Chasing Oregon's Fine Finned Warriors

Throughout my afternoon stroll through this canyon, I hooked up with many a fine fighter in the riffles and heads of the pools.

(SALEM, Ore.) - I have a favorite coastal stream that I try to visit every fall for the Chinook run, we’ll call it Stream X. The first good push of fish usually arrives here in early November.

This year’s returns are so minimal that Chinook fishing in this section of water is totally closed. However, my love for this section of water is far more about the experience of being there than putting meat on the bank.

So I strung up my winter steelhead rod (steelhead season opened Oct 16th) and headed out last week. It was just after a moderate rain. The Siletz gauge had peaked at just under 4’. This was the highest it had been all season. It wasn’t quite ideal, but this was my window of opportunity.

Fishing my home waters is usually about the solitude and beauty of my surroundings. Spending time on the water with no human in sight is a privilege that all fishermen should experience. With that in mind, a smile crept across my face as I turned off the main forest road toward my stream and saw undisturbed leaves and clear-water puddles on the road. No one had been here for quite some time. I parked the truck and walked down to check the water conditions. As if on queue, a big healthy Chinook cruised slowly through the pool, assuring me that the Stream X run was still alive and well.

Today’s targets were not my beloved Chinook though. Instead I would be chasing any early winter steelhead that might be there, and I’d settle for a sea-run cutthroat trout in the meantime. On past fall fishing trips I had noticed these trout more as an annoyance than anything else. After all, how can a mere trout compare to a mighty salmon. Well with Chinook off the agenda this year, and only a slim chance of an early steelhead, I had to adjust my sights.

I strung up my steelhead rod and tied on my flies of choice. Today I was using a simple egg imitation and a fly called a Salmon River MVP. This is a compact orange-flashy pattern that was designed by local guide Rich Youngers, owner of Creekside Flyfishing in Salem (creeksideflyfishing.com). Although Rich originally designed it for fall Chinook on the Salmon River, it has also proven highly effective for winter steelhead. And as I found out on this trip, sea-run Cutt’s find it irresistible. Especially the fatter ones.

The trout quickly showed me what I had been missing. With my first cast in my first drift, I was into them. Not just a light tap on my line, but a quick hard grab and a fight that only a fish who’s tasted salt water for most of his life can give. They all went for the egg patern, but the bigger Cutt’s hammered that MVP!

Throughout my afternoon stroll through this canyon, I hooked up with many a fine fighter in the riffles and heads of the pools. Although I never did find any steelhead, I tangled with Cutt’s up to 14” or better, and they fought valiantly against my 8 weight steelhead rod.

This imbalance of this matchup made me re-think my plan of action for the trip. I realized that my cautiousness had caused me to skew the battle with these fine finned warriors of smaller size but equal fortitude. They’re aerial antics, hard strikes and decisive runs had clearly gained my attention and respect. I vowed to return with more appropriate gear, and battle them again on equal footing. I spent the rest of the afternoon walking the banks of Stream X, watching Chinook jockey for position on the gravel beds, and picking fights with the Cutt’s hanging just behind them.

Afternoon turned to evening, and before I knew it I was walking back to my truck by flashlight. Thoughts of return trips with a 5 weight fly rod and a stock of egg patterns and MVP’s filled my head. Until I got home and checked the regulations. Alas, trout season would close just a few days later (Oct 31st).The recording of my memories in my fishing journal will have to suffice for now. I’ll be sure to set a little extra time aside next year though, and add these fine anadramous warriors to my list of worthy adversaries on the fall fishing calendar.