PC 08/21/09 anyone? Buoy 10 salmon on 08/23/09?

Howdy all,

It looks like the ocean may be willing to cooperate a little bit this Friday - I'm looking to try some more spots around PC/Cape Kiwanda (Or points north, if someone knows of a good launch site).
forecast thus far for the surf looks like about 5ft@10 seconds, Sun will be up around 630, low tide will be @ 8, and it is a new moon, so fish may be more willing to bite.
based on my three previous excursions, I can make it to PC from Portland generally by 630-7 and not be a sleep-deprived zombie.

I am also really curious about what it takes to fish the Columbia, and would like to actually try for some salmon or steelhead.  Buoy 10 comes to mind, but I would be happy hitting up any other part of the river that is currently open for salmonids.  Sunday comes to mind - and the extended forecast for this weekend looks pretty gentle.

Plan "b" for either could be Nehalem bay (crabs and coho), Tillamook Bay (crabs, other), or other.

Anyone interested and available?

Cheers,
Madoc

I am also really curious about what it takes to fish the Columbia, and would like to actually try for some salmon or steelhead.  Buoy 10 comes to mind, but I would be happy hitting up any other part of the river that is currently open for salmonids.  Sunday comes to mind - and the extended forecast for this weekend looks pretty gentle.

Spot, Kykfshr and/or Pelagic Paddler can probably answer this better and add a few things, but I'll start with a few things you might need...

1. knowledge of tides
2. knowledge of how to troll in a crowded fishery
3. knowledge of commercial shipping patterns and how to get out of the way
4. ability to navigate in potential low visibility conditions
5. VHF radio (see #2 and #3)
6. ability and stamina to paddle against current and wind for long periods of time

I have to say B10 is probably one of the more advanced kayak fishing scenes in our area.  Personally I'm much more comfortable in the ocean. 

I'd recommend you consider a smaller coastal river or wait for the coho to show up at the mouth of the Clackamas in a couple months if you're hot for chasing a salmon this fall.

Brian

3. knowledge of commercial shipping patterns and how to get out of the way

 

Okay, conditions still look decent for tomorrow at PC,

I am going to try and get on the water by 7, if not earlier, I hope to catch the outgoing tide and fish through slack, and then get back on the beach by noon.

Cheers,
Madoc

Had a good day yesterday.  Got to PC at 630, was on the water by 730.

Seas were super easy yesterday, very little wind, almost no chop.  Saw some interesting stuff in the way of currents.  Can anyone explain a small set (3 waves) of 2 foot rolling breakers running northbound at 2 seconds, on top of all of the other swell?  Running opposite of the wind, I spotted them about 200 yards away from me, as they approached my position.  Not a Dory wake, as it never dissipated.  happened within an hour or so of slack low tide.  Kind of creeped me out for a second, then I turned my boat to face them, and popped over them no sweat.

got to see a pod of porpoises, and was in the middle of a black rockfish surface boil.

Landed and kept four cabbies in the 5lb range, and kept three 18+ rocks, 2 black and blue.  I actually got to watch the blue rockfish strike my lure, as I was reeling in to move - about 8 feet from the surface the fish hit my lure from under my kayak.  It was awesome - it darted in, took the lure, I gave it a second and set the hook.

The third cab that I landed was followed to the boat by a big ass ling - I tried netting it but it turned and left right as I got the net in the water.  Not sure if it had latched on, or if it was just curious.

Got back in just after noon, loaded up and headed out to Netarts.  Got back into the water with a trap and a ring right at slack high, and had three nice sized keepers (wider than the gauge) on the first drop of the ring.  Tide started back out shortly there after and crabbing was pretty much a bust at that point.  Pedaled around, talked to a couple in SIKs, and a family in a small PB.

Whew.