Club News and Current Events
SSCPSA President's Monthly Newsletter February 2020
PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE FROM ALLEN MORROW
We had almost a full house at our February meeting to hear WDFW Director Kelly Susewind and Fish Program Director Kelly Cunningham speak on the future of recreational fishing and hatchery management and operation. I believe most of us came away from the meeting somewhat more knowledgeable about what the future holds for us while at the same time frustrated that it doesn’t appear to be promising. One of the points the Director made that does ring true for me is the need for all of the interested parties in Washington fisheries need to work together as one if we want to see a bright future. Unfortunately, recent action by WDFW supporting the use of gill nets in the main stream Columbia River is very much contrary to that point.
March will be the start of a busy season for our club. It starts with our monthly meeting on the 5th. The speaker will be Jim Dills, Manager Skookumchuck Hatchery who will provide information on hatchery operation and run timing on the Skookumchuck River. On March 7 we will be at a Kids Fishing Seminar in Tenino. More information on this event will be forthcoming. The next event on Saturday March 14 is the annual Skookumchuck River clean up.
We will be set up at 9:00 am in the hatchery parking lot. We will supply gloves and garbage bags donated by Thurston County public works. At 11:00 am, we will serve hamburgers, dogs, potato salad, chips, and drinks provided by the club. After lunch we will hold a raffle for the volunteers. There will be hatchery tours if you’re interested. Bring your steelhead gear and try your luck. Finally, we will end the month on the 28th and 29th at Cabela’s providing support for their fish pond.
The busy season continues in April with our annual Seafood Banquet on the 2nd. We have tentative plans for our annual boat show and safety inspection on either the 4th or 11th. The big event for the month is the annual Kids Fish-in at Long’s Pond on the 18th. That event actually starts on April 13 when we will assemble the poles and tackle to be given to the 600 kids participating in this event. More information will be provided next month. Hopefully we will all be able to find time to fish in April as the Halibut season will open in Puget Sound as well the lowland lake trout season.
Once again it is time to pay your yearly dues. For a family membership it is $35.00 and for a corporate membership it is $75.00. If you do not pay by April, you will be taken off the membership list, will not receive The Reel News, or the club newsletter.
Outings, Events and Announcements
Our Bobber Doggin' trip(s) were a success, for some!
Went fishing for Chum's in Little Skookum Inlet on Saturday. Four of our boats took 8 Gi's out. Only 2 Chum's to the net. But everybody seemed to have fun. My boat had 2 on but didn't get any to the net.
Went back on Sunday with 2 more GI's. We put 6 in the net by 12:30. 1 set of doubles. FYI - It is hard to net 2 chum with 1 person that had never caught a salmon before, 1 person that never fished before, two salmon swimming in opposite directions and one of those wrapped up in the stringer with 2 salmon on it. Was very interesting for awhile. Sunday the concentration of fish seemed to disappear about 1:30.
Bobber Doggin’ November 9, 2019
Our plans for a bobber dogging outing for single soldiers at JBLM are coming together. The plan is to take single soldiers from JBLM on a chum fishing outing. We have made contact with an organization called Better Opportunities for Single Soldiers (BOSS) at JBLM and they are excited about this opportunity for their members. The plan is to meet at Swantown Marina with our boats at 10:00 AM on the morning of Saturday November 9 go to Mill Creek in Hammersley Inlet or Little Skookum in Totten Inlet (depending on the where the chum are to be found) returning to Swantown around 4:00 PM. We are planning on taking 2 soldiers per boat so the more boats we have the more we can take out. The plan is for us to provide all the fishing gear and for the soldiers to have a license, appropriate clothing and something to eat and drink.
If you are interested and want more information please let me know as soon as possible so I can let the folks at BOSS know how many we can accommodate. When you do respond it will be helpful if you could let me know how many people you can take on your boat. Contact info is ramorrow@pacifier.com
Allen Morrow
PSA SSC will have a clam dig at Twin Harbors Beach on October 25th. If you do not know where this is, we will leave the Mud Bay Park and Ride at 1 PM to caravan out to the site. Or you can find us on the beach between Grayland Beach Road and Cranberry Beach Road. Low tide is about 6 PM with a surf perch fishing oppotunity before the dig commences.
We had our annual kid's fish-in last Saturday, April 13, 2019. Rain in the morning and wind in the afternoon but the kid's and the volunteers stuck it out. A good time was had by all.
35 volunteers helped 454 kids fish on 2,000 Rainbow Trout. A couple of big carp thrown into the middle of the event brought smiles all around. I went back to Long's Pond on Sunday and a young lady was there fishing and had to show me a picture of the big Carp that she had caught at the event. She said that it tried to pull her in.
It was another successful PSA event
Thanks everybody for all of your time and effort in helping these kids fish.
See you next time.
Come join for a "bobber dog-in" event on November 10. We will be out on the Puget Sound chasing Chum Salmon. Contact Mike Silvers at Mike Silvers [setthehook55@gmail.com] to see if we have an open seat for you or to find out details about the outing. Hope to see you there! (See pictures below)
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On October 13 members participated in a clam dig/surf perch fishing/bon fire event at Rooseveldt Beach. All got limits of razor clams 5 surf perch were caught by one member. Good time had by all!
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At the Puyallup Fair, the Master Hunters out did themselves this year. Master Hunters volunteered for 13 days with 57 shifts and a total of 396 volunteer hours to help 4,355 kids catch fish at the Puyallup Fair. Because of the volunteers we fished 315 more kids this year than we did last year and did it with less fish.
Thanks for all the help!
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Mike Silvers
On July 14th, Cub Scout Pack 462 had a ball catching Rainbow trout. After the scouts each caught two it was open to their siblings. The fish cooperated, sort of. All caught fish. The South Sound chapter of Puget Sound Anglers volunteers had a ball and a fabulous lunch provided by the Pack. Pack 462 is JBLM based. They have 62 cub scouts! A wonderful program and pleased we could help. Thank you Mike Silvers Mike Servey, Dennis Knutz, Kevin Fast, and John Ignac for your time.
Thanks to all the volunteers, the May 30, 2018 Kid's Fish-in at Mason Lake was a great success. You made some lasting memories for many a kid and I heard a lot of "Thank You's" from the parents.
We had at least 80 kids catch fish. Some kids (with teacher permission) took the fish back to the school to be grilled and eaten! Happy fishers at Mason Lake (Shelton, Wa) Kids Fish-In. See pictures below and Click here to watch some of the fun!
Our South Sound Chapter of PSA received a $5,000 grant from Cabela's in Lacey Wa, on May 26, 2018, for us to give kids rods and reels.
MEDIA ALERT: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE -
June 1, 2018
Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s to donate 50,000 rods and reels in nationwide effort to get kids outside this summer
Gone Fishing movement kicks off with National Donation Day at Cabela’s in LACEY, WA
WHAT: Bass Pro Shops founder Johnny Morris is challenging families to put down their digital devices and get outside to discover the joys of fishing. To kick off Gone Fishing, the nationwide movement that gets kids and families connected to nature each summer, Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s are donating 50,000 rods and reels to nonprofit organizations that help kids from all backgrounds connect to the great outdoors.
Media are invited to Cabela’s in Lacey, Washington on Thursday, June 7 for a special ceremony featuring Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) receiving the donations, The WDFW helps get kids outside with programs like “Fish Washington, Kid Fish Events”, receiving this donation of rods and reels will help increase the number of kids that participate in events throughout the year.
During the family-friendly Gone Fishing events taking place over the next two weekends (June 9-10 and 16-17), kids of all ages are invited to catch their first fish with free catch-and-release ponds, take home a “First Fish” certificate and beginner’s guides, and participate in free seminars, free crafts and free photo downloads.
The effort is part of the company’s mission to inspire future generations to enjoy, love and conserve the great outdoors. In the past five years, Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s have donated more than 300,000 items to youth-focused nonprofit organizations across North America.
WHEN: Thursday, June 7, 2018, 4 P.m.
WHO: Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (Insert name(s) of local nonprofit representatives attending the event)
WHERE: Cabela’s
MEDIA CONTACT: Tracy Hatton
360-252-3535
Tracy Hatton
Events Specialist
Cabela’s – Lacey, WA
(360) 252-3535
4136-8046 (internal)