Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Wallowa County chieftain. (Enterprise, Wallowa County, Or.) 1943-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 18, 2015)
A18 Sports/News wallowa.com February 18, 2015 Wallowa County Chieftain Local steelhead ¿VKLQJUHERXQGLQJ By Rocky Wilson Wallowa County Chieftain ODFW Assistant District Fish Biologist Kyle Bratch- er says steelhead harvest success commonly is cal- culated in 10-hour-per-fish increments. During much of this steelhead season, how- ever — and especially since December — whenever the Grande Ronde and Wal- lowa rivers have been fish- able, the harvest rate reg- ularly has hovered below five hours fishing for each steelhead caught. Reports of steelhead fishing success have also come on the Imnaha Riv- er, but to date that’s been of the word-of-mouth and not physical creel-count variety. The first official ODFW creel counter did not get sent to Imnaha until after rain and warm weath- er “blew out” the river last weekend, a factor that sky- rockets catch rates. Verbal reports prior to the “blow- out” had been favorable as well. Bratcher says catch rates are the best locally since 2010 when the ODFW in- flated allowable harvest numbers. Although not so in the Imnaha River where small- er 1-salt fish, as expected, are making up 70 percent of the anticipated run of 3,000 steelhead, fish returning to the Grande Ronde and Wal- lowa rivers, as a whole, are of the larger 2-salt variety. For some unknown reason, says Bratcher, the estimat- ed 9,000 steelhead return- ing to those two rivers are split equally between 1-salt and 2-salt fish. And the difference in size, for sports fishermen, is significant. On average, says Bratcher, 2-salt fish (meaning they spent two years in the ocean before returning upstream) are be- tween 25 and 30 inches in length. In contrast, most 1-salt fish are in the 22- to 25-inch range. Although he’s heard un- confirmed stories of larger fish this year, Bratcher says the largest he’s seen and measured was a 32-inch wild steelhead caught and released from the Grande Ronde River, just down- stream from Troy. Pet of the Week According to the as- sistant fish biologist, the 2014-2015 fishing season has been atypical in that fishers have been landing steelhead on a relatively consistent basis through- out the season. Although success rates did slow as normal during the winter months, he says, that dip was less significant than normal this season in the Wallowa and Grande Ronde rivers. “People are catching steelhead on flies, bait, jigs, and spinners,” Bratch- er says. Until the recent high wa- ters, the Wallowa River — with peak fishing normally in the months of February and March — had expe- rienced great fishing, he notes. He expects that to continue for a season that ends April 15. As will be done one or two additional times this season, the ODFW dumped 60 surplus hatchery fish into Marr Pond last week. When that happens, says Bratcher, those fish, by regulation, no longer are considered to be steelhead. If caught, no harvest tags need to be punched. In that instance the fish is consid- ered to be one in excess of 20 inches in length and only one fish per person per day can be harvested. Rowdy is a fun little boy, about four months old. He arrived with four sisters, but now is alone. He is loveable and curious and playful and needs a home. He doesn’t even mind a dog. He has had shots and de-worming, and a $35 Adoption Fee covers his neuter when he is older. He is a Wallowa County Humane Society kitty, call Karen in Joseph if interested in an interview: Rich Rautenstrauch/Chieftain Joseph Eagle Satori Albee tries to shoot over Wallowa’s Calli Miller during a Feb. 10 makeup game in Joseph. The E-Gals put the skids on the Cougars, who entered with an eight-game winning streak. E-Gals drop two of three By S.F. Tool Wallowa County Chieftain JOSEPH — A hefty three- game schedule for the week proved a bit much for the E-Gals as they ended the week 1-2. The schedule included games against Wallowa, Helix and Nixyaawii. On Feb. 10, the Joseph girls Now in paperback Astoria: Astor and Jefferson’s Lost Pacific Empire: A Story of Ambition and Survival on the Early American Frontier T HE B OOKLOFT 541-432-7310 Across from the courthouse in Enterprise 107 E. Main • 541.426.3351 www.wallowacountyhumanesociety.org An IRS 501 (C)3 ORGANIZATION always open at www.bookloftoregon.com • bookloft@eoni.com squeaked by a tough Wallowa team, 42-40, that was riding an eight-game winning streak. De- spite shooting only .370 from WKHÀRRUWKH(*DOVVSUHDGWKHLU scoring within the ranks with Satori Albee scoring 11, Lind- say Kemp 10, and Alexis Syko- ra seven. Sykora tore down 17 rebounds while Albee followed with 10. Joseph’s Feb. 13 game against Helix proved a tough one for the E-Gals as they lost a heartbreaker, 66-59, despite scoring 21 in the fourth quarter. “I don’t know what hap- pened. We didn’t shoot the best from the free throw line. The Helix coach told me it was the most points they’ve scored since he’d been coaching. It must have been their night,” said Jo- seph coach Travis Huffman. 6KRRWLQJIURPWKHÀRRU the E-Gals again spread out the scoring with Sykora chalking up 23, Albee following with 15 and Kemp with 13. Valentine’s day proved any- thing but loving as Nixyaawii stomped the E-Gals’ hearts 52- 34. The team shot only .297 IURPWKHÀRRUZKLOHVHUYLQJXS more turnovers than an Amish breakfast with 30. No E-Gal scored in double digits. Syko- ra and Natalie Williams led the scoring with eight apiece. “Nixyaawii moved the ball and shot the ball real well against us. I only played Alex- is 10 or 12 minutes because she’d turned her ankle in prac- tice. We need her for the Pine Eagle playoff game at home on Tuesday for district,” Huffman said. Neighbor to Neighbor Banking Since 1955 60 YEARS Partner With Us To Reach Your Personal or Business Financial Goals! 195 CONSUMER & SMALL BUSINESS: • • • • Personal Loans and Lines of Credit Auto, Boat and RV Loans Small Business and Ag Financing Home Equity Loans & Lines of Credit AGRICULTURAL & COMMERCIAL: • • • • Commercial and Farm Real Estate Loans Business Equipment Financing Operating Lines of Credit Construction Financing Contact Your Local Community Bank Lending Team To Discuss Your Financing Needs Today! Local Money Working For Local People www.communitybanknet.com Member FDIC 5 - Adrian Harguess VP/Commercial Loan Officer 541-432-9050 541-426-4511 Diane Witherrite Shannon Maslach AVP/Branch Manager Branch Manager Joseph Enterprise 541-432-9050 541-426-4511 NMLS # 1082566 2015 Hanley Kennedy VP/Commercial Loan Officer 541-432-9050 541-963-3434 Theresa Spaur Branch Manager Wallowa 541-886-9151