I just purchased my first drift boat and I am trying to find some good water to hit this summer where you don't have to really worry about rocks. Is the cowlitz pretty rough, or what

It's a big river but has relatively mild rapids. But even in such a stretch as Blue Creek down you must have some experience and skill. If you haven't rowed a river yet, pratice rowing in placid water such as the Willamette or a lake to get used to it. Then go with an experienced rower that knows the river you will be on, and have them teach you the fundamentals.

RT

Kid Cowlitz here. Depending on what direction you are coming from, take exit #68 off of I-5. Go past Spiffy's restaurant, it'll be on your right if you are going the right way. This will be HWY 12.

Keep going and going, the road will be a 3 lane road going up a hill (I think?) As you go down the hill, you will see the big town of Salkum. Please do not blink, whatever you do or otherwise you'll drive on by.

Take your immediate right. There should be a sign stating SALMON HATCHERY. Brown sign with white letters. After you turn, you'll see the Barrier Dam Campground on your left and then a dead-end. Turn left at the dead-end and then veer right. All the way down at the end of the parking lot are 2 launches.

You can also put in at the Blue Creek launch. This will put you above the creek and Massey's bar. Follow the same directions above, except the TROUT HATCHERY sign is well before the salmon hatchery sign. There is another launch or two below these I think. I suggest getting or looking in a gazeteer. The Cowlitz has a shuttle service, but I don't know the number. You may can stop and ask the folks at the campground. It's also a beer, bait, and tackle shop to get last minute goodies.

The last word on the river that I have heard is that it's full of smolts. There are scattered fish I'm sure, but the numbers of smolts are in the thousands.

There are quite a few put in and take outs on the cowlitz, from the barrier dam to I5 there put ins and take outs about every 6 miles, from there down I dont know. If the water is up like 8500cfs it can be very tough to row your drift boat, like RT says try somthing easier first, unless your into dents in your boat or worse. Hope this helps, also the cowlitz likes to eat anchors so watch where you drop it, there is also a lot of sled traffic so watch out, some are nice and a few arnt. good luck

Lightline;
Y'all pretty much summed it up. The launch below Blue Creek is called the Mission, instead of turning left to the Trout Hatchery, turn right, about 5 miles down the road you will see a field that has been cleared for lots, turn left to the end of the road.

Below that is I-5, Olikwa and then the Mouth of the Toutle. This stretch is mostly Frog Water.

GutZ

The road to the Mision take out is called bucky road when you get to the end of the pavment take the fork to the rigth
There are two more below olaque and one that drift boats can use when the river is above 6500 that is Hog Iland then Camolot and Grahart Gardens just above the mouth of the river

[ 05-09-2001: Message edited by: River Rat ]

Before you get to Salkum you'll see a tackle shop on the right called "Fish Country" The folks there are helpful and friendly. They also have hand drawn maps of the river. There's not much going on on the Cowlitz at the moment but, if you have any experience with a drift boat at all, this is a good place to learn. Otherwise, go with the previous placid water suggestions because:

You must learn to spin the boat without having to think of which oar goes forward and which goes backward.

You must know to point the bow of the boat at the thing you want to miss so you can PULL away from this thing that might eat your boat and drown you.

You must learn to read the current so you don't row your guts out in the slow water.

Finally, when you are on a new river and the water in front of you looks tricky, land the boat and walk down the bank so you can take a good long look without having to make a snap judgement and maybe making a bad mistake. This goes for any river that you have never floated before. It's okay to be a little chicken on a big river like the Cowlitz. Don't let anyone push you into doing something you feel is dangerious.

Feel free to email me if you want to continue this discussion in private. I fish the Cowlitz quite a bit.