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I had a bad experience this weekend

3K views 15 replies 6 participants last post by  fredaevans 
#1 ·
Since it was mother's day weekend, the ex finally came into town, and I had a free weekend. Just spent it doing some R & R with my girlfriend. Didn't even try fishing, since I wasn't in mood to go over to the westside OP or the C and it's tribs. So went out for walks on the Nooch (stayed on my Dad's property) and enjoyed the sunshine.

Saturday was great. Was beautiful and took my girlfriend and our dogs to the ocean to run on beach. Came back and took a look at the Nooch. She was beautiful, PERFECT for fishing. But, to my dismay, river is closed until June 1st. I notice off to my right some guys sitting near the river that look like they're fishing. Couldn't tell for sure, so just went about my business. Then, they got up. They had one stringer FULL of what I'd say were steelhead smolts. There were probably about 10-15 on the stringer, none bigger then 6". I didn't have my cell, so boogied up to my Dad's cabana where my cell was. Then, comes another doozie, as I walked up to cabana I saw more guys around next bend fishing. Double checked my regs and found that YES the Nooch is closed. Now comes the real pisser of all. Called poachers hotline. CLOSED WEEKENDS!!!!!!! Ok, call the State Patrol. Get the local # and make my call. They get all my info and I walk back to the Nooch. All the guys still there, some actually catching fish. The whole time I was there, no warden shows up. Their local office is only maybe 3 miles from this spot. Don't know if they ever showed. I did minimal confrontation, ******** in this area are known to pack heat (similar to Blue Creek).

I guess we DO need more wardens??? Ya think?
 
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#2 ·
I hate people like that, steelhead smolts give us a break. I have never seen that one yet. Who could be that desperate for fish and want to clean those little fish, etc.....

Don't blame you for not confronting them it is not worth it. Looks like the Washington concealed hand gun laws are much more liberal than ours out here. Not just any one out here gets one of those permits.

In the last 20 years I think I have been checked for a license 3 times.
 
#3 ·
Keeping in mind that I lived/loved Washington for over 30years ..

you guys are still out of your minds on game control.

Repeating myself, but here in Oregon, very few 'game wardens' but one of the 'prime directives' of the Oregon State Police is game violations. Call 911 and you've got a very large Policeman with you in darn few minutes. And these fellows don't take crap from some 'local *******.' Cuffs and off to jail. Life is 'simple' down here in Southern Oregon.

As a side note, we (bulk of the community) actually wave at the guys/gals as they go by. More than a few occations, when a Medford patrol car is driving the neighborhood, he/she will be waved over and offered a cup of coffee or a glass of ice water. Block Party/BBQ - the fire dept. brings up one of their trucks so the kids can crawl through, play with the equipment (and it's damned impressive!), blow the horn/siren, etc. Ya, I've done the siren too. :>)

This is the way we should all live; these fellows/gals perform an invaluable service. We're blessed with the quality of the folks who sport the 'uniform.' A few 'nut cases,' probably 'you bet,' but give me a profession that doesn't; one 'apple doesn't spoil the barrel.'

Doubt it would be that hard to emulate anywhere; you've just got let them know how much you appreciate what they're doing to give you a great place to live.

And don't move here and spoil it for the 'rest of us.':D Being silly here as Medford/Ashland was rated as one of the top 10 places to retire in the US for a very good reason.
fe
 
#4 ·
Fred,

Sorry got my wife (real estate broker) already checking out the retirement properties there. The secrets out. We will be there in 5-10 years, please preserve the fishing and scenery, etc... I could buy law enforcement coffee and donuts, no problem if they will keep me safe on the river

:hehe:

Hal
 
#5 ·
LOL Fred

Will try and keep lunnies up here in WA. Actually, up here there is 911 for emergencies, and a local # for state patrol for non emergencies. They get kind of peeved if you call 911 and it's a non life threatening emergency like one I called about (good buddy of mine is a 911 dispatcher).

Hal, it's not the guys who legally have permits to carry concealed weapons I'm worried about, it's the guys who DON'T have those permits that STILL carry a concealed weapon. I highly doubt any of these guys have a license to fish, let alone one to carry a gun.

But, I did my part. Tried to get plate #, but there were too many rigs there. They didn't go back to car so was SOL on that dept. It was a nice day and alot of people down there at the beach of the river.
 
#6 ·
Hal, while you and the 'misses' (or how ever you spell that)

make up your mind Joan and I would welcome you both while you do some 'local exploring.' Spring Salmon season brings out the local yo-yo's, but beyond that you have miles of river with just about you and no one else.

Probably shouldn't have said that, put a few more 'spey casters' would be a "good thing."
fe
 
#8 ·
Very cool place to live and raise a family, but

bring money with you. Unless your a Doctor, Lawyer, Merchant Chief the pay scales down here are not too hot. Numericly, a 'given position' in Portland, OR will pay at least 1/4 to 1/3'ed more on an annual basis.

But then again, you've got 3/4 of the total population of the State living within 50 miles of Portland. Bottom 1/3'rd of the State has a total population of under 500,000, with Jackson County (Medford) counting for about 36% of the total. Josephine County, to the north of us only has 73,000 population, Klamath County is 10,000 less than that.
fe
 
#9 ·
When I moved away Medford had about 25,000 people in it. The bottom had just fallen out of the timber industry and the Army Corp of Engineers had decided that the Rogue needed a new dam. That is why I moved away. They stole my favorite section of river from me.

Money is easy to make. It is a matter of how much you need.

kls
 
#10 ·
kls: good answer on how much is enough.

Major issue down here is the price of housing; it isn't cheap. Average sales price YTD in Ashland is $277,000, Medford's about 185K and in the 150'ish range for Central Point to the north.

Over in Klamath Falls average sales price YTD is a tad under $100k. Takes a pretty good income(s) to support a $150, 000 mortgage even at a 7%/30 year term loan.
fe
 
#11 ·
Jeez fred try buying a house in seattle...227,000 would by you a shack under the interstate. Lucky we bought ours a few years ago and had a hefty down payment.Otherwise all I could afford to fish with right now would be a styrofoam container of worms...maybe.

-sean
 
#12 ·
Well, $277-300 "K" and a bit will get you a

2500-3000 square foot home, probably less than 5 years old, minimum of 3BR/2.5 baths and probably a hell of a good view tossed in for a deal spicer.

Joan and I are having a new home built for us now at 2900 some feet of 'Georgian Colonial' with a 200 some degree view from Mt. Ashland, over the Sysqu's-Coastal Range, and even the south half of Medford for a tad over $300K.

She gets her 'views to die for,' and I hopefully!!!!! don't have to move anymore.:rolleyes: Damn! I hate packing and moving. Remember our move up here in 1996. Guys closed the doors on the back of the moving van and the thought struck me that short of a suit case, my fishing rods (we had our priorities straight on that one) and the two cats, everything I owned in the world was in the back of that truck.

Wrong turn and I/Joan could start all over. At least this move is only a few blocks from our present home. Could hire a few big guys and hand-trucks to do the eventual move.:devil:
 
#13 ·
I almost had my nose broken by a poacher a few years ago on the Capilano River. A guy around my age, with what turned out to be his uncle, snagged and killed a hatchery coho Salmon. I confronted them and talked to them, and eventually the guy around my age who was much bigger than me, went nuts on me and started trying to punch me. I broke my rod over his neck but that didn't stop him. Him and his uncle eventually screwed off in their car, I got their license plate and called the cops. My nose was bleeding profusely afterwards, and when I feel it, even today, it feels a bit "off" somewhat, although I know at least it wasn't broken.

The cops sorted everything out, and this kid got off because he was actually a mental patient who WAS NOT supposed to be allowed out of his "home," but his uncle took him out anyways. Couldn' t press charges because of the mental health act and I lost a rod out of the deal. Where is the justice here?

I have heard many reports of a similar thing happening up here on some rivers for Steelhead smolts. "Ignorant" people taking bucket loads of the pellet fed little suckers. Disgusting. Who would want to eat one of these things anyways??

I really get a nasty feeling in my gut when I see someone poaching. The Justice side of me wants to do everything to get them caught, and at the bare minimum I always call them in to DFO hotline. It just really ruins the sport...but I do have some empathy and I think the government could do a bit more to ensure that people are schooled a bit more before being given a fishing license. A privilege anyways, because you pay for it and have to listen to rules.

Oh well, nuff said.

If I want to move down to Oregan, I'll just get build a shack in Fred's back yard. You won't mind will you Fred?

Scott
 
#14 · (Edited)
Well, it will be my first 4 bedroom home so

plenty of room .... but you'll have to skip the "shack" even if the view would make it worth while.
:p

Anytime you want to give the Rogue a go, we'd be pleased to have you as our guest.
je/fe

ps: if you did a tent you're view would be up Mount Roxy Ann at about 5000' , the other direction is Mt. Ashland at 7400+ feet. Summer or winter (skip the tent and come in side:D ) would be worth the trip.
fe
 
#16 · (Edited)
Hal, research is easy, but do need a bit more info.

How many square feet do you want, with/without view, 'type' of neighborhood. (As in middle of the road or 'up-scale.') Single floor/split, tri-level or two story?

Also what price range are you looking for?
fe

Random thought hit me as I clicked the 'submit' button. How did we get from a "bad experience this weekend" to buying real estate in Medford:confused:
 
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