Salem Chapter Northwest Steelheaders

Newsletter for April 2024

April 16th Membership Meeting Plans

The program for our next meeting on Tuesday will be a partial review of the ODFW’s Steelhead 101 Class and Robert Morton has agreed to cover the lessons on “Basic Fishing Gear” and “Rods & Reels.” If time allows, Club Secretary Mike Ferris will cover a third lesson from the class on “Reading the Water.”

Tualatin Valley Chapter of ANWS “Fish-A-Long” event a big success

Larry Deck & David Doble “fishing along” with Secretary Mike Ferris on the Nestucca River

Following a deluge of snow, ice and freezing rainstorms early last month, the Tualatin Valley Chapter of the ANWS was able to reschedule their Tillamook Bay Area “Fish-A-Long” event at the Oregon Coast for the weekend of March 23^rd & 24th. About 25 ANWS members fished the Trask, Wilson and Nestucca Rivers from drift boats and the riverbanks. Some participants without boats were matched up with several drift boat captains while others fished at pre-selected bank fishing locations. A good time appeared to be had by all and a total of three Wild Steelhead were landed, photographed and released by some very happy Steelheaders.

Mark your calendar for the North Santiam River Guides next “Learn the River” Trip  During most Spring and Summer months, the North Santiam River Guides Association offers free “Learn the River” trips on the first Saturday of each month which are open to the public. The next trip is scheduled to run from Mehama to Stayton on Saturday, May 4^th. So, if you’re a drift boat or rafting enthusiast who would like to learn more about drifting the North Santiam, mark your calendar and plan to participate. More information about this and future LTR trips can be found at: https://nsrga.com/

The North Santiam River Guides “Learn the River” Trip from Stayton to Shelburn on April 6th

Second annual Learn to Fish event scheduled for May 11^th

The City of Keizer has announced plans to conduct their second annual “Our River – Learn to Fish” event to be held at Keizer Rapids Park on Saturday, May 11^th. Last year, several of our members volunteered at the event and we are planning to have a booth at this year’s event. Additional information can be obtained by calling (503) 856-3447 or by going to the link below.

https://www.facebook.com/OurRiverWillamette/

Save the date for the Salem Steelheaders Picnic in July

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

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

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Salem Chapter Northwest Steelheaders Newsletter for March 2021.

We hope you are doing well: if you’ve got the COVID-19 virus, hope you are well enough to do some fishing and are catching the big ones.

Salem Chapter leaders.  If our chapter is remaining active, we need help form the membership. Talking with President Rod Ratzlaff he does not want to continue as chapter president and just may not do it.  I do not plan to continue as chapter secretary. Members of the board of Directors have done an excellent job and been very generous with their time. I will let the board members speak for themselves, we can always use new members on the board. It is time for someone the step up and give this chapter some new direction and motivation.  So, we are asking for some volunteers to do that. While we remain closed, we are losing membership.
 Please contact President Rod Ratzlaff at [email protected] or myself at [email protected], thank you.

Learn the River Trip 2021 North Santiam River. The North Santiam River Guides has extended an invention to the Salem, Albany and other chapters of the Northwest Steelheaders to join them in the first Learn the River Trip on the North Santiam River 2021, if weather and river conditions allow.

“We have scheduled a LTR April 3, dependent upon weather and water conditions: 
Stayton to Greens Bridge:  Cast-off Stayton ramp 10:00 AM / optional take-out Shelburne is also known as Buell Miller Boat Ramp. Stayton to Shelburne is clear.  Shelburne to Green Bridge is questionable. We will include this stretch of the river if Jon Beilstein or Bob Lusk get a chance to do a reconnaissance trip. A decision will be made by April 1 or 2 and posted on our website or sent by email. Contact Bob Lusk if you would like to be added to the list so we can plan for shuttle if needed.” Phone 503-859-2880. Note: www.nsrga.com E-mail: [email protected]

Bob L. is a shuttle driver and takes reservations at that number. Leave a message and he will get back to you. He can give directions to the Shelburne and Greens Bridge boat ramps. Strongly recommend you look the boat ramps up on a map and write down the directions.
If you want to do your own shuttle that will be helpful. I will leave Greens Bridge at 9:30 a.m. and if necessary, stop at Shelburne, then on to Stayton boat ramp and in the water by 10:00.
If it is unsafe to go from Shelburne to Greens Bridge, I will leave Shelburne at 9:30 for Stayton boat ramp. Boaters will need to sign some paperwork and attend the safety lecture.
Recommend you check the pressure in your trailer tires, grease your hubs, check your life vest, find your whistle, plug for the boat and have at least 50 feet of rope in your boat.
Recommend you check the weather report to have the correct gear on or with you. Lunch, fluids to drink, full charge on your phone and a camera are suggested.

There should be some open seats in some of the boats.
Bob Lusk will coordinate the open seats so please contact him if you want to go.
Fishing gear if you wish, this is a rowing and navigation trip and it is desired that folks stay together so we do not loose anyone.

Raffles vs Drawings vs Door Prizes Assn. I received this notice form the Association:
Our Angling for Advocacy trip raffle raised over the IRS limit for raffle fundraising without a specific license, which we did not yet renew for 2021. Because chapters are under the umbrella of the Association’s 501(c)(3) nonprofit status, you must put a hold on any raffles your chapter is planning on hosting until we get the license sorted out. Door prizes are still allowed. 

New fishing limit at Detroit Reservoir: New [?] for 2020, the bag limit for Detroit Reservoir is 5 kokanee per day in addition to the daily trout limit of 5 trout. That means anglers can now keep a total of 10 fish daily—only 5 can be rainbow trout though all 10 can be kokanee. (Kokanee are defined as trout in most cases including Detroit Reservoir, see the regulations for exceptions).

The Salem Chapter Zoom meetings. This program could work for us if someone would step up and take the project for action. The Zoom meetings with a guest speaker could put us in contact with our membership [which is declining] be informative on chapter and Assn. activities and hopefully generate new members for us.
The Assn. is ready to help guide anyone to get the Zoom meetings up and running. So, we are asking for some volunteers to do that. Please contact President Rod Ratzlaff at [email protected] or myself at [email protected], thank you.

Submitted:                                                   Approved:
Bob Johnston                                               Rod Ratzlaff
Chapter Secretary                                         Chapter President