Lower Columbia River Bass Fishing

[BassinBlues]

I'm going to be in Astoria Oregon from May 28th, 2014 to June 4th 2014 and I plan on looking for some smallmouth bass on the Columbia River.  I have been looking at a map of the Columbia River from Tongue Point (Cathlamet Bay up river to the Wallace Slough) also including a strech of river on the Washington side near Cathlamet.  If anyone has any experance catching some bronze  backs on this section of River would be great.  All my fishing is catch and release.    If you know of any close by areas outside of were I have stated I'm going to be fishing I would love to hear about them.

 

Thank You for your Time......

[Glenn]

That's some serious brackish water you're looking at.  I've fished that area a few times with minimal success.  Your best chances are up river from Longview, further away from the salt water influence.  Stay in the sloughs, away from the main channel.  HOWEVER - pay extreme attention to the tide charts!  You will get stuck otherwise, guaranteed.  Those sloughs drain out very quickly when the tide changes.

 

Also, get yourself as many topo maps as possible and study all of them.  That area has a lot of hazards that get you in trouble if you're not paying attention.  And no single map shows them all.

 

That said, it's a beautiful stretch to fish.  You'll have fun.

[BassinBlues]

Thank you... I grew up in Astoria and lived there for 25 yrs....  That entire time I did no bass fishing on the river, really wish I would have.  I only bass fishing Sloughs that were shut off from the river...  I do know how dangerous that river is...... Thank you very much for the input, and it is a beatuiful body of water!!

[Oregon Native]

Was born in Astoria many years ago. The farther up the river I believe the better. I used to fish a lot of sloughs and have won many tournaments in the Scappose area. There is a slough just up from Astoria called John Day I believe and sturgeon fishermen head down under a trestle and bass fishermen head up. I like the high tide to the low with the low being my favorite. Learn to love current. Glenn is right on....be carefull sandbars, deadheads and other @#!$ can leave you stranded. If by yourself take safety measures. Most all the sloughs have some good fishing and keeping secrets is the name of the game for the pigs that live in this area. Our best five in a tourney was just shy of 25#. Come may or so head up to Hood River and fish from there up to the Dalles. AWESOME smallies. Big wind area and six footers and higher not uncommon.

Tight Lines

[BassinBlues]

Thank you very much for the info

[Stephen c]

I live here and have never really found a good place on the Columbia to bass fish. Caught some nice ones in brownsmead slough and blind slough. Going to launch at John day today and walleye fish the tributary for a couple hours. Let you know if any bass pop up!

[BassinBlues]

Well it has been a few years since I posted this question.. Lol.. Well have few things have changed since this post.. I moved back to Astoria.. I have been able to locate some good smallmouth as close to tounge point off Svenson Island.. And may more above that, I have been able to locate quit a few brackish water largemouth bass as well in the year and half I have been back.. Gotta love the tidal brackish water smallmouth!

[Oregon Native]

Good for you...that's cool.  You probably have the area all to yourself in the land of slime rockets.  It's pretty down there.  I remember Culuby and Sunset having some toads a number of years ago.

[blckshirt98]

The Elites are headed out there next year so you can try to follow them and waypoint their spots if you're looking for where to find them ?

[BassinBlues]

There are a hand full of of anglers that have ran into fishing this section but very few and far between.. 

 

The elites are fishing way up the river in Tri city.. 

Culaby and sunset do hold some toads.. Thats a fact!

[Oregon Native]

Always loved the color of the water and bass in Culaby.  I fished the Necanicum too for over 40 years and when it rains here in Tennessee the water in Beaver Creek sometimes reminds me off the old days.  Used to have a big addiction to steelhead and have fished almost every legal stream from the Columbia to almost the California border for them to just say I did it.  But chasing smallies on the Columbia was my favorite to the tenth power.  

Tight Lines

[Glenn]

On 7/31/2018 at 11:13 AM, blckshirt98 said:

The Elites are headed out there next year so you can try to follow them and waypoint their spots if you're looking for where to find them ?

Nope!  B.A.S.S. cancelled the Columbia and CA Delta events  because the Elite anglers complained about that it was too far away, sending a very clear message that the west coast fans don't matter to both B.A.S.S. and the Elites.

[WRB]

After the west coast events cancellation MLF expanded thier format and nearly all the Elites that complained about traveling west no longer fish B.A.S.S. Elites after the 2019 Classic, joining the new MLF tournaments. Who knows if the MLF events will complete out west?

Tom