The Willamette with Will

Met Will at Willamette Park. He is good people and I look forward to getting out with him again. The weather was cold but not too too cold (30's maybe 40). Easy launch and "paddle".  I showed him everything I don't know about this fishery     We were targeting sturgeon and did not even get a driveby     I was mostly working the kinks out of pedaling instead of paddling. (Got a new Hobie Adventure) I think this is going to be a GREAT big river/ocean boat. It holds against current with no hands and that alone made it worth parting with too many of my dollars, and it does not a paddle half bad either. But it is very "gagety" and needs some trimming  (and a few more gagets) to get it working as a full on Springer Slayer  This will be a trolling machine!

No fish but a nice day outside instead of in though.


Wali

Cool deal FFTW,

Can you provide more info on the Willamette fishery?  What's the current like on the river?  There is also a springer fishery and a shad fishery on this river.  Do you know if they are available in the area you launched from.  If not, do you know where?

-Allen

Hey Pole!

 I just posted the same thing on the KFS northwest board. Springer season is just about upon us. This fishery is waaaay too convient. One great launch for Springers is a paddle only dock right in the middle of downtown Portland near the Hawthorne bridge. Many boat fisherman were a bit PO'd because they built it right in the middle of a good trolling zone. Kelley Point park drops you off on a beach to the Columbia, mouth of the Willamette, and T-6. thats Salmon, Steelhead and Sturgeon respectivly. Drive a bit and Sauvie Island gives you access to the Multnomah channel and the Columbia. Shad, Walleye are present in all these places but don't look for Shad till late April or May. Current varies from slack to too dang fast depending on the width of the river and tide, but averages about 2 kts or so. But you never have to contend with surf landing. All of the above is within 30 minutes of downtown Portland and there is plenty more where that came from.

Excellent.  I've been hoping to meet someone with their feet on the ground (uh ... paddle in the water) down there that knows a thing or 2 about some fisheries in the area.

Perhaps when I'm down there the weekend of April 28-29 we can hook up and you can show off a little bit of your backyard.

-Allen