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Hello all I'm new to fishing but it's something I would love to get into and learn.

I would like to know what is the best setup for salmon fishing. I'm also curious about good fishing spots close to Vancouver,WA.

I appreciate any feedback.
 
Unfortunately, its really hard to give advice on the type of gear to buy if we don't know what kind of "salmon fishing" you intend to do. Are you on the bank or in a boat? Have you ever done any salmon fishing? What methods did you use?

For instance, if I were fishing the Columbia, I'd find a place to "plunk" and set up a rig accordingly. For the most part, that would be a heavier rod that could handle the several ounces if weight to get me to the bottom and stay there. I also might find a good run and use a much longer and lighter rod and fish with a float and bait.

On the North Fork of the Lewis at the meat hole in a boat, I'd bottom bounce eggs with a heavy baitcaster. From the shore, I would probably go back to a float and eggs with the long rod in the deeper, slower areas and then drift the shallower runs with a shorter rod.

At Barrier Dam on the Cowlitz, I often use a very long rod (11 feet) and make long casts to free drift eggs.

And at any time, I might grab an 8'6 spinning rod and twitch jigs!

It all depends on what you want to do.
 
I would always encourage someone to book a couple guide trips in local waters and see what they do. Guide trips soond expensive, but when you factor in equipment you don't have to buy, the boat youre not making payments on, and the increased liklihood of catching fish....its not a bad place to start.
 
Get a thirteen foot rod, some railroad spikes, corkie spinners and 2/0 hooks. Put on a sand shrimp or whatever and cast out as far as you can in the columbia down near the 205 bridge.
You'll want to tie a swivel on about two feet above the spike and use about 2'- 3' of leader to the corkie.
Also, read the rules and regs, get an oregon copy if you can. There is a ton of information in the first half of the reg book. Specifics after that...

Watch addicted fishing and angler west TV on you tube.
Talk to old guys, and really anyone fishing that wants to talk.
Hire a guide for best results.
 
Don't spend too much money on it, you'll likely not get to much return with the way the runs are these days. That being said, there's a lot of fun fishing left in the area such as surf perch, kokanee, bass, walleye, and even stocked trout if you're not too picky.
 
Read, watch, go where people are fishing for salmon and watch and talk, especially the old guys and those actually catching fish. Some tackle shops have knowledgeable people, big box stores have BSers that will talk like they know but don't. Make friends with people that fish for salmon.

Unfortunately, its really hard to give advice on the type of gear to buy if we don't know what kind of "salmon fishing" you intend to do. Are you on the bank or in a boat? Have you ever done any salmon fishing? What methods did you use?

For instance, if I were fishing the Columbia, I'd find a place to "plunk" and set up a rig accordingly. For the most part, that would be a heavier rod that could handle the several ounces if weight to get me to the bottom and stay there. I also might find a good run and use a much longer and lighter rod and fish with a float and bait.

On the North Fork of the Lewis at the meat hole in a boat, I'd bottom bounce eggs with a heavy baitcaster. From the shore, I would probably go back to a float and eggs with the long rod in the deeper, slower areas and then drift the shallower runs with a shorter rod.

At Barrier Dam on the Cowlitz, I often use a very long rod (11 feet) and make long casts to free drift eggs.

And at any time, I might grab an 8'6 spinning rod and twitch jigs!

It all depends on what you want to do.


^^^THIS^^^


Oh, and, never pet a burning dog.
 
Hello all I'm new to fishing but it's something I would love to get into and learn.

I would like to know what is the best setup for salmon fishing. I'm also curious about good fishing spots close to Vancouver,WA.

I appreciate any feedback.
OK, first thing to learn is "Run Timing".
What that means is, what species are moving up the rivers to spawn at any given time of the year.
In time, someone could name a month and you will know what fishery is going on.

Figure out what "Dam Counts" are and watch them. (search it and bookmark it)
If you do that right now you will get a very good idea on what species are moving.

Learn "River Levels" especially if you are fishing smaller rivers.
I use the Kayak site (search it and bookmark it)

Right now we are at the front end of Summer Steelhead.
There may be a few random Summer Chinook coming through.
What passed through the counter at Bonneville today ???
Later in August and September the Fall Chinook will be moving up.

There are two races of Chinook. Fall Chinook and Spring Chinook.
There are two races of steelhead. Summer steelhead and Winter steelhead.

If you want to observe (and learn) bank fishing on the Columbia, Frenchman's Bar is close to Vancouver.
The method is called "plunking".
Go to the Salmon Hatchery on the North Fork Lewis River if you want to see some steelhead being caught.
You will also see some funky methods there, but some legit fisherman will be there.
Remember that last sentence.....funky methods.

Good Luck
 
Last Edited:
You mean like using a fly rod with a super long leader and a corkie on the end to snag salmon/steelhead on the outside of the mouth??? That kind of funky?
Yep. "Flossing"
12 foot leaders
Bit of yarn or a bead
Line 'em
Hooks them on the outside of the mouth
Looks like a legit hookup from a distance

There was one guy down there, probably still is, name of Lee.
Thin ponytail.
We called him "The Dentist".
 
Yep. "Flossing"
12 foot leaders
Bit of yarn or a bead
Line 'em
Hooks them on the outside of the mouth
Looks like a legit hookup from a distance

There was one guy down there, probably still is, name of Lee.
Thin ponytail.
We called him "The Dentist".

The practice of "flossing" really bugs me. I saw a lot of it with fall chinook in the glory hole on the Chetco in Brookings. Guys in their little tiny punts fly fishing. Many were fishing legally, but not more than 25% were. The hole is about 60' across and about 30' deep. I would see as many as 30 boats anchored... a lot of lines in the water, with salmon swimming and trying to move water across their gills. Hard for the fish to avoid catching a leader in their mouths. Few fish that were caught that way were released. Usually only when the warden was around.

Years later, fly fishing for steelhead became popular on the Minam/Wallowa/GrandeRonde. Same story. Lots of denials but you could watch these anglers from the road and see what they were doing.

:(:(:(
 
In a run that is usually drift-fished you can spot the flosser by his rod position and cranking method.
The flosser's rod position will be low and pointed downstream.
He will also be slowly cranking.

Flossing is the most sinister type of snagging in my opinion.

A legit drift fisherman will have has rod at an upward angle following the drift and not cranking (or minimal cranking).
 
In a run that is usually drift-fished you can spot the flosser by his rod position and cranking method.
The flosser's rod position will be low and pointed downstream.
He will also be slowly cranking.

Flossing is the most sinister type of snagging in my opinion.

A legit drift fisherman will have has rod at an upward angle following the drift and not cranking (or minimal cranking).
The other explanation for this behavior is the guy just picked up gear and has been swinging flies his whole life... lol
 

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