New guy

[SilverFly]

Hello All,

Been lurking for a few months and finally decided to introduce myself. While I’m not exactly an “old timer” - YET, I have fished since I was 3, way back in the ‘60’s. My main addictions are, of course, salmon and steelhead, but I enjoy going after anything from surfperch to sturgeon. I chose “SilverFly” for a moniker because I caught my first salmon at age 6 with my Dad while trolling flies on the west coast of Vancouver Island. To this day Coho are probably my favorite fish, especially on a flyrod. I live very close to Chinook Landing (but I don’t own a boat :depressed: yet.) I mainly fish the Sandy, Clack, and the Gorge, and I used to fish the EF Lewis and Washougal, A LOT, so I know those cricks very well.

Since you guys require an introductory story, I’ll share a few of my more memorable catches.

Learned about steelhead on the Sandy when I lived on the river near Dodge Park from ’73 to ’76.
I quickly found out that my crappy Heddon spinning reel was “inadequate” when I hooked my first steelhead on an orange Oakie and was promptly spooled. I also found out steelhead swim faster than I could run over wet rocks! I upgraded to an Olympic spinning reel (anyone remember those?) but I was frustrated with snags so one day I decided to try something “different.” Earlier in the fall I had caught a few silver jacks floating eggs under a cork bobber so I thought this might work for steelhead too. With no eggs, I tied up an egg fly and went down to the “boulder garden” below the rapids by our house. When my bobber didn’t reappear after passing behind one of the boulders, I set the hook and was amazed to find a bright 7# steelhead attached. Unfortunately, I figured catching my first steelhead this way was a fluke, and I continued to fish the “right” way for years (if I only knew!)

My First Chinook was a surprise when bottom fishing out of Neah Bay. We were doing well on rockfish and greenling on a reef just inside the strait. I wanted to catch some on light tackle so I switched to my Dad’s spinning rig (loaded with 8# test that had seen better days.) I dropped my herring to the bottom but this time it didn’t make it. In no time my line was pointing towards Victoria, and I convinced Dad to fire up the kicker. Half an hour later and nearly a mile away we finally get a good look at the salmon. I can still see it, back lit in a swell like it was suspended in green glass (one of my best memories.) After several heart stopping approaches to the gaff, (this was a while back) Dad finally swings the 22# ‘nook into the boat. I realized just how lucky I was when I broke off my next fish, - a 3# rockfish!

Hooked my biggest steelhead at Lewisville park in the early ‘80’s. In late Febuary it was time for the big natives and that is exactly what I got, - a VERY large native buck in excess of 25lbs (if not pushing 30, - seriously!) It was a beautiful deep bodied fish, lots of color and a tail as wide as a broom. It took at least 30 minutes to land before I released it, even though it was legal to keep wild fish then. I would have gotten good measurements had it not been for several onlookers, mostly fishermen, pestering me if THEY could have it (since I was obviously insane for letting it go!) I Haven’t fished the EFL in years but I sure hope those big natives are still there.

Biggest salmon was a 53# hen on the Trask in ‘87. Hooked it drifting eggs in the chute at *****’s **** (don’t want to incur any local wrath on my 1st post!) Thought for sure I was snagged until the “bottom” started to move and the hair stood up on the back of my neck! That fish was not released but bonking it involved some “rodeo antics,” when it found a hole in my buddy’s net and tore it to shreds in the ankle deep water, - ride’m Nookie!

My worst butt kicking was below Bonneville Dam during the shad run. I was spending most of my time re-rigging for my son so I decided to throw out a chunk of shad belly for sturgeon. Not being an avid sturgeon fisherman, I used my salmon drift rod spooled with 50# Tuff line and the famous last words: “Should be OK for keepers.” Yeah, right! About 10 minutes later I saw the rod bounce sharply out of the corner of my eye. By the time I was prying the rod from the rocks, the tip was pointing at the water and Tuff line was zinging through the guides fast enough to amputate fingers. My son, oblivious to me scrambling to keep from being pulled into the river, gasped in amazement as a 10 footer porpoised 100 yards out in the channel. When I showed him that my line was pointing at the huge boil left by the giant fish, his eyes bugged out and he dropped his pole with the line still in the water. Almost an hour later and a nearing the downstream end of Bradford Island , the line finally hangs up and I break off with nothing to show but hairline cracks in my salmon rod and a very upset 6 year old boy! He didn’t know about size limits and was imagining the huge fish hanging out the back of my truck as we pulled into the driveway.

OK, five fish stories is overkill but it’s hard to stop once I get going. I’ve got plenty more so don’t say I didn’t warn ya.

Having lurked on Ifish for some time now I would like to say that this is an amazing website. There is such a huge amount of knowledge to be found here. A new fisherman can shorten their learning curve significantly and an experienced fisherman can always learn something new. That’s one of the great things about our sport, - the fact that the learning curve NEVER ends. I would also like to second the comments on the “power of the internet” thread. This and other fishing forums provide an unprecedented medium for political change, and conservation awareness. The anti-snagging movement this year was a prime example. If only Ifish was around when I was complaining about the “Moulten Falls Snaggers Club” back in the early ‘80’s!

I look forward to being a part of the Ifish community.

[Snapset]

Welcome to the board, silverfly, you tell a great story. In fact, you tell 5 great stories.

[TYEE-FISHER]

Welcome SilverFly, Fairview huh...still fish the Sandy much? Thanks for sharing your stories!

[Plum Crazy]

Welcome Aboard Mate,
Great Stories, Good to have you here,
"Keep it Reel for Ifish is the Reel Deal" :grin:
Fire

[LIV2FISH]

Good Stories!! Welcome to Ifish!!

[Paddlefish]

World-class intro, SilverFly! [img]graemlins/applause.gif[/img]

It's great to read a word mechanic of your caliber. Keep the stories coming!

[Fishfeet]

Now them`s some fish stories! Welcome! Be waitin` to hear more.Fishft.

[Shaker-King]

Welcome SilverFly, keep those stories coming.

[Cosmic Lazy Susan]

Wow, great stories. Especially like the one with your son.

Welcome!

Dale

[Sore Back]

Welcome to our family SF.

[Beerbelly]

Welcome ! Great stories.

[greenbuttskunk]

great stuff,
Welcome silverfly!

[Corkie Monster]

Welcome aboard :grin:

CM

[Mikeymoto]

Welcome to ifish.
MM

[Fish Hawg]

Welcome aboard, Great stories We go to Neah bay the first week in August. You can't keep the pinks and sliver off a buzz bomb. (They will even hit them top water style)....Ross

[DownTime]

WOW what an introduction,best I've read yet.Welcome.

JB

[Pickles]

That was a great introduction. After reading your's I was finally able to post my introductory story though a year late :blush:
Hey Welcome to Ifish, and if you ever need a boat ride let me know!

[crabbait]

Uh, you'll fit right in, Silverfly. Welcome aboard.

[wootersen]

Welcome to Ifish.

Great way to make and entrance. [img]graemlins/applause.gif[/img]

[SilverFly]

Glad to hear that my BS, err - uh, - I mean "stories" went over well. Actually, they are all true, (at least as far as I can remember .) I'll apologize in advance if I am slow to reply to posts or emails. Usually I check Ifish from work when things are quiet (I work nights) but that doesn't always happen. And, I don't have to tell any of you with kids what getting computer time at home is like.

TYEE-FISHER, - I just started fishing the Sandy again during the Coho run last year. I got a few during the last 2 weeks of the run on hot pink or red flies. I plan on fishing it more this year, and especially want to nail some springers. I want to try drifting flies on casting gear which has worked very well for me on the Clack. Should work on the Sandy too if the water isn’t too dirty.

Fishing-addict, - thanks for the invite, I would like to take you up on that. Especially if you fish out of Chinook Landing, I live within walking distance of there.

I should also let everyone know that I am a wildlife/angling artist and some of you may know my work. I haven't done much in the past 5 years but I am planning on getting into it again. In fact, one of my prints is posted on the "Let's see wildlife art" thread, but it is mis-identified as a Vic Erickson print (I'm flattered.) My print is the mountain lake scene of Crane Prairie res. Vic is a great guy and gave me a lot of advice when I was starting out. One of these days I might get a website put together and advertise myself properly but I'm not really at that point yet.

Looking forward to “shooting the bull” on the board and hopefully fishing with Ifishers in the near future.

Thanks for the warm welcome and comments.

GJ.

[SHOUGALNITE]

Great to hear from ya. Welcome :smile: