We started out from Drano Lake at approximately 8 a.m.. We left the lake for the Columbia River and the wind was absolutely horrible, as was expected. We anchored just outside the entrance to Drano Lake in about 30 feet of water, approximately 100 yards down river from the entrance. Anywhere down river of the entrance of Drano Lake to the first point (approximately 1000 yds) were really hot spots and people were boating some decent salmon. Apparently there is an underwater channel that the fish like at approximately 28-32 feet. We were using 2 oz Crippled Herring and 3 oz Nordic Jigs. We dropped them straight off the side of the boat until they hit the bottom and then jigged. We were getting the most strikes off of 2 oz. Crippled Herring that were perch/tigerstriped colored. At approximately 10 a.m. the first salmon was caught and it was a coho of about 20" and was natural so it had to go back. We had a couple of more strikes, but had problems setting the hook (even with a double set!) and the anchor lines got in the way a lot. It wasn't until about 5 p.m. when we boated the only keeper. A hatchery chinook that weighed approximately 20 lbs. We fished the same area for 3 days (Thursday, Friday, Saturday) and only ended with the one keeper. Lots of people were boating good sized steelheads from Drano lake, but the amount of boats was unnerving and the thought of fishing right on top of someone else was not very appealing. I was told the people reeling in the steelhead were using 1/0 hooks with live sand shrimp attached to chartrouse/orange spin floats off the bottom with a slow retrieve. I am not sure but I thought the use of live bait fish was illegal in Washington. Maybe the sand shrimp is not considered a live bait fish, I don't know. Anyway, the trip was fun and I will definitely do it again. Hope this helps. One other thing I forgot to mention. If going out into the Columbia, be very careful of the native's fishing nets, they are absolutely every where and some will even break loose and be floating where you least expect them!

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