As a resident of Linn County I often get to enjoy the lakes and rivers that are so close.
The South Santiam is usually my favorite hot spot due to the fact that it is home to many salmon and steelhead, which have recently captivated my mind and soul.
To be standing thigh-deep in the current and casting in sync with fellow fishermen hoping not to get snagged or hooked up and look like the new guy, that’s about as good as it gets.
When I was in high school, I experienced salmon fishing with an uncle. It seemed a lot easier then than now. When I decided to go out on my own, my uncle gave me his steelhead-salmon rod, and I purchased a reel and tackle from Dan Dee Sales, where I got some helpful advice. I went out one time and froze in the water, so my next investment was hip waders.
Nowadays my biggest problem is finding the time to get out there. When I come up with the perfect excuse to be late for dinner, I sneak down below Foster Dam and try my luck at a chance to be the guy on the bank yelling, “Yeah, fish on, comin’ down!”
There are a lot of guys who look more experienced than I am out there and I sometimes ask what they recommend. The response varied.
“You’ve got to put the right color right in front of them,”salmon fisherman Jason Jump told me. That will catch them.
“It takes getting used to the water,” said Chuck Riggs of Lebanon. “The level changes. So does the sweet spot in the hole.”
I know one thing’s for sure. I’ll try anything at least a few casts because chances are I’ll lose it just as fast as anything else, but it’s the passion for the fight of the big fish that will draw me and every other fisherman to the water.
The South Santiam and all of the other water holes in our area are what make this place such a beautiful place to live, and we are so fortunate to get to enjoy them.
Also remember, pack it in, pack it out. Keep it clean for the next person to come and enjoy.
As far as how the fishing’s been going out there, it hasn’t been great in the last week.
“I lost one last night,” said Brad Porter at DanDee. “But it’s been slowing down. I don’t know why. I guess you just need to find a deeper pool.”
Porter said kokanee are picking up at Green Peter, running about 40 to 60 feet. Trolling with white corn and buzz bombs works best.
As far as Foster is concerned, it’s full of skiers right now, particularly on weekends.
“Everybody’s been playing,” Porter said.
– Hunters still seeking a controlled hunt tag can purchase from 933 leftover deer and elk tags on at 10 a.m. Saturday, July 1. The tags, which tend to sell out in minutes, are sold on a first-come, first-serve basis at more than 500 licensed retailers statewide.
ODFW offices will not be open to sell tags on July 1 this year because the date falls on a weekend. The tags will be sold at regular prices for resident and nonresident hunters.
The 933 leftover tags are what’s left after the controlled hunt lottery that ended May 15. Visit http://www.dfw.state.or.us/resources/ to find out what hunts are still avaialble.
– If you’re thinking about a trip into the woods for July 4, think about leaving the fireworks behind.
The “You break it, you buy it” policy familiar to retail store shoppers has an outdoor parallel. For Oregon’s forests, the dictum could be worded, “You burn it, you buy it.”
Did you know that you can be billed for the entire cost of putting out a forest fire you started? How about this: If your kid starts a fire with fireworks, you can be billed for at least $5,000 of the cost of putting it out.
And using fireworks in federal forestland can get you arrested and jailed.
Play it safe: Take the fam to a community fireworks show.
Shane Ullrich writes about the outdoors every other week. You can find him at the American Barbershop, 1121 Main St., or call him at 367-8086 to report your experiences.