Hit The Chetco

WINTER STEELHEAD

Rain Has Quit

54 miles of splendor

WALLPAPER:  RURAL OREGON-1

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.. After some high and low on the river and, after some mostly wet and a bit of damp, the Chetco River is slammin'.
.. If it's not too far to drive, we suggest that you get there yesterday. Today or tomorrow at the latest.
.. Just about everybody is stabbing those fish in the lip. Gear, fly, bait or whatnot are taking some nice fish. You should try it.
.. Take your rain gear. Even the dry days are damp. It'll chew on your innards if you're not well wrapped.
.. On rare occasions there will be sun. Many residents hide their children. You never know what that bright light will do!
.. Get a guide and pick your poison. The most successful rig is a roe sack - right now. Back bouncing with some gear or swinging a very hot streamer is successful as well. Get on it and get after it.
.. For reports and information try WILD RIVERS FISHING. Honest and successful folks out here.

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WALLPAPER:  RURAL OREGON-2

Tough Fishing

FLOWS DOWN

TEMPS UP

seals anxious

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 The Funny Sh*t They Said Last Season

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..Wish we were there now.

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Slightly Off Topic

NOT OUR LOCAL CRISIS

Chetco Deadline Looms

really big fish at risk

 These Good Folks Released This Wild 20# Chetco Steelhead  

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.. We have a long association, (from our youth,) with the sea-run salmonids of the Southern Oregon Coast and the Northern California Coast.
.. One of the great Pacific Salmon, (and pretty good Steelhead,) rivers has recently been threatened by dredge mining activities.

.. A small group of friends of the Chetco River has brought about an administrative action that may soon be enacted.
.. The deadline for a signature by the United States Secretary of Interior is about a week away: July 31, 2013. The signature will place a five year withdrawal from new mining claims on this wild and scenic river.
.. You may want to read about the good folks that have worked hard to bring this about: HERE.  The link is always in our sidebar.
.. Just sayin'.

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BROOKINGS SUNSET

THE CHETCO EFFECT FROM THE FRONT PORCH

Is It October Yet ?

The Rays Burst Forth

TOO BRIGHT TO FISH

Earthquakes And Landslides

time to hit the road

SO THAT'S WHERE THE MUD COMES FROM

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.. The last few days have seen wet and more wet. The rains, or the earthquake, or the mudslides, must have kept Sasquatch in his den - we survived the Myrtle Point woods and caught a fish, (or so.)
.. We were about drowned in the heavy surf as well, but managed to also catch a fish, (or so,) there.
.. So then today, as we're counting our blessings and drying off and packing gear - the sun explodes like a SOCAL summer day. Go figure.


Blueback At Dusk

.. The town of Brookings, Oregon is reeling from back-to-back storms that did considerable property damage and taxed the city's drainage system. The totals are not in but millions of dollars will have to be spent to fix everything.
.. The mud in the river has something to do with a pair of landslides and the runoff associated with the storms. The fish are loving it. The fishers are philosophical, ". . . "It is what it is. . .  "

CRACK SOME

.. The start of the crabbing season is just so-so. We ate some. Yum. The Bluebacks are all along the coast and in the surf. None reported from the rivers yet.
.. Steelhead are in the rivers and scurring upstream under cover of mud. Can you say Spin and Glow? Very few fly-caught fish on the Chetco River. Some, however, in secret places on the Coquille River. Ghosts!
.. The Chetco River is at historic high flows, {LINK.} and you'll have to get someone local to show you the ropes. It's a grand and glorious river. Check out THE MAP courtesy of WILD RIVERS FISHING.
.. Should you like to see "What's Da Hap's?" around here just click on over to the WILD RIVERS FISHING report for a glimpse. They have the right stuff. Chaeck it out {LINK.} Those folks will even take you to the Smith River if you've a hankering for some Golden State Steelhead. As big and wild as they come!

CAN YOU BELIEVE IT ?

.. There are some very nice and placid pools on the upper reaches of some of the other rivers around here. Not what would normally be thought of as Steelhead water - that's the best part of local knowledge.
.. We've been gifted with a visit to one. Looks like a city park in the middle of the deep forest. The fish are eager right now.
.. So then, the clouds are rolling back in and we're trying to get gone before the passes get messy. There is a bit of snow up there: not too cold, lots of rain, and mudslides. We're told it's just a normal transition to Winter.
.. Well, it's off to the pizza place. Then, a nap. Then, back to the other pizza place. Then, a nap. Then, a giant dinner at the ART ALLEY GRILL. We will have to see what the market price is for some local fish - OR - maybe a rack of lamb - OR - maybe both. Overnight, then hit the road.

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IT'S SO WET THE BIRDS ARE STUCK IN THE MUD

Coastal Wild (?) Life

ALMOST BIG AS A DOBERMAN

They Bark Too

sasquatch sightings abound

FROM THE WILD FRONT YARD - THE BARKING DEER OF BROOKINGS

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.. The tail of the storm is breaking up. The sun peeked through the dark clouds this morning but there is more on the way. Perhaps clearing by Monday!
.. We're headed to the headlands and the harbor for some searun cutthroat trout. Around here they call them Blueback Trout. They are hardly the same fish as the greenbacks of the upper Lochsa River. Same species, absolutely different fish.
.. Unlike the salmon and steelhead from these local rivers, the bluebacks hang out around their home waters. In the estuaries, along the tidal flats, near kelp beds, and amongst rocky headlands. They are endangered and cannot be kept if taken in the sea. When the rivers are blown and the the weather is grungy the bluebacks are active and aggressive.

"CHETCO CANDY" - for trout, bluebacks, steelhead

.. We're geared up to go two ways over the next couple of days. To the coast and harbor and estuary and headlands for bluebacks and, to the wild interior of Sasquatch Country to visit some of the ghost run steelhead that sneak in early.
.. Fishing for the inland steelhead is dangerous and life-threatening. People have been killed by the neighborhood Sasquatch.
.. Curry County Oregon may just be the epicenter for this violent subspecies of Sasquatch. Sightings of the "Chetco Monster," (sometimes called the 'Chetco Indian Devil,') are frequent and documented. The sightings and reports go back to the turn of the century, (1899, not 1999.) We'll be in his lair tomorrow. If we survive the ordeal you can be sure that a report with all the frightening and lurid details will follow.
.. Of course coastal fishing is no safer. We will probably avoid the tangles around Myrtle Point, just a few miles up the coast, and inland a ways. There is a tribe of Sasquatch up there that don't like their fish to be tormented by strangers. They have scared the poop out of miners near the Sixes River too.
.. From Bandon, (on the coast,) up the Coquille River to the dark forest around Myrtle Point, lurks the ghosts of loggers, miners, and woodsmen that have run afoul of the seven-foot tall beasties. They rattle doors, howl in the night, and protect their territory with a selfish vengence unheard of over most of the known Sasquatch territory. These are not your typical shy and secretive beast.
.. If you are at all interested in the early run of little, (8#,) steelhead, from the northern 2/3 of the state, you should click on over to "SMALL STREAM OUTFITTERS," they have just a wee bit of information and a few fish porn pictures to document the festivities.
.. Time to go. The porters have about finished packing the horses. The neighbors and the gawkers have gathered. Some of the neighbors are going along as guides and lookouts. We've sharpened the hooks and are ready for any close encounter of the finny or furry kind.

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A PAIR OF TRUSTY HORSES - LOADED TO THE GILLS FOR ADVENTURE

. . . But You Can't Hide

BIG WIND - BIG RAIN

Big Flood ?

all in a day's work

MUD OUT  -- WEATHER IN

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.. So, it's supposed to be wet when you're chasing steelhead. It's supposed to be dreary and damp and dank and miserable. It's supposed to be thankless, tedious, exhausting, and frustrating. But, is it supposed to be dangerous?
.. Slick roads, trees down, flooded roads, and Sasquatch are thrown into the current mix. Not high adventure but it keeps one alert.
..Well, so it's been. But, at least it's a warm deluge and the snow level is staying at about the point where the upstream fish should be. Roads will be on the dampish side. Small creeks will be "out-of-bank." The Chetco river will be full of whitecaps and mud. Glad we're here to see it.
.. We're constantly checking the NOAA river watch sites. Try THIS LINK for current conditions and predictions. There is also a high surf warning. The kids are loving it. Maybe we should try it.
.. A day or two away from the fish is standard this time of year. It looks to be a little more than that. we'll see. Rumors abound about sea-run cutts in the harbor. Maybe tonight.
.. The crabbing has been good and the neighbors are going to burn a few. This is a rare pleasure and you can bet that we'll need some cold one's to get it all down.

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THE STORM COMETH

Let's Go To The Bar

YOU GOT IT !!

ALONG WITH EVERYONE ELSE !!

Wet, Wild, Windy

MOM ON RAMPAGE

Warm Rain, Melting Snow

damn the squals full fling ahead

A COMELY BRIDGE INDEED

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.. Well she's everywhere and kind of grumpy right now. MOM, that's who. She's kicking up a storm, as it were. The last of the color is about to be blown off of the trees. The muddy rivers will get more muddy. Higher too. It's only a certainty that the upper reaches of the drainages will clear at all.
.. There's some well hidden roads. There's some dripping ferns and giant trees. There's even fish if you can find them. We're off to try and figure it out. The neighbors are laughing, (some are also fising anyway!) It's not perfect but it's fishing.

130 TEARS OF GOSSIP - YUM

.. The Chetco River is about to be blown sky high. There are other rivers. Some even better if you don't mind gobs of hatchery fish amongst your rare wild steelhead. We don't. It's just a short drive up the road to the four forks of a lovely little stream with fish just dying to be caught. They don't get fished over very much. After all they are only 10 - 15 pounds each, (usually.)
.. There's good pizza, friendly folks, and a few fishers that we know that will be on the gravel trails. Heck, the river flows through the county seat - what more could a gypsy fisher ask. They haven't shot at us yet, and they have quit throwing axes too.
.. The big and famous waters around here have so many guide boats that it looks like an Interstate interchange in downtown Los Angeles. Expensive too.
.. The snow hasn't come down too low and despite the published wisdom there may even be some Coho scattered amongst the home running hatchery fish.
.. We're on the water as you read this. Dripping and giggling. Our trusty horse is being used as a pack mule for a couple of neighbors and their gear. It's up to it. Seen mud and rain and snow before. It's a courtesy exchanged for the local knowledge.
.. Pizza tonight - can't wait, it'll be dry.

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HOPEFULLY THEY'LL BE OPEN - ONE NEVER KNOWS

NEW LINK

A GENUINE TREASURE

It Needs It's Friends

friends save rivers

These Folks Released This Wild 20# Chetco Steelhead  -- Good On 'Em !!

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.. Some fishers think that keeping a stream or river secret will protect it. Such a fantasy. The more friends a river has the better protected it will be. If no one knows about it then mining, de-watering, polluting, etc. go unnoticed and despoiling takes place.
.. The Chetco River has friends. It has good friends. It has good friends that care - not just about the fish - but the river itself and it's wonderful scenic, recreational, and primative beauty.
.. As far from home as the river is, we consider ourselves a friend. We suggest that you investigate this lovely river. The place to start is the SAVE OUR CHETCO RIVER website. Personal or public complacency is an exploiters best friend. End of pitch.
.. This may be the last wild western river where it's legal to keep a wild native fish. We don't advocate it, but it can be, and is done. Gear, flies, etc. the fish are superlative specimens of the breed. They deserve respect and admiration. That's why we visit.
..There is sun between the clouds and mud in the water. Bottom bouncers and plunkers have taken a few fish. Drizzle and real rain should keep us dancing for the next few days. Generally, high water signals a good time for bank fishing - but not with the amount of color the river has right now.
.. The upper reaches will clear first and we'll head up to see how the "ghost run" fish are doing.

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IT MUST BE OREGON - RARE SUNSET FOR THE SEASON

Mighty Big Water

THERE'S A FUNNY TASTE

Salty Sort Of

perhaps fish defecate in it

There's this long pile of rocks . . .

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.. Had a nap. Saw the ocean. It's bigger than the whole Missouri River. Got to think about this. Fish actually leave it and change their water purification and elimination system just to swim in confined rivers. There's a lesson here somewhere.
.. Rumors abound. Fish are here. Not a seal to be seen. Chrome is following Royalty up the creek. Only a week or so early but not too unusual. We'll let you know.

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Just a little heavy for a 9 weight. Pretty though!

A Fine Soft Day

WHAT?  FOG?  DUH!

Touchdown

just like it should be

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.. Such quiet and gentility that one is gulled into thinking all will be just fine forever. The costal fog will both put you to sleep and awaken your soul with it's all pervasive chill. Some folks thrive on it.
.. Just a few more miles and then a short nap. Maybe a long nap. Maybe some pizza and a nap. The fish can wait - for now.

M.O.A.L.

SEEMS FASHIONABLE

Here's A Video For Big Fishers

finesse for the left coast

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.. We can only hope!
.. For the past two or three years the MOTHER OF ALL LEACHES, (MOAL Leach,) has become the go-to fly on the left coast -- for fish of the large and chrome variety, (and others as well.)
-- Fished with gear or fly tackle, (one, two, or three-handed,) it has an especially seductive bit of action. Across and down, up and across, stripped, bottom bounced from a drift boat, slung beneath a bobber, etc, // it just works.
.. It comes in all sizes, (mostly big,) and has sprouted a rainbow of color combinations. The colors seem to be personal and idiosyncratic.
.. The key to a successful execution of the fly is the string and the judicious application of a bunny strip with Cyanoacrylate glue. Done right this fly seems to be the wonder drug for catching. We'll see.

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.. This can be a raging river if given the chance. High surf warning, high wind warning, heavy wind warning. The system is in for a flushing. The neighbors are pissed. The fish, on the other hand, will have some fresh smells to follow. It's all good.

Thick Or Thin ?

RAIN FOR A WEEK: CHETCO

60# Kings

steelies sighted - crowds aplenty

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.. After a good opening week, the water on the Chetco River has slowed - and so has the catching.
.. A week of rain should provide the needed bump to bring in some more fish. It looks like MOM is going to cooperate.
.. This brief report brought to you by the anticipatory weather scan.
.. Pray for drearyness and increased, (but not catastrophic,) river flows. Beware the winds. Trees are falling.
.. Fly folks on the Chetco River are a distinct minority. The gear folks tolerate us with a smirk and a smile. They cheer when we hook up. We hope to be there in a week or so. The river has one of the highest recruitment of Wild King Salmon of any river. The steelies like this because they follow and gorge themselves on the roe. YUM!
.. Some of the folks around the harbor in Brookings, Oregon - and further inland are connoisseurs of the traditional. They, (and we as well,) tie RAT's, GP's, Durham Rangers, and so forth. Instead of putting them on the wall in a shadow box they rip lips with them.
.. The current debate is just how THICK  --  OR  --  THIN should the wing be? And, is a hair wing acceptable? Squirrel, or elk, or calf. This is the sort of thing that wars are fought over.
.. We'll update you.

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Au Revoir Yellowstone

IT'S RESTING NOW

Let The Fish Grow

let the lies begin

Looking Back: It Was A Very Fine Year.

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.. What a wonderful last week of the legal fishing season in Yellowstone National Park. The predicted blustery weather has died with a whimper and some thin clouds. Sunshine drenched the afternoons on most days and the bugs continued to hatch.
.. As we look back over the year it seems that this was a year of many fish and healthy fish. Of course during this coming Winter the fish will grow in the retelling of tales in the dim pubs of town.
.. There's still plenty of fishing in the neighborhood. Rest assured that we will manage to get to it and to the other not-quite-so-neighborly waters as well.
.. Now that we've stopped saving our daylight it's time to make use of what little there is left. There are things to do, places to go, people to see. We're practicing using words like: Chetco, Umpqua, Grande Rond, Clearwater, and Snake. More to come.

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View Of The Chetco River From The Front Porch.

Brookings Redux

THE RIVER RISES

The Fish Flip Us A Fin

waiting for visibility

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.. As the rain and cold descend into the Chetco River Valley, the kings, (and a few steelhead,) are grabbing air without being stabbed in the lip.
.. Anglers are gathering for the break in the weather forecast for Thanksgiving. Bitter cold is also forecast for the Cascades and inland valleys. It's time to soldier-up and put some grease on the guides.
.. The returning Chinook population has a few below average intellects - but none so dumb as to get taken by us. Even the seals have abandoned the Chetco River this year, (except for the two residents asleep in the fishing fleet harbor.)
.. There have been no fly fishers under 60 years old spotted around Social Security Bar, (or elsewhere that we have been.)
.. There's not a single fly rod in the racks at the local tackle shop. This is gear heaven!
.. Fish are charging into the system and a few are getting caught down deep in the main channel. All that hardware must be worth it's weight in titanium.

.. Gear sales are up as is angler population. The Smith River is also sprouting a fine crop of elbows. We may add to the crowds in a few days.
.. We're about to pull on the silk undies, followed by long handles, followed by woollies, followed by something to delay cold rain. We may be able to walk to the river.

.. Stopped at the local tackle shop and found a lovely hollow-built salmon net from our old stomping grounds down in Queen Califia's Kingdom. Brought back memories of a different era. The price is right but our need is not. If you need it it's hanging from the ceiling and is beautiful to behold.
.. Well, a couple more days of torture among the catchers and others on the beautiful and chilly Chetco River. This is beautiful and strange country.
.. The deer are the size of doberman pincers and the fish are the size of watermelons.

.. The fog is everywhere and nowhere, while the trees hide the hills and mothers hide their children from the infrequent yellow orb that periodically appears in the sky. There's green of every imaginable shade and rain of every imaginable density.
.. Such a place. More later.

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