My reasoning, of course, is that I was there TODAY.

Yes, my friends, the skunk is alive and well. I am the man that has a steelhead skunk going so strong right now that I could shut down the bite at a trout farm. The resident Sandy R. Oxbow park expert Wiser hooked three and landed two (1 nate, 1 hatchery) yesterday so today looked good.

The water was of course up, but the color was good so it should have produced. Should have. Catch my drift? Then you are the first, cuz NOTHING touched my drift while I was out there. I did have a couple takedowns on the bobber, but each time it came back with some old leaves or bark on the hook. Yes, it was underwater and not aerial.

Wiser and I only saw one nate landed, and he admitted that people should have been doing better than they were. This was his first witness to "The Skunk", so I understand how he would be perplexed.

Nevertheless, the water's dropping fast on the Sandy. Fish it tomorrow above the boat ramp, and look for the sandy area where there's a bunch of size 12 footprints and the occasional coho egg. Make sure and take pictures of the fish you catch.

this was not a Dave jinx. Water was coldddd. Shut down the bite. Water started dropping just before daylight but had been melting snow the previous day and a half. A good color doesn't matter when the water temp drops several degrees in a day.
David, you may have a weather jinx. Don't plan your trips. Your dad will probably concur with sturgeon fishing. Lots of fish, decent weather. Plan a trip with Dave. Wind howling, pushing you everywhere but over the fish while Dave is out. No fish. I think it was all weather.
Nice meeting you David. Sorry the fishing together got a brown toyota start. I think I would have enjoyed a real fish-along with you.

Dave,
Ive witnessed your ability to turn off the bite first hand. That silver I got while you were in my boat was just suicidal, It figured it had better bite then than prolong the waiting until you left and I would catch him anyways. You shut the bite down so bad I had to floss that sucker just for some excitmet. The after you left everyone was limiting out.

Do use all a favor, Next time you decide to hit the river, post where you will be so all of us can plan our trips to a different river. Thanks.

Did you notice, Wiser, that I showed great restraint in bringing up your brown beater Toyota pickup? Quite proud of myself, I was.

Yes, I am certain that it would have been an enjoyable time if you would have known what manufacturer made your truck . Now that I can visually ID you without the truck it will be easier for us to connect in the future.

Thanks again for the shrimp and the PE's. Maybe someday they will feel the inside of a fish's mouth. The PE's. The shrimp have gone on to meet their maker. If, in fact, their maker is in the trash can.

Actually Willierower I'm doing okay on the salmon issue. I did catch some in October over on the coast so it appears as though it's only steelhead and sturgeon who are mocking me.

Besides, you were using the "Killer Wog of Death" or whatever it was called. That fish didn't have control of itself. It had NO CHOICE IN THE DECISION. Of course it may have had something to do with the skill of the angler, but I've only fished with you once so I'll reserve judgement on that until this spring/summer when we kick it again.

David,
Please let us know whether you'll be in the 24' Duck or a Motion Marine at F4. Don't do the Toyota truck trick . Please anchor up or troll with the wahhh boys. We'll all have time to get togeher at the bbq afterwards.

I certainly will. As if you wouldn't at least be able to identify me. Oh wait, I won't have the orange Daiwa out there with me so without that I'm just another big ol' cracker out on the water. I'll make sure that I publish which boat I'll be in when I get an official notification.

Neither of us have fished the Columbia for salmon before (I know I haven't, I don't think Dad has) so we'll not be the ones to follow. May have to follow someone else out there who knows what they're doing.