My flyfishing trip last Sunday

To reinterate what I had posted in a previous thread, any day that I go fishing is a good day. With that in mind I relay the following.

My wife works weekends as a baby photographer at Providence Portland, so while she's there I'm taking care of our three year old and seven month old. All babies born on one day have their pictures taken the next (if the parent so chooses). Saturdays are busy for her, but Sundays generally average 3 babies, which gets her home by noon.

Sunday she got to work at 9am and called me to tell me that she had FOURTEEN babies that day. So instead of being on the road by 12:30 for a short day of fishing I was on the road at 3:30 for a VERY short day of fishing.

Since my time was short I relied on four main fishing holes. My first stop I jumped right out and took out the flyfishing equipment. The stream was low, and the wind was up. I'd get a good amount of line going and the fly would land about 7' in front of me. Snapped off two flies somewhere behind me (I hate that sound), and my dry fly dressing stuff's pump wouldn't work. Dipping them in the liquid itself definitely didn't work, as it made the flies look like a hairsprayed hooker stuck in a downpour.

Garbage found at location: lawn chair (!), beer cans, plastic bottles, peanut butter cup wrapper, and a dirty diaper.

Next stop I decided to break out the baitcast. Have to try the flyfishing again later on when I have more time and more fish. Stayed about a half hour and caught one fish about 7". Swim away, little rainbow.

Garbage found: not bad, only one large Doritos bag.

Next stop was the most depressing. I didn't even break the rod out, but the amount of garbage was disheartening. It appeared that someone took all their garbage and dumped it into the hole. About a kitchen-sized can full of stuff littered the hole. The camping spot nearby was a mess too. A large piece of aluminum from SOMETHING was there, as well as a lot of other stuff. Picked up what I could fit into my trunk and moved on. Sad, very sad.

Last stop was right below Indian Henry Campground. A lot of suckers in there, caught another 7" `bow, and marvelled at the mist rising off of the river as it got dark.

Garbage found: another dirty diaper, empty retractable dog leash clam pack, two Crystal Geyser bottles, misc other crap.

No steelhead spotted during the trip. I figure that the fishing will improve in a month or so. October is always a really good time up there.

Thanks to all for the advice, and hopefully I'll get up there again either this weekend or next.

[Luvtofish]

It seems there are many out there who just have to leave trash. I have encountered the same thing alot on the clackamas River. I now carry bags in tackle box to take out trash left behind by others. One spot had so many cigarette butts it didnt even smell like the outdoors any more, another someone had to break up styraform cooler in hundreds of pieces. It doesnt help much but at least I can enjoy the time I get to spend doing my favorite thing "fishing".

[Steve]

You were only a few miles from my Casa, if you had gone up to Frog Lake (PGE) you probably have had a better time...some nice Browns and Rainbows, these fish are escapees from Harriett lake,,and spend a conciderable amount of time feeding on insects and small minnows...read Caddis, BWO, and small streamers. average fish from there is about 14" and fat as a football...extremely hard to catch but when you do it is worth it...2# test is the norm...very clear and cold water..very steep banks and not good for kids and elderly...just my opinion...and 30 years of fishing it...Learn it and love it.

Fobbman and others, I really love to hear about people picking up garbage left by walking garbage. I don't bank fish often but I am going to start packing out streamside litter more often now (bring a small bag to carry it out). I just wish we could catch the walking garbage that leaves garbage by the river and stick a restraining order on them to keep off the rivers! - RT - BTW Fobbman, the "Hairsprayed Hooker In A Downpour" is one of my favorite steelhead attractor flies. Tight lines.

[This message has been edited by RT (edited 09-13-2000).]

[Navigator]

Don't like to toot my own horn. But I will in hopes others will follow suit. I have gotten in the habit of packing trash bags and picking up garbage almost everytime out in 11 years of fishing in Oregon. It started with picking up discarded fishing line. I just got tired of looking at it. Always like to leave a place cleaner than when I found it. Usually, I bring the trash home - especially if the "park can" is overloaded. A couple of grocery bags (i.e., plastic bags) a trip makes a difference. Of course, this doesn't work on dumps but works along the shoreline.

I have a job interview to go to today at 9am, but I'm packing a change of clothes and my tackle in the car and will be up the Clack again today until about 4. Might have to try some of the smaller tributaries up there this time.

Went to the ODFW website and printed a couple pages of the regs so I have them. Damn I love technology.

I'll let you all know how it goes.

[Jennie@ifish]

Just a thought.
Rivers aren't the only place that need cleaning up. How bout your neighborhoods?
My friend and I used to walk every morning. We would take trash bags and collect trash also. Not only does it make for a nicer waistline doing all that bending over, but your neighborhood looks nicer too!
Couldn't help it!
I started my kids out young doing this. "Trash walks" we called them. We would take the wagon and the kids just had a great time!
In fact, we also did cans and bottles and collected enough to pay for half of a disneyland trip once! Took us over 2 years though!
Jen

[This message has been edited by Jennie@ifish (edited 09-15-2000).]