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Author Topic: Another Vedder River legend passes  (Read 3654 times)

Dave

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Another Vedder River legend passes
« on: November 19, 2014, 09:16:58 PM »

Sad to report but another Vedder River steelhead angling legend has passed on.  Creighton Bradley, Brad to most all who knew him, died Nov 12.  Brad was a logger all his life, mostly in the Chilliwack River Valley but also up north in the Fort Nelson area during winter freeze up when snow in the Chilliwack area curtailed logging.  I was a young steelheader in the mid 60’s –early 70’s and Brad, along with his fishing buddies Jim Little, Rudy Franks, George Friskey, Mel Mckeachran, and Harry Kelly were idols of mine, as they were among the best steelheader’s on this river at that time.
This was the time of Silex reels, glass rods, full length Pioneer rain jackets, black boot laced hip waders and a bait box full of illegal, boraxed chum roe. :o 
I have 2 special memories of Brad … first a day on the Camp Run, my favourite piece of water on this river, Army base side, when I saw him hook 3 steelhead on single salmon eggs, the real ones that used to come in small jars; and the second, perhaps in the mid 70’s he and I were fishing in the middle river area, directly opposite Jim Little’s place, when he hooked a really big steelhead; I was above him in the run and watched for a while as he fought the fish .. I took another cast or two and hooked and landed a fish of about 12 lbs .. I tagged and released it (we were spaghetti tagging steelhead then), and realized Brad was still fighting his fish, at least 15 minutes later. I came up to him well downstream and he said this was the biggest steelhead he had ever hooked .. he figured well over 20 lbs but he couldn't follow it further and we watched his Superba empty of line and finally the fish broke off.
His words were… well, if you knew Brad, you'd know what he said ;D
RIP my friend, and thanks for the lessons.
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riptide

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Re: Another Vedder River legend passes
« Reply #1 on: November 19, 2014, 10:29:38 PM »

Condolences Dave , great story and memory . Would be nice to see some sort of book about the local legends on the Vedder from the heyday with firsthand knowledge from guys that were there , before they are all gone . I'm sure it would be a top seller in the local fishing community .
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Fishing is not a matter of life or death ...it's more important than that

Flytech

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Re: Another Vedder River legend passes
« Reply #2 on: November 20, 2014, 08:11:05 AM »

I didn't know the man, but anytime someone has the decency to remember someone like this I applaud it. Sorry to see you lose someone that had an impact on your life. I'm sure if there is such a place he's enjoying all the steelhead fishing he can handle now.

islanddude

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Re: Another Vedder River legend passes
« Reply #3 on: November 20, 2014, 08:46:16 AM »

Dave.
 I heard about and met a few of those guys you mentioned when I briefly fished the Vedder from 1975-78. Did you ever meet Len Aimes,Bob Nuels, Ken Langtot, Greg and Chris Eaton, Terry Duck?
  We all have a date with death. I am glad you remember and pass on your experiences with Creighton Bradley.
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Dave

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Re: Another Vedder River legend passes
« Reply #4 on: November 20, 2014, 09:20:43 AM »

Wes, I fished with all of them. 
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chris gadsden

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Re: Another Vedder River legend passes
« Reply #5 on: November 20, 2014, 11:42:40 AM »

Nicely written Dave and thanks for doing so.

BNF861

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Re: Another Vedder River legend passes
« Reply #6 on: November 20, 2014, 05:27:00 PM »

I didn't know the man, but anytime someone has the decency to remember someone like this I applaud it.

Well said.

Although sorry to hear of a passing, thanks Dave for sharing a story.

Rather than to dwell on the inevitable, a tale of a fond memory of the past is the best way to share the legacy of a man.
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