Columbia River fishing near Crescent Bar

[Ocktane]

Hey WAlakers! I'm headed out to Crescent Bar resort this weekend for the annual scream and fly rally at the sandbar. Unlike last year (don't know what I was thinkin) I'm loadin the Allison up with all my gear to do a little fishin' while I'm there. Anyone do any fishing on that stretch of the Columbia? Hows the smallie action there and any suggestions on spots/ gear I should try specifically? I've never really done any bass fishing in a river before, just lakes and small creeks back home in PA. Wouldn't mind givin' it a shot though! Thanks everyone.

[ChrisB]

Nice boat man !! I haven't fished the river before, but have a good time. Take lots of pics and video.

[curado]

watch out tho cresent bar can get pretty packed with boats and lots of boat traffic on the columbia to

[Big D]

Throw on some downriggers and head down towards Wanapum Dam for some of them up river brights.

[yak_bass]

Crescent Bar has some great bass fishing. My buddy and I were out there last month and steadily pulling in 3-5lb smallies. Watch the water level, it changes all the time, which in turn changes the current. There are quite a few places that are shallow off to the right of the swimming area at CB Resort (trailer park) but once you get out toward the open water, there is a weed bed that the bass sit right off of and you can pull them in all day long. We used mostly lipless cranks when we were out there, try different colors but the shad worked the best. You'll find lots of Pikeminnows, too.

PM me your email if you want some photos, hotspots, etc.

Good luck, tight lines.

yak_bass

[Ocktane]

Thanks yak bass! PM sent. Yeah I was there last year Curado, it was a bit of a zoo down there but manageable. Had a hard time finding a spot to beach it on the sand bar, ended up just trolling around all the madness and having a good laugh!

[Mr. Magler]

I was just there for Labor Day weekend. Didn't bring my boat though since my truck was in the shop and couldn't tow it. Ouch...

Fished both sides of the bridge one morning but got skunked. Tried topwaters, drop shot, lipless cranks, x-raps, nothing. There's lots of good looking spots accessed from a boat though. That weed bed sounds money.

We did fish Stan Coffin for largies and had good luck. It's only 10 minutes from there, but can't launch a bass boat. Small lake that can be fished from shore, small boat or float tube though. Evergreen reservoir is close too - it's got both smallies and largies I hear.

[yak_bass]

Email sent, Ocktane.

[DanH]

I haven't fished this area but have fished up by the I-90 bridge. There are some decent smallmouth to be had along the riprap of the bridge. I usually use rapala shad raps (green is the best color). However, I have found the fishing to be good and bad. Some days I can't find the fish at all. Plus, the bite seems to be morning only - once the sun comes up the fish seem to stop biting.

I haven't even thought of running down to Crescent bar for fishing. I will try it out next time.

Yak_Bass.. any chance you could give me some tips on the area? I never seem to see anyone fishing any of that stretch of river.

Thanks!

Dan