Club News and Current Events
SSCPSA President's Monthly Newsletter April 2020
After the writing of this letter, it has been decided to cancel all events until further notice. Please check back later for any PSASSC activity updates.
Stay safe and healthy.
President’s Message from Allen Morrow
THE SEAFOOD BANQUET SCHEDULED FOR APRIL 2 HAS BEEN CANCELLED!
We have cancelled the banquet in response to restrictions on group gatherings being announced as the state and nation confront the COVID-19 pandemic. We hope that this is just a postponement and that we will be able to reschedule the banquet at a later date.
It is my wish that this message finds all our members safe and free of this disease.
Those attending the March meeting heard Jim Dills and Dillon Schultz from the Skookumchuck Hatchery give us a very informational talk on hatchery operations and run timing on the Skookumchuck River. It was great to learn that their return rate was significantly better than most other steelhead hatcheries. Jim attributes this to his decision to release larger smolts than is the practice in many other hatcheries. The higher return rate was especially good news to many of us who regularly fish winter run steelhead on this river. It was also nice to learn that coho eggs and fry from this hatchery are used elsewhere in the Chehalis basin and in the Squaxin Tribe net pens which is a benefit to those who fish in our area.
Another feature of the March meeting was the election of officers for the upcoming year. Allen Morrow, Pat Leahy and Dee Glenn were reelected to the offices of president, vice president and
secretary/treasurer respectively. Jay Evans and Les Bower were elected to be members of the board of directors. I would like to thank outgoing board members Bob Leingang and Mike Silvers for their service during the past two years. Although these folks are leaving the board, Mike will remain as the kid fishing program and outings coordinator and Bob will continue to
run the clothing and monthly raffle programs.
We have a number of events on our calendar during the months of April and May. The status of those events is very much up in the air as I write these comments. Events in jeopardy include the Kid’s Fish-in at Long’s Pond in April and the Columbus Park kid fishing event at Black Lake in May. We also are planning for a boat show and safety inspection day at Cabela’s on April 11. (All events have been cancelled - please check back later when national health issues improve.) This event does not typically involve a large number of participants, but it may need to be postponed until a later date.
As pointed out above there will be no April Seafood Banquet. The status of the May meeting is unknown at this time.
Jim Wood went home from the March meeting happy and $150.00 richer.
He won the member drawing. The pot will be at $50.00 the next time we are able to have a meeting.
Outings, Events and Announcements
Clam Dig Saturday, February 22. At Twin Harbors Beach, Grayland, Wa. If you want to caravan down, please meet at the Mud Bay Park & Ride by 2:30 PM.
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)