ON THE WATER FOR APRIL ( 2K11 )

ON THE WATER FOR APRIL 2011

I need to report some "stunning" news to the membership of the Longview Hills Fishing Club.  In an emergency meeting of the Club board of directors, we have accepted a directive from the Governor of the State to take control of the Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife.  Citing the Club's dependability, organization, and hard work in the sustainability of fish runs, the Governor issued the directive to take effect immediately.  The board appointed Club member, and Joe Longo Award Winner, CASEY DECKARD to head the Department.  DEREK WILSON was appointed to join Mr. DECKARD as Associate Director.  To fill other positions, the board has hired JAMES RAY, from the State of Alaska, to return to the position of Head Fish Biologist. BRIAN HUDSON was appointed Director of Angler Education for the State, and HANK BRYSON was named to head the Commercial Fisheries Division.  It was also decided to move the Department's headquarters to Newport.  For further information on this move, be sure to read the first entry on your Meeting & Activity Schedule for April.

In other news from the area, we had a tsunami alert this month.  The biggest damage to Lincoln County was to the harbor at Depoe Bay.  The videos of the event were quite dramatic.  It is a wakeup call and certainly points to the need to prepare for such events.  When the BIG ONE happens, it will be a much larger event.  We are past due for a

Cascadia Subduction Zone earthquake.  The last one was in 1700 and historically we usually have such a quake every 230 years.  It was great news that Lincoln City Police Officer STEVEN DODDS has recovered enough to be named the Grand Marshall of the Loyalty Days Parade on April 30.  I am sure we all wonder what has become of the shooter and hope the mystery is soon resolved.  The NOAA project continues to near completion ON TIME and ON BUDGET.  What a boost for our local economy!  It is great news that our Club Vice President LARRY DALE is now home and recovering.  Larry has been greatly missed and we hope he will be back in the groove to help with the club projects.  He is a great hand in helping with the Club and community with our activities.  PHIL REED continues to recover and hopes to back in the boat soon (It is with good authority that his wife Pam hopes so well).  BILL FURGASON returned from his trip to Scotland.  Be sure to ask Bill about his adventures.  Maybe he can give us some stories at the upcoming breakfast meeting.

Looking back on March, we had a fair number Steelhead in the Schooner Creek trap.  The fish were passed upstream and we hope that we will see even larger returns in the future.  Thanks to LEE FRIES we had a great tour of the NOAA facility.  It is uncertain if there will be any tours in the future.  Oregon State Police Trooper Heather Van Meter gave the club a great presentation on "Sports Fishing and the Law 101".  JIM STANLEY reports that is trout fishing is quite good at Big Creek Reservoir.  DON SARVER and WAYDE DUDLEY attended the STEP conference in Tillamook.

Turning our attention to April, it will be a VERY BUSY MONTH for the Club.  Your assistance will be needed for the success of those events that we have committed our help.  Beginning  April 2, there will be a Sportsman's Banquet at Newport High School.  Your Club will have a table there to explain the things that we do for the community.  We will show our Club video "FISHING FOREVER", produced and directed by WAYDE DUDLEY and MAC ANDREW.  MIKE SAMPLES provides the narration.  If you have not seen this great video, be sure to get a copy.  On April 5, we will meet with ODFW at our Quarterly Meeting to plan upcoming events and projects.  April 7 is our fun and informative monthly breakfast meeting. Then things really get busy starting on April 9, the Siletz Watershed Council has asked for help with the Siletz River Clean Up Day to keep the river clean and beautiful.  There will be free food and prizes.  On April 14, the 50,000 plus Steelhead Smolts arrive at the Palmer Creek ponds.  Frank Stout will be bringing his trailer to the site again this year and we will set up camp.  We will be watching over and feeding them while they acclimate themselves for about seven days before being released down Palmer Creek and into the Siletz River.  Then the next day (April 15) our volunteers will be helping ODFW with installing a net and with stocking fish for the first ever Olalla Reservoir Fishing Derby and Earth Day Event 2011 that will be held on April 16 from 8am until 3pm.  Our second Club meeting of the month on April 21 will feature Stan van de Wetering from the Siletz Tribe telling us of the Tribe's fish restoration and sustainability programs.  To wrap up the month we have the Newport Loyalty Days Parade on April 30.  Officer STEVEN DODDS will act as Grand Marshall and look for Jake (aka WAYDE DUDLEY) and Elwood (aka WAYNE HILL) Blues---The Blues Brothers--- in the Newport Police Volunteer's car.

WHEW, what a month it will be.

See you On The Water

Big Fish