03-02-2004, 12:15 AM
We do ok with the fly rods. I've been fishing out here for over 50 years now, and Andrew over 20. I took up fly fishing about 5 years ago at the urging of my son who had started 5 years before that. The first year wasn't much fun, the fish few and far between. It's just like any type of fishing, the more you do the better you get. Mainly in the summer months and to be able to fish some of the "fly fishing only" opportunities out here. Most of my fishing is done with my spinning rods. Andrew has his spinning and casting rods as well as his fly rods. One of the nicest things for me is the quality time I get to spend with him. It has always been that way for us, and to have that quality of relationship with your children is pretty special. It also gets me out of one heck of a lot of Honey-do's when I have to spend time with our kid. I'm dropping off another roll of film tonight, should have some more recent pics to post if that's what you're looking for. Don't know if I'll ever get to ND, but I will hook up if I do. Same goes out this way. Winter Steelhead are winding down now. Most of the hatchery fish (keepers) are done, with a few rivers still producing. The native runs are in the rivers, which means less pressure (a lot of guys won't fish for something they can't keep), and the fish are typically bigger and smarter. There have been quite a few caught this year over 20 lbs. Spring Chinook are just starting to be caught now. They are smaller (15-25lbs average) than the Fall fish (25-45lbs average) and will last into July and August. We'll start to target them in April and May when they get into the coastal rivers.
Just Dave
I attached a couple pics from last week. No meat, but nice water. First is Salmonberry R. which has an all wild run. We saw a couple but no biters. The second is Andrew chasing a big buck down the Nestucca R. This fish came unbuttoned way down around the corner in the background when we ran into a wall on our side of the river. Great fight, fish wins.
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Just Dave
I attached a couple pics from last week. No meat, but nice water. First is Salmonberry R. which has an all wild run. We saw a couple but no biters. The second is Andrew chasing a big buck down the Nestucca R. This fish came unbuttoned way down around the corner in the background when we ran into a wall on our side of the river. Great fight, fish wins.
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