Washington Fly Fishing Forum banner

Columbia River Bonefishing

1K views 7 replies 7 participants last post by  wrench 
#1 ·
RiverFishing

Well, he's done it again...wrench has come back to the Tri-Cities and taken me to the Columbia for some "bonefishing." Of course, some people call them carp.
The master hooked several and landed four - including one that measured 31 genuine inches long and probably weighed in at 12-13 pounds, while the student hooked four and landed one (at last).
The weather over here was great, cooler than it has been for a while, and the company was excellent again.
wrench promises to post pictures when he gets back to Montana.
For all of you who turn up your noses at the idea of flyfishing for carp, you're missing one very challenging version of the sport. I myself had no idea of how strong these fish are and their stamina is just unbelievable.
Not bad for a Saturday's work...

Mike
:thumb
 
#2 ·
I'm currently living in Japan and I'm dying to try for some fresh water bone fish (They call them Koi here in Japan). I live in Gifu prefecture, which is also a gfreat place for trout so I'm told (at least I think that's what they were telling me:)! I've seen a few in the tiny little river that runs through town that would probably be around 3-5 pounds. They should be awesome on my five weight.
 
#3 ·
Yup, it is fun. I went carping for the first time yesterday on a shallow reservoir in SE Wyoming. Once I got the hang of being extra stealthy and not casting into the center of a pod, I hooked up with around 15 carp and landed 10. The biggest was around 10lbs. They behave a bit like chum salmon when hooked - long run and then down and dirty bulldogging. I got a workout using an 8wt.

Rod
 
#4 ·
early this summer i made several pilgrimages to the moses lake area after those stealthy "suckers". everytime i had lots of success with size 16 and 18 nymphs (kind and color did not matter). to up the ante i fished them exclusively with my three weight. no i didnt break it or get spooled, but repeatedly on very large fish i did have to point my rod at them and break off. fun fun fun fun.
 
#5 ·
Yep Wrench is the man for carp! I have landed a few myself , In fact the biggest strongest fish I have ever caught in washington state are carp! I bought an 8 weight after a frustrating afternoon trying to land some big powerful carp at banks lake with my 6 weight...

Where did you guys fish? Finley? near the Yakima Y? I often ran accross carp along the columbia in Richland.

-Piscean
 
#6 ·
Here's a shot of Carp Alley on Chamberlain Lake. The mouth of the Klickitat is in the distance. There are carp flats on each side of this grassy spit. No backcast obstacles, no poison oak. The only hazard is your free running reel handle . After you play a fish on the south side, you can just cakewalk over to the north side to let the south side rest a bit.

http://www.washingtonflyfishing.com/dc/user_files/620.jpg
 
#7 ·
RiverFishing

Wrench is somewhere between the Tri-Cities and Montana as we speak this Monday evening. We finished the weekend with a trip to Rocky Ford - my first - on Sunday, where we darn near had the place to ourselves.
I'm sure Wrench will add those pics to the others he's promised.
You guys need to know he takes those carp on a five weight rod. The big one took twenty minutes or more to land, but he did get her in...he knows his stuff.

Mike
 
#8 ·
Well, the promised pics will have to wait, my computer and my skills are not up to the task. As for locale, we were fishing down by Plymouth. There is the sweetest carp flat you ever saw extending lord nows how far out into the river, with big, tailing carp in clear water. Just don't get any better. The weather was grand, the fish cooperated for the most part, and the company was great!
Would be glad to give detailed directions if anybody wants em......
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top