Cleaning up an old dump site near Little Anderson Creek
Members and friends of the Long Lake Bass Club cleaned up several old dump sites on the banks of Little Anderson Creek today .  This area is in the Newberry Hill Heritage Park.  It is where Little Anderson Creek begins, at the outlet of a small beaver pond.  Even though fish can not reach this far upstream, this water is important as there are fish downstream that rely on this source.  We hope someday to have Salmon this far upstream, but that is a long way off, if ever. 

This is our heritage. (Left) Mike is standing next to the headwaters of Little Anderson Creek. (Right) Old refrigerator

I hope this is our OLD heritage.  Before the "Trident Boom"  sleepy Kitsap county was way out in the woods.  It was common for people to just dump their trash at the end of any skid road.  Out of sight out of mind.  Interesting to note that as little as 3 parts per million of hydrocarbon can kill fish.  In the pile on the left were the remains of several oil filters.   The exclusion of motorized vehicles has improved this situation.   

Late summer water tank for Lost Creek, and Chico Creek Watershed (Note the beaver hut)

Most of this section of the Newberry Hill Heritage Park is protected by a Conservation Easement.  This is where the water is stored during the rainy season, for SLOW release into the watershed over the dry summer months.  Without this "sponge",  all the winter rains would rush to the sea, and there would be  no flow in August.  This is the water table exposed in a depression, what is not exposed is even more important.  Without flow there aren't any fish.  If you would like to know more about our poor track record in preserving these habitats, read "Mountain In The Clouds" by Bruce Brown.     

Wetlands forming headwaters for Little Anderson Creek

This water flows into the Hood Canal, by way of the western branch of Little Anderson Creek.  It joins the eastern branch of Little Anderson  Creek, an IMW .  This type of habitat provides late summer flow, and rearing habitat for resident fish.  Historically, we have drained wetlands lilke these for one reason or the next.  Now we have a chance to save this one and a larger one on the south end of the park.  The question remains--will we? 

Pelicans also ingest lead . Photo by Bev Baker
Dan and I attended the Wildlife Commission meeting in Olympia yesterday to give testimony on the fishing regulation changes for 2010-2011. Dan Anderson and I rode down together, in tribute to Al Gore. Dan was CON on the lead ban and representing the Washington State Bass Federation and I was representing myself and CON on the lead ban and PRO on the Tiger Musky issue.
It was the last chance for public input to the commission on proposed fishing regulation changes for the next two years (they update them every two years to save money).
We drove down to Olympia, and waited for the chance to speak for 3 MINUTES. Even though I had testimony on two items, I STILL only had 3 MINUTES. Some people flew in from Spokane for 3 MINUTES of testimony. Some tackle manufacturers and their reps (Who by the way had the most compelling testimony) whose livelihood's are based on the health of our fish got 3 MINUTES as well.
There were only two people who testified in favor of the lead ban. One presented the mortality study cited by WDFW which indicates about 36% of all loon deaths are lead related. I tried to talk to them, and show them the USFWS study on about 34000 birds that showed about 3.5% were found to have ingested lead, but one of them was openly hostile towards me. The other (I believe he was a scientist) seemed intimidated by me at first, but I kept his attention long enough to insure him we ALL are interested in ALL our wildlife, but needed to have a rational discussion. From the testimony they gave, it was easy to see they knew nothing at all about fishing, and the one that was hostile towards me, gave testimony that was outright false. I asked her to cite her sources on what I believed to be false, and she would not.
I think these twelve lakes will be the first to have lead banned in them and there will be a lead ban in Washington's lakes in the future.
Lead is toxic, it can kill birds, it does not get into the fish, man or the food chain. It is relatively harmless when left on the lake bottom out of reach of the birds.
I can't say any of this for the alleged "NON TOXIC" substitutes that will be introduced into our states waters in the near future, and it seems likely to me that they will be worse than lead.

It seemed pretty straight forward when presented. WDFW was asking us to help "get the lead out" of lakes where Loons nested.

Lead Substitutes

Sounded like the thing to do. I was surprised by opposition from my peer group, so I began to research this issue looking for information that would help me sway them. I learned a lot. Massachusetts says loons need about 1000 acres per nesting pair. WDFW says they need about 50 acres. Seattle Audubon says the loons numbers are increasing, but this may be because they are counting them better. Most of the lakes in Washington where lead would be banned are less than 50 acres in size, and some are closed to fishing when loons are nesting. The USFWS says there is no indication that lost lead is a problem to fish or fishermen, but is bad for birds with gizzards www.nwhc.usgs.gov/disease_information/lead_poisoning/publications/waterbirds_sinkers.pdf. They found 6 of 313 (3.5%) loons necropsied had ingested lead in their 1994 study, while Washington says that about 36% of loons found dead in Washington died from lead. Very confusing, but OK if it can kill loons we need to do something.
So I looked at what is really happening. Anglers are switching to alternatives to lead as they become available. The best ENVIRONMENTALLY friendly sub, is steel. Anglers don't like it because it is to big, and its sharp edges cut mono. Brass contains lead, and is also less dense than lead, so is much larger for a given weight. The substitute gaining acceptance is TUNGSTEN, which has a higher density than lead so is SMALLER in size for the same weight. Anglers are accepting it because it catches more fish, not because it is good for the environment. Tungsten is harmless, but Tungsten weights are not Tungsten at all, but Tungsten, Nickel, Cobalt, or some other alloy. Tungsten melts at about 3500 degrees C, that requires a lot of energy. Most are imported from China (so what is really in them?) and cost about 10 times as much as lead. If you Google "toxicity of tungsten cobalt", I think you will see one of my concerns.
What we have accomplished by attempting to ban lead, is the creation of a market for a very high carbon footprint weight, made from a limited resource, with unknown toxicity to birds, fish, and people instead of the KNOWN hazards of lead weights to dabbling birds. Recent use of Tungsten/Nylon bullets by the US Army to replace depleted uranium has backfired and polluted Cape Cod with high levels of Tungsten in the water supply. Recent studies of Tungsten carbide implanted in muscle tissue showed a direct link to cancer.

We have used lead for fishing for 5000 years. We know this devil lead, and should ban the use of all heavy metals except lead. If we truly love the loons we should be careful how hard we hug them.

Josh Mastel with Silver Lake Tiger Muskie

Another pending regulation change will reemphasize the Tiger Muskie as a control predator.  This will be done by prohibiting the use of live bait, to prevent "deep hooking", as we want these fish to remain "on the job". 
The prolific yellow perch, began crowding out other species of fish in Silver Lake, Spokane County.  This overpopulation was probably caused by "us".  We target the larger fish (bass, trout, walleye) that would normally keep the perch population under control.  When we remove the large predator fish from the lake, the perch escape predation, and begin to dominate the food chain.  By using this sterile predator, the WDFW can improve the balance in the fish populations, without concerns that the predator will turn on us and become a problem itself.   The first use of the tiger in Washington, was to remove Northern Pikeminnow (formerly Squawfish), from Lake Mayfield.  These native fish had overpopulated the lake, and were damaging anadromous fish headed down the Cowlitz drainage. Studies have shown a direct increase in escapement of anadromous fishes, with a proportional decrease in Northern Pikeminnow populations.  The pikeminnow got out of balance because "we"changed the lotic   environment to a lentic one, by the construction of Mayfield Dam, making that environment more favorable to Pikeminnow reproduction.

Dolly Varden

There will be a major change coming in how we manage recreational fishing in our coastal streams, rivers and beaver ponds.  I don't know how this change in strategy will  be received by  anglers, but I think it is the right thing to do.  The strategy will attempt to increase protection of endangered and threatened  anadromous species.  In order to accomplish this, the incidental catch of these fish will be reduced by closing fishing on these waters.   
You will have an opportunity to provide public input to WDFW on several occasions, and at locations across the state.  Please exercize your right to provide input on this matter.  Knowledge is power.

Bull Trout


Lake Tahuyeh was built circa 1930.  A developer (Mr Calvin Wyatt) built a dam across the Tahuyeh River (a salmon stream) creating the lake.  At that time, he gave 3 lots to the Department of Game (now WDFW) for PUBLIC ACCESS, and stated in his last will and testament, his personal commitment to public access. 
A private lake is one in which all the access is held by PRIVATE parties, a public lake has PUBLIC access.
 We have an access to Lake Tahuyeh, it just isn't developed.  Our right to access has been established many years prior to the Lake Tahuyeh Community Club.  If you want to know more, read more at  www.kitsapsun.com/news/local/environment-land-use/.

300 Kids, none "skunked" none hooked.

We had a good day.  Thanks to all our corporate, government and private sponsors, and most of all our volunteers.  We would like to increase the number of kids able to attend this event, but we are exhausted after just 300.  Next year we are thinking about adding an event in the southern end of Kitsap County.  With 300 kids, their parents and our volunteers safety and crowd control are our biggest problems.  When we started our fund raising, I wondered why it cost so much to put this thing on.  When all is said and done, it costs about $20.00 per kid (in cash).  This does not include the many hours our volunteers donated,  thank goodness they are worth a lot more than we pay them.   The kids got a T shirt, and a rod and reel, two fish, a goodie bag and some lessons on water safety and the outdoors.  Pretty cheap after all.

Facing West on the Big Beef Creek drainage side of the ridge

Did you see the front page of the Kitsap Sun on the 26th of April?  Seems as though the RUMORS were more than RUMORS.  The mountain bikers were not at the meeting with DNR because they were out building trails in our wetlands without a permit. 
I am going to take a water sample above and below that bridge they built, I hope I do not find methylene di hexafloride or other chemicals used in treating that wood in my fishes water.
Fisher said they didn't build anything, but the website showed pictures of it being built.    Then he tells the Sun "that thing goes across a swamp.  The state has so much more to worry about than people building trails out there.
We have found the problem again, and it is still us.   

Chico Creek into Dyes Inlet, facing North
This is the spot where all that has happened upstream is deposited.  This is the place that is in short supply.  We can't keep "biggering and biggering" without intended and unintended consequences.

Chico Creek washed out.  salmon eggs suffocated by silt.
Well, we met with Kitsap County and DNR last night.  The room was filled to capacity with Kitsap Rifle and Revolver Club members.  I think the brouhaha could have been reduced if Kitsap County Parks and Recreation personel had a better idea how our country works.  I attribute this to their youth.  All the rumors spread about the county closing the range to let mountain bikers and horsemen use the future park trails was a good thing for getting attendance at the meeting.  We have all kinds of sports fields for football, baseball, soccer, tennis, track etc, but no shooting sports.  DNR missed an opportunity to let people know about the good work they do when they sell OUR timber.  Imagine your real estate taxes without the added revenue they generate on OUR timber when they sell it.  The mountain bikers, and horsemen were not there. I wonder where they were. 
I was the only one there for the fish.  No one listened.  The representative from Klahowya Secondary Shool spoke after me, and confirmed my worst case fears by stating "we can't wait to get in there and clean up the swamp"  There go the last of the fish.  This watershed is being assaulted by development.  This past winter the runoff was so bad, we had two bridges washed out, and the salmon eggs were buried in the silt.  We love nature to death. 

Prime fish habitat.  Aaron Wheeler, Beaver hut, O'Sullivan Reservoir
No matter your preference for a specific fish specie, you need habitat.  I need it for my bass, you need it for your trout, or whatever your preference as an angler.  ALL fish need it to survive.  One type of habitat (speaking for the fish) that is in short supply is the pristine anadromous stream.  Most people don't know that approximately 65% of sea run cutthroat trout originate on the Kitsap Peninsula.  These precious streams don't hold any bass, so my selfish interest is in protecting these waters for future generations.  My bass can pretty much take care of themselves.  They reproduce in large numbers, and can tolerate much lower oxygen levels than their sea run relatives.  Their habitat requirements are found in abundance all across the US, every state in fact,  except Alaska  (Yes Hawaii has LMBs).  There are no sea run anythings in Kansas. 

DNR is holding a meeting on land swaps with Kitsap County (Project manager Brad Pruitt, DNR www.dnr.wa.gov/BusinessPermits/Topics/LandExchanges/Pages/amp_exc_all_pending_exchanges.aspx  I will be there on the 18th of March.  Whats going on in your region?
I have high hopes that this land exchange will help the Chico, Wildcat, Lost Creek, Kitsap Creek drainage in a positive way.  The swamp in section 36 is the "sponge" providing late summer water for this drainage. This water is critical to fish returning.  The area adjacent to the exchange proposal has been rapidly developing as a residential community, and each house increases run off and erosion.  Two bridges in this drainage were washed out this past winter due to heavy runoff.  I have had as many as five bears in my back yard as a result of lost habitat nearby, and for the first time in my twenty years here, I have deer browsing my orchard, and my wifes roses. 
Get involved.

See why it is called a Largemouth Bass, Crab Creek, O'Sullivan
Pittman-Robertson WIldlife Restoration Act funds are being disbursed.  When you buy sporting goods, sporting firearms, ammo, bows, boats, boating equipment and such, there is a Federal Tax that is collected, and apportioned back to states.  The share we get is based on land area and the number of paid licenses.  Washington State got about $15 Million.  $6.5 Mil for Wildlife Restoration and Hunter Education and about $8.3 Mil for Sport FIsh Restoration. Tell your wife you need that new rod to help the fish.