1) Reminder that the Walla² Fly Fishers 3rd Annual Fly Fishing Fair will be held this year at Waterbrook Winery off Old Hwy 12 west of Walla Walla on June 11th.
2) We’re still selling raffle tickets for the Red’s Fly Shop giveaway of a night at the lodge in the Yakima River canyon and a guided float for two down the river.
3) 2011 club membership dues are due $15/single ~~ $20/family and payable to the Walla² Fly Fishers. Please mail to our Treasurer Dr. Doug Coe at 1341 Lowell Drive Walla Walla, WA 99362
If you’re not a member of the Walla² Fly Fishers, please contact Doug Coe and he can assist you with membership and dues.
4) Dan Grinstead then gave a brief talk with a handout about the growing opposition to the construction of a permanent industrial corridor for over-sized loads headed to Alberta, Canada. The proposed route is Highway 12 through WA, OR, ID, and MT. The organization is All Against the Haul, and you can learn more at their website allagainstthehaul.org.
5) President Bob Long announced his pending re-location out of the Walla Walla area. Vice President Tyson Kopfer will now step into the position club President.
Hear, Hear, now is the time for all good Walla² Fly Fishers club members to consider stepping forward and throwing their hat into the ring for the position of club Vice President. Thank you.
After our business affairs were discussed, our guest speaker Mac Huff from Joseph, OR gave his presentation about the fishing opportunities in Wallowa County.
Mac discussed fishing from the highest fish-bearing lake in the state - Legore Lake - at 9,000 feet to the Snake River at 900 feet. Included in his presentation were the Minam, Grande Ronde, Wallowa, Lostine, Bear Cr. Sheep Cr. and Imnaha rivers and Wallowa Lake, with good trout fishing and the World Record Kokanee salmon.
He talked about talked about the fish distribution of the Wallowa, Imnaha, and Grande Ronde river drainages. The lower Grande Ronde has rainbows, small mouth bass, bull trout and steelhead, moving to higher elevation the bass disappear and bull trout become more prevalent.
Roughly above 6,000 feet bull trout are the most common species, unless they are in a water shed with brook trout, then there can be interbreeding (bad.) The Eagle Cap Wilderness lakes are "brook trout" lakes or "rainbow trout" lakes, depending on whether brook trout were planted there. If brooks were planted, then they dominate the lake.
Some of Mac's favorite ties for trout
and steelhead
He also talked about the season and confirmed that fish will bite in the rain, snow and ice - winter comes early to the Wallowa country and spring runoff is usually later in June. In you are interested in learning more about the fishing opportunities available in the Wallowa Country, please contact Mac at Eagle Cap Fishing Guides - http://www.eaglecapfishing.com/Mac, Thank You once again for joining our group and refreshing our knowledge of the spectacular fly fishing opportunity available in your area.
NOTE: The Federation of Fly Fishers (FFF) was conceived along the banks of the Grande Ronde River just north of Troy, OR when a group of fly fishers from Eugene, OR felt the sport of fly fishing should be maintained and enhanced for as long as man can fish these rivers of NE Oregon and SE Washington.
Respectfully submitted,
Dale McKain
Secretary
Tight lines and good fishing.
Walla² Fly Fishers
Tight lines and good fishing.
Tyson Kopfer - President
