When I bought my first dog I was young and bored. I thought I knew everything and the world was a place to be conquered. When Layla died in the longest hours before the dawn on Wednesday I suddenly realized just how much things have changed in the decade and half since I first brought her home.
We used to spend weekdays at the beach in south San Diego skipping class and crashing in the waves while surveying the local riff raff. We would go on runs around the block, her leash tripping me up like clockwork. Eventually I lost track of that leash because I knew my good dog was never going to run away.
Over the years and a hundred times as many miles she never strayed from my side. We eventually moved from southern California back to the Pacific Northwest and even spent a few years seeking solitude in the far out rainforest of the Olympic Peninsula. Even with no fences, and only a line of tall timbers to mark any sort of boundary, my dog never ventured too far off.
Instead, she taught me what it means to be content with what you have right under your nose at home.
She loved breakfast and dinner, and never ending head scratches. She loved her belly rubbed and to sneak up on the couch where she knew she wasn’t supposed to go. She was smart enough to know that she was too loved to ever be in too much trouble.
Layla loved winter naps by the woodstove and summertime ciestas soaking up the sun on the porch. She lived for stalking critters around the farm and indulged in countless standoffs with overzealous goats. All that ever wound up hurt was her pride, injured by a well-placed headbutt as she wobbled away.
Back in our younger days we would strap on backpacks and set out on sojourns that knew no bounds. We stayed at hostels in Canada, and trekked through Hole in the Wall to reach the most desolate stretches of Washington’s most rugged beach. We even braved the desert in order to breathe deeply in the vast canyonlands of Utah and New Mexico. We had little food and lived off of a drip from a sandstone bluff but we were rich with experience.
When she ate our last pack of ramen noodles raw from the pack when I turned my back I fed her the chicken flavor out of spite. When our respective hunger and thirst dissipated with the tonic of time we both learned to forgive each other and the adventure went on.
As the years peeled away our mighty escapades became less frequent but we still had our road trips together. My first summer home from college she traveled all season long with my summer baseball team, the RSG Lumberkings. We shared a tent and she spent games in the dugout or the bullpen. Once I became a coach she would tag along to practices and play with the boys on the field before napping the late innings away in the shade.
Most of our time on the road, though, was spent inside the dusty confines of the old hay truck hauling loads across western Washington. Layla would hop in with a puppy’s vigor whenever it was time to go, even when she was so old she needed a boost. She’d sit up in the passenger seat and stick her nose out the window to inhale the wide world around us at 65 miles per hour. No matter how long the ride she never whimpered or wined. We’d always go for a walk after I’d unloaded the hay and she’d curl up for a nap on the way home. With Layla by my side I was never lonely.
When my son was born the inevitable transpired and my undivided time and attention was siphoned away. Layla took the change in graceful stride like the queen that she was and found more time for naps. Before she passed she would get heaps of hugs and kisses from an adoring child who learned to express his love thanks to his dad’s old dog.
When we buy a dog we think we are buying a new thing to keep us entertained and distracted. When the puppy breath wears off we realize that what we are really doing is bookmarking the days of our lives when everything is just a little bit better thanks because of unconditional love, sloppy kisses, and unwavering loyalty.
In our years together Layla helped me to grow up into the man I am today. The final lesson she taught me is that the only thing bad about having a good poocher is the day you have to say goodbye.
Happy trails Layla Payla. You had me on my knees from the start.
FISHIN’
River conditions are prime right now on most area rivers as snow runoff mixed with brief spurts of rain have the rivers full but not too wild or muddy.
On the Chehalis River late last week the river was too high for jet sleds to run and too low for optimal odds from the bank. That level has dropped a bit in the interim so boats are beginning to run west from Borst Park in search of steelhead closer that have squeezed by Porter bluff. Steelhead are currently legal for harvest but salmon are not.
Those anglers who have been putting in their time say the rewards have been offered up in spurts so far this year. Still, even when the going gets slow they find it hard to pull up stakes and leave the riverside.
“It’s like gambling,” said one pipe smoking man with bear paw hands out Independence last week. “Once you’ve got so much time in you can’t walk away or you’re leaving money on the table. Things are bound to turn around eventually.”
The bait de jour last Friday was cured salmon eggs with yarn. The locals called it their “clown” setup. No steelhead were enticed to bite by anyone on that hidden stretch of the river on that day, although I manage to catch and ceremoniously bonk a pikeminnow that was offered up to the eagles, or racoons, depending on who got there first.
Out on the Columbia River system anglers are currently allowed to fish for hatchery Chinook and steelhead from Buoy 10 up to the I-5 Bridge in Portland. Creel checks by the WDFW resumed last week on the mainstem Columbia and showed no catch for four bank anglers near Longview, no catch for three bank anglers near Kalama and two bank anglers near Woodland.
Since they couldn’t be worse, results were slightly better on tributaries to the lower Columbia River. On the Grays River four bank anglers had no catch but two boat rods released one steelhead. Another 18 bank anglers on the Elochoman River kept one steelhead and released six others while six boat rods released five steelhead. However, seven bank anglers on Abernathy Creek and ten bank anglers on Germany Creek had no catch at all. On the East Fork Lewis River 32 bank anglers released four steelhead, but eight anglers on Salmon Creek had no catch to show.
Several weeks ago Andy Coleman from Andy’s Angling Adventures prophesied that the end was nye for the dismal winter steelhead returns on the Cowlitz River. According to the most recent creel data from the WDFW his prediction has come true, for one week at least.
Downriver from the I-5 Bridge south of Toledo 21 bank rods kept one steelhead. Upriver, closer to Blue Creek, 13 bank rods kept one steelhead but 45 boat rods on 16 boats kept 11 steelies while releasing four others.
At the salmon hatchery last week employees recovered just five winter-run steelhead and all of those fish were retained for broodstock operations. River flow below Mayfield Dam was reported at 9,650 cubic feet per second on Tuesday with water visibility of 10 degrees and water temperature down below 42 degrees.
Sturgeon retention is also an option on the mighty Columbia inside the Bonneville and John Day pools. Last week there was no report at Bonneville and five bank anglers at John Day had no river monsters to show. However, eight boat rods did manage to catch and release eight walleye during their time on the water behind John Day.
Fish stocking efforts on area lakes and ponds by the WDFW have slowed down recently but will likely pick up in the coming weeks as crews begin to prepare for spring fisheries. The most recent plant in nearby waters was at Lake Sacajawea where 4,469 rainbow trout weighing about a third of a pound each were deposited on Feb. 5.
Looking ahead, the future does not look bright for spring Chinook on the lower Columbia River and its tributaries. A recent announcement by the WDFW stated that a dismal projection for returning spring kings will force constraints on the popular fishing season going forward.
Those projections call for only 99,300 upriver spring Chinook to enter the Columbia River this year. That number would be represent a 14 percent decrease from last year and a 50 percent dip from the 10-year average.
Additionally, fishery managers from both Oregon and Washington are expecting a devastating decrease in lower river turners that make up the vast majority of the runs to area tributaries like the Cowlitz, Kalama and Lewis rivers. Specifically, just 11 percent of the ten-year average for spring Chinook are expected to reach those lower Columbia River arterials in 2019.
As per tradition, those alarmingly low returns are being blamed on poor ocean conditions.
“Anglers will still find some good fishing opportunities in the Columbia River Basin this spring, but conservation has to be our first concern,” said WDFW Columbia River policy coordinator, Ryan Lothrop, in a press release.. “We have a responsibility to protect salmon runs listed under the federal Endangered Species Act and get enough fish back to the spawning grounds and hatcheries to support future runs.”
Below Bonneville Dam new regulations will be implemented at the end of February in order to protect those imperiled stocks of springers. From March 1 through April 10 anglers between Warrior Rock and the Bonneville dam will be allowed two salmon, two steelhead, or one of each per day. However, only one of those fish may be a Chinook. Below Warrior Rock salmon fishing will be shuttered in order to protect fish trying to make it to the Cowlitz and Lewis Rivers. Those two rivers will also be closed beginning March 1 but steelhead retention will remain open. On the Kalama River anglers will be able to target salmon and steelhead but the daily limit will be reduced to include just one adult salmon per day beginning in March.
In the press release Lothrop pointed out that this year's anticipated return of 99,300 upriver spring chinook would be the lowest since 2007. However, the lowest return on record was a paltry 12,800 springers in 1995.
“Experience has shown that warm-water ocean conditions present a challenge to salmon survival,” Lothrop insisted in the official release. “As in the 1990s, we have observed that cyclical warming effect during the past few years with similar results. During these times, we have to be especially cautious in how we manage the fishery.”
In related matters, the WDFW has invited the public to participate in the remaining salmon fishery season-setting process for 2019. One of those salmon fishery setting meetings will take place on Feb. 27 from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m. in Olympia. At that meeting the WDFW will present initial forecast for fish returns that have been compiled by state and tribal biologists. The meeting will be held at the Lacey Community Center, located at 6729 Pacific Ave. S.E.
On Feb. 26 a more specific meeting will be held in Montesano. That meeting will deal with salmon forecasts and fishing opportunities for Willapa Bay and Grays Harbor. The meeting will be held from 6-8 p.m. at Montesano City Hall, located at 112 N. Main St., Monsteano.
“It’s important for us to hear what the public has to say about salmon fisheries,” said Ron Warren, head of the WDFW’s fish program, in a press release. “We’re trying to make that easier this year by making video of some of the major public meetings available online. And we’ll again take public input electronically on our fishery proposals.”
The meeting in Olympia will include discussion about steps to protect southern resident orcas by reducing fishing vessel traffic as well as options for increasing the availability of salmon for the whales to eat rather than starving to death and delivering stillborn baby orcas. Declining salmon stocks and increased boat traffic have been linked to the decline of the orca population over the last 30 years that have reached historic lows.
Comments can also be submitted in writing online at https://wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/northfalcon/.
HUNTIN’
Spring black bear applications will continue to be on sale for one more week with a deadline set for midnight on Feb. 28.
Hunters who submit qualifying applications will be entered into a drawing for 272 permits in western Washington and 509 permits in eastern Washington. The drawing is expected to take place in the middle of March with winners notified before April. The hunts are scheduled to take place from April 1 through May 31 or June 15, depending on the area. Any weapon that can be used for big game seasons can also be used for spring black bear hunts. However, bait stations and hunting dogs are illegal.
Applicants must first purchase a special permit application and a 2019 hunting license that includes bear as a species option. Permit applications cost $7.10 for Washington residents and $110.50 for out of staters. The cost is only $3.80 for youths under age 16. Anyone selected for a hunt in GMUs 101, 105, 108, 111, 117, and 418 will have to complete a bear identification test in order to prove they can tell the difference between a legal black bear and an off limits grizzly.
Applications can be entered online at http://fishhunt.dfw.wa.gov, by phone at (866) 246-9453, or at any licence vendor in the state. Hunters should take into consideration that access to many areas where permits will be issued will require permission from private landowners. A press release from the WDFW advised, “If you cannot secure access in advance, do not apply for these hunts.”
In our neck of the woods the Kapowsin Tree Farm offers some of the best spring bear hunting grounds. Of course, they appreciate the help in preventing damage to their crop of monoculture woodpecker poles. Access information can be found online at www.hancockrecreationnw.com/.
Last week time ran out on most of the remaining hunting options with goose seasons closing in much of southwest Washington. However, hunters can continue to pursue geese in the inland portion of Area 2 until March 9.
Most cougar hunts remain open for now but hunters should be sure to check with the WDFW before heading out to the field. That extra effort has been recommended since the new year when cougar areas became subject to restrictions based on cumulative harvest numbers from the fall and winter season. In areas where the take remains below the quota hunting will continue through April 30.
Bobcats, fox, raccoons, snowshoe hares and cottontail rabbits will all be on high alert through March 15 when those seasons are set to end. Trapping seasons for beaver, badger, weasel, marten, mink, muskrat and river otter will continue through the end of March. And, as always, coyotes are fair game all year round.
Roadkill salvage is also legal in Washington with the use of an emergency permit provided by the WDFW. Permits are available online and must be obtained within 24-hours of any deer or elk salvage. Permits can be found at wdfw.wa.gov/licensing/game_salvaging/application.html.
CLAMMIN’
One day remains on the most recent round of coastal razor clam digging openings but the WDFW has already announced another dozen prospective digging days that would begin next month.
If you can make it happen it will very likely be worth your time to hit the beach on Thursday while the option remains. According to AJ Vok, a fulltime coyote sniper and part-time shortstop for Onalaska and Rural Baseball Inc, the digging was hot at Grayland last Sunday. He said that his group of five diggers needed only 30-50 minutes to limit out about an hour and a half prior to low tide before enjoying a spectacular sunset while they counted their spoils.
The next round of razor clam digs is now scheduled to begin on March 16, so long as marine toxin testing proves the succulent bivalves are safe for consumption. That batch of digs will signal a shift from evening digs to morning digs with only the first three dates offering opening after noon. During evening digs no digging is allowed before noon. On morning digs no digging is allowed after noon.
The proposed razor clam digs, along with low tides and beaches, are listed below:
March 16, Saturday, 3:43 p.m.; 0.3 feet; Twin Harbors, Copalis (during the Ocean Shores Razor Clam Festival);
March 17, Sunday, 4:43 p.m.; -0.2 feet; Twin Harbors (during the Ocean Shores Razor Clam Festival), Mocrocks;
March 21, Thursday, 7:48 p.m.; -0.5 feet; Mocrocks
Switch to a.m. tides:
March 22, Friday, 8:14 a.m.; -0.2 feet; Twin Harbors, Mocrocks, Kalaloch;
March 23, Saturday, 9:01 a.m.; -0.3 feet; Twin Harbors, Copalis, Kalaloch
March 24, Sunday, 9:49 a.m.; -0.3 feet; Twin Harbors, Mocrocks, Kalaloch
April 6, Saturday, 8:05 a.m.; 0.3 feet; Twin Harbors, Copalis
April 7, Sunday, 8:42 a.m.; 0.1 feet; Twin Harbors, Mocrocks
April 8, Monday, 9:20 a.m.; 0.0 feet; Mocrocks
April 20, Saturday, 7:58 a.m.; -1.1 feet; Long Beach (during the Long Beach Razor Clam Festival), Twin Harbors, Copalis;
April 21, Sunday, 8:42 a.m.; -1.2 feet; Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Mocrocks
April 22, Monday, 9:25 a.m.; -1.0 feet; Twin Harbors Mocrocks
According to the WDFW’s coastal shellfish manager, Dan Ayres, additional digging dates will be considered if data indicates that there are enough resident clams remaining for harvest.
Ayres always recommends that diggers hit the beach about an hour or two prior to low tide for the best results. He also advises diggers to bring sufficient lighting for evening digs.
All razor clam diggers age 15 and older are required to possess a valid fishing license in order to partake. State law allows diggers to harvest up to 15 clams per person and each clam dug must be taken regardless of size or condition.
CLIMBIN’
After a delay due to the federal government shutdown the exceedingly popular permits for climbing Mount Saint Helens will go on sale beginning March 18.
Those permits are necessary for all high elevation climbs between April 1 and October 31 in order to limit the number of climbers to around 100 people per dray. The permits are sold on a first-come-first-serve basis and typically sell out within a matter of days, if not sooner.
Permits cost $15 per person with a $6 fee per permit reservation. Climbing groups are limited to 12 people per group.
A press release from the U.S. Forest Service noted that this year the names of all climbers in the group will be required when making the purchase. Climbers will also be required to carry identification with them that matches the reservation. Permit holders will be allowed to change the identity of members of their group up until two weeks before the clmibimb date.
“Climbing to the summit of Mount St. Helens is a unique way for people to experience and appreciate the beauty of this amazing landscape,” said Mount St. Helens Monument Ranger Rebecca Hoffman, in the press release.
Permits can be obtained online at Recreation.gov. Additional information can be found online at fs.usda.gov/goto/climbingmsh.
SNOWIN’
Winter Carnival is just around the corner at White Pass. That annual celebration of the final thrust of winter is scheduled to take place on March 2-3 at East Lewis County’s favorite ski and snowboard retreat.
The festivities will feature ornate snow sculptures, including a medieval castle complete with knights in shining armor, and fireworks. There will also be sledding, tubing and snow balls for those so inclined. All events at the base are open and free to the public and a complete schedule can be found online.
“We offer tubing at the castle, kids' obstacle course races, snow sculptures, festive atmosphere and a celebration kicking off the second half of our season!” read a note on the White Pass website.
After a weeklong deluge in the highlands this week offered a little bit of a respite while still putting prime conditions on display. Downhill runs are still open for daily operation with the nordic area open Thursday through Sunday. Tubing is available on weekends and night skiing is offered with any general lift ticket until 9 p.m. on Saturdays through March 2.
As of Wednesday morning it was snowing at White Pass with eight new inches stacking up in the last 24 hours. The thermometer read 23 degrees at the base and 19 degrees at the summit with 103 inches up top and 75 inches of snow at the base. Those snow piles were down slightly from last week but way up over all.
Snow riders can still hitch a lift up to the slopes via the White Pass Shuttle which is currently operating seven days a week. The shuttle picks up riders in Olympia at 6:30 a.m., and at the Grand Mound Park and Ride off of Tenino-Grand Mound Road at 6:50 a.m. The shuttle arrives at the Safeway parking lot in Centralia at 7 a.m., with the flag pole as the designated pick up spot, and then stops at the Chehalis park-and-ride on West Main Street at 7:10 a.m. The final stop is at Packwood around 8:30 a.m.
The shuttle typically arrives at White Pass at 9 a.m. and leaves a 3:30 p.m. A round trip ticket costs $40, or $95 with the addition of a lift ticket. For additional information call 360-970-9619.
