Rat Pack Steelhead In Bing Crosby’s Paradise Part One

“ I am the master of my fate;
I am the captain of my soul.”

        W.E. Henley 1849-1903

In my sportsmen’s life many fly fishing trips have started in the most obtuse fashion, which is exactly the twist in fate that occurred before this five day trip to the wilderness Bing Crosby and Phil. Harris those hip American icons chased Steelhead, shot Chukker, hunted wild mushrooms, drank single malt scotch while jokes flew faster then birds...... This time warp exists in the Northeast of Oregon where the mighty rivers Wallowa, Minam, Snake rage, near the fabled Eagles Cap Wilderness not far from Hells Canyon and where eternal ghosts of Nez Pierce Chief Joseph play out the last dramas against European settlers and lying American leaders. This still pristine wild area with water that can be scooped up and drunk unfiltered from rivers like the Minam is home to Elk, Mountain Lion, White Tail Deer, beaver, wild cats, rattle snakes and some of the prettiest woman in Oregon!

While riding home one sunny afternoon on the Geary Street bus that runs all the way to the Pacific Ocean near my penthouse in San Francisco I noticed a couple in the isle next to me were wearing tee shirts with trout and flies. So of course I had to say something stupid like, “ love that shirt, love to chase trout!”. Chuck Fleser said, Oh hi were just here visiting and then its back to the mountains of Northeast Oregon where the legendary Steelhead in the three foot range are about to start running their Mr. You say your some kind of fly fishing writer?”.

Of course upon hearing that this fellow owned and managed the only original motel 1950's style completely restored down to stoves and decor, solid old growth paneling in all rooms on the confluence of both the Wallowa and Minam Rivers less then 200 feet from my perfect cabin if I ever took the trip! Several weeks later and an incredible 17 hour train ride from San Francisco’s historic Ferry Building to Portland Oregon. I had a ball on the Amtrac Starliner all the way to Portland Oregon.. The first class sleeper was complete luxury and peace as all the rivers, from Mt Shasta, Dunsmuir, Sacramento rolled by just outside my windows. I have fly fished, waded all these wild rivers many times, seeing them all up this close was heaven. The falling snow as we wound around the mountains made me feel like the Poet Rimbaud who in the 1870s journeyed into the remote no man’s land of African Abyssinia. February is still winter and cold up way up North, but I really wanted to take my six and four weight Bamboo and wade those icy waters where movie stars and black bears worked the same breath taking outdoors.... The food and the conductors, attendants were outstanding on Amtrac. The long grand tour of Upper California, Oregon in winter snow robes was very special by train.

I waited at the Portland Airport just remodeled and looking very International for my new best friend Chuck Fleser To meet and drive the 5 hours from Portland over several mountain ranges to his Minamotel on the banks of the Wallowa River.

Chuck had the air of a man who ruled his destiny and his little corner of the earth with kind, friendly good fellowship wrapped in a,” I ain’t no Andy from Mayberry their Cowboy glint in his eye! We headed for the mountains quickly filling time with many stories from fly fishing to woman and back again. Then the first unexpected reality check as snow and rain begins to fall while we begin our climb to the first summit in the dead of winter February night...

I quickly realized that this high mountain sportsmen can drive in high wind, black ice, flying sixteen wheelers trucks whizzing by, “ Don’t worry their Danny boy I have seen 27 or more jack knifed big rigs on this dam summit and myself can and have driven it half asleep with no sweat buddy! You’ll be knee deep in fat Steelies by 8am son!”

One wrong uneducated brake pedal move and your beloved fly fishing writer would have had the best Obituary! My new best friend handled that hair raising ride like our little Nicole Smith is going to handle that 500 million the 12 sweet Supreme Court Justices are about to hopefully hand her? “ Get ready for a step back in time Dan “ say’s Chuck as he pulls into the Historic 1950s Minamotel parking area. The next lovely surprise was his girlfriend, and super right hand Dawn who gives new meaning to being ultra capable of multi tasking, man management, gourmet cooking her own harvested Elk dinners while looking like she ought to be starring in some Hollywood movie about very smart, good looking woman.... This picture of my arrival into an atmosphere ripe with remote Oregon pristine waters and unlimited wilderness where the feeling of walking back in time complete with all the beasts in abundance is a grand beginning.

Minamotel is a portal back to 1955 when Frank and Dino and Sammy and Der Bingle ruled this planet and ruled it quite well! When woman were ok to be called broads, men said what they meant and music was heavenly. I could here Frank belting out, “ Fly to the Moon and let me play among the stars...” as I was led into my cabin where no TV, Phone existed. Only the sounds of the might river and the smells of clean high mountain air filled my lungs with pure joy. This trip was a trip with the Ratpack and baby it was Ring a Ding Ding! I could see Angie Dickinson smiling that smile and hear Sammy say, “ This place makes me Coo Koo with that crazy running river man, Dino where’s the bar buddy?”

That first morning I waded and threw my own Steelhead patterns one of which is featured this month. I worked a 200 foot area right behind the motel and caught and released a nice fat rainbow 15 inches and alive with color. No Steehead strikes that first morning. I was happy to find a flock of wild turkeys just outside my cabin door that first morning, quite sublime, followed by one of many gourmet meals cooked by the lovely Goddess of Chuckville, Chuck’s right hand and true guiding spirit Dawn. I got used to Dawn’s cooking real fast and the meals were all perfect! Dawn shared her wild game and fine sense of humor, thank you Goddess...

The rest of the first day was spent exploring the two rivers on foot for several hundred yards while getting a feel for the many deep holes that held these wonderful three foot Steelhead in such pristine wilderness. Next the Mayor of Chuckville takes the San Francisco fly writer guy on a wilderness train ride into Steelhead Headquarters! Contact Chuck Fleser at Minamotel E-Mail [email protected] Phone 1-877-888-8130 Websight: www.minammotel.com Oregon state fish and wildlife contact: www.dfw.state.or.us .

DAWN’S SUNRISE ( Named in honor of Dawn Goddess of Chuckville...)