Thank you for the Advice. Someday, I would like to get back where you are at and fish the rivers back there. The Columbia and Cowlitz both have pretty good currents to them.

I am in the market for a new Spinning rod to use for Steelhead and Salmon for fishing mostly the Columbia and Cowlitz rivers. This rod will be used for casting Spinners, Bobbers, and Drift fishing. I am undecided Between a G.Loomis E6X, Lamiglass Infinity, or an Okuma X Series. I have been thinking something between 9'-0 and 9'-6 in length and a Medium or medium/heavy action.

Thanks,

Jim

Nook,
I went through this about a year and a half ago or so. Out of the Blue my wife told me that I was going to need another hobby besides trapshooting when I fully retire and asked what I thought I would want to do. Before we got married almost 30 years ago, I had a Drift boat and was always going fishing. I told my wife that I wanted to get a fishing boat. I wanted an open boat with plenty of room to fish out of and no cabin which means it is not too comfortable right now in the cold rain of the NW. My wife does not like fishing, so it is pretty much me and our neighbor. After looking at a lot of used boats and either not finding what I was looking for or finding a used boat that was what I wanted but the price was ridiculously high. We ended up Ordering a 20' Alumaweld Adventurer, it took all of nine months to get it and I am very happy with it. Deep side 30" inside free board and a 14-degree Vee and cuts through the water really well. which makes easier to stay in the boat should I fall down. I am currently 63, extremely overweight and do not get around the best anymore due to tearing my body up when I was younger and worked harder than I should of. They do make the same boat in an 18' version. Best advice is to take your time and get what you want. I had never owned a boat with anything bigger than a 6 horse Johnson on it until late June when our boat was delivered. I am very happy with the boat that we got, it fits my needs. I have been fishing the lower Columbia River and the very lower part of the Cowlitz river due to having a prop and not a pump.
Happy Boat hunting,

Jim

Thanks,

I just happen to have a few of those on 3.0 in my tacklebox.

Thank you

I should have added that I have props on the engines of my boat so I can only go a little ways up the Cowlitz.

Boat, I was thinking of pulling Brad's Wigglers or Mag Lips. Not sure if I would be better off trolling 360 flashers with Spinners

Has anyone been catching any Steelhead in the Columbia at the Cowlitz river mouth? I am planning on going down there next weekend and try my luck. I know it is a little early, but the winter Steelhead should be showing up pretty soon

Nightcrawlers

I agree with Robert above,

We all have individual taste that we prefer. For me it would be Sturgeon, followed by Halibut, Ling Cod, and Sea Bass (AKA Black Rock Fish here in the Pacific NW), Steelhead, and then Salmon. and I am sure there are lots of other fish out there that I have not tasted that I would like too.

It looked like they were pretty close to Barlow Point. I was at the Willow Grove launch when I saw them.

Longview was where I saw the boats. I did drive down to Cathlamet too but only saw a few boats down there.

Last Saturday I was down on the lower Columbia looking at different boat launches. (I have had a new boat ordered for four months and probably have another three months before it is built and I get it.) At one of the launches that I looked at, I looked up river and saw quite a few boats fishing on the Washington side of the river. My assumption right or wrong is that these fishermen were fishing for Steelhead. Does anyone know if I am correct? Can someone clue me in on what they were using for gear?

Thanks,

Jim Bradbury

Thanks for the advice. I will do that later today after work. Yes it is a beautiful area, especially when the weather is nice. Seems like the closer it gets to the "Build Date" and the closer I am to getting my boat. The slower the days go by. I know a few people from Astoria that I have met through Trapshooting that I might be able to stay at and leave my camp trailer.

Thanks,

Jim

I know this post is almost three years old. However, I too would be interested as to what bait or lures were used and what colors. I am planning on fishing that area too. Well once I get my boat anyway. Got a build date of second half of March so depending on how long it takes to build it. Then ship it to the Seattle area, the Dealer puts the outboards, Down Riggers, Pot Puller, Fish finder, etc. on it. I am guessing that it will be mid-May before I get it. Mainly, I want to fish the Columbia, but also want to fish Puget Sound for Salmon and Hood Canal for Shrimp. I have been looking for a place that I can set up my camp trailer and leave it in the Cathlamet area so that I can drive the 2 /12 - 3 hours down there pulling my boat and have a place to stay for the weekends that I go down there to fish