ON THE WATER FOR FEBRUARY (2009)

ON THE WATER FOR FEBRUARY            ( 2009 )

 

Did you feel it Pard ??? ……… Yes, they added 1 second to 2008, just as she went out the door !!!!    Why you ask > because < Just like the Economy, the Earth is Slowing Down >< Now there’s a bunch of scientific reasons for that, but the thing that I find reassuring is that I don’t feel so bad about slowing down a little myself. Then there’s the “Late California Pelicans” … Those Bad Boys & Girls slowed down so much, that they missed their queue to Head South & it is costing many of them their lives. How’bout a shot of Good News >< 200,000 Acres of Mount Hood Wilderness got saved for our future Oregon Grandchildren by a recently passed Bill, which has been stalled in the US Senate for a year. Did I mention, that we now have a New President ??  Then there is that “Damn Valsetz” Issue >< Yes, it’s still alive & we need to Keep an Eye on the Polk County Water Storage Study that is being conducted.

 

To get us into a brief look back on JANUARY >><< I would like to have us pause and reflect on the >>  MIRACLE ON THE HUDSON << Now, I don’t know where you were or what you were doing when Flight 1549 went down in the Hudson River, but I hope when you saw the PIX of all of those folks getting out of the plane, standing on the wings & ultimately being rescued … It moved you to realize that there must be something much bigger than we can understand. I guess that’s what MIRACLES are all about >>>>>>> Moving along …….

We did some Good Stuff this month >< JERRY GIBSON was the Big Door Prize Winner at our Breakfast Meeting ….. He gets to spend a Day of Steelhead Fishing on the Siletz with Professional River Guide, PHIL REED. I should also mention, that PHIL was our 2008 Salmon Derby Winner (Congrats again Phil) !!!   Mid-month, a bunch of Stalwart Club Members  got involved with our Good Central Coast Fly Fisher Friends by working with them & ODFW to do a fun Riparian Project that involved planting over 40 trees, resulting in the Habitat Restoration of a small stream in the Seal Rock Area. I should also mention, that in addition to the project being a Big Success, we capped off the day with a great Hot Lunch of Burger’s & Brat’s, done by Chef Butch Minich at his Fly Shop !!!  I apologize for getting our wires crossed & not holding our Community Drugs Presentation. However, the Camaraderie Practice was Great & I’ll work with TOM SIMPSON to see if we can get this “Re-Loaded” for our 17 September, General Membership Meeting. Thanks again to Brother HANK BRYSON for covering all of the Siletz Trap Duty for the month. You may have noticed from the Trap Reports, that the water levels seem to be dropping & of course that results in Fish Counts going down. I am not sure what that all means, but I suspect it’s not good !!  Lurching Right Along >>>>>>>>

 

FEBRUARY 14^th marks OREGONS 150 BIRTHDAY >&< 2009 is our SESQUICENTENNIAL YEAR !!!  

 

**** Now, that’s something to “Toot Your Horn” about Pard >><< Of course we have a couple of things to look forward to before that happens >><< 1^st off, we need to work our way thru Super Bowl “43” …. Easy on the Nachos & I am predicting a Big Win for my PITTSBURG STEELERS (I have to root for them, in as much as I was Born & Bred in Pennsylvania) >&< You realize, that if they loose, I will have to eat a “Little Crow” from my CARDINAL FRIENDS but that’s the risk you take when you “Take a Stand” !!!   Don’t miss this months Breakfast Meeting, we will again be doing a Door Prize Drawing for another Siletz Fishing Trip with GUIDE PHIL.  Another RED LETTER DAY will be on the 11^th of February >><< That’s our 42^nd Wedding Anniversary >><< Yes Mary & I have gone down the Road Together for 42 years & I Love her as much as when we started & I would like to predict a Bunch More Wonderful Years Together. ( I was going to take us to the Kernville Steak House, but sadly it had to close. If anybody has any Good Celebratory Dinner Places, Please let me know.)  That brings us to 14 February >><< It’s hard to believe that our State is 150 Years Young !!  There will be lot’s of Fun “Sesquicentennial” Stuff going on this year >< We will be involved in several Children’s Fishing Day Activities & Rumor has that our FC Video will come on line ++ If all goes well, we would like to propose Celebrating our Clubs 5^th Birthday & Oregon’s 150^th by doing a Barbecue Ribs Lunch, for All of our Members, at our 20 August Club House Meeting.  Allow me to encourage you to attend our upcoming 19 February Meeting, which will feature RYAN MINER presenting his “Hands On” presentation of WINTER STEELHEAD FISHING TECHNIQUES >< This is a great opportunity to get invaluable information from a Professional River Guide. A NEW ITEM >< I am very pleased to announce that ELLIE LeMASTER has agreed to begin coordinating our Quarterly Beverly Beach Litter Patrols. She will be working with Bob Abbott & several of our Club members to get us down on the beach at least once a quarter. Stay Tuned for a BLAST that will give more specific Beach Patrol Information regarding a February Patrol Event. A HEADS UP ITEM >< I believe I failed to mention, that on the 17^th, all of our Local TV Stations will be switching to Digital Signals !!!   I sure hope you are Not Left in the Dark by this TV Signal Transition…..

 

In closing & in honor of our 150 Years as a State, allow me to share with you a poem written by Kim Stafford  >< SITKA SONG ><

 

Vagabond Salmon, Home again to Your Native Stream ……...

 

Leave your Bones among the Stones & Travel in your Dream ……..

 

Well, that’s the Top of the News as it Looks from Here ……. Hope to See You On The Water >>>         THE HOOK