ON THE WATER FOR APRIL ( 2K11 )

ON THE WATER FOR APRIL 2011

I need to report some "stunning" news to the membership of the Longview Hills Fishing Club.  In an emergency meeting of the club board of directors, we have accepted a directive from the Governor of the State to take control of the Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife.  Citing the Club's efforts and hard work in the sustainability of fish runs, the Governor issued the directive to take effect immediately.  The board appointed club member and Joe Longo Award Winner CASEY DECKARD to head the Department.  In other related news, the board has hired JAMES RAY, from the State of Alaska, to return to join Mr. DECKARD as Associate Director.  DEREK WILSON was appointed to the position of Head Fish Biologist and BRIAN HUDSON was appointed Director of Angler Education for the State.  It was also decided to move the Department's headquarter to Newport.  All Fishing Club volunteers may expect a 100% salary increase in their next check.  AND, if you think this is not true, be sure to read the first entry on the Activity Schedule.

In other news from the area, we had a tsunami alert this month.  The biggest damage to Lincoln County was to the harbor at Depoe Bay.  The videos of the event were quite dramatic.  It is a wakeup call and certainly points to the need to prepare for such events.  When the BIG ONE happens, it will be a very much larger event.  We are past due for a
Cascadia Subduction Zone earthquake.  The last one was in 1700 and we usually have such a quake every 230 years.  It was great news that Lincoln City Police Officer STEVEN DODDS has recovered enough to be named the Grand Marshall for the Loyalty Days Parade on April 30.  I am sure we all wonder what has became of the shooter and hope the mystery is soon resolved.  The NOAA project continues to near completion ON TIME and ON BUDGET.  What a boost for our local economy!  It is great that our club Vice President LARRY DALE is now home and recovering.  Larry has be greatly missed and we hope he will be back in the groove to help with the club projects.  He is a great hand in helping with the club and community activities.  BILL FURGASON returned from his trip to Scotland.  Be sure to ask Bill about his adventures.  Maybe he can give us some stories at the upcoming breakfast meeting.

Looking back on March, we had quite a few Steelhead in the Schooner Creek trap.  The fish were passed upstream and we hope that we will see even larger returns in the future.  We had a great tour of NOAA.  It is uncertain if there will be any tours in the future.  Oregon State Police Trooper Heather Van Meter gave the club a great presentation on "Sport Fishing and the Law 101". 

Turning our attention to April, it will be a VERY BUSY MONTH for your club.  Your assistance will be needed for the success of the events that we have committed to help.  Beginning April 2, the Siletz Watershed Council have asked for help with the Siletz River Clean up Day to keep the river clean.  There will be free food and prizes.  Then that same evening, there will be a Sportsman's Banquet at Newport High School.  Your club will have a table there to explain the things that we do to the community.  We will show our club video "Fishing Forever" that WAYDE DUDLEY and MAC ANDREW produced and directed.  MIKE SAMPLES provide the narration.  If you have not seen this great video, be sure to get a copy.  On April 5, we will meet with ODFW at our Quarterly Meeting to plan upcoming events and projects.  April 7 is our fun and informative monthly breakfast meeting.

Then things really get busy.  On April 14 the 50,000 plus Steelhead Smolts arrive at the Palmer Creek ponds.  Frank Stout will be bringing his trailer to the site again this year and we will set up camp.  We will be watching over and feeding them while they acclimate themselves for about seven days before being released down Palmer Creek and into the Siletz River.  Then the next day our volunteers will be helping ODFW with installing a net and with stocking fish for the 1st ever Olalla Reservoir Fishing Derby and Earth Day Event 2011 on April 16 from 8am until 3pm.  The 2nd meeting of the month on April 21 will feature Stan van de Wetering from the Siletz Tribe telling us of the Tribe's fish restoration and sustainability programs.  To wrap up the month we have the Newport Loyalty Days Parade on April 30.  Officer STEVEN DODDS will act as Grand Marshall and look for Jake (aka WAYDE DUDLEY) and Elwood (aka WAYNE HILL) Blues in the Newport Police Volunteer's car.

WHEW, what a month it will be.

See you On The Water

Big Fish