I decided to quit my job, so I did on Saturday. I start my new one on Tuesday, so I'm going to head out fishing on Monday. Does anyone have any suggestions?

I'm thinking Walla Walla Grande Rhonde, of my home stream the Tucannon.

I am kind of in a rut, so what do you all suggest?

Here are some photos from last Friday:

those are great pics! What a beautiful piece of water!
thanks!

I ended up going out on saturday. I didnt leave until 8am thinking it might be a little cold at daylight. I didnt decided whether to go to the tuc or walla walla until I got to the turn off by hood park and decided to take it and go to the Tuc again. I was just unsure what the water would look like on the walla walla. When I turned of of lions ferry road I stopped and looked at the touchet and it looked a little brown so i was satisfied with the decision. The fishing wasnt steller. I ended up starting on tucannon river road and worked my way down. I ended up going 1 for 2, but the one I caught was an awesome wild fish. I had to measure this one because it was the biggest one I had ever caught on the tucannon. It taped out at just under 32". I suppose I could have just said 31.5". What a beautiful fish though, and what a good fight. It pretty much went wherever it wanted for about 5 minutes. Most of the day I was frusterate with frozen guides on my pole. I rely on free spooling my jigs below me and the stupid line kept getting stuck in the guides. One good thing about fishing this way is you can get to alot of water on the tucannon that is over grown, which happens to be where I got that big wild fish. Hey scott, now that you have a different job are you going to be able to sneak away to the Cowlitz? There are still a couple seats open if you want.

Dev88T

Scott,

Good luck with the new job. If in the spirit of your career move, you're looking also to try some new water, I would suggest the Walla Walla. As a Pasco resident, you can be on the water in 30 minutes, so I think it makes good sense to learn a few of the better holes, and then if you ever find yourself with a half a day and nothing to do, you can go cherry-pick a couple of spots and pick up a nice fish. I was originally disappointed with my first several trips to this river, but after sticking with it, I found lots of really nice water to fish, and on many days I have it mostly to myself. Shoot me a pm if you're interested and I can tell you a couple of spots to start with.

Wherever you go, good luck on the water, and with your new job.

And Dev88t--nice job on the fish. That's one heck-of-a big fish for the Tuc. I think you and Scott caught the two biggest fish Ive ever heard of coming from that stream.

I planned originally on a float on the Walla Walla Friday but wimped out due to the cold and decided to hit Ice Harbor so I could use the heater. It was dang cold first thing in the morning with frozen fog and frozen line guides, but midmorning the bite turned on and we caught four nice steelhead. Only one keeper, but one of the wild ones was a hawg, probably 18-19 lbs. We also lost a keeper right at the boat and missed a few takedowns.

Now that sounds like a good day to me. Aren't frozen guides a pain in the butt!

Well I hit the Tuc and scoped out the Walla2(as I have never fished that river) and probably had the Worst day fishing. Frozen guides and not a single bite.......

I think the Tuc has spoiled me and the fishing gods have shunned me. No steelhead the last two trips. I'm frustrated!!!!!


The walla walla has me dumbfounded....... how, where, when, do you fish that thing.......

I have only hooked a couple fish there, but havent landed any. I know there are fish in there right now, but I dont spend enough time there to know much. I will go down there this year. If the water holds up I might go down there in a couple weeks. I have seen some nice fish in there and need to spend some time there learning the water. The idea that I know I have a good chance of catching fish on the Tuc has kept me from venturing out elsewhere, but it is time for me to do just that. I was almost vertain the other day I wasnt going to get a fish until late in the afternoon when I hooked that wild one. Suprised me. I also saw some chinook by meade ranch too.

That's the old quandry--venture out and try new water or stick with familiar water and have much better odds of success. Back on the west side, I generally went with the later, and I got used to catching fish. I generally expected to catch something, and my average was probably better than 0.500, which all things considered, is not too bad. Then I landed here in the Tri-cities, and I was forced to try new water. For the first many many trips, I had to just accept the discovery as the reward, and catching a fish was just an unexpected bonus. Then I found a few streams and holes where I worked my average back up to 0.500 or so, and I started falling into the old routine of hitting the same spots, and even though I had a few seasons where catching became the rule, I missed the discovery of picking up a fish on a new piece of water, or with a new method--for me, there's nothing better than that. I got a boat last year, and it's like starting over again--I have more 0-fer trips this season than the last several years combined, so I know all about needing a catch to boost morale. Anybody who wants some tips on the WW can shoot me a pm. I can't tell you what's hot at the moment, but I've picked up fish from the mouth to the WA/OR border, so I can tell you that they are there now--stick with your primary method and fish with confidence and you'll add another stream to your list of options.

Starfish--Where do you float? I have a pontoon and I've been meaning to try the lower Touchet. I once tried to float the upper Touchet and nearly made a widow and orphans out of the wife and kids. That had me a bit gun-shy but I think I'd like to give some tamer water another shot. I'd really love to make a trip to the Cowlitz for winter steel, but I wanted to get more time on the 'toon before driving all that distance.

The trick for frozen guides is to dunk the first several guides into the stream for a few seconds. That works great on cold fall mornings when the water is still around 50, but nowadays, it's a real pain in the arse. That's winter steelheadin' for ya.

Mark, if you want to come along with me to the cowlitz on the 28th and 29th you are more than welcome to.

Thanks--I almost contacted you for a chance at one of those seats--and I may still--but unless something changes I think we're heading for the in-laws. At least my father-in-law knows where to plunk on the Umpqua. He's landed some steel in the 40+ inch range. We'll just have to see what the water/weather have to offer at that time. If that doesn't pan out, I know of a few smaller tribs on the South OR coast. In fact, this beauty was taken down there: fishingnw.com/index.ph...m=1&pos=38

However, I'd love to get another shot in Bob's boat. He's an amazing guide, and I'd really like to get some Cowlitz info from the best in the biz. If I have the chance and there's still an open seat, I'll give you a call.

Sounds good. The whole venturing out to find new water is a funny thing. I am going to hit the Walla Walla more this winter so I can learn some new turf. The cowlitz trip should be a good one. I went there in the summer time and caught some nice summer runs. I am curious as to how many winter fish will be present at the end of the month.

E-mann, I'm pretty new to the WW and Touchet fishing but I went once last year from the Touchet bridge to Cummins Bridge. It was easy water but a long float. Last year the water was too low and no fish were up that high yet; I assume it would be much better now but was afraid it might be frozen at the launch. I tried it a second time last year, in March, and it was frozen solid.

I rarely fish the small rivers because I don't have a drift boat of my own (I bum an occasional ride with my buddy) and it's easier and more comfortable to take the Tundra out on the Columbia or Snake. But it's a lot of fun catching fish on a small river.

Historically, December can be the most productive month on the Cowlitz--the big variable is flow. The Cow is big enough that the fish will trickle in even if it's low, but then getting a good bite can be tough--but if anyone can entice a bite, I bet Bob's gotta to be one of the best. I bet you do well.

Starfish--maybe you already know, but there's a gage located on the Touchet near Cummins bridge that gives both flow and temperature: fortress.wa.gov/ecy/wr...sta=32B075

If the temp starts to flat-line near zero and the flow gets erratic--that means the river is icing up. If you follow the link, you can see it was pretty close to icing up a few days this week. It's updated nearly real time, so I've found it helpful a few times the night before I leave for a trip.

I still would like to float the lower Touchet--I just need the stars to align: A falling river after a decent rain on a weekend with no family comittments, etc, etc... I may as well play the lottery.

Scott,
On the freestone rivers on the coast, where I spent most of my adult life, there is usually a low bank side and a high bank side. If there is no rip-rap or other hindrances to the river following it's natural course, the river will typically meander in variations of S curves across the flood plain. On the high bank side the river will be digging away at the bank and on the low bank side will be a gravel or rock bar.

Most freestone rivers are fisherman friendly, and once one has gained access to the river (not as easy as it used to be), and if the fisherman is a strong enough wader to handle the water, one will typically find plenty of good water by moving up or down the stream, wading across the riffle at the bottom of the "hole" to stay on the low bank side, where the living is easy. And there are many places where one can fish productively from the high bank side, most often when the high bank side is rocky. Perpendicular dirt is hard to fish from anywhere.

The Walla Walla is not a freestone river, at least it's not in it's lower reaches. I haven't been upstream past the town of Walla Walla.

In the lower part of the river, where I've fished, there is most often no clearly defined low bank and high bank side. Much of the time the river flows between two brush covered or very high perpendicular dirt banks. And where one can get to the water, there are often long stretches where there is nothing to concentrate the fish. IMO, the Walla Walla is not at all fisherman friendly.

One way to approach the Walla Walla is to get on the river at the bridges and invest the time to hike up or down the river locating the few fishable holes which also concentrate fish. A mornings fishing then consists of "making the rounds".

Some fishermen, E-Mann for one, do well on the Walla Walla. I scratch for every fish I get down there. If there were lots of Steelhead rivers around here I'd say the Walla Walla isn't worth the trouble. Since options are limited, put on your walking shoes and start hiking!