has anyone had any luck with them around the St.Helens area? I havent been out, just got my boat running and was thinking on taking my dad fishing in the morning & not sure where to go. We used to go near St.Helens in the Columbia but that was many years ago. I wont be going to Bonniville area because I dont feel I am an experienced enough boater to play in that current yet so I just want some slow water for me & dad to drop a line in and enjoy a days fishin. anybody have any suggestions where to go?

you can fish the west end of sand island where the channel runs in to the Columbia or the other spot i fish is from st Helen's dock to the cement plant on the st Helen's bank side just find a 60 foot hole. I used smelt when I was up there earlier this year but, shad are now running in mult. channel so you might wanna take a trout pole and dick nite and grab a few shad (in the channel) and then try your luck with them

Haven't fished that area for awhile but just inside the channel I've seen a lot of boats fishing and catching em but don't know how many legals saw a bunch of shakers caught there water is between 20 to 60 foot deep
GOOD LUCK

well we didnt go out, dad didnt like the looks of the rain
Im going to go in the morning whether he does or not. someone else told me to go to the West end of the Island too, so I think thats what I will do. I mightr have to try my luck with the shad too, sounds like fun. Thanks guys

Will

Make sure your in the channel if your gonna do any shad fishing as the columbia is CLOSED for salmon steelhead and shad at this time but the channel is open
good luck wish i was going fishing tomorrow

Well we went out today, didnt do any shad fishin but went for the sturgeon below sand island, the guys next to us were slaying em, they released 6 or 8 keepers, I got one 39" & one 40.5" and a bunch that were no where close to keepers. We used smelt for bait with sturgeon frenzy oil on it. just didnt seem to be working well for us, the tide was very high & the current was strong as hell, we couldnt hardly keep our lines on the bottom, it took 12 to 14 oz. to get it to hold.
When the guys next to us left they came over and gave us some of their bait, they were useing squid, It was a new one to me but the way they were slamming them it seemed to be a good choice, although it didnt do me any good. well maybe next week I will get to go out again.

great report sounds like you had a fun time anyways. I think i need to come up there and try again if you was getting away with 12 to 14 oz wieght, i had to use 32oz at skamania island last thursday.