Winter Issue 2015

SAVE THE DATE!
April 11
Salmon Quest
Guided Fishing, Awards Dinner
Fish and Benefit Metro-Area Fisheries
June 6
Sandy Salmon Classic
Protect Oregon’s Fishing Heritage,
Wild and Hatchery
Fish and Benefit Metro-Area Fisheries
October 15-17
SHOT Tournament
Fishing in Teams of Three, Awards Dinner
Fish and Benefit Tillamook-Area Fisheries
November 14
2015 Hall of Fame Banquet
Hall of Fame Awards and Banquet
Silent and Oral Auction, Games
Benefit Fish and Their Habitats
THE NORTHWEST STEELHEADER
Volume 30, No. 1
THE NORTHWEST STEELHEADER
is published quarterly by the
Association of Northwest Steelheaders.
4 2015 Salmon Quest
6 Will Work For Fish . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Bill Kremers, Bob Rees
8 Town Lake Restoration Project . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Robert Bradley
Staff
Executive Director
Office Manager
Outreach Coordinator
Administrative Assistant
Winter Issue, 20 1 5
Bob Rees
Leslie Hinea
Joyce Sherman
Stevie Parsons
Editorial Board
Trey Carskadon, Joe Domenico,
Ian Fergusson, Brad Halverson,
Bill Kremers, Bob Oleson, Bob Rees,
Norm Ritchie, Joyce Sherman, Tom Smoot
Design/Production
Advertising Sales
9 Volunteer Spotlight: Stevie Parsons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Bob Rees
10 Hatchery and Wild in the Clackamas Basin . . . . . . . . . .Brad Halverson
11 Raffle Tickets For Sale!
12 Fishing with Buzz: Winter Steelhead . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Buzz Ramsey
14 Careful Release of Wild Fish . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Brad Halverson
15 Nutrient Enhancement Program
16 2014 SHOT Tournament . . . . . . . . . . .Norm Ritchie and Tim Lenihan
River Graphics
17 27th Annual Hall of Fame Banquet
ANWS Officers/Directors
18 Chapter Reports
Business Members; Life Members
President
Vice President
VP Conservation
Secretary
Treasurer
Communications
Development
Education
Government Affairs
Membership
Resources
Bill Kremers
Joe Domenico
Dan Drazan
Tim Wilson
Brannan Hersh
Joyce Sherman
Norm Ritchie
Mike Myrick
Trey Carskadon,
Stevie Parsons
Ian Fergusson,
Brad Halverson
River Rights Art Israelson
Watersheds Doug Hunt
Regional Bill Hedlund,
Tom Smoot,
Gary Lutman
Chapter Presidents
19 Legislative Report . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Bob Oleson
20 Activities, Angling, and Activism
22 DamNation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Brad Halverson
24 “Those Women!” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Stevie Parsons
25 Oregon Hatchery Research Center . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Brad Halverson
28 Near Catastrophe on the Sandy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Brad Halverson
30 Calendar of Events
Volunteer Opportunities
Support Our Advertisers
31 Chapter Meeting Information
The Association of Northwest Steelheaders
Anglers dedicated to enhancing and protecting fisheries
and their habitats for today and the future.
Bob Askey, Larry Bell, Doug Briggs,
Bill Hedlund, Don Hyde, Ken Johnson,
Duane Kitzmiller, Yancy Lind,
Dave Reggiani, Bob Rees, Tom VanderPlaat,
Brian Winn, Sam Wurdinger
Your letters, photos, and articles are welcome and will be printed as
space permits. Please call or e-mail River Graphics, 541-614-1252 or
[email protected], for article specifications.
Honorary Directors
THE NORTHWEST STEELHEADER is published quarterly by the Association
Frank Amato, Nick Amato, Bruce Belles,
Jack Glass, Liz Hamilton, Eric Linde,
Hobart Manns, Jim Martin, Buzz Ramsey
About the Cover
Jamie Edwards of the Emerald Empire
Chapter with her first ever steelhead,
caught on the Siletz River.
Photo by Wes Edwards
Visit our website: www.nwsteelheaders.org
of Northwest Steelheaders, 6641 SE Lake Road, Milwaukie, OR 97222-2161; 503653-4176, [email protected]. Opinions expressed in these pages are
those of the authors, chapters, and committees who submit and/or write material,
and may or may not reflect the views of the Association of Northwest Steelheaders.
The editorial board reserves the right to edit all material in the interests of clarity,
good taste, or to meet space requirements. Reprint rights reserved. Please contact
the Association office and the author for permission before reprinting any material.
Distributed free of charge.
Winter 2015 • 3
2015 S A LM O N Q U ES T
Wes Edwards
Bill Monroe
John Shmilenko
Bill Monroe, Jr.
tinue the Quest tradition that raises funds to enhance Willamette basin sport fisheries.
The Quest had more than 150 participants last year. If the weather and the Chinook
run cooperate, we expect around 175 participants this year.
Fishing is in teams of two anglers with one of the many outstanding guides who
donate their services for the event, followed by a catered
banquet, awards ceremony, and silent auction at the
Airport Holiday Inn, 8439 NE Columbia Blvd. in
Portland.
The Quest is an outstanding way for you to enjoy
a great day fishing while giving back to the resource!
Proceeds from the tournament are used to improve sport
fisheries through on-the-ground projects to improve fish
runs and fishing opportunity. Using past Quest funds, we
have purchased a freezer trailer to store excess hatchery
salmon carcasses until volunteers can place them back
into local rivers to provide nutrients for young
salmonids. These funds were leveraged with donations
and volunteer effort to realize value many times the actual expenditures. (See article, page 15.)
Liz Hamilton
he 2015 Willamette Salmon Quest fishing tournament will be held April 11, and
T
you are invited! The Quest is a friendly competition on Portland-area rivers with
some of the best guides in the Pacific Northwest. The Steelheaders are proud to con-
4 • The Northwest Steelheader
W I L L W OR K
F OR
ow you did like the
salmon fishing last summer and fall? For many of
us, it was a salmon season to
remember. Want a repeat
next year and then more
repeats in the coming years?
Join the Northwest Steelheaders and help us make it
happen.
There will be lots of
important decisions to be
made during the coming
months regarding our fishing and its future. There are
new Fish and Wildlife commissioners to be selected,
ODFW is searching for a
new director, and there is the budget
question of license increases and how
that money will be spent. I know everyone has an opinion on these decisions.
Join us and have your friends join us to
participate in these decisions.
We have an excellent team in place
to ensure our voices will be heard loud
and clear, and, as our membership
grows, our voices will be even louder.
Our team starts with Executive
Director, Bob Rees, Oregon lobbyist
Bob Oleson, and Government Affairs
Director Trey Carskadon. Assembling a
team of this caliber does not happen by
accident. These people want to work
for us because of who we are, what we
H
had a great fishing season and was
grateful to return to the office to
prepare for the battles ahead. I wish
we didn’t have to call them battles, but
we still seem a long ways away from
having a civil conversation on how to
manage our natural resources to produce and sustain wild steelhead and
salmon runs.
We’re still embroiled in our hatchery lawsuit on the McKenzie River.
Coupled with our partners at the
McKenzie River Guides Association
and the Northwest Sportfishing
Industry Association, we’re making
progress to keep such frivolous lawsuits
from impacting our sportfishing oppor-
I
6 • The Northwest Steelheader
F I SH
Plans For Our Future
stand for, and what we
can accomplish.
Several other people
speak for us at countless
meetings and hearings:
Norm Ritchie, Brad
Halverson,
Ian
Fergusson, Tim Lenihan,
Yancy Lind, and Joyce
Sherman, to name a few.
They have attended
meetings and hearings to
protect the Salmonberry
River Corridor, prevent
coal train pollution,
reduce cormorant populations, decide ODFW’s
budget, protect Oregon
State forestlands, protect forage fish,
and to provide fish passage at Opal
Springs on the Crooked River. When
you see these members at one of the
monthly chapter meetings, be sure to
thank them for their excellent work.
Spill over the Columbia River dams
is another big issue we are working on.
We would not have had the awesome
fishing this year if there hadn’t been
spill over these dams. It is a battle every
year to get salmon and steelhead smolts
down the Columbia and safely to the
ocean. We, along with several of our
partners, have often gone to court to
make this happen. There are powerful
voices against spill. For example, at a
ODFW commission meeting last fall
that Bob Rees and I attended, two state
senators spoke out against the ODFW
biologists and against spill. They called
it a “bad experiment” and then stated
several misleading facts. They concluded their testimony by saying that spill is
a waste of money. It was up to us, Bob
Rees in particular, to speak on the benefits of spill and the ripple effect it has
not only on good fishing but also
throughout our economy.
Think about it: there is a reason
that companies like Fishermen’s
Marine have added additional employees the last couple of years and why
Cabela’s just built their jumbo store in
Tualatin and asked the Steelheaders to
be part of their grand opening. We
need to keep the ball rolling—by showing your support, we will.
We now have a new Membership
Director, Stevie Parsons. Stevie has several ideas on how to grow our membership, including activities for women
and kids. Stevie caught her first salmon
at Buoy 10 in August, and since that
day has caught several more. She has
that Hawaiian charm to go along with
a passion and drive to get the job done.
She is also a chef, so while you are signing up she can give you some cooking
advice. Now, I just need to teach her
how to back up a trailer.
Bill Kremers, President
tunity. We’re winding down on the
Sandy River lawsuit. We feel we came
away with a win there, but the lawyers
that represented our opposition are
asking the Feds to pay about $200,000
for their lawsuit fees in what they see as
a victory. Although we were denied
direct engagement in the Columbia
River BiOp litigation (for adequate
flow and spill for downstream
migrants), we are grateful that the state
of Oregon has joined other fishing
industry and conservation groups,
along with the Nez Perce tribe, to fight
for the critical spill so responsible for
the returns we’ve had as of late. It pays
to go against the flow!
Your Government Affairs Team
has assessed the ebb and flow results of
the November 4th election. We’ll be
keeping you in the loop as the makeup
of the Oregon legislature often determines if we play offense or defense on
fish-related bills in the upcoming 2015
legislative session. This session is the
long one, where budgets get decided
and bills, both good and bad, have
more play in the legislative process.
Let’s hope there are enough fish
friendly legislators to progress fish
friendly policy in the upcoming session. More will be revealed, my wife
always says…
One of the highlights of our work is
Going Against the Flow
the addition of a freezer trailer that was
delivered in late October to the Sandy
River Hatchery grounds. Called our
Nutrient Enrichment Program, the
grant to purchase this trailer was written by Rod Brobeck and Russell Bassett,
along with other ANWS member input.
Once carcasses are processed and
frozen, we’ll rely on volunteers to distribute them throughout the Sandy and
Clackamas basins to provide a saltwater
protein injection to these freshwater
ecosystems. These nutrients are the
jumpstart to the next generation of wild
steelhead and salmon in the basin. As
they break down, they provide valuable
nutrients to juvenile salmonids and a
plethora of other aquatic and terrestrial
life that benefits the forests. There will
be ongoing costs associated with this
program, so please consider donating to
the Nutrient Enrichment Program or
participate in the 2015 Willamette
Salmon Quest, as proceeds from this
fundraiser go to Willamette Valley fishrelated programs.
Finally, as I continue to learn more
about how to become an effective
Executive Director, I have recently had
the good fortune to earn access to some
of the region’s top EDs who also want to
see our organization thrive. First of all, if
I haven’t made it clear enough before,
the Association’s past successes are due
to the dedication of our greatest
resource: you. We can’t thank you
enough for making our organization one
of the best that’s out there. Secondly, we
will be looking for new ways to secure
our future as an organization as we
morph from a “transactional” operation
to a “philanthropic” organization. Every
member has a different capacity for giving; whether that’s through volunteer
hours or simply through membership
fees. These are decisions you have to
make on an annual basis. Every hour or
dollar is an important one, but, if we’re
to become the powerhouse voice in the
Northwest that most of us see the potential for, we’ll have to reach a bit further
to ensure the Steelheaders remain the
viable, sound voice that we have been
for the last 54 years. The quality and
level of game-changers that I’ve seen in
my short involvement with the
Steelheaders has floored me. When we
forge ahead with a solid game plan,
including putting together the right
players in the right positions, our fish
and fishing opportunity will only
become a more solid legacy for our
future generations of outdoor enthusiasts.
Thank you for being a member of
the Steelheaders!
Bob Rees, Executive Director
Step Up: Become a
Budgeted Life Member
Support the continuing efforts of the Association of Northwest Steel headers by becoming a Life Member through five equal annual payments of $100 each. All proceeds from this program are put into the
Chuck Voss Endowment Fund and invested for the future. You are providing the Association with a stable membership to add your voice to our
efforts to improve fishing and fish habitat, while adding to the endowment fund to ensure financial stability.
To become a Budgeted Life Member, fill out a membership form (see
page 31), go to www.nwsteelheaders.org/support/membership/, or contact the Association Office, (503) 653-4176.
Winter 2015 • 7
Town Lake Restoration Project
By Robert Bradley, ODFW
own Lake is a small impoundment near the community of
Woods, just north of Pacific City, on
the north Oregon coast. The lake provides a very popular year ‘round fishery. Due to its location, it is well suited for families, youth anglers, and
T
often tourists or other non-local
anglers. The lake is heavily stocked
with hatchery rainbow trout through
the late winter and spring, and
receives some trophy trout each fall.
Warmwater fish, particularly largemouth bass, provide opportunity dur-
ing the summer months. Although a
relatively small population, bass can
reach five pounds or more. In the late
fall and winter, ODFW often stocks
surplus hatchery summer and/or winter steelhead to provide additional
angling opportunity.
New Dock for Town Lake
Constructing a section of
the new dock.
Preparing to launch a
section.
Two major improvements to the
lake have recently been completed.
First, a new dock was constructed. This
dock replaced a very old dock that was
well beyond its useful life span and had
become a hazard for anglers. In the
spring of 2013, funds from the ODFW
Volunteers attaching railing.
Restoration and Enhancement Board
were used to purchase materials necessary to construct dock from a commercially available kit. Steelheaders
(Tualatin Valley Chapter) volunteers
provided their expertise and much of
the labor necessary to construct the
New dock in use.
dock sections. Once completed, each
section was transported to the lake on a
flatbed trailer, launched from the boat
ramp, and maneuvered into position.
The new dock provides a nice platform
for anglers, allowing access to the lake
away from the brushy shoreline.
Town Lake Dam Replacement
Old Town Lake Dam.
Footing for dam completed.
The second improvement to the
lake was the replacement of the dam
that forms the lake. In recent years,
water began leaking around the dam
structure. In addition to reduced water
levels in the lake, the leaking water was
passing through the fill of the adjacent
county road, possibly compromising
road bed stability. Deterioration of the
dam was becoming more evident as the
concrete developed large cracks and the
west wall began to lean. The time had
come to replace the structure.
Again, with assistance from the
Tualatin Valley Chapter and another
grant from the R & E Board, an engineering firm was hired to design the new
8 • The Northwest Steelheader
Forming the walls.
outlet. Design was finalized in the spring
of 2014. In late summer, the lake level
was drawn down, and the new dock was
moved away from the bank to avoid
being damaged. Prior to beginning construction, Tualatin Valley Chapter members again organized a volunteer work
party to cut and remove brush and other
debris from the worksite, clearing the
way for the contractor to start work.
Construction began in August, and was
essentially finished by mid-October,
2014. A water control headgate was
built, with installation occurring in midNovember. This completed the structure
and allowed for the water level in the
lake to be raised. Once the lake level was
Completed dam.
restored the angling dock was placed
back in position.
There are a number of participants
who made this project possible. The
Tualatin Valley Chapter donated many
hours of volunteer labor to the project,
along with several individual volunteers. The ODFW Restoration and
Enhancement Fund provided much of
the funding, along with contributions
from the North Coast Salmon and
Steelhead Enhancement Fund (as well
as administering the grant funds) ,
Tillamook Anglers, and ODFW’s North
Coast Watershed District. The
Tillamook County Road Department
also partnered in the project.
V O L UN T EE R S PO T LI G H T
Stevie Parsons, Membership Director
tevie Parsons was just an interested angler about two years
ago. After attending some seminars
on salmon fishing at the Tigard
Dick’s Sporting Goods store location, she was hooked. She
immersed herself in technique, met
some great people to help her out
and off she was! Now, she’s the
owner of a drift boat, just so you
know the level of her commitment.
She’s all about the harvest! She fishes, crabs, and hunts mushrooms;
she gardens and has a great relationship with a bee keeper! If the
apocalypse ever happens, you had
better Google her home address ‘cause
she’ll be the last one standing. She’s
overly generous with her bounty. She
says, “It’s the Hawaiian way!” She
chefed for Bill Gates at his Hawaiian
wedding and met many other fabulous
celebrities. Stevie is the real deal!
S
B Y B O B R E ES
Her commitment to the Steelheaders would be unfathomable, except
for the fact there are so many unfathomable volunteers for this organization.
We’ll be highlighting you great people
here over the next many issues. Stevie is
our new Membership Director, and
she’s over-run with ambition and
excited to see membership grow, particularly with female anglers! I
learned early on in my career why
guys don’t necessarily like fishing
with women; they catch all the damn
fish! Stevie is no exception to this
rule, and few people are more
deserving of good fortune.
Talk with this wonderful lady—if
we’re lucky, she’ll be the backbone of
our membership growth for a long
time. Thank her next time you see
her and take her to your favorite fishing hole because like so many of you,
she’s worthy of special treatment.
Thank you, Stevie, for all you do for
this organization. We’ll never take you
for granted. Here’s to a better Steel header organization—as I told the editor
of this magazine, Joyce Sherman, we
have a deep pool to draw from and for
that, I’m eternally grateful!
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Winter 2015 • 9
Hatchery & Wild Fish in the Clackamas Basin
By Brad Halverson, Co-Resource Director
ecember 15, 2014 many from the
sport fishing community were
invited to a research workshop in
Estacada. Bob Rees, Ian Ferguson, and
myself represented Steelheaders. Jack
Glass, Forest Foxworthy, and Jack
Smith represented fishing guides. Bill
Monroe, The Oregonian, and Nick
Amato, STS, represented the publishing world. Two local fish biologists
from ODFW and many other prominent individuals from the sport side of
fishing in Oregon completed the
approximately audience of about 30
invitees.
The project described by fellow
fish biologists, Ian Courter from his
private company Mount Hood
Environmental, and Garth Wyatt from
PGE, has the potential to change the
entire conversation regarding the
impact of hatchery stock on wild
salmon and steelhead. Up to this point,
the science, while mixed and contradictory, has come down heavily on the
side of the negative genetic (reproductive capability) and spatial (competition) influence on wild strains by their
hatchery counterparts, but this work
has been largely void of proof that
removing hatchery stock from basins
actually rebuilds wild populations.
Carmen MacDonald and a few
others, our own Trey Carskadon
among them, have initiated this different conversation. That’s all it has been
to date, a conversation. We may soon
have a scientific study that addresses
the primary concern recreational
anglers have about hatchery program
closures—that removing hatchery
stocks does little to restore wild runs.
We have some empirical evidence
already by looking at basins such as the
Nisqually River in Washington State
and our own Clackamas and
Willamette Rivers. But, up to now, no
hard science.
Courter and Wyatt began the discussion with background information
on the parallel declines of hatchery
plants (using data from Washington
state rather than Oregon, but with the
caveat they perform similarly) and
paid angler licenses over the period
1990-present. We know there are
D
10 • The Northwest Steelheader
Garth Wyatt
and
Ian Coulter
many other variables such as license
costs, discretionary income, Xbox, etc.
that have had an influence in the overall decline in anglers. But, you cannot
discount the effect a reduction in
“catching” has had on the overall
angling experience, and consequently
numbers of anglers as well.
Hatchery impacts were defined as
either (1) Genetic, commonly described
as reproductive success; (2) Ecological,
commonly referred to as competition
for food and shelter and increased predation due to providing an increased
food source for predators; and (3)
Facility, described as degraded water
quality and fish passage due to the
hatchery physical plant itself.
Next, they discussed changes to
hatchery production since 2000. These
reduced productions have been triggered by (1) Rising operating costs and
shrinking budgets; (2) ESA listings;
which then led to (3) Legal pressures
and wild fish advocacy.
Those in the conversation on
behalf of sport consumptive anglers
have argued that policy (hatchery production) should not be influenced solely by science. The ODFW mandate by
law is to provide a consumptive fishing
opportunity while being careful not to
harm wild runs in the process. That is
a value. So, values and resources also
inform policy, and historically value
has trumped science when it comes to
policy. However, ESA listings in the
early 90’s were a game changer by prioritizing science over all other policy
influencers for hatchery policy decisions. Because the federal government
has a mandate to protect all
ESA listed species, “even if a
hatchery program is sustaining a fishery and is supported
by a local community, if that
program is thought to be a
threat to ESA-listed fish, the
program may be targeted for
reduction or elimination as a
necessary element in the
recovery process.” Wild fish advocates
have used this concern as the thrust of
most recent hatchery related litigation.
Those who took any kind of prelaw
or business law courses will remember
the term: post hoc ergo propter hoc. It’s
a Latin term meaning “after this, therefore because of this.” A metaphor might
be that the rooster crowed immediately
prior to sunrise, therefore the rooster
causes the sun to rise. It’s a logical fallacy that since event Y followed event X,
then event Y was caused by event X. It’s
a tempting error because chronological
sequence looks to be integral to causality. This is the reasoning used by the
Kathryn Kostow (ODFW biologist at
the time) paper, which was highly influential in shutting down planting hatchery summer steelhead above the
Clackamas River dams in 2000.
By observing population data from
the Clackamas basin, this research
tracked valleys in wild winter steelhead returns to peaks of hatchery summer steelhead releases between 1973
and 1999. And, because one followed
the other, she placed the total causality
on the competition from hatchery fish
(since there was zero mixed spawning
between species) for food and shelter.
Early research conducted by Ian
Courter and Garth Wyatt show similar
peaks and valleys in other local watersheds during the same period. They
will study for common effects between
watersheds to assign causality to the
right source or sources, such as meteorological conditions and ocean survival.
The Kostow study tracked productivity only (number of offspring produced from adult pairs) and ignored
abundance. However, since 1999, the
Clackamas River has been a wild river
sanctuary, with no interference either
genetically or spatially from hatchery
stock. The returning adult numbers are
revealing and the thrust of this recent
research: Pre hatchery, North Fork
winter steelhead adults were 1,987.
During summer steelhead passage
(1973-1999) they fell to 1,266. During
the period of absence of hatchery
releases (2000-present), they have fallen even further to 1,096.
If you review the numbers for
spring Chinook on the North Fork
during these periods, they divulge the
substantive benefit supplementation
can play in restoring a declining stock.
Pre hatchery adults numbered 506.
During supplementation with hatchery
Chinook they averaged 2,390/year.
After hatchery stock were excluded
above the dams, again during the 14
year period from 2000 to present, the
Chinook have maintained a healthy
2,199/year.
For Courter and Wyatt, their
research objectives will be to:
“Quantify the influence of exclusion of
hatchery fish on the winter steelhead
abundance in the Upper Clackamas
beyond that of regional factors (meteorological conditions and ocean sur-
vivability) that are common to lower
Columbia River winter steelhead populations.” In addition, where we have
substantial histories of hatchery stock
exclusion in other basins such as the
Nisqually River, Upper Sandy River,
Molalla, Nehalem, and others, they
will quantify the changes in abundance
pre and post exclusion.
The Steelheaders will continue to
monitor any and all programs,
research, etc. that may impact our consumptive sport angling opportunities.
You can do your part by staying
informed, and staying engaged.
Raffle Tickets For Sale!
The annual raffles have been underway since
mid-August, and there are still lots of tickets
available. Not many chapters have turned in
stubs, although there are lots of tickets checked
out by chapters. As usual, Art Israelson has
already turned in lots of stubs and money, even
before the thousands of dollars worth he sold during the
January Boat Show.
If you aren’t comfortable selling tickets, consider buying
a $20 block of 25 trip tickets or five boat tickets. There are
not enough tickets printed for every member to buy $20
worth! Think about that for a moment: we have over 1,500
members and there
aren’t enough tickets for
each member to buy a
$20 block. What does
that say about your odds
of winning? Far, far better than buying lottery
tickets! If you want a
pass from selling tickets,
simply buy a block!
For those willing to sell tickets, it’s a great way for chapters to fatten their treasuries. The Association pays all the
costs (raffle license, printing tickets, providing airfare for the
trip, etc.) and does the overall bookkeeping, but the chapters earn 50 percent of the gross sales amount. What a deal!
Every chapter member who buys a $20 block has earned
$10 for their chapter. That’s a very easy way for chapters to
earn money to do the projects they always want to do.
The trip drawing used to be done at the end of the
February Pacific Northwest Sportsman’s Show, with the
drawing done at the Yakutat Lodge booth. One year, a
woman who had purchased a ticket only a few minutes earlier won the trip.
The Mid Valley Chapter has sold more tickets than any
other chapter—and the last two winners of the drift boat
were Mid Valley members.
Winter 2015 • 11
F I SH I N G
WITH
B U ZZ
Winter Steelhead
B Y B U ZZ R A MSE Y
inter steelheading is regarded as a challenging sport,
W
since steelhead are found in rivers that often fluctuate
from muddy to clear this time of year. After all, these fish
can move like the wind, which can make finding them difficult, and catching them in a biting mood iffy. Success
depends on the weather and subsequent river conditions
more than one might think, and they may only respond to
one angling method, lure color or scent, while refusing others. The rewards can be great (if you dress for the occasion)—big hard fighting fish and scenery that at times can be
breathtaking.
To be successful takes persistence, well-honed angling
skills, and an understanding of the fish you are after. To help
figure these critters out, remember that in most situations
steelhead prefer to lie in water less than ten feet deep.
Depths averaging five to eight feet and moving the speed of
a brisk walk are what you should look for, especially if the
river bottom is contoured, strewn with boulders, and/or running next to a cut bank. If water levels are higher than normal, fish will be found anywhere the current slows; this usually means near shore, in big, wide drifts, or along current
edges.
Steelhead love to rest in the tail-out (end) of a hole, but
will move farther into the drift if pressured or when the
water is low and clear. They migrate most during the morning and evening time periods, on a full moon (providing
there is no cloud cover), and when the river is high, green
and beginning to drop from a recent rain storm. All these are
general rules, but remember that fish are where you find
them and since they can be aggressive biters, it pays to try a
few casts in every good-looking spot.
Where you fish, high or low, on a river should depend
on water conditions. The basic rule is, if the water is high,
fish high. If the water is low (and been that way for awhile),
fish low. The exception to this rule is when you are after
hatchery fish. These creatures have a very strong urge to
return to where they were planted as smolts. If liberated
from the hatchery, try your luck downstream from the
hatchery deadline. If they were trucked to a release site, or
acclimation pond, try your luck near that location. If you
don’t know where these locations are, call the district fish
biologist and find out.
Fishing is best when rivers drop and waters clear after a
rain. Steelhead are drawn upstream by the smell of fresh
water. As water levels drop, moving fish begin to hold in the
holes, mostly near the tail-outs. After a storm and water fluctuation, good fishing can last from a few days to a week or
more, depending on the run size.
Angling effort normally increases during these time
periods. As the water levels drop and clear, most fish numbers are thinned by sport harvest while the rest disperse
throughout the river. This is a time when anglers wait (some
pray) for the next rainstorm and subsequent rise in water
level which will encourage another wave of fish to enter
rivers.
Tides play a major role in fish movement, especially on
coastal streams. When river water levels are up and
12 • The Northwest Steelheader
green/brown, steelhead move through tidewater and the
lower river quickly and usually don’t begin holding until
they are at least several miles upstream. When river water
levels are low and clear as gin, you will likely find most fish
congregating in the lower river.
If the water remains low for several weeks, due to a lack
of rainfall, fish will stack up in the lower river or at the head
of tidewater. This is when you might try your luck where the
river and tidewater meet. Tidewater holes will have fish
present when the tide is out. Each high tide will move these
same fish upstream into the first few holes above tidewater.
Water conditions can dictate which technique will be
the most effective. Under extreme low water try drifting
fishing a Lil’ Corky (it’s an egg imitation) in combination
with a small egg cluster or sand shrimp, float a steelhead jig
below a float, or cast and retrieve a weighted spinner. Under
medium to low water conditions all the popular techniques
work, like: side drifting, float fishing, bobber dogging, diver
n’ bait, back-trolling plugs, and even back bouncing. Under
high turbid water conditions, I’ve always enjoyed the best
success drift fishing with a larger (or two) drift bobbers like
a Lil’ Corky rigged with an 18-to-20 inch leader and pencil
weight or large slinky style sinker.
If you have never experienced this sport and are interested in giving it a try, consider booking a trip with a steelhead guide. Active guides offer either jet or drift boat trips
depending on the river. All furnish everything you will need
including rods, reels, line, terminal tackle, bait and helpful
advice. Some will even provide rain gear and a propane boat
heater to warm your fingers.
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Careful Release of Wild Fish
By Brad Halverson, Co-Resources Director
s members of Northwest Steelheaders, a consensus exists
among us that salmon and steelhead deserve our highest
respect. It is encouraging to observe that respect when we
hook a wild salmonid during our fishing adventure.
Occasionally, though our intentions are of the highest order,
our execution is misguided, resulting in a higher handling
mortality than any of us wish to be associated with.
Recently, we have seen a resurgence of wild runs, credited to improved ocean conditions, improving hatchery
practices, responsible spill and flow from hydro projects,
improved habitat, and, not least of all, sustainable harvest
techniques by the sports angling community. It will be even
better when the commercial anglers begin their sustainable
harvest practices at the end of 2017…but that’s a topic for a
different discussion.
If we are fishing on fisheries where wild fish are an
inconsequential part of the run, trebles and barbs are certainly acceptable, as we should plan to harvest each hatchery
fish we hook. This practice will help minimize spawning
impacts between hatchery and wild partners on the gravel.
However, for those fisheries where wild fish predominate,
or at least exist on a co-equal basis with their wild cousins,
such as Nehalem Bay last fall with a preponderance of wild
coho, we should adjust our thoughts and techniques to
afford us the maximum opportunity to return those wild fish
to the wild. By replacing our trebles with single siwash
hooks and pinching down our barbs, we have a far less likelihood of mortally damaging the fish in our hands. The mortality rate studied for barbless single hooks is one to three
percent. Most would consider this number acceptable.
Personal observation for those instances where trebles and
barbs are employed, while not studied empirically, certainly
demonstrates a much more significant mortality rate. On
one recent personal trip, it was 100 percent.
This is a delicate topic, and should by no means be construed as advocacy for barbless hooks at all times in all
watersheds. Any further intrusions by government agencies
should be constrained. Even though it seems logical that
employing barbless hooks should lead to reduced mortality,
we as sports anglers receive no improved benefit for our
allocation of springers in the Columbia when we were free
to use barbed hooks. Fishing under this restriction has possibly taught us better landing techniques (pressure on the
fish at all times) and better terminal gear (i.e., hooks, leader
lengths, etc.), so that the practice impacts our catch rate
minimally if at all.
Following is a list of catch and release practices designed
to reduce mortality to wild fish:
1. Use non abrasive nets (rubber) to reduce loss of slime
and scales.
2. Wet hands before touching fish. Do not touch a fish
with a dry hand, as this causes fungus spots to develop
on the fish, and these may eventually prove lethal.
Better, is a wetted cotton glove to control the fish.
3. Leave the fish in the water to remove the hook, gently
grabbing its wrist (tail section) and flipping it over so
A
14 • The Northwest Steelheader
Matt Little displaying a wild steelhead for a photo without
removing it from the water.
that its gills are out of the water. It is immobile at this
point and the hook is exposed for easy removal using
needle-nosed pliers or forceps. If the hook is too deep
to remove with pliers, cut the leader as close as possible
to the hook shank.
4. If a photo is desired, make sure to have the camera
ready ahead of time. The person netting the fish may
have one of the cotton gloves on his/her predominate
hand (right hand for right-handed people), and the person fighting the fish should place the other glove on
his/her opposite hand (left hand in this case) while his
partner is removing the hook. The netter holds the wrist
in his right hand and supports the fish gently underneath the torso while passing it off to the catcher who
takes it with his left hand on the wrist, and support
underneath. The netter quickly grabs the camera/leans
back to frame the photo, snaps it, and the catcher gently returns it to the water. A rule of thumb is to have the
fish’s gills out of the water only as long as you can hold
your breath. When fishing for steelhead during those
times of the year when wild fish are comingled almost
equally with hatchery fish (which is almost the entire
season where brood stock are employed as hatchery parents), we leave the net at home, and accomplish this task
with our hands only, taking less than one minute for the
whole process where a photo is desired with a wild fish.
We also use barbless hooks during this season.
5. These fish have delicate gills and internal organs, so
squeezing the fish is discouraged, as is any hand contact
in or near the gills. They may survive slight bleeding
from the gills, but most likely will not live with major
gill impairment.
6. Revive the fish completely before releasing it. Larger
fish require longer revival time than smaller fish,
because by nature they fight to nearer total exhaustion
than smaller fish do. Some small fish require no revival
because they came to the net quickly.
7. Hold it upright in a gentle flow of water (rather than
fast current) while waiting for its gill action to reengage,
pumping water and hence much needed oxygen through
its gills. If its gill action is weak or nonexistent, continue gliding it gently back and forth in the water so water
will flow through its gills. It will eventually swim away
on its own. So, if you hook a wild fish pulling plugs
through the middle of the channel, pull your boat off to
the side in the gentler water to release your fish.
As true sportsmen and women, and certainly as
esteemed members of Northwest Steelheaders, we have the
opportunity to role model appropriate angling protocol
each time we are on the water. Most of us welcome this
opportunity and strive to demonstrate our skill responsibly.
Tight lines.
Editor’s Note: The photo of Buzz Ramsey on page 12 is
another example of a nice way to display a fish that will be
released. While the photographer frames the shot, the fish can
be entirely in the water and only lifted partway out briefly.
Nutrient Enhancement Program
sing money from past Salmon
Quest profits plus a large grant
from the ODFW Rehabilitation and
Enhancement
(R&E)
Program,
Steelheaders purchased a refrigerator
trailer, which is parked at the Sandy
Hatchery. This will enable hatchery
personnel to store carcasses from
spawned hatchery fish to be frozen and
stored until a volunteer crew is available to distribute them.
Placing carcasses in rivers provides
nutrients for the entire food chain, all
the way up to fish and wildlife. When
wild juveniles need food, it will be
available, ensuring an improved survival rate and more returning adults.
When the trailer was first delivered, it had to run on its diesel backup
until a new electric line could be
brought
in.
Buzz
Wilcox,
________________________ donated
____ gallons of diesel. ________ _____,
____________________ prepared the
asphalt pad for about a third of what
he ordinarily would have charged.
Fred Meyer, Inc. agreed to provide use
of a semi tractor and driver to move
the trailer onto the pad. The Sandy
Hatchery will pay for electricity. These
donations helped leverage Quest profits, making each dollar worth far more.
A utility trailer to haul totes of
fresh fish to the refrigerator trailer
from other hatcheries and to distribution sites has also been purchased.
The new trailer immediately had
several totes of carcasses, and the
Sandy River Chapter provided a group
of volunteers to distribute carcasses
before the installation had been completed.
U
The freezer trailer in place at the hatchery. After this picture was taken, it was
moved to an asphalt pad and connected to a new dedicated electric line.
Doug Briggs, Sandy River Chapter President, was one of the volunteers from the
chapter who distributed fish on the __________River.
Winter 2015 • 15
SHOT
AN D
A 27-Year Tradition
ary Benson and some of his angling
friends started a fall tradition 27
years ago, founding the Salmon Hawg
Invitational Tournament. The acronym
associated with the tournament was not
the only barb thrown around during the
tournament. There were rules to the
tournament, some of which were
intended to create a statement of sorts
about the people fishing the tournament. One rule they developed was a
prize for the largest sculpin brought in
during the tournament. The key to
being awarded the prize was to take a
bite out of it—cooked if you wished.
The group who participated in the tournament were fun loving anglers with a
love of the resource they were harvesting. The group, led by Gary, also found
great use for the proceeds of the tournament: each year the monies raised
were given to help the the Tillamook
Bay fishery.
When the Association of Northwest Steelheaders took over operation
of the tournament, there were some
changes made to the name to incorporate the Salmon Hawg Open Tourna ment into the tradition of its predecessor. One of the changes, besides the
more politically correct acronym, was
to allow (and encourage) women to
participate in the tournament.
G
B Y T I M L E NIH A N
Thanks in most part to great support of the event’s sponsors, donors,
and volunteers this year’s Salmon
Hawg Open Tournament (SHOT) was
an event that will be hard to beat in the
future. Salmon cooperated like never
before. The catch record was close to
one hawg per angler participant. Only
a couple teams were unlucky enough
to not record a fish where typically
past tournaments averaged about one
fish per two anglers and about a third
of the teams not recording a single
hawg. (Some got coho but only
Chinook counted in the tournament.)
Sponsor teams did particularly
well this year. ClackaCraft leveraged
the capabilities of their new jet sled to
fish the shallow waters of upper
Tillamook Bay. They had to get to
their spots very early at O-dark-thirty,
but it paid off with nine Chinook for a
total of 126 pounds for their three rod
team, good enough for first place.
BC Angling Post was a late but
much appreciated sponsor, providing
commemorative Tillamook Bay type
spinners for all participants. Then to
show everyone how it’s done, The BC
Angling Post team dragged their spinners back and forth through the upper
bay to pull out a second-place win with
six Chinook totaling 94 pounds. Team
N OR M R IT C H IE
members were Bill Williamson, Roger
McCann, and John Cole.
Third place went to the Tualatin
Valley Chapter Three Stooges team,
also with six Chinook tilting the scale
at 82.75 pounds. All three of these
teams received high end salmon fishing
rods from sponsor Lamiglas.
There was also a great Lamiglas
rod for biggest hawg, caught by Roger
McCann, weighing in at 21.30 pounds
gutted and gilled. The top four hawgs
were within 12 ounces of each other!
SHOT was about more than just
fishing! Great food, great drinks, great
friends, and a good program all made
it something to look forward to with a
bonus of good fishing and great weather. Tillamook’s Pelican Brewing
Company sponsored the event’s beer.
The crowd showed a discerning taste
for quality beer, consuming twice as
much as in the past couple years where
lesser brands were provided. There
was plenty of great food thanks to a
dedicated and seasoned volunteer staff.
Barbecued pork and chicken sliders on
registration night to fresh crab, oysters
on the half shell, fresh albacore tuna,
and barbecued salmon were all served
at the awards banquet.
Each event participant was met
with angler gifts such as a boat towel
with the SHOT logo, a hat, and a custom spinner designed and
donated by BC Angling Post.
Second-place
Team
BC
Angling certainly idn’t spend
all of their time relaxing!
Team ClackaCraft, Jake Gregg, Bruce Belles, Dave
Manners fished from ClackaCraft’s new Magnum.
16 • The Northwest Steelheader
Jim Kitzhaber provided a boat for
the Salem Chapter team of Bob
Johnston, Del Orchard, and John
Willis.
27
TH
A NNUAL H ALL O F F AME B ANQUET
Jack Glass, Bill Kremers, and Bob Rees after Jack joined the Hall
of Fame as the Celebrity inductee due to his long history of
working for fish.
Brannon Hersh was inducted to the Hall of Fame as a Foot
Soldier for his careful and detailed work in his position as
ANWS Treasurer.
Larry Bell, President of Mid Valley Chapter, accepted the award for
Chapter of the Year, with __________ looking on.
Tim Lenihan accepted the Member of the Year
award.
Steelheaders came together in November to celebrate the Association and those members who have volunteered in special ways
to keep the organization running smoothly. It was an evening spent with good friends, with lots of enthusiastic bidding.
Winter 2015 • 17
C H A PT ER R EP O RT S
Sandy River
The Sandy River Chapter continued its agenda despite vacations and
the occasional fishing trip. Russ
Sumida organized the fall river cleanup with 18 volunteers collecting 22
garbage bags full of trash from our
local parks, along the adjacent river
frontage and beside the connecting
roadway ditches.
Robert Wisher orchestrated the
STEP program tree placement in
Beaver Creek, near Troutdale. Twentynine
volunteers
installed
325
Christmas trees in the creek bed and
anchored them against the current.
These trees will provide cover for
smaller fish, increasing their survival.
Kathryn Israelson went to Subway and
bought sandwiches for 36 people.
Poor person behind her had a small
wait. The vegetarians among the volunteers were glad we asked about their
preferences.
The annual Tillamook Fish-Along
yielded 21 angers in seven boats.
Almost everyone present caught a
fish. Norm provided the crab, which
was an effort given the inability to go
out in the ocean due to rough seas. A
special thanks to Norm Ritchie, Joli
Ritchie and Eric Niewert for allowing
14 strangers to crash on couches, cots
and beds in their coastal homes.
Another special thank you to Joli
Ritchie, Janet Domenico, and Robert
Wisher for keeping all 21 of us well
fed, full of scrumptious desserts, and
settled in for the Duck’s game.
People who came to a Sandy River
Chapter meeting the last couple of
months of the year heard a different
voice. Scott Bowling, the Chapter’s
Senior Vice President, acted as Interim
President through the end of the year,
giving Scott some OJT (on the Job
Training) and freeing me up to help
plan the Hall of Fame Banquet and
Auction.
The December meeting was really
special, a Town Hall with guest speakers Bob Rees, ANWS Executive
Director;
Bruce
Polley,
CCA
Govrnment Relations Chair; and Trey
Carskadon,
ANWS
Legislative
Director. They covered topics from
Columbia River harvest through projected ODFW fee increases. Even
though the crowd was smaller than
anticipated due to an icy blast from the
Business Members
These people have business memberships, which means
that they are supporting Northwest Steelheaders on a regular basis by paying $100 annually (instead of a $30 regular
membership). These people deserve your support in return,
so please patronize their businesses whenever possible.
D & G Bait, Inc., Clackamas, Oregon; Dan and Cindy
Pickthorn
Farmers Insurance/Joe Domenico Agency, Milwaukie,
Oregon; Joe Domenico
Knipe Realty, Portland, Oregon; Tim Wilson
Maupin Market, Maupin,Oregon; Randy Bechtol
Plano Molding Company, Plano, Illinois; Shelly Finnell
Tom Posey, Portland, Oregon
Pro-Cure, Inc., Salem, Oregon; Phil Pirone
Bob Rees Fishing Guide, Tillamook, Oregon; Bob Rees
Rubber Resource, Inc., Portland, Oregon; Robin Olson
Stevens Marine, Tigard and Milwaukie, Oregon; Paul Mayer
18 • The Northwest Steelheader
Gorge, the audience provided lots of
good questions. The chapter plans to
do this again.
Doug Briggs, President
Molalla River
The chapter had an increase of
more than 10 percent of its membership during December and January.
People joined in order to have a chance
to win a seat in a boat for a future fishing trip. This relatively new chapter
can teach some of the “old dogs” new
tricks!
McLoughlin
The chapter earned a special
“thank you” from the Association for
providing a volunteer crew to prepare
mailings to the membership prior to
events. Carol Clark, Joyce Steiner,
Janice Straub, and Judy Munroe come
to the office frequently to stuff
envelopes. Not only do they get the
job done, but they always bring good
attitudes, making the job much less
tiresome. Just another example of the
people who keep the organization running by pitching in to help whenever
needed.
Life Members,
Budgeted Life Members
The Association of Northwest Steelheaders currently
has 259 Life Members, a mix of long-time Life Members
who joined with a single payment years ago and newer
Budgeted Life Members who paid $500 over a maximum
period of five years. To give these special members additional recognition, we are planning a special mailing to them
with a gift and an explanation of our new program of logo
clothing only available to Life Members.
In the future, when you see a member wearing a Life
Member pin or clothing, you will know that he or she has
shown their support for Steelheaders.
Becoming a Budgeted Life Member is straightforward:
when you renew, check the BLM box and pay the first
installment of $100. You’ll receive not only a new membership card with an expiration date one year in the future, but
a contract for additional payments. You will then receive
four regular renewal notices, with the expectation that you
will pay an additional $100 each year. Once you make the
fifth and final payment, you will be a Life Member paid in
full and have a new expiration date of 12/31/2099. You will
then be able to order special Life Member clothing if you so
desire. Join this unique group of Steelheaders!
O RE GO N L E GI SL AT I V E R E P OR T
B Y B OB O LE S ON
Fishing Opportunity and Political Opportunity Tied
ere is a list of bills that may be of
interest to Northwest Steelheaders. It’s very early in the process,
and many of these bills may be modified for better or worse. Via your
communications on these bills to
ANWS and legislators, you can influence what comes out of the political
sausage maker in Salem.
H
House Bills
HB
2053
Directs
State
Department of Fish and Wildlife to
establish trophy trout lake pilot program. Funds program with $1 surcharge on angling licenses. Requires
department to conduct study and surveys related to program and report to
interim committees related to environment and natural resources no later
than September 15, 2017.
HB
2182
Requires
State
Department of Fish and Wildlife to
study developing predator management plan for State of Oregon and to
report to interim committees of
Legislative Assembly on or before
September 15, 2016.
HB 2209 Creates Task Force on
Shellfish.
HB 2401 Creates excise tax on
wild bird feed.
HB 2402 Establishes Task Force
on State Department of Fish and
Wildlife Funding.
HB 2459 Increases certain fees
related to registering and titling boats,
floating homes and boathouses.
HB 2503 Vests sole authority to
regulate hunting ammunition and fishing gear with Legislative Assembly
with specified exceptions.
HB 2517 Modifies definition of
“native fish” for purposes of salmon
and trout enhancement program.
HB 2537 Increases damages for
unlawful taking or killing of wildlife.
HB 2538 Establishes Oregon Fish
and Wildlife Enforcement Task Force
for purpose of recommending feasibility of transferring Fish and Wildlife
Division of Department of State Police
to State Department of Fish and
Wildlife.
House Joint Resolution
HJR 13 Proposes amendment to
Oregon Constitution establishing right
to hunt, to fish, to trap and to harvest
wildlife, and to use traditional methods to hunt, fish, trap and harvest
wildlife.
Senate Bills
SB 22 Establishes Task Force on
Ocean Acidification.
SB 160 Requires confirmation by
Legislative Assembly of new designation of scenic waterway for designation to become effective.
SB 171 Permits motor vehicle
drawing travel trailer to also draw
boat.
SB 175 Modifies certain penalties
for wildlife law violations.
SB 184 Repeals moratorium on
certain mining using any form of
motorized equipment. Replaces moratorium with certain conditions on mining using any form of motorized
equipment.
SB 203 Directs natural resource
agencies to coordinate for certain purposes.
SB 208 Establishes Task Force on
Recreational Placer and Suction
Dredge Mining.
SB 318 Requires State Department
of Fish and Wildlife to adopt policy for
coordinating management of species
that prey on endangered species.
SB 319 Requires proprietary
authorization from Department of
State Lands to construct or operate
ocean renewable energy facility in
Oregon’s territorial sea.
SB 362 Establishes Task Force on
Mining.
SB 5511 Appropriates moneys
from General Fund to State
Department of Fish and Wildlife for
certain biennial expenses.
SB 5540 Directs Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board to allocate
moneys from Watershed Conservation
Operating Fund to various state agencies.
Legislative Contacts
State Legislative Websites - Information about bills, hearings
www.leg.state.or.us/ for Oregon
http://apps.leg.wa.gov/billinfo/ for Washington
ANWS Government Affairs Team
Bob Oleson, [email protected], 503-329-9528
Trey Carskadon, [email protected], 503-723-5723 Ext. 102
Bob Rees, 503-653-4176, [email protected]
Legislators
To find your state legislator, go to:
www.leg.state.or.us/findlegsltr/ for Oregon
http://apps.leg.wa.gov/districtfinder/ for Washington
Get to know your legislators by attending their Town Halls, held throughout the year.
Sign in so that your legislators know you attended. Send your legislators an e-mail if you
didn’t speak or if your topic wasn’t covered.
Winter 2015 • 19
A C T I V I T I ES , A N G LI N G ,
AN D
A C TI V I SM
Many Steelheaders took advantage
the terrific fall salmon season. Bob
and Arlene Askey took home 14 coho
for three days fishing during one trip.
Molalla River Chapter President Sam
Wurdinger got his daughters Avery and
Grace involved in the chapter’s fall
river cleanup.. Nothing like teaching
children to be stewards of their rivers!
Bill Kremers took the Askeys and
Stevie Parsons out one day. Due to a
carburetor problem, Bill had to man
the trolling motor constantly, so it
became a long day for Bill. All caught
fish.
The Askeys took their granddaughter
Tessa out and had a double that ended
with tangled lines. After landing a
wild coho, Bob tried to pull the line in
that was still out. That fish was still
on the line so he hand lined it to the
net, and Tessa netted it on the second
try.
Steve Christensen landed a
nice steelhead, hooking his
vest pocket along the way.
Brad Halverson proved that
Buoy 10 isn’t the only
place to fish!
20 • The Northwest Steelheader
Jamie Edwards, Neal Reiser, and Wes Edwards fished
with guide Grant Scheele and landed three nice fish.
Neal's was the biggest steelhead he’s ever caught: 19
pounds, 38 inches. All fish were caught sidedrifting
yarn balls and eggs. Grant Scheele photo.
PREFERRED BY PROFESSIONAL GUIDES
GRANT SCHEELE
Siletz, Alsea,
Nestucca
GLEN HALL/
HAWG QUEST
Anywhere Fish
Swim
SCOTT AMERMAN
STEVE LEONARD
Willamette,
Coastal Streams
Washougal, Kalama,
Cowlitz
16’ Steelhead Deluxe
18’ ClackaMax
16’ Old School High Side
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Cra nated
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Winter 2015 • 21
DamNation:
Its Implications for Sport Fishing in the Northwest
By Brad Halverson, Co-Resources Director
s sports anglers in Oregon, many if
not most of our favorite watersheds
are impacted by dams. Over 80,000
dams of three feet or greater currently
exist in the US. Of that number about
2,540 produce hydropower. Each is a
barrier to wild fish reaching their historic spawning habitat. However, the
period of dam building (1930’s-1970’s)
is past, and there is evidence we are
entering the era of dam removal. The
recent elimination of Marmot Dam on
the Sandy and the Gold Hill, Savage
Rapids, and Gold Ray dams on the
Rogue River as well as dam removal on
the Elwha River in Washington state
testify to this movement. This article
does not advocate the removal of all
dams, but we should be supporting that
conversation where economic, environmental, cultural, and safety costs outweigh the benefits of maintaining or
retrofitting aging dams, keeping our
focus on restoring habitat and river
flows for fish and wildlife.
Recently, the Save Our Wild
Salmon coalition hosted a Portland
screening of the award winning documentary DamNation, inspired by biologist Matt Stoecker and funded by
Patagonia founder Yvon Chouinard.
The coalition’s motive is to augment
grass roots momentum to remove the
four Lower Snake River dams: Ice
Harbor Dam, Lower Monumental
Dam, Little Goose Dam, and Lower
Granite Dam. For those of us who
enjoy sport fishing on the Columbia
River, it seems prudent to support the
removal of these four barriers to natural spawning.
It is appropriate for those of us in
fish conservation associations to consider putting our brand and energy
behind the goal of removing these four
dams. The immense amount of high
quality spawning habitat blocked by
these structures represents a significant
opportunity toward restoration of wild
salmon and steelhead runs in the
Columbia/Snake basins. Records show
that up to 30 million wild salmon and
steelhead once returned to the
A
22 • The Northwest Steelheader
Columbia and Snake Rivers. Today, a
return of less than 10% of that total
gives us cause for elation and shouts of
“epic” returns, and those returns are
now aided in large part by hatchery
stock.
Evidence of the federal government’s inability to restore or even protect endangered populations of
Columbia River salmon and steelhead
over the past 20 years, even though
expending over $9 billion of public
treasure, compels us to look to stakeholders themselves as the source of
long term solutions. As sports anglers
on the Columbia River, we are indeed
stakeholders. During that span, three
consecutive federal salmon plans have
been deemed illegal in federal court.
Judge James Redden invalidated these
plans, but, now that he is retired, this
recourse remains a wild card.
The four dams in question were
completed in the 1970’s to provide a
slackwater navigation corridor and a
relatively minor block of power (about
5% of the total generated in the
region), easily restored through conservation and alternative energy
sources such as wind, solar, biomass,
and geothermal. In addition, they were
not designed for flood control, and
only one, Ice Harbor Dam, provides
irrigation (to 13 farms), which could
be drawn from a free flowing Snake
River. Instead of sacrificing salmon for
148 miles of subsidized barge commerce, rail and truck alternatives offer
efficient solutions and lower overall
costs to exporters. According to the
pamphlet Wild Salmon, Extinction or
Restoration, “The Columbia-Snake
Basin is the most-dammed watershed
on earth, with more than 200 large
dams. Removing four costly and aging
dams will restore salmon, create jobs,
save money, and establish a clean energy blueprint for the future.”
We often hear that dams provide
clean, green, renewable energy.
Another way to look at it is that
hydropower dams are to water quality
and those species dependent on clean
water as coal-fired power plants are to
air quality and those species dependent
on clean air.
The combined effects of long,
slow moving reservoirs (which disorient the fish and make them easier prey)
and deadly turbines (upgraded at enormous cost, and even then not a complete remedy to turbine mortality) kill
approximately 5% of out-migrating
juveniles at each dam. Most stock in
this basin must survive 4-8 dams on
their trip to the ocean. So, for those
facing all eight barriers, a mortality of
over 30% from hydro alone is in their
future. To mitigate this, the federal
government implemented fish barging
20 years ago (as an experiment) that
has subsequently morphed into their
catch-all solution for protecting young
salmon from the lethal effects of dam
passage. Scientists state that breaching
these four dams provides the best biological option to restore these runs by:
1. Removing the outmigration mortality threat of the turbines.
2. Improving river habitat by increasing water temperatures and flow
rates.
3. Mitigate predation threats to juveniles by speeding them on their
way to the ocean (a journey that
used to take two weeks now takes
up to three months).
4. Eliminating the stress caused by
removing these fish from the river
and barging them around the
dams.
Computer models show with 8099% certainty that Snake River runs
can be fully restored within 24 years of
breaching these four dams. Barging
does nothing to impede the decline of
fish runs, let alone restore them. Two
percent adult returns are needed to
prevent extinction. Six percent adult
returns would assure recovery.
Presently, 0.25 percent adult returns
occur when barged as juveniles; and
0.36 percent occurs when they are left
in the river to migrate over or through
the dams. Both are substantially below
the extinction threshold.
Part of the Columbia Basin, showing the lower Snake
River.
Inset map shows the four lower Snake River dams proposed for breaching: Ice Harbor, Lower Monumental,
Little Goose, and Lower Granite.
Economic Analysis
Breaching has costs, of course.
Even using purely economic metrics,
partial removal of these four dams (the
dirt banks of the dams) makes sense.
BPA spends over $200 million per year
on salmon recovery efforts that reveal
a legacy of futility. That number comes
closer to $400 million per year when
you account for forgone revenue due
to spill.
One-time removal costs are estimated at $500-$800 million. Replacing
the electricity generated by the dams is
valued at $150-$300 million annually.
The cost estimate is $45 million to
replace the barge traffic and irrigation.
Against these costs are the above $200$400 million annually in spill and mitigation savings, savings of $34 million
annually in maintenance and operations, and an upcoming $420 million
expense to service the turbines at these
dams. In addition, sediment is adding
substantially to the ongoing costs of
operation of these four dams.
Managing dredging output has environmental consequences of its own.
The greatest economic benefit
comes from sport and commercial fisheries that would be restored as the
salmon/steelhead runs are restored.
Past NSIA studies have demonstrated
that anglers spend over $600 million
per year in the Northwest. When
hotel, motel, restaurant, and gas
receipts are added, that total becomes
an eye popping $3 billion (that’s with
a B) per year.
A utility bill increase of $1-5 per
month per regional rate payer is anticipated to accommodate the removal of
these four dams, a modest number that
numerous polls show northwesterners
are more than willing to pay to restore
salmon runs.
Ultimately, this should not be an
economic decision. We should not save
salmon because economists tell us it is
cost effective. Nor should we allow
them to go extinct because they tell us
it isn’t. The reason to save salmon is
because it’s the right thing to do.
It is encouraging to witness the
undeniable momentum behind river
restoration beginning to take hold
nationwide. It’s not so much a movement as it is a generational shift in values from maximum natural resource
extraction to sustainability and the
growing awareness that our own
future is bound to the health and life of
our rivers.
Editor’s Note: In the fall of 1959, less
than six months after the Steelheaders
formed, they spent $10,000 fighting
the building of Lower Granite Dam.
What a history!
Winter 2015 • 23
“Those Women!”
Amy Hazel has guided fly anglers on
the Deschutes for over 15 years. She
and John own the Deschutes Angler Fly
Shop; each rows their own ClackaCraft
for guided trips.
24 • The Northwest Steelheader
pink, I mean no offense. I mean
waders that actually fit women’s body
types, and rods to better fit in the
hands of petite women without having
been designed for a child.
We all fish for different reasons
and with different mindsets, but one
thing is for sure, women have always
been here, quietly fishing. We are not
going away. We hear the “call of
nature” and the splash of fish. Men
who choose to fish beside us find that
we can be meditative, reflective, and
we make and bring good cookies.
Yes, I am one of “those women.”
Women anglers are different. But I am
reminded of a sign I saw recently. It
said, “Women who fish are not weird;
they are a gift from God and they
deserve bigger diamonds.” I can’t
speak for all women anglers, but I say,
forget the diamonds, darling, but more
tackle and rods would be nice.
Long live fish and long live anglers
whatever their sex! Fish on!
Sharon Schaub started fishing while she
worked for the Steelheaders as Office
Manager.
developing and wearing their handtied flies on their hats, and who hold
world records, but instead I want to
focus on women in fishing today.
Women who hunt and fish are currently the biggest growing segment in
the sport industry. Last year, the industry calculated that 22 million female
anglers spent more than $130 million
on tackle and related merchandise. My
husband believes this figure is too
small based on what I myself have
spent on tackle, and I believe he’s
right. I would wager that a lot of tackle was bought under the guise of “for
my husband or boyfriend.”
Whatever the real figure, it makes
perfect sense that sporting goods manufacturers and retailers are welcoming
female anglers into the fold. Women
are the shoppers in most families, and
companies like Simms, Orvis,
Redington, Patagonia, Fishpond, and
R.L. Winston Rod Company are all
making special gear tailored to
women. No, I don’t mean pink waders
or pink fishing rods, though if you like
Bill Monroe Photo
omen anglers are not a new
thing. Because there are currently fewer of us, and we are not as vocal
and “out there” as our male counterparts, we often get overlooked. We
have been fishing from the beginning
of time, and there have been very
famous women anglers throughout
history, Cleopatra for one.
Most people have visions of Cleo
cruising the Nile on one of her royal
barges, feeding grapes to her lover as
he lies in her lap. Very few people can
think of her trolling on that barge,
having a rod or two in the water, but I
can. In my mind, I see her throwing
her grapes, pushing her lover off her
lap, and running over to one of her
rods yelling something like, “Fish On!”
or “Don’t knock it off with the net,
Antony!” or whatever the Egyptian
equivalent would be.
Indigenous women have always
fished. The first modern “how-to
book” on fishing was written in about
1420 by Dame Juliana, who was both
an English noblewoman and a nun. I
know people who would think this a
conflict, but I can almost hear her
nightly prayer, “Our Father who art in
heaven give us this day our daily bread,
and Lord, a really big fish tomorrow to
go with that bread would be extra
nice.”
I could continue with lists of
women who helped improve the sport
by developing new equipment and
techniques, setting fashion trends by
W
By Stevie Parsons
Young women who learn to fish with
their fathers are very fortunate; Kayla
Grant on the Willamette with a
Chinook and her father, David.
Oregon Hatchery Research Center,
and Its Role for Sports Anglers
By Brad Halverson
s sports anglers we probably have
heard of the Oregon Hatchery
Research Center (OHRC) but haven’t
given much thought about its role in
our fishing activities. And, with good
reason: though it was established in
2005 in accordance with HB 3441, the
sports angling community has not been
informed of any significant consequences from its work that would
improve or impact consumptive fishing opportunities. This is not to say
important research has not been conducted during that period, rather it has
not been promulgated to the point of
our discernment.
That may change, as the recent
approval of the Coastal Multispecies
Plan calls for significant involvement
from the OHRC to research and monitor actions taken (such as shifting winter steelhead releases from the Kilchis
River to the Wilson River, increasing
A
spring Chinook releases in the
Nestucca and Trask rivers, etc.) in its
implementation. As stated in the
OHRC Board Meeting – Fish Research
Summary, dated 4/22/14, “Research
conducted through the Oregon
Hatchery Research Center (OHRC)
will play a direct role in informing
adaptive management decisions and
resolving critical uncertainties regarding hatchery management.”
Before proceeding with the
Center’s role in our fisheries, a more
detailed background about its mission
statement, the facility itself and its
staffing is called for. According to its
publication, its mission statement is
to:
Understand mechanisms that may
create differences between hatchery
and wild salmon and steelhead.
Develop approaches to best
Winter 2015 • 25
manage differences to meet fishery and
conservation objectives.
Help Oregonians understand the
role and performance of hatcheries in
responsibly using and protecting
Oregon’s native fish.
Further, research will provide
information to help:
Use hatchery fish responsibly to
support viable populations of wild fish
and sustain sport, commercial and tribal fisheries.
Understand biological processes
and management implications on landscape scales.
Identify hatchery practices that
minimize the impact of hatchery facilities on the natural environment.”
The facility consists of a Research
Building, complete with wet and dry
labs, interpretive center, living quarters, classrooms and conference
rooms; raceways used to produce
hatchery fish under conventional
hatchery conditions for comparison
with wild fish produced under alternative hatchery protocols; tank farm,
with several tanks used for rearing
large groups of fish (such as control
versus experimental groups) to observe
different spawning and rearing conditions, lineages, or other influences;
staff housing for facility manager and
technicians; four artificial streams
(25’x200’) replicating channels, substrate, cover, shade and flow, all of
which can be manipulated to mimic a
variety of natural conditions; and
water intake and fish ladder to facili26 • The Northwest Steelheader
tate the passage and capture of wild
fish.
Now, on to its output these past
nine years and implications for sports
fishers. Numerous major review articles on fisheries management and conservation, including concerns about
angling and hatchery practices have
been published as a result of research
conducted here. It lumps its studies
into two categories: publications
(those studies that have been completed, verified and published); and projects (those proposals or reports that
are underway). All of this research
must be reviewed and approved by the
OHRC Advisory Board, ODFW, and
OSU. The very long list of such projects is available to the public at
www.dfw.state.or.us/fish/OHRC/. In
addition, presentations are available
upon request to any group (including
anglers) in Oregon.
I will endeavor to provide a mile
high view of the well over 50 studies
related to fisheries and hatcheries management conducted so far. Much of
which follows is informed by a series
of phone interviews and e-mail
exchanges with Dr. David L.G.
Noakes, Professor at OSU and
Director of the Oregon Hatchery
Research Center.
1. Research conducted by NOAA,
NMFS and ODFW at the facility
established the reproductive success of male Chinook jacks, revealing the potential to use jacks in
hatchery mating systems.
2. Studies on the surface mucus of
fish revealed feeding habits and
growth patterns to inform better
decisions on hatchery production
and angler harvest.
3. Research showed that the early
chemical experience of salmonids
can influence their homing behavior and choice of spawning sites,
useful in the effort to minimize
straying of returning adults, and
thus making more fish available to
anglers.
4. The study of the ear bones of
salmonids helps determine age,
growth, stream of origin and differences between hatchery and
wild salmon and steelhead without
requiring marking (fin clipping) of
the fish.
5. Through various studies, the
Center has shown that sexually
inactive (sterilized) hatchery steelhead will remain in the river to be
caught just as the control group
did. The significance of this
research in the Clackamas River to
us means it’s possible to manage
angler harvest of hatchery summer
steelhead in the same river as
native winter steelhead.
6. Follow-on research of triploid
steelhead (tracking individual fish
from river to ocean and back
again) will determine the best
method for this sterilization
process to optimize results and
behavior for angler harvest.
7. Triploids are now an important
tactic in fisheries management and
are currently being used for stocking purposes to support angler
harvest in a number of locations
throughout Oregon and elsewhere.
8. The implications of using triploids
for migratory fish would be an
important hatchery management
practice to reduce, if not one day
eliminate altogether, the spawning
interference between wild and
hatchery fish. Most recent lawsuits
have been related to this interference or mixing of species on the
gravel.
9. Studies of geomagnetic orientation
and navigation (conducted in the
tank farm on site) can be used to
predict the return migrations of
10.
11.
12.
13.
adults to freshwater, informing
decisions on rearing and releasing
hatchery fish under those conditions that will maximize their
movements to desired locations
for angler harvest.
Behavior and survival studies of
coastal steelhead smolts revealed
exceptionally high mortality rates
(up to 50 percent) before they
even reached the ocean. By using
ultrasonic tagging and tracking,
they have been able to determine
which fish are most likely to survive, and where the mortality
occurs. This information resulted
in immediate modifications in
management practices by ODFW
regarding avian predation.
OHRC has developed successful
methods for holding wild broodstock to keep them healthy until
spawning, reducing the number of
wild fish needed to reach production objectives.
An ongoing program in collaboration with the US Army Corps of
Engineers to develop hatchery fish
more similar to wild fish in size,
appearance and behavior will
reduce the number of male jacks
used in hatchery production, and
contribute to an increase in larger,
multi-year males for harvest.
Further, it could lead to a reduction in differences between hatchery and wild stock. These differences are a current constraint to
hatchery production.
A recent proposal brought to
OHRC by the sport angling community will determine the effects
of broodstock production on
angler harvest. They will compare
the differences, if any, between
using angler caught broodstock
parents for production versus
using trap caught (i.e., “biters”)
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
for breeding rather than non
biters.
A study in its infancy will test differences, if any, in outplanting
steelhead at different locations in
the watershed on angler harvest of
returning adults. Results would
have immediate impact on ODFW
hatchery management practices.
Continuing research on olfactory
imprinting of Chinook to determine the differences, if any,
between using well water in hatcheries versus using river water on
stray rates will have immediate
impact on informing best practices
for hatcheries.
Of particular interest to the
above, as highlighted in the recent
Coastal Multispecies and Manage ment Plan, is the Elk River
Hatchery, which currently is producing unacceptable stray rates of
returning hatchery Chinook (up
to 70 percent). If this study
reveals a correlation between
sources of water used in reducing
stray rates, the continuation of
release of hatchery Chinook (now
curtailed under the CMP) by this
facility for angler harvest will be
permitted.
Through the utilization of the artificial stream channels on site, and
in collaboration with colleagues at
Ecological Engineering at OSU,
studies will determine if engineered log jams can be employed
as a means of habitat restoration.
Another proposal under consideration will compare the effects of
different mating schemes in hatchery programs. It is currently presumed that wild fish select mates
differently than hatchery fish,
which leads to survival and
healthy returns (which is what we
are all hopeful for). The results of
this proposal would certainly
impact hatchery practices to better
produce fish for angler harvest.
19. Ongoing research is testing factors
such as diet and rearing density to
develop hatchery fish more like
their wild counterparts in survivability in nature. Results could
have immediate impacts on producing hatchery fish for angler
harvest that more closely resemble
wild fish.
In summary, those of us in the consumptive fishing community are
impacted by lawsuits that threaten production of hatchery fish. We strive to
protect and expand fishing opportunities, which means more fish for harvest
in more basins over longer seasons.
Hatcheries are vital to this objective. It
is their practices that are under scrutiny by wild fish advocacy groups, and it
is those practices that The Oregon
Hatchery Research Center has been
and will continue to influence not only
on our behalf, but on behalf of sustaining the precious and precarious runs of
wild salmon and steelhead in Oregon
and elsewhere.
Steelheader Clothing
Hoodies, short-sleeved tees, denim shirts, and premium hats in a variety of colors and
sizes will soon be available from our new supplier, Stancell Graphics. You will be able
to order items that we don’t ordinarily stock from Stancell’s huge catalog.
We still have a supply of hoodies and long-sleeved tees in stock, but not in all colors
and sizes. Contact the office, [email protected] or 503-653-4176 if you
would like to order these with the large art on the back.
Winter 2015 • 27
Near Catastrophe on the Sandy
By Brad Halverson, Co-Resources Director
he 13th of January was brisk and sunny when John
Hydorn, Steve Childress and I launched my drift boat at
Oxbow Regional Park for a day of friendship and fishing.
The run was in, the water dialed steelhead green, weather
was perfect, and anticipation was high.
Within 100 yards of the launch is your first decision: to
follow the mainstem to the left, or venture down the back
channel along the right-hand bank. The latter can produce
some fine fishing opportunities. Less than a third of the way
through, disaster struck. Around the first bend in the channel, a gravel bar further divided it into two smaller seams.
One clearly appeared too shallow to float the boat. I was
momentarily blinded by the sun. When visibility returned, it
was too late to pull back from a deadfall that blocks all but
20 percent of the seam I had chosen. The hydraulic force
pushing the boat into the downed tree won the day.
While the collision was head on, the impact was not as
forceful as you might expect. The current, however, easily
persuaded the boat to turn sideways in the channel, and
made her list to port. Once the gunnel was just below the
waterline, she took on water quickly, beginning her descent
to Davey Jone’s locker. Wasn’t he a Monkee in the ‘60’s?
All three seasoned boaters evacuated the sinking vessel
in an orderly fashion. I was able to get the bowline from the
front deck and secure it to the bow cleat on the exterior of
the boat and drag it the line along with me. It was not the
line that held The Spirit bit the force of the river, effectively
pinned it tight to the tree. Believe me, it was not going anywhere anytime soon.
It was an accident, right? Not hardly. Because I had not
yet floated this back channel, I was unfamiliar with any
change to it. Much happens to a river each year, especially
after high water events. Being unfamiliar with this channel,
I should have beached the boat at the top of the island and
scouted. I would have seen the deadfall, I could have pulled
back from the island and floated the mainstem for a full day
of enjoyable fishing and boating with friends. Taking time to
T
mentally chart your course is strongly urged. Moderate
course corrections taken well in advance of pending doom
are often successful while major course corrections well into
rapid current rarely are.
Even excusing that error in judgement, if I had been
using my sunglasses, there is high likelihood that I would
have seen the tree blocking the deeper seam and opted to
take the much shallower seam to the right, putting everyone
safely onshore and roping the boat around the worst of it,
avoiding the deadfall altogether.
No lifejackets were worn by two of the members of the
party. On my 22’ Thunder Jet, lifejackets are a requirement
because I only use it on big water. In 20 years of safely floating my drift boat, I have never thought lifejackets were necessary on the small water drift boats reside in. That point of
view was forever altered.
Last, if at all possible, stay out of the water. Once safely onshore, stay there. No gear is worth a life. If getting into
the water is optional, and not vital to survival, don’t do it,
even if gear is temptingly is in view. The hydraulics were
extremely forceful and could have swept us off our feet,
potentially pinning us under the tree, our bridge to safety.
Keeping with this thought, a good friend was in the boat
ahead of us downstream, having viewed out bait cooler
floating, walked up the far shore and ventured into the river
to help us. At the midpoint of the first seam, in no man’s
land when it is just as dangerous to turn around and go back
as it is to proceed, he safely returned to the original shore
from whence he came. Again, if going in the water is optional, don’t do it.
What did we do right? The complete absence of panic
acted in our favor. Making our way along the tree to the
beach seemed more like an adventure than distress. We were
dry, had some of our gear, and our wits about us. Once
ashore, I called 911 and was connected with Multnomah
County River Patrol. Steve decided we would be more visible to rescuers from the main side of the island.
Gresham Fire were actually the first responders, launching at Lewis and Clark Park, arriving at our position within
20 minutes of our distress call. Just as no good deed shall go
unpunished, they ran aground in the shallow mainstem. We
proceeded to walk out to them and boarded the raft. They
completed their mission by seeing us safely to shore at
Oxbow Park. We parted friends thankful for our well-being,
and started planning our next fishing trip. Such is the mindset of a steelheader.
No boater ever wants to see this! Three views of Brad’s boat pinned against the log.
28 • The Northwest Steelheader
My wife and I checked salvage out
online and found Columbia River
Marine Assistance. We met them at
Oxbow the following day at noon to
salvage The Spirit. The methods
employed were more muscle than
technical or mechanical. We used the
captain’s Zodiac RIB to proceed down
the side channel two-thirds of the way
to the sunken drift boat. At that point,
we shouldered block and tackle, line
and miscellaneous gear to The Spirit. It
was good to see her, just as we had left
her. Attaching the winch to a downed
root ball on the island, we proceeded
to crank it slowly toward shore, with
the initial objective of getting the port
side (upriver) gunnel above the waterline to prevent further flooding of the
vessel.
Once that was achieved, we manually bailed it out with a five-gallon
bucket, draining as much as could be
achieved with this method. The captain of the salvage vessel used a hand
bilge to further reduce the weight.
When we had removed all we could,
we roped and pushed the boat back
upstream to the salvage Zodiac and
attached it with rope for towing back
to the original launch point from the
day before. The return trip up the narrow, shallow riffle at the head of the
side channel proved to be adventuresome but safe. Within three hours of
first meeting at Oxbow, our boat was
tucked snugly back on its trailer.
Let me take just a moment here to
say how highly I recommend
Columbia River Marine Assistance,
and Captain Ron Micjan, USCG
Master 100T. I’m pretty sure there is
no type of salvage op with which he is
unfamiliar. He has risen fully sunken
vessels from the bottom of the
Columbia and beyond, with experience in ocean rescue and salvage as
well. He had never attempted a shallow water retrieval in rapid water, but
was not deterred. The complete, satisfactory and safe retrieval of The Spirit
is owing in total to Ron’s experience,
professionalism, energy, determination, and, in no small measure, muscle. In addition, he was quite ably
assisted by Jim Virgin, a teammate of
his on the Southwest Washington
Organization of Rescue Divers. It was
Jim who first scouted the back channel
(via his kayak) and the condition of
my boat, to determine the feasibility
of the salvage operation before it
began.
The thankfully small amount of
lost gear for John and Steve has been
restored. My loss was more substantial, and deservedly so, to underscore
the lessons learned. It will be reestab-
lished over time, necessitating many
trips to Fisherman’s and Bob’s. Darn.
This story would not be complete
without a shout out to the Sandy River
chapter of Northwest Steelheaders. I’ve
been blessed over the past three years to
be a very small part of this group, and
develop meaningful friendships which I
hope will be lifelong. I received numerous calls and e-mails of encouragement
and sincere caring from them. Each one
buoyed my spirits.
The offending tree remains in that
side channel, so proceed with caution.
However, as the good stewards of the
Sandy River that this chapter of
Steelheaders is, it would not surprise
me if some day it will be dealt with, in
order to assure safe passage for future
boaters. That’s just how they roll. Safe
boating and tight lines!
Personalized Service with
Savings Every Day
SALMON • STEELHEAD • TUNA
TROUT • BASS • WALLEYE
TUNA • HALIBUT • STURGEON
Rod & Reel Repair
We Have What YOU Need to Succeed!
Tackle You Won’t Find Elsewhere; Special Tuna Selection
Mike Potts and Joe Borba
Hours, Mon.-Thurs. 9 am to 7 pm, Fri. 9 am to 8 pm, Sat. 7 am to 8 pm
Sun. 10 am-5 pm after March 22
362 SW Oak Street, Hillsboro, OR 97123
971-245-6284
Winter 2015 • 29
C A LE N D AR
August 16 Annual Meeting, T. Paul's Supper Club upper loft, 360 12th St, Astoria, 12:00 noon-4:00 p.m. Clothing
(hats, hoodies, shirts) and 2015 raffle tickets will be available.
September 7 Clackamas River Cleanup, followed by BBQ at Barton Park. Sign up at www.welovecleanrivers.org/
complete-guide/
September 13 McLoughlin Chapter Crab-Along, Barview Jetty County Park, spaces 24 and 26. Crab during day with
evening crab feed, prizes. Open to all ANWS members. Call the Park for reservations, 503-322-3522.
September 13 Sandy River Chapter Winter Steelhead Clinic, Sam Cox Building in Glenn Otto Park, Troutdale, 9:00 a.m.5:30 p.m.
September 17 Ex Com Meeting, Association Office, 6:30 p.m.
October 10-11 Salmon Hawg Open Tournament (SHOT), Swiss Hall, Tillamook. Teams of three anglers fish Friday and
Saturday; greatest combined weight of fall Chinook wins. Awards dinner Saturday evening. Register before
September 1 for early registration price.
October 15 Ex Com Meeting, Association Office, 6:30 p.m.
November 8 Quarterly Board Meeting, Eugene, 10:00 a.m.
November 15 Hall of Fame Banquet and Auction, Airport Sheraton Hotel, Portland. Banquet, awards, silent auction,
live auction—all to benefit fish
December 17 Ex Com Meeting, Association Office, 6:30 p.m.
Note: You may participate in meetings via teleconferencing; check meeting agendas or call the office, 503-653-4176.
To have your chapter’s events included in the calender, provide the date, time, and and location
when you are prompted for chapter news prior to each issue.
Volunteer Opportunities
One of the main strengths of the Northwest Steelheaders is the many dedicated volunteers who make the organization successful. Without volunteers, there
would be no Association of Northwest Steelheaders! Volunteers perform many jobs
that would ordinarily be done by paid staff.
There are many ways to get involved at both the chapter and Association level.
Think about the skills and special knowledge you possess and the kind of things
you enjoy doing and see if there isn’t a way that you, too, could be part of the
invaluable volunteer force that drives Steelheaders. Here are some suggestions for
volunteering:
• Office and clerical support suited to your skills and interests in the Association’s
Milwaukie office. Contact Stevie or Joyce at [email protected] or
503-653-4176. Volunteers can do many things, from as simple as stuffing
envelopes to as technical as using specialized software—and everything in
between.
• Help your local chapter organize river clean-ups, habitat restoration projects,
kids’ fishing events, environmental education activities, fundraisers, and other
events. Every chapter has a core of people who volunteer for virtually everything. Help by stepping in from time to time.
• Participate in Association and/or chapter events and work parties. All sorts of
volunteer help is required to stage a major event like the Hall of Fame. You may
actually enjoy working behind the scenes of Quest, Classic, or SHOT.
• Volunteer to become a director or officer for your chapter, or for the
Association.
30 • The Northwest Steelheader
Support Our
Advertisers
The companies that advertise in The
Northwest Steelheader help support
our mission. They know that their
future sales require more than simply
advertising. By advertising in the
Steelheaders’ magazine, they are
demonstrating that they have a huge
stake in healthy fisheries. These companies have earned our support!
ANWS Membership . . . . . . . .11, 31
ANWS Save the Date . . . . . . . . . . . .2
Bentley Boat Tops . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9
ClackaCraft Drift Boats . . . . . . . . .21
Hoggs Jo/Mar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .29
Knipe Realty . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .29
Kone Zone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25
Lamiglas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .32
Line Keeper . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9
Salmon Quest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5
Stearns Lending, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . .9
Yakutat Lodge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13
C H A PT ER S
Salem
West Region
Regional Director Bill Hedlund, [email protected]
Newberg
Second Tuesday, 7:00 p.m.
Chehalem Senior Center, 101 Foothills Drive, Newberg
Contact President Bob Askey at 503-201-5330,
[email protected]
Third Tuesday, 7:00 p.m.
City of Keizer Community Center (at City Hall), 930
Chemawa Rd. NE, Keizer
Contact President Brian Winn at 623-363-7387,
[email protected]
Columbia River Region
North Coast
Regional Director Tom Smoot, [email protected]
Third Tuesday, 7:00 p.m.
ODFW Tillamook Office, 4907 3rd St., Tillamook
Contact Co-President Bill Hedlund at 503-815-2737,
[email protected]
Columbia River (Vancouver)
Tualatin Valley
Second Wednesday, 6:30 p.m.
Pied Piper Pizza, 12300 NE Fourth Plain Rd., Vancouver
Contact President Don Hyde at 360-835-3372,
[email protected]
Second Thursday, 7:00 p.m.
Aloha American Legion Hall, 20325 SW Alexander, Aloha
Contact President Tom VanderPlaat at 503-357-4825,
[email protected]
McLoughlin
Central Region
Molalla River
Deschutes Basin
Meetings scheduled based on fishery needs
Contact President Yancy Lind at 541-788-5514,
[email protected]
Emerald Empire
Second Tuesday, 7:00 p.m.
Denny’s, 15815 SE 82nd Drive, Clackamas
Contact President Duane Kitzmiller at 503-799-0368,
[email protected]
Third Thursday, 6:30 p.m.
Farmstead Restaurant, 28313 S. Highway 213, Molalla
Contact President Sam Wurdinger at 503-932-8386,
[email protected]
Sandy River
First Wednesday, 7:00 p.m.
Veterans’ Memorial Building, 1626 Willamette St., Eugene
Contact President Ken Johnson at 541-520-9082,
[email protected]
First Wednesday, 7:00 p.m.
Glenn Otto Park, 1208 Historic Columbia River Hwy.,
Troutdale
Contact President Doug Briggs at 503-729-2023,
[email protected]
Mid-Valley
Tom McCall
First Wednesday, 7:00 p.m.
Albany Senior Citizens Center, 489 Water Ave. NW, Albany
Contact President Larry Bell at 541-337-5427,
[email protected]
Third Wednesday, 11:30 a.m.
Old Spaghetti Factory, 0715 SW Bancroft St., Portland
Contact President Dave Reggiani at 503-657-5379,
[email protected]
Please call the office, 503-653-4176, if you are interested in developing a new chapter.
Winter 2015 • 31