Shane Ullrich
If you’re like me you’re starting to get the itch to get out there and do some fishing.
It’s time to dust off the tackle and fishing rods and restock the tackle box.
Now, with the spring weather here, it’s even more difficult to balance work at home and play. When there’s a break in the rainy weather, it’s awful tempting to drop the rake or shovel and head off to your favorite fishing hole.
My two sons, Peyton and Preston, are probably the most upset by the weather man not being able to get it right. Every time we are going to go fishing, it’s a downpour or a chance of showers.
With our recent move to the country, or should I say the woods, the boys and I have been spending most of our time outdoors. We’re in a place with no curbs or sidewalks – only good deer trails to navigate through the wet Northwest underbrush and more bathrooms than Paris Hilton’s mansion. For a 4- or 5-year-old, when you feel the need, this tree will work indeed.
This time together has made me think what the outdoors really means to me. It’s the atmosphere in which I and my two sons develop the best. Being outside with them gets them away from the TV or video game, and gets them enjoying life in its fullest, learning together and discovering the bond boys have with mud and dirt.
It gives me a chance to see them build trust and confidence as they cross rough terrain and pick up someone else’s garbage to provide beautiful forests and outdoors for their kids. Outdoors to me means quality time with my boys.
I’m encouraging all outdoorsmen (and women) to write me a quick paragraph about “What the Outdoors Means to Me.” I am sure the responses will vary but I’m also sure that we would all agree that we love the outdoors.
If you’d like to do this, drop your paragraph off at either the barbershop (1121 Main St.) or at The New Era (1313 Main St.) or you can e-mail them to [email protected]. I’ll read them and we’ll publish some or all of them in a future column.
We’re not trying to turn you all into writers, but don’t forget about the Fish Story Contest the newspaper is running again this year. You can see the announcement for that on page 9 so I won’t go into further detail. Got a great fish story? Tell us about it and send a photo.
Hope all of you who love the outdoors get a chance to get out there and enjoy doing what you love to do.
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As we reported last week, fish stocking continues at Foster Lake, with another 4,000 trout scheduled to be added Monday, April 9. Also on Monday, 9,000 trout were scheduled to be stocked at Green Peter, for the first time this spring. Foster will be stocked again the next two Mondays, with Green Peter getting 6,000 more fish on April 23.
Steelhead counts at Willamette Falls have slowed somewhat, bringing the total winter steelhead to almost 4,500 throughout the Santiam system. Nearly 300 summer-run steelhead have also moved past the falls. Water conditions in the mainstem Willamette and both forks of the Santiam have been good; however catching success remains slow and angling pressure has been down as well. Slightly warmer water could improve the fishery.
Winter fish are present through the Santiam system and a few summers have made their way up to Foster on the South Santiam. River levels have been higher than desirable for drifting and probably will continue to be so if air temperatures remain warm and snow comes off too fast. Catch in the Santiam Rivers has been sporadic, with better success in the lower and middle reaches.
Shane Ullrich writes regularly about the outdoors during the year. Contact him at the American Barbershop at 1121 Main St. in Sweet Home, by calling 367-8086, or by e-mail at [email protected].