FISHING -- Although "opening day" was Thursday at Spokane County Fair and Expo Center, the fishing held up well through the entire Big Horn Outdoor Adventure Show, according to angling reports.

 Ruby Ralston was casting at the Fishing World pools on Sunday, the last day of the annual show, when she caught this 8-pound, 4-ounce rainbow.

"It was 25-1/2 inches long with a 16-inch girth," said her dad, John (not that anyone's proud enough it to get the precise measurements).

John Ralston belongs to the Inland Empire Fly Fishing Club, which has a semi-good-natured tradition of fining members who fish with bait or even promote or tolerate the practice.  

But Ralston quickly points out that he and Ruby wouldn't think of stooping to that level of unnaturalness, even though a worm is arguably more natural than a Woolly Bugger.

"They have lots of flies at the show!" John assured me. "The corn pattern is very effective."