are there good places to catch springers from bank on columbia or nearby river from bank?
heard about drano lake - is it ok? what are the other options? cowlitz?
what setup works best?
stl

The point by the bridge at drano is always good. The best thing to use there is a metallic red wiggle wart, or hot pink magnum wiggle wart.
Let us know how you do if you go

When is the best time to go?

What about just drifting a big glob of roe?

Plunking immediately below Bonneville Dam last year was pretty decent last year. I picked up 5 fish out of 4 trips, not bad from the bank. I've fished Drano a few times from the bank without any success. I think the banks below Bonneville offer you a good chance in hooking a springer. Prawns & spin-n-glows (lemon/lime, clown sherbert, w/mylar wings) were the best bet. Many fish are caught on just a wing bobber and scent. Plan on using at least 8oz. of weight to get your rig out there. The water is very snaggy! Hold your rod tip up high and reel fast on the retrieve, or kiss your setup goodbye! The fishing is a heavy combat zone w/plenty of yahoos Then again is there a Columbia spring chinook fishery that isn't?

Hope this helps.

BD

The best time to go is from the end of march to the middle of april should be the hottest, and give you the best chance at fish. I've never tried roe for chinook there, but it works well on steelhead. So you never know. I talked to a guy that used a buzzbomb there and naile a 20+ pounder. Weird.

Fish_Slayer, where is 'there'? Drano? Later in April to early May isn't too bad either. I've never seen anyone drifting roe there since there's no current (unless when they're pulling water at Bonneville) and really no place for that when everyone else is fishing spinners/warts. BTW, 20 pounder on a buzz bomb? Shoot, I remember a guy last year that hooked a LOT of fish. The lucky part is that almost half of them were slightly under or over 20.

STLHEAD, UP IN IDAHO, AROUND OROFINO/ ASAHKA SP?, THEY DID VERY WELL WITH BOBBER AND JIG, BEST CHOICE FOR THE JIG COLOR WAS A CHARTRUESE BUCKTAIL W/ A BLACKHEAD..THATS WHAT I WILL BE USING DOWN ON THE LOWER COLUMBIA THIS YEAR..AND UP ON THE CLEARWATER IN IDAHO FOR SPRINGERS.. **BERKLEY BOY**