ON THE WATYER FOR APRIL (2008)

ON THE WATER FOR APRIL                   (2008)

 

Hi Pard >><< Remember when I closed last months column with a line about, “Beware the Ides of March” ?? Well, we sure got some really sad hard March News. First, we learned of Dick Billingham losing his lovely wife Lois, then it was the dire predications for a severely limited Chinook Salmon Fishing Season, and now it’s “Colony Collapse Disorder”…. This is a very serious, but poorly understood, disease that is attacking our Honey Bee Populations >><< No Bees to pollinate our agricultural crops …could result in… Very poor crop yields !!!     My Great Grandmother used to say, “Bad/Sad Things come in 3’s” …. Boys Howdy, I sure hope she was right ……… We can’t do much about the Salmon or the Bees but the next time you see Dick, please give him a “Kind Word” & maybe even a Hug !! ….. I am sure he would appreciate your doing that. Also, it would be a good thing if we kept Bud Roark’s wife Mary in our prayers today, the 31^st.  She is undergoing some very serious cardiac surgery, please remember them both.  On a happier note >><< You all know Mike Rosiga is a Good Guy to call if you need some yard work done, but did you know his Dad, Joe, makes custom knives & will “at No Charge” sharpen any LVH Neighbors Knives >><< All you need to do is contact Mike & he will pick up & return some really sharp knives. We tried it & Joe does a much better job than I ever was able to do on Mary’s kitchen knives!!

 

The high-light of MARCH >><< had to be the Georgia Pacific Toledo Plant Tour !!!!   16 Club Members braved the challenges of walking “The Plant” & All said the Tour was a Hum Dinger !!!!!  It is also important to note, that we are very pleased to Welcome DEREK WILSON, a Senior ODFW Biologist, as our newest Honorary Member & Special Friend of the Club. The weather continued to be “Iffy” & ultimately forced The General (AKA Brian Hudson) made the call to scrub our Olalla Lake Fish Along on the 25^th.  Our Good Friends with the Central Coast Fly Fishers proceeded with their O.L. FAL on 29^th, which turned out to be a Weather Challenged, but exciting No Fish Day !!!  I heard some murmurings about actually seeing Golfers out on the Olalla Links, in the same miserable weather as the Fisherman >><< Golfers just seem a little unclear on the concept ….  Don’t you think ??!!?? 

 

Lot’s of Good APRIL Fishing Club Stuff will be happening ……. We will be coming to the 3 April, Breakfast Meeting armed with the very latest information gleaned from our 2^nd Quarter ODFW/Coastal Fishing Club Coordination Meeting. Once again, working closely with ODFW, we will again be Planting 50 thousand Steelhead Smolt in the Palmer Creek Beaver Pounds. Wayde Dudley will be giving us the Volunteer Requirements for this 22 April Event.

 

Preceding the Palmer Creek Event will be our Annual Pilgrimage, on the 17^th, to the YAQUINA BAY OYSTER FARM …….. This tour is back by popular demand & has the added attraction of actually doing some Oyster Tasting …. Many of you know, I never met an Oyster that I liked, Ergo Sum >>>> Big Fish Hill is, here with, bequeathed my Oyster Tasting Proxy !!!!  

 

Keep an eye out for the Oregon Public Broadcasting TV Program, “The Silent Invasion,” which will air at 8 PM on the 22^nd. It is an extremely well done documentary dealing with what is happening across our country, as it relates to terrestrial & aquatic INVASIVE SPECIES. 

 

In closing, Big Fish Hill recently sent me a list, which outlines the PERKS OF BEING OVER 50 >><< Several caught my eye & made me chuckle. Allow me to share just one with you ……… “At this age, your joints are a more accurate weather forecaster than the National Weather Service !!!     

 

Well that’s the top of the news as it looks from here, Hope to See You On The Water ……………  THE  HOOK