Oregon Fishing

Reviewed by Moon Mullen

Oregon Fishing, by Craig Schuhmann. Published 2007 by Moon Travel Guides. 470 pages in a 5.25 by 8.25 inch format. 45 Maps, 19 illustrations, nine pictures; all black-and-white. $19.95 soft bound. Available at fly shops, outdoor stores, trade book stores, and at amazon.com and other online sources.

Images

Click thumbnail for enlarged image

f you're lucky enough to live in Oregon, you know that sooner or later you're going to travel to new and unfamiliar water. Or target a new species, or try a new method. Or . . . Or . . . Or.

The "ORs" in Oregon are only limited by oneÕs self control. Sooner or later you will be looking for a guide to lead you on your way. Here's one you donÕt want to be without.

What You'll Find

Oregon Fishing is divided into regions, although they don't exactly line up with the ODFW regions like that classic standby guidebook, Fishing in Oregon. But like Fishing in Oregon, there is good information for each fishery.

For example, the description of the Willamette's Middle Fork (my home waters), gives a general location for the river above Lookout Point Reservoir, including a map reference and page of the map. It continues with an overview of the fishery's setting--where the Middle Fork originates and flows--then lists the species you'll find; in this case, wild and stocked rainbow and cutthroat trout, and bull trout. Major rapids and their classifications are mentioned.

This is followed by very good and up-to-date info on facilities, such as forest service campgrounds, their costs, and amenities like water, toilets, RV hook ups, etc. You'll also find the regulations and or special regulations in effect for the fishery (but always check the current regs; there may have been changes).

And, of course, a major part of the fishery's write-up is dedicated to angling advice. Schuhmann is a fly angler, and while his advice is not limited to fly fishing, at least it's sensitive to the needs of those who use the long rod.

If a fishery is one of Schuhmann's top picks, it gets a half-moon symbol (Moon is the name of the publisher; no relation to me!)

However, there's more to this book than just a description of fisheries. At the front of the book, Schuhmann dedicates space to generalized tips and rigs. He talks about terminal gear for lures and bait as well as fly fishing. You'll also find sections on "Planning a Successful Fishing Trip," "Anatomy of Rivers and Lakes," and even a recipe for blackened catfish, among other tidbits.

Evaluation

The fishing venues are well-described. Schuhmann's intel seems very accurate--I was impressed by his research. His no-nonsense text with map correlations, species, facilities, and contact information are a treasure to glean.

I enjoyed reading the author's comments about hooking his first brown trout at the age of nine on a Parchute Adams, and I think you'll enjoy his comments about meeting "Steelhead George" on an early dark winter morning at the age of 12.

The environmental sidelines about conservation and ethics are also enjoyable and valuable, and the resource section very up to date, unlike some of my older companion travel guides.

You can depend on this book for great info on where to go and accurate directions. For more about the author, see www.guidedwatersflyfishing.com

I have several other How-To and Where-To books for Oregon, and this one will be a valuable addition to the collection. My only problem with this book is that I find the type a tad small.

Should you buy this book instead of the classic Fishing in Oregon? You're probably best off to buy and use both books.

Bottom Line: A useful book that most Oregon anglers will want to put in their library.  Reviewer Rating: 4

Moon Mullen and his wife Monica live in Springfield, Oregon, where they can often be found fly fishing the Middle Fork of the Willamette River.

Uploaded 03/31/2008.

User Reviews

5=tops  3=average  1=low

Rated as 3 by Huck on 03/31/2008

You must be registered and logged-in to submit review comments. How to do this.