Chehalis help

Last weekend we put in at Montesano and fished the mile of water downstream. We trolled up and down stream through the tide change pulling plug-cut herring, sardine wrapped kwikies, spinners, and mag warts. If I'd had a kitchen sink I'd pulled that, too. We didn't get a single hit, and frankly, didn't see but four fish caught. However, when we took out about 4 PM the fish checker told us she'd counted about 40 fish already. I'm guessing they had to come from up river between the launch and the Satsop mouth since we didn't see enough boats pass us going to the take out to equal 40 fish.

Can someone help me out here? That was my first trip on the Chehalis, and I just need to get pointed in the right direction. Are most of the fish up river already or should I keep working the same area? I'm not expecting zipperlip holes or anything, just a knudge in one direction or another. If you want to email me privately, that's cool, too.

Thanks.

Rick
davidsonri@lewis.army.mil

We fished upriver from the Montesano ramp last Sat. There are tons of fish up there!! The problem is getting them to bite. With the cooler nights, the water temp. is dropping, that's good. We fished mostly casting and retrieving spinners, but did troll Warts too. We got fish both ways. If you don't know the river, and don't have a jet pump, don't try it!! In places it's very shallow at low water, w/ lots of trees and root wads to manuver around. This is my opinion only, and was my first time on the Chehalis. We fished w/ a guide, Jim Bain, I would recommend him, he really knows the river.

If the plugs arent working, try a bobber and eggs, with a shrimp tail, they tend to like that around the mouth of the satsop or nooch, also try launching down in hoquiam and fish by the the pilons in front of the mill it tend to put out fish this time of year, try a cut plug and a fish flash in green and silver, the chehalis tends to be a hot and co-old river. hope this helps

We also fished it last weekend....launched at Montesano and fished mostly with herring and fish flash. At one point we ran clear down stream to the Wishkah Mall. There were a ton of fish in the river but the darn things just wouldn't bite. My daughter had two shots at a fish but couldn't keep them on either time. In the downstream end the fish finder was marking hundreds of fish and the water was alive with bait.......just couldn't get anything to take our bait.........really, really frustrating.

I noticed some folks were anchored up on the out tide......I haven't tried this yet, just spent my time trolling. Does anybody have any info on this practice......thanks

Last couple of weekends we have put in at Montessano and fished within a half mile downstream. Limited within 3 hours each time. We are using #6Vibrax orange spinners. Cought a nice king trolling by the mouth of the nooch, mostly catching nice fat coho down around the bend. Best luck is casting to shore like bass fishing with a slow retrieve. Chartreuse green works well also. Haven't tried warts yet, but see guys using them. From what the word on the ramp was WiggleWarts were working great a few weeks ago, but spinners seem to be the ticket now. We just kinda' get in line and drift down the river with the rest of the crowd. Trolling only caught one fish, casting seems to be the way to go. Keep at it, they seem to bite all at once and then quit. We usually catch em all within about an hour of each other and then it dies.

Good luck!

Don't feed the seals!

Fished the Chehelis on Saturday at the Monteseno put-in on afternoon tide change. Fishing was good throwing #4 Chart. Vibrax. Anchored up above rolling fish and through downstream into slack water and let spinner sink to depth of holding fish. Then slowly retrieved and Bang! Silver, Chums and Kings were available. Find the fish rolling, and then concentrate your efforts. I was fishing in 15 feet of water, so get your presentation down deep.