Puget Sound Anglers – Gig Harbor & Tacoma

GIG HARBOR PUGET SOUND ANGLERS PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE   September 2022

Our next scheduled meeting will be on Wednesday, September 14 at Tower Lanes located at 6323 6^th Ave., Tacoma, telephone 253-564-8853. The meeting will start at 7:00 PM but feel free to come early and swap fish stories or grab something to eat from the grill.  Obtaining speakers is still a challenge.  Hopefully we will be able to schedule someone of interest to the group for the September meeting.  Volunteers?  Suggestions?? 

Our August meeting was a full house with one new member who became eligible for the membership drawing sponsored by John Hager’s Southworth Marine of Port Orchard.  The drawing was won last month so we were starting over at $150.  Rick Schubert’s name was drawn but he was not present.  Next month’s drawing will be worth $260.  Again, thank you Southworth Marine.

Our speaker for August was member Art Tachell who put forth a great tutorial for those planning on fishing our Derby.  Art covered the usual locations, gear and tactics and interjected up to date information gleaned from his presence at Pt. Defiance Marina.  

The big news is that the Gig Harbor Chapter’s 26^th annual salmon derby is now history.  Just enough of the quota was left for Saturday’s event.  Fishing was really good in early July and the short closure in late July helped stretch out the season.  It may well be that Saturday was our last day for Chinook in MA 11 this year.  Top prize was won by Dalin Kors with a fish weighing in at 18.09 pounds followed closely by Conner Fregeau at 17.65# and Steve Ulsberger at 16.18#.  This event wouldn’t have been the success it was without ticket purchasers, our volunteers and the many very generous donors.  I wish I could name them all but column space is at a premium.  On a side note I encourage everyone who took a membership form to join our organization.

We will be having a members’ only picnic on Sunday, 11 September.  We are providing burgers, hot dogs, chips and water/soft drinks.  Bring your own adult beverages.  This is being hosted by member Patrick Sanchez in Gig Harbor.  If you haven’t signed up and want to attend contact Patrick or one of the current officers for details.

Details are currently being worked out for another Fall nutrient enhancement project where salmon carcasses are transported to the upper Puyallup watershed and returned to the river.

Finally……..COHO!!  And be sure to check out the two upcoming Coho derbies; Sno-King Chapter (10 Sept) and the Everett Steelhead & Salmon Club chapter (24 & 25 Sept).

GIG HARBOR PUGET SOUND ANGLERS PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE   August 2022

DERBY TIME!!  Our derby will be held Saturday, 13 August, with fishing in MA 11 and MA 13.  More info is available on our social media.  Tickets remain $35 for adults and free for youth 14 and under.  Tickets are available online at GIGHARBORPSA.ORG and at Sportco, Narrows Bait and Tackle and Ace Hardware Gig Harbor.  

Our next scheduled meeting will be on Wednesday, August 10 at Tower Lanes located at 6323 6^th Ave., Tacoma, telephone 253-564-8853. The meeting will start at 7:00 PM but feel free to come early and swap fish stories or grab something to eat from the grill.  Our August speaker will be Art Tachell who will provide current information on local fisheries just in time for our Derby.   If you have a speaker suggestion or wish to volunteer please let me know

Our July membership drawing sponsored by John Hager of Southworth Marine in Port Orchard was won by Bill Macaras who was present when his name was drawn.  The August drawing will be for $160.  Thanks again to Southworth Marine.

Our speaker for July was local resident Tom Harwood who brought in displays of antique tackle and lures and spoke about the development of fishing equipment to include local Puget Sound/Tacoma manufacturers.   If you see Tom and his display at the Puyallup show stop and say hello.

Net Pen Update:  The 100K+ young Chinook have been released and on their way and nets have been removed, cleaned and stored.   The Puyallup tribe’s biologist advised that they have found returning fish  this summer at their hatchery which were graduates of the net pen operation when it was at Narrows Marina.  Plans are now underway for 2023.  Thanks to all the organizations and individuals who made this another successful year.

The 11 September picnic is well into the planning stage.  If you are interested please attend our next meeting and get your name on the attendee list.

Get your tickets now!

GIG HARBOR PUGET SOUND ANGLERS PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE   July 2022

Our next scheduled meeting will be on Wednesday, July 13 at Tower Lanes located at 6323 6^th Ave., Tacoma, telephone 253-564-8853. The meeting will start at 7:00 PM but feel free to come early and swap fish stories or grab something to eat from the grill.  Our July speaker has yet to be confirmed but we hope to have a biologist from WDFW speak on Region 6 trout and kokanee fisheries..   If you have a speaker suggestion or wish to volunteer please let me know

Our June membership drawing sponsored by John Hager of Southworth Marine in Port Orchard was for $260.  Jerry Pederson’s name was drawn but he was not present.  Next month’s drawing will be for $360.  Thanks again to Southworth Marine.

Our speaker for June was well known Chapter member John Keizer (Salt Patrol) whose presentation was location, tactics and tackle for Chinook salmon with an emphasis on coastal areas.  As usual John put on a great presentation and we also all got an opportunity to handle the new Angler West Salt Patrol downrigger rod.  Thank you John!

Net Pen Update:  In addition to the 50,000 Chinook delivered by the Puyallup Tribe in May the WDFW’s 50,000 Chinook were delivered so there are now 100K in the net pen growing like crazy on three a day feedings (total 42#/day).  The current plan is for them to be released on 24 June.

Contacts with Metro Parks Tacoma event planning staff has confirmed no conflicts over the dates for derbies to be held the first and second Saturdays of August.  However, we have been advised that there will be an event at Dune Park on Saturday, 16 July and that the upper two thirds of the parking lot will be reserved for VIP event  parking.  If you will be using the ramp that day expect to be re-routed and possibly having to park in an alternate site and be shuttled by Park staff.

In tune with our 501 (c)(3) status we awarded a $1,000 scholarship to a deserving student enrolled in the Bates’ Motorcycle and Marine mechanic program.

More to come on a Chapter picnic currently scheduled for 11 September hosted by the Sanchez  family so stay tuned.

The baby salmon being raised at Pt. Defiance boathouse are scheduled to be released on Friday, June 24^th at approximately 6:30 PM. The release effort is being coordinated with:

    – Head Biologist Blake Smith
    – Chief Leschi HS
    – SAMI HS
    – Metro Parks Tacoma
    – News media/press
    – NW Salmon Research
    – Volunteers

Please join everyone in wishing our salmon a fond farewell on their journey to the sea.  If you have any questions please contact Mike Colito 253-720-0601