Who's ready for some river salmon/steelhead fishing?
- Thread starter eelgrass
- Start date
OutdoorWriter
Long Time Member
- Messages
- 8,292
In the lower 48, I've done it only once in the 1980s when OWAA had its annual conference in Portland. I don't recall the name of the river, but I floated one near Tillamook with Buzz Ramsey. We caught a few salmon but no steelhead.
All my other floats were in AK with lots of salmon & sheefish boated. The only steelhead I ever caught was on the Kenai, tho, while fishing for salmon.
All my other floats were in AK with lots of salmon & sheefish boated. The only steelhead I ever caught was on the Kenai, tho, while fishing for salmon.
Redbluff77
Active Member
- Messages
- 204
This video reminds me of the opening day of salmon |steelhead season on the American River, Nimbus Basin in California. Quite often guys are getting into fist fights and occasionally knives and guns are used by people threatening each other. They are trying to secure the best fishing spot. I call this combat fishing and I skip the opener!
2lumpy
Long Time Member
- Messages
- 8,291
Proof........they don’t always wear a flatly.
DeerMadness
Long Time Member
- Messages
- 5,607
Was the Guide service Clancy's ?
OutdoorWriter
Long Time Member
- Messages
- 8,292
Where??
Those guys pretty much covered everything and nailed it down tight.
OutdoorWriter
Long Time Member
- Messages
- 8,292
That was very well done & funny to boot!
DeerMadness
Long Time Member
- Messages
- 5,607
That was Clancys area back then. Near Tillamook.
OutdoorWriter
Long Time Member
- Messages
- 8,292
Nice Fish. Is it you?
Not with Clancy. As I mentioned, it was with Buzz Ramsey. At the time, he was supposedly one of the top river guides in that area. He's probably in his 70s now & might be retired.
From the linked article above:
"Ramsey has been the face of Northwest salmon and steelhead fishing for decades. In addition to being a columnist with Northwest Steelheader, Ramsey has long served as lure designer and field strategist for industry heavyweights like Yakima, Berkley, and Luhr Jensen. Along the way, he has appeared on all of the major shows and in most of the major magazines."
Not with Clancy. As I mentioned, it was with Buzz Ramsey. At the time, he was supposedly one of the top river guides in that area. He's probably in his 70s now & might be retired.
From the linked article above:
"Ramsey has been the face of Northwest salmon and steelhead fishing for decades. In addition to being a columnist with Northwest Steelheader, Ramsey has long served as lure designer and field strategist for industry heavyweights like Yakima, Berkley, and Luhr Jensen. Along the way, he has appeared on all of the major shows and in most of the major magazines."
eelgrass
Long Time Member
- Messages
- 31,797
I can't remember how I know of him but Buzz Ramsey was a house hold name back in the day if you were a steelhead fisherman. I used to get the Steelheader Magazine (I think that was the name). The Hot Shot lures he promoted were fish slayers in a drift boat. They wiped out the run of steelhead on the Eel River back when you could keep 3 per day. When they all but disappeared the Fish and Game woke up but it was too late. There is no fish retention on the Eel to this day.
OutdoorWriter
Long Time Member
- Messages
- 8,292
Yup. I had said above that it was the 80s, but I now remember that the Suns & Bulls were playing in the NBA finals, which would have been in 1993. My bride & I were at the OWAA conference in Portland & then spent a couple days at a lodge on the Rogue R. where we had to spend the night in the bar to watch the games.
Ramsey, also a member of OWAA, offered to take my buddy from MD & I out for the day. We used fly rods with streamers & caught salmon only. Ramsey didn't fish at all but merely piloted the boat. None of my 35mm slides are scanned.
DeerMadness
Long Time Member
- Messages
- 5,607
Yes that is me. I learned to fish for Steelhead in the 80s. I started out with Shimp and bobber. After that we used from a boat trolling in the Snake and Columbia. After that I started drift fishing for them. Added Walla Walla , Lewis, Little and Big White Salmon, Deschutes and Grand Ronde Rivers.
Night trolling with lighted Vortex lures was fun also. It made it hard sometimes with the hooks getting stuck in the net as we got the fish out for the live well.
One cool thing I did was a Sturgeon trip with a guide on the Columbia by Drano Lake entrance.
The guide was very cool. He had a Malamute/ Wolf dog that weighed close to 200 lbs.
He had been on the Toutle River guiding some guys for Steelhead when Mt St Helen's erupted. They escaped with their lives but the boat and everything else was lost and ground up in the mud flow as they abandoned ship. His story was printed in the Salmon Trout Steelheader Magazine in 1981 I think or late 1980.
I went on my own after that and caught many keepers between 3 and 6 feet and released and lost fish from 6' to 10' . Penn reels with 50 lb Trilene line and Eel or Herring for bait.
Buzz Ramsey was in the magazines back then. I always wanted to fish the Hoh and Bogachiel Rivers after reading articles of his trips.
Night trolling with lighted Vortex lures was fun also. It made it hard sometimes with the hooks getting stuck in the net as we got the fish out for the live well.
One cool thing I did was a Sturgeon trip with a guide on the Columbia by Drano Lake entrance.
The guide was very cool. He had a Malamute/ Wolf dog that weighed close to 200 lbs.
He had been on the Toutle River guiding some guys for Steelhead when Mt St Helen's erupted. They escaped with their lives but the boat and everything else was lost and ground up in the mud flow as they abandoned ship. His story was printed in the Salmon Trout Steelheader Magazine in 1981 I think or late 1980.
I went on my own after that and caught many keepers between 3 and 6 feet and released and lost fish from 6' to 10' . Penn reels with 50 lb Trilene line and Eel or Herring for bait.
Buzz Ramsey was in the magazines back then. I always wanted to fish the Hoh and Bogachiel Rivers after reading articles of his trips.
OutdoorWriter
Long Time Member
- Messages
- 8,292
I wish I had gotten more opportunities at steelhead, but I never spent much time in the states where they are prevalent.
Most of my river floats other than Alaska have been normal trout types, such as the Green, Colorado & San Juan rivers. Also did a couple floats in boat or canoes farther east, too. The White River in AR for trout was top notch & so was the brookie fishing in Labrador. Since it was always touted as "the place to go" I did a float with some friends on the AuSable in MI. The guy I went with had built his drift boat, and it was a work of art. His backyard was right on the river. But the fishing was a big disappointment. They went ape when they caught a 8-in. fish.
As for sturgeon, I never went out for them. I imagine it's about like battling a VW bug, huh?
Most of my river floats other than Alaska have been normal trout types, such as the Green, Colorado & San Juan rivers. Also did a couple floats in boat or canoes farther east, too. The White River in AR for trout was top notch & so was the brookie fishing in Labrador. Since it was always touted as "the place to go" I did a float with some friends on the AuSable in MI. The guy I went with had built his drift boat, and it was a work of art. His backyard was right on the river. But the fishing was a big disappointment. They went ape when they caught a 8-in. fish.
As for sturgeon, I never went out for them. I imagine it's about like battling a VW bug, huh?
Last edited:
DeerMadness
Long Time Member
- Messages
- 5,607
Cool places you have been. The rivers have always been great but for serenity the high mountain lakes are my favorite. The rivers in Washington became too crowded and yes we had "Combat fishing" which caused my departure of many Hotspots. I remember a guy showing his concealed weapon to make a guy move farther away. Boats that were trolling Wiggle Wart lures cutting in on us while we were bank fishing with with shrimp and bobber. They tangled up 4 guys rigs at one time. Those guys were lucky to be in a boat and not get some payback.
My Dad and I had fished from midnight until 1am one time on the Columbia in the McNary Dam forebay when fatigue most killed us. I drove over the railroad crossing without looking and the Amtrak passed missing my truck as I barely cleared his path by a couple feet at most. I was so tired from nearly 2 nights without sleep.
My Dad caught and released a 46" Steelhead one time as it was wild. I caught and kept a 44" 21 lb fish as my best.
Salmon were eaten quickly or smoked and canned then save for mixing with cream cheese , chives and capers to top Ritz crackers.
I haven't fished for Steelhead since 2012 or 2013.
My Dad and I had fished from midnight until 1am one time on the Columbia in the McNary Dam forebay when fatigue most killed us. I drove over the railroad crossing without looking and the Amtrak passed missing my truck as I barely cleared his path by a couple feet at most. I was so tired from nearly 2 nights without sleep.
My Dad caught and released a 46" Steelhead one time as it was wild. I caught and kept a 44" 21 lb fish as my best.
Salmon were eaten quickly or smoked and canned then save for mixing with cream cheese , chives and capers to top Ritz crackers.
I haven't fished for Steelhead since 2012 or 2013.
Last edited:
OutdoorWriter
Long Time Member
- Messages
- 8,292
Thankfully, I've never had to contend with any sort of 'combat fishing.' I've seen photos of the opening day of trout fishing on some of the eastern rivers. I would prefer to stay home, even if I had to watch Oprah. 
The most fun I ever had fishing was a week I spent at a fly-in lodge on the Hotlitna River in Alaska. I was the only one there for the whole week.
We caught a couple species of salmon, and one day we flew to a place to catch sheefish -- the tarpon of the north -- which was the topic of the article I was doing for Outdoor Life.
Best of all, another day we poled our way thru a 7' wide, 1/2-mile long shallow channel into a tiny back slough filled with reeds. It was circular opening in the reeds that was about 40-50 yrds. across. Once we anchored in the center, we never moved the boat. We got there at 7 a.m & didn't quit fishing until 10 pm.
Using 8 lbs. as our cut-off point, my fishing partner & I landed 102 northerns. Many were 15+ pounds. We didn't count the smaller ones, which probably would have added another 35-40 fish. Nearly always, we had more than one fish chasing the lure. By the time we were done, I was literally worn out. My largest was the 23 lb. I have on my trophy room wall. And we caught nearly all of them on bass-type spinnerbaits. The backstory on that choice is kind of humorous in itself.
On the way in, I had seen quite a few good pike in the 1/4 mile-long channel. So when we left, I tied on a red/white Lucky 13 & told the lodge owner to get his video camera ready. As he poled us along, I stood on the front seat of the boat like a gunslinger waiting to draw. The water wasn't much over 2 feet deep. If I saw a shadow, I cast to it. Everytime the lure hit the water, it took no more than two twitches before the surface erupted & a fish inhaled the surface plug. In a couple instances I had two fish fighting to get caught.
The most fun I ever had fishing was a week I spent at a fly-in lodge on the Hotlitna River in Alaska. I was the only one there for the whole week.
We caught a couple species of salmon, and one day we flew to a place to catch sheefish -- the tarpon of the north -- which was the topic of the article I was doing for Outdoor Life.
Best of all, another day we poled our way thru a 7' wide, 1/2-mile long shallow channel into a tiny back slough filled with reeds. It was circular opening in the reeds that was about 40-50 yrds. across. Once we anchored in the center, we never moved the boat. We got there at 7 a.m & didn't quit fishing until 10 pm.
Using 8 lbs. as our cut-off point, my fishing partner & I landed 102 northerns. Many were 15+ pounds. We didn't count the smaller ones, which probably would have added another 35-40 fish. Nearly always, we had more than one fish chasing the lure. By the time we were done, I was literally worn out. My largest was the 23 lb. I have on my trophy room wall. And we caught nearly all of them on bass-type spinnerbaits. The backstory on that choice is kind of humorous in itself.
On the way in, I had seen quite a few good pike in the 1/4 mile-long channel. So when we left, I tied on a red/white Lucky 13 & told the lodge owner to get his video camera ready. As he poled us along, I stood on the front seat of the boat like a gunslinger waiting to draw. The water wasn't much over 2 feet deep. If I saw a shadow, I cast to it. Everytime the lure hit the water, it took no more than two twitches before the surface erupted & a fish inhaled the surface plug. In a couple instances I had two fish fighting to get caught.
Last edited:
Snoopdogg
Long Time Member
- Messages
- 3,189
Witnessed that about 20 years ago at Nimbus. I went and did it for about 3 Saturdays in a row and the boys were stacked right next to each other on a bluff on one side of the river while the rest of us on the other side were in the river/bar, stacked just as deep but they were over the deeper pools.
It seemed the "better" fisherman/snaggers were a-holes and tried to intimidate others with, "You're on my line" and "Move--fish on!!!", that type of sh!t.
One of those dipsh*ts insults a particular homeboy on my side of the river. That guy warned the talker he was gonna kick his arse if he didn't pipe down. Well, he didn't shut up. The dude from my side of the river proceeded to walk to his car, drove over Sunrise Blvd, walked down the bluff to where he was yapping and slapped the sh*t out of him--open hand to the face WHAP! Everybody seen it coming and I laughed my a$$ off.
Instead of fighting back, he cried, gathered his gear and went up to call CHP, who came down and cited our dude.
Then the dude did that to me a week or two later (Move your line!!) and was just as belligerent. I told him he better shut the f up or I would come over and slap him like a b just like he was a couple weeks ago. He clammed up and then just left after about 10 minutes. What a democrat!
eelgrass
Long Time Member
- Messages
- 31,797
I always got along pretty well combat fishing probably because I always conceal carry when I'm on the river. For bears, of course. It gets pretty comical at times. I'm pretty mellow really.
One time the king salmon were in and I was fishing the Eel River. Both sides of the river was lined with fishermen. It was still dark and we were waiting for legal fishing time. (One hour before sunrise). We used glow in the dark lures for the first hour....called Glow Puppies.
Anyhow, someone said it was time to fish so everybody cast out at the same time. You generally ran 30-40 pound test for kings so if you did get a fish on you could horse them in and not tie up the hole too long. On the first cast the guy next to me set the hook hard and yells "FISH ON!!!" Then we heard a big splash from the other side of the river. He had snagged the line of the guy across from him and pulled him right into the river! That set the mood for the rest of the morning.
It gets pretty comical at times. I'm pretty mellow really.One time the king salmon were in and I was fishing the Eel River. Both sides of the river was lined with fishermen. It was still dark and we were waiting for legal fishing time. (One hour before sunrise). We used glow in the dark lures for the first hour....called Glow Puppies.
Anyhow, someone said it was time to fish so everybody cast out at the same time. You generally ran 30-40 pound test for kings so if you did get a fish on you could horse them in and not tie up the hole too long. On the first cast the guy next to me set the hook hard and yells "FISH ON!!!" Then we heard a big splash from the other side of the river. He had snagged the line of the guy across from him and pulled him right into the river!
That set the mood for the rest of the morning.
OutdoorWriter
Long Time Member
- Messages
- 8,292
You and my youngest son should have gotten together. When we lived at Vallecito in CO, the kokanee would run into the Vallecito River to spawn. The CDOW would set traps to milk them of roe & sperm. But there was also a special 'snagging' season above the traps for them with no limit. It amounted to using a large treble hook with a weighted shank & a small piece of orange surveyor's tape tied to it for visibility.
There was no limit, so Scott, who was about 11-12 then, would spends hours filling garbage bags. After the first time, I told him he had to clean them all. After that, he made friends with an older man that canned them. He gladly took all Scott would bring him.
Last edited:
OutdoorWriter
Long Time Member
- Messages
- 8,292
No way you'd ever find me fishing in those conditions. It's one of the same reasons I've avoided party boats for 50 years. Another is a get seasick.
2lumpy
Long Time Member
- Messages
- 8,291
I’m with you. On one of those 50 man party boats, I’d either be down in bottom sulking, or someone would go overboard........ most likely me!No way you'd ever find me fishing in those conditions. It's one of the same reasons I've avoided party boats for 50 years. Another is a get seasick.
