Return to Main Annex Page.
Words by The Colonel, Pictures by The Rookie
The rookie was on the river yesterday, February 23, 2001. It was his first crack at catching the elusive Steelhead Trout, that fish which has it beginnings in cold mountain streams, migrates to the sea, returns to spawn and repeats the migration cycle for a number of years. There are numerous fishermen who have fished all their lives and never caught a Steelhead.
A light mist was falling on the North Umpqua as the gray light of early dawn enabled the guide, the Colonel, and the Rookie to navigate up river from the "put in" spot at the Gravel Pits to the first fast water and begin drift fishing. Action soon followed as the Colonel hooked and landed a nice sized wild Steelhead which was a "downer," a fish that had spawned already and was heading down river to the sea some 100 miles away.
We drifted the same "slot" again and suddenly the Rookie gave a mighty jerk on the rod and the guide shouted "fish on" and the battle erupted as the fighting fish made several runs as the guide gave instructions on how to play the feisty finned battler.
The Rookie went on the catch a total of 10 Steelhead, all measuring more than 20 inches while the Colonel caught 4, one of which was a brute that measured 35 inches and weighed 15 pounds. That fish gave an enormous fight, running down and up a set of fast flowing, rock protruding rapids with the drift boat in pursuit as the guide rowed furiously to avoid the rocks while shouting encouragement to the Colonel and the Rookie video taped the entire episode. Cheers echoed across the roaring river as the big wild buck fish was netted, photographed and carefully returned to the stream.
We stopped for a break along the banks of the river. This unusual structure towered overhead:
It was nearly 5 p.m., a full day of fishing when we reached the "take out" ramp at "Whistler"s Bend." In one day of fishing, the Rookie had become the Champion. Together we caught 14 Steelhead, lost several others, a 14 inch Rainbow Trout and 12 fat Suckers. The limit is 1 wild fish so we each kept a nice chrome colored "upper," the best eating kind, and Mrs. Colonel is at this moment preparing our fish for dinner. It doesn't get much better.
The participants in our fishing saga are:
The guide - Chris Carson
The Colonel - Ed
The Mrs. Colonel - Emily
The Rookie/Champion - Dr. Steven Fritz
Return to Main Annex Page.
Email Chris, our most excellent guide: 
[email protected]
