columbia point marina to hanford reach

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by C-RIDE on August 20, 2010 at 2:07pm

I am just guessing, but the water is most likely low now. I would be very careful! I have lost a lower unit and damaged my boat on the river and it can get very dangerous. The biggest problem is not so much that it is shallow in spots, but that the current is flat-ass moving and if you do wipe out or let off, you are in BIG TROUBLE.... I would highly suggest having someone with you that has been up it a few times.

Permalink Reply by Mike Bess on August 20, 2010 at 2:58pm

I agree don't listen to C-RIDE...

Brian Reimers said:

What the hell just go for it....

Permalink Reply by C-RIDE on August 20, 2010 at 8:17pm

I don't even listen to myself... So go for it.

Mike Bess said:

I agree don't listen to C-RIDE...

Brian Reimers said:

What the hell just go for it....

Permalink Reply by Tag Watson on August 20, 2010 at 8:34pm

The great thing about running upriver is that if you lose a lower unit, you will drift back to the boat launch.

Permalink Reply by eric mccarthy on August 20, 2010 at 9:28pm

DRIFT FISHING!!

Tag Watson said:

The great thing about running upriver is that if you lose a lower unit, you will drift back to the boat launch.

Permalink Reply by Ben Holten on August 20, 2010 at 10:05pm

It isn't bad until you get up past the wooden power lines after Ringold.

Permalink Reply by Ben Hanes on August 21, 2010 at 12:44pm

There are lots of lower units lost before that. This time of year is NOT the time of year to practice run in the Reach.

Permalink Reply by Jeff Grimes on August 21, 2010 at 2:12pm

The GPS might help you find your lower unit when it comes off, but it may not be salvageable.

Even if you have a trail on your GPS, if you are off a little bit to one side or other, it could be disasterous in low water.. I still get a little anxious when I head up that way sometimes.

Good Luck

Jeff

Permalink Reply by eric mccarthy on August 21, 2010 at 2:38pm

Sounds like it might be a bad idea this time of year. Too bad I don't have a jet boat

Permalink Reply by C-RIDE on August 21, 2010 at 3:32pm

It is dude. I was being serious on my 1st post. Half of the guys are going to tell you go for it and the other half say no way. You can do better down river this time of year anyways.

eric mccarthy said:

Sounds like it might be a bad idea this time of year. Too bad I don't have a jet boat

Permalink Reply by Chris Lambert on August 23, 2010 at 11:50am

You really need to watch the water levels up there in the fall. It's really tough to gauge what the level is doing until you start making your way up the reach. Checking the water level at Columbia Point can be misleading since it's so spread out down there. You kind of have to think of that part of the river as an upside down funnel. The reach is narrow and has a lot of canyons and the river down by Columbia Point is a lot wider. The water dropping 2' at Columbia Point can mean the water has dropped 4-5' up the reach.

Permalink Reply by Josh Potter on August 23, 2010 at 3:38pm

I was trying to explain this to Zachary Shaft this spring.

Look at the USGS website and see what it has been doing. Anything over 180,000 cfs and you are probably fine. The lowest I have run it was 84,000 cfs and it wasn't enjoyable. The other issue you have is that it changes so quickly up there. A drop of 100,000 cfs is not uncommon. You may leave the launch and it's fine but half way through the day it might not be so fine. The swiftness of the current is probably the part that will be the biggest surprise. It is hard to describe how fast it is without seeing it. You don't have the option of idling around.

Chris Lambert said:

You really need to watch the water levels up there in the fall. It's really tough to gauge what the level is doing until you start making your way up the reach. Checking the water level at Columbia Point can be misleading since it's so spread out down there. You kind of have to think of that part of the river as an upside down funnel. The reach is narrow and has a lot of canyons and the river down by Columbia Point is a lot wider. The water dropping 2' at Columbia Point can mean the water has dropped 4-5' up the reach.

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