Sandy float

[champmclean]

I'm looking to do an oxbow to Dabney run for coho/steel when the time is right. I haven't floated the river yet, but after hauling in rainbow stockies this summer, I'm ready for some real fish. If anyone's interested, lets use this thread to hash something out.

I'm floating a 9ft fishcat pontoon. Is it necessary to have the flippers on the river?

 

[Irishrover]

If you have good oars you won't need flippers. There will be stretches of water where you will need to put those oars to work. There is a piece of slow water before you pull into Dabney, and some in Oxbow Park.

 

[champmclean]

What about when you hook a fish? I've only caught trout and bass from mine so far. Sometimes even they were kind of a pain in the ass to land. And that's on lakes. What's your landing strategy with larger fish?

 

[Irishrover]

The preferred method is to fight the fish from shore. Walking with those fins on can be a problem...fighting a fish like a steelhead or salmon while rowing is next to impossible. Think of fishing from shore and using the pontoon more as transportation down river. Even in my drift boat I look for good spots to pull to the bank and fish. Good luck.

 

[champmclean]

Yeah I guess you're right. I don't want to buy fins anyway. Do you know any spots to get any of these fish swimming the Columbia now? The Salmon counts are out of this world.

 

[Irishrover]

The coho will soon show up in the Sandy. The fish in the Columbia are hard to get at without a boat.

 

[bagold53]

Shoot me a PM champmclean when you figure out a day you want to go. I normally have Thurs to Sat off of work and every other Weds.

I have been practicing with my toon down the Clack and want to try out a few other rivers. Planning on the Wilson and Trask rivers when we get some rain to drive up the water levels.

 

[champmclean]

I'm close enough to the sandy and clack to just go whenever the conditions are right. The trask and Wilson would take some planning. I'm really itching to get my toon on a river. I have not used it enough.

 

[bagold53]

Looking to go this week on Weds. Not sure which sections would be good enough that I can get my pontoon through. I will be going with a friend that is not very comfortable with rapids that could tip them over. So would like a little more info. I have done the Clack from Mciver to Barton and Barton to Carver.

Can anyone with experience floating the sandy this time of year and water lvl. I am still going through past posts. but any info would be great.

Champ interested in Weds 9/24?

Thanks

 

[champmclean]

I would have to go super early, as I have school at 2pm at rock creek. From what I hear, oxbow to Dabney is pretty calm. I would go on the clack too. I talk to a guy all the time when i'm up near dodge.

 

[bagold53]

ok, maybe another day. I personally don't really like to have schedule while fishing, never seems to work out for the person who has to be somewhere. I can also go the rest of the week if that works better for you. I still have to figure out how to get my friend to feel comfortable. I think I have to wait for the rivers to rise first give him a little more comfort zone.

Let me know if another day works for you. I might just take my friend to lost lake, not sure which one yet.