If you don't have the right boat, get a ride/guide. They are killing it. We had 9 today, 5 native. 3 Keeper silvers in the 8 to 13# range, and one 25# king. The bite never ended......

Golfer,

I went Sunday with a few other boats it was all of our first times there. We had heard it was hot! We were anchored in three different hog lines. We fished from 4:30 am untill noon and saw a grand total of 3 dark fish caught by the hundreds of boats amogst us.
We tried everything we could think of (mostly spinners) off dropper weights and had no bites on nine rods. We left wondering why are so many people fishing when it was so slow. Whats up with that?

Thanks,

Brad

How deep were you anchored, what were people using?

Heading down there tomorrow afternoon.

We were there Sunday too. Got skunked. The Hog line closest to the boat launch, off the sand bar was killing it. I have never seen so many huge fish. We are trollers, missed the lane.

Apparently Monday was really hot for kings, bright ones. People were limiting in an hour. We decided to head back today. Looked like mostly silvers, big ones. Honestly the bite never ended. It was crazy. We trolled the sand bar, shallow water (maybe 8 to 12 feet with spinners. If you have the time, make the drive. Perhaps the rains have helped.

He Silver Hilton,
Dangerous Dave and I will be down there as well tomorrow. Hope it stays hot for at least another day!!

What does your boat look like? Mine's a blue north river, with "Silver Hilton" on the cooler. Say hi if you see us. We'll be fishing from about 5:00pm tomorrow to dark and then thursday morning.

I tried to get Seacat to come out, but he mumbled something weak about having to work. Guess I'll have to get by with just Bust 'em up Bill to net my fish.

The reports over on Ifish are scary - I'm concerned about cooler space.

Also, the Alvins that everyone is out of are apparently still in stock at Bob's in Longview.

SH,
We'll be in a Smokercraft Tracer, 25HP Yami 4 stroke. Our fishing buddies that live down in Kelso have been knock en em dead using brass flash-glo spinners in 12-15 feet of water. Good luck down there.

Thanks for the tip. HOpe to see you there. Full coolers.

Well hit it this morning with Dangerous Dave and it was well worth the trip. Launchhed at 6:30 with the other 300 boats but man what a bite. There were constantly boats netting fish evrywhere you looked. DD and I brought 7 to the boat, three of which were native Silvers and released, 2 hatchery Silvers (10lbs, 11lbs) and 2 nice Nookies (Dave got the biggest at 20lbs 12 oz while mine was a mere 19lbs 10oz. Also had one bust off and a couple drive by's and had the boat out of the water at 12:30. All the fish were caught trolling in 5 to 12 feet of water with fllash glo spinners. Yes I said 5 feet!

SH, hope you knocked 'em down there too.

Umrules. It is truly a great event. Sounds like what we got into the same type of bite... How was the weather for you??

Sounds like a huge push of fish. Just read in the paper that WDFW estimated 2,700 fish were caught on tuesday in the columbia.WOW!

About these fish at the mouth of the Cowlitz. Are they heading up the cow?

I am heading down this weekend to fish from mission to BC. Hope to put the last of the years summer fish in the box. It is exciting to think there may be a few kings lurking as well.

Any reports?

Thanks and tight lines.

Golfer,
The weather wasn't bad. Overcast all morning but it only dropped a sprinkle or two. There was a pretty stiff breeze at first light which made the combat trolling a little more nerve racking, but all in all it wasn't bad. And combat trolling my not be the right term to use down there. It was very crowded but everybody worked to stay out of each others way, especially when fighting a fish.

Also heard down there that the nets go back in the lower river on Monday. Should be really packed down there this weekend.

Just want to confirm what UMrules said about the mouth of the Cowlitz yesterday. What a day! Can't remember a better day of fishing in a long time...Fish everywhere, I don't think there was a time btwn 6:30 and 12:30 that someone wasn't hooked up! Fish-On everybody!

Combat fishing indeed. Even with all the boats it was fun, and enjoyable. The hog lines make it really tough. It does seem like everyone knows what they are doing. Prety impresive to see the boats part as a fish fight heads their way. The wekend will be crazy.

show the pics dammit!

Can you guys say "Gill nets"??????

How much do you want to bet that the gill nets will be back in again real soon?


Cowlitzfisherman

Cowlitz,
The story we heard down there was that the nets go in Monday, will be in 2 days, out 2 days then back in again for 2 days

Figures doesn't it!

Dangerous Dave is back down there again today with Directional Finder so I'll get a live update here in a couple hours.

Seacat, I'll post the pics after work today.

We got there too, at about 5:00pm on Wed. Got two kings, 16 and 25 lbs, though we let the 25 lb'r go because it was dark. The fishing was crazy, with fish surfacing everywhere, nets flying, and a general good time was had by all.

There was one priceless picture where there was three generations in one little boat. Grandpa, dad, and junior, about 7 years old. Grandpa had a fish on, and dad was ready with the net as it got close to the boat. Junior had the fish whacker in his hand, and raised above his head, ready to do the deed, even though the fish was 30 feet from the boat. Norman Rockwell couldn't have done it better!

Fished from the anchor yesterday. Got two, shook three others off. Pretty good bite. Silver wobblers with blue tip. Bob's in Longview has an excellent supply, though blue tips are getting a bit scarce.

I forgot to say that we came back to the mouth of the Cow yesterday, and it was dead. Nowhere near the number of fish, and very slow action, despite 25 or 30 boats still working it when we were there. The guides were gone, which is indicative...

Oh, and I can't post any pics, because I forgot the camera.

Mouth of the Cow - Live update...

Just talked to Dangerous Dave and he kind of echoed what SH said. A bit slower than it was on Wednesday and fewer boats out there. Is that a sign?. They do have a 13lb Silver inthe boat and long line released 2 fish, but overall he said it is kind of slow.