THE STEAMBOAT WHISTLE

Volume 46, Issue 2

 Summer, 2008

August 16, 2008 — River Cleanup/Picnic/Annual Meeting, 9:30 a.m., Bogus Creek Picnic Area

Inside this issue: 

President’s Message page 2

Club News & Notes page 2

Hal Riney, A Western Voice page 3

James H. Watson page 4

George Crandall & the Crandall Special fly page 5

Steamboater Contact Information page 6

Umpqua River Wild Steelhead Need Your Help

As you may know, there are several proposed sport fishing regulations that, if adopted, would re-instate the kill fishery for wild winter steelhead on the Mainstem Umpqua and North Umpqua Rivers, as well as open the South Umpqua for harvest.

The Steamboaters request that you send a copy of your letter addressed to the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, Angling Regulations, 3406 Cherry Avenue NE, Salem, OR 97303 or

email to rhine.t.messmer@state.or.us.

You can find more information about the public process at the ODFW website: http:/www.dfw.state.or.us/agency/commission/procedures.asp.

Steamboaters have contracted Eric Knudsen, PhD, a highly-respected independent fisheries biologist from Mt. Vernon, Washington, to perform a stringent scientific review of ODFW’s Bio-logical Assessment that supports harvest. Dr. Knudsen is in the process of reviewing the methods, data, and conclusions in the BA for content and sound scientific procedure, as well as making sure the management suggestions outlined within the BA are acceptable according to the ODFW management plans that apply to the Umpqua.

Hopefully, our arguments have convinced you to write your letter now to the Commission, and encourage you to attend and testify at the hearings in August and September. Inaction is not an option at this point—those of us who love the wild fish that swim the Umpqua have to stand up and provide the vision and leadership that will offer these exquisite animals the best opportunity for a secure future.

After the meeting, for those who would like to stay, there will be a short memorial service for Jim Watson, who passed away last month. Jim was a longtime member, local resident and a former president.

President’s Message

Summer’s finally here. I finished spraying copper on my tomatoes because of the looong wet spring and we’re just waiting for the River to drop a little. This has been a busy year for the board. Trying to maintain the current no-kill regulations for winter steelhead has taken a lot of effort on the part of all of the board members (see the article by Willie Unrath). However, the larger question is why ODFW staff support harvest of wild steelhead so adamantly. As we have noted before, ODFW’s governing statutes and administrative rules are all oriented towards harvest, and the protections in the Native Fish Conservation Policy are alarmingly weak.

What we have discovered is that management of the North Umpqua River steelhead is subject to a bewildering array of plans: The State Steelhead Management Plan (1986, amended in 1995); the North Umpqua River Fish Management Plan (1986), various Hatchery Genetic Management Plans for each species, and the native Fish Conservation Policy. However the bottom line is that ODFW counts steelhead at Winchester Dam.

If the runs are good, everything is fine. If the runs are bad, everything is still fine. On this outstanding, unique River we have no minimum escapement established, no emergency threshold, and essentially no plans to take any action until we’re in a crisis. While the regulations are important, they’re only part of the picture. This River needs a comprehensive, conservative management plan.

I also want to list other actions we’ve taken, and issues the board is working on:

We contracted with Michael O’Rourke, a Portland based video historian, to conduct video interviews with Frank & Jeannie Moore. The initial product will be 10 hours of interviews.

Pat & Becky McRae have resuscitated our Web site and we’re encouraging members to provide email addresses so we can contact you online about on-going issues and with the Whistle.

Charlie Spooner is in regular contact with USFS about their projects in the watershed. All of these efforts take time, and we’re limited in the number of issues we can address. We welcome anybody who would like to get involved, and we always welcome feedback from members.

This is shaping up to be a good summer with healthy flows and water temperatures. I hope you all can take advantage of them. Stop and chat when you see me on the River.

Tight lines,

Joe

PAGE 3 THE WHISTLE VOLUME 46, ISSUE 2

Hal Riney, Maker of “Pass Creek”

Hal Riney, the legendary adman who produced the film documentary “Pass Creek”, which exposed abusive logging practices in the Canton Creek drainage, died March 24 at his home in San Francisco. He was 75.

Riney brought a distinctively Western voice to the New York-dominated advertising industry, was nominated for an Academy Award, and led the passengers of an airliner on a daring escape from terrorists.

Riney created (and often narrated in his own resonant voice) advertising campaigns for Bartles & Jaymes Wine Coolers, Gallo Wines, Henry Weinhard’s Private Reserve beer, Perrier waters, and Saturn automobiles, among others. The company he founded, Hal Riney & Partners, rose to the top of the industry because his graceful spin on Americana.

Hal Patrick Riney was born July 17, 1932, in Seattle, Washington, and grew up in Longview in the shadow of Mount St. Helens. He accompanied his mother on her job as a fire lookout in the Cascades and these early adventures led to a lifelong love of fly fishing and the outdoors.

Riney studied at the University of Washington, graduating in 1954 with a degree in art. He served as a writer and public relations officer for the U.S. Army in Italy, then returned to take a job in the mail room at the San Francisco office of BBDO, which was then the city’s largest advertising agency. Riney became the agency’s creative director nine years later.

In 1969, Riney and lifelong friend Dick Snider wrote and directed “Somebody’s Waiting,” a documentary about the patients at a Sonoma Country mental hospital. The film, shot in their spare time, was nominated for an Academy Award that year. (Snider also collaborated with Riney on “Pass Creek”.)

In l984, Riney joined Ronald Reagan’s Tuesday Team, a gathering of campaign professionals put together to re-elect the popular president. He created a television campaign called “It’s Morning Again in America,” a theme that depicted a contented, safe America, and asked why the nation would want to return to the days before Reagan’s tenure.

Throughout his life, Riney’s love of the outdoors led him on fishing adventures in many countries. “Why I prefer flyfishing and being alone on a river to almost any other recreation,” Riney said, “is because it’s so much the opposite of what I have to do, day in and day out.”

On a trip in 1982, Riney’s flight was hijacked on the runway in Honduras. Rebels with semi-automatic pistols and bombs rigged with dynamite held the plane for a full day. Sensing a moment of inattention, Riney opened a plane door and lept to safety with several other passengers.

Hal Riney is survived by his wife, Elizabeth Sutherland Riney, and his children, Ben, 21, and Samantha, 19 from a previous marriage. In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be sent to Save The Children at www.savethechildren.org or to Earthjustice, for their work to p rotect Pacific fisheries, at www.earthjustice.org. His ashes will be spread on Mt. St. Helens.

There’s not much to recap, unfortunately. Response to the banquet this year was extremely low, to the point that the banquet was cancelled for the first time ever. We would really like to hear from members about their specific reasons for not attending this year. More important, what would you like to see for future social functions? Different format? Different programs?

The grand prize was won by Gary Foulkes from Burns, the second time he’s won in the last 6 years. Gary chose a spey rod built for him by Anderson Custom Rods.

PAGE 4 THE WHISTLE VOLUME 46, ISSUE 2

James H. Watson

July 23, 1946 – May 23, 2008

Editor’s comment:

The following was written by Jim’s ex-wife, Sue Ann Moore (Sam):

James H. Watson of Glide, Oregon passed away Friday, May 23, 2008, with Sam and Abby by his side. Jim was born on July 23, 1946, in Monroe, Louisiana, to Gloria and James Olen Watson. The happiest summers of his young life were spent in Bonita, Louisiana, with his little brother, Mike, on the farm and bayous belonging to his grandparents. Jim spent his school-aged years in Colorado Springs and in high school was an excellent golfer. After a brief stint in college, Jim embarked on an itinerate lifestyle which included fly fishing, commercial fishing, performing with an Irish dance band and playing as a street musician in San Francisco. He later became a master mechanic in both diesel and automotive fields. The position that Jim took most pride in, however, was as Quality Control Manager for Umpqua Feather Merchants, as position that suited him well as he had an almost encyclopedic knowledge of all things related to fly fishing and tying. Jim enjoyed his travels in Asia and the associations he formed with fly designers and tiers.

Jim was committed to North Umpqua River conservation and was proud to be a member of the Steamboaters. For a time he edited The Whistle. Jim was a talented musician who was able to play many instruments. He was well-read, articulate and possessed a keen sense of humor. Jim is survived by his mother, Gloria Sweeney; brother, Mike Watson; exwife and still friend, Sue Ann Moore; and much loved daughter, Abby Rose. His family hopes Jim will be remembered, not for his fall, but for the unique and remarkable man he was. “If love could have saved you, you would have lived forever.”

PAGE 5 THE WHISTLE VOLUME 46, ISSUE 2

You can get a lot about Hal from the attachment, but there is so much about the man that they did not have in the article. He was brilliant, and one of a kind. Every time I received an award or recognitions over the years, I had to give some credit to Hal and his partner Dick Snider. If it was not for them making the film "Pass Creek" for me I would have been nothing but a fisherman and one of the founders/owners of Steamboat Inn.

George Crandall was one of the most devoted Umpqua anglers that I have known. When he was younger he would run, not walk the trail, covering more pools than anyone of any age could. He was a devoted marathon runner and was the world record holder for the century marathon (l00 miler). He established several marathons that are still run today.

He was a good friend, and I will miss the visits we would have when he was on the river, which was most of the time in the summer.

Frank

Crandall Special

The Crandall Special wasn’t a particularly well-known fly and its origin is uncertain. What we know is that George Crandall used it often and there’s a chance that it was named by Stan Knouse. Stan was the one that introduced it to Joe Howell in the early 1970’s and Joe reports that he carried it in his shop and sold a few dozen a year during the ‘80’s.

My introduction to it was also in the early 1970’s while living at Steamboat. I was fishing with Frank Moore, Jr. one day and inquired about the fly he was using. He replied that it was Crandall’s bug and George caught a lot of fish on it.

Hook – Your favorite steelhead hook, commonly for this fly a size 4 or a 6.

Tail – A good, thick cluster of Grizzly hackle fibers

Body – Light, or true orange, not a red or yellow orange.

Hackle – Folded Grizzly hackle

Wing – A shortish, thick clump of brown bucktail.

Although friendly neighbors, George and I differed in our attitude toward fishing. A longtime counter-culturalist, I was predisposed to the Walter Hagen School, the famous golfer whose philosophy was, “You gotta stop and smell the roses.” George was more of the March Hare School: “No time to say ‘Hello, goodbye,’ I’m late, I’m late, I’m late.” I always teased George about his fanaticism, which he admitted freely. George often said that he wasn’t the best fisherman on the river, but he covered the most water. That he most assuredly did. A case in point: After George moved into the trailer court, I told him he had a standing invitation to come to dinner. I’d cook something, we could drink some wine, tell fishing stories.

“Can’t do it,” said George.

“I don’t mean tonight,” I said. “Any night this summer.”

We lived next door to one another for three/four summer seasons. George never came to dinner. Professor Emeritus, George Crandall fished the North Umpqua for over forty years. Hooked a thousand steelhead. Few North Umpqua fishermen have lived as illustrious a legacy. If I had to sum it up briefly, I’d simply say, “Never enough daylight.”

There will be a physical absence on the river this summer and I am one of many who will miss him, although it wouldn’t surprise me in the least to see a spectral George out there somewhere. Maybe I can get the spectral George to come to dinner; that would be cool, ghosts don’t eat much.

—Larry Levine, fishing guide, emeritus.

PAGE 6 THE WHISTLE VOLUME 46, ISSUE 2

THE STEAMBOATERS

Charter Member Club – Federation of Fly Fishers

Member—Oregon Trout & Pacific Rivers Council