Working with WDFW programs

This evening we had 18 members and our guest speaker to turnout for this last scheduled spring meeting of the Walla² Fly Fishers. President Tyson lead the discussion after dinner to address our 2011 Fly Fishing Fair being held on 11 June, the raffle tickets being sold between now and 11 June for an overnight fishing outing with Red's Fly Shop/Guide Service, on the Yakima River with lodging provided at Canyon River Ranch Lodge. Most members present at this meeting came away with some raffle tickets and they will be available at our 2011 Fly Fishing Fair.

In looking for activities for the club to become involved with once again Casting for Recovery was discussed. We are now looking for interested individuals that might wish to get involved with a local program.

Casting for Recovery was founded in 1996 in Manchester, Vermont, the unique brainchild of a breast cancer reconstructive surgeon and a professional fly fisher. It began as a local grassroots group with a big heart and an original national vision, and quickly received endorsements from medical and psycho-social experts for its innovative healing program model while at the same time provoking intense interest by national media.

Casting for Recovery was founded on the principles that the natural world is a healing force and that cancer survivors deserve one weekend — free of charge and free of the stresses from medical treatment, home, or workplace — to experience something new and challenging while enjoying beautiful surroundings within an intimate, safe, and nurturing structure. Anyone here wish to join this cause with your fly rod in hand?

Following our business discussions we had Glen Mende from WDFW as our guest speaker for the evening. Glen's presentation this evening was a discussion of the fishery habitat and the fish stocking programs across eastern Washington and particularly that of southeast WA. He discussed the need of some volunteer help with some of the WDFW programs for enhancement and recovery of some area fisheries.

Glen discussed Infectious Haematopoietic Necrosis (IHN) that has become a real problem in the southeast WA hatchery programs. This disease has caused a lot of trouble in the Tucannon River system and hatchery program there.

He also discussed the invasive aquatic species that have invaded our area waters and are currently damaging our native fish populations and causing havoc with different water and irrigation systems of the area.

Glen also talked about the possible steelhead run of 2011 saying that it is thought that this year's run will be larger than the 2010 run. He says that the propose steelhead harvest of SE Washington for 2011 will be 25,000.

Discussing some fishery and habitat project that our club could consider becoming involve with Glen suggested joining forces with the Tri-State Steelheaders, Walla Walla Conservation District, WDFW Bull trout spawning surveys, USFWS / ODFW / CTUIR brook trout projects.

Glen we wish to Thank You again for joining us this evening and giving us some ideas of how the Walla² Fly Fishers might have an impact on the fishery and habitat improvement of our area.

Our next gathering which is also open to the interested fly fishing public will be our third annual 2011 Fly Fishing Fair at Waterbrook Winery. Please mark your calendars for Saturday 11 June for this fly fishing event and a free dutch oven luncheon. Activities began at 11:00 a.m and include fly casting instructions (fly rod are provided), fly tying demonstrations, a fly fishing trip raffle, guided fishing trips opportunities, etc.

Respectfully submitted,
Dale McKain
Secretary

Tight lines and good fishing.

Walla² Fly Fishers

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Tight lines and good fishing.

Tyson Kopfer - President

Dr. Doug Coe - Treasurer

Dale McKain - Secretary