CR and Nehalem today

Well some plans work out and some don't. After taking a guided trip out on the lower Columbia Wednesday, I decided to return this weekend to replicate our take of silvers. Just before low slack this morning, it looked like this... The westerly wind was about 10-15 kts.


Once the tide changed and the current picked up, I lasted about 2 more hours. Fighting both current and wind makes headway a difficult proposition.


It seems like I'm still hearing bells...


With no hits and getting tired of paddling nowhere slowly, it was time to head home. But wait, it's late August and the silvers are just about due in the Nehalem. Let's take the long way home and stop in Wheeler to check out the conditions. I spoke to the guy at the marina who said a few fish have been caught but not many. Well, I was there and so was the river and I KNOW there are fish swimming by, so...



I got there at high slack and paddled up from the marina to Nehalem. It was a beautiful but breezy afternoon. I had a drive-by as I started heading with the current back towards Wheeler. With a few fish jumping regularly, I thought I might have a chance today. As I approached the marina it was Fish ON! At this point, it was only a small disappointment that it had an extra fin. The only real problem was that it got hooked through the uper jaw and came out just below an eye. By the time I got it to the yak, it was already bleeding badly. Rules is rules however....time to feed the crabs. In the photo, you can see the damaged eye.


I figured I'd cruise past the marina just a bit and hope for another (who hasn't?) but I caught nothing more than a last photo.

Too bad about the extra fin, but good to know that Nehalem has fish in it right now.  I need to start dialing in on salmon techniques before the season ends.

Was that on a spoon or spinner?

were you trolling an alvin?

were you trolling an alvin?

Winner!!! Every Nehalem fish I've caught has been on a wobbler. go figure...

were you trolling an alvin?

Winner!!! Every Nehalem fish I've caught has been on a wobbler. go figure...

Hasn't anyone told you Jay that you can only fish wobblers at anchor for fall chinook and only on the Columbia River upstream from B10?  You really need to pay more attention!

Nice work. My brother-on-law and I got 3 nates floating herring under a bobber on the south jetty yesterday. I'd neer tried that before, but I'll be doing it again!

were you trolling an alvin?

Winner!!! Every Nehalem fish I've caught has been on a wobbler. go figure...

Hasn't anyone told you Jay that you can only fish wobblers at anchor for fall chinook and only on the Columbia River upstream from B10?  You really need to pay more attention!

you haven't lived until you catch fall chinook in tidewater casting Alvins..  they really hammer them,  Can get kind of spendy though if you snag up very often

I bet that's a blast.   I'm just amazed at how ingrained the various salmon fishing techniques are to certain spots at certain times of the year.  It seems to me that trying new things is a) more fun and b) a good way to set your offering apart from what the fish are constantly bombarded with by everyone else.

By the way, good job on the coho Jay.  Those wild coho are fun, but I have to admit it hurts a little to let them go (esp when you wife is like mine and really gives you crap for not bringing home salmon).  Any idea if there are many hatchery coho to be had in the Nehalem?

As for paddling against the tides, I've come to the conclusion that small tidal exchanges are much more fun in the kayak.  Next weekend should be better.

Brian

Can't you just fix the extra fin with a sharp knife and a sharpie?   

Brian - no, there are not a lot of hatchery Coho in the Nehalem. But the good news is ODFW has increased the bag limit to 3 hatchery Coho each day! This number just happens to be three more than the total amount of hatchery Coho I have caught in the last five years down there.

Labor day I start my trolling assualt! I'll be fishing friday-monday between Nehalem and Wheeler. Come hang!

Nice coho Jay. Too bad it got hooked the way it did but it does happen. I've hooked a few juvenile salmon like that and were all but dead by the time I got them to the yak.

Z