PORTLAND — The sound of an elk bugling is always a thrill, but when the call is inside it can seem a little strange. Still, there it was: the loud bugle of a bull elk echoing off the walls and ceiling at the Portland Expo Center.
It is one of the things that make the Northwest Sportsmen’s Show so interesting.
Walk the floor and exotic animal mounts glare threateningly at you. There are giraffes and wild cats and critters you did not even know existed. The majestic mounts of trophy buck deer and giant bull elk peer at you with a noble gaze.
Fishing guides and hunting outfitters show off their success, and every kind of tackle and gear imaginable is available. And then there are the boats, of every size and kind, from cruisers to kayaks.
Some of the most popular features year after year include the trout pond, where youngsters can actually catch trout. The indoor steelhead river features about two-dozen live steelhead and experts use the river display to teach steelheading techniques.
The Head and Horns competition and display are also popular. Hunters can bring in their trophies to get scored professionally for a shot at trophies. Record big game mounts are displayed as well.
One of the best reasons to visit the show is the plethora of seminars put on by the guides and experts. Spend just a little time at one of these seminars and you can shorten your learning curve greatly.
The subjects run the gamut from fly-fishing and camp cooking to bait rigging to fishing techniques for tuna or salmon. There is also a women’s forum with seminars to educate women about fishing and hunting.
Ray Bailey of RC Guide Service from Wilbur, Wash., gave the first presentation of the show at the brand new Mack’s Lures Kokanee Tank. The tank features a school of mature kokanee and a monster triploid rainbow trout.
Kokanee fishing is really catching on so the new display will undoubtedly be popular. The display drew a sizable gathering early Wednesday.
Kokanee, or “kokes” as they are sometimes called, are a landlocked sockeye salmon that are planted in many Southwest Washington lakes. They are great fighters and are exceptional on the table.
Bailey is an expert on catching kokes. He has been guiding for 32 years, and has a treasure trove of knowledge about these finicky fish gleaned from his many seasons of fishing Roosevelt Lake in northern Washington.
Bailey offered many tips during his presentation, including keeping your electronics set for arches instead of fish emblems.
“The fish setting keys in on a fish’s swim bladder,” said Bailey. “Kokanee have no gas bladder, so kokanee will not show up unless the unit is set for arches.”
Bailey starts out trolling with a wide variety of colors, baits, and dodgers until he figures out what the kokanee want to hit. He then switches all the gear to the effective patterns. If he is catching fish and the bite suddenly stops he goes back to making changes to adapt.
He also spoke about the adjustments needed to catch kokanee from early spring until they spawn in the fall.
The seasoned kokanee veteran will be giving two seminars a day through the show’s end on Sunday.
Scott Haugen gave a seminar at the indoor steelhead river on bank fishing techniques for steelhead. Haugen, who hosts a television show about big-game hunting, is also a world-class outdoor writer and steelhead aficionado.
Along with guide Jody Smith, also known for his big game skills, Haugen offered tips for fishing for these incredible sea-run rainbows.
He reminded fishermen to not wade into a river unless it was necessary. Anglers often position themselves right where the fish want to hold, spooking whole stretches of river. The two guides also spoke about the need to be mobile and cover water.
Another tip is to spend as much time with your gear in the water as possible. To that end pre-tied leaders are a good idea, as is carrying everything with you so you aren’t spending time walking up and down the bank for gear.
There are dozens of seminars held each day. There are seminars for fly-fishing and fly tying, salmon fishing, steelheading, kokanee, and more. Dan Ayers of the WDFW will hold seminars on razor clams, and Eric Winther, also of the WDFW, will hold seminars on the bounty fishery for pike minnow.
Hunters can learn about calling elk and survival basics from experts. There are several camp cooking seminars, and the indoor steelhead river will be the site for a full slate of steelheading seminars.
Dockside Charters of Depoe Bay will hold several seminars on fishing for tuna, and Captain Milt Gudgell of Pacific Salmon Charters out of Ilwaco will teach proper techniques for caring for and cleaning fish.
The Northwest Sportsmen’s Show is being held through Sunday at that the Portland Expo Center on Marine Drive. The cost is $15 for a single-day pass, or $24 for a two-day pass. Ages 6 to 16 get in for $5, and members of the military can get a break with the 2 for 1 pass that allows two members of the military admittance for $15. Children 5 and younger are free.
