Pelican to Chief Joseph Dam

Pelican is the point across the Brewster Pool from the mouth of Okanogan River, where the Columbia turns to run up stream to Chief Joseph Dam.  The point is known as Pelican due to the number of these white birds that gather here.  There is an excellent fishing area along the south shore for trolling up to the shallow point where the river narrows.  Above here the “white pump” is another spot that attracts anglers.  The next best known fishing area is the deep pool (100 feet) next to the rock cliffs.  Anglers also troll off the “Blow Hole”, which is the outlet of the Colville Tribal trout hatchery.  There are some other good trolling spots on the west bank of the Columbia below the Highway 17 Bridge, just below Chief Joseph Dam.  There are two excellent boat launches near the town of Bridgeport.  One is at the City Marina, and the other just down stream, which is a WDFW site.  This stretch of the Columbia is busy during the summer run salmon season, and also during the steelhead season in the fall and winter.  There are excellent places to fish from a boat with a bobber and jig and also some of the best plug fishing water on the upper Columbia.  Anglers can expect to catch some triploid rainbow trout while fishing for steelhead, and there are walleye in this stretch of the river, too.