SEPTEMBER 2007: AROUND THE STATE, DOWNTIME
A river, a lodge, a gourmet menu, and fly fishing for the
finicky
Not everyone enjoys waking up in the early hours of the morning
in order to be in an ice-cold river by dawn, content to
continue throwing a line in the water until dark.
But those who do know that the best fishing holes are often
well off the beaten track and it helps to have a place to rest
nearby. And if that place is more than a bed but a destination,
all the better.
While some lodges have moved to a standard bed-and-breakfast
model to attract non-fishing clients, the folks who run
Morrison’s Rogue River Lodge in Merlin have found that
staying true to their roots is their greatest asset. General
manager Lowell Pratt explains that the lodge’s greatest
attraction is the rural environment and riverside location.
“If you’re coming from the city, it’s a
rustic getaway,” he says. Their addictive orange rolls
and expert fishing guides encourage repeat visits.
Morrison’s opened in 1946 as a fishing lodge and the
fly-fishing opportunities continue to attract visitors,
especially for the height of the fall steelhead run. “You
are 80% to 90% sure you’re going to get a fish,”
says Chris Santella, Portland-based author of Fifty Places to
Fly Fish Before You Die.
No fishing lodge would be complete without a fishing story or
two. Guests can share their stories around a four-course
gourmet dinner served in a dining area or on the outdoor deck
next to a salmon pond. Pratt says staff members take pictures
of each visitor’s catch, encouraging a friendly
competition.
Not everyone’s idea of fun includes standing in a frigid
stream at dawn, but regardless, Morrison’s appeals to
fly-fishing fanatics and their landlubber counterparts.
COLLEEN MORAN
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