Puget Sound Anglers – Gig Harbor & Tacoma

Gig Harbor Chapter of Puget Sound Anglers

President:  Art Tachell

Our guest speaker for March 2023 was Captain Justin Wong of Cut Plug Charter, 206-920-9482, captain justinwong@gmail.com. Justin did a fantastic job in demonstrating the fishing method of mooching in Puget Sound including gear, baits, techniques and tips. I have personally watched him put many fish in the boat for his clients.

The winner of our members drawing was Art Tachell in the amount of $150.00 which he donated to our annual club fund raising August 12^th, 2023, salmon derby. The member’s drawing is sponsored by John Hager’s Southworth Marine of Port Orchard, Wash.

We also had a fantastic talk by Founding member Larry Madden which consisted of fish stories and appreciation for all the club does for our fisheries. In the next couple of weeks, we will begin in earnest our preparations for 100,000+ baby Chinook salmon to be delivered to our pens at Pt. Defiance Marina which will keep us busy for the next couple of months.

Our club outing will be a club salmon derby in MA13 on March 18^th and the winner will be declared at The Tides Tavern in Gig Harbor, Wash.

At our General Club meeting on April 12^th, Tacoma Public Schools Science and Math Institute will give a presentation on the science and cultural related projects they will be performing involving the Chinook smolts at our Saltwater acclimation project at Pt. Defiance Marina. 

The Board meeting will be the first Tuesday of the month at 6PM at the Club House Grill, 6501 6th Ave. Tacoma Wash.

The General Club meeting will be on the second Wednesday of the month at Tower Lanes, 6323 6th Ave. Tacoma Wash.

All are invited to the general meeting, so please come join us and become a member!

President: Art Tachell

253-691-0811

plugkut@aol.com

Vice President and Salmon Derby Chairman: Pat Leahy

253-680-9603

patleahy71@gmail.com

Treasurer: Ron Hunt

Secretary: Scott Douglas

Membership: Derrick Wallace

Raffle: Jeff Stockman 

March 2023 Presidents message from Art Tachell.

The speaker for our February 8th general meeting was Wayne Harmond president of Northwest Salmon Research, check out their web site. Wayne discussed the history of the saltwater Chinook rearing program which started in 2018 with the first release in the spring of 2019 at Narrows Marina in Tacoma, WA and is now located at the Pt. Defiance Marina in Tacoma WA where it has been since 2021.

Wayne went into detail about the program which was very informative. Some of the collaborators are Tacoma Public Schools Science and Math Institute, Chief Leschi Schools, WDFW, PSRFEFOC, PSA Gig Harbor, Metro Parks Tacoma and of course the Puyallup Tribe.  

Wayne discussed the plan to upgrade the structure to be even more fish and human friendly which occurs every year. There will be 100,000 plus baby Chinook all with their adipose fin clipped and each with a special coded wire tag installed that will designate the location where they were released from. This program will kick off this March and the Gig Harbor Chapter volunteers will be very involved this special program once again. A special thank you to all the club members for which this special science and education program would not happen.

New club member Don Lillegard was drawn for our members cash prize and was awarded $370.00 sponsored by John Hagar’s Southworth Marine, thank you John.

Our next scheduled general meeting will be March 8th, 2023, at Tower Lanes 6323 6th Ave. Tacoma, WA 253-564-8853. The meeting starts at 7:00 PM, feel free to come early to swap fishing stories and grab something to eat at the grill. Our speaker for the March 8th meeting will be Justin Wong of Cutplug Charter and he will discuss fishing techniques which should be very informative.

We will be having a Gig Harbor chapter members only salmon fishing derby scheduled for March 18th, 2023, in MA13 sunrise to 1:00 PM. The entry fee is $10 per person and payable at the March meeting. Weigh-in will be at Pt. Defiance boathouse starting at 9:00 AM.

General meeting 2nd Wednesday of the month at 7:00PM location Tower Lanes 6323 6th Ave Tacoma, WA. Board meeting first Tuesday of the month at Clubhouse Grill 6501 6th Ave Tacoma, WA.

• President: Art Tachell                                   
• 253-691-0811 plugkut@aol.com
• Vice President and Derby Chair: Pat Leahy
• 253-380-6056 patleahy71@gmail.com
• Treasurer: Ron Hunt
• Membership: Derrick Wallace         
• Secretary: Scott Douglas
• Raffle: Jeff Stockman

GIG HARBOR PUGET SOUND ANGLERS PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE   February 2023

Our next scheduled meeting will be on Wednesday, 8 February 2023 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.

With mixed emotions this is my final President’s Message as PSA Gig Harbor has a new slate of officers with Art Tachell taking over as President for 2023.  Vice-President is Pat Leahy, Ron Hunt is remaining as Treasurer (thanks again Ron) and Scott Douglas as Secretary.  We all owe them our gratitude for stepping up to fill the required officer positions.

We did not have a December membership drawing as sponsored by John Hagar’s Southworth Marine of Port Orchard due to that month’s general meeting having been replaced by the Christmas party.  This month Dave Morgan’s name was drawn but he was not present to win.  Next month’s drawing will be worth $370.  Again, our thanks to John Hagar and Southworth Marine for their continued support!

The speaker for our 11 January meeting was Christina Iverson, WDFW’s Puget Sound Salmon Manager.  Her presentation focused on how our salmon seasons are set and how limiting factors such as in-season wild fish encounters are monitored.  It was very interesting as well as somewhat frustrating as to how complex is the process.  My thanks to her and her two accompanying WDFW personnel for stepping into the lion’s den.

For February we hope to have Mr. Wayne Harmond of NW Salmon Research speak on the 2022 salmon acclimation pen project at Pt. Defiance and what is being planned for 2023.  The Pt. Defiance effort is one that PSA Gig Harbor has been an instrumental partner with over 100K Chinook acclimated and released with negligible mortality.  Hopefully the fact that the fish released in 2022 were all affixed with coded wire tags will allow for future assessment of how well these fish survived versus those exposed to river and estuary mortality.

Finally, my thanks for a great 2022 and my best to the new slate of officers!!!

GIG HARBOR PUGET SOUND ANGLERS PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE   January 2023

Our next scheduled meeting will be on Wednesday, 11 January 2023 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.

With the early closure of the winter Chinook fishery in MA 11 and no General Meeting in December this report is all about our Christmas party held 2 December at the Masonic hall in SW Tacoma.  I feel it safe to write that everyone had a great time to include kids and Jerry H. posing with Santa.  My thanks to Mr. and Mrs. Zuniga for their work in obtaining a large selection of gifts for kids and ladies plus set up and also for the kitchen crew consisting of Steve Ng, Dave Bergeron, Mark Abetz and Jacob Abetz.  Not to be forgotten is the great job done by Santa and young Daniel who helped me with reading winning ticket numbers and all of the folks who cooked turkey and ham and/or brought a side dish to share!

Each year we recognize Chapter members who volunteer for Chapter activities with a drawing and award of a nice prize during the Christmas party.  Each activity’s participants are included so the more a member participates the greater the opportunity to win the prize.  This year’s winner was Pete Pitman.  My thanks to all of the members who contribute their time and energy to make our activities successful.    

Our Lucky Fish competition was open to Chapter members who could submit one application for each of the following five species:  Chinook, Coho, steelhead, trout and halibut.  The 2022 winner of the Lucky Fish award was Scott Douglas.

Finally, my thanks for a great 2022!!!

GIG HARBOR PUGET SOUND ANGLERS PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE   December 2022

Our next scheduled meeting will tentatively be on Wednesday, 11 January 2023 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. 

Please note that there will NOT be a General Meeting in December insofar as we will be having a seasonal party on 2 December.  Hopefully everyone has been informed and if interested have notified Jeff Zuniga.  I expect lots of good food and friendship as well as awarding of the Lucky Fish award and the Volunteer’s award to one of the chapter volunteers who have helped make our events activities very successful.

The November meeting was well attended but no winner of the membership drawing sponsored by John Hager’s Southworth Marine of Port Orchard.  The drawing was won last month so was worth $150 this month.  Fred Barnes’ number 220 was drawn but Fred was not in attendance.  The next membership drawing will be in January 2023 and will be worth $260.  Again, thank you Southworth Marine for your continued support.

Our speaker for November was a tag team consisting of Kathy Karnino and Hal Boyton from the Auburn Save our Salmon chapter.  Kathy and Hal gave us a Power Point presentation on do-it-yourself (self-guided) fishing out of Sitka primarily targeting Coho.  In addition to the usual where to fish and what to use information they gave some great recommendations on boat rental and accommodations.  Personally I like Sitka and doing a self-guided trip stretches out the money meaning maybe a few additional days enjoy the fishing, scenery and uniqueness of Sitka.

Our speaker for January is a mystery – to both the speaker and myself.  As I have previously mentioned locating speakers is an ongoing challenge so if you would like to make a presentation or know someone who might be available please let me know. We will be having elections at the January meeting so please attend and if interested in serving the Chapter be sure to get yourself nominated.