B2
SPORTS
East Oregonian
Seven steps to fly-fishing freedom
GARY
LEWIS
ON THE TRAIL
troll into any fly shop
in Eastern Oregon and
chances are the person
that walks in behind you
has never fly-fished before.
They’re looking to get into
the sport and don’t know how
to start.
Here’s what happens.
Somebody has invited them
on a trip. Perhaps it’s a
“bucket list” thing — they
need to check it off as some-
thing they’ve done. Maybe
they just moved here from
California and have always
wanted to fly-fish. Maybe
they saw a movie with the
young Brad Pitt casting a
fly on a rollicking cutthroat
stream.
For whatever reason, they
are here and ready to fly-fish.
They’re a bit scared, afraid
what other people might
think when they see them
hang a fly in a tree.
Here’s the thing. We all
start at zero, ground level.
No one is born knowing how
to tie a knot or execute a roll
cast or dead-drift a dry. We
have to learn it. Sometimes
at an early age. Sometimes
later. Fly-fishermen, despite
our self-righteous tenden-
cies, are welcoming. We
like to see people learn to
cast, select a fly and take it
to water.
Yet the first-timer’s fear,
it lingers.
Picture the president of
a successful company. He
does everything well, he
is admired, successful and
now he wants to fly-fish.
He knows he has no skills,
he knows he has to start at
ground level and work his
way into a sport in which he
is a latecomer. Some people
never get past this point. It is
time to face the fear, pick up
a rod and learn a new way of
life. That’s what it is.
Let’s say you are fishing
next week. This might be the
first time, it might be the first
time in a long time. If you
want to hide the fact you are
a rank amateur, here is how
to get ready for the first trip.
S
Bull riding:
Continued from Page B1
around cattle and I’m fairly
athletic, so I decided to
combine the two,” he said.
Peterson has been bull-
fighting professionally for
five years, which has taken
him to rodeos all over the
Pacific Northwest. He said
he is grateful for the oppor-
tunity to live out his dream
and make a living from it.
“When he first started,
I had a hard time with it
because it was hard for me
to watch,” Peterson’s mother,
Connie Buchanan, said.
“And as he became better
and better and more skilled
and more respectful of the
bulls and became a profes-
sional, then it was easier.”
Gary Lewis/Contributed Photo
Mikayla Lewis trolling a fly for trout. A low rod position allows the angler to both feel the fish
strike and respond with plenty of arc to set the hook.
combo outfits on the shelves
at sporting goods stores.
Put it together, watch some
YouTube videos and practice
simple casts in the backyard.
Hang out in a fly shop
Gary Lewis/Contributed Photo
This Eastern Oregon rainbow
fell for a CJ Rufus, a streamer
with a marabou underwing
and lots of flash.
Take a casting lesson
You’re going to have to
admit to someone that you
don’t know how to cast. Go
into a fly shop. Schedule
a lesson. Learn the simple
pick-up and lay-down, the
basic overhead and the roll
cast. It can all be taught and
absorbed in an hour.
Learn a knot
Go online and learn to tie
the improved clinch knot.
That’s the only one you really
need to know right now. Later
on you will want to learn the
blood knot and the surgeon’s
knot, but that can wait.
Get a fly rod
Don’t borrow some-
one else’s gear. Get your
own. It doesn’t have to cost
a lot of money. There are
The reality of bullfighting
is there’s a limit on how long
people can do it before their
bodies can no longer handle
it. According to Buchanan,
Peterson particularly real-
ized this after COVID-19
forced rodeo cancellations
last year.
“The thing about it,
though, is you get a year
older each time,” Buchanan
said. “And so, he has to be
more agile and quick.”
Donnie Landis, a rodeo
clown from Idaho, isn’t so
worried about age. He’s been
a professional rodeo clown
since 1978 — with no plan
to slow down anytime soon.
“The crowd here is super
hospitable, and I hope to
come here until I’m 100
years old,” he said.
Bet ween r iders and
Wander around, buy a fly
box and a few trout flies, look
at the recommendations of
where to fish that are usually
posted on the wall. Listen to
other anglers. You need to
pick up a few buzz words to
know what they’re talking
about. Lines, line weights,
rod actions, leaders, tippets,
wet flies, dry flies, nymphs.
There is a lot to learn, but it is
easy to pick up.
another fly in it. You need a
hat anyway, to shade the eyes
while you watch for fish. If
you have flies in your hat it
implies you have fished before
and rejected those patterns for
something better.
Get a fishing license
Stick a fly in it. Stick
And not just a day license.
Don’t wait for Free Fishing
Weekend. Get a license for
the whole year. You’re either
a fisherman or you’re not.
Last summer my young-
est daughter bought her fish-
ing license and we packed the
canoe in the back of the Ford.
At the lake, I made her leave
her spinning rod in the truck.
“It’s time to continue your
fly-fishing education,” I said.
She frowned when I
handed her a 3-weight fly
rod. But she remembered
what she knew about fly-fish-
ing and caught and released
nine trout.
“You have a fly rod of your
own,” I reminded her as we
put the boat back on the truck.
“Yes, I should use it more.”
That’s what I was thinking.
———
Gary Lewis is the author
of “Bob Nosler Born Ballis-
tic,” “Fishing Central
Oregon” and other titles.
To contact Gary, visit www.
garylewisoutdoors.com.
stages of competition,
Landis ensured the audience
always was entertained. A
bull owner himself, Landis
first started bullfighting and
performing when he was 12.
Now 61, he said he still looks
forward to EOLS every year.
“The Eastern Oregon
Livestock Show and rodeo is
one of the best rodeos in the
Northwest, and it’s a plea-
sure being part of it,” he said.
“The country, the terrain
around here is awesome, and
it’s super fun being around
the crowd here.”
Landis said many audi-
ence members don’t under-
st a nd t he con nect ion
between the livestock and
the bullfighters and riders.
“There’s a lot that goes
into this livestock that some
people don’t understand,”
he said. “People care about
these livestock like some
people care about their kids.”
Landis said it’s that
respect that makes rodeos
so important to keeping the
culture of rural areas alive.
As a fourth-generation rodeo
cowboy, he said he has a
responsibility to continue
the tradition.
He’s not the only one with
this mindset.
For West, who grew up in
Union, the yearly livestock
show serves as a reminder to
uphold the legacy of rodeo
life ingrained in him.
“I grew up with this
rodeo, and I remember
being 8 years old looking up
at these guys,” he said. “So
every rodeo I go to, I try to
create a good image for the
younger generation.”
Read a comic book
This is important. “Curtis
Creek Manifesto” was writ-
ten in a style that appeals to
the 11-year-old in all of us.
Pick it up and read it cover
to cover. Other options: “The
Secrets of St. Anthony’s
Creek” by Michael Rahtz or
“Get Started Fly-fishing” by
Craig Schuhmann. All are
available from Frank Amato
Publications and can be found
in any fly shop. Either book
will help to lay a foundation
for a fly-fishing future.
Buy a funny hat
SPORTS BRIEFING
Cary family awards softball scholarships
PENDLETON — Steve Cary Memorial Scholarships
in the amount of $500 were recently awarded to Pendleton
High School senior softball players Maria Lilienthal, Kylie
Parsons and Delaney Duchek.
Cary’s family has award the scholarships since 2013 in
memory of the longtime Pendleton resident, who taught United
States history at the middle school for 34 years and coached
football, basketball and softball for 40 years in the Pendleton
School District.
— EO Media Group
Saturday, June 12, 2021
Club:
basketball, academics
and community service
Continued from Page B1
throughout his four high
school years. Each athlete
punter and honorable will receive a $250 schol-
mention kicker.
arship.
In addition to his rushing
Swanson also was one
yards, he had 821 receiving of the recipients of the Walt
yards with six touchdowns, Johnson Award, recogniz-
threw for four touchdowns ing him for being a three-
and had two more
sport athlete all
on returns. Defen-
four years of high
sively, he had 59
school.
Swanson,
solo tackles, 37
assists, three inter-
rega rded a s a
ceptions and four
two-star recruit by
quarterback sacks.
24/7 Sports, has
Burns also is a
signed a letter of
standout basketball
Burns
intent to play foot-
player, helping the
ball at Western
Golden Eagles to a
Oregon University.
state title in 2019,
He plans to major
and a third-place
in either criminal
finish in 2020.
justice or education.
In the classroom,
Sam Coleman
Burns has carried a
A football player
4.0 GPA his junior
and honor student,
and senior years.
Coleman
Coleman leaves
He received an
Pendleton with fond
memories.
academic schol-
arship to East-
He was part of
ern Washington
the state semifi-
nal team as a soph-
University, where
omore and had
he plans to attend
in the fall.
success as a senior
during a season
Blake Swanson
A third-gener-
Swanson
affected by COVID-
ation Buckaroo,
19. The Bucks
Swanson excelled in foot- finished with a 4-2 record in
ball, basketball and base- a shortened season that did
ball.
not include state playoffs.
He star ted playing
Coleman was an Inter-
football in the third grade mountain Conference
through the Pendleton selection at linebacker his
Youth Football program, senior year.
and his “Black” team won
Academically, Coleman
the Requa Bowl.
graduated with a 3.9 GPA,
His first experience with and has been a member of
the Pendleton High team the National Honor Soci-
came as a ball boy — a job ety the past two years.
During graduation, he was
he did for four years.
While playing with the able to wear honor cords
Bucks, Swanson lined up at for performing more than
receiver, tight end, fullback, 20 hours of community
defensive end and punter. service as a member of the
His senior year, he was NHS.
named to the Intermountain
“I am extremely grate-
Conference second team as ful for the Linebackers Club
a defensive lineman.
and all they do for the Pend-
O n t h e b a s e b a l l leton football program,”
diamond, Swanson was Coleman wrote in his biog-
named to the IMC second raphy for the Lineback-
team as an outfielder and ers’ award ceremony. “I’m
received the team’s Golden grateful for their willing-
ness to help me further
Glove for his position.
The Bucks are in the my education with this
midst of their basket- scholarship and help me
ball season, where Swan- accomplish my future aspi-
son plays center and is the rations.”
team’s leading rebounder.
Coleman, who also
Swanson and Nic Sheley par ticipated i n t rack
were awarded the Damon and field, plans to attend
Flagg Award, which is Brigham Young Univer-
presented to a senior who sity to study business
has dedicated himself to management.
Softball:
Continued from Page B1
runs. She drove in 21 runs
and scored a team-high 28
runs. In the field, she had
zero errors.
“Maria had a great
season on offense and
defense,” Cary said. “That
is a tough place to play
with no errors.”
Taber, who patrolled
right field, hit .500 with
33 hits, which included 28
singles, five doubles and 17
RBUs. She also scored 25
runs and had just one error
in 17 games.
“Chloe was very consis-
tent offensively,” Cary
said. “It seems like she was
on base all the time. She is
fast, so we were able to get
her around to score. She
played golf last year, so it
was nice to have her back
on the field.”
Garton was a dual threat
of the Bucks. In the circle,
she threw 44 innings over
12 games and finished with
a 6-0 record. She struck
out 95, walked 18 and had
an ERA of 1.114.
At the plate, Garton
hit .476, with five singles,
five doubles, six triples
and four home runs. She
also drove in 18 runs and
scored 26 times.
Samford hit .366 with a
team-high five home runs
and a team-high 22 RBIs.
The Bucks won the
IMC regular-season title
with a 9-0 record, but
dropped an 8-4 game to
Ridgeview in the district
title game. They finished
the season 15-2.
ON THE SLATE
Schedule subject to change
Arena, 6 p.m.
SATURDAY, JUNE 12
MONDAY, JUNE 14
Prep boys basketball
Crosshill Christian at Nixy-
aawii, 12:30 p.m.
Pilot Rock at Grant Union,
3 p.m.
Umatilla at McLoughlin, 6 p.m.
Prep girls basketball
Umatilla at McLoughlin,
4:30 p.m.
Pilot Rock at Grant Union,
1:30 p.m.
Prep wrestling
Heppner at Pine Eagle, 11 a.m.
Hood River, The Dalles at
Pendleton, at Happy Canyon
Prep boys basketball
Umatilla at Weston-McEwen,
7:30 p.m.
Heppner at Pilot Rock,
7:30 p.m.
Echo at Stanfield, 7:30 p.m.
Dufur at Ione/Arlington,
7:30 p.m.
Nixyaawii at La Grande,
7:30 p.m.
Prep girls basketball
Umatilla at Weston-McEwen,
6 p.m.
Heppner at Pilot Rock, 6 p.m.
Echo at Stanfield, 6 p.m.
Dufur at Ione/Arlington, 6 p.m.
Nixyaawii at La Grande, 6 p.m.
Prep wrestling
Pendleton at McLoughlin,
6 p.m.
Riverside at Irrigon, 6 p.m.
BMC playoffs: Heppner vs.
Union, at Riverside, 5 p.m.
Prep bowling
Pasco at Hermiston, 3:30 p.m.
TUESDAY, JUNE 15
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 16
Prep boys basketball
Hermiston at Chiawana, 7 p.m.
Pendleton at The Dalles,
6:30 p.m.
Riverside at Irrigon, 7:30 p.m.
Grant Union at Stanfield,
6 p.m.
Prep girls basketball
Chiawana at Hermiston, 7 p.m.
The Dalles at Pendleton,
6:30 p.m.
Prep boys basketball
Walla Walla at Hermiston,
7p.m.
McLoughlin at Nixyaawii,
7:30 p.m.
Riverside at Pilot Rock,
7:30 p.m.
Prep girls basketball
Hermiston at Walla Walla,
7 p.m.
Riverside at Pilot Rock, 6 p.m.
McLoughlin at Nixyaawii, 6 p.m.
Prep wrestling
Hermiston at MCC Champion-
ships, TBD
THURSDAY, JUNE 17
Get help with COVID affected unpaid rent
Obtenga ayuda con el alquiler para renta atrasada
si a sido afectado por COVID
Prep boys basketball
Redmond at Pendleton,
6:30 p.m.
Grant Union at Irrigon,
7:30 p.m.
Prep girls basketball
Pendleton at Redmond,
6:30 p.m.
Grant Union at Irrigon, 6 p.m.
Prep wrestling
Heppner at district tourna-
ment, Culver, TBD
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