Steve's Guided Adventures

March 2011

March Newsletter   Hey Guys,   March is here and that means that so are the Spring Chinook.It is time to get out on the water and hook up on one of these prized fish of the Pacific Northwest. The Columbia Season will be open from now through April 4th and then I will move into the Washington tributaries along with the Willamette River in Oregon. There has been a good number of fish caught already depending on what section of teh river you were fishing that day. During the month of February you will get pilot runs coming through so you could have a great day if you were fishing the right area that day. March however is the month to start and get serious about fishing for them. I just finished up my Sturgeon trips and now I will be going after Salmon along with trophy Walleye. I will do my first trip Tomorrow and will continue through the closure. I do have some dates left so book now to get a date that works for you. I will be running some half day evening trips also. There have been some big fish over 30 pounds caught already which are 5 year old fish. Not every year you get a chance to catch a 30 pounder in the Spring.        The Walleye are on the bite on the East side of the Cascades and will continue through April. The spawn all depends on the water temperature and with all the cold weather we just had along with the snow in the mountains it should hold it off until late April. This will give us more of a chance to catch the big one. Jigging and trolling very slow is your best bet to hook up on one of these tasty fish. I urge you and my clients to release all the big females so they can spawn. There is no fisheries raising these fish and we are getting more pressure from B.A.S.S and other organizations to remove all non native species from our waters that have been here for over 100 years. There is a lot of good size males and smaller females that you can keep to take home for that great dinner or lunch. I am a Taxidermist also so you can take some great pictures and you can never have to many along with a total length along with girth so you can have a replicas fiberglass fish mount done if you wish to release her.    Keeper Sturgeon fishing is still available as of last week. the Willamette is your best bet and it was predicted to be closed by now due to good fishing and a 2500 fish quota. It started out strong and then the cold weatehr dropped in which slowed the bite. Now we had all the snow and rain which blew it out and made it muddy. I did a Tournament last Saturday and we landed 25 fish with 2 keepers. It was a great day even though it was 18 degrees to start out the day and the high was 35. Thankfully I have a top for my boat and a good propane heater so we were all good. What a difference a cover on the boat makes. I am sure that you all know if you have fished with me when we needed it and a boat was next to us with out one. I learned a long time ago to take care of my clients to keep them coming back. So the Willamette should stay open for at least one more week depending on how the fish bite with the high water. I will start fishing the Columbia in April when the fish move out of the Willamette and will continue through June in the Portland/Vancouver area along with Astoria in late June.   If you would like to book a trip with my service, need more information on my trips or would like to be added to my newsletter list I can be contacted anytime so i can assist you. You can't catch the big one if you don't give it a try and may be that someday is Today! Book your trip now   Please help me support my sponsors. If it wasn't for them i don't know what we would fish with.   Lamiglas rods Gamakatsu Hooks P Line Clackacraft drift boats Alumaweld Powerboats Three rivers marine  Mack's Tackle Kone Zone Flashers Leupold optics Sitka hunting wear Mustang Survival Pro Cure bait scents   Proud supporter of CCA, NSIA and Fish first of the Lewis Tight lines,   Steve Leonard Steve's Guided Adventures www.stevesguidedadventures.com Office 1-360-835-7995 Cell 1-360-609-1902     Additional information   If you enjoy fishing for one or more of Oregon's non-native species, such as bass, crappie walleye, brook trout or maybe brown trout.     There is an attack on your fishery by several groups of native fish extremists.   The threat comes from two bill that are currently in front of the legislature.    HB2632 and SB603 are identical bills that require ODFW to lift size and count limits on non-native species.     B.A.S.S. has partnered with the American Sportfishing Association to provide you a simply way to send a message to the bill sponsors and using your zip code they will target your senator and representative with a crafted message that clearly asks them to oppose these bills.    It is very well done.    We hope to get 200 to 300 messages to them before the next bill hearing on March 8th.        It will only take a few seconds, but it will help save our future fisheries.     Please Please Please do it now.   If you have a club mailing list of fishing buddies, please sent this on.      We need to put these bills out of their misery.   Chuck Lang Here is link to the KeepAmericaFishing website page that will send letter to OR legislators.  Please spread the link widely and that will generate several hundred letters to the sponsors and a letter to each senders Senators and House members.  If the link is not live because your computer uses Plain Text, just cut and paste this to the address line in your browser.        http://salsa.wiredforchange.com/o/6394/p/dia/action/public/?action_KEY=3521

Steve's Guided Adventures 901 28th Street Washougal,Wa 98671 360-609-1902 www.stevesguidedadventures.com

 

 Steve's Guided Adventures news letter/fishing report Feb 18,2011

It is that time of year when the Sportsmen's shows are going on, the Sturgeon are biting and Spring Chinook are starting to show up in the Columbia River along with the Willamette. It is close to my favorite time of year, Spring that is when the Springer's are in and there is more fishing to do then hours in the day. Fortunately I get to fish on those days when most guys are finding a way to get off of work like not feeling good, vacation days are used and any other excuse they can come up with to get out on the river. Some days when I am on the river during the middle of the week I think to myself "doesn't any one work any more" because this season no matter what time of the day or what day of the week there are anglers going after the Spring Chinook. Last year on the Columbia they had us confined to the lower Columbia below the I-5 bridge and open for a few days between the two bridges. Due to safety concerns and congestions at the only few boat ramps we had to use they decided to change the boundary which is a good thing for all of us. It will be open to Rooster Rock up stream of Camas/Washougal about 4 miles and Corbett on the Oregon side. It has opened up a lot of good anchoring and trolling areas to catch Springer's.

Sturgeon fishing has been under way in the Columbia above Bonneville dam since the first of January and is going to close on the 19th of February until next year or unless they add up the numbers and there is still a quota left. The Willamette river opened on the 17th and will stay open until the 2,500 fish quota is met. I am sure that there will be some pressure on the river due to it normally being open in January so guys are ready to go fishing and the fish are there to be caught. I will move over there and start fishing the week of the 21st and will fish it until it closes.

Happy clients with there limit Sturgeon plus one for the guide on the Columbia River

The Walleye are just starting to come on the bite and the water still needs to warm up a little for a good bite to come on. The water temp has been holding at 37-38 degrees and this cold weather we have right now isn't helping. It should hold the spawn off until late April so we will have plenty of time to target some Trophy walleye. Last year the water was warmer (41degrees) and they started to spawn in early April which is not normal.

I have added the email that I received from the fish and game for the set seasons on the lower Columbia for Sturgeon and Spring Salmon. The Salmon season will close on the Columbia April 4th and there is still plenty of fishing that will be available in the Willamette and Sandy rivers in Oregon. In Washington I will also be fishing the Wind River, Drano Lake and the NF Lewis if it gets a descent run. Also the mid Columbia will be open until April 24th from The Dalles to McNary dams which offers great fishing and it is a 2 fish limit where the lower Columbia is a 1 fish limit. Your days fishing will all depend on if the wind blows. This section of river can get big winds which makes fishing almost impossible but if the wind is light or none at all hang onto your rod because it will be going off. This Spring Chinook season is a popular season for Sport fisherman so if you want to spend a day on the river fishing for them contact me ASAP so I can assure you a date that works for you.

All smiles from the ladies last year after a great day of Spring Chinook fishing April 2010
 

Columbia River fishing seasons set for spring Chinook, sturgeon
OREGON CITY, Ore. - Fishery managers from Washington and Oregon today set fishing seasons for Columbia River spring chinook salmon and white sturgeon that are expected to draw nearly two hundred thousand anglers to the big river this year.
Most of the new rules will take effect March 1, when fishing for spring chinook and sturgeon starts to heat up on the Columbia River. Sport fishing is currently open for both species on various sections of the river under rules adopted last year.
Cindy LeFleur, Columbia River policy coordinator for the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW), said fishing seasons for both species reflect the number of fish available for harvest within the states’ conservation guidelines.
"We’re expecting an average return of spring chinook this year, with a fairly high number of large fish in the mix," LeFleur said. "On the other hand, the abundance of legal-size sturgeon below Bonneville Dam has declined, so harvest guidelines for that fishery will be tighter this year."
2011 spring chinook seasons
According to the pre-season forecast, 198,400 upriver spring chinook will return to the Columbia River this year, close to the 10-year average. To guard against overestimating the run, the states will manage the fishery with a 30 percent buffer until the forecast is updated in late April or early May.
"If the fish return at or above expectations, we will look toward providing additional days of fishing on the river later in spring," LeFleur said.
Initial seasons announced today allocate 7,750 upper river spring chinook to the sport fishery below Bonneville Dam, 1,650 to anglers fishing above Bonneville and 2,100 to the commercial fleet. Those guidelines do not include the catch of spring chinook returning to Columbia River tributaries such as the Willamette, Cowlitz, Lewis and Wind rivers.
As in years past, anglers may retain only hatchery-reared fish, marked with a clipped adipose fin. All unmarked wild spring chinook must be released unharmed.
Spring chinook fishing is currently open to boat and bank anglers on a daily basis from Buoy 10 near the mouth of the Columbia River upstream to the Interstate 5 bridge. Under the new rules approved today, the fishery will be expanded 22 miles upriver to Rooster Rock from March 1 through April 4.
Bank anglers will also be allowed to fish from Rooster Rock up to the fishing boundary below Bonneville Dam during that time.
Above Bonneville Dam, the fishery will be open to boat and bank anglers on a daily basis from March 16 through April 24 between the Tower Island powerlines six miles below The Dalles Dam and the Washington/Oregon state line, 17 miles upriver from McNary Dam. Bank anglers can also fish from Bonneville Dam upriver to the powerlines during that time.
Anglers fishing downriver from Bonneville Dam may retain one hatchery-reared adult chinook per day as part of their catch limit. Above the dam, anglers can keep two marked hatchery chinook per day.
Large, five-year-old fish are expected to make up an unusually high portion of this year’s catch, said Joe Hymer, a WDFW fish biologist. More than 100,000 five-year-old spring chinook - each weighing 18 to 30 pounds - are predicted to pass through fisheries en route to the Willamette River or the upper Columbia River this year.
By comparison, only about 26,000 five-year-old fish returned to those areas last year, despite a strong run of 423,000 spring chinook to those waters.
"We’re not expecting as many total fish back this year, but we are expecting a lot of big ones," Hymer said. "Some of those fish are already starting to show up in the catch."
2011 white sturgeon seasons
Fishery managers from Washington and Oregon also agreed on new seasons for Columbia River white sturgeon that reflect mutual concerns about the declining abundance of legal-size sturgeon below Bonneville Dam.
New harvest guidelines approved today will limit this year’s catch in those waters to 17,000 fish, a 30 percent reduction from last year. That action follows a 40 percent reduction imposed during the 2010 fishing season.
"In practical terms, this year’s action is expected to reduce the amount of time sturgeon fisheries in the lower Columbia River will be open at the end of the season," said Brad James, another WDFW fish biologist.
As in years past, 80 percent of the allowable catch will be allocated to the sport fishery and 20 percent to the commercial fishery. In addition, 60 percent of the sport catch will continue to be reserved for the estuary fishery below the Wauna powerlines and 40 percent for the fishery upriver from the powerlines to Bonneville Dam.
Fishing seasons approved for 2011 in the lower Columbia River are as follows:
• Buoy 10 to the Wauna powerlines: Retention of white sturgeon is allowed daily from Jan. 1 to April 30; May 14 through June 26; and July 1-4. From Jan. 1 to April 30, sturgeon must measure between 38 inches and 54 inches (fork length) to be retained. From May 14 through the end of the season they must measure 41 inches to 54 inches (fork length) to be retained. Catch-and-release fishing is allowed on days when retention is prohibited.
• Wauna powerlines to Bonneville Dam: Retention of white sturgeon is allowed three days per week (Thursday through Saturday) from Jan. 1 through July 31 and from Oct. 8 until Dec. 31. Sturgeon must measure between 38 inches and 54 inches (fork length) to be retained. Catch-and-release fishing is allowed on days when retention is prohibited. All fishing for sturgeon will be closed from May 1 through Aug. 31 in the sturgeon sanctuary downriver from Bonneville Dam described in the Fishing in Washington rules pamphlet.
At a previous joint state hearing, the two states took action to close the Sand Island Slough near Rooster Rock to fishing at least through April 30.
Contrary to the trend in the lower river, monitoring and fishery data show that legal-size sturgeon populations are growing above Bonneville Dam, James said. In response, the states and tribes agreed to increase catch guidelines in two areas above the dam.
By their action, the harvest guideline was increased from 1,400 fish to 2,000 fish in the Bonneville Pool and from 165 fish to 500 fish in the John Day Pool. The 300-fish guideline in The Dalles Pool remains unchanged.
Even with the higher guideline in the Bonneville Pool, the states agreed to close those waters to sturgeon retention at the end of the day Feb. 18, when the catch is expected to reach the new 2,000-fish guideline.
 

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Fishing report update by Steve's Guided Adventures Dec 10th, 2010

Happy Holiday's to all!

Wow, I can't believe winter is here and Christmas is just days away. Man time flies when you are having fun out on the river catching fish all year. I would like to thank all of you for the trips this past season and helping make it a prosperous year. With all the memories being made, all the fish tales being told and many more to come made it a great year.

In the Fall time of year a lot of outdoorsmen and women switch from fishing to hunting. I am one of them and can't wait to get out in the woods. I hope that those of you that do hunt had a successful hunt. This year I was able to make it Africa which was a dream hunt and saved many years for. It was a incredible trip and both me and Tracey ( my fiancé)harvested some quality animals. If you like to hunt abroad, Africa is a place to visit. I can't wait to go back and do another hunt some day. If you are interested in hunting Africa contact me and I can help you with your booking with a quality outfitter.We went to Namibia for plains game which is the best place to be for quality animals and less expensive then South Africa. All the animals that we harvested made it into the SCI record book. I also proposed to Tracey (my best friend and not sure if she knows what she is getting into) in Africa and she said yes. So with that being said I will be getting married this summer.

Winter is here and also is that time of year for the Winter Steelhead to be running. They have been starting to run since the end of November and will continue on the rivers in SW Washington through January into the first part of February. The Washougal, East Fork Lewis and Kalama rivers which are all Drift boat rivers have fish in them . Now since we received lots of rain the past couple of days the rivers are blown out and will come back in next week. We have rain in the forecast for the next few days then it will dry up which will let the rivers come into shape with in a couple days. My favorite time to fish for Steelhead on the smaller rivers is when it has been high and then it clears and starts to drop. That is when the fish come on the bite after being stuck behind a rock for days waiting to migrate up the river. The Cowlitz river also has been fishing well early and will continue into the first part of January then the next run will come in mid March. they have been really working hard to get a brood Stock program( Bigger Steelhead 14-20 plus range) in March and April which has been producing some nice fish. Last season we landed a 18 pounder on a light 4-8 spinning rod free drifting roe. That is a fight when you get a Steelhead that size screaming line off your reel faster the you can imagine. Steelhead is one of my favorite fish to catch and I have been catching them since my first one when I was 8 years old on the Washougal River. I am running drift boat trips and Sled trips this winter for Steelhead. If you would like to hook into one contact me and I will add you to my call list to get into the best fishing. The problem with Winter fishing sometimes is the weather that can blow out the rivers when you are booked so if you are flexible I can put you into some hot fishing with the rivers are right.

Sturgeon fishing will open on the January first above Bonneville Dam and the Willamette for keepers. Last season in January and February there was some great fishing due to water temperature. This year is looking the same way if we don't get a cold snap come in before then. Water temperature determines how good the Sturgeon bite is or will be. When the water temperature dips into the 30's it is to cold for them so they will go dormant and not feed. When it warms up into the 42-45 degrees hold onto your rod because we will put 50 fish to the boat on a good day with a limit of keepers. Book now to reserve a hot seat during this short season. The quota is 1,400 fish above Bonneville Dam and if the water temperature is right it will only be open through February.

Salmon are done running now with the last of the Silvers making there way into the hatcheries to spawn. the NF Lewis gets a Winter run of Chinooks that is catch and release but can be fun just hooking them and releasing. I haven't received a report yet on the forecast for the Spring Chinook season and it shouldn't be long when they will have the report out. The Springer's will start showing in February and it won't get good until Mid to late March on the Columbia River.

It is almost time to go out and catch some big Trophy Walleye. They will start to feed starting mid February and will continue (depending on water temperature) through April. Last season due to warmer weather and water temp they started to spawn in early April. Usually they won't start until late April mid May. I will start fishing for them starting February and will continue until they spawn. Last season the big fish weighed 15.8 pounds on the scale.

There is a scheduled clam dig on the Washington coast over New Years. Last year a group of us went down and had a great time digging clams, watching the fireworks and eating some good sea food at the coast.

I will keep you posted on the Steelhead fishing when the rivers come into shape incase you want to get away and hook into one!

If you would like to book a trip or be added to my email list feel free to contact me so I can take care of you.

Thank you for being on board with us and we want to wish you from Steve's Guided Adventures a safe and Happy Holiday season!

Tight lines,

Steve Leonard
Steve's Guided Adventures
www.stevesguidedadventures.com
Office 1-360-835-7995
Cell 1-360-609-1902
Sponsors: Three Rivers Marine, Alumaweld, Gamakatsu,
Mustang Survival, Clackacraft drift boats, Pro-Cure bait scents,
Leupold optics, Sitka hunting gear,
Proud Sponsor of NSIA, Fish First of the Lewis & CCA
 

Fishing report by Steve Leonard with Steve's Guided Adventures October 19, 2010

Hey Guys,
It is that time of year when the leaves start to turn colors and the temperatures are starting to cool out on the river. I love this time of year because there is good fishing and hunting season is starting for Elk and Deer. The Fall salmon season was good and not as good as the Fish and Game predicted. Depending on which area of the river you were fishing early in the season depended on how well you did for the Chinooks. At the coast we had big tides at the wrong time during the days when the Chinooks are coming through the lower Columbia making there way upstream. We did manage to get into them and land some over the 30 pound mark. The Coho numbers were down this year but there is still enough to make a great day on the river. I fished in the NSIA Salmon tournament in August at Buoy 10 and my team took second place for team weight ( losing by 3 ounces!) weighing in at 79.1 pounds for 6 fish. My client Mike Gubrud from Sedro wooley, Wa landed the biggest Chinook weighing in at 28.5 pounds cleaned ( tournament rules) and winning a $1000.00 sponsored by my sponsor Three Rivers Marine in Woodinville,Wa. for the tournament. This tournament and all other fund raisers that NSIA put on is to help us fellow SPORTFISHERMEN who need to participate in these events to help raise money for the cause of speaking for the Sportfishermen. they help us with allocations of fish we get to keep during a season and fight for more days of fishing during the shorter ones when we are competing with the commercial fishermen. At this time the Columbia is slowing down for Chinooks while Tillamook Bay and Nehalem bay offer a chance at a big Chinook through November. The silvers are showing up finally running a little late and will continue into the first part of November.

If you are looking for Steelhead this time of year you need to head East to the Snake or Clear water rivers. I have been running fishing trips on the Snake River for the past week catching Salmon and Steelhead. The steelhead are running a little late up in the river due to warm water. They are holding down in the back water waiting for the temperatures to drop before making there last run for the spawning grounds. This area is very serene and is a trip that every steelheader should take at least once in there fishing days to come. From the scenery to the wildlife there is no other place I have ever fished that makes you fell like you are in that special place. To top it off you get a bite and fight a nice steelhead to the boat while drifting down the river. the best time to fish this area is October and November. the temperatures are cooler in November and is for the more hard core Steelheader. I will start fishing for winter Steelhead after thanksgiving on the from the drift boat on the Washougal, east Fork Lewis and the Kalama. I will be running Jet Sled trips on the Cowlitz in December and mid February through March.

Steve's Guided Adventures fishing report 6/28/10

The past couple of weeks I have been at the coast Sturgeon fishing for keepers and just made it home to fish for Summer Chinooks. The Coast has been slower then normal for keepers and they have extended the season to July 11th everyday. It will be picking up everyday as the Columbia river starts to drop and warm up. There was a lot of cold fresh water running down the Columbia that slowed there migration down to the estuary to feed. I have some open dates during this time period if any one would like to fish this area. I averaged two keepers a day with other bites and releasing some shakers( Under sized). I try and focus on the shallower water with lighter gear which makes it fun when you hook up. The Oversize Sturgeon are still feeding on Shad in the Gorge. I did a trip Friday and we landed one 8 footer, one keeper and 25 shakers. We ran a little of everything for bait while we were waiting for the big bait to get bit.

The Summer Chinook season has also started off slow due to the high water. It came up and got dirty the day before the season started which turned off the bite for a few days. I did four trips last week and picked up some nice fish everyday with the biggest being 25 pounds. The big June hogs are just now making there way through the lower Columbia and I have heard of a couple in the 50 pound range. The season will stay open through July.

Summer steelhead are in and now is the time to get out the light rods and spinning reels. The Cowlitz and NF Lewis are both putting out some great fishing since they have lowered the water. I will be running jet sled trips through July for Steelhead so if you want to catch some, now is the time.

The Walleye bite is on up out of Boardman and will continue for another few weeks. A lot of nice eater size fish have been getting caught and the limit is 10 fish total with no more then 5 over 18" and only 1 over 24". Next month when the Columbia drops the bite will come on in the West side. With the high water the fish have lots of places to hide not saying that they are feeding right now on all the bait fish migrating down the Columbia.

If you would like to book a trip or need more information I can be contacted by phone or email.

Tight lines,

Steve Leonard
Steve's Guided Adventures
www.stevesguidedadventures.com
Office 1-360-835-7995
Cell 1-360-609-1902
Sponsors: Three Rivers Marine, Alumaweld, Gamakatsu,
Mustang Survival, Clackacraft drift boats, Pro-Cure bait scents,
Leupold optics, Sitka hunting gear,
Proud Sponsor of Fish First & CCA
 

Fishing report by Steve Leonard with Steve’s Guided Adventures May 17,2010

It has been a great season so far for Spring Chinooks and the season is starting to slow down as we get near the end of May. The Springer’s have been running since the first part of March giving all of us outdoorsmen an great chance to catch a few. I have been fishing the Willamette River near Portland and Drano Lake along with the Wind river in the Columbia gorge. They had a great return this year with many days we were catching limits. I will be fishing Drano Lake for another week or so and then it will be over. If you still want to catch one call me soon so I get fit you in before it is to late.

There will be a summer Chinook season this year on the Columbia River starting June 16th and will run into July they say. Last year they didn’t open it until late June and most of the run had already came through by the time they opened up for the sportsmen. I will be fishing from Portland to Bonneville for this season.

Buoy 10 fall Salmon fishery is our next big Salmon season starting August. The “Buoy 10 fishery” is from the mouth of the Columbia river up stream 10 miles. This is a great salmon fishery I feel that everyone should fish this area once in there life. There will be over a million salmon through this area heading up stream to spawn. I will be fishing for Chinooks and Silver salmon at the same time. I start fishing this area out of Astoria Oregon August 10th-28th. I have only a couple days open to book so call me if you would like to fish this area. If you can’t make it the season will run through October farther up the Columbia near Portland. I will be fishing Tillamook Bay and Nehalem bay this fall in late September, October & November.

Sturgeon fishing has picked up the last month with some good fishing happening right now. The retention days for keepers is Thurs- Sat only in the Columbia gorge and below Portland. The Willamette closed the end of April for retention of Sturgeon. I will fish in the Columbia Gorge until the first part of June and then I will be fishing out of Astoria for keepers down there. The Estuary is where most of the fish migrate to in June and through the summer months due to the feed in that area. They go after the anchovies, herring and clams in that area. The season is May 22nd through June 27th and is open everyday in this area of the river. If the quota doesn’t get filled they will reopen it for some long weekends in July. The Shad are starting to appear in the Columbia and the season is open so this means that the big Oversize sturgeon are coming to. I will be running oversize trips from the end of May through September for the big Columbia river monsters.

Spring steelhead has been open in SW Washington's tributaries since April 16th and it started off good right after it opened. I have been running Drift boat trips on the Washougal river catching some nice fish. The water has dropped since then which makes the fishing a little harder. It will continue through the first part of June. I will be running drift boat trips on the Klickitat river in June and July. Overnight camping trips are available on this river if that interest you. I will be running jet Sled trips on the NF Lewis and Cowlitz rivers starting in June for Steelhead. The Columbia River will start to pick up in July once they lower the water and will continue through August. I will also be running steelhead trips on Drano lake starting the 3rd week of July through the first part of August.

Snake River Steelhead- I am adding another fishery to my business this year to offer to my customers. I have many request to go fish the Snake River in the first 2 weeks of October for steelhead. This will be a great trip with lots of wildlife to admire while you are fishing on the river. I will be fishing from Heller’s Bar and the nearest town for lodging is Clarkston, WA or Lewiston , ID which is right across the river from Clarkston. A average day of fishing is 10-20 fish per day and some days will be better from the reports I have received. If you would like to get out of town for a day or two please call me so I can get you booked in since the dates are going fast.

Tight lines,

Steve Leonard
Steve's Guided Adventures
www.stevesguidedadventures.com
Office 1-360-835-7995
Cell 1-360-609-1902
Sponsors: Three Rivers Marine, Alumaweld, Gamakatsu,
Mustang Survival, Clackacraft drift boats, Pro-Cure bait scents,
Leupold optics, Sitka hunting gear,
Proud Sponsor of Fish First & CCA
 

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Steve's Guided Adventures Fishing report as of 2-23-10

Dear fellow anglers,
Finally Washington and Oregon has set the season for the Columbia River. We will not be fishing above I-205 Bridge this year only bank fishing due to the pressure from the Native Indians upstream above Bonneville Dam. The last couple years the states prediction for returning fish was lower then predicted which means that Sport and Commercial fisherman took more then they should have due to a smaller run returning and the State gave us a quota on a higher return. We will be paying for this for the next couple years I am sure. On the good note we will be able to fish the Columbia for Spring Chinook before they enter the tributaries. I have added the news release below for you so you will know what the season is and from what points on the river. I am booking trips right now for this season and the dates are going fast so please contact me if you want to fish the Columbia. The Spring season will run through May in all the tributaries that get Springer's. I will be fishing The Wind River and Drano Lake up in the Columbia River Gorge in April and May which both areas are predicting huge record returns. Along the I-5 corridor I will be fishing the North Fork Lewis River and the Cowlitz river which are both Jet Sled rivers. If you can't get out on the Columbia there is still plenty of season left in the other rivers to fish through May with a two fish limit where as the Columbia is a one fish limit.

Sturgeon has closed above Bonneville Dam on Sunday. I fished the last couple days of the season and was great fishing. We ended up with our limits on both days with the average of 40 fish to the boat for the day. Due to the unusual warmer weather this time of year the river temperature was 41 degrees which put them on the bite. The season in the past has run into June and they doubled the quota this year in this area and it still closed early. I will be fishing below Bonneville Dam now through May for keepers. The days that we can keep them are Thursday-Saturday.

I will start Walleye fishing tomorrow up East of the mountains. They are starting to come onto the bite and it is in the Prespawn meaning you have a chance of catching that big world record female that lurks in these waters. I would be great to have your name under the World record Walleye. I will fish the prespawn until the end of April then I will get back on them after the spawn starting in June.

The Cowlitz River is starting to get there second run of Steelhead. the big "B" run Steelhead are coming in and I will fishing there on Thursday and will have a better report. This season will run into the end of March. I am fishing from my sled side drifting with eggs, yarn balls and corky& Yarn.


Columbia River spring chinook seasons
Action: Sets fishing regulations for spring chinook salmon in the mainstem Columbia River.
Locations:
The mainstem Columbia River from Buoy 10 upstream to the I-5 Bridge.
Effective date: Through April 18, 2010, fishing for salmonids and shad is open 7 days per week, except closed on March 9, 16, 23, 30.
Effective March 1, 2010: Daily salmonid limit is 6 fish (hatchery chinook or hatchery steelhead), of which no more than 2 may be adults and no more than one may be an adult chinook. Release all wild chinook.
The mainstem Columbia River from the I-5 Bridge to the I-205 Bridge.
Effective date: March 1 through March 14, 2010, fishing for salmonids and shad is open 7 days per week, except closed on March 9.
Effective date: March 15 through April 3, fishing for salmonids and shad is open only on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays.
Daily salmonid limit is 6 fish (hatchery chinook or hatchery steelhead), of which no more than 2 may be adults and no more than one may be an adult chinook. Release all wild chinook.
The mainstem Columbia River from the I-205 Bridge upstream to Bonneville Dam.
Bank fishing only - closed to fishing for salmonids and shad from boats.
Effective date: March 1 through March 14, 2010. Fishing for salmonids and shad is open 7 days per week, except closed on March 9.
Effective date: March 15 through April 3, 2010. Fishing for salmonids and shad is open only on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays.
Daily salmonid limit is 6 fish (hatchery chinook or hatchery steelhead), of which no more than 2 may be adults and no more than one may be an adult chinook. Release all wild chinook.
Tower Island power lines (located about 6 miles downstream from the Dalles Dam) upstream to McNary Dam, plus Washington bank between Bonneville Dam and the Tower Island powerlines.
Effective date: March 16 through May 31, 2010. Fishing for salmon, steelhead and shad is open seven days per week.
Daily salmonid limit 6 fish, of which no more than 2 adult chinook salmon or hatchery steelhead or one of each. Release all wild chinook.
Species affected: Spring chinook, steelhead and shad
Reason for action: Harvestable numbers of salmon are available based on the forecasts and associated management agreements.
Other information: Additional fishing opportunity may be available after the run size is updated in early May. A news release describing the 2010 spring chinook season is available on the WDFW website at http://wdfw.wa.gov/ 
Information contact: (360) 696-6211. For latest information press *1010.

If you would like to book a trip with my service I can be contacted by phone or email which ever works for you.
Quit wishin and let's go fishin! You can't catch the big one if you don't give it a try.

Tight lines,
Steve Leonard
Steve's Guided Adventures
www.stevesguidedadventures.com
Office 1-360-835-7995
Cell 1-360-609-1902
Sponsors: Three Rivers Marine, Alumaweld, Gamakatsu,
Mustang Survival, Clackacraft drift boats, Pro-Cure bait scents,
Leupold optics, Sitka hunting gear,
Proud Sponsor of Fish First & CCA
 

Fishing report by Steve's Guided Adventures December 23, 2009


Happy Holiday's to everyone and this is one of my favorite times of year. Why because the winter Steelhead are in and the fishing has been good. I have been fishing the Cowlitz from my sled in December which was producing some nice fish and has dropped off this past week a little. It will continue to fish good through January then the late run of Steelhead will be coming in February and March. You will have some slower days but over all it is good fishing for Steelhead. The Washougal River and East Fork of the Lewis have been producing fish also for the smaller rivers. I have been doing Drift boat trips on the Washougal and have been catching limits. The water has been good this year which plays a big part of how good the fishing can be. Some years we have high water when the fish are in and it makes for tougher fishing. This year we had the cold weather move in which dropped the rivers and they froze over in some spots. Since the rain has came and the rivers thawed it has been fish on with red hot fishing. I looked at the river today and it is perfect. It has great color and the flow is right. The good fishing should continue for the next couple weeks so if you want to catch a fish don't wait to long, you could miss out on the action. I will be back out on the water tomorrow and can't wait for that steelhead to hit my clients rod. I haven't heard how the Oregon coastal rivers have been doing. Last I checked they were high and blown out due to all the rain that hit the coast.

The Sturgeon fishing below Bonneville and in the Gorge area had dropped off due to the cold weather. Last I checked when I was on the river the Columbia was running 37 degrees. That is cool for Sturgeon and depending on the area can shut off the bite. I have been fishing the Willamette and will be fishing above Bonneville when it opens January 1st. I was at a meeting this week in kelso,WA regarding the Sturgeon fishery and smelt fishery. It looks like we are going to see more regulation changes for Sturgeon this next year. The changes will be out in March after they have all the meeting sand get public input. They are going to reduce the quota from 41,000 to 36,500 for the annual quota for the lower Columbia River. The river is broken up into two sections the Lower Columbia below Wanna powerlines and above to Bonneville dam. They say that the number of sturgeon is dropping and they are concerned. The major problem that I see right now is the Sea lion damage that they are doing to our keeper size and our Brood stock( 7'-10' spawners) below Bonneville Dam. The life cycle of a Sturgeon is that it doesn't start to spawn until they are at least 6' in length and the average age of that fish is 26 years old. This will take decades to fix if the Federal and State agencies don't act quickly. The Washington State Game department estimates that between 1,700-2,000 Sturgeon are killed each year from sea Lions in the Spring. that is just a estimate and it can be worse. Let's hope that the Sturgeon survive this and will continue to give us Sport fisherman a fishery for years to come. The state department is talking about increasing the minimum size to 41" from 38" and from 5 fish to 2 fish for the year. I would like to see them reduce the maximum size a couple inches rather then the minimum size. Reason being is because when they changed the way that we measure sturgeon from the tip of the tail to the inside fork we actually gained a couple inches on the big end. A 60" fish was the old measurement to the tip of tail, now it is 54" to the inside fork and I have landed several 54" in my boat and the average size of the fish is 62-63" to the tip of tail. We need these fish to survive for Spawning in years to come. Overall the Columbia River still produces some of the best sturgeon fishing in the World right here local.

Salmon are slow right now and think that is pretty much over. There may be some on the Oregon Coastal rivers but I would think that they would be gone after the rains. The Fall Salmon run was really good this year with big numbers of silvers and Chinooks on the Columbia river. Tillamook Bay and The Nehalem Bay was slow this year. The silvers are doing well but the Chinooks have dropped off the last year. They closed the Nehalem this year for Chinooks to help protect the run and make sure they had enough adults return to spawn. The prediction for next years spring run is the biggest in years for the Columbia River. They are estimating that over 400,000 Spring Chinooks are going to enter the Columbia River heading to there Tributaries to Spawn. last year we had a huge return of jack Chinooks which are under 24" in size. They are all male fish and a percentage of them return early to help fertilize the eggs incase not enough adult males returned that season. So with that being said the States game departments figure that we are going to get a huge return because they have a formula that they do for the numbers of Jacks that return to predict the next years run. Let's hope they are right and that the jacks last season weren't suppose to be coming this year as adults.

It is about time to dig out the Jigging rods and go bounce a jig through some good Walleye spawning areas in search of a big trophy female. January can be early but I do know that February is a good month when everything else has slowed down. It is a great time to be on the water looking for trophy Walleye in the early Spring before they go on the Spawn in May.Last season my big fish in the boat was 13 pounds and we are looking to break that number this year with the World record I hope.

There is a Razor clam dig coming up in Washington. dec 31st, Jan 1-3. 15 clam limit

Digging Days and times:

Thursday dec 31 (6:16pm. -1.1ft)
Friday, Jan 1st (7:01 pm. -1.8ft)
Saturday, Jan 2nd (7:45pm. -1.6)
Sunday, Jan 3rd (8:29pm -1.2ft) Twin harbors only

Have a Happy and Safe Holiday season!
I have gift certificates too which makes a great gift!

Tight Lines,
Steve Leonard,
Steve's Guided Adventures
www.stevesguidedadventures.com
Office 1-360-835-7995
Cell 1-360-609-1902
Sponsors: Three Rivers Marine, Alumaweld, Gamakatsu,
Mustang Survival, Clackacraft drift boats, Pro-Cure bait scents,
Leupold optics, Sitka hunting gear,
Proud Sponsor of Fish First & CCA
 

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Fishing report for November 12th, 2009

Wow I can't believe it is now Fall already and most of the Fall Salmon fishing is over except for the Oregon coastal rivers, the Klickitat, Cowlitz and NF Lewis. The Oregon rivers have a later run of Kings that will run through December. The Washington rivers will be done by the end of November except for the NF Lewis that gets a run of the December Kings. These fish are nice and bright and put up a great fight. I was over there Friday and we landed four Kings and one Silvers along with some other bites that we didn't get. The river was running at 4,000 and the weather was good. I will be fishing for the Kings in December along with Winter Steelhead. The Columbia River Salmon return was great this year in the Fall. There wasn't as many Silvers as they excepted but there was still good numbers to give us some great days of fishing. We were averaging 20-30 fish a day at Buoy 10 and ending up with our limit. I fished the NSIA Salmon tournament with Fred Meyer Reps along with Brad's Tackle and my team took 4th place, not bad. Top 5 will work and there was some great weights turned in. We had a limit of nice Kings along with Silvers to make up a nice bag. We were using Brad's new Plug cut Super bait, Spinners and some Herring in my secret brine. We caught fish on all of it at different times of the tide.
Sturgeon fishing opened back up in October for retention and will stay open through the winter. Fishing in the Gorge is usually best this time of year and this year has been slower them most. We are having to work harder to get limits and some days just a couple keepers. One thing about Sturgeon fishing is there always seems to be some good action for the day of fishing. We had lower water flows then ever this year in the Columbia and I think that may have been a part of why the fish didn't make it all the way to the Dam. I have been having to fish holes farther down stream then normal this time of year. I will continue to fish the Columbia for a couple more weeks then I will be doing my trips in the Willamette through the rest of the winter.
Winter Steelheading will start real soon as Thanksgiving is around the corner. It is Always a good day to start fishing for them around Thanksgiving. Some rivers start earlier then others and every year is different. I will be doing trips on the Cowlitz and NF Lewis from my sled which I can fish 4 guys. My Drift boat trips will be on the Kalama, East Fork of the Lewis and my home town river the Washougal which I can fish two guys. My favorite Steelhead trip is Drift boating the smaller rivers in the winter. These runs will go through February with the best months being December and January. If you would like to do a trip please contact me so I can get your contact information so we can get a trip together for you when the river is best. Due to weather and high water we never know what that day may bring.
The Walleye were on the bite in the lower Columbia in October. The fishing was good from Bonneville down to Portland. The water flows were low and with the water starting to cool the fish feed heavy to put on some fat before the cold dormant season. I will start fishing again for them in February-April before the spawn on the East side of the Cascades.

CCA is still fighter to get better control of the gill netting in the Columbia River. A lot of people have no idea what is going on out in the night when they give these guys there season. They have taken over 200,000 Silvers from the Columbia River alone this fall season. I have had several clients this year that live in the area and had no idea that this is going on in there back yard. These are people that love to fish and have a hard time catching them. To join go to www.joincca.org and it only cost $20.00 ( a lunch for the day) to help.

There is a 11th Annual NSIA Banquet dinner Saturday December 5th at the Sheraton Portland Airport. This is a fund raiser dinner and we need all your support. If you would like to go to the dinner call NSIA at 1-503-631-8859. There is live auction, silent auction and great raffle prizes.


To book a trip, be added to my call list, or you need some information regarding my service feel free to call me @ 1-360-609-1902 or shoot me a email. stevesguideservice@comcast.net 

Tight Lines,

Steve Leonard,
Steve's Guided Adventures
www.stevesguidedadventures.com
Office 1-360-835-7995
Cell 1-360-609-1902
 

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Fishing report as of June 22, 2009 by Steve Leonard
Steve's Guided Adventures

June 22nd was the start of the Summer Chinook season on the Columbia River and it will run until July 5th. This is a great chance to catch a Chinook in the 40 pound range. I did a trip today and we landed one right at 30 pounds and was chrome bright fish with sea lice on it. The Spring Chinook run didn't materialize to 300,00 like first predicted and end up with a total of around 180,000 that passed over Bonneville dam. It was still a great number of fish that offered some great fishing on the Columbia River. After the Columbia closed I moved into Drano Lake and the Wind River with good success. The Fall Salmon season starting August at the mouth of the Columbia is predicted to have a big run of silver salmon along with good numbers of Chinooks mixed in. If you have never fished this fishery it is worth the trip at least once. The best time to be down there is Middle of August to the end of the month until it closes. The Fall salmon season will last into November.

Spring Steelhead are in the rivers right now. It has been good fishing and starting to slow down due to the rivers dropping. the Columbia river opened on June 12th and will be real good through July. I will be fishing the NF Lewis, Columbia, Drano Lake and the Klickitat for Summer Steelhead and will fish through August.

Keeper Sturgeon is open at the Estuary until July 4th and it has been producing some nice fish. I have been down there the last two weeks picking up nice limits. It is a fun trip for these fish fishing the shallow mud flats where they are feeding on shrimp and clams. I use a heavy salmon rod which is light tackle for these fish that makes it even more fun and they fight even harder due to the good feed. I am doing Oversize Sturgeon trips in the Columbia Gorge and will continue until the middle of August. I am averaging 3-4 big fish per day on these trips. if you are looking for a challenge these fish will give you one.

The Walleye are back on the bite during the post spawn. I did a trip last week and land 5 fish with a 8 pounder being the biggest. As the water warms up the fish will get more aggressive while on the feed. Now is the time to book your trip for a great summer walleye trip. I am fishing from Vancouver to john Day at this time and will concentrate on the lower Columbia in July and August.

If you would like to book a trip for one of these fisheries I can be contacted by email or phone. Thanks for stopping by and reading my fishing report. See you on the river!

"Quit wishin and let's go fishin!"

Tight Lines,
Steve Leonard,
Steve's Guided Adventures
www.stevesguidedadventures.com
Office 1-360-835-7995
Cell 1-360-609-1902
Sponsors: Three Rivers Marine, Alumaweld, Gamakatsu,
Mustang Survival, Clackacraft drift boats, Pro-Cure bait scents,
Leupold optics, Sitka hunting gear,
Proud Sponsor of Fish First & CCA

Fishing report as of 12-7-08
by Steve's Guided Adventures

2008 was another season with no accidents and a lot of fun times. It is that time of year when most of the fishing seasons are over except for the Winter Steelhead season that is happening right now. 2008 was a great year for fishing and I would like all my customers that made it happen. If it wasn't for them I wouldn't be in business. We shared some great stories and had good times while out on the water fishing for Steelhead, Salmon, Sturgeon, Kokanee, Shad and Walleye.

This next year is looking promising for Salmon primarily which the runs have been up and down over the past couple of years. The last Spring and Fall salmon seasons on the Columbia River was one of the best ones I have fished in a long time. Let's hope that they keep coming like they did in 2008. Salmon is one of the most prized fish in the Northwest and the next run will be our Spring run Starting in March. April and May would be the best months to fish but last year the fish were in when the river when it opened March 15th. After Buoy 10 closed on the Columbia I fished Tillamook Bay and the Nehalem Bay this Fall for Salmon and it was a tough year this Fall down there. I started out on the Nehalem and had some good days and then you would have a slow one when you thought that they were showing up. The good thing is that these fish are big and very tasty since you are fishing for them in the cold salt water. We landed a 40 pounder this year and fish in the 30 pound range is not uncommon. If you like to catch big Chinooks this is the place you will want to be from September through November.

Steelhead fishing this year was good all over for the Spring and Summer runs. The Steelhead runs have been real healthy with good numbers returning to the Columbia and the tributaries. I fished Drano Lake this year in July and August with some 20 fish days on light tackle. These fish are hard fighting fish and they like to jump. We had one fish jump in the boat this year while the kid was fighting him. All the guys around us wanted to fish in my boat because they said they were jumping in boat so we want to join you! I fished the NF Lewis river also out of my sled and did some drift boat trips in the smaller rivers. Right now I am Winter Steelhead fishing and this will continue through March. If you would like to catch a Steelhead this winter you need to book a trip now while I have days left.
The Sturgeon season this year was slow in the beginning due to all the cold weather and snow we had in the spring. Water temperature is everything when it comes to Sturgeon fishing in the Spring and late Fall. When the water falls below 50 degrees the fish quit biting or slow way down which was the case this spring. I fish the Estuary in June for Keepers and it was very slow until the end of June. They closed it early this year because we ran over the quota in 2007 but then they reopened it this year because the fish showed up in late June. They never migrated down there due to the high cold water and when they did it was fish on. If you have never fished the Estuary for keeper Sturgeon you need to do trip. We are fishing with light tackle and shallow water for the most part. These fish fight much harder then up stream because of the food they are feeding on in the area and salt water. Oversize trophy fishing was great this year after the Shad showed up in May. We landed several in the 10 foot range and weighing in at 400 to 500 pounds. These are the biggest fresh water fish in the World and they are right here in the Columbia River. If you want a challenge catching a big fish you have to try one of these trips. These fish will put you to the test with the average fight taking 30-45 minutes.
Walleye fishing is pretty much over until February of 2009. We had some great fishing in the early spring before they spawned and then we were back on them in June & July. Our biggest fish this Spring was 15 pounds which is a nice Trophy Walleye. If you are looking for a wall hanger then the Spring fishery is when you want to be out there. I will be fishing the east side during the Spring season.
Kokanee fishing was great this year on Merwin and Yale Reservoirs. The fish were averaging 12-14 inches in size which are nice for Kokanee. I like this fishery because we are fishing for them in the Summer time and on two of the most beautiful lakes around the Mt. ST Helens area. We are trolling for these fish so there is always something to do or look at if your not reeling in a fish.

Have a Happy and Safe Holiday season! Thank you to everyone who has made me have another fun and successful year. I am looking forward to 2009!

Fishing report August 4th, 2008
by Steve's Guided Adventures

 

   This year so far has given us some great fishing seasons and there are still more to come. At this time the Summer Steelhead season is at it's peak with a great run returning this year coming through the Columbia River. The Columbia, Klickitat and Drano Lake have been producing great fishing for me so far this year and it will continue through the month of August. I will be doing drift boat trips on the Klickitat for Steelhead through October if any one is looking for a Drift boat trip away from the crowds.

   Trophy Sturgeon fishing is going strong right now and the restricted area below Bonneville opened on August 1st which gives us a lot of water that hasn't been touched for 3 months. The game department opened a Keeper Sturgeon season this month for retention every day. The quota never was met in the Spring due to to high water so they are opening it up early in the fall to help fill the quota. The best time for Keepers will be in September - November once the fish have migrated back up stream from the mouth of the Columbia. A big percentage of fish travel to the mouth of the river June - August then work there way back up stream.

   Walleye fishing is on right now and the bite has started on the West side of the Cascades with some nice big fish being caught. The west side is typically slow in the Spring when the East side is fishing during the early months before they spawn. Due to all the rain and low pressure the fish just don't like to bite. Now since it is summer and the high pressure is here the fish are active and feeding heavy. I am fishing from Bonneville down stream to Portland and Rufus area by Biggs for Walleye this time of year. They predict the next World Record will be coming from the Columbia River! It could be you.

  Fall Salmon season is getting close with the season now open at the mouth of the Columbia . This fishery is called "Buoy 10"  and is best from mid August through the closure at the end of the month. Then the river will be open from just down stream of Longview/Rainier area upstream from September 1-15 and then the Game department will look at the numbers to see if there will be a late opener. I will be fishing Tillamook Bay in November and the Nehalem Bay in October for Big Kings. If you like to have a chance a Big King these fisheries are for you and the quality of fish is the best you will get in the Northwest. There will be some Chinook and Silver fishing on the upper Columbia above Bonneville Dam even though they have closed it in the lower river. This fishery is best from Late September - October. So if the coast is to far for you try a trip with me on the upper Columbia. I think you might like this fishery.

   Since we are in the middle of Summer and heading into the Fall there is all kinds of fishing to do. I am booking trips at this time for all the fisheries I have talked about and some of the shorter seasons will fill up fast so give me a call ASAP so we can get you booked in for one of these great trips. Quit wishin' and let's go fishin! See you on the water and be safe.

  

Tight Lines,

 Steve Leonard,
Steve's Guided Adventures
www.stevesguidedadventures.com
Office 1-360-835-7995
Cell 1-360-609-1902
Sponsors: Three Rivers Marine, Alumaweld, Gamakatsu,
Mustang Survival, Clackacraft drift boats, Pro-Cure bait scents 
Proud Sponsor of Fish First & CCA