B2
SPORTS
East Oregonian
Saturday, August 7, 2021
Tempting Wallowa River redsides with fl ies Greats:
DENNIS
DAUBLE
THE NATURAL WORLD
“S
orry to leave
you, but I’ve got
happy feet,” I say
to a fellow writer after we
polished off a three-course
breakfast in the Wallowa
Lake Lodge dining room.
What I didn’t share was
early departure from the
summer conference would
allow me to toss a fl y on the
way home. After spend-
ing two nights in a pup tent
staked next to a gurgling
mountain stream, wild
rainbow trout called.
One hour of driv-
ing north on Highway 82
provides a close-up glimpse
of the Wallowa River and
roadside access to several
miles of water. I ease my
truck over to a gravel
shoulder where a slow
meander beckons and hike
through waist-high orchard
grass only to fi nd a sign:
“Private Property. Subject
to Arrest.”
Motoring on down the
road, I look for another
fi shable stretch of water. A
long deep run punctuated
by boulders and framed by
overhanging alder shows.
Unfortunately, fl ying bugs
and activity from feeding
trout are lacking. Which
begs the question: What fl y
pattern do you tie on when
all you have to go on is a
wrinkled page clipped from
a dated magazine article?
The river still runs high
and turbid from late-sea-
son snowmelt. It’s too deep
to wade across and too
wide to cast to the oppo-
site shore. A light breeze
stirs tufts of roadside grass.
The late July sun blazes
hot overhead. Worn paths
lead to casting places high
above the river where any
self-respecting trout can
Dennis Dauble/Contributed Photo
The stretch of the Wallowa River visible from Highway 82 is
popular with anglers and recreational rafters alike.
see you. Easing into the
river knee-deep, I work
upstream along the bank
and grasp reed canary grass
for balance. Behind me, the
busy highway hums with
RVs, SUVs, horse trailers,
semi-trucks, sedans and
minivans.
The Wallowa River is
catch-and-release for wild
trout with a two-fi sh limit
for hatchery fi sh, but gets
hammered all year long.
What makes me think I can
hook a hefty trout in the
middle of the day? I recall a
visit to the Deschutes River
during the famous salmon
fl y hatch. Not a single resi-
dent rose to the fl y until a
setting sun dropped below
painted hills. On my home
stream, the South Fork of
the Walla Walla River, trout
can be brought to a fl y from
morning until dusk.
A beadhead nymph
drifted under a royal wulff
fails to elicit a strike.
When overhanging alder
blocks progress I crawl up
the bank where a two-foot-
long bull snake sunning
on a boulder startles me.
Two trucks parked at the
next pull-off thwart inten-
tion. Next up is a one-lane
bridge that leads to prom-
ising water along the other
bank, but it’s posted “No
Trespassing.”
The next open stretch of
river requires sliding down
a steep bank covered with
invasive reed canary grass,
which I accomplish without
mishap. I’ll worry about
how to get back up later.
Unfortunately, four kayak-
ers row within 10 feet of my
rod tip to wreck any chance
of hooking a trout. I also
encounter another large
bull snake. This one drapes
over a willow branch at eye
level.
Two years ago, during
a fl oat trip on the Wild
and Scenic portion of the
Grande Ronde River, a
guide shared, “If you want
to catch trout on dries, then
you fi sh the Wallowa.”
Sadly, half a dozen dries
have so far failed to attract
a single trout.
My goal of catching a
deep-body Wallowa River
redside is revised to fool-
ing an 8-incher. I’m fast
running out of river miles
when I get to Big Canyon
Road, where another bridge
spans the river. If grass is
greener on the other side of
the fence, surely trout are
more abundant on the other
side of the river.
Find good water, cast
a fl y that’s worked for you
in the past, and hope for a
dumb trout, I tell myself. A
deep slot upstream of the
bridge suggests a two-part
hole. With the sun at my
back now, I stand between
sprawling willow branches
and cast to where water
crests over a large boulder.
Wham! A nice-sized trout
strikes my No. 10 Royal
Stimulator and shakes me
from my revelry. When
I lead the fi sh upstream
against the current, it pulls
free. No matter. The hook-
set validates my ability to
know where trout live.
After checking the hook
to make sure I haven’t
broken off the tip off on a
rock, I move three steps
downstream and hook a
carbon copy of the fi rst
trout. This one makes one
halfhearted leap and is
led to shore for release.
Walking back to the bridge
15 minutes later, I cast to
the fi rst deep slot again.
Wham! An identical-look-
ing trout strikes my fl y,
quickly tires, and rolls on
its side.
A hungry trout might
chase a well-placed fl y half
a dozen times before they
spook. They might even
take the same pattern if you
give them a rest.
Which reminds that
some anglers say cutthroat
trout are the easiest trout
to fool. After hooking and
landing the same “cutt”
from the Naches River
twice in 10 minutes, I was
inclined to agree. Never,
though, has a wild rain-
bow trout allowed itself to
be caught two times after
it felt the sting of a hook.
Chalk the experience up to
either a dumb fi sh or dumb
luck. Either way, my goal of
catching a Wallowa River
redside is met and any guilt
remaining from an early
exit to the writer’s confer-
ence vaporized.
———
Dennis Dauble is a retired
fi shery scientist, outdoor
writer, presenter and educa-
tor who lives in Richland,
Washington. For more
stories about outdoor adven-
ture, including fi sh and
fi shing in area waters, see
DennisDaubleBooks.com.
Continued from Page B1
also was selected to the 1980
Shrine Game.
Vorvick continued his
football career at Oregon
Institute of Technology. He
was a second-team all-con-
ference pick three times, and
a second-team all-division
player twice.
After college, Vorvick
played semi-pro football for
the Portland Thunderbolts,
checking in at defensive end
and on the off ensive line.
Nicole Osborne Stewart
(1988-91)
One of the top female
runners in Eastern Oregon
in her time, Osborne placed
third, sixth and ninth at the
state cross-country meet.
She once held or still holds
records in the 3,000 meters
and the 800 meters, and was
part of a dominant 4x400
relay team that set a school
record.
After high school, Osborn
attended Central Oregon
Community College, where
she continued to shine.
During cross-country, she
placed 25th as her team
fi nished second. The follow-
ing year, she was 15th as her
team won a national title.
She moved on to Montana
State, where she was part
of the 1995 Montana State
women’s cross-country team
that was inducted into the
MSU Hall of Fame in 2008.
Osborne returned to coach
at Pendleton in 1997. Her girls
cross-country teams placed
third at state in 2008 and
fourth in 2010. In 2009, she
was named the Oregon High
School Coach of the Year.
Shawn Flanagan (1999-
02)
Another dominating
tackle for the Buckaroos,
Flanagan was a two-time
all-conference player on
off ense and defense in 2000-
01, and was named to the
all-state team his senior year.
He was named to the 2002
Shrine Game, where he came
away with MVP honors.
Flanagan received a full
ride to the University of
Oregon, where he became a
part-time starter in 2004 after
his redshirt year. An injury
set him back, and when he
healed, he transferred to East-
ern Oregon University where
he earned fi rst-team all-con-
ference honors.
After one season at
EOU, he fi nished his play-
ing career at the University
of Sioux Falls, where he was
a two-time All-American
with the Cougars, who won
the 2008 National Associa-
tion of Intercollegiate Athlet-
ics national title with a 23-7
victory over Carroll College,
and fi nished the season with a
14-0 record.
The 6-5, 310-pound
Flanagan signed a free-agent
contract in 2009 with the New
Orleans Saints, but his career
was short-lived.
Bobby Lee Jones (1965-
68)
One of the top running
backs in Requa’s era, Jones
ran for 1,095 yards and scored
79 points his senior season.
He was named an all-confer-
ence player, and also was the
top linebacker in the confer-
ence.
Jones also was an
outstanding catcher for the
Bucks, and also played two
years of basketball.
Jones, who died in 2002, is
being honored posthumously.
Brent Merriman (1973-
75)
One of the premiere
basketball players to grace
the court at Pendleton High,
Merriman, a guard, scored
1,023 points during his career,
averaging 18.9 points as a
junior and 24.5 as a senior.
During his senior season,
he set a single-game scoring
record at the state tournament
with 44 points.
He was a two-time
all-conference player in the
Intermountain Conference,
and was third-team all-state
as a junior and earned second-
team honors as a senior.
He went on to play one
year at Blue Mountain
Community College.
Merriman also was a part
of the Bucks 1975 baseball
team that played Klamath
Falls for the state title. The
Pelicans beat the Bucks 6-0.
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EAST OREGONIAN • HERMISTON HERALD • BLUE MOUNTAIN EAGLE • WALLOWA COUNTY CHIEFTAIN
110 Announcements
201 Antique/
Oregon Department of Educa-
tion is hiring a Licensing Spe-
cialist (Bilingual in Spanish,
Compliance Specialist 2)!
Description:
We are seeking a Licensing
Specialist (Bilingual in Spanish,
Compliance Specialist 2) for our
La Grande Office within the Of-
fice of Child Care, Early Learn-
ing Division!
This is a permanent, full-time
position and is represented by
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al Union (SEIU).
Excellent medical, vision, and
dental benefits package for the
employee and qualified family
members with a very low month-
ly out-of-pocket cost. Please
go to workday website (https://
oregon.wd5.myworkdayjobs.
com/en-US/SOR_External_Ca-
reer_Site) and filter for Oregon
Department of Education on the
left side to learn more about the
position and apply for the posi-
tion. Please keep a professional
resume and a cover letter ready
before you start your application
process.
1950 Chevrolet 3100
3-window pickup. Fully built
383 V8 stroker with
aluminum heads and lots of
extras! Built Turbo-400
automatic, Heidts IFS with
upper and lower tubular
control arms, dropped
spindles with rack and pinion
power steering, power disc
brakes, 12-bolt Posi-Traction
rear end. Painless wiring,
American Racing 50th
Anniversary polished wheels.
Nice newer dark gray and
silver two-tone paint! Very
super strong
running hot rod truck, clean
title! $20,000
Call 503-338-0437 before 5
pm please.
219 ATVs/Motorcycles
Please contact ode.jobs@state.
or.us if you have any questions
about the application process.
Adorable
Abodes
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condos and adorable
abodes in our
classified section.
Call for your classified ad today! 800-962-2819
1992 25’ Class A Holiday
Rambler. Runs and drives very
nice. All amenities. 4000 watt
generator. Ford Chassis, 460
cu in with EFI. $9500. Located
in Haines. Call 541-403-0773
BUY IT!
SELL IT!
FIND IT!
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354 Auction Sales
AUCTION!
Sunday, August 8, 2021
80824 Kik Lane, Hermiston
Due to the heat,
Auction will start at 6:30pm.
The preview begins
at 5:30pm.
Some of the items for the
auction are: ‘67 Ford two ton
Tilt grain bed with 429 engine
in great condition; furniture;
vehicles; class 2 ships bridge
phone; early battleship US
Navy; Murphy fighting knife
- USMC from estate of Black-
ie Russel Ellensberg; offset
brushhog; welding tanks; vin-
tage glassware; knick knacks;
lots of sockets & wrenches;
and much much more.
If you would like subscribe to
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2516.
Ford Bonney: 541-561-5798
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360 Garage Sales
GARAGE SALE: August 6 &
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YARD SALE: Fri-Sun 8/6-8/8,
8am-5pm; 320 Heather Drive,
Stanfield. SOMETHING FOR
EVERYONE!
Large Yard Sale Lots of house-
hold, books, tools and building
supplies. 66905 MARKET LN
Cove. Friday & Saturday August
6 & 7 9 AM -3 PM
FOR QUICK CASH
Use a classified ad to sell items around
your home you can no longer use.
360 Garage Sales
504 Homes for Sale
504 Homes for Sale
Estate Sale: Sat. 8/7, 8am-4pm,
1 NE Nelson Drive, Pendleton
(Mt. Hebron area). Bed sets,
dressers, freezer, washer &
dryer, vintage kitchen, clothes,
dining room table sets, other
furniture, tools, jewelry (some
gold), mid-century everything,
antiques and collectibles.
Outside sale: SAT. AUG. 7th,
8am-3pm. Two booster seats,
nice school clothes (b&g) size
6 to small, two kid tables and
chair, books (Dr. Suess, Disney,
craft, health and more), home
and HOLIDAY decor, old buttons
and more. Free items. 4542
SW Perkins (by McKay school)
Pendleton.
There are limited homes
available in our market and
I have buyers!
Call Kerry at 541-377-6855 to
sell your home with
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REALTY & TRAVEL
$210,000
Updated 3bedroom, 2bath man-
ufactured home. 1188sf(m/l) w/
view. New A/C unit. Perfect of
any type of buyer, don’t miss
this listing!
James 541-969-
5156c. #21381959
Coldwell Banker
Farley Company
541-276-0021
Low Interest Rates
Connections with Financing...
Choices with homes to suit
you... Please call or Text 541-
377-6855 or Email Kerry at kjc-
baird@gmail.com
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4 FAMILY YARD SALE/
ESTATE SALE
AUGUST 7, 7AM-?
45188 MISSION HWY. (JUST
2 MILES OUT OF TOWN ON
MISSION HWY).
Furniture, DVDS, books, quilting
books, fabric, western hunting
supplies, housewares, linens,
toys, tools, yard tools, some
clothing, sliding glass door in
frame, gardening supplies,
artwork, decorative mirrors,
blankets and so much more
including vintage items.
DON’T BUY ANYTHING
before checking the classifieds
$209,000
GREAT OPPORTUNITY! New
roof, new exterior paint, nice
floorplan. North Hill location.
Covered back porch, fenced
yard. Cash or conventional
financing only. Jef 541-969-
9539c. #21520096
Coldwell Banker
Farley Company
541-276-0021
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