18 minute read
LOWER COLUMBIA COHO
Bank On Lower Columbia Coho
With big numbers of silvers expected to return this season, here’s how to fish off the North Jetty, and rocks and beaches of the big river’s estuary.
An angler casts for salmon in the Columbia estuary, where the limit bumps up to three hatchery coho a day starting September 8. Some 683,700 early and late silvers are forecast to return to the mouth of the big river this fall. Chinook retention closes here after September 7. (JULIA JOHNSON)
By MD Johnson
So I move to Southwest Washington in 1993 and immediately my fishing fanatic girlfriend – now wife since ’99 – introduces me to salmon; specifically, bobber fishing off the North Jetty at the mouth of the Columbia. She was then, as she is now, a patient woman, and showed me how to rig a bobber setup, get just the right bend to the anchovy, and work the flood and ebb to my advantage. I was a good student, or so I thought, but the stars simply wouldn’t align.
Until one morning. That one was not unlike the other mornings we’d spent on the North Jetty. Walk out. Rig up. Cast. Retrieve. Repeat. Keep an eye out for the jetty raccoons – the little buggers – that love nothing more than to raid backpacks looking for those delectable 58-cent Winco fruit pies. So, I’m standing there, spinning rod in hand. Cast. Retrieve. Repeat. The pear-shaped reddish-orange bobber is almost hypnotic in its unchanging up, down, right, left, in, repeat. And then, as I stood on my rock paying, ah, 47 percent attention, it happened. Not with a splash nor a jolt nor a bob; rather, my float just disappeared into the face of a swell. “Melted away” would be the best way to describe it.
Seconds passed before something clicked and I reared back on the rod, which promptly doubled over. “Hey! … Hey! … Hey!” I’m hollering at my gal. Next thing I know, she’s at my side, coaching.
I, on the other hand, am getting quite the kick out of the whole thing. Plus, I don’t understand how serious this fish is.
Note: Mine was one of only two salmon caught on the jetty that day. Two, and I caught one of them.
Eager to please, I did as told, and after a brief tug-of-war, and a bit of certainly unintentional fiddling around, I brought my first shorecaught silver to the rocks, where he was netted and subsequently bonked. And such was my introduction to shore-based salmon fishing, courtesy of one Julia McClellan and the waters along the North Jetty – an introduction turned present-day obsession.
SHORE IS WHERE I operate from damn near 100 percent of the time, due to the fact I don’t own a boat. Well, I do, per se. I have plenty of folks in the Cathlamet area who fish every day and more times than not have an open seat. However, I choose not to 99 times out of 100.
Why the love affair with the shore? I could say it’s due to the fact I drink gallons upon gallons of coffee, and it’s just, well, easier to rid myself of said coffee while on the bank. It’s true, but it’s not the entire story. I enjoy shore-based salmon fishing for several reasons. One, taking a boat out of the mix, while admittedly limiting my access to a large extent, also takes a boat out of the mix. No launching or launch fees. No lines at the ramp. And none of the problems associated with a boat, water and things mechanical.
Second, and speaking specifically about bobbers, I – even at the age of 58 – find something very exciting about watching a bobber twitch, twitch, bob and disappear, especially when that bobber is the size of a Pabst tall boy. Third, and should the bite be cold at spot A, it’s a simple matter to pick up my minimalist gear and relocate. And, when I’ve limited out, the raccoons have eaten all my fruit pies or I’ve simply had enough, I can pack up and go straight home. It’s quick and easy, and to tell y’all the truth, I’m liking quick and easy more and more these days.
GEAR: THE BIG THREE
One of these days I’ll be the guy who walks out onto the North Jetty with a small selection of spinners, one rod, a net and a burlap fish bag. I’ve seen
Bobbers are on the big side (top image) for those who like to suspend an anchovy and either let the waves work the bait or slowly reel it in with a stop-andgo retrieve. For those who like to throw big spinners and spoons, this (bottom image) represents a good selection, with author MD Johnson especially partial to the 1-ounce Mepps Syclops in rainbow trout (second from left), which he works with an erratic retrieve.
(JULIA JOHNSON)
this guy out there, and more than once. He’ll throw, throw and throw some more until he catches a silver, catches another, and then picks up his net and stinky fish bag and goes home. But until that day comes, which it might not, I’ll hump a big Alps Outdoorz backpack filled to overflowing, several rods, a couple fish bags, Katch Kooler, net and Coleman bait bucket, and with this mountain o’ gear, I’ll switch back and forth between the following techniques until I find something that works, I limit out and/or I’m eaten out of pies.
Bobbers ’n bait: My preferred method for catching silvers (and kings, too) from shore for three reasons: It’s technologically simple; it doesn’t require a PhD in fisheries science to operate; and it flat catches fish.
The setup itself is elemental, consisting of a nylon bobber stop, small bead, 5mm bead, slip bobber, 5mm bead, snap swivel, beaded 1- to 1.5-ounce keel (banana) weight and a 24- to 36inch – personal preference – 25-poundtest leader with a sliding mooching rig consisting of a 3/0 Gamakatsu hook above a 4/0 Gamakatsu, both barbless.
A couple notes here. I’m constantly changing my bobbers – typically, oldschool pear-shaped floats; Danielson “cigar” floats; and DIY bobbers crafted from closed-cell foam pool noodles shaped with an electric carving knife and skewered with a 10-inch coffee stirrer for a line pass-through. But I’ve also like me a 9-inch Glow-inthe-Dark catfishing float from Lindy Little Joe. This particular bobber is extremely visible, even in a chop, rides high, casts well, and carries a 1.5-ounce weight, anchovy and hardware without bogging down. And did I mention I can see it?
Onto hooks. This season, I’ll start with the aforementioned Gamakatsus self-tied onto a sliding mooching rig; However, I’m partial to the Daiichi D16Z Bleeding Bait octopus hooks, also in 3/0 and 4/0. They’re stupidsharp, strong, affordable and, most significantly, I truly believe the red hooks against a silver anchovy make a difference in the number of hits I get. Scientific proof? No, but it’s worth a looksee, eh?
Leaders? I keep my leaders short – 24 inches to maybe 30 inches – and tie them directly to my beaded-chain banana weight with an old-school improved clinch knot.
As for “how” to fish the above bobber rig, there are two schools of thought. One, you can cast it and leave it. Let the ocean/river do the work for you. I see it a lot, and it does appear to be effective on any given day. Or, two, and if you’re like me, you can be an active participant in your angling adventure, and work the bait.
Two points of order here. If the tide’s running – and it doesn’t matter whether it’s left-to-right or right-toleft – pay attention until your bobber hits the rocks. Silvers will often pick up a bait as the “spin” of the anchovy quickens, which happens at the end of the drift, or as it’s called, the swing. More spin equals more flash, and more flash is often what it takes to ramp up inactive or following fish. Slack tide, and your bait sits like one of the guards at Buckingham Palace. Nothing. No movement at all.
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Here, I’ll aggressively lift/rip the bait vertically in the water column until I actually feel the bead/sinker contact the bottom of the float; then, I’ll freefall it to the bobber stop. This up-anddown jigging motion, combined with the flash of the bait, makes you an active participant, rather than sitting like a lump.
Finally, rod and reel. I pack dedicated bobber rods out onto the jetty; that way I’m not having to switch back and forth in terms of riggings. Me, I’m throwing an 8-foot-6 Lamiglas medium-heavy baitcaster mated to an Ambassadeur 5500C3 spooled with Cabela’s 30-pound Ripcord braid, while Julie’s setup consists of an Okuma SST series medium-heavy, also 8-foot-6, with an Ambassadeur 6500C3; same string there. If we happen to be hosting a third angler, there’s a Shakespeare Ugly Stik Lite, same length but in a heavyaction rod, outfitted with a Pflueger Trion GX-7 spinning reel and 30-pound braid. I’m partial to the baitcasters myself; however, the Trion flat casts a country mile, which I sometimes find makes a difference.
Spinners and spoons: Here’s a surprise. If I was told I could only take one hard bait – spinner or spoon – out onto the North Jetty with me for the whole of eternity, it would not be a pink 5/8-ounce Mepps Flying C spinner. No, it would, without question, be a 1-ounce Mepps Syclops spoon in their rainbow trout pattern. No hesitation on that decision.
The Flying C is an excellent jetty bait for silvers; in fact, 95 percent of the folks throwing hardware will be throwing a Flying C, either in hot pink, chartreuse or hot orange. Also good and in the spinner category is Yakima Bait’s tried-and-true Rooster Tail in the ¾- to 1-ounce model. Color? Pink, chartreuse, yellow, orange or – perhaps my favorite when it comes to spinners – fire tiger. The Long Cast from Mepps is another good lure choice.
Still, I’m a huge fan of the Syclops spoon; again, in rainbow trout. Fact is, we have a little ditty we use out on the jetty when it comes to lure selection: “Sun’s out. Rainbow Trout.” Don’t know why – maybe it’s the increased flash, thanks to the sun – but once the clouds part and Ol’ Sol makes an appearance, it’s game on for the Syclops.
As for how to fish it, I don’t sink it; rather, I cast – near, far, doesn’t matter as long as the spoon’s in the water – and immediately start a slow but steady retrieve. Occasionally I’ll stop and let the spoon flutter down through the water column a bit before jigging it once, twice, three times and picking up that slow, steady retrieve. A straight nonstop retrieve can work, but I’ve found the erratic stop-and-go really attracts attention.
A long-handled net will come in handy for landing salmon off the giant boulders that make up the jetty and other shorelines. (JULIA JOHNSON)
WHERE TO THROW
A Washington resident, I stick to the Washington side of the river. Some day, I’ll venture across the bridge and explore a bit of what the Oregon shore has to offer, but until then ...
I’m a North Jetty guy, thanks to my wife, who’s spent many a year fishing that long pile of rocks. If you’re familiar with the jetty, well, you’re familiar with the jetty; if not, here are some tips to – hopefully – make your shore-based salmon fishing on the rocks more productive. And safer.
Discovery Pass: You’re going to need one. Or spend $10 on a day pass. The jetty, for those unfamiliar, is accessed via Cape Disappointment State Park
Angler Tony C. beams after catching this hatchery coho off the North Jetty.
(JULIA JOHNSON)
outside Ilwaco.
Go self-contained: There are nice restrooms and showers in the park; however, there the amenities end. There are no potties on the jetty. None. Anything you want to eat or drink, you’re packing in and out on your back. And please, please pack out your garbage. I don’t want to see it out there.
Safety: The North Jetty is a dangerous place and was not made for fishing. There you have it. Sandy rocks are slippery. Wet rocks are slippery. The river will reach out and pluck your butt off the rocks, if you’re not careful and employ what we firefighters call situational awareness. In other words, pay attention to what you’re doing on this structure built solely to aid shipping in and out of the Columbia. Good rock-climbing shoes or boots. Take your time. Do not take your dog down into the rocks. Kids? Don’t let go of their hand. I’m serious; it’s not a nice place, and you can really get hurt if you’re not careful.
Raccoons: The jetty is full of raccoons. Resist the urge to feed them, as that will create problems with other human beings. And watch your fish bag and your food. They’re sneaky, these jetty raiders, and I’ve lost more than one fish and/or fruit pie to the clever little bandits.
Sunscreen and jetty flies: Even if the sun’s not out, you stand a chance of getting burnt. Sunscreen and/ or protective clothing are in order. And then there’s the jetty flies; nonbiters, but aggravating as all getout, especially if you have ample arm hair. Weird, huh? I’ve gone to wearing Sitka Gear’s Equinox Guard Hoody on the jetty. Weighing just 6.5 ounces, the Equinox stores easily and provides excellent protection against both the sun and the flies.
Where: The North Jetty, according to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers which actually owns the line of rocks and the ground associated therewith, is 2.5 miles long. That said, anywhere
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along those 2.5 miles from Waikiki Beach at the east end to the western tip can provide good salmon fishing, so it’s really a roll your dice/take your chances kind of deal there. Caution: The rocks at the very end are slippery and covered in 14.86 feet of cormorant, pelican and sea gull poop. It smells bad there, too. Proceed at your own risk. I don’t go there. Just sayin’.
THERE ARE OTHER places to fish for salmon from shore on the Washington side from Fort Columbia to Knappton and beyond; however, discretion and a strong anti-social streak prohibits me from going into detail as to their whereabouts. Best I can tell you is seek, and ye shall find. They’re there.
Across the river on the Oregon side, the stretch of sand known as Social Security Beach – I’m assuming due to the fact it’s frequented by a cadre of “old” guys, which, for you millennials, is anyone over the age of 31 – provides seasonal shore-based opportunities for both silvers and kings. SS Beach lies on the westernmost tip of Fort Stevens State Park, just a short drive north and west of the villages of Fort Stevens and Hammond, and can be accessed via the aptly named Jetty Road. I’ve not fished there myself; however, friends of mine who have spent time there tell me it can be quite good. It’s a spinner/spoon show here, thrown on a lengthy long-casting outfit. The most important piece of gear here? A lawn chair, because sit-down breaks are a good thing. NS
DESTINATION IDAHO
Idaho is a place of vast fishing opportunity for anglers with a variety of fish species spread across millions of acres of diverse landscapes ranging from deserts to mountains to rainforests.
Idaho has 26,000 miles of streams and rivers, more than 3,000 natural lakes, and a quarter-million acres of reservoirs and ponds. Nearly all those waters contain game fish, which includes 42 species ranging from giant white sturgeon to native wild trout to abundant warmwater fish. As a bonus, most Idaho waters have year-round fishing seasons.
To add to this alluring mix, Idaho is the most inland state in the West that has ocean-going salmon and steelhead, which gives anglers an opportunity to catch these sea-run fish as far as 900 miles from the ocean under the backdrop of Idaho’s majestic mountain ranges.
“Anglers’ paradise is probably overused, so let’s just say if you can’t find the kind of fishing you’re after in Idaho, you might not be looking hard enough,” Idaho Fish and Game Public Information Supervisor Roger Phillips said. “In addition to every world-famous fishing opportunity Idaho o ers, such as fly fishing for trout at Silver Creek, catching 10-foot sturgeon in Hells Canyon, or 10-pound steelhead in the Clearwater River, there are more equally impressive fishing spots you’ve probably never heard about.”
It’s di cult to segregate Idaho into distinct fishing regions because each part of the state tends to have similar, yet di erent, opportunities. Idaho’s favorite fish, trout, can be found in every nook, cranny and corner of the state. They’re a mixture of wild, native trout along with a complement of stocked hatchery trout and introduced brown, brook and lake trout.
The Snake River, which cuts through eastern, southern and western Idaho, runs from the Wyoming border across southern Idaho before turning north and eventually flowing into Washington. The river and its series of reservoirs hold abundant populations of warmwater fish, including several world-class smallmouth bass fisheries, as well as perch, crappie, bluegill, catfish and more.
Idaho also has a host of “Great Lakes” spread throughout the state that are known for their size and fishing quality. For example, Lake Pend Oreille in the Panhandle is 43 miles long and boasts a healthy kokanee fishery that also feeds a monstrous strain of “Kamloops” rainbow trout that grow in excess of 25 pounds.
Not to speak too loudly about it, but Idaho’s backcountry is often spoken of in hushed tones by anglers and may be the state’s worst-kept fishing secret. That’s because it’s obvious, yet challenging, because the state boasts 4.8 million acres of Congressionally designated wilderness. There are thousands of miles of pristine rivers and streams and hundreds of alpine lakes spread across that vast, unspoiled, roadless landscape.
With such rich fishing opportunities, anglers can pick and choose their favorite methods of fishing, whether wading a mountain stream for trout during summer, trolling for trophy fish on a large lake or reservoir, or drilling a hole in the ice during winter.
Idaho’s rich fishing opportunities allow you to use your imagination, and its variety allows you to let your imagination run wild.
For more information, check out www.idfg.idaho.gov.
