“Hey, Tracker, have you seen Thumper?”

“I just let her out, Sugar Plum.  She was sitting whimpering by the back door and I thought she needed to take care of business.”

“Holy Hannah, Tracker, it’s steelhead season.  You know what that means!”

It had become a daily ritual during steelhead season for Thumper to go for a swim, which was actually a three mile adventure in the river.

“Wow, this is great.  The water is cool and these nice men in the boat are talking to me and feeding me.  I think I’ll stick around to see where they are going.

“Hi, I’m Thumper.  Mind if I tag along?”

“Nice to meet you, Thumper.  I’m Matt and this is Al.  We’d be happy to have you along.

“This is our first fishing trip on this stretch of the Salmon River.  Got any tips where to catch the big steelhead?”

“Just stick by me.  I’ll be your guide; just don’t tell the game warden because I am not a licensed guide.”

“Your secret’s safe with us, Thumper,” said Al.

“Look, there’s the Canadian geese that live at my house.  I’m glad they are back. 

“Hey, guys, how was your winter?  How many eggs are in the nest? 

“Good to see you, too.  I think I’ll swim to shore to see the moo cows and sniff around a bit.

“Gizmo, how’s things?  Oops, got to go; the boat is drifting ahead of me.  See you later.

“You really should stop your boat here for a bit; the fish are usually biting in this hole.  I’ll go visit the mama deer and get out of your way.

“Oh, the babies!  How cute!  Be sure to teach them about the hunters so they have a chance to grow up.”

The fishermen dropped anchor on Thumper’s advice and landed two steelhead each.  They were amazed and wondered how that hound dog could know where to fish.  They released them so they could continue fishing.

“Good job!  Time to move on.  I see my buddy, Bucky Beaver, over there.  I need to check on his work.”

“Thumper, it’s been a while.  How are things at the ranch?” asked Bucky.

“OK.  Except there’s a new puppy, Gabbie, and she’s a pest.  Always trying to hang out with me and get all the attention.

What about you?  How did the winter treat you?”

“Not bad, but I’m way behind on my new dam.  I better stop jawing and start gnawing.”

“OK, but be sure to leave my favorite shade tree standing.  I need a cool spot to watch the activity on my stretch of the river.”

“Deal!”

“Wait!  That log is a perfect spot to drop anchor.  I’ve seen some big fish sitting in its shadow. 

“Get over here!  There’s a big male swimming right behind this rock.”

Just as the boat started drifting Thumper’s way, there was a huge splash and they all turned to see a bald eagle soaring away with that very same fish in his talons.

“Too bad, Matt.  You just weren’t quick enough, but it was a spectacular sight.  Isn’t it amazing that they carry the fish head first and tail to the rear for aerodynamics?”

“Wow!  That was great!” yelled Al.  “I got it all on video!  Maybe I can win a prize on the Outdoor Channel!”

“This is awesome, Thumper.  What’s next?”

“You just sit by this hole while I go visit the herd of Palominos.  I’m sure you’ll hook something, if you cast right behind that giant boulder.  Make sure you’re ready to set the hook when it tails down at the bottom of the riffle.

“OK.  Who’s the fastest foal?  Wanna race?”

“Thumper, get back here,” yelled Matt.  “You’re not going to believe this!”

Matt had his rod double rigged with two flies about a foot apart and he had hooked two steelhead.

“Holy Hannah, Matt!  That’s one for the record books.  You guys are having an amazing day!”

“OK,” said Al.  “I got enough pictures.  Let’em go and well move on down the river.  It should be my turn next.”

“You’re right, Al, but you have to put down the camera and pick up your fishing pole,” Matt advised.

“Around the next bend, there’s a shady spot that the fish like.  I’ll meet you there; I have to stop and see my old friends, the gobblers.

“Hi, Lionel.  How are Barney and the gang?  Do you like your new digs?”

“Hi, Thumper.  Nice to see you.  It’s a lot quieter here without Gabbie.  We can actually eat in peace and the family is growing.  Blondie is roosting on several eggs. Come back to see the babies in about a month.”

“Will do.  Take care.  I have to check on my fishermen.”

As Thumper swam towards the boat, she watched Al react to a bite.  He had trouble setting the hook, lost his balance and ended up in the river.  Kersplash!

“Thumper, save my pole!”

Thumper grabbed the pole by the handle and brought it back to Al with a miniature steelhead still on the hook.

“What’s your next trick, Al?   What are you going to do, if you actually hook a big one?

“You have to move on down the river since you scared all the fish in this hole.  There’s one more good spot before the take out.”

“Lead the way.”

As Matt and Al dropped anchor for the last time, Thumper ran off into the bushes.

“Quack, quack.  Quack, quack.”

“How are things?  It looks like there’s quite a few newbies in this flock.  Tell them they don’t have to be afraid of me.”

“Quack, quack!”

“Thumper, we hit our limit!  Al even caught two steelhead.  I guess it’s time to put to shore.

“Wait!  What is this?” asked Matt.  He had just spotted the signpost on the bank under the bridge.  There was a reward poster that looked like an old time “Wanted Dead or Alive” type.  There was a picture of Thumper with instructions to use the phone to call her owners and a $5.00 bill attached to the cell phone as incentive.  “Reward $5.00.  Please leash Thumper here and call 555-5599.”  Below the poster was a long red leash for attaching Thumper.

“Thumper, is that you?”

“Please don’t hook me to the leash!  Sugar Plum and Tracker did that because I am always taking off down river.  I really worried them one time when I went all the way to Ellis; I was having too much fun to stop, but I was extra tired and sore.”

“Tracker, this is Matt.  We have Thumper here.”

“Thanks for calling.  Sugar Plum will be down to get her.”

“She took us fishing.  She is a great guide!”

“Yep, that’s why she is called the River Princess.  That girl really knows her way around the Salmon River.”

By Aly Matthews Bruner