Columbia River?

[Jigaman]

So I keep hearing about the Columbia river but dont know much about it. What are the popular areas (nearest towns) to fish? What time of year is best to go? What method is typically used? Is it true that locals basically think of Walleye as a garbage fish?

 

[AaronJ]

I am also interested.

I have been looking on-line for over a year to find where, when, and how. I have yet to find a guide that targets Eyes as his/her primary species or even has decent and consistent Walleye reports. Id go out for just a trophy fish trip if I could find the info I desire.

I have never been so disappointed in Google.

 

[bigcatpike]

Ever since I saw the uncut angling video last year I have been curious. I guess they don’t have a limit on walleye anymore?

 

[BrewCrew]

I have a buddy that lives in Portland - he is originally from Wisconsin - when I was out three years ago we fished the Deschutes River for steelhead and I asked him about the eye's on the Columbia. We drove over to Hood River and I witnessed walleyes laying on the beach - 10 -15 pound fish I kid you not - I could not believe it. He has been looking for a guide since he moved out there and either no one will admit to it or there simply is nobody doing it. They think the walleye are the reason the salmon run has dropped off.

 

[Fly Carpin]

http://www.columbiariverwalleyeguides.com

http://stevethewalleyeguy.com

http://www.abproguides.com/pdf_files/walleye_trips_columbia_river.pdf

http://www.flybynyteguideservice.com

https://myodfw.com/recreation-report/fishing-report/columbia-zone

How hard did you google this past year?

 

[BrewCrew]

And then I find this:

http://stevethewalleyeguy.com/

- - - Updated - - -

Good point "Fly" = I have not at all and just refreshed - wow times have changed.

 

[bigcatpike]

I have a buddy that lives in Portland - he is originally from Wisconsin - when I was out three years ago we fished the Deschutes River for steelhead and I asked him about the eye's on the Columbia. We drove over to Hood River and I witnessed walleyes laying on the beach - 10 -15 pound fish I kid you not - I could not believe it. He has been looking for a guide since he moved out there and either no one will admit to it or there simply is nobody doing it. They think the walleye are the reason the salmon run has dropped off.

That is fucking stupid. Walleye taste better than salmon anyway. I'd throw the salmon on the beach before walleye, pike, or even catfish.

 

[AaronJ]

http://www.columbiariverwalleyeguides.com

http://stevethewalleyeguy.com

http://www.abproguides.com/pdf_files/walleye_trips_columbia_river.pdf

http://www.flybynyteguideservice.com

https://myodfw.com/recreation-report/fishing-report/columbia-zone

How hard did you google this past year?

Maybe I misrepresented what I found vs what I was looking for.

I contacted a couple you listed and was less than impressed with them over the phone. I never got a clear answer to some of my questions ie: "depends on time of year", "depends on tactic", etc. Answers were mushy to me. I even tried to contact people that were given to me as references and they were not stellar. I just wanted to be told "come in Feb-mid March for a jig bite that may produce something for your wall". I fully understand guiding (I used to be one). Even a reference telling me that "he has great equipment, knew the river, and worked hard" would have sufficed.

 

[Weekender]

There are 6 of us heading out to the Columbia on Wednesday. Weather looks good so it should be an awesome time, hoping we all get one in the teens. :;:cheers

 

[luvcatchingbass]

There are one or two members on here that I am pretty sure have some experience on that river.

 

[Glass]

I use to live in Hermiston, OR. There, walleye fishing was a new sport, or so it seemed. People would go out and catch 8-10 lbs like it was nothing. I know a lot of them fished around Umatilla and Irrigon, think they fished eyes all summer long. Its long an 18 hour drive from here. Might be able to get people a contact if interested, one of the hatchery guys was hard into the walleye fishing.

 

[JayKay]

Talk to 5575. I think he's got a good grip on this topic.

I would guess though, after a pig walleye is suckered out of the Columbia river, and the phone starts ringing off the hook with guys saying "weee-elll, if you could guarantee me a 15 lb eye, I might come out.. but just in case, what are all your secrets?..."

I guess I know how I'd react if I took one of those phone calls, from some out-of-stater..

Not trying to start a fight, but I know how a lot of guys around here would handle that call.

 

[ifish4iz]

I've been there twice, lucked out on the weather front each time. Can get pretty wild with a west wind blowing against the current in that big of a river. Fished out of Umatilla both times, late February to early March. The old propeller jigs with stinger hook and night crawlers, believe it or not, at that time of year. Usually 25-40 foot drift stretches just off the main current seam, similar to our river fishing. I caught 6 over 11 lbs, up to just over 13, but no big ones. Each time, had boats next to us get 15's. Would like to go try snap jigging with raps or shiver minnows now, think that would be a hoot.
For those thinking it's a good idea to haul your boats out this time of year through those passes, I would seriously think twice! I fished with local connections that moved out there years ago from good old ND.

 

[Auggie]

I'd think train and a guide would be the way to go. You can bring your own booze.

 

[5575]

All that glitters isn't gold, this is my 18th year.
Last year they were doing a creel survey at the ramp and it was 1 walleye per 7 boats.
18 yrs and only 4 fish have gotten a ride back home, its allot like hunting big whitetails up in Canada in places like Alberta where you can't bait. But you do have that chance I guess.

Vast majority of your guides are salmon guys, not vast pretty much every one of them. They allow Indians to net and there is no limit on evasive species such as walleye, smallmouth and catfish. So the system has allot of things against it.
Would love to see a slot limit like tobin out there, it would give the system a chance.
Now days I think you'd have just of good of luck catching an 11-14 lber around Bis and 100% better odds catching one of that size out of Winnipeg.

- - - Updated - - -

There are 6 of us heading out to the Columbia on Wednesday. Weather looks good so it should be an awesome time, hoping we all get one in the teens. :;:cheers

Ha ha ha!!
This is someone that evidently has never fished out there before. You will be extremely fortunate to catch one teener in your group of six.
Its funny folks see a pic of a giant and think they are around every corner. We have went years with groups of 4-5 guys not catching a single teener. Hell folks go days without catching A single walleye.
And like I tell folks a 14 lber is 100 times harder to catch than a 13 and a 15 is 100x harder to catch than a 14 and it goes on.
Good luck, weather is a major factor so you have half the battle won.

 

[Achucker]

Check out anglersxperience on you tube.

 

[Glass]

My old coworker caught one just shy of the state record on the Umatilla River back in the mid 2000s. There are big fish out there. Everything mentioned above is 100% correct though. those waves out there can be brutal. I do know people that fish the Columbia with 16 foot boats with 20 hp motors on them, they stick close to the small river mouths in case a stitch of wind comes up though. Where I was located, a lot of folks would fish just down stream of the McNary Dam

 

[snow]

You could always book a river trip with "crappie killa"

https://youtu.be/2Z42Y3IsSr0

 

[bigcatpike]

You could always book a river trip with "crappie killa"

https://youtu.be/2Z42Y3IsSr0

Those guys are hilarious. I've seen most of their videos.

 

[snow]

They sure are,they would keep ya entertained....I like the Sandford and son's music...