OFFICERS, DIRECTORS AND COMMITTEE CHAIRMEN

PRESIDENT

Gabe O'Campo 684-7747

VICE-PRESIDENT

Joe Lamont 746-1794

 SECRETARY

Chris “Doogie” Douglass 607-1070

 TREASURER

Walter Morgan 935-4209

 MEMBERSHIP

Curt Currey 914-3899

 BOARD MEMBERS

 Al Bazzi 342-1949

Mike Blackmarr 461-7375

Dale Clift 914-6116

Curt Currey 914-3899

Gary Lutman 942-6435

 Bill Robbins 689-4035

 Tom Swarts 935-4196

Mike Troutman 689-2299

 Greg Wojtowicz 688-1820

NEWSLETTER  EDITOR /

 HISTORIAN / WEBMASTER

Dale Clift 914-6116

eenws@msn.com

www.nwsteelheader-eec.com

 NEWSLETTER PUBLISHER

Kurt Walker 935-6139

 E-mail address

printing@bestlittleprinthouse.com

FAX 683-6184

EVENTS COORDINATOR

VACANT

DOOR PRIZES

Tom Swarts 935-4196

S.T.E.P. PROJECTS

Walter Morgan 935-4209

Cindy Heller 935-4209

 S.T.E.P. BIOLOGIST (ODFW)

Jeff Ziller 726-3515 ext.26

 NEWSLETTER ADDRESS CHANGES

 Walter Morgan 935-4209

AUCTIONS

 Gabe O'Campo-684-7747

 PAST PRESIDENT

Jan Clift 726-5145

ASSOCIATION 1^st Vice President

Gary Lutman 942-6435

REGIONAL DIRECTOR
Mid Valley       Skip Lynch graciesdad@comcast.net

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE – Gabe O'Campo

Glad that spring has finally begun and that it has rained some. I do wonder where all that Spring Chinook that should be moving up the Columbia River have gone. I do hope that we have enough water in the Willamette and McKenzie river systems to get after a few fish this spring. But my biggest concern is that once the river levels drop down to very low levels as a result of low snowfall this past winter that fish will be snagged when they are stuck in deep pools unable to move. I hope that as sports anglers you remember that it is up to all of us to protect our resource, and report unlawful activity to the state police. This year is going to be especially hard on the fish. Low water is going to mean that they will have to endure longer periods of time in warmer water than they can tolerate. This added to the stress of being hooked and played on a rod and reel can prove fatal to native fish. As much as I love to go out and spend time on the rivers in the summer, I would not like to see the beautiful native fish in our local streams depleted.

We have lots of events to look forward to in the next few months. We have the Big Brother Big Sister fishing event on June 11th. This is an event that we do every year and the kids in this program get real excited about getting out to experience this. It is often the first exposure that some of these kids have had to fishing. It is such a thrill to see some of these kids and some of the adults also, hook that first trout of the day. We need volunteers to help take the kids fishing, and to help cook, and clean up. We will be allowed to camp at that site to get ready for the event, so please let us know at the next meeting if you can help.

We have two other events in June, The Sturgeon outing the weekend of the 26th, and we also have a campground reserved at Paulina Lake that same weekend. So sorry to have set these events on the same weekend. I will not be able to attend the Paulina outing as my oldest daughter will be on her way to Virginia to attend a three week American History class at William and Mary College. So some one else will have to step up to take Bill Robbins trophy for most fish caught. Barry Hornsby will also not be in attendance and his carefully selected prizes will be sorely missed. Barry has been a long standing member, as well as a past president. My sincerest thanks and appreciation to you Mr. Hornsby for all that you have taught me about this organization, and about fishing. The best weekend I ever had at Paulina Lake was the very first outing that I attended and had the chance to fish with Barry.

In May, this chapter will host a regional meeting of the Association Presidents and the executive committee. It will be on May 7th, from 10am till 3pm. We also need to fill a couple of positions on the board of directors and we need a new vice president. I have been late in getting these elections held, so we need to move to fill these spots as soon as possible. If you have an interest in how this club functions, this is a great opportunity to get involved. We meet as a board once a month on the third Tuesday of each month. So please let us know if you can step into one of these three positions. We still need to find someone to lead the committee as Events Coordinator. It is a lack of such coordination that caused us to set two trips on the same weekend. So please, consider what you can do for this chapter and let someone know if you can take this on.

This month, one of our own members Curt Currey will be our guest speaker. He not only holds the membership position on the board, but he is successful mortgage broker and a family man who coaches his kids in various sports. With all this on his schedule, he is also a very good river guide. He is a very good student of detail. He looks at fishing from many sides, and brings all this study and knowledge to the river for his clients. He has a tremendous enthusiasm for catching fish. We will surely be in for some fun on May 4th.

Lastly, as we have now begun the best time of the year, what with baseball being played again, fishing season underway, and summer just around the corner, take a kid fishing. I look forward to taking Beatrice our youngest out this summer. She hooked her first trout last year at Carmen Diversion during the Big Brother / Big Sister event, and when I asked her what she wanted to do with her very first trout.

She said, "Lets throw that one back Dad, I want something that we can filet" I hope to get her on that first steelhead that we can filet for her this coming summer. Kids are the future of this group, so take one down to some water, and teach them how, just like someone taught you how when you got your first one. See you May 4th.

 Gabe