I was wondering if anyone has had any sucess night fishing for salmon and steelhead in the Columbia Tribs or coastal rivers?

Do regular drift or plug tech's work, how's 'bout phosforescent lures or plugs? Has anyone tried the glowing bobbers to jig/bait fish with?

Also, where do the fish tend to hold at night? Do summer steelhead tend to go shallow-like in tailouts at night or do they stay in the regular faster riffly runs? Do chinooks move from the deep holes they're in durning the day up shallow, or what?

Night fishing really intruiges me. I've done it for bass and had a lot of fun. I would imagine that some of the same rules would apply to salmon and steelhead for night fishing that apply to bass---such as dark colors on baits (Better contrast to surface), good thumping spinners and plugs (to help them key in on a moving lure).

Help me out here, I'd sure appreciate it. It also seems like it would be a good way to get away from the crowds too!

Thanks for any help

Aaron

Jellyhead, if you are fishing in oregon night fishing isnt allowed for salmon and steelhead. Over in washington they do allow it in some areas, I am not possitive which they are, check the regs. It is very productive at times, I know last fall the fishing on the lewis was excellent for silvers drift fishing clow in the dark corkies. I have done it a couple times for steelhead but has been quite a few years ago, and I used typical baits then and did alright. Good luck.

Firedog,

Yeah, I'll be in Wash. I was also going to try the Columbia at Night on the washington side. I don't know why Oregon won't let you fish at night? I also am aware of the night closures that are in effect in some Washington streams during certain times of the year.

Wadda 'bout VORTEXES? Anybody tried these things out? Are they worth 10 bucks, how deep do they dive?

Aaron

Jellyhead, ask FEAR NO FISH about them lighted vortexes. If I remember right, he pimps them.

Firedog, I thought the North Fork was closed to night fishing for silvers in the fall. I could be wrong though because I can't find my reg book for last year.

[ 05-25-2001: Message edited by: Krome Brite ]

Aaron: I night fish for steelhead at the mouth of the Lewis in late July and August each year. Fishing can be fast. Best day last year was 7 for 11, though most of the hits were very near dawn. My biggest problem is waking up before the reel is spooled. Last year I used Vortexes and cussed them out regularly. Damned things leaked unless I used vaseline at the o-ring, and even that didn't work too well. They are poorly designed in my opinion. This year there may be a better solution. Fishermans Marine has a new plug that looks like a mag wart but has a little generator built in. No batteries. Neat gizmo. Great hooks too. I used it with some success at the mouth of the Wind last month and am gonna try it at the mouth of the Lewis in a month or so. See you there.

krome brite, I am pretty sure it is open in the fall. This was pretty late fall though in nov. I didnt make it up there because I was to lazy to get up at midnight to go fish till daylight. But a buddy of mine was up there and there was a pretty good crowd I guess. He said fishing was a lot of fun up there. Did fould hook quite a few because of the number of fish in the river but just broke them off and was back to fishing. This fall should be unreal with the # of silvers coming back.Looking forward to a little silver fishing on the Kalama with my flyrod.

[ 05-25-2001: Message edited by: Firedog ]

Check and read my post in the tip contest, one of which I had entered did talk about the night fishing and how fish react and what they do at night. They do love vortex's. Just put the driftboat or sled in before dark and start fishing your way down river. I recommend to get glow sticks for the tips of your rods so you can see if your plugs are working. The one problem with vortex's is they don't float like wiggle warts or regular plugs so you have to keep a close eye on the rod tip. I highly recommend 30 pound spider wire, this way you can see your plug action even better, most of the steelhead you will hook will be in the softer water although you do hook plenty in the mid to fast water. They basically lay in the same areas plus the soft water at night as they do the daytime. Hopefully we will see you out there this summer. It's a blast with up to 13 hookups in one night!
Keith

Saaaawwwweeeetttt!!!

Sounds like I've gotta give this a try. Night fishing has always been a blast any time I've done it (only for warmwater fish though) I love the way the world slooowwws down at night. The way the industrial mill lights reflect off the water and the anticipation that comes not knowing how big the fish is at the end of your line is, not being able to see it till it is at the edge of the boat.

Keep your eyes out for me at the Lewis mouth this fall, you cant miss me. I'll be the only guy in a skeeter bass boat fishing salmon and steelhead, I can gaurantee that.

BTW, I caught a nice Springer limit this A.M. before 6:30 on my favorite zipperlip. This bass guy is getting a bad case of "slimy-ray" fever this year. Thanks to all that have posted egg cure recipiess, My hybrid cure (a mix of what I've read posted here) really kicked @$$ this morning!!!

Aaron

Jelly,
Um yea ah.....#35 hotshots with rattles work in the dark for steelies. So do Wiggle Warts. The blue hotshots and Black with glitter warts is what I used. Use glow in the dark paint or tape on your rod tip so you know what the plug is doing, Plus you can see the strike. The first time I did this we heard a fish thrashing on the surface before we realized we had it on.
Glow in the dark corkies and cheaters work great in the dark. Steelhead seem to hit glowing stuff with a vengence.

Thanks everyone for you're input!!

Aaron

[ 05-29-2001: Message edited by: Jellyhead ]

Hey KROMEBRIGHT,
You need to get on the HOOOOOOOOOTRAIN
if you want to be a john. Night
fishing for steelies and salmon is
really a hoot. Starting in September
it is all I do. Lighted vortexes are
my major weapon. They take a lot of
work prior to using them. I don't have
as many biters on Sadu strobes but did
land a 40 pound fall hog on one. I
also use wazzat spin and glos. I am
looking forward to using litefish on
fall chinook. Springers really don't
bite as well at night like fall
chinook do. Steelhead really hammer
vortexes. Best night in year 2000 was
at McNary dam. 20 on, 16 landed on
Oct. 12th.

FEAR NO FISH,

How deep will vortex's dive if flat-lined and trolled? Or, do you troll them w/a lead dropper line?

Also, how are you fishing the Lighted Spin'n'glo's? Trolled or Plunked? I tried the Lite-fish for springers this year in the early A.M. but not the total darkness (not legal in OR) and didn't get bit?!?

How's bout silvers? You hooking any of those up there?

Thanks,

Aaron

Hi Jellyhead,
A vortex will dive approx 8-12 feet. I
usually flat line them about 35 pulls
(70 feet). They work the best above
any of the dams. The slower the troll
the better. An electric comes in real
handy unless it gets windy, then I go
with the kicker and drift socks. An
absolute must is a chunk of shrimp on
the front treble. Also smear it up
with shrimp salt smelly jelly. Make
lightstick holders for your rod by
supergluing two sizes of tygon tubing
together. One size that the lightstick
will slide into and the other size
slit down the side to just fit the end
of your rod. They work great.
I like to use a jet diver with the
lighted spin and glos. I will also use
the diver with the litefish. I have
also used the lighted spin and glo
with a 3/8 oz jig and shrimp tail and
slowly pulled them around under a
bobber.

[ 05-30-2001: Message edited by: FEAR
NO FISH! ]
Am not looking forward to the silvers
once they hit the Snake. Can't keep
them and can't keep them off!

[ 05-30-2001: Message edited by: FEAR NO FISH! ]