Fishing With Friends

Shortly after graduating from high school is when I started fishing. Never was able to go fishing with my dad so after graduation I bought a fishing pole and went fishing. I loved it and went as often as I could.

I often went by myself. Actually I did not really care if I caught a fish. I enjoyed being at the river and just enjoying the morning. The sunrises were beautiful and the smell of the air was awesome. Many times I would fall asleep for a little nap. Fishing is the most relaxing thing I have ever done.

One day a couple of friends and I decided to go fishing down on the Columbia River by the big boat dock. We were fishing for bass and not doing very well so we moved around hoping to do better. Looking back on it I think it was the fishermen not the fish was the problem. No matter we were have a great time. I remember standing on a rock, casting my lure and slowly reeling in and my buddy about five yards from me cast his lure. Well a few seconds later something hit me on the side of my head so hard it blurred my vision. I turned around, thinking some hit me with a rock and I was going to beat the guy into the ground. Well, no one was there so, I turned back facing the river and started to reel my lure back in when I saw my shadow on the water. I called to my friend and told him to stop reeling. He didn't stop so I yelled at him to stop reeling and then he yelled back and asked why. I told him to look at me and when he turned around he and my other friend start laughing because I had his lure stuck in my ear. Well, after they had their laugh, they both came over to see if they could take the lure out. Luckily the hook had not gone pay the barb and the were able to remove the lure. We continued fishing but I change spots with my friend.
Another time I went fishing with another friend down by a place where there was a railroad crossing over the river. We both picked out a comfortable rock and cast our worms into the river. Neither of us really caring if we caught anything or not. We both had a few little bites but had caught nothing. Well finally it looked like a fish was being serious about taking my bait. I waited for the right tug on my line and set the hook. The fish started running and taking line. I could not stop it so I clamped down on the reel and broke off the line. I geared back up and cast back out. It only took about five minutes and another serious taker of my bait started in and I set the hook again and again the fish took off running away from me and I was unable to turn it or change its direction. Before he took all my line I once again broke off my line and my friend and I packed up and went home. We decided it must have been a big sturgeon and with the pole and line I had there was no way for me to bring it in.
These are great memories.

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Columbia River Fishing

   For the last 3 years I have gone salmon fishing for the fall run of king salmon. I try to go with my son, Chad, and my son-in-law, Monte. We generally go the end of September or very beginning of October. We this last year both Chad and Monte went with me. I chartered a day trip with Chris Benson from Tri Cities Guide Service.

   I have chartered a day trip with Chris for the last 3 years and will continue to go out with him each year.  Chris is a great guide. He teaches his  techniques for fishing, know where to go and is just a great guy to go fishing with. We have been out with Chris when fishing was a challenge but at the end of the day we have fish when other guides don't. Its is a good feeling when you go to the loading dock and you have several fish and the other boats don't.

   This year, we had just gotten to the first fishing area and Chris was baiting the hooks and Monte said I think I have a fish. I had my back to him and said you just put your bait in the water and it is probably just bouncing off the bottom. Well, I turned around and the pole took another hit while in this fishing pole holder. Monte quickly grabbed the pole and remove it from the pole holder and sure enough he had the first fish for the day before Chad and I had our bait in the water. It was a nice fish and started the day off great with us all thinking we will be done by noon today.

  We finally got another hooked just before noon and this time it was on Chad's pole. The pole jumped in the pole holder and scarred us all. He landed his fish and it was a little bigger then Monte's. This got the adrenalin going for us all and again thought things would pick up.

   Mid afternoon I finally got a fish on and that brought us to 1 each. My fish was smaller then the other fish. That is pretty typical of my fishing. We decided to continue fishing but just burned up gas. The day beautiful outside and we all did enjoy that. It finally got late after noon and we decided to make one more drift thru the hole when my pole jump in the fishing pole holder. I grabbed the pole and landed a great fish.

   With the day over the count is one each for the boys and two for Randy, that's me. This too is typical of my fishing. Generally,  I out fish those who go with me. Not always, but generally.