pdx_kayaker:
Okay. If the tide table looks like this around St. Helen's.
What's the preferred approach (if any) to do some trolling for Fall salmon?
My thought is put in around 8am (about an hour before slack) and maybe fish until 10:00am or 10:30am.
Alternatively, you could put in around 1:30pm and fish until 3:00 or 3:30.
Am I close to the mark here? I'm generally a smart guy, but tides and how they relate to ideal fishing, often confuse me.
Help to a newbie is appreciated.
tjpeck:
Good question.
Both?
I too have been trying to figure out this tidal influence thing. I’m too much of a newby to know from my own experience, but I do believe there’s something to it. Just don’t tell me the chinook know when it rains.
If I had to choose, I’d do the incoming afternoon. Willing to be schooled.
uplandsandpiper:
You want to fish the incoming tide not the outgoing tide. During the outgoing tide the current will be stronger, fish will be holding tighter to the bottom, and your trolling lanes will be occupied by hog lines of guys running wobblers. Based on these tides I would fish from noon until 5 or 6 PM during the incoming tide.
Pinstriper:
Slack is 12, not 9. In fact at 9 the tide will be at its strongest effect. If you try to run upriver you will wear yourself out fighting the tide plus the normal river current. If you head downriver you may still struggle against the current as you are tired at the end of your day.
Put in at noon or later. Head upriver and you can fish as long as you care to. The tide and current will somewhat offset each other and you'll have the current to bring you back to the launch.
pdx_kayaker:
Thank you all! That makes perfect sense.
I'm looking forward to trying it out.
I am used to hog lining myself...seems like you want to take an opposite approach with kayaking. :)