HOOD RIVER, Ore. — Friends of a missing fishing guide have started a GoFundMe to help his wife and two young kids after his body was recovered on Monday morning.
Members of the Hood River County Sheriff's Office recovered the body of 26-year-old Michael Shufeldt. The Columbia River Intertribal Police Officers and the Skamania County Sheriff’s Office also assisted in the recovery. Shufeldt was found in the Columbia River about 1.75 miles west of where he was last seen near the mouth of the White Salmon River.
"Although this was not the outcome anyone had hoped for, we are grateful that we were able to assist the family in recovering their loved one," said the Hood River County Sheriff's Office in a press release recounting the recovery.
Sheriff's officials said the sunken vessel, a 24-foot fishing boat, was also successfully recovered by a private salvage company. They said initial reports that the vessel was a North River boat, were incorrect.
Shufeldt was last seen on Wednesday morning. He was working as a fishing guide on a boat with six other people fishing for Chinook salmon near the mouth of the White Salmon River. At around 11:30 a.m., Hood River County Sheriff's deputies responded to an overturned boat in the area. Investigators said during a fast-moving storm, a large wave had hit the boat, causing it to capsize. Crews pulled six people from the water, but Shufeldt was missing.
Cameron Black, Shufeldt’s friend, neighbor and fellow fishing guide, is one of several people who have been helping in what deputies called a recovery effort for Shufeldt.
"Our kids played together, families had dinner together," Black said.
Black said Shufeldt was a gifted fishing guide, especially for someone his age.
"I'd always called Michael the old-school fisherman caught in a young guide's body," Black said. "The kid was good."
Black said he's grateful for the support raised for Shufeldt's family through the GoFundMe. He hopes it continues.
"People rallying around a young family and really helping out a guy that honestly deserved to be here a lot longer than he was," Black said.