Early Spring Salmon Fishing

Hey, what's going on out there guys. Welcome to another addicted fishing podcast. Couple of announcements. We are ripping these things out right now, but big announcement, March 12th at six 30, seven 37 PM somewhere in there. Fortunately, I got Marlon in the house. He's off Mike. We've got two special guests. You guys already recognize that laugh probably. There he is guys. But on March 12th, we have our spring drop, lots of cool stuff. Cool flashers, landing nets. The new landing net is going to be available in limited quantities. I believe we've got some apparel in there as well. So be sure to check that out guys. I can't really show you cause well, it's a podcast. It doesn't really work, but it will be available online after the addicted life episode on March 12th. Be sure to check it out, but March, March 12th, why are we talking March? Cause I got two very, very, very fishy Springer dudes in here and we're going to talk a little predictions and a little ideas and kind of getting ready. And formulating a plan for the season. I got Mr. Patrick Gaffney from Gaffney's guide service, our bait guy, Harbor herring, and, and, and point defiant, I'm tired. Dude, I'm tired. You know, he wanted, he wanted to see if I knew there's so many herring companies out there, but we prefer Harbor herring in part point defiance. But I just wanted to make sure I got there. All my labels say Harbor herring. Yeah. Cause you sell bait into them. I'm still waiting for mine. I don't have any, you get the other brands, Ryan McConn, Riverside guide service and does not get Harbor herring. So he gets a handicap this year. So that's all right. I'm used to that. I will come back with a fire. Oh my gosh. What's your predictions? When are you getting started? What's going on? Every day. I fish for springers right now. Oh, okay. So one's going to grab your silly little steelhead bead. Has it happened yet? You guys see it? I see one rolling. I know of one caught where I'm fishing, but, um, some plunkers lower in the system. I heard of six caught yesterday. And there's definitely some fish moving in. I think the temperature's coming up this week. We've had some real cold, icy conditions, um, snowing almost every day. And I think we're going to get a good push of fish. When this temp comes up a little bit this week, we've got 50 degrees coming in and I think you're going to see some more fish caught for how cold it is. It does seem surprising. How many fish are you? I know a couple that were caught in the lower river today. And then somebody you said, yeah, yeah. I heard of two, two hooked in the Columbia today. And, uh, same thing. I heard of a handful on the, in the tributaries already, a friend of mine and a drift boat and got one the other day on a pink worm, surprisingly. And a couple others. So starting, starting to happen. For how many? So usually I always kind of like try to have a fish by like my wife's birthday, which is March 11th. I always, cause you know, if it's a nice weather day, we end up going fishing or whatever, but. It does seem like for how cold the Columbia is being 38 and a half degrees, there are fish getting caught. Yeah. Like in, in a level, at least where, you know, there's some around that conditions are good. The water's clear as clear as clear to be. Um, so, you know, you don't have to bonk on retina and probably right on the head, but there are fish, usually what happens in these real cold Columbia situations is they all kind of like lock jaw in the Columbia and then they get up into the warmer waters, into the tributaries and the channels and get snaps. You see a couple there, you start seeing it, but we're seeing them. Did you have your fish finder on a day? I haven't turned mine on in like two weeks. I don't know what the water temp is where we were today. No. Um, last week when I had, it was down to, no, three days ago, actually it's 39 degrees in the tributaries. Um, so it's about even, I know I just, I was out crab fishing a few weeks ago and the ocean out in front of the mouth of the Columbia, it's like 45, 46. So there is a big, there's a big thermocline there, you know? Um, I actually saw, uh, not springers, but saw some steelhead out in the ocean that nighttime hanging out under crab buoys and stuff that kind of got me, got me, Jack, like, I don't know. I've always heard that steelhead or very like, uh, you know, surface dwelling creatures, they swim like five to 10 feet below the surface, most of their life and not to get off on a tangent, but you do hear about the guys out in like 3000 feet of water, like tuna fish and catch, you know, occasionally a steelhead tuna clone on a fish trap. Right, right. But nonetheless, anyways, uh, it's yeah, there's a big thermal barrier out there. So for what we've been hearing is coming up the Columbia already and into tributaries, it's, you can't help, but be positive. It's better to hear about it than not, you know, all the smelt that are in the river that happens every year. And that seems like that that's getting better and better every year. Yeah. There was, I mean, the smelt, like, so if you want to talk about like, you know, what ends up coming up in the spring is usually like, if you get a good big smelt run, you'll get the spring of what's crazy about that smelt this year is it came in early, it lasted for weeks forever and it's already gone. Yeah. It's like, and that's good because I think we've had those a few years. We've had years where they're just loaded and you're hooking them on your hooks, trying to troll and it's just crazy. And you know, and the other thing that's a positive of that run ending is the sea lions that come in mass force chasing those, those smelt are now going to maybe be less pressure from them. Maybe. One could, I don't know. I'm just trying to think, trying to think positive. Yeah, but it is. I do remember a couple of years ago, like even trolling like up in Woodland when the smelt were going up. I mean, that was a year they made it all the way to the Sandy again, just barely, but there was so many dead smelt and live smelt swimming around the river. Like you had to fish pond spinners like in mid March to end of March because there was so many smelt and even though you were getting a few bites, it was considerably tough. Yeah. One that year I fished all the way up in like Portland area and the smelt were so thick, literally I'd be running cut plug herring and hooking them on my trailer hooks. And it was just, it was really annoying. Yeah. But fortunately it seems like I haven't, I mean, I haven't heard anybody say anything, but I know like some of the guys in the lower, below the Cowlitz where most of the smelt were going this year, you know, some did get to the Lewis that they're obviously hooking fish down there. And yeah, I mean, no huge numbers, but if those things clear out, we get a little bit of a warmup. What do you think? Honestly, it's more, I've heard of more fish caught in tributaries. And to me, that's positive. Early, early fish are mean big runs. Yeah. And there was already one that I don't remember names, whatever, but there was already one that made the Merwin Dammit on the Lewis like three days ago. In fact, the Pacific core guy. My rule of thumb is always when that smelt run dies, those springers are right on their tail. Like when that, they die off here, they come. Dude, a little warmup. What do you think of the snow pack? We got a lot of snow now, but it's not, we've had compared to the last couple of years, we've had a much colder late winter, I think. Um, I think it's going to be advantageous the way things are setting up for some possibly good early season fishing. But I, I do think we're going to struggle with cold water for quite a while. Um, just with, you know, there's been snowing every two days a week around here. It's been super cold back East. I had a half inch of snow on my boat this morning when I woke up. Yeah, exactly. So I think we're going to have faster than starting in like a couple of weeks. I think the conditions with the smelting stuff is going to be advantageous, but I think we're going to be dealing with cold water, which might be holding fish up and it might make us have to fish a little differently. So here's like, I just literally pulled up the snow pack percentages, right, for the whole basin. And what's funny is that, and I don't know how this rates this, but believe it or not, like in Tillamook County, it's 623% of average because they just had that snow and they just have big, so look at that, but everybody everywhere else is right around like the whole, like all of Oregon is either dead or into the 110% percentile. Washington, like North Washington, North Idaho. Um, and I, they're all like in the 80 to a hundred percent. What about Canada? Cause that's kind of going to be the driver. It doesn't have Canada, but you can see like kind of the upper basins there. It's just like a normal year, man. And if it's a normal thing, I think that's not normal is there's more lowland snow than we're used to, like the hills where I'm fishing are white every day. Hasn't melted out of the trees even. And normally you just don't see that, you know, the snow level stays a little bit higher, but with our cold temperatures, there's more lowland snow. So, um, I'm hoping it melts. I like a little water color on the fisheries, you know, especially tributary fishing, I don't want it to get in clear. No, no, but I would like to see the Columbia when we get out there trolling, you know, 43, 42, somewhere in that ballpark at least. Well, the good news is guys is because I've always said that if you have, I don't care if you have a half a million fish, if of springers, which doesn't happen, but if you had a half a million springers, it doesn't really matter because if you have really bad conditions, but if you only had a hundred thousand fish and you had favorable conditions to troll them up, you can smash them because well, springers are stupid and they bite a lot of things. One thing I wanted to say, I had, I was talking to an Oregon guy. I won't mention the name, but I'm hope, I hope he listens to this. And he told me the other day, he thinks the water's going to be so cold that they won't bite bait. And I just laughed. He said, Oh, they're going to only bite plastic. I go, really? It was a pretty funny, but I, I a hundred percent disagree with that challenge. My bait, I will be running my, my herring every day. And so will you guys, I got a couple of cases, I think that the closer the Columbia matches the ocean water temperature, I think the better fishing we have, you know, that gap gap range is closed. I agree. It's almost like a green light. When you see that temp almost hit the ocean temp, it's here they come and they bite really good. There was a tributary that Ryan and I were trolling a lot last year in May. That was icy, icy cold compared to the Columbia and all the fish just sat outside that river mouth and got blasted because they wouldn't move up. That's pretty common for that place. Right. And in fact, to the point where the hatchery, if it wasn't for like a rain that kind of came in and spurred some up there, they were kind of getting to the point where the, if the hatchery wasn't going to start seeing fish, they were going to close us down because they weren't going to get brewed and we were smashing them. Oh yeah. So you can, so understanding, right. So understanding like how cold water will kind of slow, just like hot water won't like allow those fish to bust out a buoy tent and head up the river. Kind of slow them up. Like it's the same situation now. I do think that, that fishery you're talking about, I fished it for almost 20 years and I'm telling you until it hits 48, those fish will swim around for two months and if the temp doesn't come up, they will not go in there. You might get a trickle a couple of days, you know, here and there. But when that temp hits 48 to 50 on that tributary, it is just, they just bum rush it and there's nothing, there's nothing left out in front. When it gets muddy and stuff, you think though, maybe the fish won't go into that mud, like BS. Like that muddy, warmer water. They're gone. What are you, when are you going to start? Uh, I'm going to start on the 25th. You're starting on the 25th with clients. You going out beforehand? No, I'm just going right into it. Full boat. Get out there and get it done. I'm Riverside. I don't care. I mean, if they're there, we'll get them. Okay. If they're there, you'll catch them. Yeah. I'm not worried about it at all. I know you will. What about you, Gaffney? When you started? Um, I'm going to fish steelhead and then I'm moving camp down on the 25th. And then I think the 26th, I'm going to start. Yep. Nice. Yep. Nice. I got a bathroom on 25th. So I'm gonna start on the 24th and I'm starting a little lower than you guys. So hopefully I'll let a few by. Oh my gosh. Listen to this guy. We're going below you, but don't worry about it. Out of my spot. We'll be below your spot. The only way I'm going to catch him before Ryan catches them all. You know, I had a guy last year that told me to come to this place. I've never trolled it in my life. And within about three days, he goes, I don't know what's in your bait, dude. But ever since you showed up, I can't get bit. I said, I'm just taking my fish. I'm not taking yours. It's plastic. It's all plastic. Right? That's right. You know how this game is a lot of it's mental. And once a guy spins out, he just put it on the trailer. They just have big crocodile. I actually saw that. I actually saw that last week one day, but that's for another podcast. I saw it. All right. Moving, moving on trolling herring. I can tell you, remember last year, um, not last year, but a few years ago, what do you think about currents? Because I think we're gonna have low clear water conditions unless we get a big spike, like where we see the air temperatures come up in the 60 range. And, uh, yeah, I think, uh, it's going to be crystal clear. I think we're going to have about five and a half feet of visibility and be low. Do you think, uh, are you going to be playing with three sixties at all early in the season? What do you, that's always like the biggest, but we're going to get asked in a thousand times. Not that kind of dictates. If I see a certain water tempo, I'll definitely do it. Cause the flows will be low enough that I can, I can just run downhill and feel confident about my program. Yeah. I don't buy the temperature thing on three sixties ever. Cause the year of COVID before they shut us down, because thank you, Washington department of fish and wildlife for shutting us down, because it was so paramount that we did not go outside and do anything outdoor activities to help thwart the spread of COVID. Uh, but before that, uh, I was actually catching a few fish like up here on three sixties in 39 degree water, but it was clear, you know, me, Cameron, I say clear, I'm not a fan of triangle flashes whatsoever. I fished him for about two weeks and a whole year. And, uh, you know, it's just, I don't, I don't know. I don't care for it. You know me, I'm a power troller. Uh, so Marla just asked the question, guys, speaking of triangles, JT's got some of these, like, you know, his chrome dip triangles, which chrome baby, all you UV guys out there can just go pound sand. Just kidding. But it's all about the chrome. He doesn't make a UV dipped candy back, but now he's making chrome candy chartreuse and pink triangle flashes. Like they're like, I mean, they're, they're beautiful. I think the chartreuse, like they definitely look like Fisherman catchers. Well, I'm not going to run out. You know, myself, I'm pretty confident in my program, but they look, they look awesome. You know, if it becomes where someone's just kicking my butt, well, of course I'm going to go out and get some, but what about, what about some of those triangles and some of those three sixties that are half chrome, half chrome chartreuse, where you see a lot of use on that kind of, that kind of stuff up, up river. Yeah. Like Ryan, Ryan for once in his life is speaking of 50, 50, I was just thinking about all the addicted short bus flashers that I took all the. Half the tape off of them and wait till you see my new sick addicted flashes. I'll be spinning around whacking fish this year. Definitely. Nobody has a chartreuse candy. No chartreuse candy and chrome. Yeah, definitely a thing. Yeah. I've seen it. And I know a few guys up, up river that just dominate on those last year for me, at least, you know, I, I have always been, you know, doing triangles and herring. Um, I was always, you know, a lot of fluorescence, but last year it seemed like it was a lot, a ton of gold and chrome that got way more bites for me than years past, you think it's just from the clear water? I don't, I, I think it was the same clarity as the year before almost. I just think it was just partly the fishes attitude or the, there was a lot more pressure in the areas we were fishing compared to the last couple of years before that. So I think it was just a different look for the fish personally. Um, it pays to be different. Yeah, it does. And you're asking three sixties or triangles. Yes. Well, I was going to add, I think the better question is going to anchor fish or troll because last year when we were fishing, we kind of got pushed out of our troll routine because of the anchor guys. So it almost made some of us, you know, we were kind of had to. So there's a special place that nevermind. I'm not going to say that guys, no, I'm kidding. They never had to fish there, but you know, even though if you're trolling, you don't own the river lanes, but I hear what you're saying. Cause when those tides, you know, I, last year was one of those years where there was enough water where on big outgoing tides, it got too fast to troll. But then it also back and the anchor guys, you could catch them though, doing it if you were in the right lane. Right. Well, I think unless a bunch of this snow melt happens, you guys, we're going to be out in the deep and we're going to, those anchor guys aren't going to be doing as good as where we fish. And I think you're going to be able to get out a little bit farther in deeper water and whack and stack. Yeah. There's been years where we've, where I think we've been seeing this set up when the water gets really clear and the currents back off where we were trolling 50 feet on the bottom. I love 50 feet. I love how people do people play that. But bottom line is like, when we see, I feel like, I think we're going to end up there, but also remembering that when they're 50 feet on the bottom, that when the tide backs off, they are now suspending. And then that's when like the three 60 stuff really doing good. So I don't know. I, I'm really, really optimistic. There's nothing in the long-term forecast. There's nothing in the snow pack and there's nothing like condition wise. It's really scared me though. Like, I mean, I think we're going to, I think we're going to be fine. I think it's going to be a really good season with the predictions and the numbers this year that we're seeing in tributaries already. And, uh, yeah, I think it's going to be a great season. I wish we would've got a little bit more time in April. You know, with the better predictions, I was hoping for at least, you know, through the 10th or at least give us that weekend, you know, the 8th and the 9th. I had it booked. I actually had to take the guys off the calendar. And, um, you know, that kind of sucks. I, I, I love Springer fishing in the lower Columbia in April. And we just such a short window anymore, you know, but what's crazy is even in that window next, this year, they're predicting we catch almost twice as many fish if they're around, they better be right. Yeah. The forecast, well, they're always right on their forecast. So come on. Well, yeah, they're only anchovies are herring. Anchovies are herring. Um, I'm going to come with it all, you know, I'm going to be ready with anchovies, herring, different size herring. Um, I'm going to have quick fish in my boat. Since you helped me Mount my spot lock. I don't have to anchor anymore. Just spot lock and drop it. Spot drop it. It should be like a spot lock and spot lock and drop it. You got me. You began at all. Yeah. I mean, I got a little smaller boat than the other guys, so it's, I can't. Always put six guests in my boat, but if I'm fishing six rods, I usually have two anchovies and four herring out there and out of those four herring. One or two of them are always dyed of some color, so I give them a color chartreuse or blue, but you're not one of the pink guys that are playing that. Do you dye any of your herring red? Yeah. I like chartreuse and blue in the lower, but, uh, and then the mixture of the two makes like a forest green and sometimes that's a slayer too, um, pink herring. I've done really good. Uh, tributaries and a little bit farther up river and I've seen it slay, but it's something that I haven't had a lot of success in the lower Columbia. Yeah. We have Procure on and they're all, they all talk chartreuse and blue, but no one talks about the pink herring, but you know, or orange, orange or red, there's all sorts of things, but I don't know. I will get it in front of them. Right. I feel like those real, those fresh springers coming in, they just key in on chartreuse and blue. It's just a great metallic presentation when you dye your baits and, uh, pretty tough to beat. Nope. But there will be a mix of both baits in my boat because I've seen it where like first thing in the morning, especially last year, one of them, like an anchovy first bite of the morning, it seemed like for a week straight, the first bite always came out on anchovy and then it was herring the rest of the day for my boat, at least, but I'm definitely going to have both. Yeah. For me, I run a lot of times I run chauvies and helmets on my bow rods because I want my, I drag those heavier leads than my middle rods or my back rods and I'll put chauvies and helmets. So we're not blowing out our bait and we're not filling it full of sand and stuff, and those are the first rods are going to see, especially with clear water, like those rods should be getting most of your bites and if they get past those and I got usually four herring out and that's kind of my cleanup crew. Last year it was my, it was my back corner rod that got probably 75% of my bites. One of those damn rods that you can't figure out why. Did you have a special flasher on that one? Yeah, I'd switch to flasher on just that rod. Yeah. Why always there's, there's always that one. Well, all I can say is I am looking forward to it. Steelhead season has been good, but it's just about time. But like you guys, I'm not going to start until the 24th. So same thing, but I tell you what guys, hopefully we'll see you guys all out there at one last, one last quick announcement guys, March 12th, spring drop, lots of, we will have, I think some of these chartreuse flashers possibly in the drop as well. We've got some other custom flashers for you guys. JT's always hooked us up, treated us right. And hopefully we'll be able to pass those on to you guys. And be sure to check it out and the limited edition, well not limited edition, but the limited amount of landing nets you guys have been wanting them, you guys have been asking, you guys have been bugging the heck out of them because, well, we talked about them way too much and then didn't get them delivered, but now we got them March 12th, seven o'clock spring drop. Thanks for tuning in. We'll see you next week. Later.