We were able to recover the lost clackacraft with its owner yesterday off the Duc. We were also able to get some gear and some seats out of the river. Pat graham (the guide who was the first to launch above) got the other seats, the net, fish box and some tackle back.
However the guys that were camped above, the ones that refused to help, manage to come down first thing the next day ahead of everyone else and clean out the gear that was left near the boat and on the bank.

Im not exactly sure what was taken but there were literally hundreds of plugs, nine rods and lots of other gear on the bank and in the river when they left that night. Pat said it was all gone by the time he got there the next morning.

Sad deal made worse by some real F@#!ers.

Gear stolen from a sunken boat on the Sol Duc---I've seen that movie before.

That type of low-life crime seems to be an epidemic up there.

its not just up there it is everywhere. low life people that suck off of good people! glad to here you at least got some of your stuff back.

Without having to confront a local with the Sheriff, I might add.
It's only a matter of time before "salvage rights" start claiming boats while the turn-around occurs.

Thanks for stepping up Pat! Nice to know there are some good guys left in the world. You've made some good friends for life.

You mean the camper are not camper but thief you almost dye in your boat and people just rip you of the next morning.Well there fish karma went right out the door.I'll bet they live around there and hope the shieff gets them .

Been following this thread. Very sad story and feel bad for the families involved.

This last part about campers who won't help and then go steal the gear is almost to much to believe... Karma will indeed catch up with those people

Where the campers in a drift boat?? If so what color! make model vehicle???? If we found out, got the word out maybe we could help!! man this pisses me off!!

are you thinking what i am thinking? a little back woods justice! i do not advacate violence, but somethings may just warrant it!!

floated that stretch last weekend. was a sobbering thought as we passed that boat tied up. thoughts and prayers

Hi All

I posted on the other topic about this. I know hindsight is 50/50. If the 2 guys were in a drift boat I think I talked to them early Friday morning. I was fishing Lake Creek and 2 guys in a drift boat came by about 7:30 to 8:30 am and told me about the accident etc. I know they had a bunch of gear with them but they also told me that were going to drift the entire river and camp along the way. Now all this has me wondering if it was them and if some of the things they told me were bull. I guess I will never know.

Bob - Thanks for providing this forum to communicate with the river-fishing community. Some of you know me, for those that don't I'm the West End Detective and Deputy Coroner for the Sheriff's Office. I am assigned to the Death Investigation that occurred on the Sol Duc and coordianted the rescue and recovery.

We appreciate those that came forward with information about the "wholesale" theft of property from the boat and along the river. we realise there are vultures or dishonorable folks in every crowd. Thanks to those have enough honor to return or turn the gear in.

I reviewed the forum's "salvage" comments and it is correct. There is no salvage rights on the rivers. Taking the gear from a boat accident is theft much the same as taking from a car accident. It's not a free for all. Committing theft could interfere with fishing privileges.

I even had someone asking me a day or so later if they could have the boat. Like most of you, everyone accumulates quite a bit of gear over the years and some of is not replaceable nor does insurance cover all of it (if any).

Those of you who have property it can turned into me (dropped off at the FarWest Motel) or Wildlife Fairbanks, or call 374-5324 and I'll come and get it. These folks took a pretty good hit. We expect when accidents happen that all the professionals on the river help out as best they can. This could happen to anyone of you and I'm sure you would want the same courtesies.

Ideally when finding gear from a boat accident you can and should turn it in to the Sheriff's Office and we can see that it gets to the rightfull owner. If an owner can not be identified? We have a claim process where after a 90 to 120 day period the found property is returned to the finder.

For the most part, we know the professionals have an honor code on the rivers and adhere to it. Every so often there is some friction. m We have not had to take a proactive approach on the rivers. We certainly not want to have to check boats at all the "take-outs" everytime an accident happens. Or have to do "stolen gear" checks at the "take-outs" during the season.

We are interested in the campers and anyone else who may have helped themselves to the property. If anyone has any info you can call or email rpieper@co.clallam.wa.us

We are also interested in some sort of a notification system among the Guides and professional fishing community so we can get the word out and work together. Perhaps have knowledgable river folk available to assist with search and rescue missions. We have very little resources.

Sorry for the length. Thank You to those of you who helped and are helping.

Randy Pieper

My fishing buddy and I had an experience on the Wynoochie years ago that was similar, but fortunately without a death. We came up on a flipped drift boat and 2 very wet and shaken anglers, the boat was jammed up next to fallen tree and a rip-rap bank. We helped dry-out the guys and went to work on getting the boat free, If not for an old rusty hand saw up in a barn off the river, that boat might still be there. Up-side to this is after about 3 hours of effort the boat popped loose, and about 1/2 of the gear was close by , we found the rest of thier gear downstream as we pushed-off ahead of the boys (the boat was flipped in the 1 technical section of the drift). It was put on mid-stream gravel bars along the way out, as they were the last boat left on the river that day I'm pretty sure they got all the stuff that wasn't on the bottom of the river . I don't post this to blow my own horn, but just to show that 99.5 % of the guys you run into on our rivers would do the same thing without thinking twice. Anything less in my opinon is sub-human.......C/22

It would be nice to find out who these people were and post their pictures on trees at the launches and all over websites with their names. Maybe this would discourage others. I cannot believe how low some people can get. A guide friend of mine dumped his boat out there a few years ago and it was pinned to the bottom upside down. He heard that a couple of locals were planning on "claiming it" It was amazing how the local guides stepped up and helped him get it out and let him use their extra gear until he could get it replaced. You OP guides are a great bunch of people. You take care of your own. I really enjoy coming out on a drift trip with you guys. My friend has since passed and told me how great all of you guys were to do this for him. Even though competitors, when the need was there you stepped up to the plate and took care of your own. I commend all of you. There is no room for low lifed thieves. I hope what goes around comes around for them.

Magnum ... you've brought up an interesting point. This twice in the past year that local guides could have easily assisted in a rescue situation. While it may not have saved a life in this situation, it certainly would have made life more comfortable and protected the property of the individuals involved.

The rescue off the island at the Sand Rock Hoel alst fall is another instance. The S&R crew had np clue where to even lauch. A couple of local guides could have slid a boat in several hundred yards above and taken out a few hundred yards below long before darkness fell. Instead, a family with several young 'uns spent a very cold night on the island.

I thnk it's time for Clallam / Jeffco S&R crews to have some contacts with the local guide association for help in situations like these.

While I understand they are limited by funding and a wide area they must know / cover ... why not enlist the help of the people that know these rivers with a knowledge far greater than 99% of the reminder of the population?

Hopefully we won't have a situation down the road where we all say "Only if ..."

Welcome to the board

Oh yeah, the campers need to hung by their nipples with 8/0 trebles!!!

Testicles with a single siwash over a hot fire.

question to me is?
did the "unhelpful campers" actually take/steal the equipment? or was it someone else?

were the "unhelpfull campers" camping in a truck mounted camper? a tent with road access? or from they're driftboat as the point of access?
tweakers or fishermen?

why? the unhelpful campers" were unhelpful?
drifters who didn't care?
crackheads?
tired? not aware of the seriousness?

sure a lot of question of why they did/or didn't do what they did
being ill informed of the situation sure raises questions of what really happened

but the S&R maybe connecting with the guides to avert future incidents is a priceless token in trade for the loss incurred

bottom line
i'd sure love to see these guy's held accountable for what they did
or?
see they're side of what happened before they had pic's posted

Magnum...You are right on track. possession is NOT 9/10's of the law!! Nor does finders-keepers rules apply. Had a horse die in the mountains years ago quite a ways in. In the William O Douglas wilderness actually...anyhow....Had to leave some gear on the horse and head back down since the pack horse was loaded up...After switching horses back at the bottom we met several groups coming down the trail...all expressing their sympathy..Got back to the site and found that one of those sympathetic *******s had my stuff stowed in the gear!!!

BY the way Magnum...I might have gone to some training with you..been in the same line of work for the past 20 years....PM me!

This is turning out to be even more of a sad story. When the campers would not help I called them sub-human, if they in fact did steal the lost gear, then I would have to say that are even less than that. Pretty sorry state of affairs when you are down that someone can (without guilt) kick you and create more harm, very sad event. My heart and prayers go out to all of their families, Fishy.