columbia R spring chinook

[B~C]

thought I'd throw this out there as a service to my C-Dorian brothers

For years I've driven by the local boat ramps during the spring chinook season on the columbia and shook my head at the insanity. I just couldn't bring myself to wait in those long lines to launch and then hike a mile back to the boat after parking the tow rig.
The kid has nagged me for years to pungle up the money for moorage, this season I done did it. Being cheap, and wanting to make sure I get my moneys worth, I'm going to try to get out fishing most late afternoons and weekends so if any of you chowderheads have a craving to hit the river, drop me a line. I have extra gear if needed, what I don't have is a great wealth of springer fishing wisdom (but I do know a few things about fishing), nor a desire to anchor in a hog line.

[lloyds]

If you want someone to join you give me a call, 503-507-3698. I am retired so timing isn't an issue, and on occasion I have actually caught a columbia river springer. I don't know what moorage you are in but watch what you leave onboard. Thievery seems to be at an all time high this year. I ended up buying a yearly permit at Camas so my truck and trailer would be secure while out on the river. You can't leave your vehicles safely anywhere in the portland area. The multnomah county river patrol even told me they wouldn't leave a vehicle at the ramp on marine drive next to their office because of the 24 hour theft.

[hardee]

Ken, Not being a fisherman, (but sometime I'm going to learn) Where are you moored, Portland, Vancouver, Kalama or...? I do get to Ptld occasionally and might be interested in an afternoon or something more to watch and see how it's done than anything else right now.

Good luck with the fishing, and the hog line stuff

Harvey
SleepyC

[B~C]

Lloyds, I have spring break coming up and it looks like it will be another year that we don't go to lake powell, so your phone will be ringing

Harvey, you'd be more than welcome

the best bet would be to send me a pm the same day or day or two before . With spring weather what it is, I'm not keen on long range plans

I'm tied up at ridgefield, they have a harbormaster on site, floating homes equiped with prying eyes and gated parking but I still won't be leaving anything onboard of value...the last time I looked they still have monthly spots available if anybodys interested

[TyBoo]

I went springer fishing with B~C once. Didn't catch anything, but we didn't really care either.

[B~C]

that was fun....a few years back it was.... Is that a rare photo from the archives of the first ever c-brat gathering?

[lloyds]

Not caring makes fishing so much more fun.

[C-Dawg]

I've been out in the St. Helens area the last three weekends. Haven't gotten a sniff, but we marked a lot of fish today. The water's up to about 45 degrees, and once it drops and clears the fishing will be great.

If you like to sit on the hook with KwikFish, next weekend has some great tides. If you're a troller, the weekend after that is good.

I've never moored in the area for any long period, but I've stayed at Sand Island for a few days, and at St. Helens municipal marina for a couple of days. I left the boat at Port of Kalama for a week, too, one year. Now I just leave her at a friend's place in Castle Rock so it's a shorter haul to the launch, rather than from my house up north.

I'll more than likely be fishing the Columbia for springers at least one day every weekend until shrimp season starts. Then C-Dawg gets moored at the Everett Naval station.

[RogerJuntunen]

The Kings will be on the Columbia and so will 'In Cahoots'-Idaho. Not much on the brag board at Fred's Marina, Multnomah channel yet, but that should change in a week or so. Fred's Marina on highway 30 will be the headquarters for 'In Cahoots' starting April first. Looking forward to seeing some Brats on the water. Roger and Cheryl

[B~C]

cool, we need a c-dory hog line....we had one once with Tyboo, Shearwater, Cheers & B~C, that was a few years ago;

Those St Helens docks are a tough place to get any sleep, the wind always beats me up, if you're on the river and looking to hang your hat for the evening, Martins lagoon is great

It's looking like a nice weather weekend.....good weather and fish are on their way, and not to mention spring break next week, I'm stoked

[RogerJuntunen]

Ya, well maybe we should have a mini C-Brats event some weekend at Saint Helens. There is a good Pizza place right up the hill from the marina.
Roger

[Jazzmanic]

[C-Dawg]

[C-Dawg]

Ken,

Are there any parking issues at Ridgefield, like running out of room and having to park a mile away?

And do you need to watch the tide to run down the slough to the big river?

[B~C]

if you go to google earth and zoom into the ridgefield launch, note the line of rigs parked east of the RR tracks,,,,,zoiks.....short answer, parking stinks and the police are very aggressive in ticketing wayward parkers. Kalama is ugly also when the season is in full swing but at least you can find a place to park, not always the case in ridgefield. For me, it's almost worth the $130 a month moorage fee just to have a gated, guaranteed parking place


The Link river is navigable at low tide but don't get to anxious about turning to port & cutting the corner at the bottom end of Batchelor Island, like most of the islands there's a pretty good shoal there.

see ya on the water