Sandy post., March 19, 1981, Image 9

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SANDY. OREGON, THURSDAY, MARCH 19 1981
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People
Home & Garden
Features
Drifting the
Sandy River
One of the most popular local
pastimes is d riftin g the Sandy River
for steelhead.
I here s nothing quite like hooking in ­
to a bright, steelhead unless i t ’s cat­
ching a chinook, which can also lx»
found in the Sandy.
You’ve got to get up early to beat the
crowd and a 6 a m start is not unusual.
Dabney is as good a place as any to
launch a boat and the two-mile trip
down to Lewis and ( ’lark State Park is
a beautiful one.
The rive r is fa irly tame, especially
at this time of year, and there are
several notoriously good fishing holes.
Pishing has been a little on the slow
side for the past couple of weeks, ac­
cording to experts, because the fish
have been spooked by the hordes of
smelt dippers.
A good rain would also help, laun­
ching more steelhead up the river.
If you're lucky enough to be with a
thoughtful pilot, the middle of the rive r
is a great plac to stop and fry up a little
breakfast, especially if the fish aren’t
biting
But even if the fishing is slow, the
trip is so peaceful and scenic that i t ’s
well worth the time and effort.
But when the fish are biting, you’ll be
hooked in a minute.
I
Sandy, and try the faster
water. Sandy High leather
Handv Hutchinson «center»
tries a little angling from his
boat then takes a quick break
to t ook a little breakfast fbot
tom rig ht). Eggs or shrimp
(above) are the most popular
bait», but when they aren’t
biting, there isn’t much to do
but enjoy the ride as SI IIS
teacher John Smith will attest
fr ig h t).
photos by Mark Floyd