Grant’s Getaways – Fishing for Kings from Travel Oregon on Vimeo.

Despite the wild and wet weather of the past few weeks October is prime time for “King Fishing.” King Chinook Salmon, that is! There is a simple reason that they are called “Kings.” – after all, the big fish can tip the scales at fifty pounds or more.

Despite downpours and sea squalls, I recently joined a fishing party on Tillamook Bay where we tried our luck for the king of the salmon. If you’re eager to catch a “King,” you arrive at the Garibaldi docks an hour before sunrise.

A longtime Oregon fishing guide, John Krauthoefer, told our huddled group of anglers: “It’s the early bird who gets the worm, men! This has become such a popular fishery that if you wait and go late, you might miss the bite.”

Krauthoefer added that it had been a long salmon fishing season. I knew exactly what he meant because we had joined John on two earlier salmon fishing trips. Our first adventure was in July – on the ocean – where the summer Coho salmon bite was awesome. We joined John again in September when the Coho and Chinook season slipped into high gear at “Buoy 10” on the Columbia River.

Now, in mid-October thousands of salmon are migrating through dozens of estuaries like Tillamook Bay and swimming into their home rivers.

As we motored out of the marina, Krauthoefer noted that it had been a wet and wild weather week and that several big storms had pumped up a huge ocean. As we approached the ocean, we watched huge swells rise and fall – sometimes fishing boats would briefly vanish as the swells passed by. The bar was closed – no one would be heading out onto the ocean today.

Birt Hansen, a longtime fishing partner, had joined John and me on Tillamook Bay where scores of other anglers had also gathered – we were excited, anxious and ready for action. After all, low tide was about to turn to flood and it might serve up the biggest of all the salmon species called “King.”

John’s a big believer that a plug-cut herring makes the best bait when fishing for Chinook. He makes a bevel cut with his razor sharp knife just behind the herring’s head to make the bait spin when it’s trolled in the water.

We dropped our lines over the side and John began a slow troll with the tide. As the tide turned to flood, signs of salmon life began to appear as nearby anglers hooked up. It happened to us too! Suddenly, I had my hands full with a hard charging king that had decided to head back to sea.

Krauthoefer put his motor in gear and followed the salmon. After a twenty-minute tug of war, the gleaming 20-pound salmon came to the net and it was scooped aboard.

It can be a he challenge to fish along the jetty – where the swells and the waves and the tide can combine to change conditions in a heartbeat. We wore our inflatable PFD’s (Personal Flotation Devices) at all times.

Sport-anglers catch more than 12,000 King salmon on the bar, the bay and the five rivers that flow into the bay on their way to the sea. So, special rules are in place to protect the Kings from over harvest. An angler can keep one King per day and five per season from Tillamook Bay or its rivers. In addition, anglers can also keep a hatchery Coho salmon.

Information on purchasing an Oregon Angling License

Sport Fishing Regulations (pdf)

Locate a fishing guide here

Information on Safe Boating Practices

This week, I head for the big, broad Columbia River in this week’s Grant’s Getaways to follow a silver rush – a silvery rush of salmon swimming up the river past a sports fishing mecca called “Buoy 10.”

It’s a trip full of tips, tactics and techniques to catch salmon safely on a stretch of river infamously called “the deadliest river bar in the world” for its number of shipwrecks, capsizes and deadly accidents.

On the Astoria dock at a coal black 4-am, it was hard to say “Good Morning” to my fellow anglers who had gathered – with their lunches, thermoses, rods and reels in hand – to enjoy a daylong fishing adventure. After all, shimmering stars and a sliver of a gleaming moon held tightly onto night. But barking sea lions and an inch of daylight squeezing just above the eastern horizon said otherwise.

So did our guide, John Krauthoefer, who told our small group, “Daylight boys – won’t be long – so let’s button things down, snap up the PFDs and get moving.” We boarded his 25-foot fishing boat and began to slowly motor across the broad-shouldered Columbia, with high hopes for a successful salmon fishing trip.

Daylight revealed that a dense fog bank had taken over the lower river. If we wished to pass through it, we had better be prepared.

“My GPS (Global Positioning System) tells me that there’s a green buoy right there – and if you peer into the fog, you can see we’re just coming up on it.”

I wondered aloud about the fishermen who didn’t have GPS on their boats. He quickly and firmly noted, “Stay on the dock until the fog clears. You’re much safer – it’s not worth a fish to risk your life – it really isn’t.” We slowly trolled and kept eye on the boat’s GPS screen, which showed our position in relation to the shipping channel and the surrounding shorelines.

This part of the Columbia River is a busy stretch for inbound and outbound ships. We certainly did not want to get caught in the middle of it on a busy morning of ship traffic. All too quickly, John’s second sense told him something was just not right.

“Ok – reel in – we’re going to move,” he ordered. He wasted little time and moved us a few hundred yards further away from the shipping lane. We heard the ship before we saw it. And what we saw was gigantic – a massive, two hundred foot long shadow of a ship that moved across the area we had just been trolling our baits.

I looked at my fishing partner, Trey Carskadon, who shared the same obvious expression of relief – then he smiled. Carskadon added, “You can just get absolutely turned around in this kind of a fog, so GPS certainly is a must, but even a compass would help. Plus, you better know how to use it. It is essential equipment and I wouldn’t come out here without it.” Carskadon is the chairman of the Oregon State Marine Board and he is a boating safety expert when it comes to the fickle Columbia River.

He told me that even in summer, the river conditions often change in a heartbeat: “Right now the danger is obviously with the fog, but when the wind comes up and you have a lot river traffic out here, it can get downright dangerous. People assume it’s like a lake out here, most days it’s anything but that.” That much was certain and we’d just experienced a good lesson of that fact – but there was another certainty on the river this fine August morning: the river is full of fish.

“Oh, it’s a big Coho,” yells John as Trey’s rod doubled down and the line screamed off the reel.

“A nice one,” noted Carskadon. “Feels all of ten or twelve pounds. A nice hatchery fish too.”

He could tell it was a hatchery Coho salmon because it was missing its adipose fin, a small half moon shaped fin that’s located behind the dorsal fin. The adipose fin is clipped off all hatchery salmon babies at the hatchery where each fish is raised.

More than a million Coho salmon are forecast to pass through the estuary over the next six to eight weeks. In fact, right now the angling daily limit is two salmon, but beginning September 1 the limit rises to three Coho salmon a day. Not all of the Coho that anglers catch from the Columbia are hatchery fish. Many are wild fish that must be released back into the river.

John said there’s a “right way” to do that. “First, don’t ever bring them in the boat and don’t ever lift them out of the water. Don’t just dump them out of your net either. If you can, try to get hold of them by the tail and let them swim out of your hand. If you just dump them out, they often die because they’re so tired from the fight, so let the fish rest in your hand and then open your hand so they swim right off.”

As the fog evaporated with the warmer morning, the flooding tide built and hundreds of anglers converged at the famous river marker called “Buoy 10.”
But boat wakes, a strong push of current and a rising wind meant that it was a bit like fishing in washing machine – and you want to definitely avoid the spin cycle.

It was a day to remember – one that began on a dance with danger, and provided lasting memories and valuable lessons of exciting times in the Oregon outdoors.

Information on purchasing an Oregon Angling License

Sport Fishing Regulations (pdf)

Locate a fishing guide here

Information on Safe Boating Practices

A huge rush of Silver Salmon – also known as Coho Salmon – is swimming along the Oregon coast this summer. Oregon fishery managers peg the “run” of coastal Coho at more than a million fish this year.

Licensed anglers – with rods and reels in hand – are trying their luck on the ocean waters as the best fishing of the summer season gets underway. There is an old fishing adage that goes, “You should have been here yesterday!” The assumption being – the fish are always more eager to bite – the day before you decide to go fishing.

So when I stepped aboard John Krauthoefer’s (Firefighter’s Guide Service) boat at Garibaldi Marina for a day’s adventure on the big blue Pacific Ocean and heard: “The fish are here – no doubt about it,” noted the longtime Oregon fishing guide. “Every place we went yesterday we had a bite…there were three guys in the boat and we dumped the fish in and were done 35, 40 minutes later…it was great fishing!” His report sounded fantastic and yet my heart sank a bit!

That’s because it has been my history that whenever I hear such a solid report of angling success that occurred the day before – it is usually followed by nearly the opposite when I step aboard the next day.

While Krauthoefer fishes the ocean each summer, he insisted that he hadn’t seen ocean Coho salmon fishing like the past month in a long time. As we sped across Tillamook Bay toward the ocean he was convinced that our fishing adventure would be every bit as successful as the day before.

As it turned out, our combination of tactics and techniques added up to one of my most amazing ocean Coho salmon trips ever. He added that the summer forecast for Oregon’s Coho population is pegged at more than a million fish.

Anglers are allowed to keep three hatchery Coho per day.

Fish splashed and nets flew from boats all around us as we trolled within sight of Twin Rocks, just north of the entrance to Tillamook Bay.

You can tell the Coho are hatchery fish by the missing adipose fin; that’s a half-moon shaped fin located immediately behind the dorsal fin. (The adipose fin is clipped off at the hatchery when the fish are babies.)

Not only is there a greater abundance of Coho, but the fish are bigger than usual – on average two pounds larger – for this time of year.

There were plenty of keepers to go around and we ended up with Coho limits all around.

For more information on Fishing Licenses and Regulations

It is a fact of Pacific Northwest angling life that few fish species that swim in our rivers or streams can match the massive size and strength of the prehistoric fish called “sturgeon.” Sturgeon can exceed ten feet in length and weigh more than four hundred pounds, so few would argue that the fish provide a terrific angling challenge.

At this time of year, one of the best places to try your luck with hook and line to catch a sturgeon is the Columbia River estuary near Astoria. That’s the setting for this week’s “Grant’s Getaway” adventure – fishing for a dinosaur of a fish species – Columbia River sturgeon. You see, sturgeon have been swimming across the planet’s waters for more than a hundred million years – long before the age of dinosaurs.

Each Oregon licensed angler can hook and release or land and tag a legal limit of one sturgeon between 41 and 54 inches in length.

Find a Fishing Guide

Oregon Sport Fishing Regulations (pdf)

I recently visited Portland to attend a dog show with my wife. We made the 20-plus-hour road trip from Denver with our two large Bernese Mountain dogs happily wedged in the backseat of our Volvo station wagon. My wife (and the dogs) allowed me a portion of the cargo space to stow my fly-fishing gear. One does not drive more than 1,200 miles to a place like Oregon without bringing one’s fishing gear.

Upon settling into our accommodations in a north Portland hotel on the banks of the Columbia River, I had to figure out two things: when and where was I going to fish. After some back and forth with my friend Kevin, a Portland resident, he convinced me I needed to chase the elusive steelhead.

Kevin loaned me his 8 wt. rod and reel (if by chance I hooked a steelhead with my 5 wt. rod, it would not be pretty) and a box of flies. He printed for me a Google satellite map with three spots pinpointed on the Wilson River adjacent to the Wilson River Highway on the way to Tillamook. (Note: Per Kevin’s request, this map has since been destroyed.)

The day before hitting the river, I needed to pick up a fishing license. While there are plenty of places to purchase a license in Portland, I strongly suggest a trip to Andy and Bax. Andy and Bax is the quintessential military surplus/outdoor gear retailer, complete with its peculiar mix of gas masks, hand grenades and thermal underwear. The staff is friendly and the inventory is mind-altering, but what really sold me was the store’s close proximity to Bunk Sandwiches.

At Bunk, I encountered the aforementioned meatball sandwich – or Meatball Parmigiano Hero, as it’s called. Let it be known, the people at Bunk are not messing around. I walked in the door right at 11 a.m. (lunch is served from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., breakfast is served all day) and a young woman was teetering atop a chair, updating the chalkboard menu. With an intriguing sandwich selection that includes things like salt cod with chorizo and black olives, porchetta with fennel onions and olives, and Oregon albacore tuna with balsamic and olive oil, deciding could have been a challenge. Fortuitously, one of the owners working the line was putting the finishing touches on a meatball sandwich and he held it up for my inspection. Sold!

Served simply on brown paper with a handful of crispy kettle chips, it was a thing of beauty. The bread was crusty-soft, the meatballs were delicately-punchy, the sauce was spicy-sweet and the cheese was molten-lava hot. And that’s a good thing. With a sandwich this good, it’d be easy to devour it too quickly. The hot cheese is there to remind you to slow down. By the time I finished and got up to leave, there was a line of people out the door, hungry-eyed and ready for a Bunk experience. I envied all of them.

With meatball memories lingering, I set out the next morning in hopes of finding a steelhead. Traveling south through Portland in the rush-hour fog, I had a smug satisfaction. It was Thursday, I was going fishing, and everyone else was driving to work. Giddy-up.

As I made my way northwest on Highway 26, rolling hills and wineries punctuated the landscape and the fog gave way to blue skies and bright morning sun. From Highway 26, I followed the signs for Tillamook and Lee’s Camp via the Wilson River Highway, or Oregon State Highway 6. It’s a pleasantly meandering road that winds through towering forests of dappled sunlight. This was the Oregon I had hoped to see.

Somewhere past Lee’s Camp Store, which sits right on the highway, I found a pullout with walking access to Wilson River. Kevin asked — okay, he commanded — that I not share exactly where to go, but if you find a spot where the water is crystal clear and the trees line the water, and the wispy clouds linger in the nearby hills, it’s probably the place.

So here’s the truth: I didn’t catch a steelhead that day. I didn’t see any. I didn’t feel a feisty tug on the line. And I didn’t mind a bit. They’re not easy to find, let alone land. Kevin later admitted it’s been over a year since he’s brought a steelhead into his net. Before I walked back to the car, I stood in the Wilson River and took it all in. The fresh Oregon air, the cool water and the blue sky cherished by those fortunate enough to call this place home. A good day fishing isn’t always about the fish.

The story could have happily ended there, but there is still the chocolate milkshake to address. On the road back, I pulled into Coleman’s 9N Shady Rest (55660 NW Wilson River Hwy, Gales Creek), a quaint roadside café advertising cocktails, steaks, shakes and burgers. They have their priorities straight. The menu featured, among other things, a dozen or so specialty burgers, steaks, chile verde and — cue the heavenly harps — milkshakes made with Tillamook ice cream. I ordered a burger and a chocolate shake. The shake was spoon-thick, filled a pint glass and came topped with whipped cream and a bright red cherry. It was glorious. I sat, enjoyed the serenity of a friendly café on a slow Thursday and contemplated the day.

I know I’ll be back for another visit. The promise of steelhead will draw many a fisherman back to Oregon. I’m certain the promise of a really good meatball sandwich and chocolate milkshake will do the same.

Ryan Johnson is an advertising copywriter. He lives with his wife in Denver, Colo. He enjoys fishing, food and spending time with his dogs.

This month, we’ve got great camping trip ideas, a chance to win a Bike and Brew Getaway and family friendly fishing, so dig out your fishing poles and slather on some sunscreen because the trout are out.

See you in Oregon, where we’re firing up the grill for this month’s lamb skewer recipe.

-The Editors

In Oregon, the diversity and quality of angling is unlike any other place in the world. This summer alone, you can fish for trout, salmon, halibut, panfish, ling cod and so much more. On top of it all, you’ve got your pick of gorgeous places to drop a line.

This month, the prize catch is Oregon’s signature “redband” rainbow trout. Choose from a number of famed trout rivers, including the Deschutes in Central Oregon, the McKenzie in the Willamette Valley and southeast Oregon’s Donner und Blitzen River.

Later this summer, head to the Pacific Ocean’s salty waters for the peak of halibut and salmon fishing—or, you can try your hand at reeling in a prehistoric looking ling cod and other rock fish. And in August, be one of the many salmon anglers who flock to the mouth of the Columbia River in Astoria for the fall run of Chinook and Coho salmon.

For a true family friendly catch this summer, head to central and Eastern Oregon’s lakes and reservoirs—Owyhee, Prineville, Chickahominy—where panfishing is popular.

And this is all just one season of fishing in Oregon – just wait until fall!

Licenses
Even if you don’t keep your catch, you need a current Oregon fishing license before you wet your line. You can purchase licenses online at Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife.

Free Fishing Weekend – June 6 and 7, 2009
This June 6 and 7, try your hand at the rod and the reel—for free. For two days each year, the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife sponsors more than two-dozen free (no license needed) fishing events across the state.

Guides
Why not increase your chances of catching Big Walter by hiring an Oregon licensed fishing guide?

Speaking of Thanksgiving, make sure to check out this month’s recipe and treat yourself (and your guests) to an Oregon-inspired dish of deliciousness. And don’t forget to enter for a chance to win a Deschutes River fly-fishing vacation.

See you in Oregon, where we’re prepping for ski season!

~The Editors

Emily's fish

This past September, my mom and I had the perfect fall adventure in Oregon. We set out on a road trip from Portland to Central Oregon for a weekend of fly-fishing.

Day one: Sisters
We arrived in Sisters on a beautiful fall day. The streets were buzzing with pedestrians exploring the art galleries, specialty shops and antiques stores. We joined the fun, bought some handmade fudge and explored the Sisters Fall Street Festival, where we bought a stunning ceramic salmon from artist Debbie Bowen of Juniper Hill Ceramics.

After overdosing on the above-mentioned fudge, we checked in to the FivePine Lodge for the night. Our cabin was pure luxury comfort with gorgeous craftsman décor. We walked around the property and spotted Shibui Spa. Hot stone massages would have to wait. This trip was about fly-fishing.

Day Two: Gone Fishing
The next morning we drove a few blocks to The Fly Fisher’s Place to meet owner Jeff Perin, who has been fishing this region for many years. He loaded us up with the proper equipment and fishing licenses then put us in the capable hands of Head Guide Dan Anthon for the day.

Then we drove toward Warm Springs where we began our 10-mile float on the Deschutes River in search of redband trout. Mom and I put on waders and boots, while Dan loaded up the drift boat. His dog, Trout, was already onboard.

It was a blue-sky day as we floated through rim-rocked canyons, past the occasional lone fisherman. We stopped for our first lesson, which was to find out what the fish were eating that day. Dan put a small net-like device in the water and drudged up some bugs: mayflies, caddis flies, golden stones—all kinds of insect life. This helped us determine which flies we’d tie on as we tried to mimic nature in search of a bite.

Dan taught us about roll casting and drifting and mending. Soon, we were in the water up to our waists searching for fish. Between mom and I there were quite a few bites (or bottom snags) and then finally—FISH ON!

Dan coached me through the process of reeling in the fish: “Let it swim”; “Don’t give it any slack”; “Keep your rod up”. After a brief battle (this little guy had some fighting chops), I reeled in a nice sized redband trout.

We released him back into the Deschutes and floated on, enjoying the rest of this spectacular day of fly-fishing in Central Oregon.

Metolius River cabin

Central Oregon is a top destination for most Oregonians. People living in the Willamette Valley head there to find sunshine during the dark days of winter for sun and skiing in the high-desert air. Summertime means outdoor recreation, too, with plenty of hiking, kayaking, rafting, canoeing and cycling to add to the activity menu.

A favorite spot in this area includes the Metolius River. Located not too far from the delightful Western town of Sisters, the Metolius River Recreation area is tucked back against the eastern flanks of the Cascade Mountains. Various vacation lodges and campgrounds dot this area marked by tall Ponderosa and juniper trees, green grass and icy blue water.

Flyfishing on the Metolius

The Metolius River is actually a geological spectacle itself. Springing full-force from the nearby base of 6,400-foot Black Butte, the rushing waters are fed by melting snow and glaciers. And let me tell you, the temperature FEELS like it! Leave it to say that this isn’t exactly a swimming opportunity at 48 degrees F!

What attracts people to this verdant area are the views of nearby snowcapped peaks such as Mount Jefferson, the terrain and the solitude this area offers. Oh, and the fishing! Avid anglers and fly fishermen(people) flock to the area to try their luck with rainbow trout and sockeye salmon.

Bear track

Brad grew up in Oregon and as a child, vacationed here with his family. So we decided to go camping along the river for old times’ sake and to go for a hike, too.

Upon setting up camp down a remote track past all of the developed campgrounds, I started wandering around. Then I noticed that in the thick layer of dust on the spur road, there was an abnormal track. I came a little closer, wondering why someone was walking barefoot out here. Then it struck me. This wasn’t someone going barefoot. It was a BEAR’s foot!

Side stream

Hooting and hollering for Brad to come over, we both huddled over the tracks and took some pictures. Indeed, those were the tracks of a brown bear, so we took extra precautions with our food, even though we were car-camping.

That night, while enjoying the late evening warmth around the campfire, the dogs seemed pretty agitated. They kept looking behind us beyond the fire’s glow and whining. Finally, Brad shined his flashlight back to see what was going on.

“Oh my gosh! There’s something back there watching us,” he said. Since Brad is ever the prankster, I didn’t take him seriously. He insisted he was serious, so I turned and looked. Reflecting back at us was the glow coming from two eyes. Just about chest-height, not very far away. It seemed to be too high to be coming from a deer head, and suddenly, the hair on my arms began to rise.

“What do we do?,” I whispered. “Make noise,” Brad replied. What followed next was something that in retrospect, probably looked like a scene that took place millions of years ago when humanoid ancestors roamed the earth. Jumping up and down like monkeys, we threw rocks towards the eyes and started yelling at the top of our lungs. I was amazed at how this basic instinct took over. The eyes didn’t budge. It wasn’t until the dogs took up full battle cry (our dog Buddy is a Plott hound, and the blood coursing through his veins has been bred to hunt bears) that the orbs slowly ambled away.

We were a bit shaken from this experience, and needless to say, not much sleep was had by the humans that night. The next morning, I scouted around for any tracks but found nothing, not even deer. Our visitor remained a mystery.That day, a little groggy as a result of a sleepless night, we decided to hike along the Metolius River trail, and our spirits were uplifted by the beauty of the surrounding scenery. Ospreys chirruped overhead, and we flushed out a number of grazing deer as we passed. The trail itself is easy, meandering along the banks of the swiftly-flowing river, but maintaining the same elevation for the most part.

Azure waters of Metolius River at Wizard Falls

Near Wizard Falls, there’s a fish hatchery, but we found to be one of the most amazing features was a rock formation under the river. The water is forced up and apparently it is very deep, and the result is an amazingly rich sapphire color in the stream. It was almost dazzling. Here at Wizard Falls, you can cross the bridge and walk along the river on the opposite bank and enjoy the cool air coming off of the water. Wildflowers dotted the banks and as we followed the path, many flyfisherman and women were lined along the banks.

One person said I could take her photo but not reveal her secret spot along the river, and then proceeded to walk out on a downed tree extending into a large eddy. I sat down on the log’s edge on land, and quietly watched her concentration as she expertly maneuvered her line. After awhile, it was clear that the fish weren’t biting, so I moved to get out of her way, but she smiled, then popped down into the water until it came up to her arms. Thank heavens she had waders on- but the frigid waters must’ve still made her legs numb!

Camp Sherman Store

As we hiked along the trail, the serenity of the landscape, sense of place with such a beautiful and pure river flowing through it, and all the animals we saw reinforced my feeling that the Metolius is a special treasure. Even the only real retail outlet in the area is worthy of a stop to enjoy. The Camp Sherman Store, built over a 100 years ago, houses an authentic and historic-style market, but is complete with all of the modern-day necessities for today’s hikers, campers and fisherman. And on a hot day, it too becomes an oasis with a nice ice cream treat to cool a person down.

This area is truly a retreat to relax and enjoy some of the best things that Central Oregon has to offer.

For more information on visiting the Metolius River, check out our Central Oregon section.