Klamath Lake will always hold a special spot in my heart. After a co-worker reported catching 6-8 Lb. wild rainbows on his vacation to Agency Lake (the adjoining lake and part of Upper Klamath Lake), I knew I had to get up there to check this out for myself. This was way back in 1969 and when I landed my first 5 LB. rainbow the following year, I was hooked.

I have been fishing the lake for almost 40 years now. In fact those early trips were my introduction to Central Oregon and a love affair that has gone on for all this time.

This past spring while on a trip to California to visit our kids, I visited my uncle, Floyd Lay, and we got into a discussion about Klamath Lake. I had introduced them to the area back in the early 80's when they took up fishing late in their lives. In fact, it is about the only place they ever fished!

Floyd asked me if I would consider meeting him and my aunt Dee at the lake and taking them fishing for a few days. I knew in my heart immediately it was not only the right thing to do, but something I would love to do. You see, it was in all probability, my aunt's last fishing trip to her favorite lake. She has been through so much the last few years and the health issues have been taking there toll.

She has Parkinson's along with early dementia. These came on top of the removal of her eye from a malignant tumor and leaking spinal fluid just a couple of years back.

The trip was set for late July and my wife along with my oldest grandson joined me on a fishing trip I will always remember. Not so much for the quality of the fishing but for the nostalgic look back with my aunt and uncle on their final fishing trip to the lake they loved so much.

We got down there early Fri. evening and after getting set-up in the cabins we rented at Sportsman's River Retreat on the Williamson River, we made a run down the river to fish the mouth of the river before dark. We managed to get into a couple of dink rainbows before the sun disappeared behind the Cascades.

The next morning, my aunt wasn't able to make it and my grandson and Uncle and I hit it early and worked an area called the "searchlight" for any bows that might be hanging in the 6-7 foot hole out in front of it. Most people don't realize that much of the lake is really shallow and especially by late summer. Some of the water in this area was only 3-4 feet this year.

We stuck some rainbows to 3 LB. and had fun reminiscing about all the big rainbows we had caught over the years. My Dad's was right at 11 Lb. and came the year before he died back in 1993. My aunt's best was around 12 LB. My uncle had the family record of 13.5 Lb. The best one I landed was around 12.5 LB. I can't count the 15 LB.+ monster my Dad knocked off with the net back in 1993 right at the boat. It took me a while to get over that fish!

Next day all 5 of us made it out to try our luck in front of the Williamson River for the famous rainbows that make this lake a trophy trout anglers paradise. Every year a few big rainbows pushing 20 LB. are caught and 8-10 LB. rainbows are fairly common.

The Cleo's and Steelies we were dragging weren't doing it so we decided to take a ride up to Agency Lake and fish the Wood River mouth area that used to be so good to us. When we got there, about 4 boats were working the shelf that drops off about a hundred feet out from the river. My uncle got into the best bow of the trip and decided he wanted to keep the long but skinny 5 LB. rainbow.

We were a little late for prime time on the lake this year but this was the only spot in my busy schedule that we could all get together. We did manage to get into some rainbows each day but none of the big dogs we were hoping for.

On the last morning my aunt went out, it was just her, my uncle and myself. I will never forget seeing my aunt weeping and waving goodbye as the boat jumped up on plane heading back in that morning. She knew she would never be back to the lake that had given her so much joy.

On our way back to Bend, Jan and I decided to stop by Crater Lake for old times sake. It sets right above the Wood River Valley and is only about 40 minutes from the lake. I had forgotten how brilliantly blue the water is.

As we drove home, I wondered if I would ever return to the lake that started my quest for trophy trout....

Tight Lines, Rick