Cooler, Cleaner Water for the Deschutes River

We appalled the actions DRA has taken to support cooler, cleaner water for the lower Deschutes River .

On May 13, 2016, the Deschutes River Alliance (DRA) sent notification to Portland General Electric (PGE) of DRA’s intent to file suit for violations of PGE’s Clean Water Act Section 401 Certification for the Pelton-Round Butte Hydroelectric Complex.

The Section 401 Certification sets out water quality requirements agreed to by PGE during the dam licensing process and embodied in a document titled “Water Quality Management and Monitoring Plan” (WQMMP). The Section 401 Certification is a required component of the Pelton-Round Butte Complex’s operating license (Federal Energy Regulatory Commission License No. 2030).

PGE’s own water quality reports provide evidence of violations of temperature, dissolved oxygen, and pH requirements at the Pelton-Round Butte Hydroelectric Project. The DRA has catalogued over 1,200 specific violations of the 401 Certification that have occurred since operations began at the Selective Water Withdrawal (SWW) Tower at Round Butte Dam on December 31, 2009.

Read more about it here: https://deschutesriveralliance.wordpress.com/2016/05/16/deschutes-river-alliance-notifies-portland-general-electric-of-intent-to-sue/ 

Deschutes under attack.

Let's fight back!

From the Deschutes River Alliance:

The Urgent Issue

On Friday, September 4, the ODFW Commissioners will be voting on a large package of angling rule changes created to “simplify” the Oregon fishing regulations.

One of the rule changes calls for opening up kill on redband trout in the lower Deschutes River.  Presently, there is a “slot limit” that only allows the take of 2 redband trout between 10 and 13 inches of length per day.  The new rule would allow the taking of any 2 redband trout over 8 inches per day.

Our position at the DRA is that if the Commission wishes to simplify the angling rules, the easiest thing would be to do away with any kill of redband trout on the lower Deschutes by making it a catch and release fishery with the required use of barbless hooks.  Now that would be simple!  Easy to understand, no measuring of fish would be necessary, and it would be easily enforceable.  Anything short of this deserves a deferral on decision-making to allow the public to provide input on rule changes.

[see more at Deschutes River Alliance]
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A Statement of Political Position, From The Fly Fishing Shop:

Dear Deschutes River Allies,
Unfortunately, the rumor is true. A proposal has been made to provide harvest options for larger trout on the lower 100-miles of the Deschutes River. The slot-limit (2-trout between 10”-13”), which has been in place since 1979 is proposed to be replaced with a 2-trout limit (minimum size of 8”). I believe the slot-limit has provided the finest public fishery in Oregon and should be retained.
As of this writing,there is nothing about this proposal on the ODFW web site.
I had to search the ODFW Commission site to find this proposal (which I understand has also been removed). This smacks of a cover-up.
The lower Deschutes is one of the few fisheries that is managed to sustain itself indefinitely. And it supports tremendous fishing pressure, which pours cubic bucks into the communities around it. 

Depleting the numbers of larger trout in this proud fishery can benefit no one.
I seriously believe that one of the reasons why Oregon’s State Fishery agency is always broke, is that it sells our resources too cheap.
We don’t need more harvest to make money.We need better fisheries to bring people from other states.The Deschutes River is the best sports fishery money mill we have.
ODFW’s mandate is to protect wild fish and to provide fishing opportunity. The problem is that ODFW Staff has interpreted the word opportunity to mean harvest. They seem to never realize that once a fish is harvested, the opportunity is gone. The slot-limit bridges this gap. The Commission might consider that they may already be doing the best job that can be done here. But, if they need easier rules for dummies to understand, make it strictly catch and release.
The meeting where the decision will be made is on September 4 in of all places Seaside, Oregon (on Labor Day week). The page that just went missing also states that no one will be allowed to testify unless they register 24-hours in advance.
I think that this lack of disclosure and the decisions being made in Seaside is a plan to railroad these proposed changes away from the ease of public participation.
It is an old Bureaucratic trick to push through rules that the majority of their constituents would not agree with.
Doubtful that this bunch of Staff and Commissioners would have the fortitude to hold this same meeting in Maupin, Madras, Bend, Portland, or Welches.
As a matter of fact, I think that these cats have already made the decision.
All that is left is the ratification at a public meeting.
However, I am also a believer that democracy works as long as the citizens are willing to make their government govern by the will of the people.
Whatever the road blocks, we simply have to overcome them, and be a government of the people, by the people, for the people.
We can’t let these perpetrators steel all the hard work that has been put into the Deschutes fishery.

If the proposed regulation is allowed to go through, they’ve got it for a year, by that time they will probably do ten year’s-worth of damage for someone to repair.
And who but the professionals to better do the repair?
I can feel some bastard writing an order for funding, as I am writing this.
My suspicions may be a little intense, but I feel they are well thought out.
The decision to remove the slot-limit is a bad move biologically, and it is even worse since it has been done with a limited amount of public disclosure (which may be illegal as well).
This whole approach is wrong for the Deschutes, which is beyond a doubt the best fishery in Oregon. The best part of the slot-limit is it was done by the will of the people, and by nearly unanimous consent of those people (I know, because I was involved).
I just talked to an ODFW insider, and that person basically told me that some of the staff is strongly opposed to this regulation change, but they were told to shut up in fear of retaliation.
I think it is imperative that we get mobilized to meet these issues head on.
In this case our government has apparently run totally amuck, and we must initiate a public investigation.
Ad your thoughts and pass this on to your own circle of power.
Thank you for your support in this matter.
Fish long & prosper,
Mark Bachmann
CEO
The Fly Fishing Shop, Inc.
Phone: 1-800-266-3971
Cell: 503-781-6468
mark@flyfishusa.com
www.flyfishusa.com

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From Craigslist:

Dear ODFW,

Deschutes trout is your latest victim.  You have to be kidding me. Right? The absurdity that I even have to write this letter just drives me nuts. Correct me where I have missed something here? You would like to make the rules more simple and therefore think a blanket regulation on waters would simplify things? I think it would be simple to cut your staff to zero and get a competent agency to take your place. 

I guess you felt left out in the piling on that agencies have contributed to in their bad management decisions around here. I mean the dam has the tower they are trying to kill fish, bugs, and small town economy with the excuse to save salmon. The tribes have their man given right to kill half the salmon and, oops, most all the steelhead accidently, with their traditional harvests methods using motorboats and modern gill nets. The BLM wants to charge you to float and has limited the “entry”lock down so the local kids, tourist, guides, and even you can’t even go out on the river without at least wasting your precious midnight sleep, getting denied by a machine, to get a segment 4 boaters pass. 

So, That’s cool. Lets change the rules to kill wild Deschutes trout. KILL THEM ALL! Why don’t we just nuke them? It would at least be faster. The local communities would move away or die too. Seems like the BLM would be interested in collaborating. Dam too! Brilliant. The more I think about it, the more I see the light: we, the people who care, are the enemy. We want clean cold water, healthy fish, happy people visiting our towns, and rules with regulation put in place to recreate and achieve this. So far, the BLM, Tribes, Dam regulators, and now ODFW are positioning itself on the other side of that fence. It’s embarrassing and absurd. 

From the Rant and Rave department.
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From Amy Hazel:

My letter to Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife - don't ruin the Deschutes!

Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife

4034 Fairview Industrial Drive SE

Salem, OR 97302

August 26, 2015

Dear ODFW Commission on Proposed Fishing Regulation Changes, 

My name is Amy Hazel and I live on the Deschutes River in Maupin, Oregon. Not only do I live on the Deschutes, my entire livelihood depends on the health of the Deschutes and the health of the fish that live in the Deschutes. My husband and I own Deschutes Angler Fly Shop and John Hazel & Company guide service. I have dedicated the past 17 years of my life to sharing this river and the wonderful trout and steelhead fishery with anglers from around the world. Your proposed regulation changes for the Deschutes River threaten to degrade and possibly destroy this wonderful gem of a resource.

In the 12 years that I have interacted with anglers on a daily basis in my fly fishing shop and in the 17 years I have spent on the Deschutes guiding anglers, I can honestly say that I have never heard anyone complain about not being able to kill large trout on the Deschutes. Even with a slot limit in place, one rarely ever sees anglers harvesting trout – the Deschutes is, in the minds of most anglers, a catch and release trout river. 

This river is a 100% wild native trout fishery. The trout are not supplemented by any of your hatchery programs, and they have been successfully thriving for decades. In recent years the changes in the management of the water releases from PGE’s Pelton Round Butte project have been negatively impacting water quality and insect populations on the Deschutes. The trout are struggling to adjust to these changes. Allowing additional harvest does not make sense in the Deschutes. 

Allowing anglers to kill any 2 trout over 8” in length will negatively impact the trout fishery as well as the steelhead fishery. Allowing anglers to harvest 8-9” steelhead smolts as well as 16” Deschutes native wild trout is irresponsible – especially since ODFW has not conducted any in-depth study on the health of Deschutes trout since the Schroeder study in 1989. 

EITHER KEEP THE CURRENT REGULATIONS OR MAKE THE LOWER DESCHUTES RIVER 100% CATCH AND RELEASE FOR ALL TROUT. IT IS SOSIMPLE.

It seems to me that you are removing regulations that were put in place to protect native spawning fish – trout and steelhead in particular. In the case of the Deschutes, opening the river year-round would put many spawning redds at risk of being trampled by anglers and the fish themselves at risk of being harassed by anglers during a sensitive spawning time. 

PLEASE CONSIDER KEEPING THE DESCHUTES (SOUTH OF THE BORDER OF THE WARM SPRINGS INDIAN RESERVATION BOUNDARY) CLOSED TO ANGLING JANUARY 1-APRIL 25.

There are very few rivers in the world that can boast a native trout population as healthy as that on the Deschutes River. Why not make the Deschutes trout fishery a catch and release fishery? A beautiful Deschutes wild rainbow trout is far too valuable to be enjoyed by just one person.

Sincerely, 

Amy Hazel

Deschutes Angler Fly Shop

Maupin, OR

Amy@deschutesangler.com

www.deschutesangler.com

541-395-0995

Deschutes Redsides

Home water. 

Surface slab.

Red side.

Mia captured this lift off.

It's been a fun few weeks over here!

Get some April and May 2016 with us.

www.littlecreekoutfitters.com

Wondering about Deschutes Water Temperatures

If you fish the Deschutes you've noticed changes in  the summer water temperatures, the presence of brown algae, unreliable Macroinvertebrates hatches and steelhead runs are later. Like me, you wonder what is going on and what is being done. Deschutes River Alliance (DRA) has been collaboratively working using, science-based solutions to address basin-wide threats that may adversely affect the health and function of the lower Deschutes River and tributaries.  I've asked Dave Moskowitz of Deschutes River Alliance a few questions. 

Can you  tell me the current status of water releasing and how this is effecting steelhead?  

No data has been released from the Pelton fisheries workshops that were held in March.  Our understanding is that results are very poor. What is available are the trapdata at Pelton, and returning numbers are really poor as well for adults.  I'm talking about reintroduction returns for the arts of the river above Pelton-Round Butte. 

 It seems there is more green and brown algae that I would relate to warm water, is this true? What kind of algae is it?  

The green plants you see in many runs are not algae but a plant.  There is the elodea which is dark green, and then there is a bright green plant that grows in many places as well.  Those are not algae.

The primary algae in the lower river are two species of nuisance algae that are more golden brown or dull beige-green.  These are not invasive but are considered nuisance because they are inedible by bugs and snails. Algae is the base of the food chain but not the primary species we are seeing in the lower river.

The algae is not primarily here because of the temperatures.  The flow regime for the lower river begins in January and there is primarily a top release from Lake Billy Chinook (LBC) and it continues through the spring and early summer.  The warm water may help the algae bloom earlier but the top releases are of nutrient laden waters and they are the principle risk to the lower river.

 

Have the hatches been effected ? Later or earlier hatches? 

The bug hatches are continuing to be affected.  Few if any March browns.  Very sporadic PMD and PED hatches with some amazing hatches followed by nothing.  Same with caddies.  Blizzard hatches one day, nothing the next.  No crane flies.  Huge midge hatches.  Timing and density appear to be very variable.  Trout guides cannot count on dry fly fishing and often are nymphing to find fish.

Rick Hafele has over 100 observations loaded on our bug hatch app that is being used by guides up and down the River.  We are excited about a second year of reports.  His report from 2013 is available here.

DRA also helped ODFW with a trout survey this spring - their first trout study since 2001 - and that report will be out this fall. 

 What is Deschutes River Alliance doing ? 

We have been doing things that really require expertise on water quality monitoring (we had 14 people in the field for our water quality tests).  We have been limiting the hatch observations to very skilled anglers who know the difference between caddies species, for instance.  

Water temp data can be gleaned from the USGS sites at Madras and Moody.  We have helped PGE place and retrieve water temp devices for two years and have not been given the results.  

We did our own temp profile of the entire lower 100 miles this summer.  Also took pictures of the algae growth from the air.  We will have a bunch of info by late October.

 DRA is trying to use our money wisely so we do not print up color stuff much. Check the website for more info on what we are doing. 

We will be doing more scientific work in 2015 but we will likely be on to much more.  We are in strategic planning mode right now.  

.

 How can people help?

" Please visit our website and get informed about the issues as we have a ton of information about the Deschutes and what we have learned.  The Hafele Hatch Report is a good place to start.  Stay informed, sign up to receive email and alerts and if you love the Deschutes, please make a contribution of any size!"

Big news!

Little Creek Outfitters Announcement Deschutes River Brian Silvey Guide Service and Little Creek Outfitters have recently made the purchase of Big River Outfitters LLC! We are now able to offer more to you with the diversity this new venture has to utilize. We will have the options of a jet boat for those who have this desire and of course drift boats as well. Day trips and multi day camp trips are available now! Please contact us for more information.  We look forward to spending time on the river with you! Please feel free to get in touch with any questions. 503-819-4035 guides@littlecreekoutfitters.net

Deschutes Water Temperature

This has been a hot topic. One that takes some serious research to figure what is going on with the changes in the Deschutes River and why. What is in the future of how water temperatures are managed? Is there a balance of having a successful reintroduction of anadromous fish above Lake Billy Chinook and a healthy river below? Here, we have chronologically linked related articles. With the overwhelming theme being healthy fish/river VS healthy fish/river. Confusing? Yes. We are hoping that all groups and agencies will, in short time, find the balance that is ideal for the fish passage, trout/bug health, angling opportunities, and a healthy river.


Links in the news:

July 22, 2010. "Recently, there has been considerable concern regarding the warm water temperatures on the Deschutes River. Our friend Matt, recently received information from Don Ratliff, senior fish biologists at the Pelton Round Butte Project, regarding the temperature change of the river."

http://oregonsteelhead.blogspot.com/2010/07/deschutes-river-water-temputures.html

July 29 2011. "The selective water withdrawal facility is now in its second year of operation, and we’re getting questions about how we’re managing water temperatures in the Lower Deschutes. Here are some answers for you:"

http://www.deschutespassage.com/news/?p=80

August 18, 2011. "This article explores keeping releases within state temperature guidelines, The difference noticed by fishermen on the lower 100 miles of the river, and its dramatically changing temperatures with fish behavior:"

http://www.oregonlive.com/pacific-northwest-news/index.ssf/2011/08/pge_cools_water_flows_in_deschutes_river_below_lake_bill_chinook.html

July 13, 2012."Many anglers know that temperatures on the Deschutes below the Pelton Round Butte Project are now being managed to reflect what they would be if the dams were not here. That is still the case:"
http://www.deschutespassage.com/news/?p=87

July 23, 2013. "After three years of complaints that a $130 million mixing tower in Round Butte Reservoir is raising water temperatures in and changing the nature of the lower Deschutes River, Portland General Electric is starting two studies to help determine if there is any scientific basis for the fears:" 
http://www.oregonlive.com/environment/index.ssf/2013/07/in_the_hot_deschutes_river_por.html


August 12, 2013. "Dams hurt rivers. They block a river’s flow and harm water quality, fish and wildlife, and recreational opportunities. In some cases where a dam is outdated, unsafe, or has outlived its usefulness, American Rivers advocates for dam removal. But in many cases, keeping a working hydropower dam in place makes sense. And with some upgrades to the dam and its operations, we can make hydropower safer for rivers." - See more at: 
http://www.americanrivers.org/blog/improving-hydropower-dams-benefits-rivers/#sthash.K8WzU2Ad.dpuf

The current water temperature can be read by visiting the USGS link.

Summer Steelhead Dreaming

Three weeks and three different rivers in Oregon.

 Steve lets one fly.

 Cedar on point. Must be one in here...

 Mark is living the dream.

 Darcy loaded and ready to shoot.

 Lots of skaters skating.

Full Circle. Mia puts an exclamation point on a great time!

Catching a Fish is just the Bonus

Play like kids again.

The photos says it all.

The hands that have touched a lot of Steelhead flies.

Josh takes driving lessons from Tegan.

Tegan, what are those boys saying??

Small Classic Steelhead Flies

Genral Fry

Jock Scott wrote how A.H.E. Woods had great success with the Solar Salmon by sizing down the scale of flies and fishing them in the surface film when the water warmed and the sun shown in the fishes eyes, in his book, Greased line fishing.

Redneck Mudler

Our friend Bill Bakke gave Mia Some of his favorite Steelhead flies for a birthday present. One he called a traffic ticket and the other a wasp. They were on size 8 hooks but tied like they were on a size 10! When Mia first tried these flies years ago she could not keep they steelhead off! We started tying lots of different patterns in really small sizes for our early season summer steelhead go to patterns. 

Steelhead soft hackle

This weekend was another testament to the success of the greased line technique along with a sparse and a small fly fished in the surface film on a floating line. Our favorite patterns have been very lightly dressed muddlers, Golden demons, Steelhead soft hackles, as well Haig Browns General Fry pattern. See the video below we took this weekend:

The Hunt

Under the summer sky, we drink scotch and talk about the consolations and I wonder how our ancestors followed the stars to guide them in their travels. Cygnus the Swan spreads his wings over us as he glides across the sky, and to the North, Cassiopeia is tied to her Throne.

I wake to the sound of a rumble, the morning train heads north on the track. Ron fires up the stove to start the coffee brewing. We fill our mugs and grab a bagel. I ask Ron if we should pack a lunch, He replies “we should have that Buck by daybreak.” I still throw some Oreo cookies and trail mix into my pack.

This summer I put in for a Mule deer, buck tag, in West Biggs. This is an area in Central Oregon that starts on the West side of the John Day River, and ranges to the Deschutes River. Some of the best places to hunt are in the Deschutes River canyons. The terrain is rugged, steep, and slippery. Ron Walp, a veteran hunter and fisherman on the Deschutes has taken me under his wing. Ron is a man that loves the outdoors; he has the greatest respect for the life that surrounds him. I feel very fortunate to have the opportunity to hunt with Ron and gain his knowledge of the river.

Ron started running a 50 HP jet boat up and down the Deschutes River to Macks Canyon in 1969. He and his friends have hunted Mule Deer in almost every draw and ridge from Macks Canyon down to the mouth and fished every inch of water . Each night under the stars Ron points out the constellations and tells us stories about his friends as if it was yesterday, and all the bucks they have taken from the tops of peaks that take hours to pack out.

I hope we find a “River Buck” so the pack is within view of the boat.

We load up the boat and head to a spot where Carol Chapman, (Ron’s significant other, has a buck tag too) and Ron have seen two buck over the last few days. We get out binoculars had scan the hillside, nothing in view, they could be bedded down in the draw. Carol and I throw on our packs and sling our guns over our shoulder and plan a recon mission to the first point on the ridge overlooking the draw. Every few steps we stop and scan a section of hillside that comes into view for us. We try to be stealth but the basalt shale slides out from under out feet.
We reach the ridge and hide down under an outcropping; we see Rocky Mountain sheep in the distance but no Mule deer. Ron suggests we hike up the draw to the top and go down the backside into another draw. I have a fair amount of hiking under my belt, that shouldn’t be a problem.

Over the next few days I hike up ridges and side step down shale faces, toes are pressed against the front of my boots, they ache with pain and become numb. By the time I reach camp, they feel as if someone has taken a hammer to them. The country I’m scaling is rugged and meant only for animals with hooves. I’m physically challenged beyond belief but the rewards of seeing new country, and the wildlife that inhabits this magnificent place, and watching the behavior of coyotes, sheep and deer form a distance grazing , hillsides ramming heads is worth every step.
It’s not about the harvesting, it’s about the comradery of friends, drinking scotch under the stars, and getting out experiencing life greater than us.

My bag is packed and I’m ready to go again.

Carol harvested a nice buck the next day. She said she was shaking so bad she could hardly stand up. Way to go Carol!!

Buck Fever

We were suppose to be on the Clearwater right now enjoying friends and fishing while munching on cookies all day. Instead we are scouting for Mule deer bucks, and we have a major problem. Steelhead fishing is getting in the way.

The tag drawn is in East Biggs, and what this means, is a lot of privite property, and the rivers of this unit hold the best odds to finding public lands to shoot on. From the John Day to the Deschutes we have been prowling.

1st stop. Ummm no deer here.. Just this nice wild hen!

Cedar keeps an eye out for deer on the bow of our little jet boat.

Marty called this one. My line was swinging, he said, "did you feel that?" I turned my head and said "NO" before I had the chance to turn my head back, I said " but I felt that" and the line took off. No deer here either.


This Steelhead buck had the classic "cock" look of a Solar Salmon and not the classic look of a hat rack of a mule deer buck. Dang it.

Sunrise on the John Day arm. There has to be some big canyon bucks out there.

We did see a number of Does from our steelheading vantage points. After checking in with Ron Walp, who is our hunting partner and mentor, he finds two nice bucks and has us look through his spotting scope. Boy am I glad we will be in his hunting camp!

The Redneck Revenge......

is a fly inspired by John Sheweys Ricks Revenge and Brian Silveys Snow Cone. Every year on "guide vacation" we play around with different new flies, trying to find one that might just work a little better than the rest. We always come up with a winner, whether it be bringing back an old forgotten classic, or a spin on a modern hit.This years winner. Many Steelhead have fallen victim to it.

If you look hard enough (or enlarge the photo) you will see Silvey hard at work in the middle of the photo. There is a chance I snuck on a Redneck Revenge onto his clients line before I hiked up the hill above them in this classic run.

Even this Jack Chinook could not resist the Redneck!

NFS River Steward Retreat

THis weekend was the Native Fish Society river Stewards retreat. Administrators from ODFW, NMFS, PGE, and dedicated long time NFS members gave the stewards valuable information on conservation and recovery issues for native fish. Some of the issues discussed where about watershed management, hatchery harvest and how to be make a positive statement for the preservation of native fish. This retreat both inspired and motivated me, to not be so timid in speak out to our representatives and agency on whats important to me, the preservation of wild fish.

Bill Bakke said, "Changing management from one of depletion to one of stewardship depends on us. By organizing folks in each watershed to protect it and the fish it supports, the concept of stewardship is established. People will protect what they know and cherish."

NMFS assistant regional administrator Rob Walton giving the stewards some great information for the conservation of Wild fish.

"Feed them and they will come." Tom Derry quote.

Peter pouring the Rye.

River Steward for the Nooksack, Chris Johnson checking out Peters "reject flies."

Dinner!

We had a great weekend. Thank you Russ and Tom for putting this together. To become a river steward check out NFS.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E534WNZgPwA

Food, Friends, Fishing, and Camping

Good Food!

Hot afternoons

Cedar inspecting Mia's Steelhead

Double Rainbow!

Ross gets his first Steelhead!
He takes a victory lap.

Spontaneity and Steelhead

To live a life of spontaneity is a life to be grateful for. This is how you can also double your numbers when it coming to Steelhead fishing. Wednesday evening Marty said, “we need to go to the Deschutes." With minimal weekend plans, we canceled our obligations, packed the truck and took off the next morning.
We had one mission in mind, row to the best steelhead run and stake our claim. This is what we did. We round a bend and the camp Marty had in mind was open! Battling wind gust, we manage to set up camp, stake down the tent and entertain Tegan with rocks. We take turns fishing the run, getting our feet wet and back in the grove, this doesn't take much time. That evening we walk down river. The wind is howling. Looking up stream all I see is multiple tumble weeds, tumbling on the surface of the water. I wait for a break in-between wind gust and tumble weeds to make my cast. My line rolls out and swings between dried weeds and white caps roll over the Delta with breaking force. "BAM!" FISH ON! The adrenaline rushes through me, my heart is racing, first wild Deschutes Steelhead of the season! We have a restless night listening to the tent flapping in the wind. The wind gusts are so strong the tent cave in almost touching my nose. And I listen to the wind moving down stream like a freight train.

The next morning greets us with howling wind and we decide to sleep one more hour. This doesn’t change our fate. We both manage to land beautiful wild hens. The wind keeps blowing, tumble weeds are flying in the air and we keep taking turns watching Tegan and rotating through camp water. I keep my feet firmly planted because at one point the wind is pushing me over and I feel it will pick me up and send me to the other side of the river. Despite white caps and what feels like 50 knot wind gust, we keep hooking Steelhead. At this point, we have both landed three and I am so jazzed that I can still be spontaneous. That evening we grill our corn and steak and I plead for the wind to stop for the evening.
Day three, we wake to calm skies, and glassy water. Marty puts coffee on and I wader up. I sip coffee and walk up steam to start fishing. The glorious taste of bitter black coffee on the river is a wonderful way to start a day. My streak is still on and half way through the run, another steelhead is lured by the Red Back. Fish On! Next, Marty fishes through and hooks one his first cast out. The fishing has been unbelievable, we pack camp and contemplate our intention to row out. We take an inventory of what food we have left. One package of breakfast sausage, one bagel, a fourth of a block of cheese and watermelon, three granola bars, coffee, and five diapers. We decide if the other camp is open we will make our decision then, to stay or go. We pass anglers on the way fighting fish and my mind is already made up. We get to the next camp and say, “What else are we going to do? Lets stay another night.”
It's mid afternoon, I rig up a rod and go fishing. I see a boat in the distance, it’s a gal, by her self, she had hooked a fish as we where rowing past her earlier in the day. I decide to ask if she could spare some food and it turns out she's a gal I meet at the Spey Clave in May, Dorothy. It stokes me to see more women getting on the river and taking charge. Dorothy spares us three yogurts, pop tarts, cous cous salad and five beers. That night brought smiles, a hatchery fish, and tired eyes. The next morning Marty packed camp and I enjoyed still waters and landed two more Steelhead. We contemplate staying but responsibilities hold us back. We row out, reminiscing about the trip and talk about when we can do it again. We catch up with Dorothy on the way out and find out she has landed two more. I think the best way to fish is to be spontaneous, if you have the chance.