Fishing Rogue River With Steve Crisler?

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July 20, 2017

I met Steve at 5 am at Highway Products. I thought he was getting a license and he thought I was, so we had to wait two hours until Wallmart opened at 7:00. However we had a nice breakfast and I got to meet the nicest girl at Walmart  I bought a year’s fishing license and salmon/steelhead something or other for $144 and we were off.

Steve did a great job of explaining the six rods he had, how they worked and how we would fish before we left the landing. I could have been listening to Gordon Sutton. He is 32 years old and very nice guy. We set out and it was very slow, catching a few small trout, mostly on the two salmon egg spinning rigs. I was interested in how he was able to work this nice boat. Then we hooked the big one in between two rapids with some trees in the middle. Steve said you have to horse him. “Don’t let him get down stream from you”. With constant coaching and great oarsmanship on the Pavati drift boat, we managed to net a huge 32 pound King Salmon, took some pictures and then set him free.

We caught a few more little ones, but we were getting into the heat of the day now – all my fault for not getting the license earlier. We fished one hole particularly hard, but it didn’t happen. The salmon run is early, and really heats up in October. Last October Steve and two clients caught 66 in one day. I love the boat and would love a half day lesson on how to handle it.

Back at Highway Products I bought two cleats to go on the Headache rack and had them delivered, and I returned a tool they left in my truck. I had lunch back at the trailer, but it was oppressively hot! I took a half-hour nap and woke up groggy and sweating. I didn’t care how cold that river was, I was going in! Changing into my bathing suit, I walked across the field, down a path to the river. It’s cold, very cold! It comes out of the bottom of Lost Creek Reservoir and is 49 degrees. It is also running fast, maybe 8 miles an hour. This is not a river you mess around with. You could lose your life here. Steve has pulled two bodies out of the river. I registered all that, but it was hot, very hot, so I walked into the river and its slippery, round rocks. Up to my knees, I stopped and reconsidered. Still hot, I picked up some water and wet my hair and head. After walking around a bit, I finally took the plunge. It was very cold, but I was at last relieved. After a minute or two, I did the vertical plunge again. I got out and walked along the path beside the river. Huge blackberry bushes lined the path, and they were ripe with berries. I ate my way along to the north. A bike trail goes for 30 miles through the little towns along the river. I turned around and walked to the other end of the park.

After showering and shaving, I went to the Rogue City Library. This is a very nice library! With music and videos and a spacious book collection. While my computer updated, I perused the books looking for fishing this area. I tried the computer, but you had to have a card. Before I could think about it, a lady warned me they were closing in 10 minutes. Meanwhile my operating system was in the middle of an update that would take 15 minutes! Somehow it managed to finish at 7:00. Around the corner, I found a convenience store that had some Yellow Tail Shiraz. Since Jim Batten liked it, I bought some and headed home for dinner and a glass of wine. it was a good day.