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Well, John, here is my little narrative I promised you. The first day driving up I-5 with my friends who picked me up at Sacramento Airport, was rainy and dreary but cool and a wonderful departure from Scottsdale's heat!
The first day of fishing started off slow but as the clouds rolled back and the mist disappeared over the Lower Umpqua River, the smallies started to hit. Not with the regularity that I was used to but hitting nevertheless! I love action. I caught forty five the first day with no real size in the bunch! The second and third day were very warm, almost hot in the high ninties, but that everpresent cooling breeze on the Umpqua in different places, gives you a wonderful and refreshing recharge to your dwindling batteries!
The fish shown, tho they all look alike, were all different, but some were from the same places in the river, as "honey holes" are known by the guides! A two pound smallie fights in the current of the river like a five or six pound largemouth!
Numbers were outstanding the second and third days going way over one hundred in the boat!
The two "roughnecks" in the picture at the shore of the river are my two fishing buddies, Carmin Rosato at the right of the pic and Rick Downey at the left.
They fished together and I fished with my guide, Dennis Wolfe, pictured by himself near the cabins.
The water was warm enough for the bass to really be aggressive. They fought like banshees when hooked and it was "nervana" for un'ns!
Big K is the quintessential place to fish. Unbelievable food, lodging, scenery, people and fishing, of course! Your readers should make a habit of a trip per year or more to fish on the Lower Umpqua River. The Big K has almost ten miles of river that I consider private but really it isn't but I've only seen two people going down the river through their property in ten years. That's why the fishery is so wonderful! Catch and release. I hope you get to go there to get a taste of hospitality and fishing the Big K way.
Joe Goldenson, Scottsdale, Az.

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