Nature – Page 11

February 26, 2023February 25, 2023

Catching a Sun Rise

Coyotes yap and howl across the valley, while doves stir along Fort Rock’s face.

With winter subsiding, at least briefly, we venture further from home. This week we headed east, early enough to catch the sunrise at Fort Rock.

The Fremont Highway is a strip of two lane asphalt cutting across the northern corner of the Great Basin.

On the western side is a rock structure jutting out of the sage steppe. Fort Rock is an excellent backdrop for sunrise or sunset images, as well as a raptor nesting site.

Summer Lake, one of our favorite birding sites

An hour after sunrise we’ve captured images and drone footage and are back on OR 31 heading further east. Over Picture Rock Pass and down into Summer Lake valley. It’s the latter part of hunting season and there’s not a lot of birding at the wildlife refuge.

We press on eastward through Paisley to Valley Falls, where we turn north skirting the edge of Abert Lake. Oregon’s only saltwater lake, and one of two in the great basin, its eastern shore is shadowed by a 2500 foot exposed fault scarp. Abert Rim is one of the highest fault scarps in the US.

Abert Rim looking south from the lake’s edge

All this comes together for excellent landscape photo ops. There is renewed awareness of the damage drought and irrigation has brought to this important stop over for migrating birds. Recent legislation will focus research on ways to restore alkaline lakes. Hopefully, it’s not too late.

Receding water lines mark issues with scarce water resources

Starting in April and running into the fall, there are a series of different bird species using Abert as a nesting site, or for just a short stop over. Our trip was a chance to scout potential birding spots. To that end, the calendar has been updated with future excursions, which of course will get documented on these pages.

Summer and Abert lakes are remnants of an ancient sea bed

For now we swing farther north along the western edge of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge. We hit Highway 20 outside Burns and then take that road back to Bend and complete the circle.

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.

February 12, 2023February 10, 2023

Finding Whychus Creek

This week we thought it might be nice to take a walk. We don’t backpack, but we do often day hike. which in the winter can be tricky to find clear paths. A lot of people winter hike with snowshoes, and we’ve done that, but it’s not practical with Tip.

There are literally hundreds of short trail loops within a half-hour drive.

Most include a scenic overlook, waterfall, or some natural wonder. This week we went looking for a stream we’d heard a lot about, but had never actually seen.

Wychus Creek headwaters in the Sisters Wilderness area winds through the town of Sisters and empties into the Deschutes River a few miles west of Terrebonne.

An overlook loop is part of a series of interconnected trails that allow you to explore the creek or backpack up into the wilderness area.

(Right to left) Sweeping views of The Three Sisters and Broken Top Mountains.

The portion we walked is not only popular. but well groomed. Its half mile loop swings by a walled off ledge above the creek.

From this point you are treated to spectacular views of the Three Sisters and Broken Top with Mt. Bachelor to the south and Mt. Washington to the northwest.

On a different day . . .

We explored the area along the Middle Deschutes, about midway between Bend and Lake Billy Chinook.

Most of the Middle Deschutes River from this spot extending upstream above Bend is a designated paddle route that often includes walking trails. One section of those paths runs through a wildlife preservation area.

Borden Beck Wildlife Preserve is along a section of this trail. Caught in the middle of a dispute between land development or riparian preservation it wasn’t until 2019 that this parcel on the edge of Lower Bridge road received some protection.

The Deschutes River winds through marsh bottomland offering great birding at the right time of the year. This is not that time of year.

Sagebrush, juniper and blackberry line the trail

However, for a January day it was sunny and relatively warm. We got in a walk and figured out where to find the preserve’s parking and access point.

Both places have been added to the calendar for fall visits. After weeks of hiding from the frigid winter weather it was nice to get outside again.

February 5, 2023February 7, 2023

A day trip to Maupin

Early morning light on the Lower Deschutes River

January brought warmer days which cleared off the roads. When that happens we tend to venture out at greater distance.

Maupin and the Lower Deschutes River is this type of destination.

Winter fishing presents some problems, but it’s not impossible … just more fiddley.

I’m not adept at nymph fishing. It’s not the rig, tight-line or indicator that’s a problem. Patterns fished subsurface, any fashion, are uncharted water.

However, since moving to Central Oregon I’ve put a lot more effort into this type of fishing.

Drifting a dropper rig along the edge of a riffle.

The lower section of the Deschutes is a wide stream in a narrow canyon. Taking off from the northern edge of Maupin, the Deschutes River Road hugs the eastern edge of the river for thirty miles, offering perfect fishing access.

Downstream you can see the road ahead, cut into the hill side.

From November to April you can often have a stretch of this river all to yourself and it’s easy to drive until an open spot is found.

Taking a break at the confluence of the White River and Deschutes.

Winter this side of the Cascades presents frequent mild sun drenched days if you have an open schedule. Our schedule may not be open as much as it’s flexible.

This week’s trip was in hopes of finding a particular Baetis hatch. Blue Wing Olives, or BWO’s to the locals, is a small grayish winged Mayfly that shows up numerous times a year in Western Waters.

There has been a reliable hatch coming off the Deschutes mid to late January.

The draw of the Deschutes is that even if you don’t hit a hatch there are lots of other patterns that will catch fish. I know the ‘what’ now I’m working on the ‘how’. A week ago I hooked a very nice Rainbow on a Stonefly nymph, while this week’s trip drew a blank.

It’s a pretty long road trip but if the weather is decent there are lots of interesting pieces of nature . . . and time on the river is reward.

November 20, 2022November 18, 2022

A Journey Through Time

The upper John Day River Valley, home to The Sheep Rock Unit of the John Day Fossil Beds National Monument

We spent the last few weeks of fall exploring the John Day River. With its headwaters near Baker City, the John Day flows unobstructed for 250 plus miles across the state, eventually spilling into the Columbia River, just east of Biggs.

Over the centuries the John Day River has carved open the land to expose ancient history.

Ironically, it’s namesake, an unlucky fur trapper, didn’t travel the river, but rather was robbed at its confluence with the Columbia.

The middle section winds through worldrenowned paleontology sites. The state has branded these routes “The Journey Through Time Scenic Byway”. Perfect for a daytrip.

These blue-grey badlands are an incredibly cool place called The Blue Basin

Trail leading from the Thomas Condon Visitor Center

Our day starts by heading north and east on US-26, about 25 miles past Mitchell, where the road meets up with the John Day River at OR 19.

From here, we follow the river north through the Sheep Rock Unit of the John Day Fossil Beds . . . . with a mandatory stop at the Thomas Condon Paleontology Center.

We are on the John Day Hwy, headed north through the eastern section of the fossil beds. It quickly becomes apparent the Painted Hills aren’t the only uniquely colored earth mounds in Central Oregon. Along the length of this drive cliffwalls shine in hues of blue, green, and red.

We’ll be back to try smallmouth bass and steelhead fishing on the John Day River

At Kimberly, we turn west. For 20 miles the road follows the river, offering numerous public access points along the route.

At Service Creek, the river continues to the west, across mostly private land. We turn south on OR 207, skirting around the eastern edge of Sutton Mountain, to the east of the Painted Hills unit, dropping into the town of Mitchell. At this point we’re back on US-26 and headed home. The day has been spent exploring uniquely colored cliffs and stopping to enjoy rare public access to one of Oregon’s wild rivers.