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]]>Like most adventures, we tried to arrive early to purchase our tags and prepare for the morning hunt. This particular trip we experienced a real treat hooking up with close friend and hunting buddy Ed. He made special arrangements for us to stay at his brother’s house that offered escape from the heat where we could lounge by the pool during the day – thanks bros…
Not only did Ed and his brother provide a wonderful camp (ha ha), they loaded us up on secret recipes from the garden – “who spiked the punch boys”…? Steve here creating his signature shakes!
Okay, time to get serious guys! We gathered our gear and headed East about twenty miles where we changed into “light” hunting gear in order to pursue “wild boar”. Gary Lewis and I decided I would try to take the first shot if we could find pigs near the bottom feeding close to water. Our guides Pearey Crummins and Tom McCloskey laid out a masterful plan which placed us close to a couple “shooter” boars. Of course I took the lead sneaking through the grass while Gary captured the footage on film.
Once a boar was located in the scope, I settled my crosshair and began to squeeze when the whole group began to move causing sows and piglets to obscure the shot. “They may have winded us” said Pearrey. As the group ran up the hill, we decided to go around them and cut them off on top for a better shot.
After running approx. 500 yards up the hill through a draw, we were able to hear and cut them off however with the grass so tall we couldn’t find the boar. I set my shooting sticks and began to scan… Gary whispered “boar on the run to your left – shoot, he’s getting away”!!! I swung the rifle to the left leading the boar as I pulled the trigger – “BANG”! I shot about a foot high remembering that my gun is sighted for 300 yards with the boar at about 85 yards on the run – go figure! As the boar ran full speed to get away, I lowered the crosshair to compensate creating a fatal hit on the next shot. Once the boar was hit, he turned for us creating three more shots between myself and the guides.
“Dang – these animals are tough”! I forgot to tell you that I decided to switch to my 7mm Mag. without shooting sticks. Once again, the scope cracked me in the nose reminding how important it is to snug the rifle into the shoulder… “I’ll learn”!!!
Thanks guys for another GREAT year! My daughter feels she’s ready to take her first pig so Lord willing, we will pack our gear and head to Redding next year for another wild boar adventure… Maybe we should consider and nose pad…?
“The glory of God always has an impact; when HIS glory appears, it just can’t help but interrupt any routine”! – Beth Moore
Outdoor Callings
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]]>The post Oregon Pack Works appeared first on Outdoor Callings.
]]>If you’re searching for the perfect pack, then search no more!!! The “bomb proof” multi-use interchangeable “universal” modular pack system is here! Consider the “One is All” suspension system by Oregon Packworks or the “Whole Shabang!” as they call it… This is a Northwest product designed for the serious outdoorsman looking for lightweight durability coupled with options to convert in the field from a complete wilderness configuration to the ultimate day use pack. Oregon Packwork’s unique patent-pending design offers multiple options in different camo patterns to accomodate different environments from high desert sage to coastal rainforest.
This system “truly” defines versatility! Start with the fanny pack, change to a suspension lumbar pack, then add the hydration pack for the Rogue option. If that were not enough, add side bags and the meatshelf to complete the Orion model. Last but not least, add the Green Gate bag to complete the Whole Shabang!
This past season we were fortunate to discover Oregon Packwork’s complete “universal” system. Fishing, hunting, archery then rifle season, we stressed these packs through rigorous tests carrying heavy loads, packing game, hiking extreme brush, setting base camp and dealing with harsh elements. When rifle season arrived in late fall, we were able to put the packs through a second round of testing where not only were they comfortable to wear, the design allowed us to overload where other packs had failed. The extra webbing with snap connectors worked outstanding for securing game inside the meatshelf.
The owners of this Bend based company share a passion for “high quality” outdoor survival gear at an affordable price! Karl and Dan who specialize in Emergency, firefighting, rescue and extreme backcountry adventure feel they have created the “Holy Grail” when it comes to their incredible system! “Buy what you need and have the option to expand when necessary they say”; I say – “put the product to the test yourself”!!!
After spending over thirty years in the field trying to modify other pack designs, Oregon Packworks has finally created the system we’ve been looking for… Their online store at www.oregonpackworks.com allows consumers a full menu of resources to research pack designs for every need. Check out the extra goodies like the big game “TAG” bags and their hydration system not to mention new releases like the Bino Bro.
Here’s a local “pack system” created by inspired backcountry purists designed to meet the custom needs for those looking to invest in an “all purpose” pack that will accomodate the toughest demands. We found this pack to be extremely suitable for other occupational demands as well such as survey work, rescue, firefighting, photography, forestry, logging, etc… If you are not satisfied, please write and leave me a comment specific to your thoughts… This company is very flexible and willing to accomodate custom requests within reason.
Thank you Oregon Packworks for working hard at bringing your vision to reality so that we all may enjoy and pass down to future generations!
“Nothing is really ours until we share it” – C.S. Lewis
Outdoor Callings
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]]>The post The IncrediBULLS! appeared first on Outdoor Callings.
]]>“WOW”, incrediBULL year… nothing better than spending “quality time” with “quality guys” hunting bull elk. I was blessed with the priviledge of guiding two fine hunters this past season. Both were in search of mature branch bulls hunting a secluded area just after peak estrous. The hunt began scouting a herd of over sixty elk with multiple branch bulls. We caught the herd on the move at sunrise heading for a saddle enroute to their bedding area. We played the wind and moved quickly to cut them off. Lucky for us the elk were still feeding slowly allowing us to sneak into the middle of them as they bedded on the ridge top. Keith pulled the first trigger as a 6×6 presented himself at approx. 300 yards. After being hit by a .300 Mag, the bull dropped instantly allowing our first kill of the day!
As most of you know, shooting an elk is just the beginning! We had to figure out if we should gut, quarter and pack or… drive the Razor with a trailer to the bull and haul to camp for final cleaning. You guessed it, we chose to go with the Razor however as you can see below, a picture is worth… well, we won’t go there!
Morning arrived early blessing us with GREAT success…. then came time to head out for another attempt before dark. I took the guys deeper into the timber where BIG bulls tend to lounge. As we approached the water hole, we caught a large bull drinking that realized he had just been caught in the open with little escape. I dropped Joey and his father in hopes that the bull would watch the Razor drive off while the shooters set up on him. Minutes later… “BANG”! Joey was able to dope the scope and focus on the bull placing a shot to the upper neck severing the spinal cord. It’s amazing how fast it all happens!
Congratulations to Joey on harvesting a beautiful 7×7 at 15 years of age. What a way to finish the day. I can honestly say that killing two branch mature bulls in one day is an accomplishment we may never experience again… What a treat to recall such an event – oh, it’s time to wake up and wipe the drool from my chin!
“Yesterday is the tomb of time, and tomorrow is the womb of time.
Only now is yours!” – R.G. Lee
Outdoor Callings
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]]>The post Elk Mania 2009 appeared first on Outdoor Callings.
]]>Opening morning arrived as we loaded up the Jeep and headed for the highest point in the area for a spotting opportunity. Elk had been all throughout the area so we did not want to walk around leaving human scent or spook them. We glassed the valley floor filled with Juniper and scoped the canyon draws for elk feeding or bedding down.
After about two hours we finally saw what looked like a branch bull bedded down so I zoomed in (sorry about the poor focus) for a closer look.
“Sure enough,” we found a shooter if we could just close the gap for a shot. We grabbed our gear, played the wind and walked towards the bull. My thoughts were that we get closer and try some seductive estrous to see if the bull would engage before pushing him out of his bed.
We set up in a triangle placing two shooters in different directions depending on what the bull would do. Ends up the bull did not want to respond to calls. We lost sight of the bull once we dropped off the peak. Walking in, we payed close attention looking for the bull to be close by. As we walked around the corner we spotted the bull approx. 115 yards laying down looking the other direction. Both hunters dropped to the ground and set their crosshairs for a better look.
Since the bull had no idea we were there, we decided to look very close at the antlers to identify if either hunter would shoot the bull. Hunter #1 chose to pass and felt since it was the first day, we would see lots of other mature bulls. Hunter #2 felt the same till the bull turned his head while I “Neimannated them”! I told them the bull looked like a 6X6 which got everybody excited, then I noticed the far side only had five points so I warned them.
I must say, these guys were very patient while trying to make the right decision. Realize, this is Oregon public lands with a branch bull 115 yards bedded just waiting to be shot! Both hunters ask, “what would you do”? I explained, “if I had my 7mm Mag., that bull would be done”! This fired up the other hunter as he got back in shooting position about to pull the trigger. “Nope he says, I don’t have a great shot”.
About forty five minutes had passed and the bull still had no idea we were there. I decided to see if we could get the bull up by making some cow calls. “No luck”… We were starting to think this bull may be gay! He would not respond or move to anything so we started talking, barking, etc. – still no luck! Finally Jubal decides he’s going to take the bull so we prepare for the blast of his 340 Ultra Mag.
You guessed it – one shot below the head and “praise the Lord” – no tracking! Great shot Jubal and thanks guys for the memory as I have never seen a bull just lay down without ever spooking knowing a bunch of hunters are moving in for the kill.
We gave a few cow calls followed by a bugle to settle the woods while we worked our way over to see what the bull looked like up close.
Lucky for us we were able to clean the bull out and slide him to a position where we could winch the bull up to a landing for trailer loading.
Once we had the bull loaded, we took it to a barn where we could hoist the whole animal up in the air for skinning. Not everyday we get to hang a whole elk!
The cool thing about this hunt had to do with the fact we were able to skin and hang the whole bull without harming any meat. I’m use to cleaning, de-boning and packing meat at least a mile up 1,000 feet of elevation over blow down. How’d we get so lucky this time???
Day two arrived when weather, freezing temperatures and fog settled in. Juan and I decided to venture out on foot in search of the illusive monster bull! As we moved slowly into the prime area, we noticed fresh sign.
The wind had been blowing so we could not hear a thing. We covered all the main bedding areas and looked high and low for movement however no luck! Day three arrived when we were able to get out nd spot again since the weather had lifted. After two hours of spotting, we decided to go in the high country for a look along the national forest fence line. Sure enough, elk were out feeding in the sun so we remained still and watched with binoclulars. The herd had about thirty or forty cows with a couple bulls laying down under some thick cover. We made a stalk that afternoon attempting to ambush the herd bull once they began to feed and move on.
No luck this year for Juan however we had a great time laying down in the herd as the elk fed past us at about five yards while we waited patiently for the herd bull that never showed. Better luck next time Juan, we’ll gettem bro… Just think, there’s a nice big 6X6 living in the area so maybe next year the bull will become an imperial.
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]]>The post Best-Worst of NW Archery Elk appeared first on Outdoor Callings.
]]>Zack and I set up early in the morning hoping to lure a bull to our call set using fresh scent near heavily used elk beds. We placed ourselves about eighty yards apart playing the wind. We started out raking followed by soft grunts mixed with cow talk.
From there we paused and introduced soft cow and calf chirps with mews. Once again we paused for a few minutes in anticipation of a bugle or locate. After thirty minutes we added estrous calls followed by locate bugles mixed with increased raking. Sure enough when we least expected it, a beautiful 6X6 herd bull walked in silent approx. ten feet behind me. The bull had shifted with the wind and came in directly downwind from the estrous scent. Of course I didn’t have my bow ready so I thought to myself “I wonder how this will play out”? Right then I slowly reach for my Bow Tech “General” realizing the bull was looking directly through me with a tree in the way. As I pulled the bow to my side, the bull began to trot left crossing in front of us about thirty yards away. I barked causing him to abruptly stop offering a shot. Once I drew and settled the pin, I realized there were two small tree limbs in the way of the vitals. I decided the distance was good so I released.
My 440 grain Axis arrow with 4 blade Muzzy hit as the bull rose off the ground and spun turning back the direction he came. The bull did not look injured so I gave him some time followed by soft cow calls while continuing to rake. We walked up where the bull stood and found my arrow laying in the grass with a broken shaft missing the broadhead. We looked for blood and followed the tracks back where the bull came from to find little sign. The picture began to unfold – I had hit the shoulder blade with no penetration. Lucky for the bull he gets to live another day! As we headed back to camp all I could do is replay the scenario over and over trying to figure out how I missed the pocket.
Needless to say opening weekend offered great opportunities with lots of elk roaming the area. Nothing like the “silent season” when we build the excitement and the elk come in silent – happens every year!
Week two arrived quickly after spending a few days back in the office anxiously awaiting another opportunity to get back in the wild for another chance. This time I decided to head East 30 miles out of Prineville where a good friend allows us to hunt his ranch that holds elk when public lands pressure forces elk down for cover, water, food and most of all “protection”.
After talking with friends who couldn’t hunt the 2nd weekend, I chose to take my ATV and ride the ranch looking for fresh sign. Ended up everywhere I scouted down low provided little to no sign so I headed for the high country to see what may be hiding on top. As I rode up the road I began to see fresh rubs. I stopped to see if there were any other sign. When I got to the top of the hill near National Forest I began to observe trails worn like cattle. “Ah ha,” I found where elk were traveling so I parked my quad, grabbed my pack and walked about 200 yards through deep Mahogany where a lush grassy bench appeared. I decided I’d better check the wind, release fresh cow scent and introduce soft cow calls as elk should be close.
“Low and behold” a nice 6X6 walked right to me without making a single sound. As I saw the legs running through the grass I dropped my call and drew my bow thinking the bull would cross about 19 yards broadside for a shot. Sure enough the bull ran across me while I waited patiently for the shot! I settled the pin right behind his shoulder blade and released to witness the moment when he felt the arrow travel right threw him. He turned and walked down the trail about thirty yards where he started to limp struggling with his front left leg. I waited about an hour while continuing to produce cow calls from time to time in an effort to settle the bull.
When I walked over where the bull was I could not find blood so I looked for the arrow which never presented itself. Since it was almost nighfall I decided to get on the tracks to see what happened come to find a heavy blood trail on rocks, grass, branches, etc. I ended up following the bull about 150 yards where he proceeded over a steep ledge headed downhill . I backed off to come back in the morning with friends. On this hunt I forgot my camera so no pictures (sorry). We arrived early the next day to trail the bull. Once we got started the blood began to become scattered however the tracks were pretty easy to follow till the bull crossed over a saddle in the direction towards a massive bowl filled with wallows, aspen and other cover. “Ughh” – we lossed blood and tracks as we continued to search for over eight hours with four guys. “MAJOR BUMMER” as the bull should not have traveled more than 100 yards with the bright red blood trail we started with! At this point I couldn’t believe another branch bull got away. Determined to find him, I came back the next day and spent eight more hours using every tactic I knew to re-discover blood or to be blessed with a mature bull. Ended up I found three cow elk dead in the aspen grove for no reason other than they may have over eaten in the alfalfa fields below causing bloating – who knows??? I had to face the facts – another beautiful bull got away!
Week three arrived for our big trip scheduled in the wilderness. We had over eight guys headed to elk camp for serious fun… We arrived a few days early with the RV, trailer, quads and all the fixins! Lucky for us we got to get out and hunt a couple “hot spots” where elk traditionally hang out. My buddy Ed and I got up early in the morning to head to the top of the ridge where we could hear bulls bugling at sunrise.
We arrived just in time when we got off our quads to hear multiple bulls bugling right below us. We grabbed our packs, bows and fresh scent in order to get down the hill quickly for a chance at sneaking into the herd. I ended up bugling to keep the bulls located with the possibility of attracting another bull since we knew there were multiple satellite bulls working the area.
The morning air was filled with bugles and cow calls while harems moved with smaller bulls pecking on herd bulls. We were able to focus on the herd bulls by listening to their voices. The herd bulls were busy bellowing out herding bugles which sound like that of a large angus bull. The other bulls were screaming for challenges and some were locating with high notes that would carry for longer periods of time. As we glassed the hills we found multiple herds cross canyon and below.
Once we located the herd, Ed and I closed in acting like a group of cows with a smaller bull challenging. We ended up dropping right into the herd as they bedded down around 10:30 am. The bulls bugled from 5:45 till 10:30 with occasional excited cow calls in estrous. We knew the big bulls were looking to breed! As we got close to the herd bull, we decided to take a break near a spring just above the timber line where we observed what we call a “bedroom” full of recently used beds about 800 feet below.
Once the bulls calmed down we figured we would drive them crazy with estrous calls coupled with fresh estrous scent. We didn’t want to sneak into the herd since there were so many cows. The plan turned into a strategy to attract a smaller bull looking to breed. After forty five minutes of calling we got another bugle which sounded close. The bugle was a “love groan” followed by slow deep “gutteral” chuckles. Just after the bugle I saw a nice rack traveling through the timber headed right for us when I told Ed, “grab your bow, there’s a bull approaching fast”. Ed laughed looking at me and responded “very funny – nice joke”! I then stated “draw your bow NOW! The bull’s about fifty yards and closing”. Ed began to realize I was serious so he grabbed his bow and began to draw as the bull came to a slow pace walking across our shooting lane. Ed set the pin when I gave a couple cow calls to stop the bull at thirty yards.
Right then I heard Ed release as we witnessed the arrow hit. The energy knocked the bull off his feet causing him to land in a hole below with antlers lodged against a tree.
We realized the bull wasn’t dead so I told Ed “shoot again before he gets up,” that’s when we watched the second arrow pass right through the heart. I knew at that point the bull had lost his life! Our plan worked… we were able to lure a smaller bull from the herd greedy to breed without busting cows… What a thrill! We felt blessed to enjoy such a wonderful morning listening to the variety of bugles. Ed and I agree, we must have bugled over thirty times since sunrise to keep them vocal. Time for the real work to begin once you have a 900 lb. Wapiti on the ground. Nothing but blow down and elevation back up over 700 feet to the road above!
Back up the steep climb…
Once back at camp the time for serious celebration arrived!!! It took us two days to pack the bull out. Ed took the meat to a nearby cooler for storage and caped the head. The days that followed were filled with more excitement than we could handle as the bulls were really starting to light up. It seemed like each place we ventured, bulls responded. We were blessed with multiple close encounters however unable to get a fatal shot. The bulls we challenged began to rush, scream, and surround us. Wallows started getting hit hard and the harems were showing cows dropping into heat. On the last weekend we found ourselves in the middle of multiple herds with younger bulls on the move looking to pick off a cow while the herd bulls were tending to other cows. Thanks to Jeremy from PTO we were able to film most of the activity all week so we will have lots to share with next years seminars. What a great year filled with friends, elk and most of all the Lords presence!
Here are more pictures of serious elk hunting fun – enjoy! Thanks to everyone for such a memory filled adventure. Watch out elk… here comes rifle season!!!
Till we meet again next year – good hunting….
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]]>The post Stripers – Southern Style appeared first on Outdoor Callings.
]]>Now Jim is no ordinary guide, this guy hunts Stripers and can sniff them out with his trusted K9. Jim watches his Lowrance LCX19C sonar waiting for images representing holding Stripers at about 40 feet deep. From there he likes to drop a sinker with live bait to entice a bite. Once Jim sets us up for the first drop, we could watch Stripers swim up to the bait for a “drive by” Jim calls it! Bummer as we thought we would have our first strike well before the heat and humidity would play a factor.
Brian ended up fighting the fish for about five minutes before being netted. Once I got a close look at the large bass, I realized they look a lot like a monster shad with the chrome color of a salmon. All I could think was “what a cool species of fish”. Way to go Brian – we got the skunk off the boat!
Unfortunately the rest of the day proved to be a lot of trolling while observing Stripers “window shop” according to Jim. It seems these fish can be tricky to entice a bite! I want to say Jim and Brian were a pleasure to fish with while taking in the sites. Hats off to Jim for all the pointers as he shared his passion for Striper fishing. All I can say is I’ll be back for another try! Fishing is fishing and catching is catching! Thanks for the friendship guys while spending time pursuing the outdoors.
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]]>The post Wild Boar In California appeared first on Outdoor Callings.
]]>I decided to carry my bow for a lucky chance at taking a boar. Right behind me, I had my daughter carrying a 7mm Mag. eager to launch a 140 gr Nosler Accutip at over 3000 fps. As we moved closer to the brush looking to play the wind and remain concealed in the shadows, we spotted a sow with piglets heading out for evening feed.
If you look close, you can see the sow with her piglets in the lower left corner. We remained still while the pigs continued on their way…. Tom had us check the wind constantly to make sure we had the wind in our favor as we continued deeper into the upper fields near the berry bushes. Our hopes were that a large boar would be out feeding allowing us a “spot and stalk” opportunity. Sure enough – Robyn (my daughter) spotted a nice boar off feeding near the berries about 250 yards away. The wind was right so I knocked a broadhead and moved in close for a shot.
Once we got close, we lost sight of the boar. Jeremy (our camera man) motioned letting us know he could hear a pig snorting in the brush headed our way. Jeremy had an ear mic allowing him to hear sounds much better than we could. I moved to align myself when all the sudden a small boar appeared looking right at me about 15 yards away offering a close head shot. I chose not to release. Tom wondered why I had not taken the shot till I explained the poor shot scenario. We decided to head back from there as the sun went down to prepare for the morning seminar.
Thank the Lord for air conditioning!!! When we woke up Saturday morning, the temperature had already rose to around 90 degrees. Lyn chose to sleep outside till the sprinklers came on allowing him barely enough time to avoid a fresh cool natural shower…
The Fishers of Men staff arrived early to help us setup for the breakfast provided by Black Bear Diner (what a treat). Over seventy people arrived for what proved to be a great turnout thanks to all the promotion by Fishers of men. Gary Lewis (outdoor writer) and I felt truly blessed to have such a great group of passionate elk hunters attend to discover more about elk biology, behavior, language and tactics. The seminar ended up such a success, we can’t wait to come back next year!
Saturday afternoon turned up the thermostat over 110 degrees as we prepared to head back out in the field for another opportunity to ambush a wild boar. Once we arrived back at the base of the foothills, my daughter and I decided to break off on our own while Gary, Lyn and Jeremy headed a different direction with Tom and Perry. We quickly advanced back to the deep brush above the creek to hide in the shadows and play the wind. Once again, Robyn spotted some sows with piglets walk about thirty yards in front of us quickly on the move towards water. We held steadfast trying not to spook them… “whew – that was a close call”!!! As we snuck over the next knoll, we found another large boar feeding infront of a group of cattle about 150 yards out. We moved quickly as sweat began to pour off our forehead with hopes that I could get an archery shot. Wouldn’t you know it, the boar held broadside at forty five yards feeding allowing the release of a 340 grain arrow tipped with a 100 grain Razorback seeking a lethal hit. The arrow missed just under the cavity behind the front leg. Ends up I mis-judged the yardage which ended up closer to fifty yards. I couldn’t believe it! As the boar checked out heading for the ridgeline, I asked Robyn to give me the 7mm Mag. for a little target practice on the run. “YEP”, direct hit right in the heart as the 200+ lb. boar wheeled up squealing his last plea before landing legs up. You know the deal…. “Praise the Lord,” as my daughter and I had harvested our first wild pig together pursuing the outdoors! Once we arrived back at the hanger, it was picture time since we had been filming most of the action and forgot the still cameras back at the truck.
Sunday arrivedearly with milder temperatures allowing one more opportunity for Lyn and Gary to find a pig looking for a BBQ.
Ends up Jeremy filmed the other guys in hot pursuit of a few wild boars while Robyn, Tom, Lyn and I went on a beautiful nature hike to be evaded by the elusive pigs in the area.
We arrived back at the truck close to 10am as the temperatures were reaching close to 100 degrees. Lyn decided to hook up with Perry who was familiar with the various water holes. The two of them loaded the Rhino while Jeremy and I hopped in the back with cameras. We drove a few gravel roads when we spotted a group of hogs moving in the grass at the bottom of a draw headed towards cover. Lyn jumped out with Jeremy and the camera following close behind. I ended up across the ridge filming both parties as Lyn steadied his rifle and pulled the trigger taking what promised to be a great little smoker! As you can see, a picture is worth a thousand words….
Hats off to Fishers of Men and the ministry they stand for!!! The Lord has a blessed group of servants working to serve outdoor enthusiasts loving people while spreading the good news.
God Bless Fishers of Men!
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]]>The post Oregon Halibut ’09 appeared first on Outdoor Callings.
]]>Morning came early (4:30 – ughh)when we launched the boats. We headed West over the bar calling Yaquina Coast Guard station for a bar report and to let them know we would be out till 1400 with four passengers on board. Yaquina tower reported mild seas and calm winds with no restrictions on the bar – so off we ventured into Big Blue!
We traveled approx. 18 miles to favorite GPS coordinates a long time halibut fisherman gave us that helped us catch some nice halibut last year . On board the “PTO” sled we had my brother Chris, Gary Lewis and his wife Merrillee. We traveled over the bar alongside good friend Todd Bright and his NW Jet followed by another friend Jess Choat who was close behind in his Duckworth Jet Sled. Once we arrived at the first GPS waypoints, the waters were calm with halibut calling our name…
“Time for tuna bellies” I replied as we prepared are double hook set-ups for the deep! Seems like each year I get caught with my head down focusing on rigging as I begin to lose my stomach and balance – some of you know what I’m talking about! I managed to get a couple rods rigged so we could drift over the coordinates with our bait approx. 225 feet below gently tapping on structure (hint hint).
My brother Chris was the first bait down with a slight tap followed by a pull as a fish started to eat his fresh bait. Chris pulled his rod to set the hook come to find the fish was gone. This gave Gary the chance to drop his bait right in the lane – sure enough “fish on” as Gary set the hook while reeling up what turned out to be a nice halibut close to thirty plus pounds.
Once Gary caught his halibut, we picked up our gear and headed back North to the spot where we experienced multiple bites. This is when a good GPS chart plotter comes in handy for tracking and marking special fishing spots where structure exists. We dropped our tuna bellies and sure enough just after we drifted over the structure “fish on” as I reeled up another nice halibut for the day!
Now that we had a couple in the boat, the time came to check in with the other boats. Todd who had traveled out with us picked up one and Jess (the other boat with us) moved to another spot NW where they caught three along with a nice Ling Cod. Unfortunately they had to put the Ling back during “all depth” fishing since they had halibut on board. “Bummer” as I’m sure the Ling would have been good eating… My brother Chris kept right on the rod working the bottom using a variety of different baits determined to catch another halibut. After a few drifts with more bites, “fish on” as Chris tried to lift his rod setting the hook. This fish was much larger as Chris had a hard time gaining line. We observed Chris fight the fish all the way to the surface come to find the halibut had wrapped itself in my line when all of the sudden “release” when Chris realized “fish off”! Dang – the big one got away… Oh well, I guess that’s fishing! Better luck next time…
Afternoon came when the wind began to blow causing the seas to increase. We reeled up and stowed the boat for about a 20 mile boat ride back to Newport. The ride took much longer as we traveled at a much slower pace due to a chaotic see with wind waves out of the West crossing the swell out of the Northwest. Riding in a jetboat can be a little hard on the back when flying off the backside of swells. As we approached the bar, I always make it a point to check in with Coast Guard for a return bar report as well as to report our return. What a beautiful day “Pursuing The Outdoors” with friends and family!
Thank the Lord for land and restrooms! It’s always nice to get back to port for pictures and the opportunity to regain balance not to mention the stomach – “ughh”… Thanks to the crew which did a great job helping out all day! I really appreciate it as I think I left my b-fast some place out on ol’ blue – till we meet again…
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]]>We like to start each year fishing early on the lower Columbia attempting to catch early pilot fish. Some years this has paid dividends. We have found that using heavily scented bait loaded with protein works well to entice the mother of all strikes! Unfortunately this year proved us wrong as we worked the lower section on two different occasions. The weather took its toll on us and thank the Lord for sleds with a hard top and heater!
April finally arrived when “we” salmon fisherman put our game face on as the peak of the season usually arrives around the 10th of the month before the projected closure. We loaded the RV for the four day fishery in order to try our luck fishing previous year “hot spots”. As usual, the weather presented us with a variety of challenges. We left home headed straight for a snow storm with my friends new boat. Nothing like driving through slush, mud, de-icer and other forms of road hazards…
In preperation for the weeks adventure, we arrived late Tuesday evening ready to go! 4 am comes early in order to navigate up river and set anchor in the “hot spot”. Of course we don’t show a picture here… Once the sun appeared as the early morning fog lifted, we knew a strike would happen any moment – it had to since we had ol’ faithful down flashing with lots of smelly stuff (secret salmon cocktail). The other factor to consider had to do with our lucky passenger Jon from Hermiston who joins us each year for our weekly “salmon fest.” Yep – you guessed it, about an hour on anchor and “slam” rod down with a Springer on the run!
Lyn grabs the rod, sets the hook and off the anchor we drift! From there it was nothing but fun as you can see… Nothing like a little circus with some rodeo action as usual on the first Springer of the year. Great job Lyn!
Nice fin Lyn….. just kidding! With the first fish on the boat, luck seemed to be heading our way. We anchored up, set the lines back in the water making sure to add our secret sauce.
A few minutes go by and what do you know??? “slam” the rod pounds down with line screaming on the run again! This time Jon picks up the rod, sets the hook and quietly whispers “fish on”! Off anchor we go again in pursuit of another fresh Springer attempting to rip the rod out of Jon’s hands.
Another nice fin Jon – kidding! Okay so we had two in the box, now it’s my turn. You know the drill – back on anchor, lines in the water making sure to dip our gear in secret sauce. Time to let the hardware do its job while the sun overhead reflects creating multiple strikes. Of course the fish have to be there in order for the day to produce results. After another hour or so sure enough, my rod takes the hit setting up on another Springer limiting the boat for the day.
Back to the dock we go for a nice afternoon and BBQ preparing for the next days adventure. Stopped off at the cleaning station for a little Fillet practice on some of the best tasting fish in the world.
Day two arrived early once again and wouldn’t you know it, I forgot the camera so no pictures to tell the story! In short, we had to work a little harder and wait patiently to obtain our limit by late afternoon however a great Springer day once again pursuing the outdoors with family and friends.
Day three proved to be quite the thrill for those who love adventure. The day started off early setting the anchor in the dark when I got cut off by some a– who drove in front of us dropping his anchor rope falling back into us forcing us out unless we wanted a collision. Life is too short so I backed off and prepared to anchor extra close to him if you know what I mean? During the set, my buddy was so upset (calm word for his true feelings) he ran his boat towards the guy who cut us off to give him a piece of his mind when all the sudden he drifted right into the sider of our boat creating a collision. Nothing like a little rodeo action in the dark with my other buddy on the bow working the anchor line…. sheesh! Once set, we were ready for our guests to arrive for another day of Columbia River Springer fishing.
We dropped off anchor to pick up guests at 8 am. Here’s where things started to go South. Once back on anchor we were too heavy and the dam started to spill. Those of you who know the area realize what happens when you’re anchored deep in heavy flow. Yep – the anchor broke loose and away we drifted down stream. Ended up we had to pull anchor and find a new place. The hogline watched as we drove past wondering where “PTO” was headed??? I drove up the inside to another hogline above the main line where I could set in the depth I was looking for.
We started fishing around 9:30 after playing the anchor game. Good news… my friend Mike brought his daughter Stacey along for a chance at a Springer. This was our lucky card as we had lady luck on board. Last year Stacey fished with us and caught a nice Springer when all the elements worked against us. Ends up Stacey and Eli were our hero that day. From 10 am till 4 pm we hooked Springer after Springer causing boats all around to wonder “what the heck is going on with the PTO boat”? Lady luck is all I can say mixed with a strong salmon cocktail no to mention ol’ faithful! Here are more pictures that tell the story best!
Down below us our friends and PTO staff occupied another boat where the action started off slow and ended up hot towards the afternoon. Amazing what the secret cocktail did once applied….
Nice try Jeff, that’s gotta go back! We’re fishing for Springers here – what are you trying to prove??? Nice fish though… Let’s see some real action!
That’ll work…
Incredible how a day that started so crazy could end so blessed! This will be a trip to remember for years to come not to mention the dent on the side as a reminder of how dangerous fishing in current using an anchor system can be on the Columbia. Praise the Lord for friends, family and the opportunity to Pursue The Outdoors!
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]]>On our way out through the Crooked River Valley, we saw multiple herds of deer and antelope feeding low in the fields. The river flow in the Crooked River was close to flood stage from the melting snow. Once we arrived at Maury Mtn. Ranch, the kids hopped in the back of the truck for a little outdoor ride to the shooting fields.
Before we could start shooting Prarie Dogs, we took a few minutes to site in making sure the .17 HMR’s were on target at 100 yards.
Since the lake had not been fished since the fall and I knew the ranch owner had been feeding these fish some sort of Miracle Grow, we approached quietly in search of “WALTER”. Faith made the first few casts with her fly rod careful not to hook Adam. Low and behold “fish on” as we’re off to the races watching Faith battle the first monster from the deep!
Thank goodness we had Faith along to show us how it’s done. We knew with her by our side the two boys were sure to hook another. Now it was the Powerbait’s turn to see what would happen as Eli cast his treat. Wouldn’t you know it? “Fish on” and off to the races we go again as we scramble to get our cameras for the life long photo opps.
Now that Eli got to show us up, it was Levi’s turn to go for the “whopper”! After fishing these lakes for years, I knew their were monsters lurking deep below. What would entice the beast as we cast another gooey bob of Rainbow Glitter Powerbait? “Shazaam” as Levi’s line went for a run spooling the 8 lb. test on the reel. We had a feeling this would be the one that would challenge Levi’s ability to get the job done.
What a day as we sighed… All we could do was thank the Lord for the opportunity to get out and spend “quality” time with our kids enjoying the outdoors! The rest of the afternoon, we pursued “Varmint Kong” seeking to distroy all rats who dared to show themselves. We must have shot over two hundred rounds there were so many… Still not sure we even put a dent in the population as Prarie Dogs just kept coming out as the afternoon heat came on. Once out of ammo with the sun starting to drop we decided to go after more trout before heading home with that special stop at Artic Circle for a treat!
If folks have any interest, please visit www.maurytroutfishing.com to learn more about booking an opportunity to fish multiple lakes for world class Rainbows. Thanks to the Kastor’s for allowing us another special opportunity to enjoy our kids in a piece of their paradise!
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