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psguardian
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We were going to target Fairview Lake, or the upper slough, but the canoe launch at the public park didn't really seem to be a good spot to set up 3 camp chairs & 2 restless youngsters. I ended up going further up Marine Dr to Chinook Landing. (If you're just going to the picnic area & beach do you need a pass? I paid the $5 just to cover my butt from the potential fines) We thought about walking the field to fish the beginnings of the slough, but decided to go for the Columbia side of the park instead.
We had been feeding the weed beds for about an hour & a half, I knew power bait wasn't the greatest choice for the area, but I wasn't about to put flies on a 3yr old & 6yr olds lines (the only other 'bait' I had with me). Then I realized I had brought a free gift with me... Last time I was on the Sandy I did some clean up work on my hike out. One thing I found at waters edge was a half gone bucket of 'super smelly catfish bait', why this was on the Sandy I'm not sure... I figured it would come in handy for slough or Sauvies Island fishing & I was on a cleaning spree after all so in the bag it went. I put a fresh ball of rainbow ribbon PB on her hook & dipped it in the catfish bait (man that stuff STINKS!!!). Next few minutes I noticed the tip of her hand-me-down Cars 24" button caster was wiggling out of beat to the waves lapping the shore line! I suggested she reel in her line, she did about half way & set it back down, the 6yr old was distracting her with rocky sand castle building a few feet away... I ushered her back & helped her finish reeling it in (I can cast a long way with 3/16oz lead & a 2ft stick). As I showed her she had caught something she jumped & squealed & laughed, the prev two fishing trips we had taken this year (skunk fests) were suddenly worth the hassle & disappointment & boredom! I held it up for the pic & she wrapped her wet hand around it, "I got a fish!" she says lol. My son then screams to the other few fisherman down the shore line at the day use area "we got a fish, we got a fish!"
I'm not entirely sure what it is (I.D. it anyone?), but to her it was the entire reason we went to a river she couldn't throw rocks into.
It was about 5-6" long, & had orange/red fins. Got it right in the center of the upper lip, released in short order & it darted off back to the relative safety of the weed beds. The remainder of our 2.5hrs on the water were totally uneventful, but they are both hooked & want to go out again tomorrow! (I'm looking for a better place to take them, thinking maybe a trip to the mountain or the island... any suggestions)
~psguardian
We had been feeding the weed beds for about an hour & a half, I knew power bait wasn't the greatest choice for the area, but I wasn't about to put flies on a 3yr old & 6yr olds lines (the only other 'bait' I had with me). Then I realized I had brought a free gift with me... Last time I was on the Sandy I did some clean up work on my hike out. One thing I found at waters edge was a half gone bucket of 'super smelly catfish bait', why this was on the Sandy I'm not sure... I figured it would come in handy for slough or Sauvies Island fishing & I was on a cleaning spree after all so in the bag it went. I put a fresh ball of rainbow ribbon PB on her hook & dipped it in the catfish bait (man that stuff STINKS!!!). Next few minutes I noticed the tip of her hand-me-down Cars 24" button caster was wiggling out of beat to the waves lapping the shore line! I suggested she reel in her line, she did about half way & set it back down, the 6yr old was distracting her with rocky sand castle building a few feet away... I ushered her back & helped her finish reeling it in (I can cast a long way with 3/16oz lead & a 2ft stick). As I showed her she had caught something she jumped & squealed & laughed, the prev two fishing trips we had taken this year (skunk fests) were suddenly worth the hassle & disappointment & boredom! I held it up for the pic & she wrapped her wet hand around it, "I got a fish!" she says lol. My son then screams to the other few fisherman down the shore line at the day use area "we got a fish, we got a fish!"
I'm not entirely sure what it is (I.D. it anyone?), but to her it was the entire reason we went to a river she couldn't throw rocks into.
It was about 5-6" long, & had orange/red fins. Got it right in the center of the upper lip, released in short order & it darted off back to the relative safety of the weed beds. The remainder of our 2.5hrs on the water were totally uneventful, but they are both hooked & want to go out again tomorrow! (I'm looking for a better place to take them, thinking maybe a trip to the mountain or the island... any suggestions)
~psguardian
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