May 2024 Newsletter

Salem Chapter Northwest Steelheaders

Newsletter for May 2024

 

May 21st Membership Meeting Plans

Plans for our meeting on May 21st include a program by Jake Campbell of the Western Rivers Conservancy. Jake is the Donor Relations Officer for Western Rivers Conservancy. Jake’s presentation is entitled “Sometimes to Save a River You Have to Buy It.”  WRC has been working for more than 35 years to conserve and protect lands on more than 280 rivers and streams in nine western states. The presentation will focus on how WRC purchases properties across the West to protect and conserve vital river ecosystems and to provide compatible public use and enjoyment. 

Salem Steelheaders Volunteer at Learn to Fish Event

On Saturday, May 11th, Salem Chapter Member Nigel Hearne and Club Secretary Mike Ferris represented the Salem Steelheaders in the second annual “Learn to Fish Event” held at Keizer Rapids Park by the City of Keizer with four other organizations to help attendees learn more about fishing. Approximately 40 people signed up and visited our “knot tying and rigging” station at the event. The weather was fantastic and participants seemed to appreciate the knowledge and information available to them.

Nigel Hearne and Mike Ferris at the Salem Steelheaders “Knot Tying and Rigging Station”

Participants rotated through six stations within the park to learn about fishing knots, rigging, casting, water safety and fish identification. Other agencies and organizations represented included: The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, Willamette River Keepers, Marion Soil & Water Conservation District, Marion County Sheriff’s Department and the Keizer Police Department. Many thanks to our Club Treasurer Linda Chezem and Robert Morton for helping to procure some great door prize items which were given away at the conclusion of the event. There were a lot of very happy people who went home with some new fishing rods and tackle as a direct result of their efforts. Thank you Linda and Robert!

Mark your calendar for the North Santiam River Guides next “Learn the River” Trip

Due to recent high river levers, the North Santiam River Guides Association has rescheduled their next Learn the River Trip from Mehama to Stayton for Saturday, May 18th. More information about this and future LTR trips can be found at: https://nsrga.com/

 

Save the date for the Salem Steelheaders Picnic in July

Plans are still in the works to hold our Summer Picnic on Saturday, July 13th at Mike Ferris’ home on the North Santiam River in Mill City. Please mark your calendar and plan to attend.

For Sale: 2023 Minn Kota Riptide 12 Volt Trolling Motor

Please contact Nigel Hearne at (831) 272-2727 or nigel.e.hearne@gmail.com

Reminder Notice for Membership Dues

If you need to pay your annual membership dues, attached below is a Membership Form for your convenience. Please return your completed form and dues payment to:

 

Linda Chezem – Treasurer

663 Rockwood St. SE

Salem, OR. 97306

 

Submitted by Mike Ferris

Salem Chapter Secretary

November 2023 Newsletter

Salem Chapter Northwest Steelheaders

Newsletter for November 2023

 

 

November meeting plans include a presentation by ODFW Biologist Reed Fischer

Salem Chapter President Jay Wylie reports that we are scheduled to hear a presentation from Reed Fischer of the Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife. In the interest of providing ongoing Steelhead fishing information to our members, we also plan to present a lesson from the ODFW’s “Steelhead 101 Class” at the November and future monthly membership meetings. If you would like to help present one of the future lesson plans, please let President Jay know of your interest in doing so. Secretary Mike Ferris has a list available of individual lesson topics.

Fall Coho Salmon are now running in the North Santiam River

John & Travis Woerner enjoying a day of fishing for Fall Coho Salmon on the North Santiam

On October 23rd, John and Travis Woerner tried their luck fishing for Coho Salmon on the North Santiam River with Salem Chapter Secretary Mike Ferris. With good river conditions and fair weather, they were able to find a couple of hefty, bright fish on the drift between Stayton and Shelburn. Travis landed his first salmon that day and a good time was had by all.

Reminder Notice for Membership Dues

If you need to pay your annual membership dues, attached is a Membership Form for your convenience. Please return your completed form and dues payment to:

Linda Chezem – Treasurer

663 Rockwood St. SE , Salem, OR. 97306

Please note that the payment amount for annual dues has changed to $40.00 effective February 1, 2023.

 

Submitted by Mike Ferris

Salem Chapter Secretary


 

March 2023 Newsletter

Salem Chapter Northwest Steelheaders Newsletter

for March 2023

 

 

 

Plans for March 21st Program Include the Possibility of a Joint Meeting

Ever since the onset of the COVID-19 Pandemic, our Salem Chapter has been struggling to maintain attendance at our monthly membership meetings at a high enough level to attract good quality program speakers. This month is no exception and President Jay Wylie and our Board Members have been working on an idea to increase attendance by opening our meetings to members of the local CCA (Coastal Conservation Association) and the Mid-Willamette Valley Anglers Club. As of press time, President Jay had extended invitations to attend our March 21st meeting to both of these groups and reports that he has secured Randy Bales or a representative of Lured as our featured program speaker.

Plans for April 18th Meeting Include a Fishing Workshop & Swap Meet

Please plan to bring your best fishing related skills (such as knot tying, lure making or crabbing expertise) to share with other members at our April 18th meeting. A “sign-up sheet” will be available at our March 21st meeting for anyone who would like to present a short “how to” tutorial about a fishing topic or skill they might like to share. You can also bring along any extra fishing gear or tackle that you might want to sell, trade or give to other members.

Bernie Hoene – Bait-N-Wait Fishing Charters Featured in Salmon Trout Steelheader Magazine

Salem Chapter Member Bernie Hoene was recently featured in the December-January issue of Salmon Trout Steelheader Magazine. Bernie has been providing guided Kokanee and Rainbow Trout fishing trips on Detroit Lake and Green Peter Reservoir since 2016 and was the subject of author Brent Knight’s regularly featured article, “The Guide Spotlight.” Brent’s six-page article provided a comprehensive review of Bernie’s guide service business and was a very positive testimonial to his competence as an excellent fishing guide for Kokanee and Rainbow Trout. A sampling of the information in the article has been included below. For more details, please pull out your December-January issue of STS Magazine or go to: salmontroutsteelheader.com to subscribe. Our heartfelt congratulations go out to Bernie for making “The Guide Spotlight!”

 

Nigel Hearne to Host and Manage Salem Chapter’s Facebook Page

Your Salem Chapter Board of Directors is pleased to announce that Member Nigel Hearne has graciously agreed to create and manage a Facebook Page for our Club. Nigel is a very computer savy guy and we are happy to have his time and skills available to us in this capacity. Nigel plans to have the page up and running within the next few weeks. The URL address will be: facebook.com/salemsteelheaders. Please check it out and let Nigel know of any feedback or recommendations you might have.

Our Next Board of Directors Meeting is Scheduled for April 5th

As usual, our Board of Directors welcomes Salem Chapter members to attend our Board Meetings held at Sportsman’s Warehouse at 6:30 PM on the first Wednesday of each month.

 

We look forward to our program from Lured on March 21st and hope you can join us!

 

 

Website: luredbythebead.com

 

 

 

Submitted by Mike Ferris

Salem Chapter Secretary

 

 

April 2018 Newsletter

Salem Chapter Newsletter 13 April 2018

OOPs. The days are passing too fast and I’m a little slow in getting this out, and its Friday the 13th.
Ladies, gentlemen, and fishermen of all ages—this is your chapter newsletter update.

This Saturday Salem Chapter of Steelheaders is scheduled with the River Guides to clean up the trails and campgrounds of the Santiam State Park. {RT,22,East of Salem close to mile post 26, before Fisherman’s Bend Park.}  As a reward for our efforts, we get to use the gazebo for our annual cookouts free of charge. We will start at 9:00 am. You should bring some wet weather gear, gloves, and some tools. The park has wheelbarrows and some tools.  The trails and brush will be wet due to all the rain. Weather for Saturday should be good.
We are planning a light lunch around noon; please bring something for yourself and a wee bit more to share with other members. We will have beverages, plates etc. Questions: please call River Guides President Bob Lusk 1-503-559-5576 or me 503-507-1424, No answer please leave message.
Best E-mail me at johnston@wvi.com.  [that way I will hopefully remember].

Our next chapter meeting will be next week on Tuesday the 17th at 7:00pm at the Keizer Community Center Keizer, Oregon. Our guest speaker will be Wayne Parker of Good Day Fishing. Wayne is always interesting, informative and has some new products to show and tell us about. If you do not have one of his fish cleaning mats this will be a good time to get one. His Anises Handy Wipes are a value for every fisherman. Please see attached flyer.

NW Steelheaders Event at the State Capitol: V.P. Mat Tucker advises us that the Association will be installing a fishing pond at the state capitol on 26 May at 9:00 am. until sometime in the afternoon. Mat and Bob Rees are asking for 5 or 6 of our chapter members to volunteer to help with the fishing poles and such. For more information contact Mat T. at <mat2291@hotmail.com>.

NW Steelheaders Asso. Salmon Quest Tournament: The renowned Salmon Quest will be here in exactly 31 days — can you believe it? This event is one of our largest of the year and it truly takes an all hands on deck effort to ensure success. Registration is still open and they can register online here. Proceeds from the event will benefit our Quest for 100K Campaign. 
We do desperately need volunteers at the banquet! Set-up (Arranging tables and chairs, carrying supplies, adding the final touches to the event space, troubleshooting event logistics) Registration tables (guide and angler), Silent and dutch auction, parking, check-out (running credit cards, taking money, ensuring accuracy), Check-out runner (picking up auction items for people when they’re ready to check out), kitchen crew, tear down/clean up, sell raffle tickets. Event volunteers will need to be at Camp Withycombe by noon on May 12th. (Camp Withycombe is just east of Clackamas and Rts. 205 & 225). If you are interested in volunteering, please contact the office at office@anws.org or by calling 503-653-4176. The sooner, the better for our planning purposes.  Lastly, we are always looking for auction items. If you have special connections with folks that you can leverage for the event, we’d surely appreciate it! Attached is a donation form that you could provide to individuals or organizations looking to donate toward the cause. Proceeds from the tournament are used to improve sport fisheries by investing in our Quest for 100k Campaign. Please see the association web page www.nwsteelheaders.org.

NW Steelheaders Mid-Valley Chapter Invitation: The Albany chapter has extended an invitation for Salem members to attend a chapter meeting in Albany on 2 May from 7-9 pm. at the Albany Senior Canter, 489 Water Ave., Albany, OR. The guest speaker is Dave Calhoon, co-host of Outdoor GPS and owner of N.W. Rods. Three of Dave’s custom rods will be raffled off. Sportsman’s Warehouse will be providing a cold water low profile casting reel to the first winner.

Mark your calendar for events the chapter and Association has planned, update.

April 14th 9:00am: Santiam State Park [Rt.22 east of Salem mp#26.] Clean-up and pot luck. Bring your rain gear and small tools. Something to eat and share with others, we will have drinks.
April 21st 10:00am: Learn the river trip that was re-scheduled, Stayton to Greens Bridge.
May 2nd 7:00 pm: Albany Chapter Meeting
May 5th, 9:00am: Minto Park [Rt. 22 east of Salem just past the rest stop.] Clean-up: bring power tools for cleaning brush. Lunch will be served so bring pot luck. Sign up needed for meal planning.
May 12th, NWSH Asso. Salmon Quest fishing tournament and banquet. See above and Asso. Web page.
May 19th; 9:00am: Summer Steelhead Clinic starts, 9:00am till about 3:00pm. Lunch will be served to all attendees.
May 26th 9:00am: NWSH Asso. Fishing tank at State Capitol.
June 2-3, 9:00 am: Free Fishing weekend and our group of volunteers are usually helping the kids catch monster fish at the Roaring River Hatchery from about 9:00am till 2:00pm and lunch is served for the volunteers.
June 9, 7:00am: Youth Outdoor Day, fishing for kids at a local pond. This is the crazy one with 200 fishing poles and 700 kids; you do the math. We do get fed and the kids are a real delight. Our time for arrival is about 7:00 a.m. to set up all the poles and be ready for the young fishermen.
June 23rd 9:00am: Fly Fishing, this clinic is for newbie’s and we get a good response every time we put it on.
July 14th [time tba]: Chapter Picnic. We may be at Santiam State Park or Keizer Rapids. We need your input for us to increase attendance.
August 18th 9:00 am: Advanced Fly Fishing, a little dual purpose rods and some Spey rods and any kind of special help you may need. Santiam State Park.
Sept. 15th 9:00am: Winter Steelhead Clinic. If you are ready to learn, get signed up at the ODFW Calendar website and tell your friends that would like to learn.
We in the Salem Chapter love to fish and hunt and we love our forests and rivers, keeping our fish alive so we can enjoy catching them are our priority, and should be the priority of all our members. Stand by your chapter and keep volunteering as we need your help. If you are a member you can reach me anytime 623-363-7387 cell. Thanks, Brian Winn Pres. Salem Chapter.

We have the association raffle tickets for a 16’ Old School High Side Drift Boat; $6.00 each or 2 for $10.00 to sell. Thank you to the members who have helped. This program is a fund raiser for our chapter and the association. We will be selling tickets at the general meetings.

Have you checked our chapter web page lately? https://salemnwsteelheaders.org/ Dave S. has put a lot of work into making it informative; giving links to fishing guides, fishing news, activities, photos, and more. If there is something you want to see on the board or have something to contribute, i.e. a story or photos, please let us know. We have the “how to make rags with photos” on the page. We would like to put photos of fish you catch on the page.

At our meetings we have an “open seat board”: with a listing of people who want to go fishing and people who have an open seat in the boat to hook up. Check it out; you may meet a new fishing buddy or someone to help you manage/ballast your boat.

We have some new members who want to learn to fish for steelhead and want to fish with you. If you see a new face, please introduce yourself and see what they are interested in or ask us to help you find someone.

Are you getting your Association magazine, The Northwest Steelheader, information from the association, and chapter e-mails? If you are not, please contact me. If you are getting this letter in the mail and have an e-mail address PLEASE let us use it to save us money on paper, ink, stamps, and my time and provide us with that information.

Be part of the 100,000 Spring Chinook Returning to the Willamette River.. The Quest for 100K’s objective is to get 100,000 spring Chinook back to the Willamette River each and every year for the benefit of sport anglers, food banks and general overall ecology of the region. Sea lions are currently the major bottleneck for the recovery of upper Willamette Basin salmon and steelhead stocks to accomplish this goal. More information at the association web page: https://nwsteelheaders.org and our web page: https://salemnwsteelheaders.org/ Soon I will have information and action pages at the meeting. Email me if you want some more information.

Membership renewals: We are trying to keep our membership renewals current so please check your membership card to see if you may have missed your notification. We do not want to lose someone who missed renewing. If you need more information please contact Bob J. at a meeting or give him a call at 503-507-1424.

See you soon, Bob Johnston, Sec.

 

August 2017 Newsletter

                                               

Salem Chapter, Salem, Oregon 28 August 2017

Ladies, gentlemen, and fishermen of all ages:  this is your chapter update-newsletter for August 2017.   

Our chapter is at a point of failing and disbanding.

I am your chapter secretary, assisting President Brian Winn.

Our President, Brian Winn and Vice President, Bob Lusk have experienced medical problems that have left them with limited mobility and ability to carry out the duties of their offices. We wish them a speedy recovery.

Over the past 17 years that I have been a member of this chapter, we have seen a small decline in our membership. Participation in our activities and general meetings has slowly declined.  We had only 15 (plus or minus) members at the last meetings. Our chapter picnic scheduled for July 15,  2017 was cancelled due to lack of participation by the chapter members.

At our general meetings and in our newsletters, we have addressed the need to have elections for a president and vice president and have asked the membership for people to step forward and fill those offices. To date, no one has.

The members of the board of directors have stated that they are willing to continue in the offices they hold. They will assist and help the new leadership in any way they can. Brian W. and Bob L. have offered to assist when and where they can. The Association has also offered help.

September is when we usually start our year of chapter meetings and programs. To do this and be in compliance with the Bi-Laws of the Association, we need the leadership of a president and vice president.  We also need new ideas, younger members, and most of all, participation.

The Chapter Board of Directors will meet on 6 September 2017 at 6:30 pm in the meeting/break room at the Sportsman’s Warehouse on Lancaster Dr., Salem. The meeting room is upstairs and can be entered through the shoe department using the stairs. There is an elevator available if you have mobility problems.

The primary agenda of the board meeting will be:

  1. Normal information and financial and membership review.
     a. Update and plan for the September Fly Fishing class with ODFW.
  2. Introduction of the NW Steelheaders President, Tom VanderPlaat and Development Director, Norm Ritchie, who will advise the board on options and procedures to deal with problems and the future of the chapter.
  3. An opportunity for the board members to express ideas and recommendations followed by opening the floor for members in attendance to express ideas and recommendations.
  4. We Will NOT “rehash” the past, objectivity is our goal.
  5. A call for members to take the offices of President and Vice President.
     a. The chair will suggest that if we have members that will step forward and accept these offices, the Board of Directors will appoint these members to the offices until elections can be held by the membership.
  6. Develop a plan for:
    a. Continuing the chapter securing our meeting room and guest speaker and projected programs of activities.
      b.  Closing the chapter, the disbursement of unobligated funds, chapter equipment and supplies.  
      c. For the reporting information to the Association that may be required.
      d. The transfer of membership to the MAL listing.  
  7. Report to the membership of the actions taken by the board of directors.
  8. Other actions or business that may be required of the board.

Thank you, I hope to see you at the board meeting.

Bob Johnston

Action Alert January 2017

Displaying On January 20th, the Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission will decide the fate of Columbia River anglers for the 2017 fishing season and the future of the Columbia River Fisheries Reform Package. To date, Oregon’s anglers have not received what we paid for (the Columbia River endorsement fee), what we sacrificed for (smolt transfers from the Sandy River and Willamette River hatcheries to supplement the Young’s Bay gillnet fishery), and what we were promised (increased angler opportunity and greater conservation measures by the gillnet fleet).

WE NEED YOU THERE!

Join your fellow anglers in a united front against attacks on the bi-state reform package agreement by the Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission. In December, led by Commissioners Buckmaster and Anderson, who favor commercial fishing interests, the Oregon Commission voted to “freeze” implementation of the reform package, thereby rolling back the phase out of gillnets on the mainstem Columbia and the promised phase in of increased sport fishing opportunity.

Fortunately, this last Saturday, the Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission did not follow in Oregon’s footsteps, but instead largely sided with sport fishers. Washington decided to implement most of the key provisions of the reform package, including full implementation of the spring and summer season reforms, and a commitment to full implementation of fall season reforms in two years.

Now, the ball is the Oregon Commission’s court . . .

WE NEED YOU THERE!

Sportanglers have kept their promises and the Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission reaffirmed their commitment to their largest constituency through a decision prioritizing sportfishing on the mainstem Columbia. In the face of two already approved fee increases, and the need for support for an alternative fee package that recognizes that all Oregonians should pay for ODF&W’s programs, it’s time for the Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission to recognize the merits of full implementation of the Columbia River Fishery Reforms. Please join your fellow anglers and urge the commission to keep their promises to our community by attending the January 20th meeting in Salem or email them, expressing your desires for full implementation of the reform policy. Please tell the Oregon Commission to:

  • Commit to full implementation of the Columbia River Reform Package – including the agreed to recreational fishing priority on the mainstem and a transition of gillnets to off channel areas.

  • Reject ODFW staff’s proposal to abandon full implementation and to allow non-selective gill nets to permanently remain on the mainstem.

  • Re-open the Young’s Bay area to recreational fishing – as recommended by ODFW to aid conservation of wild fish by removing more hatchery fish from the spawning grounds.

  • Allow the use of barbed hooks in the Willamette River and Oregon tributaries as also recommended by ODFW.

WE NEED YOU THERE!

Where:

Oregon Fish and Wildlife Headquarters
4034 Fairview Industrial Drive SE 

Salem, OR 97302

When:

Meeting starts at 8:00am

Meanwhile, please consider writing the commission on your feelings for deviating from the course at:

odfw.commission@state.or.us

AND, contact your Senator and Representative by finding their contact info here:

Find Your Legislator

January 2017 Newsletter

 

 

 

Hi All!

Well here it is time for the winter steelhead to be coming up the river and looking for food, the water level in the North Santiam is down to a fishable level, but it is really cold outside, for some reason winter dropped on us like a ton of bricks, I still have snow in my yard and my street is still frozen, it is pretty though.

Come one, Come all to hear our speaker give you tips on catching that elusive winter steelhead, Arden Corey is a licensed river guide for the Santiam rivers, his home river is the North Santiam and he doesn’t miss very often. So grab your fishing buddy and be at the meeting on the 17th, we’ll have refreshments and our always great door prizes, and a great speaker.

To pass along a little info for the bargain hunter in you, On Jan 10th at the 50 + center, Mid Valley Anglers is putting on a vendors show, you don’t have to be a member to attend and there should be a lot of great buys there, so don’t forget the 50+ center on Portland road, I believe it starts at 7pm. Have fun

Please don’t forget that this is ticket sales time of the years for the drift boat, I will have tickets at the meeting and we will be looking for some help in selling tickets, so please try to help.

Well looks like its time too sign off and wish you all a Happy New Year. Keep your line tight and your powder dry. Brian

May 2016 Newsletter

Hi All !
Hope you are enjoying the beautiful weather, I know that the
weather was wonderful last weekend for the Learn The River
Trip from Mehama to Stayton, we had 14 boats and had a great
time floating the river, we did a lot of fishing but the only thing
caught were a couple of trout, that we had to put back ( it’s not
trout season yet) all in all the trip was great.

We have a lot of events coming up this month, Minto Park
Clean-up is tomorrow Saturday the 14th, next Saturday is Youth
Outdoor Day At EE Wilson and the following weekend is the free
fishing day at the Roaring river hatchery for the kids, all of you
that volunteered for these events please be on time.

I haven’t heard who our speaker will be this meting it will
either be The Kokanee Kid Or Gilly, Which ever it is it will be
good so bring a friend. We will have refreshments and the door
prizes, and the great company of all the other Steelheaders.

The fish are in the river but they are very reluctant to bite,
maybe it will improve when the water warms up a little.
Keep your line tight and your powder dry see you Tuesday the
17th. at the meeting. Brian