Tidbits from the reel world
Sometimes you have to do a thing just to prove a point.
Today is such a day.
And so I present to you a collection of travel opportunities in which I have absolutely no interest, as an irrefutable demonstration of my open-mindedness.
Near as I can tell, fishing involves getting up at a ridiculous hour to attach a disgusting scrap of flesh to the end of a string. All this in the hope of waiting and waiting and waiting for seemingly weeks on end until you successfully outfox a poor, unsuspecting gill-breather.
Think of all the household chores you could accomplish in the same amount of time. (OK, I admit, that comment isn’t really directed at you. But if you see my husband, please pass it along.)
But back to my open-mindedness.
As I understand it, trout season opens on Saturday, bringing with it a gaggle of derbies on Washington’s Long Beach Peninsula. So take your pick and have yourself a ball.
Ilwaco’s Black Lake Fishing Derby kicks things off with an opening day celebration just for kids. Anglers 14 and under can compete for prizes awarded by age group in the biggest catch, highest aggregate weight ratio of participant to fish, and other categories.
According to the information organizers sent my way, Ilwaco is known as the “Fishing Capital of the West.” That comes as news to me, but in my current no-preconceived-notions state, I’ll buy anything.
The Long Beach angling continues with the May 1 opening of halibut season, not to mention the Surf Perch Derby on May 19, complete with pancake breakfast and individual and team prizes. (Team fishing? Huh?)
If you, in fact, know how to field a fish team, check out the Southwest Washington Anglers’ Chinook Sturgeon Derby on June 16. Participating teams come from all over the region, including Puget Sound and the Willamette Valley.
Lone fisherfolk are welcome, too. And either way, you can join in the cutthroat, elbow-throwing competition for cash, Lamiglas rods and Okuma reels.
You still haven’t had enough? Oh, for pity’s sake. All right, I have two more for you: Lower Columbia salmon fishing starts in July, and you can head to the ocean in August. Ilwaco’s charter boat operators just might be persuaded to organize a salmon derby for you, too.
To learn more about this frenzy of fishing, visit www.funbeach.com or call (800) 451-2542.
Garden variety
The Portland Japanese Garden has got it going on all through the month of May.
No less a dignitary than Nobuo Matsunaga, Japan’s ambassador to the United States, proclaimed it the “most beautiful and authentic Japanese garden in the world outside of Japan” when he visited Portland in 1988.
The garden’s five-and-a-half acres feature five garden styles: the strolling pond garden, tea garden, natural garden, flat garden, and sand and stone garden.
You can see it all for yourself during a series of spring events, starting with the Children’s Day celebration on May 6. They’re piling on the kid-friendly entertainment for the occasion with taiko drumming, Japanese storytelling, traditional singing and dancing, koi viewing, a doll display, and hands-on activities like ikebana, block printing, sumi-e brush painting and origami.
The following week, the garden will observe Mother’s Day with the presentation of teas, a make-a-card table for children, live music and special gift store goodies.
On May 19 and 20, the Bonsai Society of Portland will show its stuff in the garden’s pavilion, and on May 26, guest lecturer Kevin Greenwood will explain some of the garden’s religious and philosophical aspects in his speech, “From the Macrocosm to the Microcosm.”
That same day, an outdoor exhibit featuring, among others, the Portland Japanese Garden opens at the Conservatory Terrace of the United States Botanic Garden in Washington, D.C. Organizers expect 300,000 visitors during the May 26 to Oct. 8 run.
You’ll find more information about the Portland Japanese Garden at www.japanesegarden.com or (503) 223-1321.
Regional events
“Spring Thing Arts and Crafts Show, May 4 and 5, Great Falls. You’ll find everything from garden art to Christmas decorations among the show’s pottery, paintings, candles, stained glass, jewelry, birdhouses, fabric art, photography and lots more. (www.visitmt.com/406-453-3120)
“Norwegian 17th of May Parade, May 17, Seattle. The Ballard neighborhood will celebrate Norway’s Independence Day with costumes, music, dancing and more. (www.syttendemaiseattle.com/206-789-5708)
“Brewer’s Memorial Ale Fest, May 18 and 19, Newport, Ore. As a tribute to the Rogue Ales brewmaster’s dearly departed dog, Brewer, the festival includes a dog wash and Olympics along with live music, food and craft booths, and offerings from 30 breweries. (www.travelportland.com/503-241-3800)