Quillback

No, have not heard anything. I know someone that lives near there, I will see if they do.

Gotcha.

Not sure what you mean there, but I am going to assume that you are referring to Thursday and Friday night lodging? If so, yes we'll be booked Thursday through Saturday night, leaving Sunday AM.

Cedar Gables and the River Villa are penciled in for another group of people the weekend of the 12th. However it is not firm and Miles thinks there is a good chance they may cancel but they have until October 31 to confirm. Previous weekend is open, I realize that weekend doesn't work for Cody, and I'm open to either weekend, but some of you may have to lock in a date so let me know if you are OK with possibly waiting until 10/31 to see if the weekend of the 12th opens up, or if you need to make plans soon. Also keep in mind that those people may confirm that they are staying the 12th.

Had to look them up, apparently another invasive, hope they don't make it down here. 370,000 per day! Most of the bites from Pyemotes herfsi tend to occur in the late summer into fall when the mite has built up large populations. Studies have shown that the mites can fall from trees in numbers of up to 370,000 per day. They are also easily carried by the wind and can potentially enter through window screens and thereby bite people who do not often go outdoors. Most bites, however, occur to individuals gardening, especially those raking infested pin oak leaves in the fall. Control of the oak leaf itch mite is not easily accomplished. Tree sprays do not penetrate the galls and therefore the mites are protected. There are mixed results from the use of DEET (a mosquito and tick repellent). People can best protect themselves by limiting their time from under infested trees and by immediately removing and laundering clothing and then showering. Physicians suggest the use of calamine lotions and other itch creams to reduce the itching - that at times can be intense. Scratching of the bite locations is discouraged as it can result in secondary bacterial infections.

Can't remember hearing of a poaching case where the suspect was a woman. Has to be more to this story. And she has been charged but not convicted. Deborah Flanigan of Chaffee charged with shooting a cow elk and abandoning the animal. CARTER COUNTY, Mo. – The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) reports that a Scott County woman has been charged with illegally shooting a cow elk in Carter County in November 2019 and abandoning the carcass with no meat or other parts of the animal taken. Based on a lengthy investigation by conservation agents, which culminated in interviews with the suspect in late August, Deborah A. Flanigan, 50, of Chaffee has been charged with shooting a cow elk in a field at the end of M Highway in Carter County on Nov. 18, 2019 and abandoning the animal. MDC has issued citations to Flanigan for the illegal "take of a protected species (elk)” and "wanton waste or abandonment of wildlife or parts thereof commonly used for human consumption." Both charges are misdemeanors. The investigation began in November 2019 after MDC agents were informed of a dead cow elk in a field near the end of M Highway on National Park Service property. While investigating the incident, MDC agents took pictures and extracted two bullets from the carcass of the animal. The bullets were sent to the Missouri State Highway Patrol Crime Laboratory for ballistic testing. Other evidence was also obtained from the scene. “We are grateful to have made an arrest in this poaching incident,” said MDC Protection Chief Randy Doman. “Thanks to the diligence of our conservation agents, along with the assistance of our state and federal law enforcement partners, we were able to identify a suspect and close the case. We look forward to working with the Carter County Prosecuting Attorney to see this case through to completion.” The case is one of six involving the illegal killing of elk that MDC has been investigating over the last several years. Each of the five remaining investigations is ongoing and MDC needs help from the public in apprehending and prosecuting those responsible. “The restoration of elk in Missouri is appreciated by many people, businesses, and organizations in the area,” Doman said. “A healthy, growing elk population brings significant economic, recreational, and cultural benefits to these communities. The senseless waste of people’s resources should not be tolerated.” MDC asks that anyone with information regarding the other five previous instances of elk poaching report it to Operation Game Thief at 800-392-1111 or the MDC Ozark Regional Office in West Plains at (417) 256-7161. There is a $20,000 reward for information leading to a conviction. At the time of the 2019 incident, there was no hunting season for elk in Missouri. MDC is offering Missourians the state’s first elk-hunting season in modern history starting this October with five permits granted through a lottery drawing for the limited season. Elk are a native species in Missouri but were hunted to extinction in the state through unregulated hunting during the late 1800s. With the help of numerous partners and supporters, MDC reintroduced about 100 elk to a remote area of the Missouri Ozarks in 2011, 2012, and 2013. Their numbers have grown to more than 200, and their range has expanded in recent years to cover portions of Carter, Reynolds, and Shannon counties. Learn more about elk in Missouri at nature.mdc.mo.gov/discover-nature/field-guide/elk.

I bet the Billethead will know, but that would be my guess. @BilletHead

Thanks for the 2nd photo, tree frogs - hear them around the house in the spring but rarely see them.

Well come on down!

I'd take a 1/2 dozen smallies, went out this morning at Big M and caught two 13" spotted bass. It was the Dead Sea out there.

The old timers would always reminisce about the glory days of fishing up there in the 60's and 70's.

Nice ride, congrats!

Got this email from the Wild Fish Conservancy, caught my first steelhead on this river, but never caught another one there. Did catch some bull trout however on other trips. Wasn't the greatest river for numbers, but was a neat river to fish with fantastic scenery. A Photo Essay: Snorkel Surveying in the North Fork Skykomish River This week, Wild Fish Conservancy, several hearty volunteers, and partners at the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) spent their days out on the North Fork Skykomish River conducting snorkel surveys as part of a five-year effort to monitor the river's wild fish populations. Snorkel surveying is an extremely valuable tool for studying fish populations and assessing habitat use, fish abundance, run timing, origin (wild or hatchery), and the presence of unauthorized recreational fishing. This week's monitoring on the North Fork Skykomish will improve information on the river's ESA-listed summer steelhead population, data vital to measuring the effectiveness of efforts to protect and recover this threatened fish population. Working in teams, the group collectively surveyed over 18 river miles of the NF Skykomish from a waterfall at the upstream extent of steelhead distribution, to the mainstem Skykomish in Index, WA. This week the teams observed adult summer steelhead as well as Chinook, sockeye, coho, bull trout, and mountain whitefish. Though bone-chilling and physically demanding, viewing a relatively intact PNW river from below its surface is an incomparable experience that provides a fish-eye perspective and valuable insight into the health of these fragile ecosystems. As importantly, these snorkel surveys provide an opportunity for WFC and WDFW staff to work together, shoulder to shoulder, filling fundamental data gaps to improve the management of our wild fish populations. This research, funded by the state, is part of a five-year monitoring and snorkel survey effort on the North Fork Skykomish and South Fork Tolt Rivers made possible through a settlement agreement between WFC and WDFW. The project resulted from concerns raised by WFC about impacts to wild steelhead resulting from the state's use of Skamania hatchery steelhead in Puget Sound watersheds. Learn more about these concerns and the settlement agreement in this article from our winter 2020 Wild Fish Runs e-newsletter. We hope you enjoy the photos below taken by WFC staff that tell the story of this resesarch. North Fork Skykomoish River on a smokey morning. Birds-eye view of a fish-eye view. WFC's Jamie Glasgow records fish observed. // Photo: Conrad Gowell Snorkeler observes a juvenile summer steelhead. Bull trout. Snorkelers work in teams of two. NF Skykomish Wild Coho Salmon Juvenile wild Chinook. Taking a break to enjoy the stunning scenery. Learn More About WFC's Research and Advocacy Projects to Recover Wild Steelhead The Minority Report: Standing Alone for Science-based Steelhead Recovery For the past three years, WFC's Jamie Glasgow served on the Steelhead Advisory Group, a panel of passionate recreational fishing representatives tasked by the state to develop a guide to restore Puget Sound's endangered steelhead. The group's QuickSilver report released last month makes several recommendations intended to provide more short-term steelhead fishing opportunities for recreational anglers and more license sales for WDFW, but at the unknown cost to the recovery of ESA-listed Puget Sound steelhead. In the article below, Jamie describes why he cast the sole dissenting vote and submitted a minority report that explains why QuickSilver is unlikely to be successful in recovering this iconic species. VIDEO: The Columbia River Fish Trap Today, incidental mortality of ESA-listed salmon and steelhead in commercial salmon fisheries is a huge obstacle to recovering wild salmon and steelhead, with devastating impacts for Southern Resident killer whales and coastal fishing communities. For half a decade, WFC has been researching the feasibility of commercial fish traps as an alternative commercial fishing method that can harvest healthy or hatchery populations while releasing threatened and endangered fish with no measurable impact. Defending Science-based Hatchery Reform Policy Washington's Fish and Wildlife Commission is working to quickly approve fundamental changes to Washington's Hatchery and Fisheries Reform Policy, revisions that abandon best available science and reverse commitments made in the initial reform policy. The article below provides a background on the history of hatchery reform in the northwest, the changes proposed by the WA Fish and Wildlife Commission, and WFC's efforts to prevent the undermining of science-based hatchery and fishery policies in Washington. Share Tweet Forward

Definitely helped. I'm on a computer, don't know what it looks like on a hand held.

I agree, the print is somewhat light. especially in subheading type stuff or in the case when I am replying I can look down at the 'Accepted file types:' and the extensions are pretty light. I don't think this is fixable on the user end, you might have to contact the folks that manage the software.

Well the forecast for next week looked so good I assumed that maybe you'd had a change of plans. But thanks for doing us a solid by giving us a week of good weather. 😀

I usually get one or two a year from Table Rock and it is usually this time of year and it is incidental to bass fishing. Talked to a buddy that had one to the boat a couple of days ago that he estimated at 30 lbs., he didn't want to put it in the boat so tried to use his pliers as the fish was hooked in the corner of the mouth (spoon), but in the process the fish broke off. So would you count that as a 'catch' if you got it to the boat and it got off in the process of trying to release it? I would, based on I would've landed it if I decided to net it.

Some of you may like James Lee Burke, he writes crime novels that take place in Louisiana, the main character is named Dave Robicheaux. Dave does a little bass fishing BTW. There is some seriously funny dialogue at times, it usually comes out of the mouth of Dave's sidekick, a guy named Cletus Purcell. Neon Rain is the first book in the series.

Good to have you back, never have been out at night on TR but I never thought there would be much rec traffic out there after dark, but I guess not.

Thanks for the report. I haven't been out on TR in a while but might make it next week. I don't expect I'll be filling the boat with them, but looks like it will be good weather to fish in. I'll probably do about the same thing you did, start out with a top water, then throw jigs, drag some plastics, swim the ol' Keitech, maybe do a little cranking.

Have you caught a flathead this year? Fairly tough one to get IMO on rod and reel.

Well as far as dragonflies, a few nights ago they were swarming all around my house too, and they were the jumbo version, I'm thinking 3 inches long with a wingspan at least that long. Bunch of swallows swooping around too but didn't see any nighthawks. Couldn't see what they were after, but must of been some kind of very small flying insect. Happened one night only, looked for them the next evening and nada. I also noticed that the monarchs are starting to move, saw a few out on the lake the other day heading in a southerly direction. There were a lot of those black swallowtail butterflies around this summer, seemed to me to be many more than usual. Could not drive down the road without hitting some.

I was out fishing for salmon in Puget Sound with a buddy of mine, it was a beautiful morning, September is a great month weather wise in the northwest. Anyway, my buddy gets a call from his wife and she tells him that a small plane has crashed into the WTC and that it was all over the news - even though a small plane crashing into a skyscraper would be newsworthy, I recall wondering why it was such a big deal. So we kept on fishing and a while later, can't remember exactly how long, but his wife called again and gave us an update and I realized this was a major event. So we loaded up the boat and went home. Of course when I got home I was checking out what had happened on the news.

Those are some great gills!

Good luck on your quest for the PB gill. Let me know if you see/hear pheasants where you are fishing.