New to Salmon/Steelhead in Longview.

[Fltche1]

I don't own a boat, nor do I know anybody who owns one around here so I fish from the bank. I am relatively new to salmon and steelhead in general. anybody have any suggestions on where I should go? I tried the Cowlitz river out of gearhart gardens park. was out there for 3 hours without a single bite. I tried a 1 1/2 oz round ball weight with a t swivel and a crankbait. swapped the crank bait for an artic fox spinner, and then a rooster tail. switched to a bobber and drifted various jigs and a rat tail. Whole bunch o nadda. Any suggestions? Like I said I'm pretty new at this so my knowledge is limited.

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[No_Regerts]

I don't own a boat, nor do I know anybody who owns one around here so I fish from the bank. I am relatively new to salmon and steelhead in general. anybody have any suggestions on where I should go? I tried the Cowlitz river out of gearhart gardens park. was out there for 3 hours without a single bite. I tried a 1 1/2 oz round ball weight with a t swivel and a crankbait. swapped the crank bait for an artic fox spinner, and then a rooster tail. switched to a bobber and drifted various jigs and a rat tail. Whole bunch o nadda. Any suggestions? Like I said I'm pretty new at this so my knowledge is limited.

When it comes to salmon and steelhead fishing, I really believe that the learning curve is greatly shortened by going on a couple guided trips. Learn about how to read water. Feel free to ask the guide what it is about the water you are fishing that attracts fish. Eliminating water really helps save time and effort.

Take note of the types of rigs that are used by the guide. Ask if its something adaptable to the bank. For the most part, a bank angler can drift bait or corkie/yarn, float bait and/or jigs, swing spoons and spinners, twitch jigs, or plunk. Every once in a while you can get creative with docks and piers and use them to access deeper water.

 

[Hang-Man]

Hi FLTche, two names, "FORD" of Carson Washington--upper river guide for the most Part, EXCELLENT, he will take you on his boat and park it in the middle of so many fish your arms will be tired of cranking them in a few hours.
The Best lower columbia guide I know-- Rayhon Higgins, Salmon, Steelhead and Sturgeon. I forget the name of his guide service, has been a while.

The Other route you could take, is to find a Fishing buddy, not as easy to come by a good fishing friend at least that is my experience.

 

[No_Regerts]

The Other route you could take, is to find a Fishing buddy, not as easy to come by a good fishing friend at least that is my experience.

This can be very difficult because salmon and steelhead spots are like hunting spots. People are very tight lipped. There are the secret holes everyone knows about like the beginner hole on the kalama or barrier dam and blue creek on the cowlitz. Everyone knows about them because they are highly accessible and still hold fish, mostly because of hatchery intakes.

One good thing is this is a pink salmon year. If you can travel north to the sound, just about every river has them. They are great for beginners to letn drift fishing techniques because you WILL catch fish. There is a difference between drift fishing and flossing/snagging.

 

[No_Regerts]

Sorry to bogart your thread, but I feel that salmon are easier to get early success with vs steelhead. If you are an instant gratification type, I'd start with salmon. Twitching jigs when coho are around is a pretty easy way to get into fish. Just tie on a barrel swivel, 1 1/2 to 2 feet of leader that is a couple pounds less than your mainline (so you dont lose a lot of line if you get snagged) and then tie on the jig. Its like bass fishing for salmon.

If you are stubborn, and don't have any quit in you, steelhead fishing is very rewarding once you finally catch one. Lighter gear and more finesse. Much more technical.

 

[DirectDrive]

They're gettin Springers on the Cowlitz using float and jig.
Go into Bob's Sporting Goods and ask the guy at the fishing counter where the best spots are.
If you get one, I get a couple steaks.

 

[Hang-Man]

Cool Direct Drive and No Regerts, I see we are trying to help him get started. I have Not been fishing in almost 8 years as my little woman is very sick and I have to be here, that said I have a friend on the Cowlitz, his house sits on a bend and Great fishing hole in his back yard, he does not fish much but lets a few guys fish from his bank, wish I could get away I would take Fltche out for a day or two catching fish, I Love to see the look on a face that just caught their first steelhead or Salmon.

 

[Fltche1]

I would love that. I am always willing to stock a cooler with some cold beer and some hot food for a fishing as a way to say thank you.

 

[Hang-Man]

Where abouts do you live Fletch?? If you go out with a guide you may have to spend some $$ but the guides will usually take very good care of you. I used to know almost every guide around, Garibaldi is another area to get some nice fish.

June Hogs are fun to catch, Jack Glass on the upper columbia can get you there too, reeling in a Big Salmon or a ten foot sturgeon is tiring but a load of fun and makes memories that will last a lifetime.

 

[Fltche1]

I have gone out of illwaco with pacific salmon charters for tuna and salmon. Its loads of fun and well worth the money but it gets expensive if you do a lot of it. its definitely how I would take the wife out fishing. I am out of the longview Kelso area. Fishing for me is definitely fun but its also a way for me to stock the freezer.

 

[Hang-Man]

Fltche, You should move to Alaska if you want to stock a freezer full of meat, that is the last American frontier that allows subsistence fishing.
In the 80's I was on a list to pick up road kill Moose, was called out 3 times in one day and had more meat than I could give away so I bought and picked up free Freezers from the Anchorage paper freebies column, then the moose and salmon, Halibut , Dahl sheep, caribou, and Bear meats were filling them up, THEN, I gave the freezers to needy families in the area, True story, was a rewarding hobby, always makes me feel good to help others.

 

[Flymph]

If you have heavy gear, you can salmon fish the Columbia when it's open(or any big river really). Tie on a railroad spike, literally, and a spinner corkie like the size of a 5yo child's fist trailing herring. Tie the spike on so it detaches when you real in. YouTube will explain it, I apologize for being short, I just got off work. Fish this method at clackamette and meldrum bar on the willamette. A couple other spots too. Pretty much anywhere you find stones the size of your fist and the river narrows or is diverted by islands. I think Longview has some beaches like that, tho I just pass through mostly. I'm assuming you're fishing gear, so heed these guy's advise. I couldn't add anything else. Except maybe green for spring, orange or pink for fall, blue and purple for winter, and summer is a daily change between green and pink. Tho summer seems to be varried more on a daily basis. All general rules for the game.

Also, some guys will fish for twenty years and never catch a salmon. Don't expect it to be summer in alaska every time you go out. It takes constant dedication to be consistently successful. Friend's help, locals are great, guides are paid for a reason.

Limit your keep, don't keep your limit!

 

[Fltche1]

I started working my way south towards the mouth of the cowlitz. I headed down drifting a bobber and my jigs working every color i had. I worked my way back throwing crank baits, spinners, rooster tails of assorted colors and various depths. Still nothing. Not that I expected to get anything but I did manage to find a few snags. Im definitely learning the river. Any thoughts on mouths and where tributaries spill into larger rivers? For example, where the cowlitz spills into the colombia or the coweeman spills into the cowlitz? I would expect there to be some eddies that would be a good place to find fish. I am dedicated to getting halfway decent and at least enjoying fish once and awhile. I do enjoy the fight too. I dont mind putting in the time.

 

[DirectDrive]

I started working my way south towards the mouth of the cowlitz. I headed down drifting a bobber and my jigs working every color i had. I worked my way back throwing crank baits, spinners, rooster tails of assorted colors and various depths. Still nothing. Not that I expected to get anything but I did manage to find a few snags. Im definitely learning the river. Any thoughts on mouths and where tributaries spill into larger rivers? For example, where the cowlitz spills into the colombia or the coweeman spills into the cowlitz? I would expect there to be some eddies that would be a good place to find fish. I am dedicated to getting halfway decent and at least enjoying fish once and awhile. I do enjoy the fight too. I dont mind putting in the time.

Salmon and steelhead are migrating fish.
They will often blast through slower water like you were fishing.
When they hit faster water, they will slow up and hold/rest. This is where to target them.
The Cowlitz is what's known as a "terminal fishery".....migration is terminated by Barrier Dam.
This kegs up the fish and the fishermen.
The hatchery steelhead fishing is best in the vicinity of Blue Creek.

 

[Fltche1]

Salmon and steelhead are migrating fish.
They will often blast through slower water like you were fishing.
When they hit faster water, they will slow up and hold/rest. This is where to target them.
The Cowlitz is what's known as a "terminal fishery".....migration is terminated by Barrier Dam.
This kegs up the fish and the fishermen.
The hatchery steelhead fishing is best in the vicinity of Blue Creek.

Definitely appreciate the information. Thank you.

 

[bbbass]

Getting info is the best advice posted here. I learned how to fish the Chetco when I first moved to Brookings by hanging out where I saw people fishing, if they catch any, and by asking questions in sporting goods stores and marinas... they will always tell you where the fish are. That is the key, where the fish are. As you know they are migratory so there is no sense fishing water that holds no fish!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I agree that salmon are the easiest to learn on. Salmon bites are usually aggressive and steelhead bites are almost undetectable, you have to watch your line. The exception is backtrolling crankbaits for steelhead. You can do that by wading out into the river at shallow spots above good water.

Salmon after a rain storm will hang out close to the shore. Otherwise deep spots is where you will find them.

Jed Davis homemade spinners are the best lure I have ever cast from the shore.
Winchuck river hen full of eggs. Caught with #5/0 silver spinner I made, 12lb test, 9' steelhead rod.

 

[Flymph]

The photo is from the 80's, all the fish that look like that are dead now... well, mostly.

 

[DirectDrive]

Nice.
I think that the Chetco is the perfect salmon/steelhead stream.
Small freestone permitting almost a snag-free drift and nice volume.
The color of the water (when prime) and the Madrone trees are quite a sight.

My favorite way to fish summer steelhead is with homemade spinners.
Jed's book is the spinner bible.

 

[bbbass]

The photo is from the 80's, all the fish that look like that are dead now... well, mostly.

That's true. I lived in Brookings from 1987-1993, so maybe it could be early 90's. It is also true that all those fish are dead, they died right after they spawned!! LOL. I haven't fished the coast for so many years that I wouldn't have the slightest idea how big the fish are, or even if there are any to be caught. But I can tell you that there are 3-salt steelhead on the Wallowa river!

 

[Ura-Ki]

I agree with stopping in at Bobs and asking the folks what and where. It's a some what risky/tricky technique, but PLUNKING is hands down the most deadly bank tactic for both species. It's best to have some one show you how to do it so you don't break a rod, or get your gear tangled up. For Salmon, you will need a MAG Heavy Bobber rod, and for Steel Head, a Good supple tip HOT SHOT rod will be the best. Run Spin and Glows on your bottom two lures with ether Prawn Tails, or sand shrimp tails, and then run a Kwik Fish, Sardine wrapped on a slider above your top swivel using a big 10 mm bead as a stopper! I will out fish ANY boat using this, and if done correctly, I can out fish any one else on the bank! For smaller waters, switch to WiggleWarts on your Plunking set up, and have fun!