Walla² Fly Fishers: Looking at a Broader Picture and Audience

With the absence of Pres. Dave, VP Tom, it was Secretary Dale that called the meeting to order tonight at 7:10.

Before leaving town, Pres. Dave had told Dale that he was working on a program for this evening with an individual from the Walla Walla’s division of the Army Corp of Engineers (USACE). When it appeared this did not develop we moved on without.

Treasurer Doug was not present this evening, therefore we have no Treasurer’s report.

Tonight we had 9 members and 3 guests present.

Dale started the meeting by saying that he had hoped there would be more members present, including those club members that helped with June's Fly Fishing Workshop at Whitman College. He is still holding $200 dollars in his name for the time and effort that club members put into that project and he want to make contributions to some non-profits before the end of the year.

There has been mentioned several 501-c organizations to consider, Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing, Walla Walla Christian Aid Center, Casting for Recover, and we would like to have a club vote, participation by all, to make this decision agreeable for all. Dale needs to get these fund donated before December 31, so we will need to finalize this business at November's meeting.

Dale as the sole founding club member, having signed the by-laws of our organization, and still attending all meetings, brought to this group's attention, that twice in the past couple of weeks it has been brought to his attention that clubs/organizations fade away, when they become stale without a flow of new perspectives, and leadership. Having thought much about these discussions, Dale brought to the group tonight... that maybe the time has come to fall back on the club’s by-laws dealing with club officer’s 2-year term limits. Dale said that he did not in anyway, wish to diminish the time, effort, the FIVE (5) years of services that Dave and Tom have contributed to the leadership of our club, but maybe the time has come for change. So that our club does not go by the way of other organizations...we need consider a change from the routine of having our monthly club activity being comprised of a meeting for dinner, light discussions, and the occasional fishing guide's input of their business for our programs; from one year to the next. The club has come to a time that we need leadership to build membership, and community interaction. With our fly fishing knowledge, and fly tying projects, we should make ourselves more visible outside the Smith's Family Restaurant walls. We have lost this vision and purpose that we once had in establishing the Walla² Fly Fishers. Dale suggested that we consider the nominations of interested individual to create a new slate of club officers at November’s meeting. Anyone that is interested in helping the group grow with direction and community outreach in mind, we ask that you let it be known - please email <wallawallaflyfishing@gmail.com>. This discussion should continue in November with a vote taking place in January 2019, to bring in the new year, with new direction and vitality.
This evening Dale also brought forward the idea, and asked "Ladies, please consider stepping up, grab the reins and help with directing our club." Without a doubt, women make excellent fly fishers, fly tiers, group~network organizers. Dale pointed out that if women were leading the community awareness charge; it would demonstrate to all fishers of the Walla² area that Walla² Fly Fishers is not a group of “good ole boys” with fly rods in hand, but that we are a gender neutral recreational group for all the interested public to participate, enjoy in the art and science of fly fishing, and our club activities. We have a lot of potential for growth and fly fishing fun, in our Walla² area.

After that discussion, our meeting this evening became a round table discussion of the current status of steelhead and salmon returns to the water of the Pacific Northwest. Without a program member of the USACE being present, we were fortunate by having John Oberhelman (club member and employee of USACE) present this evening. He gave us a lot of insight in what the Corp / BPA is doing at the dams for fisheries, the condition of our PNW fishery, and the expense of it all.

2018 Steelhead run -very low- is less than a THIRD of the 10-year average

Thank you John for sharing with us your wealth of knowledge, and your enlightening us this evening concerning the USACE~BPA network, and our PNW fisheries.

This evening we had a visit with Angela Williams. Angela is currently the President and in the process of organizing the Walla Walla Valley Trout Unlimited Chapter. She mentioned that in many areas across the USA, many TU and local fly fishing clubs worked hand-n-hand on projects to improve fishery habitat and fishing opportunities. It is also true that in many communities TU and the local fly fishing club are one and the same. TU National is a funding source for many stream - fishery improvement projects. Angela said she would like to see if our organizations could co-mingle to improve the coldwater fisheries of SE Washington ~ NE Oregon. She also mentioned her hopes that our club would help the membership of this newly formed TU organization learn to become fly fishers.
October was this new TU chapter sixth meeting. Their next will be held:

Thursday, November 1, 6:30-8:00 pm.

Location: Aerie Room, Eagles Club, Walla Walla

FYI -- Founded in Michigan in 1959, Trout Unlimited today is a national non-profit organization with about 300,000 members and supporters dedicated to conserving, protecting and restoring North America's coldwater fisheries and their watersheds.

Brian Wolcott of the Walla Walla Basin Watershed Council was also sharing with us this evening, and he spoke of the work that the Council has been doing to help improve the streamside habitat of the Walla Walla River, particularly in the Milton-Freewater area, and the river's tributaries.

After Angela addressing our group, we entered a Round Table discussion of current fishing trip across WA and OR, that different individual had made lately. Some good info for those in attendance was shared.
Dale mentioned that Tis the Season for an abundance of October Caddis to be hatching~hovering over lower elevation streams and rivers of our area, and that the mid-Walla Walla River was at a perfect flow to be fishing Orange Stimulators~October Caddis dry flies imitation for wild trout hookups.