Columbia Springers

With the re-opening of WA fishing, the Columbia is opening for 4 days for springers.  I haven't seen much posting about columbia springers on here, is this fishery accessible to the kayaker, or is the river typically running to strong for a kayaker to be productive?

I haven't fished Springers yet from my Kayak, but I am looking forward to getting the chance one of these next 4 days of opening. I am fishing around Woodland, and typically the water is pretty quick, do able but quick. I don't think it is as bad this year, I was able to get out and hunt in December and did not have many issues until coming around wing dams.

With the re-opening of WA fishing, the Columbia is opening for 4 days for springers.  I haven't seen much posting about columbia springers on here, is this fishery accessible to the kayaker, or is the river typically running to strong for a kayaker to be productive?

You can fishing the incoming tide in some reaches of the Columbia below Bonneveille (typically PDX to Cathlamet) but the current can make it very challenging. Above Bonneville the mouth of the Wind and Drano Lake are much more favorable to kayak anglers.

I have had decent to good luck launching at the mouth of the Lewis and fishing upstream from there depending on what the regs allow. I will definitely head out there one of the upcoming open days particularly with the weather.

Tyler pretty well summed it up.  The currents are what make this fishery challenging. Some years are harder than others, it depends on what the flows are like. The most effective way to fish for springers in the stretch from Bonneville Dam to Warrior Rock is trolling downstream, just barely faster than the current.  That's easy for power boaters but not so much for kayakers.  That doesn't mean that you won't catch fish trolling upstream, it's just not quite as productive.  Also, trolling upstream at the popular spots in the river can make you the odd ball, so you spend a lot of time dodging boaters, which can be dangerous and a lot of them find it irritating.

There are also far fewer fish in the river for this run than there are for the fall run so covering more ground is important.  I'm not saying it can't be done, but it's tough.

I disagree, while most people troll down stream I find I catch as many if not more trolling upstream. Feel as if I am actually spending more time fishing rather than running up and down the river. My 2 cents.

I have caught more fishing upstream too, but that is because - I figure - a majority of my time on the water is spent going upstream.  The downstream troll goes by real fast. 

I have caught more fishing upstream too, but that is because - I figure - a majority of my time on the water is spent going upstream.  The downstream troll goes by real fast. 

DING DING DING!! WINNER! 

But like I said, it's not that you can't catch fish trolling upstream in this particular stretch of the river, it's just that it isn't quite as effective, generally speaking.

In some areas it's basically like anchor fishing since you end up moving upstream rreeeeeaaaaallyy slowly.  So if you're spending enough time on the water with your lure in the zone, then yes, you'll get fish. And if you spend lots and lots and lots of time on the water, you may very well end up finding a way to catch them that is more effective for you than what everyone else is doing, which is straight-up magical! It means you've put in the work to really figure out a particular spot, which is what puts some people on the higher end of the curve.

I've fished the fall run a couple times at the mouth of the Lewis and out by the Airport, but never in the spring.  With my limited fishing time these days, seems like I would be better off chasing a Willamette unicorn than trying to learn the Columbia fishery in a day.   

Like Rawkfish said, seems like you could essentially "anchor fish" with either traditional trolling gear or even Kwiks, etc.