Ok, Gang, (Had to reduce font size to get VFB to accept it)
I've been home a week from Oregon, so I guess it's time that I post my
fishing report for the trip. Last week was really hectic, with all
the problems I had with flooding at the ranch. Had 6 " of rain while
we were gone, then sifting through 800 + emails and getting ready for
our quarterly TU meeting last Saturday.
Arrived in Eugene, Oregon on Friday, Oct. 11. Spent Saturday with
Jody's Mom and sisters. Sunday - my brother-in-law Tom and I hit the
McKenzie River in his drift boat. Tom grew up on the river and learned
to row a drift boat at age 10, so I wasn't worried about us "messing
up" in the white water. Besides, I've been in the boat with Tom
several other years and he never ceases to amaze me with his ability
to get through dangerous runs, dips, swirls, etc. that the McKenzie
can throw at us.
Tom decided that we should fish a stretch of the river where the water
was calmer this year, which was alright with me. Hard to catch'em in
the boiling current anyway. Tom started with a # 12 Stimulator and me
a #12 Renegade. We both caught rainbows, and cutts, nothing really
spectacular, but about 20 each that afternoon, the largest being a 16"
that I coaxed out from under a bush.
Day two - more of the same.(same flies) Largest fish, a bow of 18" by
Tom. My largest was about 10". Caught lots of fish but was
disappointed in their size.
Day three - Uneventful other than catching about 25 assorted bows and
cutts. I fished Rick's Tennis Ball Fuzz Caddis.( I think it was
Rick's) Tom fished a Royal Wulf.
Day four - Tom decided we'd try the steelhead, so we went to Leaburg
Dam and put in just below the "fish ladder" and anchored in the
roiling white water where the steelies were trying to climb the ladder
in their quest to get upstream to their birthplace. This was really
tough fishing. Tom caught a couple of nice ones around 35" on an Egg
Sucking Leech. I didn't catch a one. Saw literally dozens of them
stacked up near the fish ladder, but they weren't interested in my
Skykomish Sunrise, Thor or my purple Egg Sucking Leech. All they had
on their minds was climbing that dam ladder.( I went back on Day 5, by
myself and fished from the bank, but guess what? NO STEELIES
anywhere. But, "That's Steelhead Fishing."
So, there you have it folks. Great trip and I didn't get out of the
drift boat except for a couple of times to fish gravel bars. Good
thing! My ankle wasn't and still isn't ready for any prolonged
wading. Doc says it'll be another 6 months before I'm back to normal.
Maybe I'll get my steelie next year.
Will post photos when I get my Scanner working again.
Cheers!
Jimmy D
