OK. I'm ready for a change of pace and I'd like to get in on some of the Columbia springer action this year. Problem is, all I have is a 16' DB with a 24V elec motor.

Where would be the best place to fish the Columbia from a driftboat with an electric motor?

Thanks in advance! Please email me if you don't want to share the location with the whole world!

---
SA

S-A,Before I got a sled,We used to row out to the mouth of the Kalama and fish the hog line

Hey centerpin,
I haven't fished much lately.Can your "rehab" center Hook me up(almost sorry but not quite)?
Mark

FlatFish; Call in sick tomorrow, check out all your gear,get some fresh sandshrinp,get up early drive to the cost,Fish your favorite water.drop us a line and tell us how you did .

Centerpin,
been doing that for 3 days now.Ready for springers.Steelies are ready for me to go springer fishin too.Just saw your tag line and had to comment.
Have Fun.
Mark

So does anybody have any useful information on this subject??

Is the Columbia purely a sled show for Springers? Are ther places where it is both safe and accessible to catch Springers from a DB on the Columbia? One would imagine there are probably more opportunities than the mouth of the Kalama...

Hey Steel and h2o I am wondering the same thing. I have a 16' Fishrite with an 8 HRS and want to explore etc. For the lower river I am thinking one could 4x4 at the longview bridge and launch a D-B on the sand. Also Camas has hoglines right by the ramp and so does Chinook landing.

Any other suggestions?

Let me know if you guys would be willing to partner and give it a shot

Steel-
Check your mail

I've seen drift boats at Buoy 10. I think that's nuts. The Columbia is only the 5th largest river in the world and that makes it big water. You can use a drift boat near shore and ramp almost anywhere on the river, but if the wind picks up (and it does almost daily) it could be tough getting back. I've had days in my open 19' sled where I got caught taking 15 minutes to get there, and over an hour to get back and wet besides.

When the tide is running and there is alot of water in the river, I've seen 2-3 knots going under the boat at anchor. Not sure if an electric can buck that and a head wind with a 2-3' chop.

That said, plenty of drift boats fish the Columbia and catch fish. You just have to pick your spots and pick your days... and wear a life jacket.

I ve seen it done, I would do it if my bud did not have a boat-BUT-if you dont like wind on a small river wtih a DB--ha --you aint gonna like the wind on the big river.

Cripes it blows

SA: If you don't mind crowds The wind river fishery is doable. Last year we saw all sorts of small crafts there. Even a thingy that looked like a surf board with an electric trolling motor on it. I didn't laugh too much as he had a nice fish on when we first saw him. But, as said above it can get bad in a hurry on the Columbia. Wear your life jacket, and don't do anything dumb. We did last year. A coworker invited me to go along in one of his friends boats. Turns out it was a 15' smokercraft and there were a total of 5 of us. After launching the guy tells us the big motor isn't working and we'll be using the 8 hp. We all just looked at each other in amazement that the guy would invite us all while knowing the situation. Only 2 of us had been on the Columbia before and knew the risk involved. We were very lucky and the water was like glass all day. And we caught fish. We were out of Cathlamett and fished the (Oops! nevermind!!!)

Ha! You would have to be nuts to go out there in a drift boat.

I have an 18' Eastside with a 5 horse kicker.We fished the Mouth of the Kalama and the Lewis a number of times last year. The only time I had any trouble was when I tried to anchor just upriver from the mouth of the Kalama. The anchor got hopelessly stuck and we abandoned it.

I always have a bail out plan in case the motor konks and I (we) are out there a ways. (It's always good to have a plan, It's always better to have a good plan!) The plan is Drift down to the next take out and hitchhike back to the truck. It's not a good plan, but at least it's a plan.

We will probably be at our favorite haunt of last year the weekend of 6 - 7 April practicing for F4. Not sure about making Sand Island, but if we are so fortunate as to get a keeper we may try to get there.

I was out of the Caterpillar boat launch yesterday for the first time and it seems to me like a drift boater would be fine along there on a mild day. In fact you could motor/row upstream on the inland side and then drift down the Columbia side if the current got too quick. Although we were out during the outgoing and it seemed pretty slow anyway. Smallest boat was a 14 footer with an 8hp. Drano might work too since it's in off the main river.

I was wondering about the same thing. I've never fished for springers in the Columbia. I got three craft to fish from...16' driftboat, 16' trihull with 115hp merc, 12' rowboat with 8hp kicker.

Which boat would be the best?

Steel-Addicted...Send me an email Bigdog2250@yahoo.com

bugleman, i would like to get down there and do some springer fishing also would ya like to hook up again, don;t know the routine but have no problem learning, interested, doug

Gregor - trihull all the way. safer than anything else you listed. a couple small drift socks should low you down enough to troll with your main engine. my 2 cents. Doc

To all those concerned about using small boats or driftboats on the Columbia for springers please note that the mouth of the Lewis River (BB's Moorage at Austin Point --- see AuntyM's maps or my earlier posts) is full of very small boats catching very large fish. The average boat at this spot is 12-14 ft. in length with a 6-15 horse motor or even an electric. You launch about 300 yards from the best fishing, and currents are generally gentle. If I had only a very small boat this is where I would put in. If you are fishing F4 you can run over to Sand Island for the BBQ on low slack with no trouble, unless there is big wind.