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Never too late to become a steelhead angler

Burton Keen holds a Grande Ronde hatchery steelhead -- the prize catch of his life-long fishing career. (Mark Potter)
By Rich Landers richl@spokesman.com(509) 459-5508
Burton Keen holds a Grande Ronde hatchery steelhead -- the prize catch of his life-long fishing career. (Mark Potter)
Burton Keen holds a Grande Ronde hatchery steelhead -- the prize catch of his life-long fishing career. (Mark Potter)

FISHING — Mark Potter is all smiles about his recent steelhead fishing trip with his father-in-law on the Grande Ronde River.

The two were fishing with guide John Sullivan and they caught-and-released eight wild steelhead plus two hatchery keepers to extend the fun to the dinner table.

Keen is a WWII veteran, served in Germany in the signal corp and followed General Patton’s troops.

Says Potter:

Floated Boggan’s to Shumaker. First time Burt remembers fishing on river. About 75 feet from the pull-out Burt hooked this lunker.

Burton Keen, 92, and his wife Avis, 89, moved to Spokane from Northern Minnesota a year ago November.  Burt said after catching a beautiful wild fish, “This is the biggest fish I have ever caught , and I’m 92 and been fishing all my life.”

It was hard for him to release it.

A day to remember.

* This story was originally published as a post from the blog "Outdoors Blog." Read all stories from this blog