I’ve loved fishing for over 60 years. Just as I’ve evolved as a human, so have the reasons why I enjoy the pursuit so much. In my youngest years, it was the excitement of just hooking and landing a fish. Later, it was successfully applying a growing body of skills and knowledge. More recently, I’ve loved putting others on fish they’ve been previously unable to catch or showing them a little something that will help them become better anglers.
The one constant, however, is I love eating the critters—protein and omega oils wrapped in finely seasoned fish flesh. I’ve always enjoyed the activity, but perhaps my true passion lies in the delectable reward that follows a responsibly harvested catch, which brings me to sockeye salmon. It’s so delicious and there are so many ways to enjoy them. And even in the Inland Northwest, we have an outstanding fishery within a few hours of where most of us live.
According to the WDFW, 426,000 sockeyes will ascend the Columbia River this summer, most destined for the Okanogan River and Canada’s Osoyoos River. Fishing should be good from McNary Dam upstream, including Lake Wenatchee, if the forecasted run materializes. It should be on fire at the mouth of the Okanogan near Brewster, where the greatest concentration of fish and fisherman will be. Unless you’re among a group that launches at 2 a.m., expect crowds, long lines and packed parking lots, though there seems to be ample street parking within a half-mile of the launch in Brewster.
The term “Combat Fishing” aptly applies to this fishery, so expect to exert some effort keeping your craft in the fish zone while avoiding contact with other anglers. Since entering my 7th decade, I’ve become pretty wimpy about fishing in crowds, and I avoid the stress by saving my pennies for an annual guided boat trip. That said, many folks, including those my age and over, still captain their own boats and catch early limits nearly daily.
This outing is a very early morning troll fishery. The bite occurs from just before sunrise to about 10 a.m. Troll slowly—.8 to 1.4 mph, depending on the current. An electric trolling motor works wonderfully. Or you can employ a kicker motor with a small drift sock or shift your kicker in and out of gear to sustain the right speed. Use 6 to 8 ounces of lead and put out anywhere from 10 to 30 feet of line to get your presentation to the proper depth. If you have multiple rods out, stagger your depths to find the biters.
A light steelhead rod matched with 12-pound mono or 30-pound braid on a medium-light casting or spinning reel is an excellent start to sockeye rigging, which approximates kokanee gear on steroids. For the details on rigging, do an internet search for “Brewster Sockeye,” which will return at least a dozen articles and videos providing all of the how-to and where-to information you need.
Dozens of recipes will transform a well-carved sockeye fillet into a delightful meal. We like the light smokiness added by a pellet grill. Cook the fillets, skin down and sprinkle moderately with lemon pepper and a little balsamic vinegar. In reality, fresh sockeye will turn your favorite salmon or trout recipe into some of the best salmon you’ve ever eaten.
The season should last through the first two weeks of August and sometimes later, so get after them.
An old man’s hiking tip:
Often, the little things we choose to include in our outdoor activities consolidate many fine moments into an extraordinary experience, like toasting the day with a campfire burning well-seasoned and expertly split hardwoods. Or a 40-year-old graphite fishing rod that still twitches perfectly upon the bite and bends just right during the fight, or grandpa’s 70-year-old double-triggered side-by-side shotgun that swings with balance and grace that defies its age.
That said, when you next leave the house to hit the trails and partake of the grand views afforded by the dozens of great hikes in our part of the country, take the finest plump and juicy navel orange you can find.
Oranges are the perfect companion for absorbing the beauty of your destination— a good orange is not fast fruit, eaten on the run like an apple, plum, or pear. It requires an investment, much like the effort to arrive at your scenic destination and should be slowly savored, like the view you’ve earned through your honest toil.
An orange needs peeling and with a bit of practice, you can do so while viewing the beauty in your midst. Once peeled, eat it a half section at a time. One small bite for each piece of the landscape you focus your gaze upon. Repeat until the orange is consumed and the finer points of what you’ve seen settle. Refreshed and with a greater appreciation of the world around you, begin to contemplate your return.
Peeling an orange is also an excellent stall tactic when your 41-year-old son, finisher of a half dozen marathons, is pestering you to pound your old knees into next week as you start down the hill.
Until next time, have a safe and pleasant summer.
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