Travel – Page 6

April 30, 2023April 29, 2023

Birding

White-fronted geese trail behind two Sandhill Cranes

This week Central Oregon skipped spring and went straight to summer. Not complaining, but it was an abrupt shift in weather and attitude.

We’re long overdue for a Summer Lake trip, so we loaded up the bird books and headed east.

It might be a bit cliche . . . turn seventy and post a piece on birding. Is that too much, old guy? In between trips to the river, which by the way are great places to bird, we do regular bird-centric excursions.

Over the years we’ve sat, eyes pinned to lenses, along a lot of different marshes. Living on the northern edge of the Great Basin puts us close to a few stopovers on the Pacific Flyway. One of the best, in our opinion, is Summer Lake Wildlife Refuge.

Unlike wildlife areas with better ‘press,’ Summer Lake never disappoints. Here we squint across a hundreds of yards of field. The loop road, often just a couple of tire ruts along the top of a dike, allows for great birding opportunities.

It was an unseasonably warm spring day, perfect time to catch the first round of migratory birds moving across the country. Some will spend weeks, others will move on in a few days.

The great thing is they never cease to amuse; like an acrobatic yellow-headed black bird bouncing from stalk to stalk, or Clark’s Grebes hunting a secluded section of the pond.

There is another visit scheduled for later this spring, well before the summer heat.

April 9, 2023April 8, 2023

Cabin Camping

I don’t think it would qualify for an Instagram post as ‘glamping‘, but this week we spent a couple of nights in a cabin on the John Day River.

Winter snowstorms still pester the Bend area, but at the park we enjoyed sunny days and mild spring-like temperatures.

Oregon State Parks offers overnight stays in cabins, teepees and yurts at parks all over the state. Most of these exist at coastal parks, however a dozen parks east of the Cascades have structured camping options.

Most importantly for us, there is always at least one cabin that allows pets.

Cottonwood Canyon SP has four “rustic” cabins available by reservation year-round. These two room units can sleep 8 people, have electricity to provide lighting, wall mounted heaters and an AC unit.

Cooking isn’t allowed inside, but there’s a gas grill, picnic table and fire pit next to each cabin.

A covered porch offers un-obstructed views east across a grassy flat, willow-lined river and the canyon walls.

Big Horned sheep in the canyon’s rocky hills

Our first morning was spent watching Big Horn Sheep graze on the rocky north face just above the campground.

Later in the day, we hiked up to the foot of that slope and the Pinnacles Trail Head. This trail and one on the opposite side of the river (Lost Corral Trail) follow the John Day for 4.3 miles around a couple of bends in the river.

Winter runoff made fishing impossible, but we managed to fill our time catching up on reading, watching wildlife, and relaxing.

Reservations are snapped up quickly, but we’ve managed to find a couple of open slots in the fall and hope to become regular visitors.

March 26, 2023March 25, 2023

Maupin, Oregon

Spring officially started this week.

While we have no illusions this marks an end to snowfall, it does mean days are getting longer and warmer. When there is one of those warmer days we head to the river. We’ve made several trips to the Lower Deschutes this winter and have gotten more familar with Maupin.

Hwy 197 crosses the Deschutes River in Maupin

It’s a small town precariously occupying a hillside over looking the Deschutes River. It’s really returning to an old haunt and with a bit of exploring we discovered a stretch of river with easy access for all.

Highway 197 (Deschutes Ave.) winds it’s way in and back out of the canyon passing through the center of Maupin.

Where the highway crosses fifth street is the Deschutes Angler. . . . a flyfishing shop.

Among the hundreds of shops in river towns only a handful are must stop locations.

The adage “if they don’t have it you don’t need it” hallmarks these places. Deschutes Angler is on that list.

A fishing shop visit could replenish a tying bench or fishing pack, however mostly it’s a means to acquire current intel on local waters. Not all establishments are equal in these aspects, so when you find a good one it gets marked on the map.

The sun helps cut the chill but hasn’t been around enough to coax spring color back into the canyon walls.

A narrow road follows a section of the Lower Deschutes River

We need wadeable access so take advantage of pullouts along the Deschutes River Access Road.

Fishing alongside traffic comes with some limits. Tip is on constant duty, so if the road offers the shortest route between JQ and Jack he’ll be on it.

Fortunately he is a good listener.

The spot we settled into this winter offers lots of dog friendly access to the river. There’s a wide swath of river silt and grass cut with jagged outcropping of lava rock.

Hunting Red Band Trout on the Deschutes River

The scattering of trees and willow bushes at river’s edge seem bare from the road. Ducking under a branch to gain access to a new pool I notice bud sites and the beginnings of summer foliage.

Won’t be long before the banks are lined with fisherman and the water is full of rafters. By then other waters will become our regular haunt.

March 12, 2023March 11, 2023

A Favored Spot

One of our regular stops, a BLM site on the river.

Again this week we found ourselves parked next to a picnic table on the east bank of the Crooked River. If we’re not at home this would be the next place to look.

Some days all that’s required is time on the river. This works best if you’ve established a regular destination. With each relocation, a new favorite had to be researched . . . it’s always been like that.

Ancient lava flows make up the canyon walls

Growing up my family went fishing nearly every Summer Sunday. Depending on which sibling you ask, those outings were either fishing trips or picnics. Regardless . . . you get lunch and often cake for dessert.

Upper Big Creek CG, which actually closed before I left in the 70’s, was a common destination. We parked in second growth Larch overlooking the North Fork of the Flathead River.

Crooked River fishing means navigating over lots of rocks

Rock Creek served us well during time spent doing television in Missoula. When we moved to Troutdale, the fishing trips thinned because the Lower Deschutes was a much longer drive.

There are more than a handful of fishable streams within an hour of the place we’re currently occupying. While we do visit all at least once a season, the Crooked River, upstream of Prineville, holds the record number of visits.

“Over there looks like a good place to start…”

There are fish in these waters but a healthy riparian as well. While I hunt Redband Trout, JQ seeks a different angle.

Lined by basalt cliffs the Crooked River canyon is forested with ancient juniper and offers nice birding . . . water fowl, song birds and raptors.

From here we mark seasonal changes with posts of current blossoms and stream levels.

February 19, 2023February 18, 2023

Fishing for Small Mouth Bass

I may have mentioned adding a streamer box to our fishing sling pack. To fill that box, part of this week was spent at the tying bench working on streamer patterns. The other part was spent doing some on-river testing.

As this will require a laboratory we chose a small stretch of the John Day River.

River access to the John Day is a problem. There’s no shortage of fishable water if you have a boat … well, and a permit.

Winter water levels expose gravel and rock.

To gain wadeable access (a stream bank within walking distance of a safe parking space) we chose a spot 40 river miles upstream from the Columbia . . . a place called Cottonwood Canyon.

Cottonwood bridge and J.S Burres SP are more than just boat take-outs. Where OR 206 crosses the John Day River there is a fairly new state park. In it you’ll find walking paths paralleling a wide gravel bank positioned opposite perfect holding water for Small Mouth Bass.

As a bonus, picnic tables sit under shade trees on a grass lawn right next to day-use parking. Only downside … it’s a long drive.

Throwing streamers to the far bank in search of Small Mouth Bass

Bass are warm water lovers, be mindful that warm is a relative term. There are plenty of reservoirs and lakes in Central Oregon with good bass fishing. Unlike their large mouth cousins, Small Mouth Bass take to moving water.

As the John Day’s water temperature rose the small mouth moved in. At roughly the same time there was a notable drop in seasonal Steelhead run. To some, bass in the John Day is an invasion, but it’s not unlike the introduction of German Brown Trout to western waters.

Willows define a space between water and sage.

Like Brown Trout, Bass are hunters thus streamer patterns are effective. Presentation requires stripping line over holding fish.

I was successful this summer in bringing them to the surface and trust me, the hook up is a kick. However, as the water temperature drops so do the feeding lanes, which is pretty much river fishing in the winter; regardless of species. For this, instead of tiny bead head patterns on dual rigs, you swing weighted minnow patterns about the size of your thumb.

Winter on the Deschutes has Redside trout using folds in the current to hang out, while the river brings dinner.

Small Mouth Bass hold near the bottom waiting on small fish, their meal includes a chase.

Sunny days are as abundant as wind in this part of the state. Our visit was on a sunny day, perfect for a winter outing.

The trip didn’t include any catching, but there was a lot of casting. More trips have been added to our calendar, as well as more time at the tying vice.