PORTLAND, Ore. — Just in time for Father’s Day weekend: If there’s a better dream day for Dad than this fishing adventure, I don’t know where or when.
We recently joined a fishing adventure in the Columbia River Gorge, where 6 million fish called shad are migrating upriver.
The feisty five-pound fish provide enough memories to last a lifetime for kids and dads alike. That includes Bill Monroe Jr — a pro-fishing guide, who gave up paying clients for a day with his family to celebrate an early Father’s Day adventure.
We joined them on the river near Beacon Rock to fish for shad against a backdrop of a sprawling and scenic Columbia River Gorge.
Monroe noted, the scenery alone is satisfying reason to journey here: “We are fishing in the middle of a mountain range… right smack dab in the middle of the Cascades. You just don’t appreciate this country any other way. Most folks are speeding by at 60 or 70 miles an hour on the highways, and here we sit, taking in all its majesty. It’s pretty unique. Love it, just love it.”
Monroe cherishes his time with the youngsters — when millions of the 5-pound shad, distant cousins to herring, make their annual run up the Columbia River.
The fish pass by us in schools of hundreds if not thousands! Monroe says it’s easy to mark their progress:
“All of a sudden, you’ll see that the anglers have fish on down below, then they’ll have a fish on next to us, and then all of us will have a fish on. It can go like that the entire day.”
His boys, Billy and Greyson, plus their cousin, Amelia and her dad, Jarod, like that action too.
Monroe noted to his kids: “The fish look like oversized herring! Well, they are!”
Actually, the shad are cousins to that smaller fish species. While herring are prime bait for other fisheries, like salmon, Monroe added that shad make dandy bait for crab and halibut.
This invitation to join the Monroe clan featured non-stop catching, and it offered a certain casino-like appeal, gambling who can lift the fish straight to the cooler — no nets allowed — and make them land squarely inside the large cooler.
“We call it shad roulette, yup! Here’s how it works: called fair chase shad fishing and we don’t use a net — you just lift the rod tip, and I’ll grab the leader line just above the hook and lift the fish aboard and plop it right in the ice cooler.”
The technique worked surprisingly well, since shad are notoriously easy to lose, given the paper-thin texture of their mouths.
So, with that, shad roulette was upon us! All hands-on deck and each had their hands full with feisty shad.
Meanwhile the kid’s grandad, Bill Monroe Sr. — the noted longtime Oregonian newspaper, outdoor Reporter and columnist — was having his own dream day, surrounded by grandkids and the shad.
There were so many so many fish, so much laughter and smiles as wide as the river.
“Well, people want to fish for something," noted Bill Sr., "and they’re going to find them — shad happens to be abundant and easy to fish for, and of course, great for kids. In fact, it’s a natural for the kids.”
Both Monroe and his dad agreed these could be called the good old days for shad fishing, with an estimated 6 million fish forecast to cross Bonneville Dam this summer.
Shad have been labeled “The Founding Fish,” and historians say shad saved the American troops from certain starvation at valley forge in the late winter and spring of 1778.
The east coast transplant was brought out west in the 1870s. Table fare is fine — cooked, brined and pickled or perhaps even smoked — although Bill Sr. suggested the best way might be to “grind it up, put it in a pipe and light it.”
Everyone chuckled at Bill Sr’s joke.
The fishing tackle is simple enough: small lures or spinners with just enough lead to get the rig down to the bottom. Monroe prefers the tiniest, chartreuse-colored Dick Nite wobbling lures.
Young Amelia said she loved fishing with her family members: “When you’re with everybody else and everybody is excited for you and there’s always something happening. One fish after another, it’s just a fun time.”
“This is actually a plentiful resource and is very under-utilized,” added Monroe. "The kids can come out here and have nonstop action, and it’s consistent enough to keep them entertained for hours. Plus, I get them into the Oregon outdoors! What’s not to like?”
Shad fishing continues through early July.
There are popular shoreside shad fishing bank spots that are popular, too — especially at Tanner Creek, just below Bonneville Dam — and on the Willamette River, be sure to check out the shorelines at Clackamette Park.
Be sure to watch the weekly half hour program of Grant’s Getaways. The show airs each Saturday and Sunday at 4pm on KGW.
You can also learn more about many of my favorite Oregon travels and adventures in the Grant’s Getaways book series, including:
- "Grants Getaways I," Photography by Steve Terrill
- "Grant's Getaways II," Photography by Steve Terrill
- “Grant’s Getaways: 101 Oregon Adventures,” Photography by Jeff Kastner
- “Grant’s Getaways: Guide to Wildlife Watching in Oregon,” Photography by Jeff Kastner
- “Grant’s Getaways: Oregon Adventures with the Kids,” Photography by Jeff Kastner
The book collection offers hundreds of outdoor activities across Oregon and promises to engage a kid of any age.
You can reach me: Gmcomie@kgw.com