Image provided by: Clackamas Community College; Oregon City, OR
About The print. (Oregon City, Oregon) 1977-1989 | View Entire Issue (March 3, 1982)
They re not crazy, they’re Steel It’s about nine in the mor ning, a gray foggy January day. The temperature is around 40 degrees with a damp, chill breeze that makes it closer to 30. It snowed two days ago and a little of it still re mains. The river is clear, swift and remarkably low for the time of year. It’s nine in the morning and I’m standing by a small fire on a snowy bank of the Willamette River trying to stay warm and wake up and they’ve already been here for three hours. They are the steelheaders, an extremely dedicated and robust group of fisherman fervently caught up in the challenge of catching one of the most elusive and sought after big game fish; the winter steelhead. Many people regard fishing as a summertime pas sion, a good way to spend a crisp clear morning or a warm lazy evening. Not many people would ever want to wake up at four in the morning on a dark, cold, wet winter day, ready to be on the river bank at 5 a.m., setting up poles, line riggins, and baits by flashlight or lantern, ready to cast out at the first light of dawn around 5:30 a.m. or six. Not many people would be willing or able to wait pa “Fishing’s about medium to slow now. Caught a couple last summer, figured I’d come on down and give it a try. I spent my whole Christmas vacation down here and I caught fish on the first day and the last day. That was spending all day, morning to night. Two fish in 11 days.’’-Frank Miller tiently throughout an entire day—whatever the weather watching poles, listening for the strike bell on a pole, un snagging lines, re-rigging lines and baits, waiting for the chance of catching one fish, or if they were to be very lucky, to make the daily limit of two fish. It is no wonder that few people could ever subject themselves to the rigors and expense of steelhead fishing several days a week for about four months. Those who do seem to find it a most wor thwhile and rewarding ex perience; but not without its price. The difficulty or the challenge of catching a steelhead is legendary among fisherman. There are many rumors about the intelligence of steelhead and their uncanny ability to throw hooks or take bait without the fisherman feel ing it. John Romack relates, “The way they’re so elusive at times, you’d swear they know what’s going on. That’s why fisherman are so nit-picky about walking near ihe river bank where they’re fishing. They figure the fish are wat ching/’ Steelhead are especially well-known as ferocious fighters, with a knack for J fishermen guided tours up] down the river when hooll “You hook a steelhea] light tackle and he’ll taken for one helluva ride,” quiJ Joe Endicott. “I don’t 11 any fish that fights hard! longer, it’s a real struggle, ft you can’t let up on them, if! give him an inch he’ll tai mile...real fast.” However, it is not jusl physical fortitude of steelfl that make them such a diffj catch. There is also the |i blem of the natural elemi namely winter in Oregon, f steelhead fisherman and ■ mailman have a lot in cl CAUTlO^-- DCO»CS b AIM ch 0R C äo J? d REDGE n G as PIPELINE yin- _____ gt-eBH0>* 503-226-¿l|°- page 4 31 0.51 (foMe-K T/wad 19 16.19 -0.05 0.73
