August 31, 2006Missing the WestI had to laugh when I got this e-mail from friend Scott Martin, who lived in Idaho before taking an economic development job in Franklin County a few years ago. "Posting the steelhead pictures was uncalled for. I remember in Boise they used to release the excess salmon in the Boise River for a “false” season. It was a short time deal, but it was a trip to see guys out with huge rods and reels chasing 30 lb salmon in the center of town. Think we could do that for the Roanoke River in town?" August 28, 2006First steelhead
I was using two-fly rig, with a tiny pink egg trailing behind a big weighted stonefly nymph. I was able to use the weighted fly because we were fishing below the river's fly-fishing only stretch, where weighted flies are not allowed. The fish hit the egg. Steelhead highlight vacation
My brother, Greg, and his friend Will Hope had scouted the river -- fished it, in other words -- a couple of times before I got there and found some steelhead stacked in a certain hole. Greg wanted to go my first morning there saying I would probably never have a better chance of catching my first steelhead. After a long day of travel I wasn't too enthusiastic but I relented. Sure enough the fish were still there, and they were happy. The first morning I hooked three, including two bruisers pushing 10 pounds. I managed to lose them all. Our dad hooked one and their friend Will hooked two. They lost them all, too. Things went better -- at least in terms of landing fish -- on our next trip, on Aug. 22. About 15 minutes after we got there I hooked up, and managed to land a wild 6-pounder. The fish wasn't very big, but even on an 8-weight rod (a Scott STS) the fight was amazing. Now I know why Greg and Dad are obsessed with these fish. Will also hooked one, a hatchery buck of about 6 pounds that popped off right at the bank. But it was Greg who had the fish of the day, and probably the season. The fish didn't jump, but had some blistering runs. It took Greg about 10 minutes to land the chrome-bright 31-incher pictured above. He was using a 7-weight rod (a Sage RPLX, if you care). We estimated the fish's weight at 11 pounds. I got most of the fight on video. When we watched it back later you can see the fish quivering in Greg's hands when he posed for pictures. But it wasn't the fish that was shaking, it was Greg. He had every right to get "shook." Summer steelhead don't come much better than this one. August 14, 2006Best in show Lytton killed the buck on opening day of last year's bow season. A good gang Saturday morning I spent some time touring a Patrick County property being heavily managed for wildlife. We came across this gang of turkeys while checking out one of the property's food plots. The gang had at least two, maybe three mature hens, and several smaller birds that were obviously this year's poults. One of the poults was smaller than the others. As the turkeys moved away from us we could see that the runt wasn't trotting -- it was hopping on one leg. Wild creatures can be amazingly resilient. I've seen and heard or plenty of three-legged deer. That was a first and I can't help but think it's going to have a tough time reaching maturity. August 10, 2006Whitewater for a cureThere's no shortage of "(Insert activity here) for a Cure" events these days. The hope is people will be more generous with charitable giving if there's something fun involved. I don't have a problem with the concept. There are lots of good causes out there. If this helps them raise money, great. On Aug. 19 Class VI River Runners in Lansing, W. Va., will host the sevent annual "Rafting for a Cure" to benefit breast cancer research. The company started the event after Janet Proctor, wife of company partner Jeff Proctor, was diagnosed with breast cancer. The cost is $100 per person, or $760 for an eight-person raft.Last year's event netted more than $8,300. For more information call (800) 252-7784 00. www.class-vi.com August 7, 2006Gas moneySaturday's final weigh-in of the Wal-Mart FLW Tour championship had plenty of interesting moments. One came when major sponsor British Petroleum (BP) presented each of the 12 finalists with a $1,000 check. While the BP executive helped hand the fishermen their oversized checks, the FLW Outdoors executive with the mic said something along the lines of, "With today's high gas prices, this is going to really help you guys out." I don't think that was scripted. August 4, 2006The wrong bike to stealFixed gear bikes enjoy something of a cult following, one that seems to be expanding as a growing number of cyclists are finding they enjoy the challenge of pedaling a bike with no brakes and no freewheel. Stopping requires gradually slowing your pedaling cadence, or skillfully skidding to a stop. My childhood friend Pete Burchell, a hardcore bike geek who works in a bike shop in Florida, has one of the bikes. The other night he left it on his porch. The next morning the bike was gone. But it wasn't gone for long. That day the bike showed up in the shop, dropped off by someone who didn't stick around. The bike's front wheel was broken in five places. Pete said it was the worst wheel demolition he's ever seen. It was pretty easy to figure out what happened. The thief nabbed the bike and ran to the road, then started pedaling down the hill that runs out of the neighborhood. By the time he realized the bike had no brakes it was too late. Pete said he actually had some sympathy for the thief, who surely got banged up pretty bad in the crash. I've got no sympathy for the guy. He got what he had coming.
August 2, 2006Swooping eagle
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About this blog
While growing up in rural Southern Oregon, Mark Taylor developed a passion for the outdoors while he and his younger brother tagged along with their father on fishing, hunting and camping adventures. Graduating from Northwestern University in 1988, Taylor spent four years as an officer in the U.S. Navy based in Norfolk before moving into journalism. After five years writing about the military for a Norfolk-based publishing company, he became the outdoors editor at The Roanoke Times in 1998. He lives in Roanoke with his wife and twin daughters. .....Advertisement.....
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