The Mid-Valley Chapter of the Northwest Steelheaders will meet at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 5, at the Albany Senior Center, 489 Water Ave. NW, Albany.
This month’s program will be a presentation by Randy Bales of Lured Beads, who will demonstrate his bead fishing techniques for winter steelhead. Bales is a native Oregonian, born and raised here in the Willamette Valley, and has been fishing for over 33 years.
He says, “I consider myself an “old school” fisherman, and hold to the values that I was taught by my father and my grandfather… respect for others, respect for God’s creations and providing food for our families.
“One of my goals is to bring a product to the table that was a life changing event for me as a steelhead fisherman. I want to share this gift that was shared with me and I want to better my fellow fishermen in pursuing a lifelong sport of steelhead, salmon and trout fishing.”
Door prizes and refreshments are included. The public is always welcome and admission is free.
For more information contact Larry Bell at (541) 337-5427.
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The winter steelhead season is just around the corner, and the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife is partnering with the Sandy Chapter of the NW Steelheaders to sponsor a winter steelhead fishing workshop on Nov. 8 at the Sandy River near Portland.
The workshop will go from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Glenn Otto Park in Troutdale and will cover three of the most popular bank fishing techniques – plunking, drift fishing and bobber-jig fishing. Participants also will learn where to find steelhead in the river, how to identify native fish, and the best methods for releasing native fish quickly.
The $52 workshop fee covers instruction, program materials, use of ODFW equipment and a one-year membership in the Association of NW Steelheaders. Participants must have an Oregon fishing license, combine angling tag and Columbia River Basin endorsement.
To learn more about the workshop, and to register, visit the ODFW website at ODFW.com, and click on the Event Calendar button.
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The Oregon Recreation Trails Advisory Council invites trail users to nominate additions to Oregon’s network of non-motorized, state designated trails. Nominations will be accepted through Nov. 30.
The process defines two trail designation categories: Scenic and Regional. Scenic trails can be single routes as short as a mile, or trails that combine with others to give access to “outstanding scenery and lasting memories for trail users.” They must be open to the public and be mostly complete.
Regional trails must be longer than five miles and create close-to-home recreation opportunities. They also are defined as connectors linking communities, schools and recreation sites with significant scenic trails. Like Scenic trails, they must lie on public land or public rights-of-way or easements.
“ORTAC’s intent is to have a statewide system of trails that showcases Oregon’s exceptional trail experiences in both rural and urban areas,” said Nancy Ream Enabnit, the chair of ORTAC. “We’re seeking nominations from all corners of the state to get the job done.”
In 2010 ORTAC and the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department streamlined the application process. Since that time the state has received seven new nominations, doubling the designated trail inventory since the program began in 1971. ORTAC’s goal is to make the process simpler and more accessible to trail advocates and land mangers.
The council was established by the Legislature in 1971 to advise the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department and to promote non-motorized trail recreation and development in Oregon.
The council is made up of seven volunteer members appointed by the Oregon Park and Recreation Commission to represent the five Oregon congressional districts. The council meets four times annually in different locations across the state.
ORTAC’s website has links to a nomination form and to the Oregon Recreation Trails Designation Program handbook, which includes criteria and timelines. To find them, visit http://www.oregon.gov/oprd/Trail_Programs_Services/Pages/Trails-Designation-Programs.aspx