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So here's what I've learned from reading these posts.
Better have about $50,000 at least to fish that river.
Anchors are death traps
Run over to Costco and grab some salmon
I'd rather spend a day in Shawshank than a day in the Columbia.
Is it man against river, or is the fishing really that good?
Op. Jon boats don't belong in the pacnw.

It's not that bad. Though a good portion of common sense is definitely needed if a person is going to be on that river much in a boat. If you're the type of person that's always tripping and falling, has auto accidents fairly often, sees nothing wrong with texting and driving, can't figure out how to mow your lawn or change a tire on your car, YOU should probably not be one to go exploring The Columbia in a boat.
 
It's not that bad. Though a good portion of common sense is definitely needed if a person is going to be on that river much in a boat. If you're the type of person that's always tripping and falling, has auto accidents fairly often, sees nothing wrong with texting and driving, can't figure out how to mow your lawn or change a tire on your car, YOU should probably not be one to go exploring The Columbia in a boat.
So if you want to have a heck of a ride, grab and float tube and head to the Columbia at about 2pm?
 
I got a pedal-drive kayak and taken it out a few times just piddling around Scappoose bay. Haven't been out on the big river yet. I'm thinking this weekend I'll go on the Willamette and try and get me a sturgeon.
 
I got a pedal-drive kayak and taken it out a few times just piddling around Scappoose bay. Haven't been out on the big river yet. I'm thinking this weekend I'll go on the Willamette and try and get me a sturgeon.

You need to get on ifish.net and look up a member that goes by rollcast. Just like that, no caps, no other punctuation. He's done a bunch of kayak sturgeon fishing on The Willamette. He's got a bunch of videos from his adventures.

Here's a little taste of the vids he puts up...
 
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I'd go on the columbia in my kayak. No going when windy, know the tide flow and more than likely I'd be above the first dam so tides aren't an issue. I don't care much for big water but I wouldn't have any issues staying near the edges.

I also play it very safe with everything I do.
 
So here's what I've learned from reading these posts.
Better have about $50,000 at least to fish that river.
Anchors are death traps
Run over to Costco and grab some salmon
I'd rather spend a day in Shawshank than a day in the Columbia.
Is it man against river, or is the fishing really that good?
Op. Jon boats don't belong in the pacnw.

$50k??? - A big boat is needed, but doesn't have to be an expensive aluminum Duckworth. The Original Peoples manage just fine with big ol beaters!!

Anchoring is always a risk in fast water, don't do it. But in other flows, an anchor release or at least a sharp knife or hatchet will get you out of trouble.

Will Costo put somebody holding a salmon on the end of your rod, to run back and forth, and strip off some line? If so, then that's a nice dry thrill compared to fishing.

Depending on where and when, yes, the fishing is, or used to be, that good.

Jon boats are fine on small lakes in the PNW, as long as the wind don't blow. I often think of my time on the Pasquotank River sloughs in NC fishing from a jonboat for bass, bream, stripers, and trying to keep the cottonmouths out of the boat. It was a wide river and miles of sloughs. When those afternoom thunderboomers would come in, we'd want to get off the river dang fast, but the associated winds would whip up a good chop and sometimes we'd just have to find a spot to beach it. Good times!!!
 
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I'm looking to live on the Columbia and fish it extensively. I'm from the south and I catch bass for fun, bluegill and redfish to eat. I haven't ever fished for trout, salmon or walleye.

Can a kayak or small John Boat handle the Columbia? Anyone got any good guide recs near Portland? I want to learn to fly fish.

I wouldn't eat the fish from the columbia, they ODF packet talks about PCBs, mercury, but it's also along the hanford superfund site... I tend to like the coast and further south, tillamook and beyond so I don't think about three eyed fish from hanford.
 
Get a nice life jacket and wear it. Things can change fast on the Columbia, we don't want to read about you in the paper.

Have fun and rip some lips :D
 

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