Tidbits

Three items to talk about.

From SUMC Youth Blog

While it may seem that I spend all my time tromping around the state fishing, I have other responsibilities. When I'm not working in Queen Anne, I'm often volunteering at Snoqualmie United Methodist as a Youth Leader. I write about it at my other blog (see here). In a few weeks we're taking some of the kids on a mission trip to Camp Twinlow in Idaho. Not ALL of these kids but about 7 of them. The camp is on a lake, so I intend to take my flyrod with me and catch some fish.

From 2010 Hiking and Camping

Cameras again. Since I wrote about cameras in December, I have purchased AND LOST another digital camera. It was another Nikon Coolpix, this time the L22. As much as I liked the L10, I didn't care for the L22; bulky, slow, confusing interface. I feel like an idiot, but I need another camera to take on the Mission trip. So tonight I picked up, at Costco, the Fuji XP 10 for $140. Normally I don't care for Fuji cameras, but the price was right and its Waterproof and Shockproof. If I can hold on to this one, I'll be posting a lot of pictures from it!

Last thing. I've turned on Comments for the blog. As of this writing, anyone can post any comment, so fire away!

First Fish of 2010

Haven't been fishing for like 5 months. But today is Valentine's day, and both of us love fishing and the weather was nice. Fished a nearby lake from 3-5pm and caught this beauty on a gold-ribbed hare's ear that I received as part of a fly swap from washingtonflyfishing.com. The fish was SO NICE (probably 15-16" and fat) that I am declining on mentioning the name of the lake just yet!

Here's to a happy Valentine's day.

The 2009 Snoqualmie Pink Run

This year, like just about every other running body of water in the Northwest, the Snoqualmie had a fantastic run of Pink Salmon (also called Humpies). No one knows why the Pinks are doing so well when all the other colors are in decline, but we'll take it. By Indian Treaty, the Pinks are allowed to vote in Federal elections so they return every odd-numbered year to cast their house ballots.

In 2007, there were pinks in the Snoqualmie, but not so many that you could legally target them. In fact, prior to this year, to my knowledge, the Snoqualmie was closed to all Salmon fishing.

But all that has changed, baby. Here are the regs for salmon as of 11/16/2009.

SALMON Sept. 1-Dec. 31 Min. size 12". Daily limit 2. Release CHINOOK and PINK.

I interpret that to mean you can fish for any Salmon, but you must release Chinook (King) and Pink (Humpy). Thus, if you fished with a single barbless hook (as fly fishers usually do) and caught a fish over 12" you could keep it if it were a Silver (Coho), Chum (Dog, Green) or Sockeye (Red). If you can't tell them apart, I suggest you put them back anyway, because if you can't tell them apart, you can't tell when they are good to eat and when they are "overripe."

I myself have not been fishing since September. But Amy has been out on the river alot by herself. It is interesting in this day and age the reactions she gets: you would think, from people's expressions, that they were seeing a Giraffe standing in the river and not a woman. Amy says its quite annoying. People literally stopping, getting out of their cars and pointing at her.

On the other hand, several of the ladies from Church, upon finding out that Amy fishes by herself, have asked her to take them. Perhaps Amy could build a bridge between women and water in Snoqualmie.

My First Steelhead (TM)

A few pictures of my first steelhead. I caught him on a pink jig before work at Plum's Landing on the Snoqualmie River. Best guess is that he is a summer run fish who has been waiting around until now to spawn. Good thing I let him go.