DOG DAYS OF STEELHEAD FISHING

By Mark Maker

This is actually a true story, it occurred in a few years ago in early October on the Snake River in the Hell’s Canyon region out of Asotin, Washington.

As a full time fishing guide on the rivers of Washington State, we encounter many different people and situations that are sometimes very comical. This “encounter” was experienced by my guide partner in business, well known and long time Sport Fishing Guide, Lee Barkie of Chehalis, Washington.

It was another crisp, clear, beautiful morning at Hella Bar on the Snake River in Washington. This morning had all the indications to be another warm, sunny day of great Steelhead Fishing. Lee’s guide boat was already in the water, beached and ready for the day’s clients to arrive. As sometimes happens, this day’s clients were late. Lee needed to make a quick run up the bank to the restrooms. While on his way back down to the boat; he noticed his clients were waiting at his boat. As he got nearer to his boat he realized that his clients had brought their Black Lab with them. He was a little frustrated that they would bring their dog with them without asking in advance. But Lee, being the good natured guy he is, decided to roll with it. Now it was off onto the river to go after those fantastic Snake River Steelhead.

Generally the morning went well, the fishing was pretty good, and all had caught several Steelhead already. The day was warming quickly, the scenery was out of this world, and the area wildlife was everywhere. But, then there was that d@*! Black Lab! Lee was dealing with it internally, but was getting pretty frustrated with the dog. The dog was like a 2 year old kid, into everything, over energetic and was continually running all over the boat. What seemed even more frustrating for Lee was the fact that his clients seemed to have no control over their dog, in fact they seemed to ignore the dog altogether!

The lunch hour rolled around, Lee pulled into a small cove just off some heavy current in the river, a perfect lunch spot. Of course the Black Lab immediately jumped out of the boat and began running up and down the beach, in the water, out of the water, rolling in the sand, everything you would expect a young lab to do. Lee needed to take another “rest room break”, so up the hill he climbed to find a tree to do his thing behind. Mid way through his “task at hand”, Lee heard the owner of the Lab yelling “the dog is drowning, the dog is drowning”. Sure enough, there was that d@#! Black Lab, out in the current and he appeared to be in trouble. Lee yelled down to the owner, “get in the boat and go get him”, but the guy could not figure out how to start the boat. Frustrated and unfinished with his “task at hand”, Lee started down the hill to the boat. Before Lee could get there, the guy had jumped into the river and had rescued the Black Lab. You would have never known that the dog had been in trouble from the way it was carrying on along the beach as Lee got to the boat and his clients. Lee offered to take the owner of the Lab back to the boat launch to get dry clothes, but he shrugged it off and said “it’s a hot day; I’ll dry off in no time”.

So, with the dramatic lunch stop over, everyone climbed back into the boat to finish out their day of Steelhead fishing on the Snake River, including the Black Lab. Now the dog is not only carrying on in its usual annoying manner, now it was wet and covered in sand. Lee had reached his limit, it was time to say and do something about that d@#! dog! Lee, very politely and firmly, informed the owner of the Black Lab; “how about you take that rope up under the bow and tie your dog off to it, he is making a mess out of everything in the boat and he keeps jumping up on my rods in the rod trays. These rods cost over $300 each and I would hate to see your dog ruin any of them”.

There was a seemingly long moment of silence. The guy had a very strange look on his face, then he exclaimed; “My dog? We thought it was your dog, it’s not our dog”! Lee exclaimed back; “It’s not my dog, I thought it was your dog”! The guy remarked back; “Then who’s dog is it”?!

Then came the laughter from everyone on the boat as it began to sink in that the Black Lab had gotten a free ride and did not belong to anyone on the boat! The clients, in between their fits of laughter, explained to Lee that they were getting pretty upset with him that he would bring his dog along on their trip and then not even try to control him. Lee laughingly explained that he was irritated with them all morning that they did not even ask to bring their dog along, and then let him run all over the boat like the dog did. Pretty much all the tension that everyone was feeling all morning was now gone when they all realized that someone should have caught on that no one seemed to call the dog by name; no one had even known what the dog’s name was!

Lee fired the boat up and up the river to the launch they headed. When the boat touched the beach, the Black Lab jumped out and ran to a camper parked up by the entrance to the parking lot. Needless to say, they finished that day, all with a smile on their face knowing they would never forget this trip on the Snake River!

Lee has gotten a lot of miles out of this story with many of both our clients and it always bring out a roar of laughter from all who hear it.

We have seen that Black Lab at Hella Bar on the Snake River the past 2 years we have worked there. He knows Lee and his boat and has run down a time or two and made a few attempts to get another “free ride”, but we are all the wiser to his little scam!

Comment or Share this story online @ valleybugler.com! Mark Maker is a professional Sport Fishing Guide based out of Toutle, WA. He can be reached at 360-751-5502