Columbia River @ Sauvie Island tomorrow 4/9

100 springers crossed bonneville yesterday, up from an average of 12/day for April/March. When it hits the 2-500 a day range at Bonneville, the mass of the run should be in Portland.

This Thurs-Sat should be much improved, with next week probably the peak. Thursday's are best below Hayden Island....before all the weekenders and PB's over run the place.

I'm heading out to willow bar on sauvie island tomorrow if anyone wants to join. Meet me at the market on the island by the sauvie bridge at 7AM if interested.

Or e-mail me for firmer plans.

J

FYI- I can't catch them, but I can put you right on top of them! Can't catch sturgeon either, but I seem to get people on them also!

Nanook,  are you going to be banking it or paddling out from Willow Bar?

Wish I could join you tomorrow but it's a work day for me.  Maybe I can get out to fish some Friday or Saturday.  Good luck and have a great time -

Alan

Hmm, sounds very tempting.  Let's see how my conference call with my boss works out this afternoon so figure out if I have enough flexibility during the rest of the week.

Brian

Nanook,  are you going to be banking it or paddling out from Willow Bar?

I'll be kayaking (trolling) from the wing dam at the top of willow bar, down to the end of social security beach. up and down all day.

Wish I could join you tomorrow but it's a work day for me.  Maybe I can get out to fish some Friday or Saturday.  Good luck and have a great time -

Alan

I'm trying to reschedule my canoe safety test so I can fish Friday also. I'll post if I can. I'll hit the same area. I've been working it for a while. It's a great spot that I'm staying at until I'm forced to move up above the power lines on hayden and duke it out with the PB's

I'm over Saturdays. So many bankies and so many PB's and commercial boats, and the sea lions seem to get aggressive. Thursday/Friday only for me for combat fishing.

J

Nanook,  are you going to be banking it or paddling out from Willow Bar?

I'll be kayaking (trolling) from the wing dam at the top of willow bar, down to the end of social security beach. up and down all day.

That can be a pretty rough crowd to troll in front of.  I've spent a few afternoons plunking with the guys who live around there and they can get down right violent when a boat trolls within casting distance.  There's one particular guy who will silently reel in, and then cast his weight at/into trolling boats. 
You might offer to haul one or two people's gear out to curry some good favor before you start trolling.

I wish I could join you but I'm a workin stiff....

I've been trolling that stretch for over a month. I'm no stranger to the daily heckling. Some bankies and boats are nice, others are not. I would not recommend the spot to anyone who doesn't have solid kayaking skills and thick skin. Sea planes, recreational and fishing PB's, about 100 bank anglers, and commercial vessels make this place tough for someone new to kayaking to go out on their own.

At this point, I'm friendly with most of them, and I've gone from getting heckled at the beginning of March, to hearing them say they actually want me to catch one last week.

I'm pretty sure I've made a good name for us kayak anglers at willow bar. The only time I've cracked was last Friday, when I snapped at a power boat for cutting me off in the trolling loop from willow to social security.

I generally troll with courtesy, and once the boats and bankies realize I know what I'm doing and am really no different than a power boat, they generaly accept me. Seems to be the case where ever I fish. After all we are all going about 2 mph. But I also do not respond to heckling, and I don't let bankies or boats push me around either. If you show fear, or anything but the mastery of your craft, they will walk all over you. If you hold your ground and do your thing, they end up respecting you, or at least not heckling as much

Most often I hear that they would love to see me get swamped by a power boat, or pulled over by a big fish. I usually respond by rolling or laying in the water and skulling, at which point they generally stop the heckling.

I've been debating offering my skill as a safety paddler for yakfishers in urban combat fishing situations...kind of like a desgnated driver for a bar. I don't really want to yakfish guide, because I can't catch fish, but I enjoy kayak fishing and getting people out. It would be a good way to open up more local waters for people new to the sport and stay safe.

But I digress. Thank you for the heads up Spot. I know you are familiar with willow bar, I read your report from last year and decided Sauvie would be much more enjoyable than chinook or 33rd.

Looks like TXPaddler will be joining me around 2:30pm at willow bar for his triumphant return to trolling herring for sturgeon

I got herring today, so I won't be stopping the market on Sauvie by the bridge at 7. I will be launching from the beach at willow bar around 7AM if anyone else would like to join.

I'll be back up by the parking area every 1.5-2 hours on my trolling loop, so feel free to come by at any point in the day, and I'll keep a look out for yaks on the beach. I'm planning on dawn to dusk, or until a fish dies in my arms. I'll probably be the only sea kayak you will see in the area. green over white boat, old red toyota 4-runner with yak saddles on top. I'm in a black dry suit w/ yellow pfd.

Hope to see a kayak armada!

Since I've only fished Sauvie Island inside Multnomah Channel, where is willow bar?

The turnoff to the beach is at mile marker 7, the 28000 block of Reeder Road. Also a big yellow and black sign at the turnout.

FYI- it seems allot of bankies and boats go home after 3pm. by dusk it's vacant.

In that case, I might try to swing by there one on these Saturdays after work for an hour or two...if springer  season lasts long enough, that is

Any luck?