Columbia River South Of Trail BC

[Dave P]

Maybe a long shot, Maybe not? Anyone fished here before? Sister and Brother In Law have a place close by and was thinking about letting er rip for a couple hours this weekend? Never fished a bigger river, tackle options? Thinking some sppons (5 Diamonds) or spinners?

Thanks for any help!

Dave

[S_Mooj]

Originally Posted by Dave P

Maybe a long shot, Maybe not? Anyone fished here before? Sister and Brother In Law have a place close by and was thinking about letting er rip for a couple hours this weekend? Never fished a bigger river, tackle options? Thinking some sppons (5 Diamonds) or spinners?

Thanks for any help!

Dave

grew up in the area, find a nice back eddy and throw spoons. for sure to catch some decent rainbows. i also used a spoon called KO wobbler, does wonders in the region, kamlooper or five of diamonds should be good too.

[abhunter8]

Back in 1994 we fished the Columbia river south of trail about 1-2 km's north of the US border. Was a guided trip for Sturgeon and we caught a lot and some big ones. I understand you are not even allowed to be caught fishing for them now in the Columbia? Maybe a long line out with bait fishing for Walleye. We also caught some nice rainbows at the mouth of an inflowing creek. Best of luck.

[Tom Pullings]

Originally Posted by S_Mooj

grew up in the area, find a nice back eddy and throw spoons. for sure to catch some decent rainbows. i also used a spoon called KO wobbler, does wonders in the region, kamlooper or five of diamonds should be good too.

I love the KO Wobbler! Getting hard to find though.

[fish99]

Originally Posted by abhunter8

Back in 1994 we fished the Columbia river south of trail about 1-2 km's north of the US border. Was a guided trip for Sturgeon and we caught a lot and some big ones. I understand you are not even allowed to be caught fishing for them now in the Columbia? Maybe a long line out with bait fishing for Walleye. We also caught some nice rainbows at the mouth of an inflowing creek. Best of luck.

WE ALSO FISHED STURGEON in that area of the river caught 17 sturgeon in one day the biggest landed was est at 280 lbs , amazing trip , was with split shot charters .

[Spooner]

As noted, white sturgeon are a protected species, but there are lots of rainbows, walleye, small mouth bass, and pike in that stretch.

There are walleye to 16lbs, and monster pike.

Lots of tackle options, and youll always pick something up on bait.

[Talking moose]

Huge walleye.

[abhunter8]

Originally Posted by fish99

WE ALSO FISHED STURGEON in that area of the river caught 17 sturgeon in one day the biggest landed was est at 280 lbs , amazing trip , was with split shot charters .

That's who we went with as well, Split Shot Charters. Was a great trip and memories. We lost a couple big ones 200lbs plus. We landed about a dozen between 30lbs and 125lbs. I did manage to get about a 9lb rainbow (Guide said 10lbs but I am a little more humble) from the river, unfortunately was a netting malfunction and was not able to get a picture. Guide said was the largest he had seen out of the river. I know was the best fight I have ever had.

[fish99]

Originally Posted by abhunter8

That's who we went with as well, Split Shot Charters. Was a great trip and memories. We lost a couple big ones 200lbs plus. We landed about a dozen between 30lbs and 125lbs. I did manage to get about a 9lb rainbow (Guide said 10lbs but I am a little more humble) from the river, unfortunately was a netting malfunction and was not able to get a picture. Guide said was the largest he had seen out of the river. I know was the best fight I have ever had.

the guide was mike tompson if i remember correctly he was owner of the company , we went out in a 16 foot tiller aluminum boat with a 15 horse motor that quit a few times going up the river to the fishing spot.

[S_Mooj]

Originally Posted by Spooner

As noted, white sturgeon are a protected species, but there are lots of rainbows, walleye, small mouth bass, and pike in that stretch.

There are walleye to 16lbs, and monster pike.

Lots of tackle options, and youll always pick something up on bait.

definitely no bass in that river.

there wasn't any pike up until a few years back when they all started coming up from way deep in the deeps through a tributary of a tributary, but yes they are there and they are huge.

[S_Mooj]

Originally Posted by Tom Pullings

I love the KO Wobbler! Getting hard to find though.

i get all mine on Fish USA website. great selection of stuff. shipping is expensive to Canada but its one of the only places i can still get them.

what colors do you use for what species?

[Tom Pullings]

Originally Posted by S_Mooj

i get all mine on Fish USA website. great selection of stuff. shipping is expensive to Canada but its one of the only places i can still get them.



what colors do you use for what species?

I like the silver and blue as well as the silver and green. They absolutely crush rainbows. I like that they’re kinda heavy so you can cast them really far. What ones do you use?

[Spooner]

Originally Posted by S_Mooj

definitely no bass in that river.

there wasn't any pike up until a few years back when they all started coming up from way deep in the deeps through a tributary of a tributary, but yes they are there and they are huge.

You're incorrect.

There are lots of small mouth bass in the Columbia River between Trail and Waneta. I have caught numerous small mouth bass in that stretch.

There are a few large mouth bass. There are also the odd sunfish and perch.

Plenty of pike south of Keenleyside, and some real monsters.

[Tigrr]

Google Canada fish consumption advisory for the Columbia river.
Some fish you aren't suppose to eat at all and others are limit of 4 oz a week.
Happy fishing.

[thumper]

Originally Posted by Tigrr

Google Canada fish consumption advisory for the Columbia river.
Some fish you aren't suppose to eat at all and others are limit of 4 oz a week.
Happy fishing.

From the 2005 Environmental Status Report of the Columbia River from the Hugh Keenyside Damn to the US border:

Are the fish safe to eat?
Fish consumption advisories for mercury in walleye and dioxins and furans in whitefish were lifted in 1996 based on Health Canada Guidelines. Our local BC Medical Health Officer believes the benefits of eating fish far outweigh the risks that might be associated with current levels of contaminants in Columbia River fish. The Ministry of Environment continues to monitor contaminant levels in sport fish.

[S_Mooj]

Originally Posted by Spooner

You're incorrect.

There are lots of small mouth bass in the Columbia River between Trail and Waneta. I have caught numerous small mouth bass in that stretch.

There are a few large mouth bass. There are also the odd sunfish and perch.

Plenty of pike south of Keenleyside, and some real monsters.

I have fished that river my Whole life as i grew up right beside it, i have never heard of bass in that river, do you have proof of this?

Edit; sorry i was wrong, they came from pend orielle, just like the pike. Never knew they came up that far north.

[S_Mooj]

Originally Posted by Tom Pullings

I like the silver and blue as well as the silver and green. They absolutely crush rainbows. I like that they’re kinda heavy so you can cast them really far. What ones do you use?

Always used the silver and orange, never really tried the green or blue ones, never had an issue with not catching on the orange ones lol.

[Spooner]

Originally Posted by S_Mooj

I have fished that river my Whole life as i grew up right beside it, i have never heard of bass in that river, do you have proof of this?

Edit; sorry i was wrong, they came from pend orielle, just like the pike. Never knew they came up that far north.

Yup.

There's Bullhead now too lol, and lake trout.

Just about everything you can imagine.

Bull frogs are coming too haha

[S_Mooj]

Originally Posted by Spooner

Yup.

There's Bullhead now too lol, and lake trout.

Just about everything you can imagine.

Bull frogs are coming too haha

Thats weird, how long have they been there?

The pike didnt start showing up by castlegar until like 5 years ago or something like that

[thumper]

2 years ago there was a program encouraging people to turn in pike heads from fish caught in that stretch of river. The researchers had tagged and released a few pike with implanted markers, and if you turned in a head with a marker - you won $500. I never heard if anyone got to claim the prize.
I was interviewed by a nice woman doing surveys below the Keenyside Dam, and she encouraged me to throw any pike caught in the bushes, and not return them to the river. I mentioned that the regulations clearly state that you can't 'waste' any gamefish in BC, and they don't state any exceptions. She was going to 'look into it, and get back to me', but I never heard anything further.