Fallen Outdoors Sturgeon Event

This article received first place honors at the Excellence in Craft awards in the Fishing Blog/Web category at the 2019 Northwest Outdoor Writers Association conference in Wenatchee. It was published on OutdoorHub: https://www.outdoorhub.com/news/2018/01/05/fallen-outdoors-new-years-eve-sturgeon-fishing-event/

On New Year's Eve, over 65 veterans and active duty military personnel gathered at Cathedral Park in Portland, Oregon to end 2017 reeling in sturgeon on the Willamette River. The Fallen Outdoors organized the event with the help of volunteer guides and anglers running over two dozen boats. For a few of these veterans, this kind of fishing opportunity may not have been possible without the organization. Many of the participants drove several hours to meet at the ramp at 6am.

Events like this one happen in all 50 states as part of TFO's mission to cater towards providing outdoor recreational opportunities for veterans. The organization has helped over 3,000 veterans become involved in the outdoors since 2009. Run exclusively by veterans, TFO coordinates with guides, landowners, and everyday outdoorsmen and women to offer these events and trips as a way of saying thanks.

With military families moving from state to state to areas with unfamiliar surroundings, they often struggle with learning new fisheries and hunting opportunities. TFO aims to provide a collective of knowledge and the proper gear, as well as leadership and camaraderie. For this event, several sponsors donated items for a raffle, and film coverage was provided by Daniel Grossman of Steelhead Stalkers and Randy Tolle of Western Oregon Outdoors.

Jared Mikoleit, a veteran I met over the summer while covering a TFO archery event, hopped on board with me on Bradey Smith's boat. Smith and his fishing buddy provided gear and bait, as well as their knowledge of the fishery, colorful conversation, and a few cold ones. Many of the participants in this event had never caught a sturgeon before, including Mikoleit. It was a slow, very cold morning, but Smith was prepared with a propane heater I huddled next to as Jared was out on the back deck watching all four rods waiting for a strike to happen. It took a while before the action began, but Jared eventually pulled one on board. Then another, and another, and many more until we lost count.

Specialist Mikoleit served in the U.S. Army for 8 years, driving tanks in Iraq for the 1-12 Infantry from Fort Hood, TX and again in Afghanistan for the 4-23 Infantry from Fort Lewis, WA. Now he works at Seneca Sawmill in Eugene, Oregon. Smith's fishing buddy Matt Simmons, who goes by the nickname "Super Logger" quickly connected with Mikoleit for obvious reasons. After a few hours of yarding in fish one after another, he began to share some war stories with us, and mentioned losing some close friends. On September 24th, 2009, another tank detonated an improvised explosive device that took the lives of Sgt. Smith, Spc. White, and Sgt. Reynolds.

"Living Our Dreams, Because They Gave up Theirs" is the motto of the Fallen Outdoors. Many of these adventures give veterans an opportunity to honor the memory of their friends and fellow soldiers by doing just that. Outdoor recreation also acts as a form of therapy for veterans that are coping with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.

A study by the Cleveland Clinic Journal of Medicine points out that veterans may be less likely to seek out help from a mental professional. Another study from the University of Essex explains that outdoor recreation, or "ecotherapy" benefits mental health and "reduces social isolation, aiding those with mental health issues to improve their physical health, gain confidence, and return to work."

Introducing veterans to outdoor recreational activities like hunting and fishing is effective because it's more likely to be utilized by those who would be less likely to seek out other forms of therapy. In other words, veterans are more likely to say "yes" to an invitation to a hunting or fishing excursion than they are a counseling session on a couch.

As the surviving family member of a veteran suicide, the service that TFO provides is very personal and invaluable to me. Programs like this provide support to our troops when they return home and adjust to resuming their everyday American lives. It's not just an effective form of therapy for younger veterans either. The epidemic of PTSD is an ongoing struggle for veterans, many years after their service ends. A veteran commits suicide every 65 minutes in this country, and nearly 70 percent of them are over the age of 50.

TFO is able to provide these outdoor recreational opportunities for veterans at no cost, thanks to hardworking promotional staff and support from local communities. If you or someone you know would like to get involved by offering support or services to The Fallen Outdoors, you can start by filling out this form with your name, location, contact information, and a short message. If you or someone you know is a veteran that would like to find out more about TFO events nearby, look for your area of the country here and fill out a form with your name, location, contact information, and a short message about what your background is and what your interests are.

You can also get involved by making a donation to The Fallen Outdoors, or joining their online community on Facebook. TFO facilitates outdoor recreational hunting and fishing opportunities for active duty and veterans of all branches of the military. To see coverage of TFO's New Year's Eve sturgeon fishing event, please subscribe to the Western Oregon Outdoors YouTube Channel.

Netman

Published online with photos on OutdoorHub: https://www.outdoorhub.com/how-to/2018/02/05/4-rules-good-net-man/

Being a good netman is like being a good wingman. Sure, you'd rather be the guy reeling one in, but if your buddy has one on the line, you want to help him land it. Being a netman seems like a simple task, much easier to get a fish into a big hoop than try to fool one into biting. It's not that easy though, because there's that anxiety that you could make one wrong move and blow it, and become the scapegoat instead of the hero.

To net a fish, you have to think like a fish. By that I mean that you have to predict the behaviors of an unpredictable wild animal. There is a formula of deductive reasoning and rational thinking that can increase the probability of netting a fish. A lot of the variables are based upon the conditions and surrounding environment. If a fish has depth, it will dive, if it's in shallow water, it's more likely jump, so on and so fourth. For each situation, placement is crucial to being in the right place at the right time to capture a fish during the fight. These guidelines generally apply to salmon and steelhead, but are useful in netting all species.

Work as a team

Keep in mind that the angler with the fish on should be attempting to get control over the fish or at least tire it out until it gives in a little easier. As the angler, there's a few things you should attempt to do in order to keep the fish in a good position for it to end up in the net. After the fish has it's initial freak out of being hooked up, you ideally want to be able to pull it upstream with the netman positioned below you. Once you've got the fish pulled upstream and pinned by pointing the rod tip at an upstream angle with the tip held high, then transition to a downstream angle in order to turn it, dropping the rod tip slightly and reeling down to the terminal tackle. Make sure you're communicating this strategy with your netman ahead of time. When you turn the fish, it will swim right towards the netman and (hopefully) into the net. The netman should be in pursuit of an ideal position, not the fish. The angler should lead the fish right to the net when it's tired out. If the angler with the fish on is having a difficult time getting the fish near you as the netman, communicate this strategy and place yourself downstream. If you're in a boat, this can be a little more a little challenging to execute on anchor, particularly if the angler is in the bow and the netman is in the rowing seat. You can make up the difference with a coordinated effort. As the angler, lean back and lift the fish into the net while the netman leans forward to stretch out with the net. If the situation allows for it, swap seating positions so that the netman can be downstream of the angler. If there are very few obstacles and you're okay with drifting past where the hookup occured, you can also position the boat to free-drift in a manner that allows the netman to be downstream or at least level with the angler fighting the fish.

Don't spook the fish

As the netman, you want to do your best to be stealthy with your approach. The idea is to trick the fish into the net, rather than swat them like a horesfly with fins. Sometimes if you play your cards right, you can trick a fish into the net before it's tired out. For larger fish that overpower the gear of a typical angler, sometimes your best bet is to trick it into the net on the first try, rather than taking stabs at it until you've got it in the bag. Often a fish that's seen an unsuccessful attempt with the net during a fight will focus on avoiding the netman rather than fighting the pressure of the line from the angler. If you thrash around in the water when the angler has a fish pinned, it's going to panic. Try to sneak into position and take your time instead of rushing to net it before it gets away. Imitate the natural environment and be like a tree, only you're holding a net. Be still, keep the net out of the water until the time is right. This also means having the patience not to take stab at the fish if you're unsure you're in a good position or close enough to bag it. If you miss, the impending panic could be the end of the fight, be it broken line, pulling out the hook, or straightening it. If you get the hook tangled in the net but don't bag the fish, you could easily pull it out of it's mouth. You could bang the line with the hoop and break it or pull the hook out as well. Much like hunting, you ideally want to go for the one-shot, one-kill scenario.

Head First

As simple as it may sound, and as many times as it's been said already, you want to trick the fish into the net, not stab at it, or hammer down on it. Even if you have to scoop, you want to be in front of the direction the fish is swimming so that you have a little more room for error if it decides it wants to split and bail at the last moment. If you're swiping at it's tail, the fish is already in position to swim away from the net without having to turn itself around. Take into account the body shape of the fish, and that most of it's heavy mass is in it's head and "shoulders," while it's shape tapers towards the tail. Consider that a dead fish laying on the pavement would be easier to scoop from the head to tail rather than the other way around. It's no different with a living, breathing fish.

Adapt on the fly

You can try your best and draw from experience what behaviors the fish are likely to do in certain situations, but they are only as predictable as Pacific Northwest weather patterns. Sometimes a fish will refuse to swim upstream, even if it's tired out. In fact, if there's swift current and you're keeping them pinned so they can't turn and burn, some fish will open their mouths wide and create resistance that puts a lot of pressure on the line, swimming from side to side in the river like a 30 inch long plug. This is one situation where a tail first scoop may be justified. If the line breaks, the fish will likely still be facing upstream, but let the current carry it downstream, especially if it can't see behind itself and doesn't know you're there waiting. Keep in mind that nets grow bigger holes that lose fish. Stay on top of frays or repair holes with heavy braid. If the bag isn't deep enough, don't try to fold it against the frame and close it. Lift the net paralell to the water's surface to a secure area and deal with the fish. As an angler, once the fish is in the net, give your netman a little slack. If the line is tight, it can break, or the hook can come loose, catapulting your gear into your netman's face, which is not a proper thank you for landing your catch. Be mindful of terminal gear, especially weights, particularly if they're on a dropper of some sort. If you're planning to harvest the fish, try to bonk it in the net without damaging the mesh. Be aware of hooks and line and don't hook yourself while handling the fish.

The moments leading up to the landing can have emotions running high if the chemistry between angler and netman aren't in snyc. Try to remember you're on the same team, put trust and faith in your fishing partner, then share gratitude and congratulations when everything comes together. When mistakes happen, be calm and examine what could have been done differently, but always with the approach that you'll get them next time.

Thinking Outside the Box Salmon Recipes

View the full article and photos on OutdoorHub: https://www.outdoorhub.com/how-to/2017/11/16/videos-5-best-recipes-seasonal-salmon-harvest/

As salmon season nears end with winter steelhead right around the corner, the freezers are full and you're probably wondering what to do with all that meat, besides eating it. Salmon probably offers the most diverse range of culinary options out of everything that swims. Sure, smoked salmon is great, but if you want to think outside the box and try something new, here's a few suggestions of different techniques for cooking salmon that will inspire your appetite.

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Wild chef Hank Shaw is no stranger to cooking fish and game. He describes this recipe for Icelandic inspired salmon soup as "something of a cross between a chowder and a soup, with just a touch of dairy." Using the additions of a fish broth and whey, this is a much more traditional approach to creating a final product that is more focused on the flavors of the fish, and not nearly as heavy handed on dairy. You can find the recipe on Honest-food.net

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Philippe Boulot's roasted salmon and pesto crusted napoleon recipe on GreatChefs.com is a complex, layered dish that mingles salmon with flavors of Italy. The sides of wilted spinach, dried tomatoes, and red onion-cilantro relish can be altered with a wide variety of greens like chard or kale for a Northwestern influence. Polenta fries, a wild mushroom risotto, or a simple side of roasted root vegetables are also good alternates for Boulot's panisse.

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The traditional Native American salmon bake is an effective option for feeding a lot of people at an event like a wedding, campout, or picnic. Using carefully engineered cedar structures, the salmon is cooked over an open fire, leaving a thin, heat-seared layer of meat on the surface that creates great texture and holds in all the natural flavors of the fish. For a more in-depth look at hatchery production as well as the process, historical relevance, and culture of the tradition behind the salmon bake, Munchies visits with Skokomish tribal fishermen.

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This recipe from getinmybelly.com only requires a few simple steps to create a new twist on the classic citrus and fish pairings of flavor. The honey, garlic and lime glaze creates a nice, crisp, textured layer to the fish that holds in the citrus flavors. When throwing a fish on the BBQ isn't an option, this is a great oven baked alternative with easy preparation.

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Buzzfeed's "Tasty" offers this recipe for a savory Salmon Wellington,  that is a piscatorial puff pastry treat. Combining the simplicity of meat, greens and carbs into a complexity of flavors on your fork with each bite, the dough absorbs the fats from the fish and the broth from the greens. This is one oven ready meal that can't be recreated in a microwavable hot pocket.

Rice's Waterfowl Service

James Rice and his Black Lab Retriever, "Gauge," have been hunting all their lives. Rice started guiding clients in the field in 2007 after studying Agricultural Business and Turfgrass at nearby Oregon State. At the time, Gauge was just a pup, learning the ropes from his predecessor. Rice says that he likes to think that each of his dog's gray hairs represent a duck he's fetched. If this is true, Gauge has put in a lot of work during their career together.

Rice grew up on a family farm just a mile or so from the Greenberry Tavern, about 10 miles south of Corvallis, Oregon. I met him in the morning prior to our hunt at his guide shack to get suited and booted. Far from any "shack," and more like a luxurious man cave, it's as warm, dry, and comfortable as any living room. Photos of clients and friends cover the walls as a testament to his abilities not only to put ducks in front of hunters, but that people who visit his piece of paradise leave with smiling faces.

Gauge has his own bed in front of a fireplace. A Honda ATV with a trailer built to carry hunters and gear to the blind rests underneath an adjacent carport. We load up and he heads off to one of several blinds on a pond with such a diversity of decoys that any species of waterfowl flying overhead could mistake any group of them for their own.

Less than two miles south of the blind is the Finley Wildlife Refuge, a reserve of 5,791 acres of land, much of which is managed with crops for goose forage and 366 acres which are classified as "wetland prairie." The vegetation within the refuge is managed specifically to control woody growth and encourage the diversity of native plant species.

The surrounding area is a mecca for grass seed farmers like Rice and his family. As the rains come, fields flood and waterfowl flock to the refuge seeking the plethora of food sources in the area.

As we get to the water, Gauge takes his place out in front of the blind, and sits quietly, attentive to the sky above with a watchful eye. "Most of the time he'll spot the birds before I do," says Rice. "The wind is blowing to our left, so they should circle around and come in from the left side." He adds that ducks will often face the wind when they're trying to land on the water.

By the time I recognize birds overhead as ducks, Rice has identified the species by it's flight patterns. "Those have a bit of a square tail and they're flying along the treeline quietly, so they're probably wood ducks." Rice throws a few different calls in their direction anyway. "It's hard to get wood ducks to take an interest in a pond in the field if there's not a lot of trees around," he adds as they continue flying away.

A few ducks begin to fly in right out in front of us, and as I lift my rifle, he says, "Those are divers. Let's wait." As a hooded merganser lands out in front of the blind, he adds "Let's wait for something that eats seed." Sensing my frustration at wanting to fling some steel in the air just to get the edge off, he adds, "Those are almost too pretty to shoot at." Explaining how diet affects palatability, he simply says, "...but they're like a garbage bag with wings."

With the anxiety of ducks flying but none dying, Gauge starts getting restless. The rain had been pretty incessant all morning. Just as I began to think that even a little adrenaline from some gunpowder igniting might warm our bones, a group of widgeon come in close enough for us to get in a few shots, and one falls. "That'll make him happy!" says Rice. "Now we're on the board!"

It's not long before a few more fall from the sky, and Rice points to the wind playing a factor in the movement of the birds. "This is good duck weather."

During a few short lulls between volleys and a few poorly placed shots at a pair of nice pintail, Rice strikes a chord with my southern roots and we start talking about his passion for bass fishing, as well as all other things outdoors. "My big move was about 2 miles from here to my grandpa's old place. I don't plan on making any more moves either."

Having grown up on the very property we were hunting, he points to another blind across the southeast corner of the pond, and a pit blind he had just finished installing. "I'm going to let the grass around it grow a little more before we start using that one," he says.

As he's explaining the short history of the blind we were hunting in, Gauge continues to scan the horizon during the downpour. "He sat right there and looked at the sky the whole time I was out here building this," he chuckled. "There wasn't even any water out there."

Because most of the ducks that flew in low were flying solo that day, we put down one here and one there, then a group finally came in low and we doubled up. "Alriiight! That's a C-Note!" exclaimed Rice, celebrating a personal best of a hundred ducks for the month of October, with several hunts with corporate clients in the month left to spare.

With a big grin, he says, "Watch Gauge bring them both back in one trip," pointing to the efficiency of his hunting dog being a product of both age and experience.

As the hunt winds down, we wander back up to the guide shack, refill on coffee, shed a few layers and sit by the fire, recapping the day. While there's plenty of duck hunting opportunity in the immediate area, it's difficult to match the level of comfort, professionalism, and luxury of a hunt with Rice's Waterfowl Service. Whether it's a father-son outing, group of friends or coworkers, James Rice is seasoned at satisfying hunters, and it's difficult to leave his piece of paradise without smiling.

Late fall and early winter are prime time for hunting, with an average of 500 birds being taken from his blinds between Thanksgiving and Christmas. You can book in advance at (541)753-04605

Published online at Wide Open Spaces: http://www.wideopenspaces.com/on-the-hunt-with-rice-waterfowl-service/

Tag Soup Recipe

If you’ve ever imagined how you could make your tag soup taste better, here’s a few helpful hints that will make it easier to digest.

It might be a little tough to swallow, but tag soup doesn’t have to leave a bad taste in your mouth. With the right preparation, you can make this dish palatable if you don’t marinate in it too long. It’s all in the process.

First, add one cup of hope. The flavor of optimism will carry you through until next season. All those smaller bucks you passed up will be bigger next year anyway.

Add a dash of reflection to taste. Just a hint of all the wouldda, couldda, shoulddas will help you learn from this season, and motivate you to be better prepared for a successful season next time around.

Don’t make it too salty or bitter. The sweet is never as sweet without the sour. You want to savor the flavor of disappointment for now, because it will make victory taste that much better when it’s on the table.

Season generously with gratitude. The outdoors provide us with countless lessons, and the experiences we take with us last a lifetime. Remember that hunting is about the journey and not the destination. Be grateful for your experiences, fruitful or not.

Serve with tradition. In the south, there’s a custom that when a hunter misses a shot, the other hunters back at deer camp cut a coattail from their shirts. If you missed, perhaps the piece of cloth might make a nice garnish.

This article was published in the December 2016 issue of Northwest Sportsman Magazine, as well as online at Wide Open Spaces

Alsea Sportsman's Association Meeting 2/18/18

• Cormorant Hazing Program

Smolts are released from the hatchery around April 10th, and take some time travel downstream to the bay, where they spend up to a month acclimating to the salt in the estuary. It takes roughly $2 to produce and raise each individual hatchery smolt. Multiply that by the over 100k that are released, and you can see the value of our state dollars being gobbled up by these avian predators.

Jim Robinson and Mike Gatens of the Alsea Sportsman's Association conduct hazing efforts through the month of May. Pelagic Cormorants that travel in groups of 4-8 are mainly in the bay, while groups of Double Crested Cormorants travel in groups of up to 70-80 in a flock to the top of tidewater.

The program uses whistler flares to push birds out of the river system, and the hazing boat goes through roughly 20-30 of these flares a day, and 400-500 during the spring. James Lawonn, ODFW biologist in charge of the hazing program has praised the ASA's efforts as one of the most effective programs in the state. You can contact James at (503) 842-2741, Ext. 251 / (503) 812-8171 This operation does more than protect hatchery smolt, there are also chinook and coho smolt, as well as trout that are traveling through the estuary during the spring that are subject to predation from these birds. You can watch a video of how this operation is conducted and see the scale of the populations of these birds feeding on smolts in the lower river on the Alsea Sportsman's Association Facebook Page.

• ASA Salmon Derby

The ASA holds an annual Salmon Derby as a fundraiser for the organization. This year's event is set to take place on September 3rd and 4th. The derby takes place from upstream of the Walport Bridge (Participants are not allowed to fish from below the bridge to the jaws for safety reasons) to the head of tide. A third of last years 45+ fish entered into the derby were caught by trollers, and the rest by tidewater bobber fishing anglers. Volunteers and donors are wanted for the fundraiser banquet dinner at the Waldport Moose Lodge as well. Jim Robinson would also like to swap a donation of a crabbing trip for 4 people with meals for the day included to our Linn-Benton CCA Banquet in exchange for a Salmon or Steelhead Trip from a Linn-Benton CCA guide. You can contact Jim at (541)961-1946

• Missouri Bend Pulley System Improvements

The post where the current pulley system is mounted at Missouri Bend is rotten, and the Pioneer Phone Company plans to replace it. Chuck Pavlik is going to weld a nut onto a new cable so it will not be able to be pulled through the new pulley system that will be installed when Pioneer replaces the post. The cables have been subject to theft in recent history, and hopefully these improvements will be a deterrent.

• Alsea Hatchery Research Center Youth Educational Outreach Program

AHRC in association with STEP run a hatch program that outfits classrooms with aquariums to hatch young fish for educational purposes. This program includes 5 schools, and each school sends 4 classes of young students on a field trip to AHRC for a day. This program typically takes place this time of year, but has been suspended due to concerns about a potential for landslides just above the AHRC. Clearcuts on steep slopes in the Fall Creek gorge have resulted in cracks deep enough to be above a man's head standing in it, and the cracks are as long as the community center (where the meeting was held). The potential devastation of a landslide in that vicinity could have an impact on the river system comparable to the Oso landslide in Washington a few years ago. Letters have been sent to Weyerhauser and ODFW about installing an early warning system, and evacuation route from the AHRC in the case that such a disaster might occur. (Contact Chuck Pavlik for a copy of the letter)

• Free Fishing Weekend Event

ODFW's summer Free Fishing weekend is on June 2nd and 3rd. The ASA participates in volunteering assistance at the Thissel Pond event, and those who are interested in volunteering or donating to the event can contact ASA President Chuck Pavlik at (541)563-5965.

• Wild Broodstock Collection

As of Feburary 12th, the Wild Broodstock Program has only collected 17 fish. 11 of those are combined from captures at the Fall Creek, Drift Creek, Cougar Creek (Five Rivers), and the North Fork Hatchery traps. The other 6 are line caught contributions to the program that will be part of the biters study. There is some confusion among anglers on the river that wild broodstock fish being collected for this program are being killed or dumped into lakes for angler harvest, and that is a large reason that many anglers are not willing to contribute fish to the wild broodstock program. These are some clarifications that are important to add to the discussion revolving around the wild broodstock program. Some were discussed at the meeting, and others I've gotten clarification from afterwards: Line caught wild fish collected for the broodstock program are spawned and released back into the river. It is true that two consecutive years of the eggs collected from wild fish for the broodstock program were lost at the hatchery due to equipment failures. The equipment has since been upgraded, however the trust of the angling public for this program has been put into question, and regaining that trust is a priority in order for this program to succeed. F1, or first generation offspring of wild parents (Wild Broodstock/Right Max Clip) that return to the hatchery without being caught are not used in the spawning of future broodstock. The F1 steelhead that return to the hatchery are killed and become part of the nutrient enhancement program. Traditional Hatchery Broodstock bucks are killed when they return to the hatchery and become part of the nutrient enhancement program. Eggs are taken from Traditional Broodstock hens and they are recycled back into the river to return to the ocean (or be caught by anglers). This is to ensure that the traditional broodstock do not spawn with wild fish in the river Excess traditional hatchery broodstock that return to the hatchery are sometimes placed into lakes for angler harvest opportunities, but this practice is NOT conducted on wild fish that are contributed to the broodstock program for spawning. This may also be done with some F1 fish, but I do not have clarification on that. Either way, it's important for anglers to be educated about how the program operates and that the adult wild fish being collected for the broodstock program are released back into the river after being spawned at the hatchery.

• ASA River Clean-up

The ASA River Clean-up event will take place on Sunday, April 15th this year. Contact Chuck to organize volunteer efforts. The event is short on a trailer that has been used in past years to haul away trash. There is still one available, but a second trailer could be helpful.

• Crabbing Boundary Signs on Alsea Bay

Due to safety concerns, ASA would like to work in participation with the state to create clear boundaries for recreational crabbing in Alsea Bay.

• Port of Alsea Ballot Measure

Regarding improvements of rotten docks. (No notes, not relevant to Linn-Benton County voters. Ask ASA for further details if you're in Lincoln County).

"At the Helm" (On board the Tacklebuster)

Tyler (Left) Teri (Center) and Jeurgen Turner (Right)

Tucked inside the world's smallest harbor in the worlds largest ocean, the Tacklebuster leaves Depoe Bay every morning in search of what the sea has to offer for it's visitors. The 50 foot Delta Marine vessel is powered by twin 8.3 liter 400c Cummins Diesel engines rated at 400 horse power each, and cruises comfortably at 18 knots. The boat itself has developed it's own character among the small community of fish cleaners, crab cookers, and other boats in the fleet that operate under the Dockside Charters office.

Captain Jeurgen Turner, more commonly known as "JT," has been in the charter industry for over 40 years. JT started out as a fish cleaner at the age of 14. By the next year, he was on board the Kingfisher as a deckhand, where he would eventually meet his wife Teri. JT became a captain at 19, and together, the Turner family has owned three charter boats since 1980, all of them named "Tacklebuster."

In more recent years, their son Tyler has stepped up into the wheelhouse as captain of the vessel, continuing the family tradition. Taking that step has been a unique challenge for Tyler, who was left paralyzed from the waist down after a motorcycle accident near the harbor in 2008.

In the crash, he impacted the driver's side door of a vehicle, knowing right away when he came to and couldn't feel anything from the chest down that he had sustained a lifelong injury. The first people to come to his aid were a firefighter and nurse, both also on motorcycles. They lifted his motorcycle off his chest and stabilized his neck as his father JT arrived on the scene. A helicopter then flew him to Emanuel Medical Center in Portland, where he underwent a five hour surgery to stabilize his spine. The accident broke his T4, T5, and T6 vertebrae. After two months of hospitalization and rehabilitation, he returned home.

Tyler was a star athlete in high school and excelled at football, basketball, and baseball, and began attending Mt. Hood Community College just prior to his accident. During rehabilitation, his mind was occupied with the transition of going from being active and mobile to being bound to a chair, often questioning if life was worth living like this. During the following months, he was able to find answers and inspiration in his family's history in the charter industry.

In his childhood, the Tacklebuster served as Tyler's babysitter during the week in the summer. He'd come down the dock early and take a nap in the bunk, then have a bowl of oatmeal at the galley table as JT prepared the boat for the trip that day. "When your dad has a charter boat, you can go out whenever you want, so we did." He'd often put fish in the boat, only to donate them at the dock to passengers that got seasick so they wouldn't go home empty-handed.

In spite of the adversity he faced entering the early years of adulthood being bound to a wheelchair,  following in his father's footsteps and becoming a captain was a natural progression for him that he became determined to fulfill. Carrying that legacy motivated him to meet the challenges of physical therapy to restore function muscle groups that most individuals with his diagnosis would lose. With the help of Kandice Vinson at Adapt Training in Beaverton, they started doing two hour sessions three to four days a week to regain some of his independence.

The position of the injuries to Tyler's vertebrae is near the middle of his rib cage, which normally would disconnect the ability to use muscles below the ribs to move. However, Tyler has dedicated years of work to regain as much of that muscle function as possible.

Having challenged himself through an extensive regimen of workouts and physical therapy to exceed the capabilities of his diagnosis, he felt ready to begin the Coast Guard medical exam process. Due to his physical condition, he would need to prove that he was able-bodied enough to perform the duties expected of him, but more importantly, he had to persuade the Coast Guard to even give him that opportunity.

On paper, he still has a spinal cord injury, and they were unwilling to even see him. With the help of Vinson, they underwent an appeals process, twice. Vinson and her fellow trainers faxed reports and evaluations to a doctor in Washington D.C. to prove that Tyler could stand for four hours, lift a certain amount of weight, as well as get to, and function at three levels of height.

Several U.S. Coast Guard Representatives evaluated Tyler's abilities on board the Tacklebuster to ensure that he was able to assist passengers that have fallen overboard, administer first aid, as well as safely access and depart the vessel, but his abilities met the satisfaction of the inspectors. Afterwards, he went on to excel as a student at Fryar's Maritime Services in Vancouver and complete the process of getting his captain's license.

Today, Captain Tyler Turner stands at the helm more hours during the day than he sits in his wheelchair. He works with trainers in the gym and at home on a daily basis to maintain his physical rehabilitation. While out on the water, he is focused on finding fish or whale watching for the visitors on the boat and doesn't have the time to think about his injury.

Deckhand Jacob Mikoleit says, "I grew up watching Tyler pitch baseball with my older brother, Jared. I was their bat boy until I was old enough to play, and he was someone a lot of us looked up to. He handed down one of his mitts and a bat to me. I had many of my fishing firsts on board the Tacklebuster with JT as captain, including my first bottom fishing trip and salmon. That was over 20 years ago, and I still enjoy working with him today."

Deckhand Jake displays an albacore on it's way to the icebox

The newest addition to the Turner family came last year when Tyler's fiance Lauren gave birth their daughter Hadley, their first child. The couple has plans to marry in September. These days Grandpa JT spends less time at the helm and more out on the deck, getting in on the action of landing fish for customers during the peak of the season. With his son relieving some of his captain duties, he gets to stay home now and then with Teri and spoil the grandchild while Tyler is running the boat.

Captain Jeurgen Turner displays a canary rockfish caught by a passenger on board the Tacklebuster

Whether you're fishing for halibut, tuna, trolling for coho, or bottom fishing, or even just out whale watching, the large deck space and accommodating cabin provide a safe and fun fishing platform for all ages. Tyler says, "Everyday is different out here on the ocean. I never get tired of waking up, jumping on the boat, and meeting visitors from all over the world." The Turner family eats, sleeps, and breathes the lifestyle of charter fishing. When the Tacklebuster departs Depoe Bay, all their worries are left on the dock, and they're focused on the task at hand, creating a positive experience for their customers. "I honestly enjoy watching others catch fish more than catching my own," says Tyler. "During their time on the boat, they get to experience this amazing outdoor adventure that has become my passion."

This article was published in the March 2018 issue of Northwest Sportsman Magazine and received an honorable mention the Excellence in Craft awards at the 2019 Northwest Outdoor Writers Association conference.