Our July meeting was hot! Attendance was a little down but the meeting was still well attended. Hopefully with the nice weather and longer days, people are getting plenty of outdoor time, including fishing. The fishing reports were hot too… especially if you were one of the many members from our club that have been targeting the ocean fisheries. Also during our fishing reports it sounded like area 11 crabbing was good. We had our monthly membership drawing and for the 3rd consecutive month the member was not present. That means for our August meeting our membership drawing will be up to $480.00. Thank you Sourthworth Marine for sponsoring this monthly club activity. Our speaker for July was Bruce Warren of “Fishing for Fun Guide Service. He gave a very good presentation on Buoy 10 techniques and tactics. Safety first, as this area can be unforgiving. If you are inexperienced or fishing it for the first time, go with someone that can teach you the ropes. The Columbia is anticipating record breaking salmon runs this year. I did hear back from Bruce a day after our meeting. He started fishing at 5:00 AM and had the boat limit of 6 fish by 6:30 AM. I would say fishing was smoking hot! Thanks again Bruce.
Because of our 19th Annual Salmon Derby, we will hold our August General Meeting prior to the derby. Therefore, our August general meeting will be held on Tuesday, August 5th at 7:00 PM. Our speaker for August is club member Captain John Keizer (of Salt Patrol). When it comes down to speakers, it doesn’t get much better! Come learn how to catch derby winning fish! Our club will hold its 19th Annual Salmon Derby on August 9th. Adult derby tickets cost $30.00 and Youth 14 and under are free (everyone in the boat must have a ticket). Tickets are available at Ace Hardware (Judson and Pt. Fosdick), Auburn Sports and Marine, Narrows Bait and Tackle, Outdoor Emporium, Pt. Defiance Boat House, Sportco and Sportsman’s Warehouse (Puyallup and Federal Way), or online at our website (https://gigharborpsa.org). There is also an Adult and Youth 17 and under team event. The team event will win a trip for 2 to the Canadian Princess Resort in Canada. One last thing about our derby. We are one of the few derbies around where the price of your ticket gets you a free hot dog, chips and a drink at our BBQ and Awards Ceremony. In addition, we give away a lot of raffle prizes. Last year, everyone who attended our Awards Ceremony walked away with a raffle prize and this year’s top raffle prize is and HDS Lowrance Fish Finder. You don’t need to fish to win, you just need a ticket and be present during the drawings.
Our September 8th meeting will feature Justin Wolff from Anglers West TV. This is a meeting you will not want to miss. Also in September is our annual club picnic on September 13th. This year we will hold the picnic at Owens Beach Picnic Area (Pt. Defiance). It is a potluck so we will send out information on what to bring in the near future. This is a family event so please plan to bring them. Please check out our website or Facebook page for the latest updates regarding meetings and our club activities. We meet the second Tuesday of every month (except in August) at the Tacoma Outboard Association (646 N Wilton Road, Tacoma, WA). Guests are always welcome. Better yet, come and join our club and be part of a great group of fishing enthusiasts who love to fish. Wear your lifejacket, be safe on the water, and good luck fishing!