sell their boats and all their gear if it were not for springer fishing opportu- nities. The Columbia River spring Chinook fishery is simply that impor- tant to the Pacific Northwest angler and, ultimately, to our local economies. The lure of springers is a combina-
tion of the challenge of landing one and the incredible table fare provided by this prized fish. The primary reason for the exceptional table quality of the fish is that spring Chinook return to the river, where there’s nothing significant for them to eat, four to six months before spawning. This means they must arrive in their freshwater envi- ronment loaded with fat. It’s this tasty, omega-3 rich fat that results in the but- tery smooth flavor and texture that is in a class of its own. If you want to be
known as an exceptional salmon cook, always serve springer. Even though the average angler has
to put in a month’s worth of weekends to catch a single fish, there are those who catch springers virtually every trip through hard work and dedication.
NO SILVER BULLET Unfortunately, there is no silver bullet
when trolling for springers. Successful anglers get results through attention to detail and attitude. If you approach this as a slow fishery, where the game is to patiently pound away with the same approach day after day for one bite, that will likely be your result. Successful anglers expect a bite on every pass. If they don’t get one,
adjustments are made and their confi- dence is even higher for a bite on the next pass. All too often, failure is defined by fishing the same way, in the same spot, days in a row just because they caught a fish that way two weeks prior. However, the Columbia River is a dynamic environment. The tides, water flow, and water temperature change daily and affect where the fish lie and when they bite. The focus should be on development of a system for regular success, not on being able to replicate what you did last season. The assumption here is that our
reader already knows how to rig for trolling a herring or anchoring with a Kwikfish (or similar plug). The real goal, then, is to take this knowledge to the next level of attaining regular suc-
PAT HOGLUND TIDE
www.joincca.org 17
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