 FOW? Deeper?

Well, for steelhead I wouldn't fish deeper than 7-8 ft. We were hammering them plunking a couple weeks ago from 3-6ft of water. You can get Chinooks right now in the same-10ft of water. It really depends for the Falls, but yeah, a lot deeper. Never done it for them off the bank.

 

[JHawk]

Nowwww, if ya want to go coastal and hookup on some picturesque water. Shoot me a message. Drift boats and chinooks is as good as it gets!

Is the big fall run supposed to be limited to the Columbia, or is the runs into the other coastal rivers (Necanicum, Nehalem, Wilson, Trask,, Nestucca, Salmon, etc.) supposed to be big as well?

 

[steelhead_stalkers]

The fishing will be crappy in all rivers mentioned above.

 

[rogerdodger]

Yaquina, Alsea, Siuslaw, and Umpqua also expected to be lousy this fall...

 

[Irishrover]

If you want to fish the lower Columbia from the bank. Head down to Ft Stevens State Park. Take the road out to the jetty, go past the parking lot to the jetty and go until you reach the last parking lot. From that beach you can toss spinners out into the Columbia as others have done for years. Hit it on a tide that is flooding. Many fish have been landed there.

 

[rogerdodger]

Drift boats and chinooks is as good as it gets!

I would adjust to: "Drift boats, other small boats, or Kayaks and fresh shiny fall chinooks on a coastal river is about as good as it gets!" :thumb:

 

[DrTheopolis]

Is the big fall run supposed to be limited to the Columbia, or is the runs into the other coastal rivers (Necanicum, Nehalem, Wilson, Trask,, Nestucca, Salmon, etc.) supposed to be big as well?

Those rivers are good even in crummy years.

But for some reason, I can't catch fall nooks on the Tuc to save my life (haven't tried in years, though).

 

[OnTheDrop]

I would adjust to: "Drift boats, other small boats, or Kayaks and fresh shiny fall chinooks on a coastal river is about as good as it gets!" :thumb:

Well, if you're going with me.. You are in a drift boat, and drift boat only : )

Your Kayak is neat for solo missions!

 

[rogerdodger]

Well, if you're going with me.. You are in a drift boat, and drift boat only : )

Your Kayak is neat for solo missions!

I fully expect a drift boat is in my future and hopefully an upgraded PB that can spend at least a little time in the ocean, 18' Talon or Hewes, something like that... )

 

[troutmasta]

Well, if you're going with me.. You are in a drift boat, and drift boat only : )

Not true, I've fished the bank with you bro . (once)

 

[brandon4455]

Those rivers are good even in crummy years.

But for some reason, I can't catch fall nooks on the Tuc to save my life (haven't tried in years, though).

really? i have fished the nestucca my whole life for trout and steelhead, but never salmon until last fall. When i switched to the nestucca from a smaller coastal stream the size average and number of fish i caught exploded. it was limits pretty much every trip,with a fish over 20lbs every trip. even got that one hog that was about at the 40 mark.


that river seriously has a lot of good sized fish in it.


unfortunately though with new rules on three rivers and the salmon river all of the flossers and snaggers have migrated to the nestucca, so jacksons drift and hansen boat ramp right across the river is just 10x worse than its ever been. and the hole at farmers gets pretty bad too. good thing theres a lot of river to get away from those idiots! pick a river,and learn it through the season. go scout it right now when the water is at it's lowest so you know where the fish will be when the rain raises the river. After you pick a river look for maps and threads on fishing forums for further intel, and get on the water! i haven't even started my "planning" yet, gotta order my jig tying materials and get some spinners here soon. maybe tie a bunch of bobber stops and egg loops.



man im excited!!

 

[steelhead_stalkers]

I would not expect last years results on any coastal fall Chinook river for a very long time! We had days where we hooked over 20 Chinook last fall! It will be back to maybe hooking a few fish a trip most likely.

Last fall Chinook season was like the winter steelhead season four years ago. Epic.

 

[troutmasta]

Oh I think it'll be a dandy.