Drifting

Hey Guys.  I know you're all thinking about the ORC right now.  I can't find many posts about side drifting the local productive streams for steelhead and salmon.  Who's drifting the Clack, Sandy, Wilson, Trask, Kilchis etc. for bright Salmonoids?  Or, why not?  is a sit on top not sufficient for the traditional drift boat runs?  Is it too dangerous?  Not productive enough?  I'm using the search tool, but nothing's coming up.  There is a you tube video of a guy landing a steelhead on the Clack, but not much else.  I'd like to know why you're not doing it, or if you are; I'd like to hear some tips, or maybe come along with you.  Thanks.

It can be tricky and I would not recommend it unless you have a lot of paddling experience. Plus the 12-13 for SOT that most of us paddle aren't ideal drift boats. What are you fishing out of?

I'm on a 13.5' SOT.  The Abaco from West Marine, it's not particularly nimble.  I'm a fair paddler, but I'm not trying to push the limits or anything.  Are you saying, it's not done much because the water is generally to rough?  That would make sense.  I'd be curious if anyone else fishes some mild drifts that they do well at.

  If you have any mild tide water nearby-- give that a try. I have fished (drifting or back trolling plugs) many of the rivers near Grays Harbor and Willapa Bay in Washington. Hell , I even tried drifting the Kenai River when I lived in Soldotna. Point is----it is do-able.

 Try bait (eggs, shrimp ,nightcrawler) or a jig under a bobber. Toss off to the far side and float down river. Of course ...you need to keep an eye out for what's coming at you so you can make the needed adjustment as necessary.

 Another option is tossing spinners to likely looking holes as you drift down.

 You'll be fine until you hook up.........then it's "fast and furious". Playing a hot fish in moving water in a kayak can be a real challenge. That's why I suggest slower moving tide water. Use fairly heavy gear so you can horse the fish in and minimize the fight and be ready for changing conditions that will happen quickly.

 Final word......drift fishing is fun and not that hard in a kayak. You just have to utilize the right water.

 Some rivers I can suggest based on personal expirience would be --- Wishkah , Hoquiam, Chehalis, Humptulips, Satsop, Smith Creek. Willapa, North River, Nasselle, Nehmah, John's, and Elk Rivers. All on the Washington coast. There have to be plenty more in Oregon.

I'm on a 13.5' SOT.  The Abaco from West Marine, it's not particularly nimble.  I'm a fair paddler, but I'm not trying to push the limits or anything.  Are you saying, it's not done much because the water is generally to rough?  That would make sense.  I'd be curious if anyone else fishes some mild drifts that they do well at.

I guess there are a few reasons it's not done more. For one it's difficult to turn a 13 foot boat on a narrow river. It's a bit more work with the logistics and if you're fishing with a buddy they also have to have a SOT that can handle the river. In my personal opinion it's also probably the most risky water I've fished. There are also usually a lot of other options around. People also probably do it more than they actually post up about.

The nehalem river would be a good river to drift fish and it's largely tide affected.

I have only stuck to flat water so far but last week I went on the Willamette for the first time in my Trident-11. I live two blocks from the Willamette. I went from the Luckiamute bridge down to Buena Vista. It's pretty tame but when I hit the Willamette right by where the Santiam dumps in there were a lot of boiling hydraulics and I felt like a little cork spinning out of control. It was safe enough but I think I am going to skip drift fishing rivers except from a drift boat. I am probably not the bravest person on this forum.

Perhaps a safer alternative is what I call "Hover Fishing" around the mouth of the Klickitat in Bonneville Pool. Very little current and the fall Chinook run this year should be epic. I did it last year with a guide and we kept 20 salmon (there were 6 rods and we also went up the Klick after limiting in the Columbia) but it's very doable in a yak. There's a nice launch just upstream on the WA side or you can launch on the OR side at Mayer State Park.

I made this how-to video of kayak fishing the upper run on the Cowlitz. Although it's almost 14 mins long it gets more hits than any other video I've put up. Not sure why.

Kayak fishing in rivers is a blast and very productive for fall run salmon/steelhead from October thru March. It takes a bit of technique especially at Class 2 or better. Start with an easy river (Class 1), go with a buddy that knows or follow/watch a white water kayakers. Always best to follow a the route, but watch some youtube videos, read up on river techniques (entering/exiting eddys, ferry glide, reading rapids). Once you catch on you'll be amazed how little effort it takes to move around a river and how many holes you can get into that are inaccessible to other fisherfolk.

I have gone down the kalama on my 13 ft ocean kayak just for fun I wish I had brought my fishing gear though

  Great Video Todd,

 Gotta love the Cow. Beautiful water color (flow is controlled by dams) the day you drifted down. And didn't see any sleds roaring down either. There are so many good holes in that drift ,I'm surprised you didn't hook up. But still ......like they say.... any day fishing.......
 I was a bit surprised to see you take your 18' er out. Any particular reasons for that choice of boat ? It handled the water fine ... just curious about your choice.

  So to the OP rmurray------ drift fishing from a kayak is an option. Just have to make the decision and go for it. When you do... have a great time. Be safe . And know your own limits. Push them a little and grow in your knowledge that it can be done.

The Cowlitz is near the top of my list for best WA rivers to drift, but unfortunately I started working it after the salmon run had slowed last fall and steelhead are few upstream of the Blue Creek Hatchery. Still lots of cuttys and I'm never bored out there. Sleds won't run upstream of Blue Creek Hatchery in flows less than 9,000 cfs because of the shallow sections. Some PBs will run down stream a mile or so from upper put-in but turn around and go back, just to hit this hole in the pic. Can't blame them.

The 18' kayak can spin on a dime if you tilt it over and bury the bow across an eddy line. It also has a lot of waterline if you flatten out, making the ferry glides or upstream travel easier. I've also been in that one for 23 years so it fits me like a second skin. Probably not the best kayak to start the learning curve on. I'd suggest something 10 to 13 feet long to start out with for kayak fishing rivers.

Cool video.  Thanks Guys.

  Here is a shot of my 14' SINK . Built it in 2002 to hunt elk out of -- hence the camo pattern. I've caught tons of salmon and rockfish out of this boat. It is a simple Inuit design and very effective fishing tide water. But I have run class 3 rivers with no problem. As a disclaimer--- I have been kayaking since 1974 so that might make a difference.
   I have run the Cowlitz River in this boat from Blue Creek down to Mission Bar take out. And caught 20 lb kings on that trip. Challenging--oh yeah. Fun as all get out---double oh yeah.
   The Cowlitz is the top producing river in all of Washington. But lots of pressure. That's the cool thing about drifting it-- you can get away from most of the pressure. Love that river......

   Todd--- 23 years in that boat....wow. It probably does feel like a second skin. Mine does... even though I don't use it so much since I've gotten Hobie's. Probably should now and again . That or pass it forward.

Here is a shot of my 14' SINK . Built it in 2002 to hunt elk out of -- hence the camo pattern.

What was your strategy for hunting elk out of a kayak?  And why did you cover the kayak with a camo pattern?