What a day on the Columbia!

[Herefishyfishy]

I Headed down the Willamette from Swan Island Yesterday and when I got to the Columbia my jaw dropped and I'm sure my eyes were the size dinner plates! :shock:I am still a salmon/ steelhead rookie with less than a year under my belt and only all of you fine folks to learn from on this forum, and this was my first time in my boat fishing on the Columbia. I have never in my 39 3/4 years seen so many boats in one place at one time! I honestly think there was at least 500 from just below I-5 to just past what I believe is Davis Bar...? I was intimidated as hell, I've never done anything like that and almost turned back. Then I said to my buddy who's been fishing the same amount of time as I have that we have just as much right to be here as the guides and old timers so I went for it. I went to the back of the line, if you could call it that, pulled out a herring that I brined, cut then rigged all for the first time in my life and dropped it down after testing the roll (which I will proudly say was nice and tight!). Even with the bucket with the hole in it dragging out the back (learned on this forum) I was still about a half mile an hour faster than most of the other boats so it was exhausting weaving my way through especially with the huge wakes from the hundreds of boats racing back upstream but I made five passes down, had one big bite on my pole and over all a really awsome time.

 

[Swamp Puppy]

way to get out there and not get intimidated. I know how you feel. I started last spring, but was strictly bank plunking. I got out in my boat for the first time last fall and didn't have a real clue, from a practical skills standpoint, of what i was doing when it came to hogline fishing. the first few times out i made it a point to find my "own" water and stay away from the hoglines....after awhile, i just had to take the same attitude you did and tell myself that i had just as much right to be out there as anyone. i am happy to say that i did manage to make it though the season without getting anyone mad at me...and i didn't tangle up in anyone else's anchor. lol. even caught a couple of nice fall fish in the process.

keep after it man!

 

[Throbbit _Shane]

Good job at not letting the crowd intimidate u. i probably would of turned around unless i was along for the ride. keep at it, im sure you'll land one

 

[OnTheFly]

Kinda like a mosh pit but it's on the water.

 

[Thuggin4Life]

Hey good for you man I just ttok my little 12' boat up there and jumper right into the mix with only a little of a year of hardcore crash courses in boating and self taught lessons in trolling, well I readabout them first but never had a person to person lesson. And we lost one and missed. Good for you to jump in the mix. It was a mad house out there. Kinda fun with all the wake running about in a little boat. i swear we got airborne once or twice.

 

[Troutier Bassier]

a lot of People Anchoring in the middle of trolling lanes.

 

[Swamp Puppy]

a lot of People Anchoring in the middle of trolling lanes.

ok, i have an honest question about this..and i know it is sort of a sore subject but here it goes.

i know that some areas are considered to be "bank" spots and "trolling" spots....the one i know of around here is the mouth of the lewis. people get darn upset if someone anchors up there.

now, i anchor up in the MC all the time. it's the only way i really have fished this year. people troll down past me all day long. i am sure that they would love to be trolling down through where i am, but most seem to be happy enough to swing either outside or inside a respectable distance and we usually share a bit of friendly chatter about the fishing as they slowly go past. every now and then i get a grumpy sort that just HAS to troll basically through my gear....as if i am fishing in HIS river.

so, the question is, if it is a public river..what's wrong with a guy anchoring..or trolling..wherever they think they have the best opportunity to catch a fish? as a troller, you have the opportunity to fish practically an unlimited stretch of water. is it really that big of a deal to swing out and forfeit 20-30 feet to go around someone?

to date, as far as i know, i have yet to commit the cardinal sin of attempting to fish by the only means i have to me in a stretch of water that has been "designated" as a trolling only area.

 

[Thuggin4Life]

Hey man I never noticed a problem with all the anchored up boats. Even when some were like 10 boats side by side. Some people just think they own the river.

 

[OnTheFly]

so, the question is, if it is a public river..what's wrong with a guy anchoring..or trolling..

If a guide is trying to get fish for his clients he's going to be really bent out of shape if some one's anchored up in a slot. If you're not producing in a particular spot then let the next guy try. Not doing so would be like taking up two parking spaces in a parking lot or driving 30 miles an hour on a country road and not pulling over to let others pass. Everyone needs to share the water and take turns. It's called courtesy.

 

[OnTheFly]

Hey man I never noticed a problem with all the anchored up boats. Even when some were like 10 boats side by side. Some people just think they own the river.

Hog lines are different. They actually create bites. As you know, returning salmon are not feeding but if something's in their way they'll bite. With ten baits in a row the fish may dodge one only to run into another and so on. If somethings in your face enough you'll hit it right? But the hog lines generally don't take over trolling lanes so everyone's cool with it.

 

[Herefishyfishy]

I didn't notice a problem with the anchored boats on Sunday. They mostly were grouped together and some groups were in line with where everyone was trolling but we all just made a slow swing out and then a slow swing back in. I agree that it's public water and everyone should be free to do what they want, within reason, meaning it would be way uncool to go racing right through the middle of a trolling line or something like that. I'll be out there today as soon as I can get out of the office, how bout you Thuggin? I saw a few 12'ers out there, I would've been scared ****less, you go man!!

 

[Swamp Puppy]

Everyone needs to share the water and take turns. It's called courtesy.

this is sort of the point i was trying to make. why do trollers automatically have the "right of way" so to speak? honestly, i am new to this and am all about learning and courtesy, but i am not going to get pushed around either just because i am sitting on a hook instead of motoring down the river.

so you are saying that if i decide to sit on anchor and don't hook a fish in, say, 1 hour or less than i am obligated to pull up and go somewhere else? both of the fish i have caught this year have been after a number of hours on the ball.

anyway, i am not going to rat hole this thread with a side topic. maybe a new thread to discuss?

 

[Thuggin4Life]

It was a bit intimidating at first will all the wake but you just gotta get a feel for it.But i aslo have a big 12'er. Yeah I want to get back out before it closes. Sunday is my only option so if its open I will be there. Good luck out there!

 

[Kodiak]

I guess its a matter of courtesy. On some of the smaller tidwaters anchoring up in a trolling lane will get you some nasty looks. On the bigger water, I don't see a problem with it. The one I hate is when guys anchor up in the middle of the river and throw out bobber and egg rigs to both sides and expect you to quit trolling or turn around. I'm normally a nice guy, but pulling that move will get your $#!T run over...a couple of guys from the bank...no problem..give 'em room. 6 knot heads in a boat 3 this side 3 that in the middle chaps my rear every time.

 

[OnTheFly]

Sorry but I'm not suggesting one to pull up anchor and let some other guy have your spot. River rules and courtesy apply like anything else. You don't sit at the table and chew with your mouth open do you? Or you don't walk across someone's putting line on the green do you? Exactly! It's just simple etiquette.

 

[nwkiller]

this is sort of the point i was trying to make. why do trollers automatically have the "right of way" so to speak? honestly, i am new to this and am all about learning and courtesy, but i am not going to get pushed around either just because i am sitting on a hook instead of motoring down the river.

so you are saying that if i decide to sit on anchor and don't hook a fish in, say, 1 hour or less than i am obligated to pull up and go somewhere else? both of the fish i have caught this year have been after a number of hours on the ball.

anyway, i am not going to rat hole this thread with a side topic. maybe a new thread to discuss?

i think first come first serve, there is tons of ways to fish and a person anchored in a "trolling zone" is his or her right, they can fish how ever they want to(legaly) and shouldnt take any S$$T from anyone, if your trolling go around, you snag me up, its your bad...if your anchored up and i troll around you...which i have no chioce but too...and i wrap your line, its my bad. S$$T happens

 

[Swamp Puppy]

Sorry but I'm not suggesting one to pull up anchor and let some other guy have your spot. River rules and courtesy apply like anything else. You don't sit at the table and chew with your mouth open do you? Or you don't walk across someone's putting line on the green do you? Exactly! It's just simple etiquette.

of course not. nor would i pull in and drop anchor right in front of someone trolling down on me. i will wait for that person to pass first and then anchor up...if that happens to be where i want to go. and no, i do not believe that just because you trolled down once, that you own that stretch of water for the rest of the day.

there are a few places that i know of that are small stretches and known trolling spots. ie: the mouth of the lewis etc. i would not attempt to anchor in there as that would just be a mess for everyone. also, having also banked it off of sand island, i try not to anchor in too close to areas where there is an obvious collection of bank anglers. those things are common sense IMHO.

 

[OnTheFly]

I agree. An obvious trolling area should not be anchored in but questionable spots based on boaters opinions should be fair game.

 

[fishtales]

Sorry but I'm not suggesting one to pull up anchor and let some other guy have your spot. River rules and courtesy apply like anything else. You don't sit at the table and chew with your mouth open do you? Or you don't walk across someone's putting line on the green do you? Exactly! It's just simple etiquette.

Only when I'm eating kettle corn. The Columbia is a big river. I see more of this being a problem in smaller systems. One that comes to mind is the slew in Tillamook right in town coming from HWY 6.

I can see your sarcasm.

 

[nwkiller]

I agree. An obvious trolling area should not be anchored in but questionable spots based on boaters opinions should be fair game.

agreed