Northwest Reel Life April 2024 Volume 3 Issue 6 - Flipbook - Page 8
fishing
Although this time of year
can seem low on fishing
opportunities, there is one
fishery that I always look
forward to. The Cowlitz
River smelt fishery is a
truly special opportunity.
It's unique for several
reasons. One, you don't
even use a fishing pole!
Two, you usually have less
than a week's notice when
it opens. Three, it's only
open for a few hours at
a time. Thankfully, there
is a generous 10-pound
limit, and you don't
need a fishing license
to participate. Smelt are
absolutely delicious when
fried or smoked. They're
very oily fish, and their
meat is soft and sweet.
If you aren't interested in
eating them, they make
great cut bait or crab bait.
Interested in trying the
fishery? Let's dive into how
and where to get them.
8 | NWFISHING.net
Thankfully, the gear needed
for smelt dipping is pretty
minimal. You will need
a bucket to hold your
catch, a scale, and a longhandled net. I typically use
a 5-gallon bucket, but you
can get away with using a
smaller bucket if that's what
you have. The limit is 10
pounds, which WDFW says
is typically a quarter of a
5-gallon bucket. It's a good
idea to carry a scale though,
in case you get checked by
a game warden. The most
important advice I can give
you is to make sure your
net has a long handle and
fine mesh. A typical landing
net won't do the job. The
handle isn't long enough to
scoop down to the bottom
of the river, and your smelt
will slip through the wide
mesh in the net. Here's
another word of advice--get
your net during the offseason and don't wait until
the next dip is announced.
Sporting goods stores can
and do sell out when a
smelt dip is announced, so
if you wait, you might have
to drive far to get one, or
you can make your own.
If you're interested in
participating in the next
smelt dip, you're probably
wondering where to go.
During the last dip, the
boundaries were between
the Tenant Way Bridge
and the mouth of the
North Fork Toutle River.
This stretch of the Cowlitz
River has ample public
shore access. You can find
a map of popular spots on
WDFW's smelt web page,
or strike out on your own
(but be mindful of private
property). You can expect
to have company, so it's a
good idea to show up an
hour or so early to stake out
your spot. Longview, Kelso,
and Castle Rock all have
gas stations and restrooms.
There's a dock at the boat
