After the small water, massive boulder and trout filled creek I began with, the challenges of higher water volume soon became apparent. I wanted the opportunity to catch larger fish. The picture above is very near the exact place I first started on the Sandy River. This photo is courtesy of OregonRafting.org
The Sandy River is fed by snow melt from the majestic Mt Hood where the river begins its journey to the mighty Columbia near Portland, Or. During the winter months when the snow is falling, and not melting, this portion of the Sandy is clear as can be. But during the spring and summer seasons the melting snow makes this section of the Sandy a raging, turbid (muddy really), torrent. It is really tough to fish during these seasons.
Of course I would be attacking this water with my new found fly fishing techniques during the summer runoff. The only fish I managed to fool were juveniles no larger than the ones I was catching in the little creek. That didn’t deter me though. I persisted to try different patterns in the muddy tumultuous flow to little avail.
Driving to the section of the Sandy I was working I was passing the Salmon River near Brightwood OR, and wondered at the clear cool river that runs beneath the highway 26 bridge. So I decided to try it out.
Ok so this is much different! I have vegetation to deal with on the banks, and that is completely opposite of where I had been casting. Lost two flies on two attempts. Grrr, darn little things are expensive, and I just lost my two favorites. Now begins my first wading to avoid the tree traps on the bank. Not much fishing going on here, but a huge amount of learning.
A couple of more trips to GI Joes for flies, and numerous trips back to the Salmon River, I started to catch fish. The trout I caught were somewhat bigger than from the first creek, but not much. I was wondering if I was making a mistake about this fly fishing thing, and maybe go back to my spinning outfit. Then it happened. My rod went thunk and the line straightened right out. I thought I had a snag. Looking back I wonder at how I could have possibly thought it was a snag. I had floating line, a mosquito pattern that was meant to stay on top, and the water flow was at least 4 feet deep. Duh!
I lifted the rod and the reel began to go zing, zing, zing. Then the rod started to buck. Oh boy, I have a fish. Somehow, despite my best efforts to lose the fish, I landed a fabulous steelhead about 7 pounds. I was so excited I killed it and took it home. I didn’t have a camera, and darned if I could find someone who would take a picture of me. It sure would have been a great testimony to show when asked Ketchinee.
Next; Steelhead Fever