After reading a post reply from one of our fellow bb members(thank you Aunty M) on a different thread (Questions About Really Big One)I got to pondering another question. Since the lower Columbia (I-5 downstream) open for fishing sometime in January, I'm wondering about which tributary rivers historically have this early run of springers? And if so, shouldn't they be called " Winters"?

Sid,

I believe that the earliest springers are the ones that migrate the farthest upstream. Of course, nothing is absolute, but from what I've read, the salmonids that spawn in the upper reaches of a river system (such as Idaho) start their migrations first. The lower trib fish, since they have less distance to travel, come later in the run.

4Salt, Thanks for the reply - I guess that only makes sense. If this is true though, what wouldn't make sense is why the tri-state game depts. would allow anglers to start fishing them so early! They already have the longest and toughest gauntlet of all springers to get to their headwaters. It's no wonder a few of these watersheds are in trouble, if what you have mentioned is correct. Thanks again and Tight Lines!

Sid,

Idaho puts out massive amounts of hatchery springer smolts. The bulk of last year's springer run was bound for hatcheries above Bonneville dam. I believe that the majority of those fish were marked, so the three states opened the season early on the lower Columbia figuring that wild fish release would be enough protection for those endangered wild springers?

How about the early runs in the states of Wa./ Ore., does anybody know which of these Columbia R. trbutaries start the earliest,and what this years expected numbers returns are suppose to be for induvidual rivers. Also a question I have, does anybody know if some of these rivers support fish which notoriously grow and return larger fish than other rivers? Thanks all!

Actually most of the early fish in the river are bound for the Willamette. That is why fishing is open below I5 right now, to target the willamette fish. The run on the Willamette is projected to be 73,800 this year which when combined with the better water conditions should make this a good year.
Last year there were loads of fish in the system, but there was virtually no current to get any fishing done. Some people had terrible years on the Willamette last year
I believe of the tribs the Willamette gets the biggest run, however you have to look at the size of the river, I think in fish per square mile the wind is the most productive around. With it's liberal limits and high fish density it turns into a white trash fest pretty quickly though.
As far as I know the biggest springer caught was on the Clack back in the 80's don't remember the specifics, but I believe it was over 50#. That fish was a freak of nature though. I think there is very little variance between average sizes in different tribs. However someone could definately prove me wrong.
Hope this answered some of your questions.

Ramstrong thanks for the post, it sounds like you have done your homework. I will be down for the F4 with a couple buddies. Hopefully meet up with some of the people that have helped me out on my first couple threads and buy'em a cold one, or a cup of coffee.

That fluke springer was caught from the High Rocks hole on the lower Clackamas in '83. It was hooked by then bank angler Terry Seamster, and one of the jetboat guides put him in the boat to help land the record sized Clack 'nook. They called the Oregonian newspaper to take pics of Terry with his monster springer. That was the good news for him - the bad news is that he had called in sick to skip work and fish, and when his boss saw the pic the next day he fired the trophy angler. I've fished a lot near Terry at O.C. and Tillamook on thru the 80's to present, because that was his jumping off spot toward fulltime guiding. He put a big pic of that infamous fish in my '84 guide booth at the Portland Outdoor Show and it made guy's eyes pop. He's been one of the testers for Pro Cure egg curing products for owner John Pirone. Moral of the story? If you would rather work catching fish on the river everyday instead of your present 9 to 5 job, then call in sick and catch a 55 lb. springer. It's that easy.

I concur with what Ryan (ramstrong) posted about the earliest fish going up the Willamette. They always catch a few early ones up near O.C. in Jan./Feb. ... For F4, we will be fishing on the peak movement of both the Willamette and upper Columbia springers at the same time (Saturday, April 13th). Unless we get a bad combo of snowmelt and rains (which would put too many boats at the mouth of the Lewis), that should be a hot fishing day this year - and lots of fun!

I would concurr with the consensus here. The Sandy gets it't peak a little after the the Columbia peaks.