Here are the people fishing the Flotilla this Saturday as far as I can tell. If you are listed and are not going, please post on this thread ASAP. If you are NOT listed please post on this thread ASAP. Thanks, Troy.

Spooled
RT
Stew
Rags
Dr. Strangelove
Bait Boy
Fish Hunter
Snapshot
Capin' Dan
Kalabama
Rvrtramp
Bait O' Eggs
Scotty98541 + friend (no lunch)
Gizmo
Timberman + 1 (no lunch)
Fishingdrunk ?
Danceswithfish + 1 ?
Steelheader69 ?
Mike Gilchrist +1 (Lunch only)

Hope I didn't leave anyone out. If I did, let me know.

Lunch will be at the OAK TREE RESTAURANT 3:30 PM. It is located at I-5 and the Woodland exit. You will see the sign. I made the reservation for 20 people.

Troy

[ 12-13-2001: Message edited by: spooled ]

[ 12-13-2001: Message edited by: spooled ]

[ 12-13-2001: Message edited by: spooled ]

[ 12-13-2001: Message edited by: spooled ]

[ 12-14-2001: Message edited by: spooled ]

Troy,

If the Oly area boys don't have an advantage they will not participate - as we learned from the Sop vs Cow thing. Unfortunate, because it's really for having fun, not a real competition; despite the for fun trash talkin.

I sure hope Jeffhead +2 and Dances/fishead5 show up and make you sorry you said that.

Count me in. I will have rvrtramp with me also. Is there an AM meeting place or are we just meeting after fishing?? Hope the weather changes for the better.

Even Jeffhead canceled Aunty. And I just don't know if Doug and Jr. have the nads to show up. jk ...

Dan, I think it would be best to meet where the driftboaters put in at the hatchery area - both those that launch d-boats on the north side and those that launch on the Meathole side. I think we'll launch at the new Happa ramp and come on up around 7:15 or so to the Meathole launch for a quick visit before the fishing. Other sledders launching down river at the golf course or Island ramp can come up to visit at daybreak if they want to. After fishing we can meet at the Island ramp and/or the resturant for pics. I'm looking forward to seeing you again. We could have a little snow during the day - fun.

RT

As I see responses, I will change the line up at the top. Thanks Jefhead and Kalabama for the notice.

By the way, remember that RT is the one talking smack on our boat. I know there are good fishermen and woman from Washington, and I will save any talking until AFTER the Flotilla.

Troy,

Talking AFTER the Floatilla? See, RT talks the smack BEFORE the Floatilla because after the Floatilla, everybody can see for themselves

Sorry I couldn't make this one, but don't worry RT, the other WA guys will prevail.

I saw on the other board that someone called this (insert name of a certain fishing BB here) Flotilla...it's not sponsored by any of fishing forums but I'm sure there will be some undue credit taken by some. Just like the tackle swap meet.

Dan S. I fished with him yesterday, like a monkey working a math problem up in the front of my boat. :p

LOL Troy!

If nothing else, he's good for entertainment value on the boat!

Hope you guys have fun! Fish on!

I still can't remember which way you hook up the Hot N Tot diver Troy. Is the leader run off the bill or the belly? And I spent most of the day today practicing my casting in the backyard; in the rain! I think I got this stuff down. You just point to where those feesh are hang out.

Hey Dan, sign me up in your d-boat for some outer OP fishin the second half of the steelie season. I plan on making up for lost opps due to the 'oil slick' ride. Maybe saint Nick will come too - tis the season to be jolly.

gizmo,bait o eggs,a freind of mine and myself will be attending.i won't be attending lunch afterward though.see you all there.scott

i sure hope rt dosn't use the bad egg excuse again :rolleyes:

Gonna see what the weather does!! If it stays in you can count 2 more in...Won't be there for lunch though!!

[ 12-13-2001: Message edited by: Timber Man ]

I'm out.

Will be there in spirit only, and probably some tackle too as I think I say RT in the ol tackle box :rolleyes: last time we were together on this very same river Have fun you guys and for your OR boys, go easy on our brotherin form the north and let them catch a few......... :p

sounds like marginal conditions at best for Saturday. I talked to Walt (Gizmo) and he says the flow could be real heavy and although the water color may be okay the flow may not be. I'll do whatever my team (Spooled,RT) wants to do but if condtions do not warrant a decent day then maybe we should rethink this.

The Flotilla will take place Saturday as planned.

I hope you're right Troy. We don't want F III canceled 3 times in a row due to the river conditions. The NF is one of the last to become unfishable because of the way the dam systems work there. But even if it has a couple feet of visability still it's over 10,000 cfs and rising. Can some of you experienced Lewis fishermen let us know by tomorrow afternoon if it will be reasonably fishable. We don't want the guys in driftboats to float from the hatchery to the Island take out in 12 minutes; even with their anchors out. ...

And remember my suggestions for a couple spots on the high Wilson Wednesday, about fishing the few inlet seams from the strong side? That is what we may have to do Saturday. By tucking right next to the bank and dropping anchor on it, you can catch high water fish right next to and just below the boat in the softer water. Fishing those holding seams and eddies from the weaker side in real high water just pulls your rig right out of those holding spots; unless you can float fish it while keeping your line off the water. And there actually won't be such a thing as a weak side anywhere in the NW this weekend! Let's hope it doesn't go up any more. Keep us informed Walt and you other NF fishers. Thanks.

RT

FYI,
The fish are definatly there to be caught... Was up there monday and a buddy and I landed 7 steelhead from the shore between the corkline and the falls.
On tuesday we were out in the sled and boated 9 between the corkline and the falls. I'd pay special attention to that particular area with the higher water. All them bankies will love you boaters working that water over. It should be a fun and exciting time..
Hope to make it next time, so have fun and hook some for me while I'm working...
Keith

Hi guys the river flow is high. Color not to bad. The hachery to the island is a quick trip in a drift boat use the back eddys and you can still fish it well. I will not be able to meet in the AM one partner is comming late. I will be fishing the lower river so I will see you all at lunch.

To all those worried, please put "Flotilla III" into the search feature. Read the posts from the last Flotilla III that was cancelled because the Satsop was "blown out". If my memory serves me correctly, Team Vision went down that day anyway and slayed the fish. We all stayed home, because of some negative reports. Big thumbs up to Team Vision for going out and fishing a river that was "blown out". You just never know.

I am not suggesting that fishing is going to be easy Saturday, but if you want to have a Flotilla at a trout farm, I am sure we can do one.

Good fisherman will find fish Saturday. I know our boat will. Have some confidence in your skills. Even if no one catches a fish, which I doubt will happen, what else you gonna do Saturday, iron your dresses. :p

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

:p

Ya, I put on a real clinic out there. :rolleyes: 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

Hats off to Spooled for setting F-3 up. Was great to connect the faces to the names. We didnt seem to crowd the water too bad at all. Lunch was good. Think I met everyone but Dr. Strangelove and Bait o'Eggs, catch you guys next time. Phil Leshowitz and Mike Gilchrist showed up for lunch only. They are with the Recreational Fishing Alliance, thanks to the organization the reel raffle. Bait of Eggs won it. Had a great time fishing with Bait-boy and Cap'n Dan these guys are dialed on the freedrifting tech. They will get me trained eventually. Good job Kalamabama and Rivertramp for finding the fish downriver and connecting in a major way.
See you guys on the river, Jay

[ 12-16-2001: Message edited by: Fish Hunter ]

Could someone please explain to me why anyone would use a pink worm in high water/questionable water conditions? I thought that you guys were trying to catch fish?

Just wondering?

i also would like to thank spooled for getting me down there and getting the chance to meet a few from the boards.i had a good crew(gizmo,baito eggs and eric) the fish were cooperating we just couldn't get them in the boat(had some great excuses though).that hatchery drift is a tough stretch to freedrift.the weather also was something to be desired.but with the good co.i hardly noticed it was raining a inch an hour. my hats off to kalamabama and crew for finding fish in the lower river with that much water,you must know the river pretty well.good job. scott

[ 12-16-2001: Message edited by: scotty98541 ]

Congrats to the Dawg Boys and another victory.

These Washington Fish must know an Oregon worm when they see it :rolleyes:

Next ones on the South side of the Big River,I hope We make a better showing than last time down there

Wished I could have made it,but thats alright,If I had to miss one....like RT says big water scares us

my arms recovering from my "day off"
Hows you'res Danny ....Os

Regarding fishing with worms and catching fish, it must be the angler. Our own Bait of Worms (The angler formerly know as Bait of Eggs) caught one adult and 2 jacks on WORMS of the 11 (7 adults and 4 jacks) we hooked. Yes, the old garden hackle stand by.

I would like to add my thanks to Spooled for coordinating the event and seeing that it took place despite concerns voiced about the conditions.

I would also like to congradulate the winners Dan and Tony, (although we had our chances to win if the fish would have stayed on the hooks better...won't mention the brand)

And finally, a special thanks to Scott for sharing his boat and knowledge. Any of you guys needing a guide out there on the cowlitz and Satsop should look him up. He is very pleasant to fish with and has a great boat to fish from.

Giz....

[ 12-16-2001: Message edited by: Gizmo Man ]

Was there any large fish boated? Or were they the typical 6-10 lber's? We haven't seen many fish over 12 lbs yet this year up there.
Keith

Hey Keith, I woke up this morning and thought the whole thing was a nightmare ... until I burped up a bunch of black feathers.

Next one is Oregon's turn. I'm hoping someone like Spooled, who nicely organized this F3 makeup day, or Willierower who organized F2 on the S. Santiam, will come up with something appealing to most fishers - maybe on springers somewhere. The Willamette is expecting it's biggest run in years and will be open 7 days a week for them (driftboats work as well as the sleds in the best 2 stackup holes up there). It's an earlier run than the upriver Columbia run, so we could have one up at Oregon City in March or April. Or have it out of a Columbia port such as a St. Helens/lower Lewis ramp combo. This would be an excellant centralized location and wouldn't be the zoo of overcrowded boats and long lines that occur up below the Bonneville Dam deadline. And there will be just as many Col. springers this year but with a higher percentage of finclipped fish to keep. Anyone with other good ideas or dates post them soon enough (before January is over?) to make some plans.

Stainless, I now agree with you that it's 'doughballing' to keep trying to prove the pink worm will work on the NF Lewis, especially in high water; so I give up on it on that river. But I have no excuses why I couldn't get a bite on good eggs combined with either a flame Glo Go or with double corkies. So for that I am going to take my son to school in the morning and write "I am a Flotilla cracker", 100 times on a spare blackboard somewhere and sign it. ...


RT

[ 12-18-2001: Message edited by: RT ]

I went back for more this AM Os, and yes, the arms can feel yesterday.

Batchelor Island might make a great place to hold the next flotilla. It is great for springers and is close to St. Helens and to Pekin Ferry and Beebe's moorages on the Lewis, as well as to the Richfield ramp. That area will hold a bunch of boats too. If the weather is nice (right!) we could have a weenie roast on the beach on the island right close to all the fishing.

Great idea Thumper. And the chances would be very high for plenty of fresh caught springers on hand for a large BBQ. Cool! Gizmo said that area was a real good producer for spingers this year too.

Since an Oregon guy (Spooled) organized the successful F III up in Washington, I nominate Thumper and Giz to organize the spring Flotilla IV. That scenario has the potential for more participants and a fun beach BBQ than the previous flotilla's combined. Fun! (By the way, I found out it's not spelled Floatilla ).

So what kind of boat could I use for this particular flot.

would... say a 14' with a 9.9 or so do the trick or am I asking for trouble.

A big thank you to Spooled for getting everything set up for the Flotilla 3. It was nice to meet everyone. Yes I did fish the lower river Woodland down. Well you just have to go where the fish are Keith the hachery down is tough in a drift boat when the river is this high maybe I can get a ride in your new sled someday. I did go out today also did well there are lots of fish in there.

I'm glad to hear that most people did well.

RT, you crack me between your trash talk and no fish. Hey, why did you neglect to tell the others you ate a banana that morning? lol.

Matt

Glad you all had a good time for F3. Vision Hooks & Tackle apologizes for not showing up. Team Vision was going to hook up (pun intended) with Team Ultimate Egg Cure and put on a clinic for you all , but..... without a boat or skipper, it was called off.

Oh well, there's always F4.

Again, glad you all had a good time! Wish I could have been there.

[ 12-16-2001: Message edited by: parker ]