June 2020 Newsletter

Salem Chapter Northwest Steelheaders Newsletter for June 2020

We hope you all are doing well; if you got the bug, hope you are getting better. If you are well enough, I hope you are getting some fishing and catching the big ones.

Sunday, June 14 is “Flag Day” so let’s break out “Old Glory” and fly her high and proudly. Thank You.  

The chapter meetings and activities:   Are canceled due to the COVID-19 virus. The chapter Board of Directors met on 3 June 2020. After some lengthy discussion, the board decided it would be best to cancel our chapter activities until September. The average age of our members is over 55. Our speakers do not want to make a presentation to a small group of 8-10 members so it is not worth their time and expense to come to Salem. We would have to rent a larger room and space seating and to be in compliance with the guidance from the state medical department. I will continue to update you through this newsletter. The Board of Directors will meet in August, and on the 2Nd of September to plan activities for the fall and winter.  If you have any suggestions, please contact a board member.  

Chapter Presidents Corner:  Vice President Rod Ratzlaff has assumed the duties of the office of President. If any member would like to step up and become the President of the Salem Chapter, please step forward and let us know.  We also need someone to fill the office of secretary. Please.

The taking of your rights: As a Sportsman you may be interested to find someone is trying to limit/ take away your trapping privileges, whether you use them or not.  The Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife Commission will be meeting this Friday. On their agenda, is a ban on beaver trapping: https://oregonoutdoorcouncil.org/odfw-commission-to-vote-on-trapping-ban/  and https://www.sportsmensalliance.org/news/act-now-oregon-game-commission-considering-beaver-trapping-ban/.    The petition is brought by the usual anti-hunting groups: Cascadia Wildlands, The Center for Biological Diversity, Environmental Protection Information Center, Klamath-Siskiyou Wildlands, and Oregon Wild. The hearing is on Friday, August 3 beginning at 8 am in Salem.

The ODFW Family Fishing Days, Youth Outdoor Day, and all other events which involve getting groups together have been canceled. If they are rescheduled, we will pass the information along to you.  ODFW web page: https://www.dfw.state.or.us/news/2020/ has information you may want to check out. You can sign up for news releases from ODFW at: https://omls.oregon.gov/mailman/listinfo/odfw-news .  You state tax dollars at work for you.

NWSH Association News Letter:  I had a talk with the operations manager at the office. I asked if the association newsletter, “hard copy,” was sent to the members without an e-mail address. I was told it was not. I explained that I tried to copy and paste it into an e-mail so I could forward it to our members without e-mail addresses and I could only copy one half of it. I was informed that the association, in an effort to save monies, are not sending out hard copies to members. I stated that they are missing lots of the members. This item will be addressed at the next NWSH Association board meeting. You can find it on line at: https://nwsteelheaders.org/blog/newsletter/

NWSH Association Membership: The association has a problem getting the membership entries done in a timely manner, but is working on it. Unfortunately, the employees are not full time so it will take time. Your best method to contact the Operations Manager is by e-mail, and then phone. I am assured she will make every effort to get to everyone. Point of Contact: [email protected] , (630) 608-7117.

NWSH Association Membership drive:  The association has initiated a membership drive to bring in new members and also to try to reach out to members who let their memberships expire in hopes they will rejoin.
They have asked the chapters to contact by phone all members and especially members who are listed as past due, i.e.: make contact, talk about fishing, ask what we can do to get them to renew, catch up, or reinstate their membership. They have provided a suggested talking points and what we can do to make the chapter more appealing. That would be good.
We have on the listing 164 members, 7 are life members, leaving 157 members current, expiring, and past due, back to 2017. I suggested to the chapter board that we could reduce that number by surveying members back through November 2018. That would give us 113 current, past members to contact. If we contact only members who are due, and past due, it would give us 89 members to survey.
How can we do that?  You folks have stepped up and helped us with the raffle ticket sales. So, I am asking that if you are willing to be on or in charge/coordinator of a calling committee please contact me, via 1. e-mail @ [email protected] or 2. call 503-507-1423; no answer please leave message. NO text please, it does not work on my inexpensive Trac phone. It may take a while to get this organized, but the more of you that are willing to help, the less each individual will have to call.
The chapter will gain: members, contact with folks who may be unhappy with us, input on how we can improve. I am working on restarting this payment to the chapter for each renewal or membership we can generate. When the Assn. canceled the Boat and Raffle ticket sales, the chapter does not have much income. Donations are welcome.  Please give me your feedback. Thank you. Bob J.

Boat Ramps in Oregon:  I found this link at the Marine Board web page: https://geo.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=841da68081294bb2a6b50f93b1a12f05  It shows the boat ramps in Oregon, and where you can get information if it is open. Blue.
It also shows some that are closed like “Big Cliff”, but usable if you can carry in a craft. Red.
You may find out if the ramp is open, and maybe some new ones to try.

Fishing Line Recycle: Time to clean and reline the old and new reels for the new season. Keep the used line.  ODFW has a program that collects and recycles old used fishing line. If you find some fishing line at the boat ramp or on the river bank please put it in the ODFW tubes or bring it to the next general meeting and give it to Bob J.

Chapter web page Fish Pictures? If you have any recent pictures of fish you have caught or places you have fished, send the pictures to our website at: [email protected]  with a short description of who is in the picture and what you have caught. Our chapter also has a Facebook page with lots of pictures and current info. Just search for “Salem NW Steelheaders” on Facebook and “like” our page. You can also see current info and pictures at our website: https://salemnwsteelheaders.org/

Article for the Newsletter:  If you have something interesting you would like to share with the membership, please send it to Bob J. at [email protected].  No phone text please.

If you know someone who has joined this chapter and is not getting the newsletter, please have them contact Bob J. We’ve got a new listing so hopefully; we’ll be able to get in contact with all of our membership.

Sorry about the small print, but I saved ink and a several pages of paper by using it.

Submitted:                                                                                     Approved:
Bob Johnston                                                                                 Rod Ratzlaff
Sec. Ret.                                                                                         Vice President