With Columbia and Lewis Rivers, Water Sports Popular in Cowlitz County
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For years Noel Johnson regularly made the 45-minute trek from his home in Portland‚ Ore.‚ to fish the Lewis River. Now that he’s retired‚ he spends even more time in Cowlitz County; his fishing destination has become home.
Today‚ Johnson spends his free time not just fishing the north fork of the river‚ but promoting its virtues to others. His Web site‚ lewisriver.com‚ alerts its thousands of visitors to the river’s numerous charms‚ including opportunities for boating‚ camping or simple sightseeing.
“You go up the river and you see some of the most beautiful falls‚” Johnson says.
And that’s not all. In fact‚ the Lewis River is just one of almost a half-dozen bodies of water that weave their way through Cowlitz County.
“Just about anything that can be done on water can be done here‚” says Mark Plotkin‚ director of visitor and community services for Cowlitz County.
It begins with fishing‚ one of the most popular water recreational activities in the area. The county’s rivers‚ lakes‚ reservoirs and backwater sloughs provide an abundance of angling opportunities.
“We’re blessed with a lot of water‚ a lot of fish and a lot of variety of fish‚” says Chuck Downer.
Downer‚ like Johnson‚ is one of the community’s angling authorities and has been writing an outdoors column for the Longview Daily News for more than a dozen years. He’s been fishing these waters for much longer.
“[This area] is known all over the United States‚” says Downer. “We’re in one of the hotbeds of hunting and fishing.”
Downer says salmon fishing is one of the more popular sports on the Columbia River spring through fall‚ while steelhead are a favorite catch on the Cowlitz River in season. Trout fishing is prevalent in the county’s small lakes‚ while Silver Lake is a good warm-water spot for perch‚ crappie and bluegill.
“That’s one of the most popular destinations in the area‚” Downer says of Silver Lake.
But fishing is just one of many ways to experience Cowlitz County by water. Perhaps one of the most exciting ways to travel the Columbia River‚ for example‚ is in a kayak.
“The lower Columbia River is a sea kayaker’s paradise‚” says Ginni Callahan‚ who operates Columbia River Kayaking.
The wide-open waters‚ changing conditions and gorgeous scenery create a memorable paddling experience‚ she says.
“A short drive from the Portland area puts paddlers into a landscape that hasn’t changed much in thousands of years. Which means it’s also a popular place to experience the Lewis and Clark story in much the same way they did‚” Callahan says.
In fact‚ keeping the river in the same condition it was when Meriwether Lewis and William Clark traveled it is the objective of the Lower Columbia River Estuary Partnership‚ a Portland-based organization. The partnership works to improve land use practices to protect ecosystems on the river‚ among other objectives.
“The lower Columbia is an amazing place – the tides‚ currents‚ winds‚ waves‚” says Chris Hathaway‚ a member of the partnership. “It’s never the same river twice.”
“Fishing‚ crabbing‚ hunting‚ sailing‚ cruising‚ sailboarding and kiteboarding‚ swimming‚ and birding are all very popular lower Columbia River recreational pursuits‚” he says. “Pretty much anything you can do on the water‚ you’ll find people doing in the Columbia River.”
Story by Dan Markham
Photo by Wes Aldridge
