Published: Thursday, July 14, 2011
Father and son have memorable fishing experience
Picture this scene on the lower Columbia River last Friday:
Big jet sled with two dudes, one guide, one assistant guide. The dudes are father and son; the father is 80, in a wheelchair, and neither has fished salmon or steelhead in years. One rod tip goes down. The other rod tip goes down. Double hookup, man, with a couple of bull-shouldered kings -- each of 30-plus pounds -- heading in opposite directions, fast, with heavy water pushing them along.
Guide steps behind wheelchair and maneuvers Dad to the stern, swinging the chair to follow the fight of the larger chinook, because Son and assistant guide have their hands full with the other. One fish goes under and around; the other goes over and back. Complete and utter chaos.
Son's king proves to be a wild fish and is released, giving him time to shoot video of Dad's triumphant conquest -- a mint summer hatchery chinook of 34 pounds.
High fives all around, and you can watch the video on You Tube, search "jimlillianwalz," "dads big salmon," or see the photo gallery at http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.1731367619066.72303.1684779176&1=8a8d0684b3. Or Facebook friend Lillian Walz.
The father-son team ended up hooking and fighting a dozen fish, limiting by noon with four hatchery keepers -- one steelhead, two nice salmon, and one DVNS (Dad's Very Nice Salmon).
It was a trip to remember.
Which is precisely what Jim Walz of Sultan had in mind when he called, late last winter, saying his father James Walz, of Bothell, had always wanted to catch a steelhead, and did I have any suggestions.
Dad had some health concerns ("We almost lost him a couple of times, over the last year or two," Jim Walz said), and a right foot prosthesis, and that if they didn't do the trip now, then when?
You get the picture.
I recommended the Cowlitz for steelhead, and Clancy Holt to run the trip. Chehalis resident Holt (now with son Ron Holt, as Clancy's Guided Sportfishing, 360-262-9549, clancysfishing.com) is a longtime southwest Washington river guide, reputable, ethical, good equipment, top fisherman. So Jim Walz booked the trip, which was changed at the last moment because action had slowed on the Cowlitz, but had been good for several weeks on the Columbia between Longview and Cathlamet.
Holt had been catching chinook, summer steelhead and sockeye, he said, anchoring and working Kwikfish off the stern, and that if the pair would stop at WalMart in Chehalis to get the required Columbia River license endorsements, he thought the big river would be the better choice.
"It was an awesome experience; one I will never forget," Jim Walz said "My dad and I need to enjoy our time NOW, and the trip was truly what we both had hoped for. Clancy and his assistant, Derek Lampert, were professional, conscientious and caring. The fact that my dad used a wheelchair during the trip was never an issue. They were geared for just about anything that might come up."
Walz said he hopes his experience will encourage other handicapped anglers to go for it. Holt agreed.
"It's not that unusual any more," the guide said. "We don't accommodate wheelchair fishermen or those with other physical challenges on an everyday basis, but it's not uncommon, either."
Baker lake sockeye
State Fish and Wildlife Department biologist Brett Barkdull says he needs three days in a row of 1,000 sockeye or more going through the traps from the Baker River into Baker Lake, in order to open this year's recreational fishery. As of Tuesday afternoon, he didn't have even one such day.
"We counted 343 fish on Monday, and I thought maybe the push had started," he said, "but it dropped back down to 71 fish today (Tuesday)."
Barkdull amended an earlier guess that the season might open around July 15, saying probably not this weekend, but perhaps next week. The sport season opened July 22 on Baker Lake last year.
"We try to give folks 48 hours notice," Barkdull said.
Cal Stocking of Cause For Divorce Guide Service will give a Baker Lake sockeye seminar on Saturday, starting at 10 a.m., at Holiday Sports in Burlington, along with info on how to fish upcoming Skagit River salmon seasons. Call the tackle shop for information, at 360-757-4361.
Young bass champion
Max Hamack just finished sixth grade at Seaview Elementary in Edmonds, and his next stop will be *Arkadelphia, Ark., for The Bass Federation's Junior World Bass Fishing Championships, Aug. 15-16. The 11-year old, a member of the Washington Bass Association, will be competing with representatives of 40-plus other states in his age group.
Hamack won the trip by placing first in a recent one-day tournament on Lake Roosevelt for 11-14 year olds, with a limit of five bass weighing 8.52 pounds.
Participants will be vying for $30,000 in scholarships and $12,000 in youth-program grants.
Pinks are coming
Odd-year pink salmon from a predicted six million-fish run are coming down the Strait of Juan de Fuca and should be here in fishable numbers by the first week in August. State Fish and Wildlife Department checks on Saturday at Olson's Resort in Sekiu showed 203 anglers with 25 chinook, 37 coho, and 141 pinks.
Guide and Arlington resident Sam Ingram said if you haven't yet purchased your Dick Nite spoons or other humpy lures you'd best do it soon. The best colors will be in short supply in a couple of weeks, Ingram said.
The same applies to river guides and saltwater charters, which are filling their available dates fast. The tab for up to four people for a half-day on one of the local rivers, entitled to take home up to 16 pinks, will run somewhere in the $350 range.
John Thomas of Rotten Chum Guide Service will present a free humpy seminar at Greg's Custom Fishing Rods in Lake Stevens on Aug. 6, starting at 10 a.m., phone 425-335-1391. Space is limited, so call to reserve a seat.
For more outdoors news, read Wayne Kruse's blog at www.heraldnet.com/huntingandfishing.
*Correction, July 15, 2011: This article originally included the incorrect location of the championships.
Big jet sled with two dudes, one guide, one assistant guide. The dudes are father and son; the father is 80, in a wheelchair, and neither has fished salmon or steelhead in years. One rod tip goes down. The other rod tip goes down. Double hookup, man, with a couple of bull-shouldered kings -- each of 30-plus pounds -- heading in opposite directions, fast, with heavy water pushing them along.
Guide steps behind wheelchair and maneuvers Dad to the stern, swinging the chair to follow the fight of the larger chinook, because Son and assistant guide have their hands full with the other. One fish goes under and around; the other goes over and back. Complete and utter chaos.
Son's king proves to be a wild fish and is released, giving him time to shoot video of Dad's triumphant conquest -- a mint summer hatchery chinook of 34 pounds.
High fives all around, and you can watch the video on You Tube, search "jimlillianwalz," "dads big salmon," or see the photo gallery at http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.1731367619066.72303.1684779176&1=8a8d0684b3. Or Facebook friend Lillian Walz.
The father-son team ended up hooking and fighting a dozen fish, limiting by noon with four hatchery keepers -- one steelhead, two nice salmon, and one DVNS (Dad's Very Nice Salmon).
It was a trip to remember.
Which is precisely what Jim Walz of Sultan had in mind when he called, late last winter, saying his father James Walz, of Bothell, had always wanted to catch a steelhead, and did I have any suggestions.
Dad had some health concerns ("We almost lost him a couple of times, over the last year or two," Jim Walz said), and a right foot prosthesis, and that if they didn't do the trip now, then when?
You get the picture.
I recommended the Cowlitz for steelhead, and Clancy Holt to run the trip. Chehalis resident Holt (now with son Ron Holt, as Clancy's Guided Sportfishing, 360-262-9549, clancysfishing.com) is a longtime southwest Washington river guide, reputable, ethical, good equipment, top fisherman. So Jim Walz booked the trip, which was changed at the last moment because action had slowed on the Cowlitz, but had been good for several weeks on the Columbia between Longview and Cathlamet.
Holt had been catching chinook, summer steelhead and sockeye, he said, anchoring and working Kwikfish off the stern, and that if the pair would stop at WalMart in Chehalis to get the required Columbia River license endorsements, he thought the big river would be the better choice.
"It was an awesome experience; one I will never forget," Jim Walz said "My dad and I need to enjoy our time NOW, and the trip was truly what we both had hoped for. Clancy and his assistant, Derek Lampert, were professional, conscientious and caring. The fact that my dad used a wheelchair during the trip was never an issue. They were geared for just about anything that might come up."
Walz said he hopes his experience will encourage other handicapped anglers to go for it. Holt agreed.
"It's not that unusual any more," the guide said. "We don't accommodate wheelchair fishermen or those with other physical challenges on an everyday basis, but it's not uncommon, either."
Baker lake sockeye
State Fish and Wildlife Department biologist Brett Barkdull says he needs three days in a row of 1,000 sockeye or more going through the traps from the Baker River into Baker Lake, in order to open this year's recreational fishery. As of Tuesday afternoon, he didn't have even one such day.
"We counted 343 fish on Monday, and I thought maybe the push had started," he said, "but it dropped back down to 71 fish today (Tuesday)."
Barkdull amended an earlier guess that the season might open around July 15, saying probably not this weekend, but perhaps next week. The sport season opened July 22 on Baker Lake last year.
"We try to give folks 48 hours notice," Barkdull said.
Cal Stocking of Cause For Divorce Guide Service will give a Baker Lake sockeye seminar on Saturday, starting at 10 a.m., at Holiday Sports in Burlington, along with info on how to fish upcoming Skagit River salmon seasons. Call the tackle shop for information, at 360-757-4361.
Young bass champion
Max Hamack just finished sixth grade at Seaview Elementary in Edmonds, and his next stop will be *Arkadelphia, Ark., for The Bass Federation's Junior World Bass Fishing Championships, Aug. 15-16. The 11-year old, a member of the Washington Bass Association, will be competing with representatives of 40-plus other states in his age group.
Hamack won the trip by placing first in a recent one-day tournament on Lake Roosevelt for 11-14 year olds, with a limit of five bass weighing 8.52 pounds.
Participants will be vying for $30,000 in scholarships and $12,000 in youth-program grants.
Pinks are coming
Odd-year pink salmon from a predicted six million-fish run are coming down the Strait of Juan de Fuca and should be here in fishable numbers by the first week in August. State Fish and Wildlife Department checks on Saturday at Olson's Resort in Sekiu showed 203 anglers with 25 chinook, 37 coho, and 141 pinks.
Guide and Arlington resident Sam Ingram said if you haven't yet purchased your Dick Nite spoons or other humpy lures you'd best do it soon. The best colors will be in short supply in a couple of weeks, Ingram said.
The same applies to river guides and saltwater charters, which are filling their available dates fast. The tab for up to four people for a half-day on one of the local rivers, entitled to take home up to 16 pinks, will run somewhere in the $350 range.
John Thomas of Rotten Chum Guide Service will present a free humpy seminar at Greg's Custom Fishing Rods in Lake Stevens on Aug. 6, starting at 10 a.m., phone 425-335-1391. Space is limited, so call to reserve a seat.
For more outdoors news, read Wayne Kruse's blog at www.heraldnet.com/huntingandfishing.
*Correction, July 15, 2011: This article originally included the incorrect location of the championships.
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