I just got online and checked several river levels on the river stage sites. At 1:00pm the NF Lewis at Woodland is a whopping 60,741 cfs, and the height stage is at 22+ ft! That almost sounds unbelievable. If any of you guys see other sites showing something less then post the level and site URLs here. At that height it is a no-brainer to cancel this event. I was just on the phone with Troy (Spooled) and he is in agreement that we will have to wait for another opportunity. He told me he is going to watch TV while ironing his dresses. ...

Looking at many other river levels on the gauge website, most rivers around the NW are either above flood stage or at bankfull blown. The Cowlitz was listed at 93,000 cfs!!! WOW!

RT

Not sure which site you're looking at, but USGS is a little less pessimistic. See http://wa.water.usgs.gov/rt-cgi/gen_stn_pg2?station=14220500 for the Lewis and
http://wa.water.usgs.gov/rt-cgi/gen_stn_pg2?station=14243000 for the Cowlitz. Shows the Cow at about 29,000 cfs, which is high, but a little less than what you're seeing.

Main page is http://wwwdwatcm.wr.usgs.gov/realtime/rt_latest_data.html

Even though these are better, I'm still working on the house and not fishing this weekend

RT,where are you getting these astronomical #s from as of 4 opm the nf. lewis is at 11,900,still fishable.lets not get i can't catch em fever now.scott

I just went back to re-check that site and there is a discrerpency between the Ariel and Woodland gauges. It's the National Weather Service river level site at

http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/Portland/public_hydro/

It has the NF at Ariel listed around 12,000 cfs and currently has the NF at their Woodland gauge now at 60,858 cfs. I posted earlier that sounded unbelievable; and that may now be the case. It still lists the Cowlitz at 93,697 cfs at their Kelso gauge but at 28,297 at their Castle Rock gauge. That must be a haywire site. And when I canceled my AT&T internet service I forgot to save my favorite site URLs, which included several river gauge sites, so I don't have those to compare. But...

Even at around 12,000 cfs the NF is still going to be roaring. Gizmo told Stew today that it's really too high at those levels to have any decent fishing. But I am open for any other late up to date info on both the current NF levels and whether it's decently fishable or not. We need guys like Keith, Gizmo, Thumper, and others better familiar with it to give us input before formally calling it off I guess. ...

However, because of the uncertainty, Troy did cancel out the resturant reservations. If a few F III guys show up and fish, an impromptu get together can be done at any decent place in Woodland if people want to. So, more feedback guys.

RT

Steve, I just got home from the Gorge and checked the river level. I show stage 7.51 and 11,900. I cancelled the lunch reservation on my cell on the way home, based on the 60,000 cfm number you gave me. Are we or are we not fishing? I am on your boat, so what you do I do.

Ahhhh, yes. To fish, or not to fish? That IS the question.

Glad I don't have to make the call........you know what happened last time I said we shouldn't fish. Who knew?

Good luck........

O.K. here is the latest on the Flotilla 3 soap opera. I called Diana back at the Oak Tree Restaurant and she will allow me to call her in the morning and let her know if it is go or no go.

If my boat team decides against going due to conditions, I will bank fish and be at lunch if others still want to go.

Sorry for all the confusion.

Please put feedback here.

Thanks,
Troy

Guys --- The NF is currently at 11,900 and will be dropped to 11,000 CFS by tomorrow A.M. according to the recording at 800-547-1501. That is fishable (though pretty sporty). If your name is Bruce Gipple or Keith (Stlhdr1) you will boat 12-15 fish at that level. The rest of us would find it a bit more challenging.

OK, that's what we needed to hear - from NF Lewis expert Jack (Thumper) that it will be down slightly to 11K in the morning. And of course since Jack can't attend it's nice of him to post that good fishermen should catch double figures of steelhead, because he won't be there to measure up to that lofty claim for challenging conditions. That's cool Jack. Because now we have someone to blame if the fishing is crappy - incuding for your guide buddy Gipple, and Keith if he has the nads to take the morning off to fish and go into work only a little late. It's all on Jack now! And I am back up for going. Troy, Shane, and I will be having pancakes and bacon at the Oak Tree resturant about 6:15 am and then heading for the Meathole launch on the south side across and down from the hatchery. Should get there around 7:15 or so. Anyone starting early can maybe fish the upper Meathole area until the rest of us get there? Should be fun, come snow or high water.

Edit: Ooops. Forgot about the diet - can't have hi cal breakfast. Will have to sneak down a couple donuts somewhere. See ya at the Meathole ramp 7:15 or so.

RT

[ 12-15-2001: Message edited by: RT ]

Okay guys the river will be running at about 10,000 on sat. This will be OK for fishing.The river is full of fish. I hope to meet many of you folks. I will just go to the Oak Tree when I get off the river and ask for the ( Fishing Area ). See you there !!!! <:}>>>{

Nope, small nuts here I guess.. I've got to pay for the new sled I signed papers for today. I bought a friends 20' Koffler. It won't be ready to fish until the latter part of next week, it has a couple of cosmetic things that need to be done at koffler before I start fishing it.

It is true what Jack is saying though, the day myself and BK were up there Gipple had boated 4 fish that morning, then left. A good buddy of mine was up there tonight from the shore and him and his buddy banked 3 fish in the last hour of daylight, and James also lost a couple.

But, I've got to work to pay for this new toy...
Keith

Ok that Idiot that Labeled it an I@@## Flotilla was me. It was a simple mistake. I was tring to get a response to the existing thread that was dead. Sorry to offend anyone.

I was trying to find out where to go and if a beginner with a drift baot would be able to make it. I have a 16' Clackacraft and would like very much to attend this event. However my partner wsa nutereed by his wife tonight and he cancled on me at 8:00 pm. So now I will probally just stay home and buy a new motor to replace my stolen 25 hp Yamaha 4 stroke.

Any advice for a beginner drift boat fisherman would be great. If somebody wanted to show me how to I have the boat and truck.

Once again I am sorry if I ruffeled anybodys feathers on that other thread.

Joe

To all of you who make the Dragged On Forever 2001 Flotilla good luck....even you southerners.
May mass steel be your friends.

"Best of The Best"
Team TopGun

gooose

So did any of you guys end up going today? What's the report?

Looks like a win for the Dawgs! Thanks to everyone who showed up. It was a wet cold Flotilla, but fun. Here are the results:

Kalamabama / Rvrtramp 4 (in a drift boat )

Fish Hunter / Cap'n Dan / Bait Boy 3

Gizmo / Bait O' Eggs / Scotty 98541 / Eric 2

Snapset / Dr. Stragelove / Rags 0

RT / Stewy / Spooled 0

Nice job Kalamabama and Rvrtramp. You got bragging rights for you and the Dawgs

Troy

[ 12-15-2001: Message edited by: spooled ]

Good job kalamabama, it's hard work fishing the lewis at this height from a driftboat. What drift did you do?
Keith

Did I read RT & Co. got zilch? Uh, oh. Looks like all that smack talking didn't pay off.

I figured it wouldn't be easy, but the fish are still there.

Way to go Team WA. Did RT order crow at the restaurant?

Northerners
The Southern Pro's the Big Gooose Egg?
Team TopGun feels a lot better now!

Gooose

Ya, I put on a real clinic out there. Stew had one on and Spooled caught a steelie 'tweener (between a jack and a small steelhead), so I think I may have been the only F3 guy that didn't get a single bite today. Yeeehaaaw.

The NF was high, but the water color was good. Most of the fish were caught near the hatchery area. We fished on down river from the start and didn't see a fish caught (at Spooled's insistance - he didn't want to stay near the 'meathole', like he did on the Wilson ). Came back later to boondog with the Dawgs by the hatchery area the last couple hours and saw fish caught (and that's where Stew and Troy got their bites). Scotty was puttin on a 'doggin clinic for a while there - nice going. I couldn't buy a bite on steelhead eggs. Or else I'm a cracker that can't feel a bite. And I 'dogged a conehead pink worm thru this area, where fish were being hooked by boaters and bankies, for quite awhile and no bites on that either (same as for the NF silvers a couple months ago seemingly not wanting the rubber pink worm). There must be a mean hatchery worker that wears a long pink suit and harrasses NF smolts or something? Those things are deadly about everywhere else.

Thanks to Mike Gilchrist and Phil Leshowitz of the RFA (Recreational Fishing Alliance) who came to our luncheon, and gave away a new spinning reel in a free raffle. Good organization.

RT

Well, sounds like everyone had fun! RT, it's not your fault... These hatchery clones are too smart for an Oreo... I understand where your coming from, when them nates show up it's a whole different story. They'll bite just about anything. (You know I've got to give you a bad time, due to the fall trip). Anyhow, I'll be there for the next flotilla no matter what. So where's it going to be next?
Keith