Finally, back to the Big D.

I hadn't fished the river since late October; since then, I had done some fishing, but there is nothing that compares to drifting big water and soaking in the river canyon.

Late December the river had exploded - moving from an average of 6,000 cubic feet per second to almost 40,000 - and I was curious to know what that flow had done to the river as well as to the insect and trout populations.

Bill and I fished above town Friday, and were treated to party cloudy skies, no wind, and a great afternoon of fishing. The river had been altered in some spots, but overall it was unchanged.





Saturday morning was cold; our favorite breakfast spot was closed, so we were forced to improvise - stale donuts, beef jerky, and coffee made on the bow.


Breakfast of champions!

Below the White River, the high water flows had made more of an impact. Banks were severely cut, with drop offs ranging from 3 to 10 feet, and making you look before you leap. Whole gravel bars had been pushed and moved, or eroded entirely. This is great for the river, as it will flush a lot of the silt and accumulated debris out and improve trout and insect habitat in the long run, but it certainly takes some getting used to as we learn new spots.



On our way out, we stopped and snapped a few pics of Sherars Falls.



Drove home north on 197, enjoying a great sunset looking towards Mt. Hood.

Can't wait to get back out there again!

scott

I picked Jon up at 6 AM Saturday; it was in the mid 20's, and when the wind howled you questioned what you were doing out of bed. I had three pairs or long underwear on, 3 pairs of socks, and 4 shirts, so if I was going to spend the day chasing steelhead I might as well be warm.

We arrived around 7 at the trailhead, rigged up and started our way up river. I had never fished this coastal stream before and didn't know quite what to expect, but it was beautiful. While I had heard very little of this river, what I had heard was be prepared to hike in and for technical fishing.



We may have been a bit early, as I didn't spot any fish and Jon only two; of course, one of the two he estimated at 17 to 20 pounds, so steelhead of that size will more than make up for a lack of large numbers.


Jon working a seam




One of the many creeks flowing into the river



All in all, a wonderful day. Crisp and cold, with the sun shining down and warming our backs. I hadn't wet a line since Thanksgiving, and hadn't focused exclusively on steelhead since last February, so a wonderful return to moving water.

scott

Trying to take a break from a severe case of cabin fever, A, E, and I took a drive Saturday afternoon. I had been doing some serious dorking out with Google Earth, and had stumbled upon what appeared to be possible trout water. I was excited to investigate and see if it were true...

Around 1500 feet elevation, we ran into a early February snowfall, which is rare for the coast range, however we were treated to a beautiful piece of water.









I can't wait to get up there come trout season!

Until then, back to the vise...



scott