Try salmon fishing in Oregon

Growing up in Oregon was one of the greatest experiences of my life.

It is no secret that I love this state, and her vast beauty still stuns me every time I return. I have written several pieces on this "jewel of America," however, I never worry about being redundant because Oregon continually gives those who grace her boarders a different experience with each returning visit.

Traveling to Oregon in May can be a risk with the weather. Growing up in this ecological paradise I have heard every canned remark and joke about Oregon's misty year-round drizzle. Yes, I know in Oregon people "rust not tan." Of course there is the proverbial jokes about Oregonians having webbed toes, and yes the University of Oregon sports teams are called appropriately "The Ducks."

Any one who visits this state in June, July and August is lucky to view her beauty under skies of blue, and tends to leave her presence in awe. However, Oregon's beauty comes with a price -- and that price is a previous nine months of rain.

As my plane made its final decent past Mount Hood toward Portland's International Airport, I was delighted because there was not a cloud in the sky. Best of all two things lay ahead for my week in the Northwest: (A) Terrific sunny skies were forecasted. (B) It was expected to be one of the best years for salmon fishing since the 1930s.

As the snow on Mount Hood and Larch Mountain melt they feed the swift current of the Sandy River. Every year the salmon make their trek back to their birth place to spawn and begin a new cycle of life. The salmon are met with all types of challenges to make it home, the swift river current, hungry wildlife and the ever determined fisherman.

During fishing season you can literally park along the side of the road and walk down a small embankment and cast your line and try your luck.

With that in mind I headed off to "G.I. Joe's," a chain of retail stores in the Northwest with the true Oregonian in mind. These department stores are filled with every need for the outdoor enthusiast to enjoy Oregon's vast resources. I am certainly no G.I. Jane -- I neither have Demi Moore's looks, money or self confidence to shave my head. However, this unique department store is an adventure in itself, with every toy and gadget imaginable to have a true wilderness adventure.

As I strolled the store aisle I reminisced of my childhood fishing with my dad. We had an old red and white boat where we spent many afternoon days hoping to land a monstrous rainbow or brook-eyed trout. Our journey always began the same where my dad would pull and pull to start the boat motor getting more red faced with each pull.

As a youth I was confused at how my dad could have entire conversations with inanimate objects. As always the boat motor would eventually loose the battle and give up the fight with a final spew of blue smoke and we would be off. With this in mind I dreamed of weaving a new memory of finally catching the "big one" on the shores of the Sandy River with my dad and young son trying our hand at salmon fishing.

Oregon is a fisherman's paradise, there is easy access to hundreds of rivers, streams and lakes within a hour's driver of Portland. If you want a guide those can be easily arranged at most major sports stores.

The two I would recommend is Larry's Sports Center in Oregon City or G.I. Joes.

The best part of vacationing in Oregon is that most of attractions are free and can be included in day trip. My favorites are Bonneville Dam with a fish latter and hatchery and Hood River with its world famous wind surfing and Mt. Hood's Timberline Lodge. The top of Mt. Hood is crowned with more lakes and streams filled with fish.

"I have only one container of salmon eggs left," the clerk whispered.

When I later opened the canister I wondered why such a demand? In side were neon orange clusters with the distinct smell that can not be described in print. My son turned a pale shade of green and announced there was no way in this lifetime he was touching this putrid concoction of bait.

Determined to have my son enjoy the thrill of pulling in a salmon the size of "Moby Dick," I diligently plunged my hand into the neon muck. After 10 minutes of instructions on the art of casting, "whiz" went the line and "plunk" went the bait flying off the hook and landing across river as I let out a huge sigh of frustration.

So the art of fishing began as I diligently plunged my hand back into the neon muck, to be followed again by "whiz", "plunk" and a "sigh."

My dad jumped in to help which added tangled line, rock snags and tree fishing to our list. An hour into our adventure we finally were able to land all components of bait, bobber, hook and weight into the middle of the river. Exhausted from our labors we watched and waited and waited and waited.

Finally we admitted defeat and headed back up the bank toward the truck. Luckily only 10 minutes away is world famous Multnomah Falls and crown point where thousands of visitors stop to view the cascading water drop over 1000 feet. From the falls you can drive a back road passing no less than access to nine water falls as you wind up to crown point lookout where you see the Columbia River Gorge in her full beauty.

As the sun set and the gorge was covered in changing golden and magenta hues I knew it was a day well spent on the banks of the Sandy during the best salmon run of the year. We certainly weaved a memory that would last as long as the smell of that neon orange bait with the shelf life of plutonium.