where is the nearest boat launch to the boneville pool and will trolling plugs work instead of herring

there are a couple of options on the oregon side you can put in at cascade locks and run across or there is a rampoff hiway 4 at the wind river.

The way most guys fish up there is to pull some type of plug, from Quickfish to hotshots my fave is magnum wiggle warts.

Good luck fishing with a couple thousand of your closest friends

Rick

There's also a ramp near Stevenson. I've never run it but I hear it can be pretty nasty coming back down from the Wind when it's blowing. Just plan on being at the Wind launch at 3:30 with a lot of patience and you'll be fine.

Just to whet the appetite a bit more - between 3/10 and yesterday the tickers at Bonneville counted 3200 Springers over the ladders. During the same period last year they counted 330. No I'm not missing or adding any zeros...

Bruce

Hey Bruce, where are you getting your fish passage data? Im gettin getting mine from https://www.nwp.usace.army.mil/op/fishdata/AdultFishCounts/2001_3.txt This page doesent update evry day, obviously yours does. Im really excited, I have a trip planned for April 8th thru the 16th. Looks like the run will be one of the best ever!

If a person is from Washington and puts in on the oregon side and happeneds to come back with some fish would you be hasseled by the Oregon Dept of Fish and Wildlife?

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Sockeye

Sockeye,

To the best of my knowledge unless you are fishing below Bonneville(I think that's the only portion of the mainstem thats actually open) MY answer would be NO. If you are fishing the Wind river from a put in on the Oregon side I think that you still need a Wa license because they actually have a boundary posted for that area. There is a set of boundary markers that separate the Wind from the Columbia. That makes it officially Washington.

For fishing in the mainstem of the columbia the states have a mutual agreement on sport caught fish. but if you fish a branch or tributary you are required to have that states license regardless of point of origin.

I hope thats right and helps you out....
you can get licenses at the store in Stevenson (I think) or order them on the internet.


the site the I find the most up to date is the Dart site http://www.cqs.washington.edu/dart/adult.html
Rick

Bellinghamangler, the Dart site that Rick linked to above is where I get my numbers. Actually, the numbers I posted may be off.

I think those 3200+ vs. the 330 at the same time last year may be overall counts - not just for the March time period. Still, it's 10X the number of springers over the dam this year that there were last year. Fire up the coals...

Bruce
Schmidts Pro Staff

[This message has been edited by B. Gray (edited 03-27-2001).]

Point of origin, Gentleman. I am 90% sure that if you put in in Oregon-you must have an Oregon license because that is where you are landing. I buy a Washington license every year for that reason.

Maggotgagger, check this site out for boat launches.http://boat.iac.wa.gov/launches.asp?county=Klickitat

The site Bhamangler referred to is the most up to date for dam counts. They post data two days after the fact, ie, Sunday's actual counts go on the site Tuesday morning. There are 600-700 springers passing the Bonneville ladders daily right now, and guys plunking spin 'n glos just downstream of the dam are doing quite well. Catches have been averaging about one springer for every 3.5 to 5 anglers daily since the weekend. State checks show about 67 percent of the fish are marked hatchery fish. The rest are considered wild and must be let go. It's still slow so far upstream at the Wind River and Drano Lake. I'm down there Friday...

salmonbelly, you say that plunkers are picking up some fish, but is that the washingotn or oregon side, i would be fishing the washington side, any thing you can hint to as what would ie: bait and all that, thanks for any info, i want to head down there in a few weeks, since ive hardly fished speingers ( like 1 time) so im new at this.. **schitzo**

I think that the standard plunking rig will suffice go with a larger spinnglow (orange with stripes)and if you use long leaders put a cork on the middle of your leader if you tie on a swivel about 2-3' abouve your 3 way you can slide down another rig like a wobbler or quickfish. rig that on a shorter leader than the distance from your swivel to your 3 way. with a snap swivel on the non business end put a 1/2 oz cannon ballon the snap and clip to your line and let it slide down your mainline (put a couple of large beads on the mainline before trying this). and take a
I dont know how much weight they are throwing but i'd bring 8-14 oz pyramid or bank type sinkers. some folks use bait some use scent some use nothing. go with a size 4/0 or 5/0 hook

this is what the plunkers use at Meldrum bar in oregon city.

Good luck and I hope that helped a little

Rick

I think that the standard plunking rig will suffice. go with a larger spinnglow (orange with stripes)and if you use long leaders put a cork on the middle of your leader if you tie on a swivel about 2-3' above your 3 way. you can slide down another rig like a wobbler or quickfish. rig that on a shorter leader than the distance from your swivel to your 3 way. with a snap swivel on the non business end put a 1/2 oz cannon ballon the snap and clip to your line and let it slide down your mainline (put a couple of large beads on the mainline before trying this). and take a
I dont know how much weight they are throwing but i'd bring 8-14 oz pyramid or bank type sinkers. some folks use bait some use scent some use nothing. go with a size 4/0 or 5/0 hook

this is what the plunkers use at Meldrum bar in oregon city.

Good luck and I hope that helped a little

Rick

Hang on to your hats guys it will only get better!!! Lower Col. is crankin out fish with some beauties in the low 30's...That should continue for a few more weeks...these fish scoot right along so any of the normal spots below Bonneville are producing some fish...the bulk of the run is yet to come...kind of makes ya squirm a little eh!!?? As for the Wind...relax, have fun, and fish wiggle warts...the rest you will have to read in Mr. Grays article this month in STS magazine!

Jim

hey guys thanks for all the info we went to Kalama last sun, saw about 20 or so boats didn't really know what I was doing and didn't catch anything but I only saw 5 or 6 fish caught I have a pretty good idea what I'm gonna do next time(this weekend!!)and thanks for that boat launch site, bellingham