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NEW COLUMN Gun Doggin’ 101 BONUS Dishonor Roll 3 Pages Of Poachers!

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Sportsman Northwest

Your LOCAL Hunting & Fishing Resource

Volume 11 • Issue 4

Your Complete Hunting, Boating, Fi Fishing hi and dR Repair i D Destination i i Si Since 1948 1948.

PUBLISHER James R. Baker ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER Dick Openshaw EDITOR Andy Walgamott LEAD CONTRIBUT0R Andy Schneider THIS ISSUE’S CONTRIBUTORS Jason Brooks, Dennis Dauble, Scott Haugen, Doug Huddle, Sara Ichtertz, MD Johnson, Buzz Ramsey, Mark Veary, Randy Wells, Terry Wiest, Dave Workman EDITORIAL FIELD SUPPORT Jason Brooks GENERAL MANAGER John Rusnak SALES MANAGER Katie Higgins

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ARIMA 21 SEA RANGER HARD TOP

ON THE COVER Western Washington guide Mike Ainsworth shows off a beautiful wild winter steelhead. (FIRSTLIGHTGUIDESERVICE.COM)

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Northwest Sportsman 9

CONTENTS

77

VOLUME 11 • ISSUE 4

FEATURES 51

KNOW BEFORE YOU GO TO THE SHOWS Dedicated sportsmen’s and boat show-goer Jason Brooks shares how to make the most of your time at this winter’s shows around Washington, Oregon, Idaho, western Montana and southwest British Columbia!

89

STEELHEADING DILEMMAS Bank or boat? Local or coastal? Post or PM your success? Portland-based steelheader Andy Schneider has spent a lifetime figuring out the answers to these questions and others, and shares his wisdom

THE DROP

113 COLUMBIA BASIN’S NOT SO LOWLY WHITEFISH Abundant on interior waters of the Northwest, lake and mountain whitefish provide sport and excellent food for those who know their secrets. One who does is Tri-Cities’ Dennis Dauble, and he discloses his findings on winter’s big overlooked fishery.

(SARA ICHTERTZ)

Every Northwest steelheader dreams of that moment on the other side of storms as their river falls into shape – Sara Ichtertz maybe more than most! Our 2016 Real Women of Northwest Fishing cover girl shares her anticipation and adventure on an Oregon South Coast stream.

145 KILLER JANUARY DUCK TACTICS Yeah, half-assed decoy spreads and calling worked well on early-season ducks, but if you expect to score greenheads this time of year, you’d better step up your game. Coach Quacker, aka MD Johnson, shares seven sure-fire ways to keep your barrel smokin’ hot as January arrives on cold Northwest marshes.

SUBSCRIBE TODAY! Go to nwsportsmanmag.com for details.

NORTHWEST SPORTSMAN is published monthly by Media Index Publishing Group, 14240 Interurban Avenue South, Suite 190, Tukwila, WA 98168. Periodical Postage Paid at Seattle, WA and at additional mail offices. (USPS 025-251) POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Northwest Sportsman, 14240 Interurban Ave South, Suite 190, Tukwila, WA 98168. Annual subscriptions are $29.95 (12 issues), 2-year subscription are $39.95 (24 issues). Send check or money order to Media Index Publishing Group, or call (206) 382-9220 with VISA or M/C. Back issues may be ordered at Media Index Publishing Group offices at the cost of $5 plus shipping. Display Advertising. Call Media Index Publishing Group for a current rate card. Discounts for frequency advertising. All submitted materials become the property of Media Index Publishing Group and will not be returned. Copyright © 2015 Media Index Publishing Group. All Rights Reserved. No part of this publication may be copied by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying or recording by any information storage or retrieval system, without the express written permission of the publisher. Printed in U.S.A.

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Northwest Sportsman 11

COLUMNS

157

(SCOTT HAUGEN)

NEW COLUMN! GUN DOGGIN’ 101 Many of you know the Springfield area’s Scott Haugen for his fishing articles and big game hunting show, but he’s also a wingshooter.

Join along this issue as Scott begins his new column on basic gun dog training for everyday hunters!

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SOUTH COAST Randy’s home waters are the Chetco, but he won’t hesitate to float the South Fork Coquille, home to fine hatchery steelhead returns and kind enough to reward those who launch late.

BUZZ RAMSEY Take it from a guy who’s found a few over the years – Buzz shares his secrets for getting in front of more winter steelhead.

101 SOUTH SOUND You know all about January’s top Southwest Washington rivers, so Jason highlights a few sleepers to slip off to.

107 WESTSIDER With smolt releases shuffled on several Western Washington streams, Terry’s in a gambling

mood. Find out what rivers he’s placing bets on this year.

127 THE KAYAK GUYS Did you make the most of your 2016 Northwest kayak fishing season? If not, don’t worry, you’re not alone, says Mark – who also has advice on how to make 2017 the best it can be.

135 NORTH SOUND Good news for Bellingham clam diggers – Doug details a big tideflat now open for year-round gathering, as well as spotlights last-gasp waterfowl tactics.

163 ON TARGET Dave previews notable unveilings at this month’s SHOT Show for Northwest shooters, and considers the election’s ramifications.

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CHEF IN THE WILD We shooed Chef Randy out of the kitchen for an issue and brought in Guest Chef Dennis – well, actually, Dennis’s wife Nancy – for a lesson on how to make caviar out of steelhead and whitefish roe.

(DENNIS DAUBLE)

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22 THE BIG PIC: STLHDR, MEET YOUR NEW PL8

(DEREKDEYOUNG.COM)

Even fans of fin-clipped steelhead could benefit from buying the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife’s newest fundraising plate, the most unique fish-themed conservation license available in the US.

DEPARTMENTS 19

THE EDITOR’S NOTE Land buy bill short-sighted, dangerous

21

CORRESPONDENCE Reader reactions to recent news

29

READER PHOTOS FROM THE FIELD Chinook, trout, baby sturg and more!

37

PHOTO CONTEST WINNERS Browning, Fishing monthly prizes

39

THE DISHONOR ROLL Spate of elk poachings; Cowlitz guide pleads guilty to killing wild coho; Pendleton man sentenced for poaching buck; Jackass of the Month

45

DERBY WATCH San Juans blackmouth, Lake Pend Oreille trout, Snake-Clearwater steelhead derby results; Westport grand prize winners; Upcoming events

59

OUTDOOR CALENDAR Upcoming openers, closures; Complete 2017 Northwest sportsmen’s and boat show calendar

59

BIG FISH Record game fish caught in 2016

125 RIG OF THE MONTH Whitefish drift-fishing set-up

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THEEDITOR’SNOTE

If a bill introduced in Olympia comes to pass, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife would have to consider selling parts of its new 4-O Wildlife Area and/or other lands if it acquired more property in Asotin County. (ANDY WALGAMOTT)

B

ack in junior high, a time when it seemed like it snowed a lot more around these parts, I came up with a dirty trick for lunchtime snowball wars. I’d pack two snowballs and then loft the first one way up into the sky towards whomever I was fighting to divert their attention. As they watched the de facto Hail Mary pass that I had no intention of completing, I’d wing the second snowball at them as hard and fast as I could.

That gambit is like what several Eastern Washington lawmakers tried last month. They trotted out the seemingly annual Let’smake-the-509-its-own-state bill, which predictably got all the news coverage – and meanwhile, they aimed a dangerous piece of land legislation right at Northwest sportsmen.

HOUSE BILL 1008, prefiled by Reps. Matt Shea, David Taylor, Shelly Short and Bob McCaslin, would require state natural resource agencies to sell off an equal amount of their own property in the same county they were acquiring new ground in.

The way it would work is that if, say, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife was going to purchase 10,000 acres in Asotin County, it would have to “identify for sale department-owned land in that same county of equal to or greater acreage than the property to be acquired.”

In this theoretical example, the pool of ground for potential sell-off would include 10,000 acres of the new 4-0 Wildlife Area, or the units of the Asotin Creek or Chief Joseph Wildlife Areas.

It creates an impossible choice, and is really meant to hogtie WDFW and the state’s longterm goals of buying land from willing sellers for fish and wildlife habitat and public recreation.

Now, I’m not going to stand here without acknowledging that the four Republicans’ bill follows on general, growing angst over state land buys in Eastern Washington and the Legislature’s failure to fully fund payment in lieu of taxes on WDFW property in recent years. I’ll also point out that the agency’s lands wishlist is notably smaller and more oriented to the Westside than I ever recall before.

But the bill also reeks of the movement across the West to transfer government ground. Shea was a supporter of those who occupied the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge.

I’m an even worse political predictor than I am a fish forecaster, so I can’t say how far this bill might go this session. But I’ll be watching it and everything else that threatens the wildlife and wildlands we love and depend on. Conservation is a continuing investment, not a zero-sum game.–Andy Walgamott nwsportsmanmag.com | JANUARY 2017

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CORRESPONDENCE COLUMBIA’S NEWEST FISH RUN: SHARK? Northwest sportsmen can be kind of tetchy about predators, but a late November story had them hoping more of a certain kind of toothsome critter comes to town. Crabber Josh Robb’s oncein-all-of-our-lifetimes videotape of what most likely was a great white shark attacking a harbor seal inside the mouth of the Columbia at Hammond had readers cheering. “Good! Finally, some natural control of the rampant sea lion problem!” said Erik Holm, while Rory O’Connor was like, “More sharks! More sharks!” Jim Enyeart made a mental note to “buy a bigger boat,” but Brad Melville, “Alfredo Cheeseboro” and Boone Popham weren’t quite as stoked, suggesting they might need to give the banks of the Lower Columbia a little wider offing from now on.

POACHING WOES It’s hard to say whether there was more poaching this past fall, or just more unsolved cases that game wardens needed help with, but several incidents infuriated readers. “Why would someone do that?” Larry Moller wondered of the Ellensburg elk massacre (see Dishonor Roll). “Absolute bullsh*t, I can’t find an elk to save my life yet we have these jackoffs … shooting elk all over the place just for something to do,” said Vernon King of a pair of bulls shot at night near Elgin, Ore. Rick Johnson was not condoning the former incident, but he wondered, “This is a very sad thing that has happened here, but when you issue 510 antlerless permits and put it at the end of general elk season, problems like this are not surprising.” Stephen Rapier objected, saying, “Just looking at the pictures you can see this is thrill killing by some(one) … He will talk and brag to someone and that someone will collect a wellearned reward.” That’s something we can all agree on.

FORECAST FATIGUE Readers were dubious of the early Columbia River Chinook forecasts that came out last month (spring, summer and fall runs are expected to be down compared to recent years). Patrick Landolt felt, “If I wanted to draw a random number out of a hat, I could predict better than these guys. It’s way off every time!” Ernie Weed offered, “Brought to you by the same window lickers that had their knickers in a knot predicting gloom and doom on coho this year.”

The good news is that there should be plenty of fish to catch.

MOST LIKED READER PIC WE HUNG UP ON OUR FACEBOOK PAGE DURING THIS ISSUE’S PRODUCTION CYCLE Kamryne Bruno catches big fish – and gets big likes! Here she shows off her 7-pound, 25-inch broodstock rainbow caught at Ellensburg’s Mattoon Lake.

Kamryne was using her “secret” Wedding Ring, baited with a worm.

(FISHING PHOTO CONTEST)

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Even fans of fin-clipped steelhead could benefit from buying Washington’s newest fundraising plate.

By Andy Walgamott ashington will have the most unique fish license plate in the country when the new steelhead one becomes available this month.

The close-up of a rosy-cheeked beaut contrasts with full-body illustrations of largemouth and smallmouth bass, trout, crappie and even a leaping sailfish, which adorn specialty plates from 22 Northwest Sportsman

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Texas and Kentucky, Colorado, Tennessee and Utah, Arkansas and Florida, respectively.

“We did not have any specific criteria. We wanted something unique. Our goal was to have the ‘best’ fish plate in the country,” said Kelly Cunningham, deputy assistant director of the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife’s Fish Program.

Asked if he believed that goal had been achieved, Cunningham responded, “I do, for what that’s worth. Nothing against sailfish or Florida, mind you.”

MIXED BAG

PICTURE

Michigan-Montana artist Derek DeYoung shows off the first Washington Steelhead plate, created by the state Department of Fish and Wildlife from one of his drawings. (DEREKDEYOUNG.COM) catch, so it is with DeYoung and his art.

“One of the coolest things about my job is that for me to paint a fish is almost as if I spent the day fishing for it. I decided I wanted to paint a steelhead, and since fishing for them on the Olympic Peninsula was always a bucket list fishing trip for me, I started researching steelhead from there,” he said.

“After an hour or so I had a strong urge to pack my gear and jump on the next Seattle-bound jet, but instead I began mixing color, and planned out the composition for my steelhead painting,” DeYoung said.

A client of Western Washington guide Mike Ainsworth admires a beautiful wild winter steelhead from an Olympic Peninsula stream.

Revenue from a new Evergreen State vehicle license plate will fund stock assessments, fishery evaluations and studying the interactions of hatchery and native steelies. (FIRSTLIGHTGUIDESERVICE.COM)

THE STUNNING ARTWORK that became the Evergreen State’s newest license plate began to take form one morning last winter in the mind of an avid Michigan-born angler and artist by the name of Derek DeYoung.

“The inspiration for that steelhead painting started not standing waist-deep out on the river, but in my cozy little studio in Livingston, Montana, on a windy, frigid February morning. I made my decision to head down to the easel and work on a painting from my ‘Fish Face’ series,” he said via email.

The abstract pieces focus on just the eye and portions of the jaws, gill plate and pectoral fin of mostly trout but also a few other species, and the beautiful coloration, spotting and striations on their heads.

Just as steelheading success is as much the pursuit as it is the

WELL WEST OF that warm studio, WDFW was working with lawmakers in rainy Olympia to approve its bid for a new plate that would fund efforts to better understand wild steelhead and their interactions with hatchery fish.

More than 3,500 people – the minimum needed to show there was enough economic support for the idea and cover start-up costs – had signed up for one, but according to Cunningham, it still “wasn’t a slam dunk in the legislature.”

He recalls joining Sen. Mike Hewitt, the Tri-Cities-area Republican who cosponsored the plate bill, in the office of another powerful lawmaker to try and get SB 6200 heard before time ran out on it.

That meeting apparently did the trick, and the bill that was overwhelmingly passed by both chambers was signed into law by Governor Inslee in late March.

Cunningham notes that with WDFW’s budget issues, specialty plates are “a way we thought we could help ourselves.”

He said it’s completely voluntary whether you buy one or not, and in this case the money will go to steelhead research by agency biologists.

“We’re on the hook for upfront costs, but after the first year, all nwsportsmanmag.com | JANUARY 2017

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MIXED BAG releases, you stand to possibly gain if you’re a fan of fin-clipped fish.

That’s because part of the revenues will go towards expanded creel surveys, Cunningham said.

“The more closely you can dial in impacts on wild fish, the longer you can have your seasons,” he said.

DIALING IS ALSO what Cunningham did after the plate was approved

“I can’t wait to see Washington Steelhead plates on the road,” says WDFW’s Kelly Cunningham, who approached DeYoung to use this piece from his “Fish Face” series. (DEREKDEYOUNG.COM) that revenue comes to us,” Cunningham points out.

Initial estimates in 2015 were that it would raise $200,000 a year for stock assessments, fishery evaluations and studying the interactions of hatchery and wild fish.

By comparison, data from Department of Licensing spokesman Brad Benfield shows that since 2012, revenue from WDFW’s other speciality plates has annually averaged: eagle: $153,000; orca: $125,000; elk: $110,000; bear: $67,000; and deer: $36,000.

While a few anglers have balked at buying the steelhead plate because of its emphasis on nates and recent years’ reduced hatchery

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by lawmakers and an internal WDFW search had narrowed image choices for it down to two artists’ work.

“I just cold-called,” said Cunningham, reaching DeYoung’s wife, Janell, at one of their studios.

He told her that WDFW liked a few pieces on their website and that they’d like to take a closer look for the plate.

“Derek was very generous. He’s donated a lot of his work to conservation causes. He was all in,” Cunningham recalls.

WDFW also requested samples from the other artist.

The options were then sent to DOL, which submitted designs to the Department of Transportation for “camera testing.”

DeYoung’s steelhead“passed with flying colors,”said Cunningham.

So he did some more dialing, this time in late summer with Director Jim Unsworth on the line.

“Derek was fishing when we talked to him,” Cunningham remembers.

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MIXED BAG Instagram account.

Looking through DeYoung’s website it’s “My phone’s been ringing – North Carolina, clear he enjoys doing a lot of “field research” Utah, ‘How do I get one?’ The feedback we’ve for a wide variety of species, including received has been overwhelmingly positive,” smallmouth bass, which he was chasing on Cunningham said. northern Lake Michigan’s Grand Traverse Bay While working with DOL on the project, when his phone rang that day.

Cunningham said he learned it’s possible “We were excited to participate, especially to change designs down the line, which for a great cause,” said Janell. could lead to more public input on the next The DeYoungs have worked with Project steelhead plate.

Healing Waters, Sportsman’s Alliance for “This is revenue we’re going to have as Alaska, the Bonefish and Tarpon Trust A number of states around the country also offer fish-themed license plates for long as the plates are out,” he adds. and Sportsmen for the Boundary Waters, conservation. (THE INTERWEB) And it’s money that stands to help out not among others. only our favorite species, but the state fish.

Outside of a sample plate WDFW sent to the artist as a keepsake, “It’s no shocker that we have issues in Puget Sound we need to licensing his print for usage “didn’t cost us a dime,” said Cunningham. get a handle on,” said Cunningham.

How much the plate costs you will depend on the size of your Through the work of WDFW staffers, generosity of an angling vehicle or what you’re licensing. They will be available through artist, support of lawmakers, and our passion for winter- and DOL starting Jan. 3. summer-runs, that begins this year.

“I can’t wait to see Washington Steelhead plates on the road,” SUPPORT FOR THE steelhead plate has been great. said Cunningham.

“Oh, my gosh, I’m really happy with it,” Cunningham said, And I, for one, can’t wait to have DeYoung’s gorgeous artwork pointing to responses on the agency’s Facebook page, where the on the back of my fish rig! NS choice was first announced in mid-October, and then via DeYoung’s

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READER PHOTOS

^

A Lab’s place is in the blind? Whatever! Jake helped guide his master John Naab into a fine mixed bag of grouse – three ruffies and a dusky blue in the mountains outside Colville, in game-rich Northeast Washington. (BROWNING PHOTO CONTEST)

No sooner did Kameron Roslak land his nice Mackinaw than friend Ryan Johnson hooked a 12-pound Gerrard rainbow. They were fishing flies and Apexes off planer boards during the Lake Pend Oreille fall derby, and placed two-three in the youth division. (FISHING

^

PHOTO CONTEST)

Betcha these two tangle again in the future! While fishing with his mom, Katie, and sister, Reese, and with a little assistance from dad, Nathan, Cash Craig, 6, brought this John Day Dam tailrace diamondside in for a quick pic and release. (FISHING PHOTO CONTEST)

For your shot at winning great fishing and hunting products from Northwest Sportsman and Browning, send your full-resolution, original images with all the pertinent details – who’s in the pic and their hometown; when and where they were; what they caught their fish on/weapon they used to bag the game; and any other details you’d like to reveal (the more, the merrier!) – to awalgamott@media-inc.com or Northwest Sportsman, PO Box 24365, Seattle, WA, 98124-0365. By sending us photos, you affirm you have the right to distribute them for use in our print and Internet publications. nwsportsmanmag.com | JANUARY 2017

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READER PHOTOS

^ ^

Is it just us or does Fischer Barber look excited about catching his first Chinook? Yeah, it’s a pretty safe bet he is! The 20-pounder bit on his first trip to fish with his grandfather Newt, on Nehalem Bay. (FISHING PHOTO CONTEST) Fish biologists have the best jobs sometimes! Randall Osborne gets to sample lakes in far Eastern Washington before seasons begin, and he found this beauteous 19-inch rainbow at Fourth of July Lake just prior to late November’s Fish Friday opener. (WDFW)

A few coho managed to straggle back in 2016 after all, including this one caught out of a Grays Harbor river by Aaron Swayze. It bit a pink jig, reports friend and reader Gary Lundquist, who sent the pic.

(FISHING PHOTO CONTEST)

^

Rick and Terry Itami had to work for this Elk River fall Chinook. Foregoing their usual fishing with a fly because of high water, Rick hooked the salmon on a spinner and handed the rod to Terry, but the fish had other ideas and raced off downstream. “Finally, it turned but headed across to the other side and behind a small sand island and into a snag. Terry was too short to wade across the river, so I grabbed the rod and gingerly headed across, changing direction several times to find the wadable depths. When I finally got to the other side of the sand island, I found that the fish had threaded the line through a small snag. Figuring the fish was lost, I took my time clearing the line from the snag, hoping to at least retrieve my lure. Then I could see that the fish had moved further upstream and wrapped the line around an even worse snag. It took me several minutes to remove debris from the snag so I could stick my rod through it to clear the line. After that, I was amazed to feel the fish still wiggling at the end of the line, but it was hiding under yet another snag. I got soaked sticking my hands and arms into the snag to break off limbs and roots, but I finally cleared the line once again. To my amazement, the fish was still hooked and it ran into shallow water where it beached itself and just gave up – totally exhausted. We still can’t believe we landed that fish, but the fillets are in the freezer and I’m sure we will tell this story for many years to come.” We’d say so! (FISHING PHOTO CONTEST)

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^

READER PHOTOS

Fair morning of fishing for Adam Perez, you might say – a pair of bobber-and-egg kings on a small Washington crick. (FISHING PHOTO CONTEST) Arm in a sling? No problem for Amy Hensley, who landed this wobbler-biting fall Chinook at the mouth of the Lewis River. (FISHING PHOTO CONTEST)

^ ^

Austin Han looks on as his dad Jerry shows off his upriver bright, caught on the Columbia at TriCities last season. (FISHING PHOTO CONTEST)

“Allison Huwaldt does just fine when it comes to keeping up with dear old dad,” reports Mike Huwaldt of his 7-year-old. “She especially likes spending time in the boat kokanee and trout fishing at Yale and Merwin Reservoirs.”

(FISHING PHOTO CONTEST)

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^

Chris Clearman started out last September banking it for Chinook on Washington’s Humptulips, but by the end of the month he had a brand-new pontoon boat to run the river. Well, pretty much. On the maiden voyage, Clearman caught a nice big coho on a twitching jig, but unfortunately also broke an oar. Luckily, a friend was also on the water that day, so he got a tow through frogwater to the take-out – and had a chance to show South Sounders that, yes, gas-efficient cars can haul boats too! (FISHING PHOTO CONTEST)

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PHOTO CONTEST

WINNERS!

Blake Huffman is this issue’s monthly Fishing Photo Contest winner, thanks to this fine pic of he and his Tillamook fall Chinook. It wins him a pile of loot from the overstuffed office of our editor!

The editor’s an old softy for pics of pooches, we guess. John Naab’s shot of Jake the Lab with four Northeast Washington grouse they bagged together is this issue’s Browning Photo Contest winner. It wins him a Browning hat.

Sportsman Northwest

Your LOCAL Hunting & Fishing Resource

For your shot at winning Browning and fishing products, send your photos and pertinent (who, what, when, where) details to awalgamott@ media-inc.com or Northwest Sportsman, PO Box 24365, Seattle, WA 98124-0365. By sending us photos, you affirm you have the right to distribute them for our print or Internet publications. nwsportsmanmag.com | JANUARY 2017

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MIXED BAG

Elgin Residents Help ID Alleged Bull Elk Poachers

By Andy Walgamott

Charges Filed In Poaching, Threatening Case Oregon State Police believe Nathan Crouch, 26, shot these two bull elk outside Elgin one night in midNovember, as well as killed a third illegally several years ago. (OSP)

T

he Northwest saw a spate of elk poachings this past fall, and while several cases are still open investigations, at least one saw charges filed.

Thanks to “overwhelming support” from residents of the Northeast Oregon town of Elgin, state police identified three suspects in the case of two big bull elk that were shot and wasted the night of Nov. 15.

The shooter is alleged to be Nathan Crouch, 26, who fled Oregon, according to the state police. He’s facing two counts of unlawful shooting of an elk, jacklighting, hunting from a motor vehicle on a public road and during prohibited hours, plus two counts of wastage and hunting enclosed land, all misdemeanors, OSP reports.

As for the other two, Dylan Crouch, 22, and Brianna Black, 18, were charged with three counts of aiding in a game violation, also misdemeanors.

As wildlife troopers investigated, they also discovered that Crouch had illegally shot a big bull several years ago. The antlers were seized, but as the statute of limitations was up, he can only be charged with unlawfully possessing its rack, which will be added to the docket once he comes up for air.

Anybody with info on Nathan Crouch’s whereabouts is asked to contact Senior Trooper Marcus McDowell via the TIP hotline (800-452-7888) or by email (marcus.mcdowell@state.or.us).

JACKASS OF THE MONTH

H

e should’ve known better.

A detective for a Puget Sound police agency resigned in fall after being charged with unlawfully keeping a wild Chinook and “more likely than not” lying to internal investigators about the circumstances it was kept under.

According to the Kitsap Sun, former Bainbridge Island officer Victor Cienega, 44, initially presented his July 23 catch belly-up to a game warden at the Kingston Marina, concealing its adipose fin. He also marked it on his card as a hatchery fish, reporter Andrew Binion wrote.

Several days later he and his fishing partner, a Kitsap County deputy sheriff, claimed in statements that were reported as strikingly similar that the salmon had been “mortally injured by the hook,” thus Cienega kept it. Unclipped Chinook must be released during that particular mark-selective fishery. The Sun’s story states the game warden said the salmon was still alive when he checked it two hours after the catch.

Furthermore, an internal investigation couldn’t square whether Cienega and the deputy had read each other’s statements, and concluded “‘it is more likely than not’ that Cienega lied to investigators” about it, according to Binion’s story.

We support police and game wardens and the work they do protecting our communities and resources, but expect that all officers are truthful at all times.

P

eter P. Petta’s in a bit of a pickle.

The 58-year-old Lewis County, Wash., man was hit with a passel of charges following a particularly ill-advised hunting expedition this past fall.

According to The Chronicle of Centralia and lewiscountysirens .com, on Oct. 11, four days before deer season started in the area, Petta allegedly spotted several blacktails in the field next door, grabbed his 9mm and .22 pistol and shot a buck with both. (It wasn’t reported if it’s alleged he did it gangster style or not.)

Alerted to the shots, the landowner who had marked the property with a No Hunting sign arrived to investigate and allegedly found Petta and a dead 2x1. When the man tried to take a picture of Petta’s plate, Petta attempted to push the phone out of his palm and then “threatened to ‘get his gun to defend himself,’” according to the paper.

Allegedly attempting to stand his ground on another guy’s actual ground may not work out so well for Petta. He was not only charged with tampering with a witness – a Class C felony – but also unlawfully hunting in the second degree, unlawfully hunting big game with a firearm with a barrel less than 4 inches – the barrel on his 9 was just 3.2 inches – and trespassing to retrieve game.

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MIXED BAG

Cowlitz Guide Pleads Guilty To Killing 2 Wild Coho A Southwest Washington fishing guide pleaded guilty in late November to one count of violating the Endangered Species Act during October 2014’s salmon fishery on the Cowlitz River. Billy “Bill” J. Swann entered the plea agreement in U.S. District Court in Tacoma after being charged with “knowingly and unlawfully” possessing, delivering and transporting two natural-origin coho.

Sentencing of the Swanny’s Guided Fishing operator for the misdemeanor is set for early March 2017, with federal prosecutors recommending probation and a fine of between $5,000 and $10,000, according to court documents.

Douglas Tufts, Swann’s attorney, says his client was “in a high state of anxiety” and “made some poor choices” that day on the Cowlitz. He termed it a “dumb mistake,” that left Swann “highly embarrassed” to have killed two illegal fish and put a major former sponsor in a bad position, but hopes that others learn from the incident.

Ironically, it occurred as Cowlitz was in the midst of its best return of hatchery coho and best fishery for them since 2001, according to WDFW statistics, and the river was seeing a decent return of wild coho as well. Both stocks were listed as threatened under ESA in June 2005, along with all other Lower Columbia coho populations below the Klickitat River. However, only adipose-fin-clipped coho can be kept on the Cowlitz, and it’s believed to have been that way since at least 1998.

That day, Swann was hosting out-ofstate staffers of a Central Washington bait company who were videotaping and taking photographs of the outing.

According to the plea agreement, Swann “encouraged and aided members of the group to remove the two naturallyspawned Coho salmon from the river. After landing the fish, (the) defendant clubbed the fish, killing both of them.”

As photos of the fish were posted to Facebook, online feedback began to suggest the coho were not legal to keep.

One image showed a coho with a fresh cut

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JANUARY 2017 | nwsportsmanmag.com

A close-up of an image associated with the case against Billy J. Swann shows a fresh, open wound where a wild coho’s adipose fin had been before being cut away by the guide during an Oct. 1, 2014 fishing trip with former sponsors.

at the location of the adipose fin.

According to federal court documents, “At some point during the fishing excursion, (Swann) became aware that it is unlawful to take the wild salmon. Defendant contends he became aware of this fact after the fish were landed. To conceal the fact that defendant had possession of wild salmon in violation of the ESA and Washington law, defendant used a blade to remove the intact adipose fins from the salmon.

Further, defendant directed the two clients who had landed the fish to falsely record on their Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife Sport Catch Record Cards that the salmon were hatchery salmon when, as the defendant knew, the fish were wild salmon.”

In the months afterwards, Swann continued to contend the coho had not been unlawfully kept and that it was possible the removal of the adipose “could have been photo shopped.” The plea deal marks an admission that the fish were in fact wild and could not legally have been killed.

As a condition of the agreement with federal prosecutors, Swann is required to publish a statement in a fishing trade publication acknowledging killing wild salmon during the trip and to “emphasize the importance of complying with federal and state laws protecting fish and wildlife.”

Tufts, Swann’s attorney, says that preserving fisheries is important to his client and livelihood. NS Editor’s notes: In the interest of full disclosure, I fished with Swann twice eight to ten years ago, and his former sponsor was at one time a major advertiser in Northwest Sportsman magazine.

By Andy Walgamott

Sickening Elk Slaughter Still Unsolved

H

unters and many others were horrified by the Ellensburg elk massacre, but at press time game wardens were still seeking leads on the case.

As much as $9,000 in rewards and 10 bonus points for special permits are being offered to help find the person(s) responsible for gunning down four calves within a space of 100 yards as well as a cow the morning of Sunday, Nov. 6.

“It was like somebody took a machine gun to the hillside,” said hunter Tricia Singer, who, along with her husband Brett, came upon the scene in Schnebly Canyon, just northeast of the Central Washington county seat.

After alerting authorities, the Singers and others from their elk camp helped WDFW Officer Roman Varyvoda salvage the meat for local food banks, at least one positive from the horrific slaughter.

“I’ve never seen grown men cry like that,” Tricia recalled. “We had five guys on the hill. As they’re dressing the animals, they’ve got tears in their eyes.”

Singer is the vice president of the Safari Club International’s Northwest Chapter, which is offering a $1,000 reward for info that leads to an arrest. The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation added $5,000 and Conservation Northwest pitched in $3,000.

Anyone with info is being asked to call WDFW’s Poaching Hotline, (877) 9339847, file a report through wdfw.wa.gov/ enforcement, or text tips to WDFWTIP Report and send them to 847411.

A Washington fish and wildlife officer checks for bullets in one of five elk gunned down near Ellensburg Nov. 6.

(WDFW)

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Pendleton Man Sentenced For Poaching Trophy Buck

By Andy Walgamott

A

Pendleton man who pled guilty to unlawfully killing a trophy buck – his second deer in two days during the 2014 season and to which he later allegedly affixed his 2015 tag – was sentenced in November to pay $8,500 in fines.

According to the East Oregonian, Todd Longgood, 40, poached the “magnificent” 212-inch nontypical Pope & Young muley after he’d harvested another trophy legally a day before during the archery hunt.

The incident occurred on private land in Baker County south of Richland near Daly Creek. Oregon State Police troopers serving search warrants at locations in three Northeast Oregon counties last August recovered photos indicating the second buck had been killed not in 2015 but the year before, according to the paper. The East Oregonian reported the statute of limitations on the incident was almost up before troopers moved.

Longgood, an area rancher and land broker who co-owns Sheep Mountain Outfitters, was on the national board of the Mule Deer Foundation. When he joined in March 2015 he was lauded for “actively (implementing) numerous ranch management plans to improve overall land conditions and supported sagebrush conservation initiatives.”

But he resigned from the organization around the time he was sentenced in Baker County Circuit Court.

“MDF does not tolerate poaching or any illegal hunting activity and we strongly support state wildlife agencies’ (OSP)

42 Northwest Sportsman

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law enforcement efforts to prevent illegal poaching activities,” the conservation organization said in a statement. “MDF has supported legislation requiring stiff penalties for poaching of all wildlife.

MDF has consistently offered rewards for information leading to poaching convictions, and has purchased equipment to help game wardens prevent and investigate poaching incidents.

Through our media network, especially our frequent Facebook postings, MDF consistently encourages the public to report any information related to any wildlife poaching incident to their local state wildlife agency.”

Longgood was placed on three years’ probation and had a 180-day jail sentence suspended. Most of his fine was restitution to the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife for killing what’s classified as a trophy buck, one with four or more points on one antler branch or the other.

The case was investigated by OSP Senior Trooper Dain Gardner, whose work was lauded by Matthew Shirtcliff, Baker County District Attorney.

“Dain did an excellent job investigating the case and following all leads,” said a statement from the DA. “This is an important case as these cases can be difficult to prove when the game crime is committed on private property.

Concerned citizens are always important in bringing incidents like this to light and were beneficial to this case as well.”

growing herd of moose in the Blue Mountains was hit with a setback early last month when a cow was poached outside Wallowa, Ore. According to state troopers, the animal was found off Coal Docks Road and most likely was shot the night of Dec. 1. There is no moose hunting season in Oregon.

The carcass was partially butchered, but some meat was left to waste. Troopers say they were able to collect evidence at the scene, and at press time were offering a $1,000 reward for info on the case. Anyone with tips is asked to contact Senior Trooper Brian Miller (800-452-7888; Brian.Miller@state.or.us).

JANUARY 2017 | nwsportsmanmag.com

Drink, Dogs And Dead Deer A Bad Combo

N

ote to self: If you’re going to be in possession of a mess of dead critters, maybe feed the dogs more so they don’t make such a damned racket.

A 20-year-old Idaho man got himself into several pots of hot water early last month when deputies arrived to deal with a complaint about barking dogs at a Kooskia location.

There they found that Aaron R. Patton appeared to have been tipping a few back, and inside a barn were “several untagged deer and a partial elk.”

Patton, who claimed the animals were those of a tribal member but had no proof of that, was cited with six counts of unlawful taking of game, as well as consumption and creating a public nuisance, according to a KBOI report.

(OSP)

T

wo men from either side of the MidColumbia were charged with poaching a trophy mule deer near Fossil, Ore., in late October. According to the Oregon State Police, Erland Suppah Sr., 69, of Warm Springs, and Oscar Finley, 40, of Wapato, Wash., shot the 4x6 from the highway. They were both cited for unlawful take of a deer during a closed season and hunting on enclosed lands of another, while Suppah was hit with shooting from the right-ofway. OSP was aided with the county sheriff and Warm Springs Department of Natural Resources. The deer was seized.

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Northwest Sportsman 43

44 Northwest Sportsman

DECEMBER 2016 | nwsportsmanmag.com

By Andy Walgamott

Ray Bone and members of Team Tailwalker (above), including skipper Patrick Walker (left), celebrate winning the second annual Friday Harbor Salmon Classic and $15,000, thanks to Bone’s 14.64-pound blackmouth. (FRIDAY HARBOR SALMON CLASSIC) Chris Tawes (upper right) won The Resurrection Derby with this 14.22-pound blackmouth.(THE RESURRECTION DERBY) A beautiful hand-knitted American flag blanket (right) was auctioned off for $3,000 at the Friday Harbor Salmon Classic to raise money for Salmon For Soldiers. (JIMMY LAWSON)

14-plus-pounders Top 2 Early December San Juan Islands Blackmouth Derbies

T

he weather started out sporty, but the fishing was fine for a pair of Dec. 2-3 blackmouth derbies in the San Juan Islands, both of which were won by 14-plus-pounders.

Taking top honors at the Friday Harbor Salmon Classic was Team Tailwalker’s Ray Bone, whose 14.68-pounder yielded better than $1,000 a pound – $15,000 – in winnings. He was aboard the Prospector, skippered by charter captain Patrick Walker.

Mike Clemons placed second ($5,000) with a 14.08 and Pete Nelsen – a perennial threat to place high in any derby in the Juans – came in third ($2,500) with a 13.81. The classic also raised $10,000 for Salmon For Soldiers, and featured a handknitted American flag blanket that was auctioned off for a whopping $3,000.

Meanwhile, The Resurrection Derby was taking place out

of Anacortes, and it was won decisively by Chris Tawes, who brought a 14.22-pounder back to the scales. He won $10,000.

Coming in second ($2,500) with an 11.40 was David Parsons, and third ($1,500) was secured by Corey Coleman and his 10.8.

The derby raises funds for salmon enhancement projects in the islands.

For more on both, see fridayharborsalmonclassic.com and resurrectionderby.com.

Next up in the San Juans is the big Roche Harbor Salmon Classic Jan. 19-21. While it sold out back in mid-October – nearly three weeks earlier than ever before – there’s a chance of cancellations at the event featuring a guaranteed cash payout of $25,000 and bonus $30,000 if the first-place fish weighs 30 pounds or more. For more, see rocheharbor.com/events/derby.

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2 Steelheaders Dominate 2 Events

A

pair of Spokane County anglers have Lewis & Clark Valley steelhead dialed in, if results from two November derbies are any indication.

Bill Stanley of Spokane Valley caught the two largest summer-runs at the 28th Annual Colton Knights of Columbus Steelhead Derby early in the month, while Robert Bass of Colbert netted two of the three biggest at the Clearwater Snake Steelhead Derby a couple weeks later.

Readers will recognize Stanley’s name, as he’s a steelie slayer who specializes in nabbing B-runs from the bank. His fish went 17 pounds, 2 ounces and 16 pounds even, topping all 67 weighed in by 111 anglers, and scoring him $175. Justin McFarland of Clarkston did an admirable job bringing in 68 pounds, 4 ounces of fish overall, topped by a 15-pounder for fourth, winning $100 overall.

As for Bass, he set the pace early in the weeklong event, leading it off with a 19.15-pounder on the derby’s first day and never looking back. He actually was one-two coming out of day two, thanks to a 15.53-pounder, which he subsequently topped with a 17.07-pounder on day three. All of his fish came from the Snake. However, on day four local angler Bryan Winkelman slid into second and stayed there with an 18.57 from the Clearwater.

All said and done, Bass rolled north up Highway 195 nearly $3,000 richer in daily, grand and fish skin prizes, while Winkelman scored $900 overall.

And just as Stanley and Bass put two fish into the top three in their respective derbies, Tyler Slaybaugh of Pomeroy put a pair on the medal stand in the Snake Clearwater Steelhead Derby’s youth division, 14.6- and 14.1-pounders, good for $125 in gift cards. Cole Tenny of Nine Mile Falls came in first amongst young anglers with a 15.7-pounder, winning a $100 gift card.

The derby is put on by the Lewis Clark Valley Chamber of Commerce and sponsored by Kendall Chevrolet. The Colton derby and dinner raised $5,000 for the Knights and community.

FINAL 2016 RESULTS Westport Charterboat Association grand prize winners (charterwestport.com): Chinook first: Pat Hartmann, 28.75 pounds, July 2, $2,500, Freedom Chinook second (in place of coho): Vern Tosner, 27.45 pounds, July 25, $1,500, Tally Ho Lingcod: Siv Tea, 37.25 pounds, May 1, $1,500, Stardust Halibut: Gary Barker, 56.60 pounds, May 17, $1,000, charter boat not stated Tuna: Steve Anderson, 43.75 pounds, Aug. 14, $1,000, Ms Magoo 46 Northwest Sportsman

JANUARY 2017 | nwsportsmanmag.com

Prizes are awarded during the opening ceremonies of the Clearwater Snake Steelhead Derby. (DAN WALKER, LEWIS CLARK VALLEY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE)

Bill Stanley hoists his firstplace steelhead, caught on the North Fork Clearwater on a shrimp under a bobber during the 28th Annual Colton Knights of Columbus Steelhead Derby in early November. (BILL STANLEY)

19-lbr. Wins At LPO

T

hey might have still been bursting from the day before, but Don Hale and Dave Turner were served another helping of thanks when they caught a pair of post-Turkey Day rainbows that would go on to finish one-two at the 2016 Lake Pend Oreille Idaho Club Annual Fall K&K Derby.

Hale, of Priest River, claimed $2,000 for his 19.02-pounder, while Sandpoint’s Turner won $1,000 for his 18.74.

Gale Belgarde of Sagle, Idaho, took home $1,000 for biggest Mackinaw, an 18.84, while Alexis Berube led the Junior Division with a 19-even rainbow.

Organizer Clint Nicholson called it a “successful derby.”

“The weather seemed to cooperate even if the 20-pounders did not,” he said.

Alexis Berube came within two-one hundredths of an ounce of bringing in the biggest rainbow at the Lake Pend Oreille fall derby. (CLINT NICHOLSON)

MORE UPCOMING EVENTS Jan. 14: NW Ice Fishing Festival, Sidley and Molson Lakes,

Molson, Wash; info: edenvalleyranch.net – see next page Jan. 19-21: Roche Harbor Salmon Classic, Marine Area 7; info:

rocheharbor.com/events/derby – see previous page Early February to mid-March: Boggan’s Spring Steelhead

Derby, Washington’s Grande Ronde between Oregon border and Highway 129; info: boggans.com Feb. 17-19: Olympic Peninsula Salmon Derby, Areas 6, 9; info: gardinersalmonderby.org

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47

Ice Fishing Fest Coming Up

T

he fishing’s only gotten better and better the last few years at the Northwest Ice Fishing Festival.

Held at Sidley and Molson Lakes in northeast Okanogan County on the Saturday of Martin Luther King Jr. Day weekend, 2015’s event saw 32 fish weighing a combined total of 39.5 pounds caught, while the year before yielded 19 weighing 33 pounds overall. Those tallies follow a couple years when no fish were landed, but that shouldn’t be the case for the Jan. 14 shindig.

The fishing’s just part of the fun too. The nearby Molson Grange Hall will host a fisherman’s breakfast, arts and crafts fair, lunch from Sitzmark (the local ski hill) and other activities.

Last year’s derby was won by Tim Roberts, who weighed in two fish weighing a total of 2.75 pounds, good for the grand prize of $500 from Kinross, which operates a nearby mine.

See edenvalleyranch.net and orovillewashington.com for more.

Well-bundled anglers participate in the Northwest Ice Fishing Festival in North-central Washington. (EDEN VALLEY GUEST RANCH)

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50 Northwest Sportsman

DECEMBER 2016 | nwsportsmanmag.com

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From now deep into March is sportsmen’s and boat show season in the Northwest, a chance to chat with expert anglers and hunting guides, check out new sleds and rods, and attend helpful seminars. Here, famed angler and Northwest Sportsman columnist Buzz Ramsey teaches tactics in the Steelhead River, a popular venue. (O’LOUGHLIN TRADE SHOWS)

Show Season Arrives Here’s how to make the most of your time at this year’s sportsmen’s and boat shows around the Northwest.

By Jason Brooks

I

nformation, knowledge and good gear are the best ways to improve your success, both on the water and in the field, and you’ll find all three in abundance at the Northwest’s sportsmen’s and boat shows, which open this month.

Whether you’re heading to the big ones in Puyallup, Seattle, Portland and Spokane, or shows in our region’s outdoor hubs, not only will you find deals and get to see and play with topof-the-line rods, reels, packs, boats, tents and everything else you can think of, but you can meet and talk to the experts. Guides, charter skippers, industry professionals, outfitters, boat manufacturers and others are there to answer your questions. Here are a eight

ways to maximize your time attending one of the shows:

FIND OVERLOOKED OPPORTUNITIES Of course, top names often bring long lines and their seminars can be filled to capacity, but don’t overlook those who you might not have heard of but offer similar experiences.

For many years my father attended the Western Washington Sportsmen’s Show as a guide on Lake Chelan. Next to the booth was a couple from Canada who offered some world-class fishing trips.

Locals willing to drive the four hours to the North-central Washington lake would stop by and ask Dad about the Mackinaw fishing, all while the couple in the next booth over sat quietly. I began talking with them and learned that I could drive

to their lodge in about the same four hours it took to motor to Chelan. And what’s more, if you flew with one of the float plane outfits, you could make it there in less than an hour and a half. Even an Alaskan fishing trip to Ketchikan is just over a two-hour flight away. My point is, there are many other opportunities out there if we just ask.

GET TO KNOW YOUR GUIDE Asking questions will lead you to more information than just finding out what gear works, why you need that new tent, and a few places to wet a line this year.

Going on a guided trip, for example, will provide you years of angling or hunting knowledge. The show is the place to book your trip. Many guides offer specials, either for a group, certain dates, or for

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MIXED BAG booking multiple trips or species. Spend a few minutes of your time, and theirs, to figure out if the trip being offered is what you are expecting, as well as getting to know your guide.

One of the biggest complaints I hear about guided trips has nothing to do with the fishing or hunting, but instead the personality differences between guide and client(s). At the sportsmen’s shows you meet the guide, talk a while and can quickly figure out if you like them or not.

When booking a trip, make sure to ask about what is included and what is not.

Some specials are given because certain amenities are cut short, such as lunch or cleaning of the catch or trophy care. Now is the time to figure this out and if it is what you are looking for.

Also keep in mind that guides need to make money, their knowledge is not free, so don’t badger them endlessly

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Hundreds upon hundreds of exhibitors attend the shows. (O’LOUGHLIN TRADE SHOWS) about what they use, how they use it and exactly how to fish or hunt a certain place.

Instead, book the trip and learn on the water or afield from them, and, of course, tip appropriately.

REMEMBER, TIME’S MONEY I am often asked about certain fisheries that I write about. I am more than happy to give my knowledge away but I always encourage

anyone with questions to “hire a guide,” as they make a living on the water you want to fish. Plus, they use top-of-the-line gear.

However, if you truly are not looking to book a trip, go ahead and meet the guide but then move on. When you talk for several minutes with no intention of booking a trip, they are missing out on potential clients who are walking by. It is a common courtesy to not take up their time for no reason.

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MIXED BAG GET EXPERT ADVICE Manufacturers, tackle reps and prostaffers attend the shows and I make a point to talk to them. One of the things I always ask is where they fish, and often times I’ll learn we work the same water but with different systems.

As an example, one year I was working at the Mack’s Lure booth and a guy asked me about kokanee fishing. We talked for a while and he told me how he used all of the gear I mentioned and would get lots of bites but could never land a fish. Eventually I learned he was using a stout rod, not a limber kokanee stick, so I walked him over to Wayne Anderson of North Fork Custom Rods and explained the angler’s dilemma. They began talking about fishing rods and how they make a difference in catching and landing fish.

This is what the shows are all about: learning and gaining knowledge from those who are involved in the industry.

“So we could mount the ’riggers there and our baby bottle holders over here,” a pair of prospective boat buyers say at the big Seattle show. (SEATTLE BOAT SHOW)

DO SOME COMPARISON SHOPPING If you like to go to the shows and seek out the deals on tackle or other gear, then it’s best to make a list. More than once I have walked out the door at the end of the show,

got to my truck and realized I forgot to stock up on some certain lure or other item.

Nowadays, I take a shopping list and put down the normal price. Sometimes “show specials” are not really specials. That’s OK, as long as you realize it before you make the purchase. There are some great deals on hand at the shows, especially for the “essentials,” like bait scents and oils. Other “big ticket” items like a new wall tent can really be discounted at the show because you are dealing with the actual tent maker instead of a “middle man” company. This makes it affordable for the person buying it, and helps the manufacturer.

TRY BEFORE YOU BUY One of the best things about the shows is getting to look over gear and learn how to use it before you purchase it. Walk around the boats, duck inside the wall tents, feel how springy the beds in trailers are.

Demonstrations from vendors often give you some extra knowledge on a product too. Loren Dunbar from HeviBeads shows how to use their beads for several different types of fisheries, more than just drifting beads. Jason Hambly from Pro-Cure likes to discuss the different scents and products they make and how to use them. Lance Merz, district rep for Mack’s Lure, is on hand to show you how to rig up for kokanee. Those are just a few of the many experts and subjects to learn from.

54 Northwest Sportsman

JANUARY 2017 | nwsportsmanmag.com

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Many attend for the sales, and Northwest Sportsman’s dagger deal is famous. Jennifer Stahl clearly has this outdoorsman interested. (BRIAN LULL) And, of course, you’ll find that subscriptions to locally based magazines are often discounted and come with sweet incentives. Each year I renew my subscriptions and pick up a new fillet knife for cutting bait.

STRAIGHT TALK Seminars are where you get to hear the professionals highlight their techniques.

This is where it is OK for you to ask all the questions you have for the guide, writer or speaker. They want to give you the knowledge, but one thing I’ve always found interesting is how many people attend a seminar and listen to the speaker, ask questions and learn a new technique … but never write any of it down. If you take only one thing away from this article, it should be to take a notebook and pen to seminars. Write down the interesting parts, as well as questions you may have.

Then ask the speaker, or try other informed vendors at the show. This is a great way to learn to ask the right questions. It also helps with making a list of all of the things you want to see and do at the show.

A TRADITION NOT TO MISS! We attend the Northwest’s sportsmen’s and boat shows for many reasons. Many of us want to learn and see new things.

Others like checking out the big bucks and bulls harvested in their area. There are guides and industry reps to talk shop with.

And, of course, the good deals are hard to pass up – I have picked up more fishing rods at these shows than I could ever use.

I also replace most of my essentials, and make a list of new places and fisheries I want to try. See you there! NS 56 Northwest Sportsman

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OUTDOOR

CALENDAR JANUARY 1 New Oregon, Idaho fishing licenses required 7 First of 10 brant goose hunt days in Pacific Co. (others: 8, 10, 12, 14, 15, 17, 19, 21, 22) and eight in Skagit Co. (others: 8, 11, 14, 15, 18, 21, 22; note: if aerial count is between 3,000-6,000 birds, hunting will only open Jan. 7, 11, 14) 10 Deadline to file Washington big game report for incentive permit eligibility 13 Last day to hunt ducks in Idaho Area 1 16 Blackmouth opens in Washington Marine Area 9; Last day for Washington partridge,

quail, pheasant hunting; Harney, Klamath, Lake and Malheur Zones late white and white-fronted goose opener Last day to hunt ducks in Oregon Zone 2 Last day to hunt ducks in Idaho Area 2 Last day to hunt ducks in Oregon Zone 1, and waterfowl hunting in all of Washington Deadline to file mandatory hunter reports in Washington, Oregon; Last day for upland bird hunting in Oregon, Idaho; Last day to fish for steelhead on Skykomish system outside of terminal zones

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RECORD NORTHWEST GAME FISH CAUGHT IN 2016

Though no new state fish records were set in Oregon last year, Washington and Idaho saw new high marks for seven species. Among the most notable were another sowbellied yellow perch from the Gem State’s Cascade Reservoir – the fourth in two years! – and a 12-plus-pound largemouth from a Western Washington lake, topping a record nearly 40 years old. Here are last year’s new record fish and their catchers: Date 2-26 5-11 5-15 6-28 7-22 7-28 8-8

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nwsportsmanmag.com | JANUARY 2017

Northwest Sportsman 59

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COLUMN

South Fork Stands Out For Steel With 70,000 smolts released into the South Fork Coquille annually, the Southern Oregon Coast river sees good returns of nice-sized steelhead each winter. Fishing kicks off around Christmas and runs into March. A client of guide Jon Geyer caught this one on the system.

(OREGONFISHINGADVENTURE.COM)

W

SOUTH COAST

By Randy Wells

elcome to January 2017! If you’re anything like myself, your dreams have been full of winter steel.

In fact, winter steelhead fishing is an obsession of mine – the countless techniques, the cold mornings, the bright flash of chrome and the hours spent strategizing the next day’s fish attack plan are just a few reasons why I live for this time of year and this species.

As many of you know, my home river is the Chetco, but I am always excited to chase steel on any river. There are a few weeks each winter that I leave the Chetco for the South Fork Coquille, just outside Myrtle Point. If you have ever thought about hitting up the Coquille, hopefully this write-up will aid you in your adventure.

THE SOUTH FORK is 63 miles long and is the largest tributary of the Coquille River, which, formed by four forks that come together around Myrtle Point, empties into the Pacific at Bandon. The Coquille has a strong hatchery program for winter steelhead and, like most Southern Oregon rivers, the fish begin to arrive just after Christmas and can be caught clear into March.

Before heading out to tackle this river, make sure it has a good flow. To me, higher is better. As with most rivers, when the Coquille gets low and clear it’s time to find another spot. Although I do guide the South Fork, the Chetco is my home river, so I only hit the Coquille when the Chetco is blown out. There are some guides who spend more time there than I, such as Jon Geyer of jongeyerfishing.com. When I first

started fishing the South Fork, Geyer was the guy who taught me the river, and I will summarize some of his insight here.

Geyer says that the “optimal flow” is between 4 and 3.8 feet, but the river will fish from 2.5 to 4 feet. Remember, this river is long and narrow, so from the time it is in perfect shape to the time it’s dropped out to low and clear can be as little as four or five days, unless the river

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COLUMN receives a “maintenance rain.” To check the flows visit waterdata.usgs.gov/nwis/ uv?site_no=14325000.

Maintenance rain is what us guys on the Southern Oregon Coast dream of all salmon and steelhead season. Because our rivers are not dammed and require 100 percent Mother Nature involvement, it’s very easy for water conditions to become low and clear. We need additional rainfall throughout the week, aka maintenance rain, in order to maintain optimal color and flow.

When the fish gods and Mother Nature align and the river has perfect color and optimal flow during peak season, you better expect a ridiculous number of boats. Geyer reminds me of a time when he counted 107 vehicles, 80 to 90 of which had boat trailers, from Myrtle Point to the town of Powers. But one of my favorite things about the South Fork is you don’t have to be the first boat on the river in order to catch fish all day. In fact, I’ve had some of my best days launching behind all

the other boats and still producing a great limit of fish and some quality numbers of hatchery steelhead.

BE ADVISED, THERE are no boat ramps, just rough-cut put-ins and take-outs on the South and North Forks of the Coquille. If you’re floating the river for your first time, you should scout it out the day before.

Find the put-in and take-out, because if you miss the gravel pit on the South Fork, aka “6.6 take-out,” it’s another 10-plus-mile float to town. The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife is currently working to finalize a land purchase between the 6.6 put-in/take-out and Myrtle Point to serve as an additional access. However, according to ODFW it will not be complete in time for this winter steelhead run.

Speaking of the agency, I contacted Mike Grey, the district fish biologist for Tenmile Lake and the Coos and Coquille Rivers for more details on the steelhead fishery. He told me that over the 17 years he’s been the biologist for this area, the hatchery program has not

Along with plugging with Mag Lips, a preferred tactic for Randy Wells and friends is to side-drift a yarnball and soft bead.

(OREGONFISHINGADVENTURE.COM)

changed much. ODFW releases 70,000 smolts each year in two locations on the South Fork: 40,000 at Beaver Creek, which is located at the Hays Ranch boat launch; and 30,000 at Woodward Creek, upstream from Hays Ranch and between

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Northwest Sportsman 65

As rivers clear up from winter storms, the author lightens his yarnball color up to a cotton candy pink for steelhead. (OREGONFISHINGADVENTURE.COM) Powers and Beaver Creek.

In addition, 42,000 are released at Laverne Park on the North Fork Coquille.

Grey notes there’s about 3 miles of public access here, with amazing steelhead fishing. The park has campsites and cabin rentals, which makes a winter weekend trip that much better. The bio adds that, yes, there’s drift boat access on the North Fork, but says it’s really a bank fishery and that most boats stay on the mainstem Coquille or the South Fork.

Ninety-seven percent of the system’s hatchery steelhead are produced from fish that are netted by ODFW and volunteers, a program similar to how salmon broodstock collection on the Chetco works.

The other 3 percent return directly to the hatchery through Ferry Creek. Three thousand smolts are released from the 66 Northwest Sportsman

JANUARY 2017 | nwsportsmanmag.com

facility into the stream to ensure some broodstock steelhead will return directly to Ferry Creek and, thus, the hatchery.

YOUR STANDARD STEELHEAD techniques – side-drifting and pulling plugs – work well on the South Fork Coquille. The only thing that may change is your bait configuration and the number of leaders you will go through. I have found the South Fork eats more leaders in a day than the Chetco does in an entire season, so go prepared. Bring at least 50 pretied leaders and plenty of weight. Geyer fishes with slinkies, but for me that’s too much work. I fish with pencil lead, but we both rig them on a slider weight system.

Geyer runs 15-pound FINS braid in hot pink (Geyer is a big guy, and he rocks the hot pink). I, however, run a 15-pound high-vis orange mono mainline. We both

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Northwest Sportsman 67

fish with 2- to 3-foot-long, 8- to 10-poundtest mono leader and a No. 2 hook.

“If the bite is short and you find yourself missing fish, add a stinger hook,” Geyer tips.

We do fish some bait, but for the most part are filling the fish box with hatchery steelhead that can’t resist an Alaska Roecolored yarnball the size of a nickel to a quarter, along with a 10mm BnR Tackle Soft Bead. I tend to run my yarnball and Soft Bead in contrasting colors. If the water is clearing, I lighten up my yarnball color to a cotton candy pink.

I have also found these fish love the Pro-Cure Shrimp Water Soluble scent. Put this scent on your yarnball and watch it milk. The water-soluble scent is a yarnball’s best friend.

I will have up to six rods rigged for each technique I plan on fishing that day. For side-drifting on the South Fork Coquille, I run the Lamiglas Infinity 9-foot6, 6-10-pound-rated spinning rod. If this rod is out of your budget, check the company’s G1000 in the same weight.

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Lunker Junkies TV to get his input on gear for the South Fork. He’s spent a lot of late afternoons on the river, and says that many times he has put in at Hays Ranch and taken out there as well. His favorite thing to do is motor upriver and pull plugs. His go-tos are the MagLip 2.5 and 3.0 in misty river and mother of pearl. Thompson runs Lamiglas’s 8-foot Kenai Kwik 802 rods, and for line he use 20-pound braid with 8 feet of 12-pound fluorocarbon. He connects the braid and fluorocarbon lines with an Albright knot to avoid the need of a swivel. He runs his plugs out between 30 and 40 feet.

If you’d like to learn more about this fishery, the Lunker Junkies TV crew filmed a good episode on the South Fork in 2016. It’s filled with tips and hints for rigging. It’s viewable at m.youtube.com/ watch?v=IUvzcjRF_C0. NS Editor’s note: Randy Wells is a full-time fishing guide in Oregon and Alaska. His websites are oregonfishingadventure.com and fishsewardalaska.com. He can also be reached at (541) 500-7885.

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Locating Steelhead

Keeping tabs on the weather forecast, stream levels and local sources, as well as tide cycles, should put you into more steelhead this season. Buzz caught this hatchery winter-run on Oregon’s Trask River. (BUZZ RAMSEY)

COLUMN

F

i n d i n g steelhead is mostly about understanding their movements as related to everBUZZ RAMSEY changing water conditions, which are determined by the rain storms that frequent the Northwest this time of year. Rivers rise and fall based on the amount of precipitation we get, and each time they come up it encourages steelhead – at least those waiting at or near the river mouth – to migrate upriver.

And while a heavy rain and subsequent rise in water levels is what it takes to draw steelhead upstream, a freshet may also raise the river to an unfishable height, even muddy the stream, which may take several days or weeks to begin dropping into fishable condition.

It’s when rivers first drop into fishable height and color (green water) that it is time to grab your gear and go. This is when steelhead bite best, which can make limits easy. This scenario is particularly true during the peak of winter steelhead season, which is just now beginning on most rivers.

This is why many veteran steelhead anglers continually watch the height of their favorite river in an effort to pick the right day or time period that offers them the greatest chance at success.

Since the perfect time doesn’t always fall on a weekend, success might require taking a few vacation days or skipping work. Dropping water after a freshet can provide a few days of hot action, and if there is a big run returning, the action can last for a week or more.

NOT ONLY IS it a good idea to plan your trips when rivers first drop into shape, but make sure you know the weather forecast.

A Pacific storm front can put water levels into the bushes in a single night, especially on coastal streams.

More than a few anglers have made a long drive in a dark downpour to find a muddy, out-of-shape river that was fishable just the day before. I usually call a friend or tackle shop located close to my nwsportsmanmag.com | JANUARY 2017

Northwest Sportsman 73

COLUMN target stream when planning my trips. It’s also a good idea to follow up with a second call the night before, and keep an eye on the National Weather Service Advanced Hydrologic Prediction Service website (water.weather.gov/ahps2), which charts the height of many Northwest rivers and forecasts the coming trend.

Keep in mind that smaller, shorter rivers drop and clear faster than the bigger, longer ones. In Oregon the quicker dropping streams along the North Coast and Lower Columbia include Big Creek, and the Necanicum, North Fork Nehalem, Miami, Kilchis and Tillamook Rivers. In Southwest Washington, the East Fork Lewis, Washougal and Elochoman clear the fastest.

IN ADDITION, ON those rivers emptying into saltwater or the Lower Columbia, ocean tides can be a factor in determining when and where fresh fish will show up.

For example, if rivers have been low and clear for 10 days or more, a big ocean tide can push waiting fish into the lower end where you might find them despite lessthan-desirable water conditions.

If you are planning a trip well in advance of the season, perhaps with a guide, I’d encourage you to focus on or just after the biggest tide of the month.

This, on average, is when steelhead will be the most numerous, and big tides can push a lot of fish into rivers.

Of course, constant rains can keep rivers high and muddy for weeks at a time, and when they do finally drop into fishable shape, you will likely discover that the best fishing to be had will be in the upper end. As the saying goes, when the rivers are low and have been that way for awhile, fish the lower end; when rivers are high, fish high in the watershed.

There are exceptions. For example,

Whether you go guided or strike out on your own, know the run timing and conditions that will work best to hook your share of this winter’s return. Terry Otto and Chris Sessions show off one from Oregon’s Wilson River. (BUZZ RAMSEY) where hatchery smolts have been released (either from a truck, acclimation pond or rearing ponds) can have a huge influence on where adult fish will hold. If they are released directly from a hatchery, chances are the best place to concentrate your efforts is near the facility. It’s the same with acclamation ponds – the section of river near these sites will likely offer the best fishing success. And though not as common a planting practice as it once was, fish released offsite via tanker truck will linger in that area when they return as

MORE STEELHEAD GUIDES All Rivers Guide Service Greenwater Guide Service Olympic Anglers Guide Services Patric Gaffney Guide Service Salt2Summit Guide Service W.E. Coates Guide Service 74 Northwest Sportsman

JANUARY 2017 | nwsportsmanmag.com

allriversguideservice.com greenwaterguide.com olympicanglers.com gaffneyfishing.com salt2summit.com wecoatesguideservice.com –NWS

adults. How they remember, I’m not sure.

IF YOU’RE INTERESTED in booking a winter steelhead trip with a guide, which can up your chances of success on an unfamiliar river, here is a list of those I’ve fished with.

On Oregon’s South Coast, Andy Martin (206388-8988) and Randy Wells (541-500-7885) and on the North Coast, Terry Mulkey (503803-1896) and David Johnson (503-8428686). Near Portland, for the Clackamas, try Bob Toman (503-705-3959) and for the Sandy, call Jack Glass (503-666-5370), Brandon Glass (503-260-8285) and Cody Herman (503-960-9377). For Southwest Washington’s Cowlitz, it’s Clancy Holt (360880-0409), while on the Olympic Peninsula, try Bill Meyer (206-697-2055). NS Editor’s note: The author is a brand manager and part of the management team at Yakima Bait. Like Buzz on Facebook.

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FISHING

THE DROP

Every Northwest steelheader dreams of that moment on the other side of storms as their river falls into shape – Sara maybe more than most!

By Sara Ichtertz

A

Having timed her run to the river to hit the drop perfectly, author Sara Ichtertz releases a wild winter steelhead. “Knowing those fish are in the very waters I fish helps drive me. Seeing such perfect genetics being returned to the water is a powerful thing,” she writes. (SARA ICHTERTZ)

s the rain pours in January, any serious steelheader in Southern Oregon has only one thing on their mind: the drop.

The drop’s the moment when the stars align and your waters fall into perfect fishing shape. These drops of perfection may not grace you with their presence every season, but when the rain dumps from the sky and the rivers roar, you know one is coming! Just thinking of the huge push of incredible fish that will pour into the rivers with such storms brings a giddy smile to the faces all of us who pursue the majestic winter steelhead. nwsportsmanmag.com | JANUARY 2017

Northwest Sportsman 77

FISHING THE RAIN STOPPED – finally! I was

With water levels still up but coming into prime shape, an angler gets in on a hot bite on an Oregon Coast river. (SARA ICHTERTZ)

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ever so obsessively watching two of my favorite coastal rivers’ levels.

I knew what height I desired the most. I considered how one drops into shape faster than the other typically, and know one fishes better higher. Calculating and watching I couldn’t believe what I was seeing: Both rivers were going to drop into prime fishing order at the same time. Indecisive yet fully obsessed, I finally decided that I was going to the S. Fork. After all, all the greatest words in the world start with S. I explained to my mother that this was the greatest drop of my budding angling career to date and, despite son Nathaniel’s school, I had to be to the coast and on the bank Tuesday morning before the run rose. The river was going to be exactly where I wanted it and I could not miss it!

“Well, you fish it, honey!” she told me. “Your babes are a pleasure!

Go fish!”

And so I did.

I was off and running by 3:15 a.m. Gear checked and double checked, coffee thermos filled and great music lined up, I headed to the coast on a winter adventure to my favorite little river on the planet.

Only one thing was on my mind: the fish that stole my heart!

I arrived at my little slice of heaven a couple hours ahead of the sun because I wanted to be the first person there. I feel like it settles my nerves to be there first, so I always try my best to be early. This day I accomplished that, though I knew they would be coming.

No sooner had my pack hit the rocks than my time alone on the river was over. The men who filed down the gorge felt a true connection with the river too. Some of these steelheaders have been fishing it for over 50 years. One old man told me he’d worked that very drift since he was eight years old. He appeared to be every bit of 70 to me, but I could still see his love for that river and those fish, as if he was that

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FISHING boy fighting his first-ever steelhead.

The passion has no age, nor does it ever dull. The love of the tug is real!

Once these fish become a part of you, they will never leave you. Each of us shares a common bond, no matter how different we are off the river: the desire to fish for winter steelhead. We were there to hook what swam beneath the dropping waters, and we did!

The first fish bit within minutes of fishing light. A wild buck slammed the fisherman’s rigging like “I want you! Right now!” He took the angler down a chute where only those with strong legs and a certain amount of youth and fire even attempt to follow fish. He did amazingly well, landing and releasing the buck at the bottom of those massive rapids.

From that moment on, the steelhead showed us just how very present they were. The amazing little river was packed full of hot, fresh-from-

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A U.S. Geological Survey river gauge shows the results of several rainstorms hitting the Oregon Coast last January and February and subsequent dropping water levels as the weather stabilized. Fishing can be very good as the blue discharge line nears but hasn’t yet met the orange triangles, which mark typical flows for this time of year. (USGS)

the-ocean winter steelhead that were willing and ready to see just what we were made of.

exceeded my wildest expectations. I fished the entire day of the drop, and even

WHAT I WITNESSED

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FISHING though I placed ninth out of the 12 of us in terms of fish landed, I gained an understanding of many crucial things that didn’t necessarily have to do with how many I caught. Not only hearing the anglers’ stories, but watching their tactics helped me, observing them, finding my moment and taking it. Fishing alongside them and hooking fish was very empowering. It showed me all my hard work is paying off. Doing things like this gives me the confidence it truly takes to be a woman on the riverbank during winter steelhead season in Southern Oregon.

Being relatively new to the sport (see Real Women of Northwest Fishing, Northwest Sportsman, December 2016) that drop showed me things that I needed to see with my own eyes. It proved to me that the stars do in fact align. That the drop after a huge winter storm does matter – and it is our time to shine. The fish will not wait! You either make it there when the time is right, or you don’t and miss out.

All my watching of river levels had paid off; I trusted my gut and chose wisely on which river to do my hunting that day.

Some of you might believe what I saw that day was a fish tale. My eyes and heart know it was the “reel” deal! There were multiple doubles off the bank – I was even a part of one of them. Several men brought seven or eight stunning steelhead to the bank. The fish ranged from little silver hatchery bullets to wild beasts so amazing one would have to see them with their own eyes to understand just how incredible they really were.

I watched one man land a dozen, 12 of the most beautiful steelhead a person could ever hope for. He caught the two largest I have ever seen landed. Both were wild, a buck and a hen, and the effort he put into landing the fish was incredible to me. Neither fish were jumpers. They stayed buried deep and tried their 82 Northwest Sportsman

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Storms this time of year not only bring rain but fish, and it behooves steelheaders to closely follow river conditions and try and be on the water on the drop. (SARA ICHTERTZ)

best to elude him. I never laid eyes on the buck until the moment he was netted. Then all I could see was blush pink and green throughout the entire net. He was massive, on every level! Shoulders of perfection, that fish was a specimen! I have no idea of the weight, nor will I ever know.

But I now know the adrenaline that is felt on the bank when fish of this magnitude are landed.

Three casts later and the man had another on, the fish my dreams are made of! She was chrome bright and massive, her girth unlike any hen

I’ve seen yet. This wild girl made my 31-inch, personal-best hen seem itty bitty! She glistened brighter than any diamond has ever dreamed.

Just getting to lay eyes on her and witness the power she fought him with helps me in my pursuit of steelhead.

The release was beautiful as well.

Knowing those fish are in the very waters I fish helps drive me. Seeing such perfect genetics being returned to the river is a powerful thing! It’s very inspiring when one thinks Continued on page 86...

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Continued from page 83...

about future runs. Trusting that my time on the river matters, I believe I too can catch such a fish one day.

And I shall!

THE WILD PAIR was by far the catch of the day. But there was also not one dark fish amongst the 41 amazingly beautiful winter steelhead landed out of that single drift. Their acrobatics stood out – epic battles against fired-up steelhead jumping every which way, over and over, screaming this way and that. It was best to have your drag fairly loose or they’d snap you off before you knew what hit you! They will break your heart no matter how great you think you are, because they are the greatest! You wouldn’t think losing fish would be good but truly it is!

With each fight we gain knowledge.

The rigging shooting back in your face is oh so necessary. And despite any heartache I have felt, it has all been worth it.

The day was awe-inspiring to me as a person and as a fisherlady.

Every angle of it helped me to be a better fisher. Nothing substitutes time on the water. The only way to truly know what I am talking about is to get out there and do some adventuring for yourself.

Spend that time on the water; it will make a mighty fisher out of you – that is, if you want it. Being a part of that drop in such a place, with those magnificent creatures and my fellow fishermen was exactly what I needed, and exactly what I was ready for in my third winter run! Those fish bring out things in me I never knew existed. As I think about those fish and that day, it just confirms for me, once again, that my heart is on the river. And I couldn’t change it, even if I tried.

Bring on this season’s drops, and the Northwest’s majestic winter fish! NS Editor’s note: For more on Sara’s adventures, see For The Love Of The Tug on Facebook.

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FISHING

Steelhead Dilemmas Bank or boat? Local or coastal?

Post or PM? A Portland angler sorts out the sport’s many vexing decisions.

By Andy Schneider

Y

ou’re half paying attention to the conversation with your spouse as you check river levels, coastal pass conditions, Facebook and a couple fishing forums on your phone, when suddenly you realize that a question has been asked of you and an answer is needed. You lock your device and slip it into your pocket, then try and replay the last sentence you heard, something about “… So done with those dark woods; don’t you think these would be a nice replacement?”

Of course you agree and your spouse pulls a product description from a clear envelope attached to an ultramodern-looking “Entertainment cabinet.” Hmmm, this can’t be good! Suddenly you are moving again with the crowd, directed by arrows on the floor and herded this way and that, through fake dining rooms, mock kitchens and children’s rooms that are way too clean and organized. You covertly pull your phone out of your pocket again and are quickly immersed back in your fishing quandaries: Stay local, or head to the coast? See if Pat has a full crew for his drift boat, or gather your own for the sled? Or maybe see if David is off tomorrow and just hit the banks for some hiking along small coastal streams?

But then there’s that voice again – your attention is required in the present and a lingering look of disappointment from your spouse tells you that you need to put your

The more time you spend steelheading, the easier it becomes to make the right choice about where to fish, given the time of year and water conditions. Author Andy Schneider, friends Brenda Skinner and Nancy Zimmer, and Ollie the fish hound are all smiles with their decision to float a coastal river. (ANDY SCHNEIDER)

phone away. As you look around you are surrounded by a forest of tall shelving stuffed with cardboard boxes – are those words in French or Swedish? A hollow feeling begins to grow in the pit of your stomach as you see an oddly shaped figure in all different states of emotions while holding screws, bolts and crazylooking fasteners that would even puzzle Tom Silva. Oh, no. No, no, no – not in any of your weekend fishing dilemmas was there anything about having to spend a day cursing and bleeding in the garage with frustrating, complex furniture!

EVERY TIME WE head to the river in search of our elusive quarry, we have made hundreds if not thousands of decisions before we even wet our lines. If you took a moment and thought about the

process you and your friends went through just to pursue fish, it would be overwhelming. But in talking with some of the best anglers in the Northwest, they all share one quality that sets them apart: Their fishing decisions are instinctual.

True, that’s based on years of trial and error throughout different watersheds and in water conditions that stretch from one extreme to the other. Indeed, learning to trust your instincts when it comes to deciding on what, where and how to fish isn’t something that should come naturally; it should take lots of work, experience and research. If you’re not having a few misses and blanks, then you’re not pushing yourself enough to find success in less-than-ideal conditions. That said, if you’re just getting started or in need of a refresher as peak fishing nwsportsmanmag.com | JANUARY 2017

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FISHING

Wise steelheaders know to kick off their season with hatchery fish, like this one Allen Flanagan caught fishing with Tom VanderPlaat, and extend it deep into winter and even spring with broodstock and native fish. (ANDY SCHNEIDER)

arrives, here’s a little help solving some of steelheading’s dilemmas.

COASTAL VS. LOCAL This could be a real easy decision if you lived on the west side of the Northwest’s coastal ranges, but since the majority of us need a little shorter commute, the metropolises in the Willamette Valley and Puget Sound Basin are our homes. Though local rivers have a huge advantage of being close by, they can also be a little more fickle when it comes to fishing consistently. But while 90 Northwest Sportsman

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there is nothing more romantic than mending a bobber in a deep and shady canyon along a coastal tributary, if you live where flannel and full beards are worn for style instead of practicality, you have just as many (if not more) options for winter steelhead fishing as any resident who can hear the surf or smell where cheese comes from.

The Sandy, Clackamas, Eagle Creek, North and East Forks of the Lewis and Cowlitz Rivers all produce a lot of winter steelhead and keep many anglers happy all season long.

In reality, when water conditions are good, the fishing on the coast and close to home can be equally good. The decision to head over a coastal pass shouldn’t be made based on third-hand fishing reports or (a much worse option) the internet.

Trust your instincts on when the river is going to be dropping into shape after a freshet, what forecasted weather might slow or spur the bite and first-hand experience with run timing. Those should be your deciding factors on whether to stick close to home or head west.

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FISHING

Whether you’re making a shore lunch or stopping off somewhere on the way home, food just tastes better when it’s served with good times and good people. And whether you got in front of a big pod of fresh fish or just took a boat ride or went for a walk along the river, you made the best decision of all: just to get out there and enjoy winter steelhead season. (ANDY SCHNEIDER)

BOAT VS. BANK Sometimes this is an easy choice, as the river you choose will only have access for one or the other. While there are two great bank spots on the Cowlitz, a boat is by far the most effective way to fish that river. And yes, there are ways to get a drift boat down the Necanicum, but you best have your chainsaw onboard and be prepared to portage. But there are plenty of rivers that have equally good access for bank and boat, like the Sandy, Wilson and Kalama. Then it becomes a decision on how you want to spend your day.

There is something very satisfying about walking the banks, working different water and being able to call it a day whenever you choose. Only a true bankie can appreciate the satisfaction of avoiding low-hanging hemlock branches on your backcast to see your bait plop perfectly just upriver from that emerald-green slot that looks oh-so fishy. Pursuing your quarry from the bank is one 92 Northwest Sportsman

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FISHING a quality and equal mix of fin-clipped and wild steelhead, and still others where the appearance of a hatchery fish would be a conversation starter.

Some anglers judge their success by how much meat they bring home, while for others it’s battling the best and toughest. And there are even some anglers who don’t judge success by hooking something but by their experience on the water.

Some seasoned anglers may say that steelhead and salmon fishing is an evolution for every fisherman, a transition from “hunt and gatherer” as they start their fishing careers to becoming more of a purist as they refine their skills, preferring the hard fight only a native steelhead can provide when hooked swinging an Egg-sucking Leech from a high-end spey rod. But in truth, it’s more of a spectrum. There is a time and place for each type of pursuit. You can’t tell me that salty anglers venture to Buoy 10 for the experience of nature

of the only times when you can experience the lack of anxiety and true peace that comes with realizing you’ve got another half-dozen tempting holes to fish without another angler in sight.

That said, the camaraderie of sharing a drift boat or sled on a cold winter day is tough to beat. There’s passing a thermos of Kona brew around, comparing pepperoni from different hunts and nothing beats a good solid ribbing for missing or losing a fish. It’s a special feeling to work efficiently as a team when a fish is hooked, and sharing the elation as it comes aboard or is turned back to continue on its journey upstream is wonderful inside the cozy aluminum hull.

HATCHERY VS. WILD There are rivers that are known for their abundance of hatchery steelhead, while some are known for

and the outdoors. And you can’t sell to me that an angler pursuing trout in a small, meandering stream two hours from home is in it for the clean taste of a 10-inch cutthroat. No, we all are constantly adjusting our pursuits for different reasons, and there is nothing wrong with that.

Oftentimes you’ll find your fishing friends moving through the spectrum at the same time you are.

And as seasons progress, there is nothing wrong with switching things up a bit to keep enthusiasm strong.

There is nothing wrong with getting your steelhead season started with a brat taken just below the hatchery on the North Fork Nehalem or at Blue Creek on the Cowlitz. And it’s natural to want to get away from terminal zones to pursue steelhead away from the crowds for a weekend.

Don’t fight your instincts and desires when it comes to what rivers to fish.

That way you will start your fishing trip off already a success.

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FISHING BRAG VS. SOCIAL MEDIA BLACKOUT Now, if you are a fishing guide trying to make a living, social media has an important role to play with a successful business. But if you’re just your average weekend warrior, posting on social media may be a little narcissistic at times.

Don’t get me wrong: You won’t find a shortage of this author’s fish online. But being honest with yourself about why you’re posting will ensure you are happy with the likes, retweets and emojis – along with the criticism and negativity that can quickly follow too.

There is nothing more satisfying than sharing your success with friends and family who are genuinely happy for your good fortune. Posts help them feel connected to you, even though they may be living across the country. When coworkers see your success online, it gives you and them an invite into conversation

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around the coffeepot and helps make for an enjoyable day at work.

But be cautious about sharing every detail of your adventures online. Exact locations are not necessary to convey an enjoyable trip. Getting too specific may lure an internet troll, cyber stallion or forum warrior into posting negative comments, which can really take the joy out of what was a fun and enjoyable fishing trip. The best way to keep a post from turning negative is to learn the difference between “our” and “are,” “there” and “their” and – apparently the ultimate internet faux pas – “your” and “you’re.” Misusing these words is like an alarm bell for trolls, waking them from their slumber in their parents’ basement and spurring them into tearing apart a well-meaning post. The easiest – but also the most difficult – thing to do when your post starts to get unnecessary criticism is to just ignore it. Remember why you

posted to begin with – to preserve a memory for you, family and friends.

Take the high road and don’t pick an unwinnable fight with these keyboard cowboys.

IDEAL CONDITIONS VS. HIGH/LOW WATER When we dream of winter steelhead fishing, we imagine emerald-green waters, a slight chill to the air and wispy clouds moving over tall evergreens. But if you wait for those conditions to align, you may miss the entire season. Pushing your comfort limits when it comes to water conditions is something that will make you a better angler. As you find success or failure in lessthan-ideal flows, your confidence will grow and you will find that your tolerance for conditions expands.

And when the water’s pictureperfect, take advantage of it to bring friends and family who may only get a chance to fish a couple times a year. Low water tends to keg fish up;

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once a pod of steelhead is located, fishing can be amazing. Higher water tends to spur steelhead into action, so hitting a day before the river drops into the sort of shape that will bring out the majority of anglers can provide phenomenal fishing with less pressure.

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Not all winter steelhead dilemmas center on the water, or are dilemmas at all. Who doesn’t enjoy a good meal out? After a good day of fishing, there is nothing better than a vanilla ice cream espresso shake from Lindsey’s Lattes or a slice of pie from Alice’s Country House in Tillamook. A Babe’s Burger from the Carver Hanger after a day of side-drifting the Clackamas or some chicken fried steak from Toll Gate after a day of drift fishing the Sandy are just as tasty. No matter your river of choice, there’s always a quality local restaurant that’s famous for some specialty or another. Make a point of supporting them.

And if you are lucky enough to have friends who are gifted at putting together a shore lunch, there is nothing better than a warm sandwich, burger or Polish dog halfway through your day on the water. Taking a break from fishing while enjoying warm, delicious food will give the entire crew renewed energy to finish the day of fishing strong.

AS WE SPEND more and more time on steelhead streams, our decisionmaking becomes easier and easier.

Soon, dilemmas that once kept us awake at night can be settled as quickly as river levels now load on our smartphones. And really, there may not be a true wrong decision when it comes to just getting out on the water. After all, a day spent chasing fish that decide to return to their spawning grounds in the middle of winter is a day that can’t be subtracted from our short stay here on Earth. NS 98 Northwest Sportsman

JANUARY 2017 | nwsportsmanmag.com

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COLUMN

Sleeper Steelies They’re not exactly making new steelhead streams these days but we are losing opportunities, so it’s becoming harder and harder to find solitude, let alone success, during the winter-run fishery. Still, Paula Hill of Boston Harbor found this nice chromer on a small stream two seasons ago. She was fishing a Kramer jig under a float. (FISHING PHOTO CONTEST)

T

he new year always brings a new hope for those of us who love to be outdoors.

There’s new gear we acquired during the holiday season to try out, and upcoming fisheries and hunting seasons to look forward to.

Steelhead, of course, rule for most South SOUTH SOUND Sound anglers this time of year, but there

By Jason Brooks are still several lakes putting out nice trout from late fall plantings. For hunters, all of the general big game opportunities are past, as is grouse season, but there are some waterfowl options and those willing to drive a bit can find good upland bird hunting east of the mountains. Then there are coyotes and bobcats to contend with.

YES, JANUARY’S FULL of options, and winter steelhead are what I get excited about. Though we don’t have any open rivers in the southern portions of Puget Sound, there are nearby streams that fish well in January. Grays Harbor is a great county for steelhead anglers who prefer to float the upper reaches of the Wynoochee,

Satsop and Humptulips. All three rivers see a lot of pressure, almost as much as the famed Blue Creek run of the Cowlitz can see at the peak of its run in March, and for good reason, as they’re generally productive with the added possibility of catching early wild steelies. If you are into hatchery steelhead, then you are used to the crowds. Those seeking solitude need to head to further unknown haunts or find a few local creeks that offer moderate success and low participation.

Further up in the Grays Harbor basin, the small Newaukum River is not known as a big producer, though it should be high on the solitude-seeking steelheader’s list. This small tributary to the Chehalis River received 34,500 smolts in 2015 with their expected first return this winter. Mostly flowing through prairies and farmlands south of Centralia, the Newaukum has little public access, which is another reason why you will find solitude if you find access. The stream is fished well by those who prefer to drift beads or small baits, and it does have a decent return of native fish that must be kept in the water and released unharmed. For fly anglers, this river isn’t very scenic but the tall, grassy shoreline might be easier on backcasts compared to the overhanging

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COLUMN trees found on Olympic Peninsula waters.

Another Chehalis tributary that fishes extremely well at the first of the year is the Skookumchuck. It’s true that this river is not a sleeper or secret, but thanks to the amount of public access, you can get away from the crowds if you’re willing to walk a bit. The Skook has extensive bank access and saw the largest winter-run smolt plant of all of the Chehalis system’s tribs, 97,000 released in 2015.

Like the Newaukum, the river is small. In fact, it is more of a stream, and it fishes well with lower flows. It is almost purely a bank angler’s river, with no real way to float it other than aboard a one-person pontoon, but even then you can cover as much water by hiking as you can by floating. Look for the short runs and seams to hold moving steelhead that are hiding from eagles and otters. There, an 1/-ounce Mack’s Lure Rock Dancer jig tipped with a piece of raw prawn below a clear float is a top producer. You can fish all different types of water with this setup, and if you tie a dropper to a bead trailed behind, you will double your chances of a hook-up. As there aren’t too many native steelhead, what with the dam backing up Skookumchuck Reservoir just above the hatchery, if you are looking for a closeto-South Sound place to catch some keepers, this is where to go.

Last on my sleeper list of New Year’s steelhead rivers is the Naselle. Though tightly guarded by those who fish it and live in the area, the Pacific County stream also received 129,775 smolts

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reared on license-buyer and taxpayer funding. This lazy river has a mile-long stretch of bank access next to Highway 4 known as the Bennos Easement for boatless anglers. There is also a concrete launch for small sleds near Highway 401 on South Valley Road.

REGARDLESS OF WHETHER you have a sleeper steelhead stream or two or if you are looking for one, the most important thing to remember is to be able to adapt and learn. With our everchanging regulations, dearth of opportunities in most of Pugetropolis and people flocking to rivers that were once barren of anglers, there are fewer and fewer places for us to go, which creates some stress on the waterways, as well as between anglers and guides. Over the past few years, I’ve heard from a lot of people who are upset that their “secret” fishing spot was “ruined” by an article, website or even “word of mouth.” What they may not realize is that it is because we are losing other places to fish that anglers are finding more and more people at their “private” spots. We all pay, both in buying licenses and in taxes, to fish the same waters for the same fish. No one person has any right over any other to a certain waterway or fish, it’s that simple.

Hopefully our steelhead runs will be restored and soon we will be able to fish our “home waters” again. Until then, head out and explore the many rivers and streams that offer winter steelhead in Southwest Washington. NS

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COLUMN The Skykomish is a pretty good bet for steelhead this month. Mike Smith hit the daily double last January.

(FISHING PHOTO CONTEST)

Gambling On Winter-runs S teelheading in Western Washington this winter could very well end up a crap shoot. With reduced WIESTSIDER smolt releases in

By Terry Wiest many rivers and no stocking done in others, the opportunities for hatchery steelhead feel like they’re at an all-time minimum here. That isn’t, however, to say that there will not be fish to be caught; it’s that we might just have to work harder, or try and guess where and

when fish will be available.

I can tell you that, traditionally, the month of January to me has meant traveling to Forks. Unless something drastic happens, or conditions don’t allow it, 2017 will be no different. For others, January is Cowlitz time. I’m guessing for those anglers they’ll stick to their same game plan as well. But what about some of the other January rivers that may or may not pan out? The Green? The Wynoochee?

The Humptulips?

Unless you have insider knowledge, this could be the year to gamble on your steelhead success. Below are my

thoughts on seeking January chrome.

Hopefully it pays off in precious metal.

DOUBLE DOWN What I’m seeing as the best opportunities for January are those rivers that have multiple runs leading up to them.

For the Puget Sound region, the best, if not really the only bet is to go with the Skykomish. The Sky has always been a great January producer, and 2017 should be no exception. Reiter Ponds will continue to draw a huge crowd, and those who have their float fishing down should have a good chance at fish here.

What will also be a good bet is the Wallace. Not only will you get Sky fish traveling past the Wallace, but the mouth of the tributary and a long stretch above it will have fish from both rivers intermingling before they figure out where they’re supposed to go. In the Sky below the mouth of the Wallace, a good plug fisherman can knock ’em dead.

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COLUMN The Skykomish received roughly 144,000 smolts in 2015, while releases into the Wallace nearly doubled over 2014, to 34,000, for return this winter. While not mind-blowing numbers, these were the only two Puget Sound rivers planted for fishing due to 2014’s lawsuit settlement between the Wild Fish Conservancy and Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. Under that agreement, WDFW was to cease planting Chambers Creek hatchery steelhead until federal fisheries overseers approved new hatchery genetic management plans for individual rivers where that strain is stocked. That (finally) occurred last spring and smolts went out again in the Snoqualmie, Stillaguamish and Nooksack systems, but those fish aren’t due back till next winter, making the Sky and Wallace this season’s safest (and only) gamble.

The Cowlitz River is always a safe bet and in 2017 it should continue to be a top producer, even though the number of smolts released in 2015 for return this

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Author Terry Wiest feels the Humptulips is a bit of a wild card this month, while the Wynoochee got a bad deal when it came to smolt releases for return this winter. But anglers will still be hitting Grays Harbor rivers for chromers like this one held by guide Todd Girtz. (TODD GIRTZ)

season was 200,000 lower than 2014.

That’s a loss of more smolts than were released into the Skykomish and Wallace combined! No, the Wild Fish Conservancy hasn’t been causing trouble on this system too. Rather, WDFW blames the loss on bacterial coldwater disease, and says steps have been put in place to prevent it from hitting other broods.

Still, with over 531,000 released and favorable river conditions, the Cowlitz is guaranteed to pump out steelhead

this winter. Side-drifting eggs is always a popular method on this river. The areas below the Barrier Dam and Blue Creek will continue to get hammered as other opportunities dwindle.

On the coast, two rivers should produce good numbers, and they’re where I’d put my money. First of all, both have “other” rivers which have fish that will benefit them as well.

The Salmon should be smokin’.

Although there is only a ¼-mile stretch open to nontribal members, it should fill with fish after each rain. It’s a small river, so a float and jig is about your only true choice in this gem. The Salmon feeds the Queets, and from the trib’s mouth down is a very short drift, maybe 4 miles, which usually holds lots of steelhead for those who like to fish from a boat. Float fishing works well, but plug fishermen can hammer winter-runs. The Salmon got 169,000 smolts for return this season.

Another coastal river, and one I plan on dealing myself onto in January, is the Bogachiel. While the Bogy doesn’t see the smolt numbers the Salmon does, add in the 55,000 from the Calawah and you have the largest nontribal release on the coast! Obviously the hatchery area of the Bogy – The Ponds – is popular, but from the mouth of the Calawah down you’ll have both runs to intercept.

As you probably know, I like to float fish, and this year I’ll even be trying to lure some chromers on a fly rod. The first ¼ mile of the Calawah up to The Ponds is float fishing heaven. Below the mouth of the Calawah pretty much all your traditional methods will work, with bobber dogging becoming ever more poplular.

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WILD CARDS If you’re really in a mood for gambling, where the payoffs could be huge, the Humptulips could pay dividends right below Stevens Creek. Timing is everything with these fish and the time to hit it is the first two days after a huge rain. Even as the main river is too high or dirty, just below the creek, where clear water from the stream dumps into the muddier Hump, will hold fish before they travel up the creek to the hatchery. Rags works well since visibility may be less than desired.

With over 132,000 smolts released for this year, it may not sound like much of a gamble, but these fish are strange and seem to push from the mouth all the way to the creek during heavy rains. The rest of the time this is a decent river, but for a nice payday, watch the weather and be ready to hit the Hump.

Jason Brooks lists the Naselle as a sleeper in his column, and I’d add the Willapa as a dark horse. Its release jumped from 40,000 to more than 85,000, huge numbers for a small stream. Float and jigs should provide action, and big numbers in good conditions.

FOLD ’EM? What for the past several seasons has been as much of a sure bet as there was, the Wynoochee in 2015 saw half the smolts it did in 2014, with only 88,000 released.

That coupled with the extremely high amount of pressure this system gets in January leaves me unsure of whether it’s worth a bet. There are still sure to be fish, but hopefully this river beats the odds and produces as it has in recent years.

And what would my opinion be without including my “home” waters, the Green.

Once a top five producer in Washington, it continues to amaze me – or I should say, infuriate me – as to how this popular of a river could be so diminished from its past.

The piddling 16,000 smolts that went out aren’t even meant for harvest. Place your bets elsewhere. NS Editor’s note: Terry J. Wiest is the author of Steelhead University: Your Guide to Salmon & Steelhead Success and Float-Fishing for Salmon & Steelhead, and is the owner of Steelhead University, SteelheadU.com.

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112 Northwest Sportsman

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COLUMN

WhiteďŹ sh, both mountain and lake species, are plentiful throughout the Columbia Basin and are delicious smoked and their eggs can be made into caviar. Author Dennis Daubleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s grandson Adam shows off a fat 18-incher caught in the Hanford Reach in early winter. (DENNIS DAUBLE)

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By Dennis Dauble to catch GUEST CHEF a fish if only to prove that you can. Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s where whitefish come in for me. More importantly, whitefish provide a good excuse to get on the water during the chill of winter, when short days and low light can depress your mood.

The lowly whitefish is considered to be a trash fish by many anglers, but Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m obligated to point out their many redeeming qualities. For example, they

CHEF IN THE WILD

readily strike a variety of lures, provide good sport on light tackle, and their meat has excellent flavor when smoked or poached. In addition, whitefish roe can be made into a poor manâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s caviar, and their liver makes an excellent pâtĂŠ.

Whitefish are an interesting group of fishes. Closely related to salmon and trout â&#x20AC;&#x201C; they have an adipose fin and some species exhibit parr marks â&#x20AC;&#x201C; whitefish prefer cool, oxygenated waters. Most stream fishermen are familiar with the native mountain whitefish, while the introduced lake whitefish is commonly

found in large reservoirs. Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll take a look at how to catch both species.

THE HANFORD REACH of the Columbia River is home to mountain whitefish year-round. I catch them in the summer dragging a No. 2 Vibrax spinner through shallow runs and riffles, and I catch them in the winter drifting a small orange hackle fly tipped with a maggot. However, they are easiest to catch in late autumn when they school near fall Chinook spawning grounds to gobble up loose eggs. This â&#x20AC;&#x153;residual egg memoryâ&#x20AC;? is retained for over nwsportsmanmag.com | JANUARY 2017

Northwest Sportsman 113

COLUMN

HOW TO MAKE CAVIAR

I

’m not a big fan of caviar, whether served straight up on a tiny silver spoon or with crème fraiche on a cracker, but female members of my family love salty fish ova. I still remember how, as a toddler, my daughter Diana would stand by the hors d’oeuvre table at holiday time and plead, “Cavie, cavie.”

Caviar is most commonly made from the roe of sturgeon and paddlefish, large fish that lay thousands of tiny eggs. The textural surprise as your teeth come together on caviar has been described as “pop rocks” for adults. Flavors might include musky, briny and even floral. Sturgeon roe can be quite expensive, though, depending on the variety. According to the book The Philosopher Fish, the finest Beluga caviar can demand as much as $500 an ounce. A local variety of caviar is available from hatcheryreared white sturgeon for a more reasonable price of around $60 per ounce.

Don’t let high prices scare you away from trying this fishy delicacy, however. A more frugal shopper might find lumpfish caviar sold at discount retailers for $2 to $4 per ounce. It’s possible that only cultured tongues can tell the difference.

There are also ways to make your own caviar from local fishes.

Depending on state of development, the roe sac, i.e., gonads or eggs, of a hen steelhead, rainbow trout or kokanee can be a good choice. Mountain whitefish also have small-diameter roe that can be brined to proper saltiness. Numerous references made about caviar from carp and sucker roe suggest your imagination can run wild.

In mid-November, my wife Nancy prepared caviar from a steelhead and two mountain whitefish. The eggs of both species were small, on the order of 3mm, or about 1⁄8 inch in diameter.

There are several variations on the theme, but all start with cutting up the developing roe sac into 2-inch-or-so-sized chunks before brining them in a salt mixture. Nancy brines her eggs for five to 10 minutes in a mixture of a half cup Kosher salt to 1 quart of icecold water. Once they have soaked up the proper ratio of salt (she gives them the taste test after five minutes), she removes and rinses them with cold water. Larger eggs may require brining up to 30 minutes.

Some recipes call for rinsing with hot water to remove the attached membrane from the skein, but this procedure can also cook the eggs. I suggest you practice with a small number of eggs and a range of water temperatures from cool to warm until you get the procedure down. Nancy removes the membrane from the roe with her fingers before she places the loose roe in a glass bowl for another taste test.

Depending on the stage of development, removing the skein can be a tedious process. For example, the skein of early developing roe is more difficult to remove than more mature roe that has begun to “loosen.”

After the roe has achieved the proper amount of “saltiness,” Nancy places the loose ova in a glass jar, and then seals and stores

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Not only are whitefish delicious smoked, but their eggs can be easily made into caviar. The fish gather in large schools in late fall and early winter to spawn, making it even easier to harvest the plentiful but overlooked Northwest species. (DENNIS DAUBLE) it in the refrigerator. Your homemade caviar can be stored in this manner for up to a week without significant loss of flavor.

Don’t expect the end product to look like blackish sturgeon or lumpfish caviar. Steelhead and whitefish eggs are a glossy, jewellike orange, almost too pretty to eat.

We served three kinds of caviar as hors d’oeuvre on Thanksgiving Day: lumpfish, steelhead and whitefish. My wife, daughter and granddaughters lined up to reward their taste buds, while us guys ate Nachos and watched football in the other room.

Admittedly, I snuck in later for a taste of those ol’ fish eggs. The commercial version of lumpfish caviar was too salty for my taste, but I appreciated the “pop” of flavor that steelhead caviar provided.

No doubt my ratio of cracker and crème fraiche to a tiny smear of fish eggs was higher than that of the female gender (to kill the taste delivered to an uninformed palate?), but as for whitefish caviar, my wife and daughter termed the taste as “grassy,” while I couldn’t help notice a distinct note of caddisfly larvae.

As they say, enjoying caviar can be an acquired taste. –DDD

The author’s wife Nancy prepares caviar from steelhead eggs. The end result, whether using steelies or whitefish, are eggs of a glossy, jewel-like orange, “almost too pretty to eat.” (DENNIS DAUBLE)

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Northwest Sportsman 115

COLUMN a month before they resume their main diet of aquatic insect larvae.

To find whitefish in the Reach, look for riffle-runs adjacent to gravel-cobble bars that range in depth from 6 to 20 feet. Boat anglers might give Vernita Bar, Coyote Rapids, Locke Island, Ringold or Taylor Flats a try. Drift downstream at a speed slightly slower than the current and use enough weight to tick the bottom.

Deploying a bow-mount motor will help you control speed and position. Because whitefish are a schooling species, keep moving until you feel a distinctive sharp rap that signifies a strike.

I have two variations for drift fishing.

When I use a three-way swivel, the terminal weight is off a 12- to 15-inch leader and the barbless egg hook is off a 6- to 12-inch leader.

But rather than messing with a threeway swivel, I often tie a terminal weight directly to the end of my line (usually a slinky) and then make a loop in the main line roughly 15 inches above the weight. I

In late fall and early winter, salmon eggs or imitations thereof are a great bait for whitefish. Note the similarity between the size and color of Exude’s “rocket red” soft bait and several Chinook eggs removed from the stomach of mountain whitefish. Later in the season, an orange hackle fly tipped with a maggot is effective. (DENNIS DAUBLE) then loop a packaged snell hook directly to that line loop. Having your hook above the weight (as opposed to on the terminal end and a slider weight above a swivel) makes for a more sensitive “feel” of a bite. It’s the same basic set-up as I’d use

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with my sparkplug sinker when fishing off the rocks for redtail surf perch. Whichever of the two rigs I’m using, I slide a single artificial salmon egg, such as Exude soft plastic roe or an 8- to 10mm orange bead, over the hook shank.

By January and February, when salmon are dead and gone, I’ll drift a two-hook tandem of red or orange flies tipped with a maggot. Can’t locate fresh maggots? Berkley’s Power Wigglers resemble midge larvae, the favorite food of the mountain whitefish.

Many small Inland Northwest tributary streams are also home to mountain whitefish. Good sport can be had with a fly rod, particularly after whitefish move in from the Columbia River during the annual winter spawning run. I’ve caught them drifting small beadhead patterns (think size 16 to 20) that include Prince Nymphs, Pheasant Tails and Copper Johns, and occasionally take one on a rise with a size 14 Renegade or PMD. A nymphing technique known as the Czech method is popular with fly fishers in the Deschutes and Crooked Rivers of Central Oregon. Essentially, a weighted nymph is tied on as a bottom-bouncing fly, with smaller attractor flies tied above on one or two leaders. In broken water, you might suspend a favorite fly pattern or 1⁄16-ounce jig below a small Thill float or a Thingamabobber.

As an aside, I’ve seen whitefish rise

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Northwest Sportsman 117

COLUMN to the surface to aggressively strike a colored Thingamabobber. Go figure!

Where bait fishing is legal – it isn’t on many streams to protect federally listed natural-origin steelhead – bank anglers often drift stonefly nymphs through a holding area. A friend reports catching whitefish “bouncing” winged grasshoppers along the bottom in late summer. In other words, they will often key in on larger food items.

Streams east of the Cascades with significant mountain whitefish populations include the Klickitat, Middle Fork of the John Day, Umatilla, Walla Walla, upper Yakima, Naches, Wenatchee and Methow Rivers.

Oregon streams that hold substantial populations include the Willamette, Umatilla and Grande Ronde Rivers.

The same narrow, pointed mouth that allows mountain whitefish to poke for items between the crevices of smooth river cobble is a deterrent to getting them off the hook, so don’t forget your needle-

Lake whitefish run larger than mountain whitefish and can be caught on walleye gear. Bobby Loomis of Mack’s Lure hooked this giant one at Banks Lake while prospecting for walleye in midwinter with a Smile Blade Slow Death Rig. It wasn’t weighed but might have topped Washington’s state record, which is 6.81 pounds. (RICHY HARROD)

nose pliers if you wish to practice catchand-release.

LAKE WHITEFISH WERE introduced in Lake Pend Oreille and Flathead Lake in 1889 and 1909, respectively, and

from each they expanded their range downstream into the Columbia system.

This species can be easily identified because they are deeper-bodied than mountain whitefish and have two flaps between the nostrils instead of one.

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COLUMN They are restricted to Columbia Basin waters east of the Cascades.

Specimens up to 26 pounds have been taken from the Great Lakes, which once supported a valuable commercial fishery, and while the fish are abundant here, they’re considered “underutilized” in parts of Washington.

Admittedly, I catch lake whitefish most often when I jig for walleye in Lake Rufus Woods. Friends have reported catching them on occasion while trolling flies or Mack’s Wedding Ring spinners for rainbow trout in Lake Roosevelt. And Bobby Loomis, an angler well-versed in Smile Blade techniques for walleye, caught and released one on a Slow Death rig at Banks Lake that might have been a new state record.

According to the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, they’re widely distributed through the Columbia Basin irrigation system, including in Banks, Moses, Billy Clapp and Soda Lakes, and Potholes and Scooteney Reservoirs.

WHITEFISH TRIVIA • Indian tribes fished through the ice for whitefish using “sniggles” fashioned from horsehair and traps woven from willow branches.

• Lewis and Clark referred to the Rocky Mountain whitefish as “bottlenose” during their travels through the upper Missouri River drainage in 1804.

• Mountain whitefish were cleverly sold as “mountain herring” to delicatessens in Salt Lake City during the latter half of the 19th century.

• Common nicknames for lake whitefish include ciscoes, chubs and gizzard fish.

• The Alaskan sheefish, or iconnu, which may reach weights of 30 to 60 pounds, and the pygmy whitefish, which tops out at 8 inches long, represent the big and small ends of the extended whitefish family.

• Surveys on Box Canyon Reservoir on Northeast Washington’s Pend Oreille River have shown a dramatic decline in mountain whitefish and other resident fish populations coincident with the spread of invasive, nonnative northern pike. –DDD Densities are said to be highest in Roosevelt near the Hawk Creek area and west to the dam. When safe ice forms, small crowds gather on Banks too.

McClane’s New Standard Fishing Encyclopedia informs that lake whitefish will “readily strike lead-head jigs and small spinners during the day.” Encyclopedias should not be your only source of knowledge on this overlooked sport fish, however. Check out WDFW’s informative

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One hand on the landing net and the other on his fly rod, Ted Poston masterfully brings a “hot” mountain whitefish to the boat while fishing the Hanford Reach. (DENNIS DAUBLE)

WHETHER DUE TO lack of interest or having too much on their plate with salmon and steelhead recovery, neither WDFW or ODFW have a formal management strategy for whitefish. In contrast, Idaho has conservation plans in place for selected watersheds. The daily limit in Washington is 15 whitefish with no minimum size restriction. Idaho allows a take of 25 fish, while Oregon lists no catch regulations. These generous harvest limits suggest the possibility of filling your smoker.

Because a number of streams have special winter “whitefish only” seasons that include a minimum hook gap, review your area’s regulations before you put on long underwear and head for the water.

No matter if your goal is to get out of the house for an hour or to catch a pile of fish, whitefish are an excellent choice. As for me, I’m all for having whitefish there for me on days when I have to catch a fish – if only to prove that I can. NS Editor’s notes: Dennis Dauble is author of three books about fish and fishing: Fishes of the Columbia Basin, The Barbless Hook, and One More Last Cast. Check out his website at DennisDaubleBooks.com.

Regular Chef in the Wild columnist Randy King returns next issue.

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Northwest Sportsman 123

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ED BY:

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:KLWHÀVK 'ULIW )LVK Rigging NOTES This set-up is one of two I use when drift fishing for whitefish, and it is a bit like one you’d make for surf perch fishing. I tie a terminal weight directly to the end of my line, then make a loop roughly 15 inches above it.

I then loop a packaged snelled hook directly to that line loop.

Over the shank of the hook – usually a size 14 – I slide on a single artificial salmon egg, such as Exude soft plastic roe or an 8- to 10mm orange bead.

–Dennis Dauble

8-pound-plus mono mainline

Snap swivel

Weight

15 inches between weight and loop in the mainline

Snelled leader attached to line loop

Soft plastic egg or small bead

(DENNIS DAUBLE)

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Northwest Sportsman 125

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COLUMN

How To Get More Out Of 2017 THE KAYAK GUYS

W

ith 2016 in the books, it’s time for some self-assessment.

Did you make the most of your fishing kayak last Kayak Guys

By Mark Veary year? Did you catch all the species on your wishlist?

If you answered No to these questions, you’re not alone. The majority of the Northwest’s weekend kayak warriors would probably answer the same way. But why?

Was it a lack of luck that left you wanting? Certainly, but that’s not to say that luck is outside of your control. You see, luck is simply a matter of being open to the possibility that an opportunity will present itself, backed by the preparation required to take advantage of that opportunity when it arrives. It’s a concept that fishermen employ every time we’re on the water. Highly successful fishermen take this process to the next level.

WANT MORE FROM 2017? You’ll need to

Looking to pack more kayak fishing into your 2017? “Broaden your view of what’s possible and expand the scope of your preparation,” writes author Mark Veary, who snapped this pic of Owen Steves fighting a spring sturgeon off his dad Brian’s kayak in April. (MARK VEARY)

broaden your view of what’s possible and expand the scope of your preparation.

Start by creating a calendar of available opportunities in your area. Talk with others, regardless of their preferred craft, who’ve had success in the venues you want to pursue. Scour magazines articles and the archives of Northwest fishing forums for specifics on timing and technique. Upgrade the rigging on your kayak to support the techniques you’ll be employing. Finally, compile all of this research into an outline for your fishing year, a plan that gives you time to prepare, motivates you to push through the fatigue of a workweek past and forces you outside your comfort zone.

Getting started is the hardest part of any endeavor, so let me jump-start your success with a peak into my personal,

albeit abridged fishing calendar.

January/February: The depths of winter in the Northwest may appear to be lacking in kayak fishing opportunities, but those in the know are drifting coastal rivers or Columbia tributaries for steelhead. These are fisheries that you’ll want to approach with a partner or small group, as the cold temperatures and fast water present real risks. They will also require shuttles. If you’re not up for negotiating rapids in the backcountry, catch-and-release sturgeon and holdover planter and brookstock trout are still biting.

Those who relish their saltwater fishing time would do well to keep an eye on ocean forecasts during these months.

While rare, there are usually a couple of

small-surf days each winter that allow you to access the big lingcod, nesting on nearshore reefs.

March/April: Early spring in the Northwest means springers! These delicious and hard-fighting fish are worth the hours of trolling required to catch them. If you still haven’t figured this fishery out, pick a stretch of the Columbia or Lower Willamette and work at it until you find consistent success.

In the event that you limit early or for those times when you just can’t face another trolling pass, pack along your anchor and sturgeon gear. At this time of year sturgeon are feasting on the remnants of so many bait changes.

I’ve had days in early spring where the

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COLUMN

May marks the time when halibut are available to kayak anglers, though it’s best to go with a group. (MARK VEARY) sturgeon were so keyed in on salmon bait that they wouldn’t touch a herring unless it was plug cut.

If you prefer warmwater fish, March and April is a great time for trophy river smallmouth. Though the rivers may be high and running cold, aggressive prespawn bass can be found in the slow-moving pocket water around rocky structure. In these colder conditions, smaller bass are too lethargic to beat older and larger bass to your lure.

May/June: Late spring opens the door to a wealth of fishing options. The ocean is finally calming down and the summer onshores haven’t yet begun. Novice salt enthusiasts can sate their appetites for lingcod and rockfish on nearshore reefs, while the more advanced and adventurous will be chasing halibut further offshore in both Oregon and Washington.

Springers are still available in the tributaries and fresh Chinook are showing up in Tillamook Bay. What’s more, summer steelhead fishing is waking up in coastal rivers.

As for lower key fisheries, bass and trout are in full swing at nearly every lake, pond and reservoir in the state. Along the coast, trophy largemouth fisheries such as Cullaby and Tenmile Lakes are coming to life, while in Eastern Oregon crappie, bass and trout are putting on the feedbag.

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learn a new fishery, consider entering the Brownlee Crappie Shootout, the Tillamook Bay Man of the Day or the Northwest’s premier kayak fishing contest, the Oregon Rockfish Classic at Depoe Bay. July/August: The variety of species and venues in play at this time of year is simply ridiculous. There are, in fact, so many options that it’s easy to be overwhelmed by second guessing where your energies should be directed.

Some of my favorite summer fisheries are: anchoring up on one of the many Columbia River sandbars for summer steelhead; dragging a worm harness across broken reefs in the Willamette,

Multnomah Channel and Columbia for the elusive walleye; and trolling for Chinook and coho in the ocean or at Buoy 10.

Though salmon and steelhead are my primary quarry, bass fishing is wide open in nearly every stream and reservoir in the Northwest. If you’re a bass enthusiast, don’t miss the Bonneville Bass Bonanza. This catch, photo and release, or CPR, contest pits kayak fishermen of all levels against each other in the world-class destination bass fishery that is the Bonneville Pool.

For a truly satisfying challenge, hit the ocean for the Northwest trifecta – a kayak full of salmon, lingcod and Dungeness crab. This feat will definitely put an exclamation point on your year.

September/October: The phrase an embarrassment of riches is a fair description of these months. If you haven’t burned out on salmon yet, every coastal estuary from the Rogue River to the Columbia to Grays Harbor will be kicking out Chinook and/or coho, as will every fishable stretch below Bonneville and the mouths of the Deschutes, White Salmon, etc. Further east, steelhead are showing in the Wallowa and Grande Ronde. Above the Willamette Falls, coho are falling to plugs and spinners at the mouths of the Tualatin and Molalla Rivers.

If that’s not enough, bass are feeding with a real sense of urgency, making the most of the waning daylight. With less thermal energy in the valleys, midday

High summer is a time of plentitude, from warmwater fisheries in Inland Northwest reservoirs to Chinook and rockfish in the ocean. (MARK VEARY)

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COLUMN winds are much calmer, perfect for some great drop-shot fishing for largemouth and smallmouth. As well, trout are still available and sturgeon fishing can be unreal.

Offshore, the summer afternoon winds are gone. Rockfish and lingcod are often spotty but the longer fishing window gives you more time to pick up limits.

November/December: Get your dry gear and underlayers in order. The weather is cold but the fishing can still be good if you know where to look.

Columbia tributaries usually have biting coho through November. Twitching marabou jigs through pocket water can be really productive. The faster water of these systems will likely be holding fresh steelhead. Winter-run season is also beginning on coastal streams, where laterunning Chinook are also a possibility.

In the Willamette Valley, small ponds are stocked with trophy-size broodstock trout. Keep an eye on the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife’s website for information on when and where these

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No need to slow down as the weather cools. Prepared kayak anglers can find opportunity late in the year at places like the mouth of the Klickitat, where the author tussles with a coho on a cold day. (MARK VEARY)

releases will take place. If you’re looking for a personal-best rainbow, this is when and where you just might find it.

NOW THAT YOU have an idea of the whens and wheres, you can focus your energy on the hows. With a little research and a

healthy dose of luck, at this time next year your answers to the questions Did you make the most of your fishing kayak last year? and Did you catch all the species on your wishlist? will be answered with a wide smile and a resounding yes!

Tight lines and happy New Year! NS

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COLUMN

Drayton Harbor (upper left) sits behind the protection of Semiahmoo Spit. The tideflats there were recently opened to year-round clam and oyster harvesting, thanks to improved water quality. Those on the right, or west, side of the spit in this view remain closed. (DEPARTMENT OF ECOLOGY)

Keep Clam In The New Year NORTH SOUND

P

ost-holiday “pocket” waterfowl hunts, possible river gamefish opportunities and a resurrected

By Doug Huddle clam digging haunt are in the offing in January in Northwest Washington.

Unfortunately, the river option has the greatest degree of uncertainty attached. Meanwhile, cold weather has had its usual influence on duck and goose dispersal, making quick-hitting hunts a viable option. But if you’ve a yen for steamy clam bisque or possibly oysters Rockefeller made with prime ingredients gathered by your own hands, a former shellfish tideflat has been wrested from the impacts of civilization’s wastes. We’ll start there.

SHELLFISH SALVATION The wadeable waters of a portion of Whatcom County’s northernmost mini-estuary near Blaine have been cleared of their “sullied” (read: chronically polluted) status by the state health department. The beach – or more accurately, the sheltered tide flats – known as Drayton Harbor West have been restored to the list of perennial (year-round) clam and oyster yielders as of Dec. 1.

Shellfish populations will be monitored for abundance, as well as the occasional blooms of toxin-producing algae (so-called red tide episodes). Low numbers or PSP warnings could still provoke closures, albeit of a seasonal or shorter duration, in the future.

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Northwest Sportsman 135

COLUMN An array of up to six clam species can be found in the varied gravel to mud substrate. The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife lists Drayton West as “good” for Manila, native littleneck and butter clams, with cockle and varnish clams also available and “probably” a few horse clams around too. You might also occasionally find a small oyster from spat escapees from a licensed commercial operation elsewhere in the bay. But outside that facility’s beds, the lack of elevated substrate conducive to hosting both oysters and mussels hampers their volunteer propagation.

About two-thirds of the beach’s upland shore is private property, as is the southerly perimeter of these “digs,” but the great thing is that the northwest side is bounded by a county park located on the neck of Semiahmoo Spit, which provides both parking and restroom facilities.

With the clearing of these tideflats for shellfish, gathering will reduce clam numbers closest to the park, but it is possible to walk, mindful of the tide state, the bluff beach to the southeast.

Winter minus tides at night expose considerable portions of the muckier bay bottom.

One cautionary here is that the marina beach and shore on Semiahmoo’s tip and the sand/silt flats off the west shore of the spit are still classified as chronically impaired by pollutants, and so are off limits.

To get here, take Exit 274 northbound on Interstate 5, go right on Portal Way and then left on State Route 548 (Bell/Blaine Roads)

A Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife map outlines the public tidelands of Drayton West. WDFW rates it as “good” for Manila, native littlenecks and butter clams. (WDFW) that connects to Drayton Harbor Road and the county park.

Consider tying a clam dig here into a beach fishing foray for salter cutthroat. Semiahmoo is a renown spot for that, since the Dakota and California Creek basins are sea-run spawning and juvenile rearing bastions. More about this later.

And for more on clamming, see wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/shellfish.

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COLUMN STEELHEADING UPDATES We expected, with the delicate détente reached over hatchery steelhead production in the Nooksack and several other Puget Sound river systems, that we’d still be able to fish a little longer into the winter. This hope has taken a turn toward the uncertain since the National Marine Fisheries Service advised WDFW last summer that hook-and-line gamefish fisheries in waters where wild steelhead are the de facto or sole quarry will not allowed.

Given that several brood year’s worth of hatchery smolt releases from Kendall Creek Hatchery were aborted, there’s faint hope that any clipped cultured-origin are due back there this year.

The state, lacking federal permit authority for wild-steelheaddirected fisheries or opportunities that indirectly target protected native winter- or summer-runs, was planning to close most Region 4 rivers when their directed salmon fisheries lapsed the last day of 2016. At the time of this writing, that had happened on several streams, including the Stillaguamish and Snoqualmie systems, and it was anticipated, even negotiated, with the Lummi and Nooksack Tribes that the Nooksack system would go off permanent regs and be closed by emergency order as its salmon seasons ceased. At press time last month that hadn’t happened, and it was possible permanent rules would stay in force, meaning that the North, Middle and South Forks as well as the mainstem Nooksack will still be open at the time you’re reading this.

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bull trout, which would in this day and age be a godsend for hardcore winter river fishers.

The bottom line is that January and even early February fisheries may be on tap in Region 4 outside of the Skykomish system. But one thing is for sure: Whether you are on the verge of giving up or about to go headlong into a river, log on to WDFW’s emergency rule-change page (fortress.wa.gov/dfw/ erules/efishrules) and check for newly posted orders mentioning the Skagit or Nooksack. In this case, a null finding or absence of information is a positive thing.

On a related note, I will be covering the innovative initiative undertaken by WDFW hatchery personnel to preserve the option for steelhead production at Kendall Creek Hatchery in the future.

RUN-AND-GUN WATERFOWLING Finding viable duck or goose haunts you can get onto outside the array of northern Puget Sound public waterfowling areas is ever more difficult by the year. Besides private property barriers, changing county shooting rules and even local neighborhood “mores” also complicate the finding of good hunts.

When the swelter of hunting pressure overwhelms the good public land areas and becomes off-putting, having a collection of small, out-of-the-way sites or “pocket” hunts can be the difference between an enjoyable successful day and a webfoot shutout. The idea here is to assemble strings of stops by area for jump- or pass-

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A TRUE SPORTSMAN’S PARADISE Known for trophy elk, mule deer, whitetails and pronghorn with a massive amount of public land IRU KXQWLQJ 7KH ZDOOH\H À VKLQJ LV ZRUOG FODVV and the opportunities for lake trout, northern pike, sauger and smallmouth bass are endless.

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shooting that are located in different areas of the county. These routes should take a maximum of four to five hours to cover in the morning or afternoon.

They may include such venues as a section of upriver floodplain, a farm field drainage ditch system or a small isolated pond or bog. You may get to these at a bridge crossing or county road, through a friend’s property or off a dead-end county road.

Aerial and bird’s-eye maps from Google Earth, Bing and elsewhere, as well as online county real estate tax records are the best sources or platforms to steer you to the landowners. Skagit County’s iMap system is particularly user-friendly. Securing permissions for the private locales is the next and critical step.

This process for duck hunting works like a trap line, so you can make the best of both time and gas money. You can organize your excursions for particular hunting styles – jump-, pass- or decoy shooting – and gear up accordingly. I almost always carry a short string of decoys (a half dozen or so) and take a “mated” mallard couple to splash in small wooded ponds. If you do this, be sure to stop attraction calling when new birds wing into view, as solitary pairs are often quiet.

The nature of these hunts is that they usually involve getting a quick look, perhaps taking a shot or two, then moving on.

With a good retriever, waders or a small watercraft, virtually all locales are viable hunts. But responsible waterfowlers must always be cognizant of the probabilities of recovering downed birds. Ethical hunters will pull up on shots, no matter how close, if there is little or no chance they’ll be able to bring the dead bird to hand.

One time a friend and I were hunting a saltwater locale in a gale-force southeasterly in Skagit County and spent about half our time running down each downed dabbler by boat. It was one shot, one bird down and then 15 minutes chasing the rapidly departing dead duck on the whitecaps and salt spray. We considered ourselves to have limited but actually went home one bird short because we couldn’t find it.

Besides your own facility for bringing dead birds to hand, when you decide on an approach or set up in a gunning position, assess and use wind direction or current flow to facilitate retrievals. That’s often complicated because wing-cupped birds often use the wind to their advantage to land.

Don’t overlook late-season snow goose opportunities in western Skagit and northwest Snohomish County, as well as east of Everett on river-bottom farmlands, as the Fraser-Skagit birds can get pretty frazzled and fly further afield from their normal Fir and Florence Island haunts south of Mount Vernon and Stanwood, respectively. WDFW does have a few Feel Free To Hunt sites in the counties; see the agency’s website.

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Editor’s note: Doug Huddle lives in Bellingham, is retired from the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, and has written about hunting and fishing in the Northwest for more than 34 years.

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HUNTING Getting a shot at flocks like this in the late season will take a lot more work than it did back in fall, but it’s not impossible for duck hunters willing to adjust their tactics. (JULIA JOHNSON)

7 KILLER JANUARY DUCK TACTICS

There’s no room for half-assed hunting in the late season; here’s how to finish strong.

By M.D. Johnson

S

auvie Island. Ridgefield. Skagit.

Nisqually. McNary. Potholes.

Throw a dart at a map of the Pacific Northwest during the month of January, and chances are said dart has impaled a location where the duck hunting – right now – is as challenging as it’s been all season.

My point is, with but a month to go

before the curtain falls on the 2016-17 waterfowl books, or at least the duck chapters of that book, “gimme hunts” have long been a thing of the past.

You’re working for each and every bird. Working hard. Oh, sure; you might hit it right, the planets all align, and you’re in the perfect place at the perfect time with the right spread, a great wind, a field trial retriever, and a newfound ability to shoot like Tom

Knapp. Or Tom Roster. But that’s the Duck Gods smiling on you, my friend. More likely than not, those same fickle fowl deities are frowning.

Or cursing. Or tossing you The Bird – and not the kind of bird you’d want to hang on your duck strap. No, sir.

Late-season ducks can be tough.

They’re usually tough. The details you overlooked in October or November or even December are coming back nwsportsmanmag.com | JANUARY 2017

Northwest Sportsman 145

HUNTING to haunt you now. But while January ducks can be difficult, they’re not impossible. With a few tweaks and a major change here and there in your normal routine, you can start putting some weight on that strap again. Try these tactics. Invent your own. Do not – and I repeat, do not – be afraid to improvise, adjust and adapt to the situation as it presents itself. What have you got to lose, eh?

BE A JERK Years and years ago, Buck Gardner, a genuinely wonderful gentleman in

Until they invent an invisibility cloak, waterfowlers will have to make do with camo clothing that matches the landscape as much as possible, face paint for their “moon-pie” mugs and the use of native cover to conceal themselves from ducks that are increasingly suspicious of anything even vaguely human-looking at this part of the season. Brian Lull shows off a Potholes mallard from a couple seasons back. (BRIAN LULL)

146 Northwest Sportsman

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addition to being a champion – and Champion of Champions – duck caller, told me something I obviously never forgot.

“If,” Mister Buck said, “I had to make a choice between using a duck call and using a jerk cord, I’d take the jerk cord every time.”

Now this, remember, is a man who for decades has created, crafted and sold duck calls for a living. But he’s right. Late in the season, motion in the spread – movement, ripples, waves, something – can be the most important thing to the success or

failure of a hunt. Spinning wing decoys? I don’t use them, and a lot of ducks and most geese don’t cotton to spinners. However, a simple Rig’Em Right (rigemright.com) jerk string with two or three teal decoys attached can, and often does, turn the tables. And ducks seldom flare from a jerk cord. You working the jerk cord incorrectly, i.e. from an unconcealed located, perhaps, yes, but not the natural motion a cord imparts.

WHISTLE WHILE YOU HUNT I’m no prize pig when it comes to

HUNTING blowing a duck call; however, I’d like to think I can hold my own most days. There are times, though, like during the late season, when ducks – and not only mallards but all breeds – seem to be somewhere between leery and downright terrified of a highball.

When this appears to be the case, I cut back on the mallard talk – wellspaced contented quacks and very short, low-volume greetings only – and switch almost exclusively to a wigeon whistle. Breathy whistles, pintail trills, green-wing peeps; something other than your run-ofthe-mill quacks. Do I leave my Field Proven and Zink at home? No, sir; I just don’t reach for them first.

planet,” he said, “be that 100 or two, but if you’re not hidden well, they might as well be painted blaze orange.”

“If you want to be successful, hide first. Decoy placement is indeed important. Scouting reveals all the answers. But,” he continued, with words of wisdom beyond his 22 years, “if you’re not hidden, you’re not shooting.”

It’s just that simple. You. Have. To. Hide. So, stand back. Look at your blind. Touch it up where necessary.

Cover the dog. Cover the thermos.

Pick up your empties and Little Debbie wrappers. Mediocrity is not an option here.

PRACTICE INVISIBILITY

WRAP YOURSELF IN GRASS

Luke Clark, a young waterfowler who works with Matthew Cagle and Cagle’s Rig’Em Right Waterfowl outfit, perhaps said it best. “You can run the prettiest decoys on the

I understand here in the Northwest that this header might be misinterpreted, and my apologies if I got anyone overly excited. What I’m talking about here is leaving

your traditional field blind behind, be it a box or fenceline or layout or pop-up, wrapping yourself in a ghillie suit or poncho, and becoming part of the environment. The farther you set yourself from what ducks see as possible places of predator concealment, the more likely they are to commit to a spread. And often without hesitation.

Ghillie suits are not a cure-all.

They don’t work perfectly all the time; nothing does. But when ghillie suits work, maaaaaaan, is it incredible.

Personally, I’d recommend a fulllength poncho-style ghillie, as it offers more complete concealment afield. Choose a color pattern that best matches the habitat in which you spend most of your days. And remember to hide your head, your hands and that duck-flaring moonpie face of yours.

THROW A ‘CARNIVAL SPREAD’ That’s what Travis Mueller, now national sales manager for Avery Outdoors and one of the most competent and efficient waterfowlers whom I’ve met, called my diverse conglomeration of plastic ducks.

Included among the fakes were a couple mallards, pintail, wigeon, green-wing teal, blue-wing teal, cinnamon teal, northern shovelers, gadwalls and wood ducks. There were even half a dozen coots, two attached to a jerk cord, and a trio of ringnecks.

Off to one side, three oversized drake bluebills for visibility. Just thinking about it makes the calliope go off in my head.

Why do I do it? Well, if I’m tired of looking at an all-mallard spread after 70 days, what do the ducks think?

Since September and the season openers north of the border, this year’s fall flight has flown by the same all-mallard spread time and time and time again. Those that haven’t flown by went home in someone’s pickup.

Now’s the time to do something different, and a multispecies spread might be just the ticket.

148 Northwest Sportsman

JANUARY 2017 | nwsportsmanmag.com

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Northwest Sportsman 149

HUNTING THE CARNIVAL SPREAD, PARTS II AND III A couple side notes in terms of ducks, duck decoys and the late season.

When running mallards, I do set more hens – two-to-one or three-to-one – than I do drakes. January, and Mister Greenhead is looking for love. Lots of love. Do I have scientific or biological evidence that hen decoys attract drake mallards more efficiently than do drake decoys? Nope; however, it makes sense to me when I think about his propensity toward wildly open relationships and/or polygamy.

And what’s it hurt? From a distance, all decoys, regardless of sex or species appear black; that’s what initially catches the birds’ eyes. But when those drakes get closer, look down, and see 12 girl ducks and only three boy ducks?

And coots. How many times have you watched birds work and work and work, only to hook one last time before landing 200 yards away with a

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Better bring more than one species of duck decoys and deploy more hen than drake mallards if you want to catch the eyes of flocks this time of year. The author uses a “diverse conglomeration” of faux fowl in the late season. (JULIA JOHNSON)

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Northwest Sportsman 151

knot of coots? Why coots? For one, it’s the constant motion within a flock of coots, no matter how small a group.

So here, a light bulb should come on and a three- or four-coot jerk cord should be in the development and implementation stage. Secondly, many puddle ducks sit on the fringes of coot flocks and feed on the bits and pieces of vegetation and clouds of aquatic insects stirred up by the fat black birds. It’s how wigeon earned their nickname – Robber – for their habit of lurking and scarfing up unearned spoils. Late season, I won’t hesitate at all to throw out 12 to 18 coots, two or three on a jerk cord, with three or four tightly clustered wigeon off to one side. Maybe a drake pintail or two, just for the white-chested visual.

UNLEASH THE GEESE! Ducks like geese. And swans. Why? To ducks, geese and swans spell security. High-set watchful eyes, and plenty of them, always on the lookout for danger. Geese and swans also translate into free-floating food, tidbits pulled loose or dislodged by the deep-water feeding habits of the bigger birds. That’s why you often see ducks with geese. And swans.

Now, I’m not saying to pack a dozen tundra swan decoys into Blind 8 at Ridgefield, though you certainly can do that. I am saying a dozen Canada floaters set with a tiny (four- to six-deke) knot of mallards, wigeon and pintails placed to one side can be awfully effective. It works in sheetwater, too – 18 to 24 full-body lesser Canadas in three-, four- or five-bird family groups, with six to 12 mallard and pintail full-bodies set 20 yards upwind.

October ducks? Yeah, you can get away with being a little sloppy.

A little careless. A little complacent.

January? The time for laziness and inattentiveness to detail has long since passed. And that’s the key: attention to the details. And hiding.

As young Mister Clark told us earlier, if you’re not hiding, you’re not shooting. And that’s a fact. NS 152 Northwest Sportsman

JANUARY 2017 | nwsportsmanmag.com

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GUN DOG 101:

Picking The Right Dog W

elcome to our newest column, Gun Doggin’ 101!

I’m honored and thrilled to be part of this specialized column, sharing my personal thoughts and experiences in helping you train your gun dog.

GUN DOGGIN’ 101 I’m not a professional

By Scott Haugen dog trainer and

COLUMN Gun dogs are meant to be worked outside every day and hunted with often. If those two things can’t be done, then maybe now isn’t the time to bring one into your life. (SCOTT HAUGEN)

COLUMN don’t pretend to be. But I’ve had the privilege of hunting behind many different breeds of dogs around the world for more than two decades, as well as working with professional trainers and breeders who’ve taught me a great deal.

I’ve had my own gun dogs for the past three years and have trained them, myself. I’ve also learned a lot while working closely with trainers for more than a decade, and helping train some of their dogs.

THIS COLUMN’S FOCUS is on basic gun dog training for the everyday hunter.

We’ll start with choosing the right dog for you, then progress into simple training tips in order to optimize your dog’s performance in the field. From potty to crate training, teaching the sit, stay

Getting the most of your gun dog begins before bringing one home. Know your needs and the time you have to devote to proper training, then research breeds to find what fits your desires.

(SCOTT HAUGEN)

158 Northwest Sportsman

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and come commands, and more, each column will carry valued information to help you through the critical timeframes of teaching your dog and instilling allimportant discipline.

While this column will apply simple training tips for all hunting dogs, it will carry a strong focus toward versatile hunting dogs – dogs that have the ability to do it all, from duck hunting to pointing, shed antler hunting to blood trailing. If you have an upland dog and a water dog, great, you have two wonderful companions to share time with in the field, and we’ll convey training tips to help them along.

This is not an advanced column based on attaining picture-perfect points and high scores on intense field tests. This is for people who want a hunting dog

that will obey commands, maintain composure, behave around other dogs and people, and point, flush, track, trail and retrieve. The goal is to help you shape a dog to fit your hunting needs.

SPEAKING OF NEEDS, that’s the first point to consider before even getting a gun dog.

When the time comes for you to bring a dog into your life, be honest with yourself in knowing what your needs and interests are, how much time you can realistically give to your dog each day and how the family may be involved or impacted.

Do you want a dog that stays outside in a kennel at night or one that sleeps on your bed? One that sheds or not? One that responds well to other members of the family or just you? One that’s of average intelligence or one so smart it

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COLUMN can read your mind? These are just some of the questions that need answering before bringing a dog home.

If you work long hours and have little time to devote to raising a puppy, now may not be the best time to get one. If you live in the city where you can’t get your dog out multiple times day, then now’s likely not the time for a gun dog.

The biggest disservice you can do to a hunting dog is not hunting it very often; even worse, failing to get it outside every day during the first year in order to develop its instincts. If you can’t get the dog out regularly or don’t intend on hunting it more than a few weekends a year, then get a house dog, not a hunting dog. Gun dogs are bred to hunt, and some will go crazy if they can’t.

I hear from hunters all the time how their dogs don’t mind, are overweight, don’t listen when in the field, and are always in the house. The dog’s misbehavior isn’t its fault, as the animal simply wants to do what it was born to, and that’s hunt. A good gun dog will be a better hunter than any human, and if

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they’re not given the chance to develop, they won’t be happy. Imagine what Michael Jordan would have felt like had he been locked in a house during the height of his NBA career? That’s how an underutilized gun dog feels.

Training a puppy is easy; the hard part is consistently devoting 15 minutes a day to that puppy. Split into three short, intense sessions – morning, midday, evening – you’ll be amazed at how simple training can be. In fact, once your pup catches on, as little as six minutes of training per day during the puppy stage will produce impressive results.

IF YOU DON’T have a puppy in your life, and now’s not the right time to get one, then save each one of these columns as a future reference. I’ve already outlined the first two year’s worth of columns, and am excited to share information as I continue learning from and working with adult dogs.

Next month we’ll look at how to prepare your house and the family for bringing a gun dog puppy home, followed by how to potty train, introduce shed

antlers and teaching the sit, stay and come commands. Until then, if you’re thinking of getting a gun dog, ask yourself if now is the right time. If it’s not, and you truly want a dog as a hunting companion, then it’s time to evaluate when that time might be.

I wanted a hunting dog in high school and college, but was too busy. I wanted one when I got married 26 years ago, but we lived in Arctic Alaska, where getting a gun dog out each day wasn’t feasible. Then my wife and I started a family of our own in the Willamette Valley. Finally, after more than 40 years of wanting a hunting dog, I got one.

Then another.

My life and hunting experiences have changed thanks to these wonderful dogs and the fact they came into my life at the right time. When it comes to getting the most out of your gun dog, timing is everything. NS Editor’s note: To watch some of Scott Haugen’s dog training tips, check out his short videos on the Tall Timber Pudelpointers Facebook page, facebook. com/pudelpointers.

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2017 Begins With SHOT, (OHFWLRQ 5DPLÀFDWLRQV

The SHOT, or Shooting, Hunting and Outdoor Trade Show in Las Vegas brings together tens of thousands of industry reps and reporters as thousands of manufacturers unveil new guns and related equipment. (AMERICAN SHOOTING JOURNAL)

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very January sees another Shooting, Hunting and Outdoor Trade Show unfold in Las Vegas, and virtually the entire firearms community finds itself glued to blogs and social media entries to see what’s hot.

This year’s event runs Jan. 17-20 at the Sands Expo Center, and some folks have ON TARGET already introduced

By Dave Workman firearms that will be on display. For example, Sturm, Ruger’s (ruger.com) hottest new handguns were unveiled late in 2016, and I happen to have had my hands on one as the hunting season opened for a test and evaluation. It’s the Mark IV .22-caliber semiauto pistol, the latest incarnation of Bill Ruger’s original that began life as the Standard model.

I liked this one so much I bought it.

Unlike the other models in what has become the “Mark” series, this one is easy to disassemble and clean. Press a button at the rear of the grip frame and the barrel and upper receiver pivot up and off, the bolt slides out at the rear and you give it a bath of Hoppe’s No. 9.

Ruger offers this pistol in a Target version (my gun) with a 5.5-inch bull barrel, and a Hunter model with a 6.88inch fluted bull barrel.

Another recent entry is Ruger’s LCP II chambered in .380 ACP, with a steel slide and one-piece glass-filled nylon grip frame. It has a blued, alloy steel barrel, six-round magazine, fixed front and rear sights, and the hammer is recessed within the slide.

Finally, Ruger’s American Pistol family has expanded with a new version in .45 ACP and six new variations in 9mm. It has a low bore axis and Novak Lo Mount

Carry three-dot sights, ambidextrous safety, automatic sear block, modular wraparound grip system that allows adjustment for palm swell and trigger reach, two nickel-Teflon-plated steel magazines and an accessory rail.

Also late in 2016, Walther (waltherarms. com) announced the 9mm Creed semiauto pistol featuring a “pre-cocked doubleaction trigger system.” Metal surfaces are finished with Tenifer, which produces a matte black finish. The Creed has a bobbed hammer, low-profile three-dot sights, front and rear cocking serrations, 4-inch barrel, loaded chamber viewport, molded accessory rail, and either a 10- or 16-round magazine, depending upon the jurisdiction.

Enough for handguns. I can say with authority that there will be several new shotgun models from Browning, Winchester, Mossberg and others, and

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Ruger’s new Mark IV pistol will be a highlight in 2017. Author Dave Workman tested the gun last fall, and was so impressed he bought it. (DAVE WORKMAN) look for some new rifles wearing those same brand names.

THE COMING MONTHS could be interesting for the firearms industry. Now that the election has, for the time being

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anyway, removed threats to the Second Amendment, the first half of 2017 will tell whether the panic buying that preceded the election is finished.

October saw a new record set for background checks conducted during

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that month since 1999. The FBI reported that 2,333,539 checks were initiated.

While that raw number doesn’t translate to actual firearms sales, it provides an indication of heavy activity.

We’ll see if the election result has any effect on ammunition supplies, especially rimfire ammo.

We may also find out whether there is any traction to a grassroots effort to get Congress to remove suppressors from regulation under the 1934 Federal Firearms Act. Suppressors – or silencers, as they are more commonly known – have grown in popularity over the past few years. The push is based on protecting the hearing of shooters, but there are other practical reasons for using these devices.

First and foremost, a suppressor would make it easier for hunters or gun range users to reduce noise conflicts.

However, in Washington and Oregon, there is a significant threat on the horizon for owners of modern sporting rifles.

Last summer, Washington Ceasefire and Ceasefire Oregon announced plans to push for a ban on so-called “assault weapons.”They’re talking about your black rifles, and there are tens of thousands of Northwest gun owners who have one or more such rifles in their gun safes.

This time of year, a lot of these rifles are in the field, putting the lie to the argument that “you don’t hunt with an AR-15.” The hell you say! A lot of coyotes bite the dust every winter across the Northwest landscape, from Grays Harbor to western Montana. The “evil black rifle,” which happens to be the most popular rifle on the market today, has become the tool of choice among legions of varmint hunters. Every ammunition manufacturer on the map offers one or more varmint loads in .223 Remington, and bullet manufacturers have developed projectiles for handloaders designed specifically for conking ’yotes.

In the midst of this, Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson is also promoting a ban. Pushing a gun control plan didn’t hurt him at the polls, as it apparently did Hillary Clinton.

Some gun rights activists believe this

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Among the myriad of modern sporting semiauto rifles on the market, the SAINT from Springfield Armory is advertised as “the AR-15 for people who are ready for the challenge.” (SPRINGFIELD ARMORY) to be a showboat effort designed to lay the groundwork and provide an excuse for another gun control initiative this year or next in both states. When there’s a measure on the ballot guaranteed to bring liberal antigunners to the polls, that usually happens in a strong election year, and 2018 will bring the midterms. What better time to stick a vote magnet like a gun ban on the ballot?

BY NO SMALL coincidence, late in 2016 Springfield Armory (springfield-armory. com) announced The Saint semiauto rifle.

The advertising has portrayed this rifle “the AR-15 for people who are ready for the challenge.”

The Saint features a GI-style “F” height front weight with tapered pin front sight base, a telescoping butt, flat top receiver with forward assist and M4 feed ramps.

The lower receiver has a proprietary AccuTite tension system, and the Saint has an enhanced GI-style trigger.

On the horizon are the annual regional sportsmen’s shows in Seattle, Portland, Spokane and beyond, and expect both the new guns and gear, and this new political threat, to be high on the minds of thousands of Northwest sportsmen and -women in attendance. If there’s a show near you – see the Outdoor Calendar for details – make plans to attend.

Last and not least, don’t forget winter rabbit hunting. You can bet I’ll be prowling around out there with that new Ruger .22 pistol to put some cottontails or snowshoe hares in the cooler. NS