Reaching into the bait cooler, Buzz pulled out an extra-large smelt. We all laughed. “Hey, ya never know unless you try,” Buzz smiled, referring to his choice of baits over all the traditional options. The rest of us looked at our already rigged herring, brows furrowed.
Full-time guide Austin Moser makes a big part of his living on the Columbia River, but his springer fishing is saved for friends. Austin and Buzz are all smiles over this nice springer, one Buzz caught on a trolled smelt last season.
We all know what happens next. Five minutes into the morning, Buzz’s rod goes down. Soon, we were admiring the first springer of the morning.
My buddy Austin Moser and I, razzed Joey Pyburn, owner of Ray’s Baits, for only bringing a few smelt. “You knew the smelt run was off the charts this spring, why’d ya only bring a few?” I joked.
I’ve fished a number of times with longtime friend, Buzz Ramsey, and one thing I’ve always admired about his approach is that he’s never afraid to try something new, something different than what everyone else us using. I’ve seen it time and time again, and sometimes his choice doesn’t catch fish. But like Buzz said, “…ya never know unless you try.”
It was early in the lower Columbia springer season. Water temperatures were cold and what few fish had arrived, were sluggish and finicky. “Last spring the water was 5º below normal and the river was crammed full of smelt,” shares Moser. Although a guide, Moser doesn’t guide for springers on the lower Columbia, this was a buddy trip. But we were in Moser’s awesome boat, using a lot of his gear. Pyburn supplied the bait, lots and lots of bait.
For three days we mainly fished herring and sardines. Some were just salted, some were died with Pro-Cure Brine ’N Brite. Chartreuse Green was the top color producer. Various oils and scents were also added, from herring to sardine to sand shrimp to anise—my favorite. It was all in an effort to give the springers something that looked and smelled different than the gazillions of smelt they were encountering on their upriver journey.
A dyed and helmeted herring is one of Moser’s go-to baits for spring and fall Chinook on the lower Columbia River.
To change-up the action on the baits we trolled, we varied the leader length.
“Sometimes a tighter, faster spin works, so don’t be afraid to go with a short leader,” Moser encourages. “And because you’re trolling for so long through so much heavy water, I like using helmets to keep the bait together and spinning properly.” We did catch more fish using a shorter leader when visibility dropped.
We also varied the weights we trolled with. Sometimes we dredged the bottom with 14-ounce sinkers; sometimes we suspended baits higher in the water column using only a few ounces. What weight we used, when, depended on when and where we marked fish, and whether or not what we were doing, worked. If it didn’t we’d go back through the water again, trying more or less weight, and sometimes different baits and scents. The fish were there, we were just trying to make them bite. Sometimes we’d make one change and catch a salmon. Sometimes we’d make a half-dozen changes and not get a strike.
A lot of anglers sat on anchor, fishing incoming tides. They caught fish, but very few last spring. Again, given the cold water, low fish numbers and excessive amounts of baitfish, we trolled all day, daylight to dark, searching for salmon. We all agreed our odds were greater by keeping on the move, trying to encounter as many springers as possible in hopes of finding a biter.
When fishing the incoming tide, pay close attention to the debris in the water. It can come in so fast and so thick, it will greatly reduce your fishing time if you’re not paying attention. Keep ahead of the debris, moving if you have to, as you can’t catch fish unless if you’re untangling messes all the time.
It’s hard debating the beauty and table fare of Columbia River spring Chinook. Here, author Scott Haugen, is pleased to have this beauty to take home, one he caught trolling a green dyed herring last spring.
We all caught fish this trip, just not the numbers we’re used to. One thing was for certain, and that is most springers came when we changed out to fresh baits. “People try to conserve on bait and this can really lower the odds of catching a salmon, especially when conditions are tough like this,” shares Pyburn. “Think about it, a fresh bait delivers more scent, is more visible, and it’s action is more precise. These are all elements we strive to achieve, and when you’re skimping on bait you’re compromising its overall effectiveness.”
“The conditions are likely going to be challenging for a while,” says Buzz, when I asked what he thinks the future of springer fishing will be like on the lower Columbia River. “Conditions have changed in recent years, and with the trends we’re seeing we have to do things differently in order to catch fish.” He’s right. Cold water, late runs, and seasons that close or are restricted before the peak of the run arrives, makes it hard for us to catch fish.
But at least we get to fish. I think my wife, Tiffany—the recipe developer and cookbook author in the family—put it best. “I don’t care if you come home with one springer, these are some of the best eating salmon out there, and we’ll enjoy every bite.”
Note: Scott Haugen is a full-time writer of 24 years. Signed copies of his many books can be ordered at scotthaugen.com.
SPRING CHINOOK TIPS - JD RICHEY
