Kayak Columbia

G
Gannon
Wanted to start a thread for kayak fishing on the Columbia. Looking for advice on locations, stories, and maybe start getting some people together to go out and fish. Winter Steelhead should be getting good and I should be on the water soon, once I make my new rod holder and find a new anchor.
 
rogerdodger
rogerdodger
Gannon said:
Wanted to start a thread for kayak fishing on the Columbia. Looking for advice on locations, stories, and maybe start getting some people together to go out and fish. Winter Steelhead should be getting good and I should be on the water soon, once I make my new rod holder and find a new anchor.

Gannon- Welcome to OFF, I added kayak fishing to my fun this year and have been thinking it might be time to add a sub-forum for it here at OFF. Make sure and keep posting questions and pictures here at OFF...but you can also get good kayak specific info at the NWKA forum, much info there is Puget Sound and Alaska stuff but there are some guys that really target the Columbia and lots of us in Oregon (I have the same username there as here at OFF) cheers, roger
 
bass
bass
+1 to what rogerdodger said about NWKA.

FYI, there is a "Inflatables / Kayaks" forum under "Boats and Motors" forum which is under "Fishing in General". Not much action there but it does exist.
 
rogerdodger
rogerdodger
bass said:
+1 to what rogerdodger said about NWKA.

FYI, there is a "Inflatables / Kayaks" forum under "Boats and Motors" forum which is under "Fishing in General". Not much action there but it does exist.

oops, I should have known that, guess that supports it not getting much action...roger
 
G
Gannon
I fished the Puget years ago, I'm stoked for the winter steelhead run, got to put some fish on my tag.
 
rogerdodger
rogerdodger
Gannon said:
I fished the Puget years ago, I'm stoked for the winter steelhead run, got to put some fish on my tag.

where will you kayak for winter Steel? I am hoping to do that here on the Siuslaw right at the top of tidewater, just up and down from Mapleton, curious where else people get into them from kayaks...roger
 
L
Lowell Life Fisherman
just a question about the kayaks, want to do it but hobie is a little out of my price range, question is, is hobie the only company that makes the kayaks with the foot pedals?
 
rogerdodger
rogerdodger
Lowell Life Fisherman said:
just a question about the kayaks, want to do it but hobie is a little out of my price range, question is, is hobie the only company that makes the kayaks with the foot pedals?

only Hobie has the super efficient Mirage drive with the flippers that go back and forth but have almost no drag in the water..and it is amazing, mine is a heavy PA12, 120# including my 14# AGM battery down inside the hull and I am 180#, but I can pedal 5mph for a few minutes, 4mph for maybe 15min, or 3mph for hours and hours....one other company makes a pedal drive that turns a prop under the boat but I do not think it is nearly as efficient since it would add lots of drag, might be Native Kayak, not sure...
 
G
Gannon
I plan on fishing around the St. Helens area, there are a lot of spots and easy launch area's. I have a enclosed hull, It can be limiting but on a cold day its so nice. I'm going to make my anchor today and should be out there soon. I think the steelhead run is primarily on the Oregon side, can anyone confirm this?
 
L
Lowell Life Fisherman
thanks rogerdodger! I will have to just keep watching craigslist for a while till I get settled in when I get back to Oregon, I def. have been interested in the yak fishing but no point here. I want to get one so bad lol
 
B
boatfan77
hmmm not for mens :)))
Kayaking in columbia can involve significant risks and hazards, such as collision with power boats, hypothermia and much more.




It can get hairy out there,I recommend at least paddlers have skills in current and waves, know rescues, have a spray skirt, and wet suit or dry suit.
 
rogerdodger
rogerdodger
boatfan77 said:
hmmm not for mens :)))
Kayaking in columbia can involve significant risks and hazards, such as collision with power boats, hypothermia and much more.

It can get hairy out there,I recommend at least paddlers have skills in current and waves, know rescues, have a spray skirt, and wet suit or dry suit.

not just the Columbia, have you ever seen the Siuslaw on a weekend day in September? :D

most fishing kayaks are self draining SOT (sit on top), so spray skirt doesn't apply, but very important is a tall orange ATV flag and since I go out in early low light/foggy conditions, I also have a white LED boat light on the back of mine...and a handheld floating VHF radio is nice to have.

the boat wakes are not a danger on coastal rivers (no barges like the Columbia has) but I have an issue with other boaters that do not know the rules: within 100 feet of an anchored or manually powered boat you are limited to 5mph. so think about the 10 yard markers on a football field, 3 of those get you to almost 100 feet, if you are going to pass within that distance of a kayak/canoe/driftboat using oars, you must slow to 5mph. last I checked the ticket was just over $400 dollars, so worth taking note of. (FYI- the 5mph limit is 200 feet from a swimmer, surfer, wading angler, dock, floating home or boathouse.)...

cheers, roger
 
bass
bass
rogerdodger said:
not just the Columbia, have you ever seen the Siuslaw on a weekend day in September? :D

most fishing kayaks are self draining SOT (sit on top), so spray skirt doesn't apply, but very important is a tall orange ATV flag and since I go out in early low light/foggy conditions, I also have a white LED boat light on the back of mine...and a handheld floating VHF radio is nice to have.

the boat wakes are not a danger on coastal rivers (no barges like the Columbia has) but I have an issue with other boaters that do not know the rules: within 100 feet of an anchored or manually powered boat you are limited to 5mph. so think about the 10 yard markers on a football field, 3 of those get you to almost 100 feet, if you are going to pass within that distance of a kayak/canoe/driftboat using oars, you must slow to 5mph. last I checked the ticket was just over $400 dollars, so worth taking note of. (FYI- the 5mph limit is 200 feet from a swimmer, surfer, wading angler, dock, floating home or boathouse.)...

cheers, roger

Agree with the above. The key is to be seen. I have a bright orange flag, an all round white boat light, a head light and my kayaks are bright yellow or lime green. My PFD is yellow with reflective tap. I try to make myself as visible as possible. I have been thinking of adding some blinking lights for this winter.

Here are few more tips I have picked up while I fish the Willamette amongst the wake boats and skiers all summer long and during springer season.

First, accept that folks are going to pass close to you while they are making a big wake. People violate this rule constantly. I just ignore them and bob up and down as the wake passes me by. I have been hit by barge wakes, the big jet boat wakes, wake boat wakes, etc and if you see them coming they are pretty easy to ride out. Also, I don't think that most of the folks out there are evil, so I just let their actions roll off my back and enjoy my time on the water.

Second, keep your head on a swivel. I was out a few years ago during springer season and my friend's kayak got hit by a PB trolling for salmon. They were trolling out of a drift boat and could not see over the front. Do not assume that anyone ever sees you. Every time a boat looks like it is heading directly towards me I prepare to yell, scream and blow my whistle. In the winter when the river is up keep your eyes peeled upstream. Another friend almost got pulled under when a big tree rolled onto his anchor line. Make sure you have a quickly release on your anchor and a knife on your PFD.

Third, never go out without the appropriate safety gear. You should always dress for immersion. In the summer that means a bathing suit. When the water is below the mid 50s that means either a wet suit, waders and a dry top, or a dry suit.

While the above may sound daunting, if you are put some thought into it you can take most of the danger out of kayak fishing.
 
D
DrTheopolis
rogerdodger said:
within 100 feet of an anchored or manually powered boat you are limited to 5mph.

They could erase the federal deficit if they ticketed people for this on the Clack.
 

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