FRANK ARMENDARIZ for The Chronicle

Oregon hosts three Free Fishing Weekends annually, set for mid-February, early June, and Thanksgiving. While the winter and fall weekends can be unreliable, the June Free Fishing Weekend —  this year, June 7 and 8 — stands out as the…

When it comes to trout fishing, my old friend and colleague, Don Hill, a former local riverboat builder, always had something to say. Don was a robust individual with a big smile, an infectious laugh, and a sharp wit. He…

I came across Michael Sowder’s poem Fishing for His Birthday several years ago, and it speaks to me.  It reminds me of my early days as a young angler, stepping into the river with a fishing pole in hand and…

The big picture … The weather has been a ruckus. Strong winds and heavy rain caused what is now adding up to millions of dollars in property damage—some of that damage occurring within The Chronicle’s coverage area. Not to overlook…

I wandered around the variety of drift boats displayed at a recent sporting exposition and was initially shocked by the prices. However, I was also impressed by the quality of the boats and their available options, such as a “food…

Leaburg Hatchery continues to make fish news as it faces environmental issues caused by an overheated water discharge from the facility.  The water then flows directly into the McKenzie River, just below Leaburg Dam, where summer season water discharges exceed…

It was the lead story on every televised newscast leading up to the Christmas holiday.  A dead pond Koi had been spotted in the McKenzie River at Armitage Park. The fish was bright orange, a bit tattered, and weighed about…

Winter steelhead appeared in a handful of streams on the far north portion of the Oregon coast a few days before Thanksgiving.  Gnat Creek and the Klaskanine River are both lower Columbia River tributaries.  Also, the Necanicum River and the…