Looks like more fish are ariving on the kalama daily, I started fishing the camp ground hole and the fish are awesome, brite as can be. I started fishing with blue fox spinners and did very well, at least 3 fish a day and many more take downs but no hook ups. It was great to hit them fish on spinners The one question i do have is about the rules of a fair hooked fish. The way i read it in the regs is hook in mouth not in the head or forward of the gill plate. Their is a couple of guys down their who are kind of the camper watch dogs or drunks you'll see one or the other when you go there. They are telling people that a fish hooked in the head is fine but one in the a@# is not. Seems like they are both the same, if it is not in the mouth, it is snagged. So anyway i didn't want to say much until i found out ,the guy seems real defensive and has all these guys believing that its fine. I stuck with spinners and did great and hope to do good tomorrow see ya drift.

The fish has to voluntarily take the bait/lure. Thats means the hook has to be in the mouth. Thats the law.
I will be floating the Kalama on monday, I will be going from Either the pipeline or Modrow to below I-5. If you see a black Willie Drift boat, Say Hi.

Drift - The area you're fishing is notorious for harboring large numbers of snaggers. The Camp Kalama area is full of them and they justify their methods with the excuse that hooking a fish anywhere in the head is legal. Well, it's not. But it's no use trying to argue with them. I just hope the WDFW continues to issue citations. The method you're using is ok.

Willierower - Thanks for the tips last week. I hit the lower Kalama last Thursday and again yesterday (Sunday). I landed several nice fresh coho on eggs early in the morning or spinners later in the day. The late run coho are late because of the low river levels but they're moving upriver quite quickly. You should do well today (10/22) although you probably won't stay dry.....

[ 10-22-2001: Message edited by: cohoangler ]

Hey guys, I've never really been fishing right in that Camp Kalama area, been below and above and way above but never right in there. Drove by there on the road from Kalama and noticed people parking on the side of the road and along a small driveway by the bridge. There were signs posted no trespassing all over. Can a guy get in there legally by parking along the road/or at that driveway and walking in or does he have to go in Camp Kalama and pay to park/fish. Thanks.

cohoangler.
Ifished off the bank below the trap. I managed to hook 4 and land 3. 1 adult silver a jack silver and a steelhead. And I stayed dry. It stopped raining as soon as I pulled into the parking lot at the Modrow ramp. It didnt rain again until I got back to the store.

Anybody care to bites on this?

Promise I'll stop being such an a-hole.

Hey KromeBrite,

This is what I know. The driveway you are talking about is private, but you can park at the end and walk in. The woman who owns/lives on the property charges $5 a head to fish from her bank across from Camp Kalama. If you stay long enough she will find you. I've only been there on weekends so don't know what goes other days. Its not quite combat fishing, but can get crowded....you also have to be able to stomach the snaggers who make up a certain percentage of the people at this hole.

JMS

Thanks Little Fish. I don't know if it would be worth me going in there if that's how much she charges per head per day ( I don't usually catch fish ). Is this lady younger? If so maybe I could make payment in another way. J/K Say, do you know about Camp Kalama itself-how much is it to park in there and fish. I don't like fishing alongside/across from snaggers, but I heard from a couple of reliable sources who fish EGGS/SPINNERS/AND CORKY-YARN w/SCENT that they slaughtered them down there about a month ago. Probably getting to be too late this year, but there's always next year.

Krome Bright,

Camp Kalama charges close to $20 to park and fish from their bank. I think its the same as their camping fee. I was down this weekend to pick up a new toy (driftboat) in Vancouver and fished the Kalama some in the am & pm. Hooked and lost one very bright coho using a flatfish. The river has plenty of fish so your $5 is probably better spent on beers after a day on the river.

JMS

$20 WOW! Yeah, think I'll fish elsewhere on the river. Thanks again, LF.

Went up to the Kalama on Sunday and did some fishing in the canyon. Didn't catch a thing, and a lot of people I talked to said the same.

Matt

Rip - Thanks for the info. I was going to hit the canyon sometime later this week but perhaps I'll try lower in the river. I did okay last Friday behind KRB&T but the fish have probably moved up higher. Perhaps they're not in the canyon just yet.