Out & About: Fishing reports coming Thursday

OUTLOOK – Fishing 2011, The Spokesman-Review’s annual update on fishing prospects, rules and opportunities throughout the Inland Northwest, will be inserted in the Thursday paper.

The tabloid includes a map of all the fishing lakes and streams in the region, including the game fish species they hold.

Troll for local info at fly-fishing event

OUTLEARN – The public is invited to hear the latest fishing reports from Washington and Idaho waters and rub elbows with local fly tiers at the annual Spokane Fly Fishers Extravaganza, Wednesday, 6 p.m., at St. Francis School, 1104 W. Heroy.

The event is free. And when you see the lineup of group fishing trips, classes and projects the club has scheduled this year, you might be inclined to join in.

Paddlers cancel River Kickoff

OUTDONE – The annual Spokane River Kickoff event for paddlers and rafters set for Saturday on the Spokane River has been canceled for lack of sponsorship and liability coverage, organizers say.

Many of the participants say they’ll just have an informal gathering at Dead Dog Hole at the state line.

Anglers had friend in Fishtrap’s Scroggie

OUTGOING – “I can’t think of anyone who did more for fishermen and trout fishing in this area than Jim Scroggie,” said Chris Donley, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife district fisheries biologist.

Scroggie, 86, who operated Fishtrap Lake Resort from 1952 to 2001, died on March 28.

He and his late wife, Edith, worked year-round doing anything needed to improve the fishing, Donley said. 

“He’d build fish screens and, before the state had all sorts of rules, he’d be out there helping rotenone the lake or anything else that needed to be done,” Donley said.

The resort, 35 miles west of Spokane, remains among the region’s most popular trout fishing destinations.

The lowland trout lake season opens April 30.

Officials spread wilderness myths

OUTLYING – Idaho Gov. Butch Otter recently told Congress “there are more people in one day, probably, that play golf on the floating green in Coeur d’Alene than visit the Frank Church-River of No Return in a year.”

Our baloney-meter blinked and buzzed on that, and it was easy to check with the Forest Service and challenge Otter’s shoot-from-the-hip lip with real numbers.

We don’t think the floating green would do too well with more than 33,000 people a day stomping on the grass.

Following the trend, Stevens County Commissioner Don Dashiell tried to pull the wool over the eyes of the Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission on March 4.

He told the panel that only “18 cards” were turned in at trailhead registration boxes last year, insinuating that only 18 people or groups used the Salmo-Priest Wilderness during the year.

Figures from the U.S. Forest Service indicate that 800-1,200 people ventured into the Salmo-Priest.

But don’t let anyone bore you with the facts about wilderness.

– Rich Landers