I fished the Snohomish for sturgeon on Saturday. My report for that is "only a few crab bites."

But, what I wanted to ask about was while using the side finder on my Bottomline recorder, I marked fish after fish. These fish were up in the water column and not down on the bottom. I did mark a few underneath the boat, but 95% of them were spotted on sideview. What the heck was I looking at... a large bunch of steelhead headed up river??

I think pile perch and blackmouth can be eliminated. Shouldn't be fry as whatever it was, was big enough to regiser on the recorder and they were only onesey, twosey... not a real big bunch at any one time.

Now while they closed down the rivers the fish decided to come up the river.

Definitely could have been Steelhead as the Sky was fishing pretty good for nates right up until they closed it friday!

Zen-- It's a hard call as what you saw could be just about anything-- and not just fish. Anything that's separated from the bottom will show as long as it's big enough or solid enough.

Things, besides fish, that it could be include turbulence of some kind-- bubbles or even a rip line will show as fish. Trash, beer cans, sticks will all show as well. OR it could be fish.

I've seen bunches of "fish" on my side finder, and I've yet to catch anything using it. Of course, that could be a result of my fishing skills...

So why didn't you catch one so we would know the answer?

Keith

i have not fished the snohomish for sturgen yet but have a good baot for that and all the gear that i need. what baits are you usinf and with out openning any zipperlips where are some good starting spots? close to the salt or upriver near the town of snohomish? betteron the incoming or out going? I would be thankful for any help. we cane take my boat if you want to show me around up there. Tom

Tom,
Believe the river is closed above I-5. That should narrow your spots down some.

I thought I'd read that sturgeon fishing was open the full length of the Snohomish.

My fishing buddy fish finder has the sensitivity set so that it takes something in front of the sensor to give a reading. Mine doesn't show turbulence or react to small leaves.

I use the side viewer while fly fishing and spot fish with it and cast to them. I get strikes that way so I know it's showing fish.

Can't pass on any secret sturgeon spots as this was the first time I fished for them. Besides, this spot was "outed" in a Hunting and Fishing news article a year ago. It listed other holes on the river. I used Columbia river smelt for bait and it attracted the crabs.

Keith, if you want a side discussion on sideview... lets talk. I've used mine for a couple of years to spot fish and cast to them.

Also the strange readings I was getting were high up in the water column. It was using the side view and the cone for side view increases by 1 foot for every 10 feet from the sensor. So, worst case these fish weren't more than 6 feet deep in the water.

Bill

There goes one of my favorite zippppperssss!!

Rk, some advice... find a zipperlip that's more remote than one found parking under the I-5 highway bridge.

Unless you mean it's a good crab spot as I was getting crab bites on the smelt.

ooopps... I let go a crab spot.

Me, I think you were kidding.

The info I won't leak in this post is the secret pancake spots I stop at before I park here. Found a real good one that has jumbo pancakes for $2.00

ZEN,

SHHHHH There is also a real good gas and bait stop near by. They have the jumbo sand clams (shrimp).

E- mail me, and we can talk some of the finer points of this area and fishery.

You are right. I was kidding. :p

so.... do you work 1st shift or 2nd???

Interesting email address you have!

oh... you have mail..