FLY FISHING -- Volunteers from the Inland Empire Fly Fishing Club scheduled a work-and-play day at Bayley Lake in Stevens County last Thursday and found plenty to do.

Beavers had taken over the inlet stream where the club members had worked with state wildlife biologists to build a spawning channel, reports George Potter.

Last year, the beavers were live-trapped and relocated to another part of the refuge by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. This year the fly fishers went in to restore the channel.

"Two years of grass and debris from the beaver’s efforts had to be removed," Potter said. "Gravel was added. Little trout production is expected from the spawning channel, but the trout can at least relieve themselves of eggs and milt (and therefore live longer and grow larger).

"There should be more nice trout in the lake next year. Fishing after the work is a perk for the crew. Several plus 20-inch rainbows were reported."

The fishing season at Bayley closed on Monday.

Members of the hard working crew were: Mike Garofano, Bob Anderson, Jim Athearn, John Fechner, Scott Fink,

Boyd Matson, Jerry McBride and Potter.