"In Depths" - Early Season Walleye
Early spring brings serious Walleye fishermen to The Columbia River in pursuit of one of "the finest eating freshwater fish available." This time of year, known as the "pre-spawn" period, also presents the finest fishing action for the species. This is due in part to the availability of larger concentrations of fish in smaller areas.
As water temperatures slowly climb to 36-38 degrees Fahrenheit, Walleye begin their spawning runs from the lower reaches of impoundment's towards the tailraces of dams. It is here where they will find good spawning gravel and rock, aerated water and a good food supply. When the temperature reaches 44-46 degrees, the Walleye will be getting ready for spawning and some may already have. Either way, this is prime time to catch good numbers of fish.
Fishing techniques for the early part of runs emphasize vertical jigging. Your choice of jigs may not be as critical as your technique, but some consideration to size and color should be carefully thought out. In the high and muddy waters of February and early March, I usually have better results with high visibility colors, such as chartreuse, fluorescent green or red, or a fluorescent pink and white combination. When the water clears, a myriad of colors will produce fish, but the greens and chartreuse's remain my favorites as the river always has a darker cast to it at the depths we find fish.
The Lure
My favorite jig is known as a "bullet jig" or "tube jig." It is simply a bullet shaped lead-head jig with a tube skirt over it. Some bass fishermen may know this as a "Fat Getzit," only we tend to use a little heavier weight to offset strong currents encountered below the dams. Start with a 3/4 oz. or 1oz. bullet jig with a 1/0 or 2/0 hook and attach a "stinger hook" (trailing hook size of your choice, snelled to the jig hook with twelve lb. monofilament). Slide the lead head into the tube skirt using your favorite scent attractant or WD40 as a lubricant. Now all you need to do is thread on a nite-crawler (THIS IS A MUST!) and go fishing. To thread the 'crawler,' start with the stinger hook and thread the worm from below the band towards the tail onto the hook. Now hook the head of the worm onto the jig hook so it is stretched out between the two.
The Technique
Jig fishing for Walleye is a "finesse" technique that can be quickly learned if one has the proper equipment. You can simply drift with the current and quickly lower your jig to the bottom. Once down, work your lure only six to eight inches, making sure you keep a taught line on both the up AND down stroke. The key here is always keeping your line taught as the Walleye's bite can be very subtle, and any slack in the line will produce a missed strike. Another method for a more controlled drift is to use a bow mounted electric motor to slow your drift. This will keep your jig at a bit of an angle ahead of you so you can prevent more snags and detect the strikes easier. It will also allow you to stay in preferred depths as the current carries you downstream.
Equipment
Without going into great detail on boats and motors, I would just say that the Columbia River can go from a calm impoundment to a raging river with five to six foot swells in a matter of minutes, due in part to prevailing winds blowing against the current. If you are in a smaller boat, stay near the shore, near the boat ramp, AND ALWAYS watch the weather! Your choice of rods and reels will be a critical factor in your success, and should be matched to the tackle you are using. With the heavier jigs, I prefer a six and a half to seven foot medium or medium/heavy action rod. A "soft tipped" rod will NOT give you the control and feel of what your jig is doing. Both level wind and spinning reels will work, but I prefer a level wind finding it easier for line control and "adjusting" for changes in depth. Eight to twelve lb. monofilament will suit most fishing conditions. I find the new "Spectra" lines are great, just a little hard to break loose from snags.
Finding the fish
Walleye can be found most anywhere in the river, but a good place to start is on or around sunken islands, generally in the twelve to twenty foot depth range. Breaklines or shelves that run parallel to the bank are another prime holding area. These breaklines generally taper or stairstep off towards the center of the river offering a variety of depths for fishing. Try a drift in ten to twelve feet of water, and gradually move to deeper drifts until you locate the Walleye. A fishfinder is a must, if only for depth control, though it is always nice to know there are fish in the area.
Patience and Perseverance
Walleye fishing can be a frustrating experience IF you expect to catch your limit (or even one fish) on every trip. The sometimes elusive fish seems to be affected by many factors, including but not limited to such things as barometric pressure, water fluctuations, wind and current. Don't be discouraged if you go out one day and catch a big stringer of fish, then come home "skunked" the very next day. Sometimes they just do not want to bite! Stick with the basics, experiment a little, and be persistent. Eventually they WILL BITE! Good Luck...
All you wanted to know about Sturgeon,
but were afraid to ask!
Many questions are asked concerning habits, growth rates, life cycles, etc. of the White Sturgeon (Acipenser transmontanus).
After thumbing through a lengthy and sometimes confusing technical report funded by the B.P.A. in cooperation with State and National Fish & Wildlife Departments, I have found a few interesting facts to pass along.
Presently the most popular recreational fish in the Columbia River from the mouth to McNary Dam, the White Sturgeon are found along the west coast of North America from the Aleutian Islands of Alaska, to Monterey, California.
Although this species is considered to be anadromous, some populations are landlocked due to dam construction.
Spawning occurs in the spring (early May - early July) only in the tailrace areas of the dams where the water velocity is the greatest, and it’s success is greatly related to river discharge. Optimal spawning temperatures are 13 to 14 degrees centigrade.
Being a "free spawner," fertilized eggs are carried downstream by river currents and adhere to the bottom substrate with a sticky substance that covers the egg. It is believed that the large dispersement of eggs insures survival by utilizing more feeding areas and rearing habitats by larval and post-larval Sturgeon, as well as protection from predators.
The young Sturgeon are apparently effective and efficient predators themselves during the summer and early fall, as they generally reach a length of approximately seven inches by the end of September!
With a reproductive cycle (time between spawnings) of 3 to 5 years, only 10% to 20% of the adult female population is capable of spawning in a given year.
Female Sturgeon grow larger in size than the males, and generally reach maturity by the time they reach 6 foot in length although some reach maturity around the 48" size (approximately 14 years old).
Knowing that Sturgeon are slow growing and can live to be over 100 years old, the most frequently asked question is, "How old is that fish?" I can only give you some figures from a few "tagged" fish that we have caught and submitted to the O.D.F.& W. which has graciously returned information for, and some rough calculations from data I have in this report.
A 42" fish (minimum legal size) is about 11 years old, 45" is 12 years old, 66" is about 24 years old, 8’ is about 48 years old, 10" about 62 years old.
Bear in mind that all fish do not grow at the same rate with a given year, due to available food supplies, age of fish and gender, but this should give you a basic idea of their length to age ratio.
The primary method used in determining the age of sturgeon is by examining a cross section of the pectoral fin under a microscope and counting pairs of opaque and translucent rings (much like aging a tree), and although the accuracy of this method can be questioned it does provide us with knowledge of their growth in conjunction with environmental changes.
Sturgeon are primarily bottom feeders and eat just about any dead fish that they can find. They also forage on crayfish, fresh water clams, sand rollers and lamprey.
Some of the preferred baits in The Columbia River near The Dalles, Oregon include Roll-Mop (pickled herring), Squid or pickled Squid, Lamprey, Night Crawlers, and Shad. Late May through July the enormous runs of American Shad seem to draw Sturgeon from lower reaches of the pool up to The Dalles Dam like "ants to a picnic", and with this "captive audience" all that you need to do is put the bait in the right place!
It is not uncommon to hook and land Sturgeon in the 7 to 9 foot class, and although we must release these prehistoric monsters, you’ll have an experience ( and hopefully photographs) that you won’t forget. Short stout rods, heavy line, big baits and a strong will are all required to land the "big game" of The Columbia! Be prepared to battle a single fish for 1 to 2 hours as they are extremely strong, and with the fast and deep currents of the river they have a certain advantage over you.
Bring your sunscreen, a sweatband, a camera, get a good nights sleep and then you’ll be ready to land what may possibly be the biggest fish of your life! Are you ready for the challenge?