Small water crafts for Bass in the Willamette Valley

Russell "Frogman" Wright holds some green chrome caught from his float tube near the Willamette River

Some of the most versatile water-crafts in the realm of the bass angler are not shiny, glitter coated nitro boats, built for reaching speeds suitable for bootlegging and outrunning the Sheriff on the river. These boats serve their purpose for tournament anglers trying to make wiegh-in. They aren't the most practical watercraft for ponds, smaller lakes, or areas where gas motors are prohibited. Canoes, kayaks, pontoon rafts and float tubes all serve a unique purpose to fit different applications.

I've paddled many friends into fish with
my big green canoe. Like this largemouth
caught from Freeway Lakes near Albany, OR.
 (Photo by the Author)

Canoes are a little more on the bulky end of small watercrafts. An advantage to canoes is their versatility. You can apply them to almost any kind of water. While some of the larger canoes made of polyethylene are extremely durable, they're also heavy and awkwardly long, requiring at least two people to load and unload it from the roof rack of a vehicle. Hauling them a long distance by foot is something you'll have decide on with your fishing buddy for the day. Many of the larger models are designed with a flat stern so a trolling motor can be attached. You'll have to check your local regulations about registering the boat if you decide to use one. Most places will require you to have a floatation device and a paddle on board as well. It's generally a good idea to use the paddles as much as possible. A little elbow grease goes a long way to push through the water with ease, and you have more control over starting, stopping, and quietly stalking bass. You'll only get so much battery life out of using the motor, so try to reserve it for when you're jetting across the lake. Don't pull your lines out of the water either. I've hooked many bass trolling spinnerbaits slowly over deep shelves. If you are looking for an alternative that would make a better potential solo boat, reduce the length and look for something with a much lighter fiberglass hull. Shorter canoes will also be more maneuverable, not just because of their turning radius, but because they will be swayed less by winds and current. You should keep in mind that these crafts are tipsy, and easy to get swamped with water or even sink if you aren't careful enough. Avoid taking them through narrow chutes on small rivers. The length of these boats makes it dangerous to squeeze through if you're not lined up correctly.

Kayaks are not much different than canoes, but are better suited for currents in streams, creeks and rivers. The cargo holds will keep your gear not only dry, but intact when navigating areas where canoes are likely to cause disasters. A low center of gravity will allow you to turn the bow into chutes and direct the boat where it needs to be while drifting downstream. There's a wide varitey of kayak models. The sit-in kayaks will take on water without a skirt, so some anglers just prefer sit-on models, some of which you can stand on like a paddleboard with some balance and experience. Foot propulsion is luxury that will allow you to be hands-free fishing and not consumed with positioning the boat. The low-profile of the boat will allow you to reach areas you might not be able to access by a canoe or a johnboat. Maintaining your balance while casting and setting the hook also takes some patience.

Pontoon Rafts are also better suited for currents in streams, creeks and rivers. You're not likely to sink your vessel, and if your gear is tied down well enough, your belongings should be secure when taking rapids. They're more similar to navigating a drift boat, and their wide base makes them a little

Shane Elkinton shooting through Smith Ferry Rapids on the Umpqua.
Note that he is wearing a life preserver.
(photo taken by Wyman Gast)

more stable than a canoe or kayak. While they take up space in width, they are also easily maneuverable because of their length. If you plan on spending a lot of time on the water, you'll probably be a lot more comfortable in a pontoon than cramping into a kayak or being hunched over in a canoe. Pontoons are lightweight and easy to carry over shallow areas where you may have to portage. Another attractive element to pontoons is that they can be deflated and broken down to fit in most vehicles, and don't require a trailer or tie-downs to strap it to the roof rack. Some models are also built with a flat stern to mount a trolling motor, with the battery fitted in a basket behind the seat. You'll likely have to adjust to having the extra weight in the rear of the boat if you decide to mount a motor. An anchor pulley system is pretty standard on most models. Using the anchor will allow you to fish from a stationary position while in a current that would otherwise cause the craft to drift. It's always a good idea to have spare parts on board. A spare oar, oar locks, and patch kit are essential. Be aware when navigating strong currents, that even with the stability from the wide base, they are not immune to tipping if you snag a boulder and high side the craft.

The author with his first smallmouth from a float tube

The float tube is not a glamorous accessory. It's appearance resembles more of something you'd see summer sunbathers lounging in while being carried downstream by the current. You are essentially wearing a spare tire with waders and flippers. Make sure when purchasing flippers that you get the kind that cover your entire foot. Flippers that have straps on the back and an open heel will quickly wear through the neoprene in your waders. You may look ridiculous waddling to the water's edge, but it is a valuable addition to any fleet for anglers in search of the Pacific Northwest's "green chrome." While there are limited applications for float tubing, there are many times they can be the only viable option to exploring water where gas motors are not allowed and larger boats aren't practical to drag
around. Float tubes should be dried out, deflated and put away in a storage container so they aren't damaged when not in use. A bonus is that a float tube is a watercraft that will fit in the trunk of any car. They also provide an element of stealth that is difficult to match with other watercraft. There's even a special connection to having your feet in the water that is un-explainable. Unfortunately, you will have to exert a maximum amount of energy to create a minimal amount of movement, so it's best to plan trips in calm waters by avoiding windy days and currents. Long excursions may require a headlamp to get to the good water at dawn or in case it takes you longer to get back than you expected. Be prepared with a patch kit on board so you're not left stranded in the water.

There's lots of water to explore from small crafts. Freeway Lakes in Albany is a series of stocked trout ponds that also hold warmwater species. It's a short walk from the car to the water, and a canoe or kayak will allow you to move quickly between 3 separate bodies of water that are connected by two canals underneath bridges, one of which is directly underneath I-5, hence the name. The smaller lakes are where the rainbow trout are stocked, but the largest lake holds the most bass. Due to the prevalence of weeds, and the narrow corridor between each lake, a canoe is a perfect craft for this water. Pitching worms into woody debris will produce fish early in the year. Later in the summer, the weedbeds will grow to the surface and frogs will produce topwater strikes. A canoe or kayak will glide over tall weeds with ease.

The Willamette Greenway near Corvallis is another series of quarry ponds that provide opportunities for bass and other warmwater species. The lakes are separated by land barriers, but overflow into each other during flood levels on the Willamette River. Largemouth will go for plastic worms, jigs or bluegill & yellow perch pattern baits. A lighter canoe or a kayak with a wheel cart will expand your accessibility to areas that don't receive as much fishing pressure, but it's a hike to the water from the parking area. It's also uphill on the way back, so that's something to keep in mind.

The Umpqua is known for steelhead, salmon and ice cream, but also hosts one of the more prominent smallmouth bass fisheries in the state. While the size range is generally lower, smallmouth are in abundance, commonly providing anglers with 100+ fish days. Any number of smolt-imitating patterns will draw strikes. The South Umpqua and mainstem support the greater populations of smallmouth due to warmer water temperatures. The mainstem fishes best in late summer through early fall, depending on rainfall and water temperature. A pontoon is better suited for floating over shallow riffles, through rapids and anchoring down in swift currents on the Umpqua. Be sure to research and map out the areas you intend to float based upon the comfort of your boating skill level.

Olalla Lake near the coast prohibits gas motors, and is host to many small craft anglers and pleasure boaters. Any small craft should be able to get you from the bank into a number of sloughs that contain bass, but the sheer size of the lake makes float tubing a lot more trouble than it's worth. It's common for high winds to push across the center of the lake, so stick close to the shorelines to travel more efficiently. This lake has a large population of yellow perch and is also stocked with rainbow trout, so the bass have ample food sources.

Cheadle lake in Lebanon provides good early pre-spawn fishing, but also sees it's fair share of anglers due to it's easy bank access. Much like many of the small lakes in the valley, as the water level recedes, the days get longer, the sun shines brighter, and the weeds grow taller. Using a canoe, pontoon or kayak to access areas of the lake with less fishing pressure can produce results. You'll be able to glide over weedbeds to other areas of the lake. Float tubing in thick weeds is a good way to
lose a flipper and get stranded, so it's best to stick to a water-craft with a low profile that sits high in the water. The gate to the inner parking area is also locked at dark, so it's best to launch close to the water and move your vehicle outside the gate if you plan to fish until sundown.
Many lakes known for pleasure boating also provide good opportunities for bass fishing from small crafts. Foster, Dorena and Cottage Grove lakes are popular with skiers and wakeboarders, but they don't normally show up until later in the summer. These lakes can provide great early pre-spawn conditions with very little boat traffic earlier in the spring.

Of course, many of these small water-crafts can be used in a number of applications on different bodies of water. Choosing the right craft for each application can be vital to creating a successful and comfortable day of fishing. Having a complete arsenal of small water-crafts can expand your number of fishing opportunities, however, if you don't have that luxury, learn what types of water your small craft is best suited for, and focus on dialing in the best techniques for that piece of water. These creatures grow older and wiser to the wide range of angling tactics, so accessing water that receives very little fishing pressure will greatly improve your chances of catching more and bigger bass. Simply putting into the water and quietly moving through untouched or rarely fished areas can be rewarding in itself.

Special thanks to Shane Elkinton for his contributions on this article. You can view his blog here:https://oregonshane.wordpress.com/

This article was published by the Good Men Project on May 3rd, 2015
http://goodmenproject.com/featured-content/bass-fishing-small-crafts-r5b/

This article also appeared in the April 2015 issue of Northwest Sportsman Magazine
You can subscribe to NWS here:
http://nwsportsmanmag.com/

Fly Fishing Film Tour (F3T) returns to the Whiteside

The Blueback Chapter of Trout Unlimited, based out of Corvallis, will host a showing of the Fly Fishing Film Tour at the Whiteside Theatre on Saturday, February 21st.  “F3T” as the tour is known to those familiar with the event started in 2007 and has grown more than 30% each year since then to reach a nationwide audience of over 50,000 anglers during the 2014 tour.  F3T offers a collection of short- and mid-length films that showcase some of the world’s premier fly-fishing destinations, top guides, and well know fly-fishing personalities.   If you were fortunate enough to squeeze into a packed house at least year's Fly Fishing Film Tour showing at the Whiteside, you already have some idea of what's in store for this year's event. Proceeds from the Whiteside Theater's F3T screening funded a survey on the South Fork of the Siletz River conducted alongside by volunteers with the Bluebacks Chapter. Rewind to 1984, when the Valsetz Dam which blocked access to spawning grounds of Native Steelhead and Salmon populations was removed. Fast forward to present day when Polk County has been considering rebuilding the dam to pull drinking water for residents. The surveys have collected data that show the area of the South Fork above the old dam site is still actively being used as a spawning ground for native anadromous fish, as well as surrounding tributaries that would also be affected by the rebuilding of the dam. Last year's survey was a less accurate but very low-budget version of fish counting methods, based on volunteers organized by the Bluebacks and trained by the Oregon Deparment of Fish and Wildlife along with a professional rapid bio assessment conducted by Bio Surveys LLC. While some major river systems are monitored using electronic sonar to track fish passage, the survey used the eyes of contractors and volunteers to spot spawning redds of South Fork Siletz fish. The future of the program will monitor the progress of woody debris habitat restoration conducted by ODFW and funded by the Bluebacks, so buy a ticket and give a smolt a home!

Trout Unlimited Bluebacks Chapter
volunteers surveying the Upper Siletz

This year’s tour will include a showing of “Wild Fish Works” from Sage Lion Media based out of Denver Colorado.  Filmed entirely on the Oregon Coast, “Wild Fish Works” tells the story of how wild steelhead and salmon are important to more than just anglers and have represent significant social, cultural and economic ties up and down the Oregon coast.  Filmmakers Russell Schnitzer and Alan Moore will be on hand to discuss the film and what they learned about the importance of wild steelhead and salmon through their efforts on “Wild Fish Works.”

Corvallis’s Blueback Chapter of Trout Unlimited started in 2013 and holds monthly meetings at Watershed Fly Shop from 7-9pm on the first Wednesday of each month.  The chapter seeks to create community around fly fishing and conservation and has adopted the Siletz Basin as their “homewaters.”  All profits from the Corvallis F3T event will help fund steelhead monitoring and habitat conservation work in the Siletz Basin.  During the film, the Bluebacks will be offering a 50% discount on introductory memberships to Trout Unlimited for first-time members for $17.50.  Members of TU can participate in Bluebacks events including steelhead spawning surveys and snorkel surveys, receive a quarterly magazine from the organization, and join a community of conservation-minded anglers in the Corvallis area.

The show will screen on February 21st. Doors will open at 6:30pm and the show will start at 8pm. Advance tickets are available for $10 online at https://ticketriver.com/event/13490 or at Watershed Fly Shop (2085 NW Buchanan St, Corvallis) or for $15 at the door.  There will be an after-party at Cloud and Kelly’s (126 Southwest 1st Street, Corvallis) following the conclusion of the film tour.  

Thanks to Brian Boggess for contributing with press release

Yellowstone Spill a Preview of Potential Keystone Disaster

At about 10am on January 17th, an oil pipeline in Billings, Montana spilled over 50,000 gallons of oil into the Yellowstone River near Glendive. Bridger Pipeline LLC issued a statement that it had shut down the 10 inch wide pipeline prior to 11am the same day. "Our primary concern is to minimize the environmental impact of the release and keep our responders safe as we clean up from this unfortunate incident," said vice president of the Bridger company. The "Poplar" system, which is part of a pipeline that runs from the Canadian border to Baker, Montana, carries 42,000 barrels per day and gathers crude from Bakken producers in Eastern Montana and North Dakota. The 55 year old pipeline was buried eight feet below the Yellowstone River at it's last inspection. According to a risk assessment report compiled by the Yellowstone River Conservation District Council in 2012, the pipeline posed a moderate risk of failure due to erosion along the bank of the south end of the river crossing, making it more vulnerable to being damaged. The report followed after the rupture of the Silvertip Pipeline near Laurel, Montana in 2011. The assessment pointed out changes in the path of the river near the site of the spill. These changes continued in 2014 with ice scouring the banks, leveling trees and significantly altering the course of the river.

Three other pipelines in Dawson County run near the Yellowstone River that were assessed in 2012, two of which were determined low risk. Williston Basin Interstate Pipeline Company owns a natural gas pipeline that runs under the river parallel to a railroad bridge upstream. The Williston pipeline was determined to be at high risk for damage due to erosion, which was to blame for the Bridger Pipeline leak. The Williston pipeline is secured by the railroad bridge abutment on both sides, but has experienced erosion issues for years.

The Billings Gazette reported on January 18th that "The area where the where it spilled was frozen over, and could help the impact," said Dave Parker, a spokesman for Governor Steve Bullock. "We think it was discovered pretty quick and it was shut down," Parker said. "The governor is committed to making sure the river is cleaned up." The EPA then told the Billings Gazette on January 19th that some of the spilled oil had become trapped beneath the ice in the river. The oil beneath the ice can't be seen and the ice was too thin to support the necessary cleanup equipment.

Thirty miles downstream from the spill, crews in Crane are cutting slots into the ice to shove sheets of plywood in to force the oil to the surface so it can be sucked out. The EPA's on-site coordinator Paul Peronard said that the cleanup site in Crane would act as a backstop. Cleanup efforts will be called off from recovering oil from an opening in the ice near the origin of the leak where ice is too thin. "If the ice isn't thick enough and we cannot operate safely, then we're not going to do it. The fact is, I'm not risking any lives," said Peronard.

Containment booms, vulnerable to damage from floating chunks of ice, are ineffective and the undersurface of the frozen river has slowed the progress oil from moving downstream.

Excavation crews were digging up sections of the pipeline on both banks of the river in an effort to retrieve oil that the federal Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety administration believed to be trapped in the ruptured pipeline.

Following reports of oily tasting drinking water and a water supply that smelled of petroleum, State and Federal officials ran preliminary tests that indicated some oil from the spill had leaked into Glendive's public water supply. Truckloads of drinking water were hauled into Glendive as a precautionary measure for the town's 6,000 or more residents while it determines if the pollutants found in the water are a health threat. "We don't know 100 percent yet that there's contamination on the system, but we are going to put out warnings to the residents of Glendive that they probably shouldn't be drinking the water until we get definite results back," Mayor Jerry Jimison said. In the mean time, Glendive's water treatment plant has stopped drawing water from the Yellowstone River. There's enough reserve water to last a few days, but eventually the community will have to draw water from the river again in order to maintain pressure. Engineers will determine how to clean the treatment plant and safely draw water from the oil contaminated river, said Peronard. Because Glendive's water intake is 14 feet below the river's surface and oil floats on top of the water, officials had assumed that the oil would pass over without interacting with the city's water intake. Glendive residents have reported that the water is not at all drinkable, and are leaving town to take showers and do their laundry. Water tests later showed the presence of benzene, a carcinogen, in the municipal drinking water. The first loads of bottled water went to schools, hospitals, nursing homes and the prison, then went to the residents. Bill Salvin, a spokesman for the Bridger Pipeline said that the water distribution to residents was delayed due to "a matter of logistics."

The Yellowstone River, America's longest undammed "wild" river enters North Dakota after passing through Sidney, then joins the Missouri River near Williston. The state of North Dakota has

dispatched an official to watch for signs of the oil on it's side of the border according to the Montana Department of Environmental Quality.

"Oil has made it into the river," said Bridger spokesman Bill Salvin. "We don't know how much at this point." The company's monitoring data suggests 300 barrels of oil spilled from the breach before safety valves that bookend the river's banks shut down the flow. But a mile section of the pipe also holds roughly 900 additional barrels, which the company is uncertain how much may have leaked into the river. Peronard said that an oil sheen was sighted near Sidney, 60 miles downstream of Glendive. Bridger Pipeline crews are still trying to determine the exact location of the breach. If it occurred on the bank, then some of the oil may be trapped in soil on the riverbank. "If it happened in the river, then it's all in the river," said Peronard.

The 2011 spill also occurred during extreme weather when an Exxon Mobil Corp. Pipeline ruptured, spilling 63,000 gallons of oil along 85 miles of riverbank during a flood in July. State officials are still trying to determine if oil could have been trapped by sediment and debris, settling into the riverbed. State and Federal officials intend to seek damages for the injuries to wildlife and natural resources from that spill, asking the company to also pay for long-term environmental studies and lost opportunities for fishing and recreation during and since the cleanup, on top of state and federal fines of up to $3.4 million. The company has said it spent $135 million on the cleanup and other work.

Meanwhile, in Washington DC, Senate Republican leader Mitch Mcconnell announced that his first order of business of 2015 in the GOP-controlled Senate is to introduce a bill to approve the Keystone pipeline, which has already received it's fair share of opposition prior to the Yellowstone spill.  "We'll be starting next year with a job-creating bill that enjoys significant bipartisan support," reports The Hill. The president however will likely veto the bill.

The path of the Keystone pipeline would not only run through the Yellowstone, but also the Missouri river, and the Ogallala Aquifer, which is essential to providing a water supply to the people and crops of Nebraska. The USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service explains:

"...the Ogallala Aquifer supports nearly one-fifth of the wheat, corn, cotton and cattle produced in the United States. Underlying approximately 225,000 square miles of the Great Plains, water from the aquifer is vital to agricultural, municipal and industrial development, making up 30 percent of all groundwater used for irrigation in America."

Senator John Hoeven (R-N.D.) has said that the GOP will attach the Keystone Pipeline measures to apporpriation bills or other "must-pass" legislation if necessary.

This article was published by The Good Men Project on 2/5/2015:

http://goodmenproject.com/featured-content/yellowstone-river-spill-a-preview-of-potential-keystone-disaster-wcz/

It's no secret: Using online resources to catch more fish.

You can read the full version of this article on the Wide Open Spaces website:
http://www.wideopenspaces.com/using-online-resources-to-catch-more-fish/

I often see a lot of anglers asking questions about specifics on particular rivers in forums and Facebook groups that are met with more criticism than answers. Keeping those details on the down low from thousands of random strangers on the internet is a standard code of outdoor ethics. There's a lot of research that goes into finding out what conditions are ideal for each fishery. When someone puts all that time into studying the water, it's a nuisance when people can't keep their eyes on their own paper. Don't be that guy. Do your homework, find a study buddy and trade reports. There is an infinite amount of scientific information available to help you develop your own formula to create a productive day of fishing. Here's a few common "dumb" questions answered:

"Are there any fish showing up in Notellum Creek yet?"
Is the creek a tributary to a larger river? Is that river dammed? Is there a fish passage where they are counted individually? If you answered "yes" to all of these questions, then the first place you should look is at the fish counts page of your state's Fish and Wildlife Department website. These websites

also often include additional information like regularly updated predictions, fishing reports and
stocking schedules. Many hatcheries will often have a hotline where you can call and hear a

Courtesy of ODFW Website

recording that explains how many fish showed up in their trap, how many of those were recycled downstream and on what specific date. These monthly records are available annually, and you can even compare trends of the return numbers to predict which seasons will be more productive. These resources are made available and maintained through the funding generated from fishing license sales. In a sense, you're already paying for these resources, so you should be getting your money's worth out of them.

Oregon fish passage counts can be found here:
http://www.dfw.state.or.us/fish/fish_counts/
Oregon recreation reports can be found here:
http://www.dfw.state.or.us/RR/index.asp
Oregon stocking schedules can be found here:
http://www.dfw.state.or.us/resources/fishing/trout_stocking_schedules/
Washington fish passage, stocking reports, hatchery escapement, harvest reports, forecasts and creel reports can be found here:
http://wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/reports_plants.html

"Is the water blown out in the upper Nunya?"

Allow the river to drop significantly after it crests to begin clearing up.
This graph courtesy of NOAA.

First, it's important to realize that "blown out" is subjective. This is where science and opinion tend to clash with each other. The clarity and coloration of the water can vary by description and be left open to interpretation. However, there are resources available to read the water levels on particular rivers, the flow of cubic feet per second and predicted events in these systems based on a formula of existing data. This recorded data and predictions in the form of a visual aid is known as a hydrograph. I like to think of these charts as a wave that fish surf in on, while I've heard it compared to a treadmill. The more incline, the slower the fish will move, staying out of the main channels and hanging closer to the bank. As the water drops, they will gradually move higher into the system, until the water is low again and then they will hold in deeper areas. Generally, when looking at this data, a peak or "crest" in the graph is ideally what turns a corner for water clarity. Depending on the size of the event, once the crest shows in the recorded data, that's when the river will continue to fall and flush out silt and debris. Each system is different, and the two graphs I typically go by are from NOAA and USGS. One chart shows a longer period of predictions, while the other shows a longer period of recorded data. The predictions are not at all completely accurate, but they are much better than guessing, cheaper and less time consuming than driving to the river and looking at the water.

You can learn more about reading hydrographs here:
http://www.nws.noaa.gov/os/hod/SHManual/SHMan017_hydrograph.htm
Find river levels on the NOAA website here:
http://www.usgs.gov/water/
Find river levels on the USGS website here:
http://waterdata.usgs.gov/nwis/rt

"Is anybody catching fish out of the Wishyanu?"

Your best bet at retrieving this kind of information is to simply get out there, get a line in the water and observe. If you're near a hatchery, stop and talk to the workers. They are there day in and day out, sometimes doing creel checks and posting bulletins of fish caught in the trap. You can often get information from them faster than it's posted online. If you want to make some new friends on the water, bring a net, or help other anglers tail their fish up on the bank. You'll be able to see right away what they were fishing with, what depth, what color, what pattern, so on and so fourth. Most of the time, they'll just be happy to have harvested a fish, and they'll volunteer plenty of information about what line they were drifting and how they caught it. If you hang around long enough to help them land their limit, you'll likely be the first to swoop in on their honey hole before the day is over, or at least know what rock to fish behind when they aren't out there.

Making contacts on the water to share information with pays off in the long run for both parties. Maybe you have different work schedules and fish on different days. Keep in touch by volunteering reports. Most folks are obliged to reciprocate. Who knows, maybe in time, the friends you make will be the ones landing your fish for you...

This piece was published by The Good Men Project on January 4th, 2015

http://goodmenproject.com/featured-content/its-no-secret-using-online-resources-to-catch-more-fish-wcz/

Obama’s Executive Order Protects Bristol Bay from Drilling, but not Mining

On Tuesday, December 16th, 2014, President Obama issued an executive order to protect Alaska’s Bristol Bay from the sale of drilling leases. “I took action to make sure that one of America’s greatest natural resources, and a massive economic engine, not only for Alaska, but for America, Bristol Bay, is preserved for future Generations,” said the President in a video posted on YouTube by the White House.

Bristol Bay’s waters are rich with one of the largest salmon runs on the planet, half of the sockeye population globally, both which not only provide hundreds of millions of dollars in recreational fishing and tourism, but also hosts 40 percent of the nation’s supply of seafood, creating a two billion dollar commercial fishing industry. However, our dependency on oil has created a historic challenge between the two industries. The previous administration had set in motion plans to open 5.6 million acres of surrounding land for drilling in 2011, and in 2008, leased oil sales in the Chukchi Sea north of Bristol Bay.  Obama temporarily placed a moratorium withdrawing the area from oil and gas development in 2010 just after BP’s Deep Water Horizon drilling disaster occurred in the Gulf of Mexico. That was set to expire in 2017, and today’s action extends that protection indefinitely.

President Eisenhower was the first president to use executive order to preserve lands from drilling in 1960 under the authority of section 12 of the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act, authorizing the president the power to withdraw potential oil and gas leasing.
Still, another ongoing battle for fishermen in the area is a potential gold and copper mine, the “Pebble Mine,” which is unaffected by this protection. The Pebble Mine proposal is exempt from this protection because it’s land-based. However, it has seen strong opposition from the EPA under the Clean Water Act. EPA scientists believe that a giant, open-pit mine, along with a 700ft dam would damage vital spawning grounds. EPA administrator Gina McCarthy announced earlier this year that her agency investigated what impact waste from the mine would have on the ecosystem at the request of Native Alaskan tribes in the region. A three year peer-reviewed study revealed that even without incidents of spills or leaks, the mine itself still presented a harmful threat to the nations most productive watershed. Depending on the size of the mine, 24 to 94 miles of salmon-supporting streams and 1,300-5,350 acres of wetlands, ponds and streams would be destroyed. In addition to the destruction caused by the project, a transportation corridor to support the mine would cross wetlands and about 64 streams and rivers in the Kvichak watershed, 55 of which are known or likely to support salmon.

The executive order not only protects the region from drilling, but draws national attention to the effort of opposition to the Pebble Mine proposal. In November, nearly two-thirds of Alaskans voted in favor of ballot measure 4, giving the state legislature power to approve or reject the Pebble Mine proposal. State and federal agencies have to approve the proposal as well, after the legislature would have to conclude that the project would not harm the region’s fishing industry. The mine would be one of the largest of it’s kind in the world, creating 10.8 billion tons of waste rock, requiring dams to store the waste liquid from the mining operation.

Pebble Limited partnership tried to sue the EPA in September, but the lawsuit was thrown out by an Alaskan judge. Due to strong opposition, London-based mining company Rio Tinto dropped it’s 19.1 percent stake in the mine, following similar decisions by the Mitsubishi Corporation in 2011 and mining company Anglo-American in 2013. In 2010, 50 jewelers joined the opposition by pledging not to purchase or use gold from the Pebble Mine if the project moved forward. Alaska Senator Mark Begich (D) has opposed the project, but his Republican opponent Dan Sullivan, an advocate for the Pebble Mine, won Begich’s senate seat in the election this past November.

If you would like to join the opposition of the Pebble Mine and preserve Alaska’s abundant aquatic wilderness, Trout Unlimited is one of many organizations of stewards fighting to protect Alaska’s natural heritage. You can find out more about taking action against the mining proposal by visiting their website: www.savebristolbay.org

This piece was published by the Good Men Project on December 17th, 2014

http://goodmenproject.com/featured-content/obamas-executive-order-protects-bristol-bay-from-drilling-but-not-mining-wcz/

Tagged Out - Oregon's Salmon Plate Funding Faux Pas

Are Salmon License Plates fraudulently funding OWEB's staff instead of projects or is this a big misunderstanding?

In a recent article published at the Oregonian, Rob Davis reported that funds raised from the sale of salmon specialty plates intended to go directly towards road-related projects like removing and replacing culverts blocking migration to rearing habitat, were instead being used to pay the salary and office expenses of the Oregon Water Enhancement Board's small grants administrator, as well as a $150,000 website improvement that makes it possible to apply for grants from OWEB online.

32,000 Oregon drivers have Salmon specialty plates, paying an extra $30 bi-annually to purchase or renew them.  Former state legislator Terry Thompson from Lincoln County authored the bill in 1997 that created the salmon plate. Since then, the specialty plates have raised $9.5 million, split between OWEB and state parks. Angry about the way money was being allocated, Thompson said "That wasn't what it was designed to do at all."

The state's Legislative Fiscal Office which advises the Legislature on budgeting made the decision to backfill funding to OWEB due to a decline in funding from the lottery, rather than looking for another source to make up the difference.

Oak Creek in Beazell Memorial Forest
Photo by the Author

OWEB's last grant to replace a culvert with money from salmon plates was awarded in 2008. The agency began using part of the revenue to fund staff positions the following year. In the past five years, the agency has spent $420,000 raised from salmon plates to fund staff salaries. A majority of OWEB funding comes from the state lottery and federal government.

Since the story first appeared in the Oregonian, wording in the description posted on the Oregon state government website has changed several times, ambiguously explaining that funding from the plates would be "invested in activities that support the restoration and protection of watersheds, native fish, and wildlife, and water quality." Funding the operations of OWEB, which functions as a granting agency funded by multiple sources, allows staff to apply for, receive and distribute funds through ODFW and OWEB projects being conducted on the ground by the roughly 90 watershed councils in the state of Oregon. So in a sense, funding from the plates does impact these projects directly, even if a share of the funding goes into administrative costs instead of culverts.

Willamette River in Corvallis Photo by the Author

Kyle Smith, president of the BlueBacks chapter of Trout Unlimited and Communications & Development Director at the Calapooia Watershed Council says "Small grants are an essential part of the value that OWEB provides to communities throughout Oregon. By supporting the salaries of OWEB administrators, Salmon Plate purchasers are contributing to the work being done by Oregon's watershed councils and the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department." When asked if he had salmon plates on his vehicle, Smith said, "I bought salmon plates because I believe in both the organizations they help support, and they look cool! For me, it's not just about the financial impact my $30 a year makes, but it's about raising awareness for the fisheries we're lucky to have in Oregon."

Ryan Gordon, Executive Director of the Network of Watershed Councils responded to the article by saying it "intended to invoke an emotional response, and did not fairly address both sides of the issue." He says it's a misunderstanding that the funding hasn't gone towards restoration. OWEB needs that staff capacity to be able to administer those grants. The funding from the license plate sales allows that agency to fill a hole in the budget. He further explained, "The money from those plates does in some way go towards restoration, even if it doesn't directly get used to purchase culverts." When asked if had salmon plates on his vehicle, Gordon said, "I don't actually... but I just bought a car from a dealership that had plates already on it."

Renee Davis, Deputy Director, Focused Investments & Policy Manager for OWEB expressed that the Oregonian's article created a stir because a single line from the ODOT website was inaccurate. In defense of her agency, she explained that over $600 million in funding has been invested technical assistance and recovery projects that support native fish and wildlife habitat. Of that figure, $142.5 million dollars has been invested specifically in "passage projects" including the removal of culverts and installing bridges, along with dam removals and other projects that improve fish access to habitat. $59.9 million has been invested in other road projects that reduce sediment and improve habitat. Davis states that with that level of investment, "It's important to find that delicate balance that funding goes towards on-the-ground projects, while still having the funding for monitoring and oversight." She also points to the agency having a 10% staff-to-grant ratio as being "very efficient." She recommends that anyone with concerns about budgeting should contact their legislators, but she is also happy to answer any questions about projects funded by OWEB, and can be contacted at her office. When asked if she had salmon plates on her vehicle, she said "I purchased a used vehicle with the Crater Lake plates, which help fund the national park." She also explained that half the funding from the salmon plates goes towards projects conducted by the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department.

Renee Davis can be reached at (503)986-0203 and the state's Legislative Budget Office can be reached at (503)986-1828

This story was published as a cover feature in the December 18th issue of the Corvallis Advocate:http://www.corvallisadvocate.com/2014/tagged-out/
This story was also published in the January 2015 issue of Northwest Sportsman Magazine

Actor Chris Pratt explains the full range of human experience from hunting

Chris Pratt plays Andy Dwyer on the television show Parks and Recreation and has leading roles in the Lego Movie and Guardians of the Galaxy. He's also a glimmer of hope that not everyone in Hollywood has lost touch with nature and the great outdoors. In a recent interview on the Kevin Pollack Chat Show, Pratt was asked about his connection to the outdoors. "If you had to narrow it down to maybe one emotion, what is it that happens for you? What is the thing with hunting for you?" Pratt explains that with fishing. hunting and being in the outdoors, there's a "tipping point, when anticipation outweighs the monotony... and in that there's a certain zen where you shed any stress from the real world." He goes on to explain the magic of watching the stars disappear and the sun rise, being unseen, un-noticed by nature that is undisturbed. "You're a voyeur to the world waking up."

He sheds light on hunting not being focused on the end result of a kill, but the journey and preparation. Kevin Pollack responds to Pratt's explanation as "romantic." What he says next articulates the pinnacle of the experience. Acting as an unofficial spokesperson for game hunting, he embodies the full range of emotions involved in harvesting an animal from remorse to gratitude.

This was published by The Good Men Project on December 2nd, 2014:

http://goodmenproject.com/featured-content/actor-chris-pratt-explains-the-full-range-of-human-experience-from-hunting-wcz/