http://www.legacy.com/can-victoria/Obituaries.asp?Page=LifeStory&PersonID=111291361
Vancouver Island lost one of it's most famous anglers with the recent passing of Don "The Legend" Erickson. Don was a perennial winner in the old King Fisherman contest. Steelhead was his specialty in the 70's and he was the best by far. In 1976 he won a nationwide contest as the best angler in Canada and was elected to the Fishing Hall of Fame. He won such honors for catching a 22 lb summer run steelhead on a size 12 dry fly with a 3 lb test tippet. He got the fish in the Nitinat River, and if I remember correctly, it came from the Red Rock pool which was open to fishing at that time.
Another year, he was fishing for sea run cutthroats in the Camel Back Pool on the San Juan when he hookeded and landed a 27 3/4 lb summer run steelhead. He was using 6 lb test spinning gear and a white miniature marshmallow for bait. It seems that there were small white grubs falling off the old dead tree on the far side of the pool, by the back eddy, and they would curl up when they hit the water. He released over 20 cutthroats that day as well. On his way home, he stopped to visit a taxidermist to get the fish mounted. while in the shop, a passerby stole that beautiful fish from his vehicle. However, all was not lost as he caught another one of the same size that did make it too the taxidermist.
Don was one of those anglers who fished hard and smart, and put in tremendous hours perfecting his craft. He ws also a good salmon fisherman and guided the owners of Hardy Brothers Tackle from England to several 40+ lb springs on mooching tackle and cut plug herring in Sooke.
Don also loved photographing steelhead in mid jump. He would bring poeple who never had caught a steelhead out fishing, hook them up to fish, and then photograph the action.
I'm sure Don is somewhere now, hooked up to another giant steelhead and having the fight of his life.
Vancouver Island lost one of it's most famous anglers with the recent passing of Don "The Legend" Erickson. Don was a perennial winner in the old King Fisherman contest. Steelhead was his specialty in the 70's and he was the best by far. In 1976 he won a nationwide contest as the best angler in Canada and was elected to the Fishing Hall of Fame. He won such honors for catching a 22 lb summer run steelhead on a size 12 dry fly with a 3 lb test tippet. He got the fish in the Nitinat River, and if I remember correctly, it came from the Red Rock pool which was open to fishing at that time.
Another year, he was fishing for sea run cutthroats in the Camel Back Pool on the San Juan when he hookeded and landed a 27 3/4 lb summer run steelhead. He was using 6 lb test spinning gear and a white miniature marshmallow for bait. It seems that there were small white grubs falling off the old dead tree on the far side of the pool, by the back eddy, and they would curl up when they hit the water. He released over 20 cutthroats that day as well. On his way home, he stopped to visit a taxidermist to get the fish mounted. while in the shop, a passerby stole that beautiful fish from his vehicle. However, all was not lost as he caught another one of the same size that did make it too the taxidermist.
Don was one of those anglers who fished hard and smart, and put in tremendous hours perfecting his craft. He ws also a good salmon fisherman and guided the owners of Hardy Brothers Tackle from England to several 40+ lb springs on mooching tackle and cut plug herring in Sooke.
Don also loved photographing steelhead in mid jump. He would bring poeple who never had caught a steelhead out fishing, hook them up to fish, and then photograph the action.
I'm sure Don is somewhere now, hooked up to another giant steelhead and having the fight of his life.
