Crooked River – Page 2

November 10, 2024November 9, 2024

Refocused

It doesn’t matter what you call it . . . there are times when it’s important to refocus energy.

This was one of those weeks, and time on a stream is our preferred method.

Looking for a place to start

It was a perfect fall day.

Sun generated enough heat to counter the chill, as long as you were layered up. The Crooked was fishing well, and wildlife was prolific.

Media, mainstream and social, has gotten in the way. The constant barrage of sales and holiday propaganda came to an end . . . severed and throttled, those sources of noise were quieted.

This blog is where we can be found.

It’s a calm niche, carved out of the madness that is swirling about us.

Don’t expect us to click ‘like buttons’ on popular social media sites. If you need to talk, you know how to find us . . .

. . . right here or on the river.

Find a spot of your own and refocus . . . the world is going to get messy.

October 27, 2024October 26, 2024

Another Trip to the River

Rain, marking a transition between fall and winter, started up this week. But it didn’t stick around long.

We headed up to the Crooked River to take advantage of a perfect fall day. Morning starts with a dusting of frost and fog obscures the view. We just add an extra layer of flannel under the vest and venture out.

By midday the frost is gone and the fog has burnt off. October skies are typically clear and the sun feels warm, even if there is a bit of chill to the wind.

This time of year migration is in full swing, which boosts the variety of bird sightings. JQ’s camera is kept busy with the renewed activity.

The Kestrel has come back along the river and is hanging near their old nesting site. Hours pass watching the comings and goings of all the different critters.

Another seasonal shift on the river is water levels. As irrigation needs subside, the reservoir restricts flow to start the process of resupply.

These lower flows are matched with temperature shifts, which in turn trigger bug hatches. This is good for the fish and the fisher.

All too soon shorter days will bring cold days and hard frosts. Snow is not far behind which will cause a shift to our travels.

But for the present we’ll add warm shirts to the packing and shift from iced to warm drinks. There is still plenty of sunny fall days to enjoy.

September 29, 2024September 28, 2024

Kind of a Sad Week

This week we had to say goodbye to Lewis, an 18 year old, long hair, black cat. He was sick first of the week, and then by mid-week he wasn’t eating or drinking.

He’s had some kidney issues, but this was not a good sign.

By Thursday we knew what had to be done.

He was kind of a pain in the butt. He liked to jump up on the counter and chomp fresh herbs (chives being his favorite). But he was the best ‘in your lap while reading cat’ we’ve ever had. Now, we have just one cat left.

The excursions we did make this week were up to the Crooked River. We really needed the peace of a sit-along-the-stream.

The fishing wasn’t very good, clouds and wind took over one of the days . . . but a bad day on the river is still a good day.

Thursday was much better. We had the place to our selves and while the fishing didn’t improve, the weather did.

Fall is definitely here.

Day temps are down and there is a crispness to the air. Plus, the migration is starting up so bird activity is increasing.

We’ll likely make a trip out to Summer Lake this coming week, and maybe have another try at Summer Steelhead. The weatherman suggests we’ll have good days ahead.

September 8, 2024September 7, 2024

Under a Smoke Filled Sky

The predominate winds shifted this week and nearly the entire state was veiled in smoke.

This turned the morning sun orange, obscured the Cascade Range and generally muted our view. However, it did not keep us at home. It never got that toxic.

At the start of the week we took an afternoon trip to the Crooked River. After an early dinner at the Tastee Treet, we found our favorite parking spot vacant.

I was looking for an evening hatch and some dry fly action, a much anticipated part of summer flyfishing.

There were far more strikes than hook sets, but we’re not looking to catch. The river provided a couple of hours of action, ending in a cold beverage and relaxing time sitting on its’ bank.

Later in the week we headed West, over the mountains and into the farm rich Willamette Valley.

Sweet white corn near fresh from the field

Schlecter Farms corn was the primary objective . . . sweet corn that shouldn’t be missed.

There was farm fresh produce available and a visit with my sister in Tualatin.

Fall has started to spread it’s amber hues.

The weather got warm again, but it’s only false summer. Frosty mornings aren’t far off and we are looking forward to this change in the season.

August 25, 2024August 24, 2024

A Change in the Weather

There has been a shift in the weather this week. Days are cooler and skies hold more clouds. There’s even some rain.

The start of Fall is a welcome event in this house . . . certainly not for pumpkin spice … ewwww!

A pile of stuff , , , just to go fishing?

There were a couple of trips to the Crooked River this week. This is one spot that seems immune to smoke plumes and has become a regular destination.

Seasons shift means we don’t have to start quite so early and we can linger on the river longer.

The other harbinger of fall is the return of migratory birds. The honking of geese has become a daily occurrence. We’ll need to work in a trip to Summer Lake soon.

The Osprey was fishing and even the Kestrel peeked out from its hiding spot.

This might be in part because we did lounge longer. Regardless, it’s always nice to see old friends.

Some warmer weather is in the forecast, but it stays closer to 70 than 100 . . . and that’s a good sign.

As the heat of summer wanes, we’ll pick up the pace on outings, staying longer and venturing further. This is perhaps our favorite season and we’ll take full advantage of it.