Hy Seer Pee yee » feCo lumbia”‘ —~ “Rs twto t iewer vwn. OE erGN Gi ia £ wep ce S2a n < ore ~te F <a Se: ssc -—- Captain Pe See Page 7 Photo Credit to Pete Heckes Sally the Salmon Says... Willapa Bay oysters are as good to eat as Columbia River salmon. Official Publication of the Columbia River Fishermen’s Protective Union One of the oldest Conservation Unions on the West Coast Incorporated in 1884 P.O. Box 627, As toria, Oregon 97103 EDITOR Jon Westerholm Jon Westerholm, Editor - Phone (503) 325-2702 93798 Jackson Rd, Astoria, OR 97103 Connie Westerho lm, Computer Typist Anchor Graphics, Layout and Production 503/458-6518 Diana Johnson, Writer and Photographer FORWARD | Columbia River Fishermen’s Protective Union One oft he Oldest Conservation Unions This paper is being published for the purpose of keeping the public and fishermen informed on the West Coast—Since 1884 of the facts and happenings in regard to the Columbia River Fishing Industry and people connected with it. Historical articles and pictures will also be emphasized. The advertisements which PRESIDENT appear within make it financially possible to publish this paper and we hope you will Darren Crookshanks in return patronize and thank the business people who contribute to this cause. Anyone who 6130 Willowgrove Rd, Longview, WA 98632 wishes to contribute articles, pictures, stories, or ads, please contact the editor at: 360/957-4586 P.O. Box 627, Astoria, Oregon 97103 or call (503) 325-2702 FIRST VICE PRESIDENT Kent Martin P. O. Box 83 Skamokawa, WA 98647 360/795-3920 Help Support tthe SECOND VICE PRESIDENT Colunm/bia River Gillnetter Publication Gary Soderstrom The Columbia River Gillnetter is one of the only remaining publications on the P. O. Box 747, Clatskanie, OR 97016 west Coast devoted exclusively to gillnetting. We have been making a difference 360/430-3317 for 40 years, Our continued existence is threatened by increasing production and mailing costs. Now more than ever, we need a voice to represent our side EXECUTIVE SECRETARY of the issue, and the Gillnetter is an important contact with fishermen, lawmak- ers and the public, If you would like to help, send donations to Columbia River Jack Marincovich Gillnetter. 37712 Parker Lane, Astoria, OR 97103 503/325-2504 The following individuals have made a contribution to the Columbia River Gillnetter Publication, which will be used to help continue the publication and mailing of the free informational CRFPU Board of Directors newspaper. We thank them for their Support DISTRICT 1 Ralph Ennis February 2009 to July 2009 14141 NE San Rafel, Portland, OR 97230 503/253-1559 Vern Forsberg 28811 NW Main, Ridgefield, WA 98642 Gary Ziak — Knappa, OR David & Carolyn Brooks — Astoria, OR 360/887-4089 Floyd Holcom — Astoria, OR Elizabeth “Bobby” Hill - Warrenton, OR DISTRICTS 2, 3 Gary Meier — Eugene, OR Thomas Dean - Bellevue, WA Jack Fowler Robert Forness — Beaverton, OR N.A. & V.K Cooper — Lake Oswego, OR 6349 Willow Grove, Longview, WA 98632 Bob Scheve — Astoria, OR Judi Seago — Astoria, OR 360/425-4662 Ed Johnson — Brownsmead, OR In Memory of “Doc” Haglund DISTRICT 4 Lloyd Haatia — West Linn, OR Carol Lahti & Ernie Larson — Astoria, OR John Kallunki Jim Holde - Longview, WA In Memory of Gilbert “Doc” Haglund 79806 Blackford Road, Clatskanie, OR 97016 Verne & Diane Telen — Columbia City, OR Mildred Carlstrom — Springfield, OR 503/728-4551 Don Johnson — Astoria, OR In Memory of Gilbert “Doc” Haglund Greg Mustola Bob Reiter — Warrenton, OR Dale & Diane Fish —- Svensen, OR 80190 Alston Mayger Road, Clatskanie, OR 97016 Dorothy Labiske — Astoria, OR In Memory of Gilbert “Doc” Haglund 503/728-2248 Jeff & Kristin Johnson — Astoria, OR Steve & Dolly Bagwell — McMinnville, OR DISTRICT 5 Henry & Judy Lunki— Aloha, OR In Memory of Hazel & Mike Demase Kent Martin Tom Abrams — Richland, WA Virginia Estoos —- Brownsmead, OR PO Box 82, Skamokawa, WA 98647 Capt. Warren Leback — Skillman, N.J. In Memory of “Doc” Haglund 360/795-3920 Violet Skipper —- Knappa, OR Alan & Linda Takalo — Brownsmead, OR DISTRICT 6 Barbara Begleries — Astoria, OR In Memory of Gilbert “Doc” Haglund Dan Stephan Don & Barbara Johnson — Hoquiam, WA Dorothy Riswick — Portland, OR 1365 Altoona Rd Marty Due — Newport, KY Agnes Rusinovich — Svensen, OR Rosburg, WA 98643 Robert “Bob” Smith —P ortland, OR In Memory of Nick Rusinovich, Sr & Nick 360/465-2468 George Siverson — Astoria, OR Rusinovich, Jr DISTRICT 7 John Wahl - Lynnwood, WA Mike & Lauran (Woolery) Patterson — Alan Takalo Eldred Olson — Astoria, OR Wrangel, AK 93491 Aldrich Point Rd, Astoria, OR 97103 Perry Normark — Seaside, OR Lauren Fisher - Gresham, OR 503/458-6654 Jim & Rhoda Toteff — Kalama, WA In Memory of Don Riswick Gerald Westerholm In Memory of Peter Toteff & James Toteff, Sr Daniel Comer - Kelso, WA P. O. Box 2075, Gearhart, OR 97138 Jim Mathiesen — Marysville, WA In Memory ofJ oseph B. Tarabochia 503/738-7609 Harold Stensrud — Hermiston, OR 92146 Lewis & CDMlaIarSrkkT RTRIhd.Ca,nT d Aesrt8 o ria, OR 97103 Thinso n-pparopfeirt , wawse sdteaprteendd foorn yaoduvre rbteinseifnigt ainn d1 9d6o9n attio ihoenlsp tko ekeepe py opuu bilnifshoirnmge d anodn Gmialillnient g itshsiuse sn.e wAssle twtee r,a re 503/325-4865 Please make your contributions to: Columbia River GillInetter, P.O, Box 627, Astoria, OR 97103 I Ilwaco l ! | Fish Co. Union 1| td I Ine. ! I l I Salmon For All Member The CRFPU boardhas authorized lessor membership ! Ilwaco, Wash. 360/642-3773 price of $100.00 or $50.00 per! Doug Ross, Pierre Marchand, George Alexander, Gillnet Buyers year for those who want to help out. The yearly voting membership remains at $150.00. A Union card and receipt will be issued in each case. Send Dues checks to: Jack Marincovich, CRFPU P. O. Box 627 Astoria, OR 97103 PLEASE PAY YOUR DUES! NOTmIACyE | e|ey e 'O UR OFFICE IS CHARGED FOR! 1 EACH ISSUE OF THE GILLNET-: ITER RETURNED TO US. IF YOU; ' HAVE CHANGED YOUR AD- 'DRESS. PLEASE FILL OUT THIS! !F ORM AND RETURN IT TO US. Name 503-325-5841 voice/fax 441 30th Street 'New Address P.O. Box 1400 [email protected] serving the area for over 55 YEARS! 'City A Letterhead A Self-Mailing Brochures State. Zip Envelopes A Variable Data Printing Forms A Addressing Post Cards A UPC Bar Coding Business Cards A FREE Local Delivery I | Send to: Jon Westerholm, CRFPU, Booklets nn 1 P.O. Box 627, Astoria, OR 97103 L From days difference in age, and we did a lot of things in common. Dick, with his brother, Dennis, had operated the Astoria The Granite Works, started so many years ago by their dad. It was interesting to have him point out a granite work Editor and indicate that he had done that one. He did two interesting stories for the Gillnetter in the past, including Trophies the mystery of “What Happened to the With this issue of the Columbia River Plaques Nahcotta?” I can still see the picture of Gillnetter we carry on a little different Doc and the big Chinook that he got, in Engraving emphasis and move somewhat to the his net off Tongue Point, a few years ago. North with one of our feature stories Custom Screenprinting He thought for sure that he had a seal or and including the cover picture. This move is to Willapa Bay and its Oyster sea lion tangled in the net. The salmon Embroidery weighed around 50 pounds. Fishery. We have made connections to I also had a nice telephone visit Shadow Boxes the Long Beach Peninsula with several recently with my good friend, Dorothy trips to the Nahcotta /Oysterville area Flag Cases Riswick. She is celebrating birthday and also to the lower Naselle River to number 92 this July. She and her observe the oyster dredging activity. husband, Don, who founded this NO MINIMUMS Good friend, Pete Heckes, has provided Gillnetter magazine back in 1969, were us with much information on the within one day of each other in age. She subject. Contact us for our military now lives in east Portland. A major connection between the I look forward to 2010 and 2011 with discounts and shipping costs development of the Willapa Bay oyster optimism in relation to the Columbia industry and the history of Columbia River and its salmon population as we (503) 717-8576 2968 Hwy 101 N River salmon gillnetting is in the boats Fax (503) 717-8577 Gearhart, OR 97138 prepare for another historic celebration, that they use. The Columbia River gillnet boat, brought here first from the the Astoria Bl-centennial. It would be so great if we could improve on, here LS Some = Sacramento River in California, was in turn used as a basis for the development in Salmon Country, plans and action Vs\11FC = ) amai m (=)o xo) ptO rem of the oyster boats on Willapa Bay. Tim to bring back salmon numbers faster and more reliably. Honest and reliable Driscoll, who built many gillnet boats Of Astoria in his lifetime, also, later in his career, cooperation between agencies and built oyster boats. Pete Heckes’ Green user groups of our valuable resource Building and Tow Boat, that he still uses, is a classic would be so wonderful to see, as we Maintenance Supplies example of a Driscoll built boat. disallow further actions of degradation Packaging and of the environment and habitat that Paper Products The Northern Star, Bradwood Landing is so important. We live together, let’s LNG issue here in east Clatsop County, cooperate together. 421 Gateway continues to drag out. It is difficult for Astoria, OR 97103 we rural people to understand how this Editor - Jon Westerholm thing can be so important to a far off 503-325-6362 company that they would go through everything that they have to get their way. The money that they have spent to try to convince us is phenomenal. They don’t seem to realize, as we do, the RESTAURANT danger to our Columbia River and its precarious salmon population, as well Hwy. 30 & Knappa Road as to our quality of living in this corner High Climber Cocktail Lounge of Oregon, would be greatly imperiled with such a large development. We_ Orders to Go 503-458-6886 don’t need it! Catering Available 503-458-6100 I have lost two close friends since Non-Smoking Restaurant our last issue of the Gillnetter, Gilbert Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner “Doc” Haglund and Dick Thompson. Lottery Service Center Doc was my same age, with only 5 Owner s: Mary Ann & Kari Hall - Mark Alfonse “The Commercial Fisherman’s Eyecare Specialist” AYLO1 AYO) PENTA North Coast Vision Center Columbia Pacific Laura M. Gianelli, O.D. Marine Works Inc. Walter R. Receconi, O.D. SPECIALIZING IN STERN DRIVES Family Vision Care * Contact Lenses CUSTOM FAB. & WELDING Pre & Post Surgical Care * Fashon Frames (503) 325-4310 Bob, Lasse, & Doug 577 18th Street, Astoria, OR 97103 531 GATEWAY Astoria, OR 97103 (503) 325-4401 Fax (503) 325-3278 lori Sax Consulling HAS MOVED TO THE PORT OF ASTORIA LAND YE BENNETT THANE TIENSON WE MAKE TAXES EASY BLUMSTE IN Lip Member of the Oregon and «Electronic Filing + All States Washington State Bars « Accurate * Confidential «Friendly Service + Professional AS ele OSReN TE GY ss * Personalized ‘ + Prior years return checked FREE! B \ Specializing in individual, self-employed Rhoda fhander and smail business income taxes. Enrolled Agent LET US HELP PROTECT Representing Commercial Fishermen Licensed Tax Consultant WHAT YOU HAVE 348 Industry Street, Astoria, Oregon 97103 Ph: 503.325.TAX (8297) Toll-free: 877.325.8297 for over 30 years in the Fax: 503.325.FAXS (3297) [email protected] Northwest and Alaska PHI Oregon - Washington Alaska: LARRY PETERSEN 1300 SW 5th Ave., Suite 3500 701 West 8th Ave., Suite 1200 CONVENTIONAL, FHA/VA PEST & DRY ROT CERTIFIED INSPECTOR Portland, Oregon 97201 Anchorage, Alaska 99501 HOME INSPECTIONS & STRUCTURAL PEST CONTROL 283 Kensington Business 503-325-5130 Tel: 503.224.4100 Fax: 503.224.4133 1981 East Palmer-Wasilla highway, Astoria, Oregon 97103 Cell 503-338-8554 Suite 220 Toll Free: 877.224.4133 OREGON STATE CERTIFIED ¢ LICENSED 9654 BONDED « INSURED [email protected] NESIEE ARSENE OCHI No. 075 ¢ CCB No. 104975 PCO No. 134634 ¢ PCA NO. 134635 AGENT FOR Grange Insurance Group United Heritage Property & Casualty BRITISH PUB AND RESTAURANT 342 Industry St., Astoria OR 97103 “WE’RE NUMBER | ON 2 STREET” Phone/Fax (503) 325-4118 ASTORIA, OREGON § 325-0033 Jill Stokeld, your Host Jack Marincovich Vinson Brothers Construction Executive Secretary Report V.B. Construction Inc, CCBE 66679 92740 Knappa Dock Ra. Rock Products * Excavation Underground Ulises Astoria, OR 97103 SepticS ystems Dennis Vinson Phone (503) 458-6561 Home (503) 325-4125 Fax (503) 458-6763 Cellullar (503) 741-0170 WEST COAST PROPELLER SERVICE of Warrenton, Oregon Hi-Torque Propellers, the Captain’s Choice! Certified & Authorized factory Repair Station Remember When taken from all of our seasons to help C.R.P.A. tenders passing by Clifton protect the wild fish. Propellers & Shafts Station with a number of gillnetters in A good example of how unfair the our specialty tow in their annual trip to the upper impacts our fishermen are stuck with part of the Columbia for the Spring is that the sockeye runs of last year Opening of the gillnet season in the which totaled over 200,000 fish and Welding — Machine Shop 1950’s. The spring season usually we were allowed only 1% impact. We 827 NE Harbor Street, opened on April 30th at noon. had to fish an eight inch mesh and we Warrenton OR In those years the Fish Commission harvested less than 100 fish. set the seasons way before hand so We remember when the (503) 861-1483 fax 861-1112 fishermen had ample time to prepare commercial fishing on the Columbia their nets, repair their boats and snag River was a great industry. We hope Now two locations to serve their drifts. our State people that manage the you: Warrenton and Fish Processors were set up the harvest can make it that way full length of the river with buying once again. Homer, Alaska! facilities. 41871 Kachemak Dr. In the Mid-1970’s the Fish Jack Marincovich Homer, Alaska 99603 Commission and the Game Executive Secretary, C.R.EPU (907) 235-3737 Commission merged. Before that time the Fish Commission managed CLATSOP POWER the commercial fishing and the Game Commission the sport fishing. That EVINRUDE. __EQUIPMENT is when things started to change at a rapid pace. More Sport fishermen and guides became interested in fishing the Full-Service Dealer Columbia so the Columbia River Outboard Motor Repair Compact, which sets fishing seasons, has been giving the sports industry — Fred & Gregg Mestrich — a larger share of the harvest. Our fishermen have had to make large 34912 Bus. Hwy 101, at Miles Crossing changes in the way they fish with types of gear, area we fish, and time Call 325-0792 anytime 1-800-220-0792 The Green Tow Boat The “Green Tow Boat” is still used by Pete boat builders in the Oyster industry, over Peninsula and Willapa Bay better understand Heckes and his son in their Oyster business the years, such as Joseph George, John the history and operation of the Oyster on Willapa Bay. It was built in 1952 by well Louderback and his son Marion, and John Industry, an Interpretive Center has been known Columbia River boast builder, Tim Fosse and his son Dorwin. From Raymond erected near the Nahcotta landing. This Driscoll in Ilwaco for the Keystone Packing and South Bend on the Willapa River to Bay Museum was built to honor the Bay itself Company. It was one of several that he built Center and Oysterville/Nahcotta farther and the many people that have harvested and probably the last one still in active south along the bay they were built and Oysters, off and on, for nearly 150 operation on the bay. some are still in operation today. years, here. There were other prominent wooden To better help visitors to the Long Beach Oyster Dredge coming in The Green Tow Boat Do You Remember When? The Green Tow Boat A couple years later after the lumber had cured busy oystering.After that the boat just sat parked in the summer of 1952;Tim had finished dad’s at the dock for many years. Finally the bugs ate tow boat. It was 35’X9’ with a war surplus 671 through at the waterline where the paint had Shortly after World War II my dad Glen Heckes Gimmy for power.The hull was the same as the rubbed off and it sank at the dock. It was hauled and fellow Oystermen,Ted Hollway and cousin gillnet boats only bigger. out and sat it on the bank for a couple years. I had Roy Kemmer bought the old McGowan salmon We used the tow boat in the oyster business a boat builder look at it, he said it would cost too cannery in Ilwaco.They renamed it Keystone until 1963 when dad bought the old wood oyster much to fix and I should burn it.I was seriously Packing Co. dredge “Julia C Waring” from Coast Oyster Co. It considering doing this and told my son John. He The fleet of gillnet boats that came with the was in pretty bad shape but we fixed it up and said “Burning that boat is kind of like letting a cannery were pretty old and there was a need for I’m still using it. We had no need for the tow boat person die.’That ate at me for quite awhile. Finally some new ones. Dad heard that Tim Driscoll of in the oyster business after the dredge was in one day I was in South Bend and stopped by to Woody Island built a good fast boat so he looked operation. It was parked in Wiegardt’s old boat visit Marion. I told him what the situation was him up and talked him into moving to Ilwaco. shop south of Nahcotta until the oyster business with the tow boat and he said “let’s take a look at They fixed him up a little room in the corner took a dive in the early 1970's. I decided to it.” By this time Marion was well into his eighties of the old boat shop. He lived there until the fix the tow boat up for crabbing in the bay to and didn’t do much, but putter around with little cannery went out of business in the late 1950's. supplement what I made gillnetting. projects and visited with who ever stopped by. My dad had a need for a tow boat in our oyster I took it to an old time boat builder in South Marion wasn’t the kind to waste a lot of words. business to tow around the 30’X10’ wood scows Bend, Marion Louderback, and helped him He walked around the boat and said “We can fix we picked oysters on.About 1950 he bought an rebuild it one winter.W e put on a new pilot her up, bring her over.” He put in a couple short old growth fir tree from a old German, August house.The original had a wrap around Plexiglas planks that the bugs had ate and I pulled out the Fisher who had a big farm on the west side of window similar to the bow picker Tim built for old iron nails and replaced them with stainless Willapa Bay.A s I remember he paid $100.00 for he Bob Raistakka of Deep River. We raised the sides steel screws and put in a new back deck. Now tree. I helped the two of them cut it down with a up a couple planks behind the pilot house and the boat was all fixed, but I still didn’t have a use cross-cut saw. It was made into lumber at Parker sheathed the starboard side with iron bark. I for it. Nelson’s sawmill located between Nahcotta and fished the boat for several years until I got too Oysterville. Cywiselhnaai’Mrtmcsy sh a. ansTygoch onae no JnJ oohchhatlnunhal e m sbiuaw si erllisoitntuk enta hd ste4 io d4 5eb°l 0uXi svo1eyif6 a n’Wire inds alssgll rauoaopmfvfae i glrnr,Baua aivbmsyeui .ltn.A gs ctfHhMoeeeawwr n ei la acaa bnolodoIau knrt ega ted1e 94 d0 iarf2twei ewhfTthiti ilwmsleo he o oadtwnt hdihef enyi g rseo ot tumahhreleon orwen fd grs hiiidseiteing ddaheswn adios wtf ec wnuciatttos . o.Askf toiTtoehm nrAege ly. a i tso bkfhufaai ldt esassybiooeodmmsuee.etw tw ahh|yei dasanor tngs .’m toll Hiviekrkee e em staeamh inasdettn amioktf biemt aeou eTvnrhxiedoc udrmels pmeatt te henwrtdtiho itauohtug nphiil nnaasrtgngth deee aa ddndw ayoartotwkhfen i r.n g put a fresh Cummings diesel in the old tow boat. to look for gold in the Klondike. They didn’t have Several of the humps would be visible at the same He now uses the boat regularly to build up his much luck because he said the highlight of the time. I believe he said they traveled together for clam beds. During the oyster spawning season trip was a whale that washed ashore. Somebody several miles. in the summer he puts out oyster shell for the put a big tent around it and charged 10 cents to Tim’s mother was a full blood Clatsop and little oysters to attach to. He can easily haul look at it. she taught him to speak Chinook Jargon. I still remember quite a few words he used. He didn’t 2000 bushel of shell and blow it off in about 45 have a car when I knew him, maybe he never had minutes. It really makes me feel good to see the one.Anyway when we went somewhere it was old boat finally being put to good use. I know if usually by boat. When we were ready to go Tim dad and Tim were still around they would feel would say “Klatawa Kopa Chuck”. This means to good too. travel by water. We never named the boat but when we were I had lunch with Tim a lot when he lived in oystering we called it the* Tow Boat “ or “The Green Boat” because we always painted the hull Ilwaco. Stew was something he made quite a bit. He made two different varieties. One he called Malachey green. After I started crabbing with it, it Sand Island Stew and the other Dog Vomit Stew. became “The Crab Boat”. Now that John is hauling I didn’t notice much difference. They were both gravel with it, it is once again “The Tow Boat” or made out of beef, potatoes, carrots, onions and “The Green Boat”. maybe some celery if available. One day I asked The boat was built 5 or 6 years before the him what the difference was. He said “I cut the Nahcotta Port was put in. We kept it anchored year around on the sand flats in front of our Dog Vomit Stew in smaller pieces.” house at Oysterville. I can remember after every Our favorite meal was salmon head and bad storm at night we always looked out the potatoesY.ou take a big salmon head preferably window in the morning to be sure the boat was with the tips still on and split it down the middle. still there. One morning it wasn’t. It was up the It splits easier if you cut it from underneath. Then beach about a mile north with a hole punched in put this in a pot with water and potatoesT.h e the starboard side by a stump. trick is to cut the potatoes so when the potatoes At one point in the 1970's I considered are done the fish is too. When Tim lived at the gillnetting the boat over here in the bay. I even cannery we had this a lot during the season. bought a Frazier River reel from a fellow in When I was about 12 I wanted to build a Astoria. I had ended up with a bow picker Tim dugout canoe real bad. I knew cedar was the built for Keystone. It worked fine back when the proper material to use and kept waiting for some seasons were more liberal and the nets were 200 to wash in on the bay shore in front of the house. fathoms in length and 36 meshes deep.W e usually Tim Driscoll I kept watch for a long time. Finally a beautiful log just fished high and low waters and maybe a showed up. It was about 12 foot long and 2.5 feet flood drift or two if there were any fish around. Tim loved duck hunting. He had sacks of hand in diameter with no knots.The log was perfect Now days with the shortened seasons if there carved wooden decoys and a nice floating blind except it was hemlock, about the worst wood you are any fish you have to fish around the clock up a big slough. He told about one time he had could find. At the time I knew it was the wrong with 250 fathom nets of much deeper depth taken his wife Annie hunting. They had just put wood, but the log was so nice I thought ifI d id a to be competitive. Anyway I never got around out the decoys and got back to the blind when good job it would turn out ok. Besides I was tired to putting the reel in so the boat missed the some ducks started coming in.Tim didn’t use a of waiting. opportunity to be called “The Gillnetter’”. duck call but made the sound with the corner of Tim showed up for about a weeks visit not his mouth. He had just gotten new false teeth and long after I started my project. This was when I when he tried calling the ducks the sound didn’t first met him. One morning after breakfast I was Tim’s Stories come out right and it scared them away. He said “I getting ready to go and Tim said “I think I'll walk got so damn mad I pulled the teeth out and threw down and see what you are doing.” He sat on the Tim had quite a life. He started out fishing them out in the water!” He had to go back at low bank smoking his pipe watching while I whacked and boat building in the sailboat days. He would tide to find them. away at the log for about an hour with my ax. have been 34 in 1904 when they started putting Tim did some trolling in the early days. I don’t When we got ready to go he pulled out his pipe engines in the gillnet boats. He told me many know what years this was, but I know it was very and said “I don’t think it will float”. Luckily he was stories about his younger years. early, possible even in the sailboat days. He said he wrong, because the log floated away on a big June One story I'll always remember probably made his own lures out of whale bone and they high water a few nights later. That saved me a lot happened shortly before 1880.Tim and his worked good. While trolling he saw something of work because until then I had only partially brothers and sister were small and playing on several miles off the mouth of the Columbia that pointed both ends and flattened some of the top. the bank of the river when he said they saw a was very strange. Most of you will write this off Back in the double end gillnet boat days Tim canoe coming down river with what he said had as a “tall tale”. I knew Tim very well and he didn’t built a lot of boats with his brother Cooney. He “real Indians” in it.The kids hid in the willows and the canoe came ashore near where they had tell “tall tales”. If he said he saw something it said they got pretty fast at it. I’m not positive but been playingT.im said there was a sturgeon in the was there. He called it a sea serpent. It showed I think he said they could turn one out in three canoe that was so big he couldn’t see how they up along side the boat and stayed fairly close for weeks. Cooney got his nickname because he got it in. The Indians cut the head off behind the quite awhile. He could see it plainly. It looked to walked kind of humped up like a raccoon. front fins with an axe and stood the head upright be over 40 feet long and a couple feet thick. It Tim really understood what it took to make a on the sand. I remembeTri m holding his hand up didn’t have scales, but had hair similar in color boat go through the water easily. to that of a bay horse. The head was also shaped I remember several times he would put his fingertips together and push them forward. He the bank. His neighbors were Carl Lindstrom’s went with what he was familiar with and bought would say, “You don’t cut through the water You family in a float house just down river and George new linen web.The net fished good at night but slide over it”. Siverson’s father Cris was just upstream. nylon would have been better in the daytime. Tim didn’t use a tape measure when building a Of course there was no electricity and Tim had I remember when we laid the net out in the boat. He used a wooden folding ruler with brass a wood cook stove and kerosene lamps. He had evening and you could start to see lights on the hinges. It fit handily in the top of his overalls a battery operated radio he liked to listen to shore and the net buoy lights Tim would say “ It’s next to his carpenter's pencil. One thing he did Portland Beaver baseball with. starting to get fish dark”. different was that he didn’t use a caulking mallet That linen net with big wooden football corks when caulking a boat. He just used his claw was pretty heavy picking. Sometimes if it was hammer. I never asked him the reason; maybe he windy or we got into a lot of jellyfish Tim would felt he had more control. He did use a modern give me a hand and pull some cork line. When I power tool that saved him a lot of time. It was an was 15 I was small for my age.A t that time I was electric planner with a curved blade. He used this the second smallest boy in Ilwaco High School. to hollow out the inside of planks so they would Although not very big, Iw as in good shape fit tight against the ribs where the ribs were from working in the oysters. Picking that heavy bent.Tim marked his tools with the letterW for linen net was quite a workout for me. It got to identification. I thought this was kind of strange where I could hit the bunk and fall asleep almost and asked him about it. He said he did it because immediately when Tim headed back down river it was easy to put on a“W” with a file. for another drift in the middle of the night. My Tim’s niece Hilda helped him build the last two dad said Tim told him “My God that kid can sleep.” or three boats. After Keystone closed down in the Oyster Dredge, Lower Naselle River I was always up when it was time to pick though. late fifties they moved into the old Glison Hotel in One thing I did to pass the time on day floods Ilwaco where Hilda looked after him. Tim never drank alcohol when I knew him or was to rig up a hand line with a trolling rubber When he was somewhere around ninety he was talked about drinking in the past, but he showed and mooch with herring off the stern of the boat. diagnosed with diabetes. He would give himself me a bottle of whiskey he kept in the warming I figured the fish would lead around the net and I insulin shots and even gave up smoking his pipe. oven of the cook stove. He said he kept this on might catch one.I tried it several times but never Eventually he developed an ulcer on his foot that hand in case he came down with what he called got a strike. wouldn’t heal. Hilda was often sent out into the “The Grip”. We fished mainly out of Ilwaco, but when the woods to dig up devil club roots. They would boil The bed I slept in was all duck feathers, top and tides were right we stayed at the Keystone buying this up and apply it to the foot. No doubt this bottom. I remember thinking it was almost like station in that cove just above where the bridge was something he learned from his mother. After sleeping on a cloud. Sure didn’t have to worry now comes ashore.We called it Hungry Harbor. a couple years of this the foot had to come off.I about being cold that hot July. I don’t remember any real big deliveries, but we remember visiting him afterwards in the Ilwaco A few days after we had arrived we heard a fished steady and ended up with a fairly decent Hospital. He joked that now he had one less leg loud roar coming from down river. It was dad in season. to kick with. his new boat. It had a dry exhaust with no muffler. We were doing ok in the second Aug season Tim had a special way with animals. If there He visited with us for a few hours and then until one morning before daylight we were was any cats or dogs around it wasn’t very long headed back to Ilwaco. flooding up past Sand Island on one of those until they under his spell. He talked to them and The weather was hot and dry while we were small high waters. Everything was going fine until they seemed to like what he said. When he was there so there weren’t hardly any fish. This gave we passed the islandA.t that point the net went talking to a cat he always called it puss-puss, the us a lot of spare time.Tim liked to play cribbage sideways and we left 2/3’s of it on the Chinook jargon word for cat. Tim had a pet mink that he so we did a lot of that. He had a couple of nice Jetty. That was the end of Tim’s fishing career. said liked to run up his pant leg and crawl around round bottom duck boats that I spent a lot of Looking back I find it amazing that an 82 between his long underwear and his overalls. It time exploring the sloughs with. They rowed very year old man would undertake to build his own is kind hard to imagine sitting still for something easily and were wide enough they weren't tippy. boat and fish the lower Columbia with a green like that. If anyone is interested in seeing one go to the 15 year old runty kid. We probably would have Once I asked Tim what he thought about Antique Mall on Marine Drive next to the bowling fished several more seasons if we hadn’t lost the religion. He said “I don’t worry about it.I j ust try alley. There is one in there he built for Lewis net. Now days it wouldn’t be that much of a feat to do what I think is right.” Not bad words to live Jasper of Puget Island. with all the modern conveniences such as net by if you ask me. Tim had a little race with another bow picker reels and GPS. We used to wonder if we were while we were at Woody Island.I think it was the oldest and the youngest fishing team on the Johnny Tarabochia. Id idn’t get to go along Columbia at the time. Fishing With Tim because Tim didn’t want the extra weight, Writing this brought back many good although I was pretty scrawny at the time.I don’t memories. In closing I would like to say that I feel Just before Tim built my dad’s boat he built a remember who won, but I think it was probably very fortunate to have known Tim as well as I did. 29’ bow picker for himself. What was different Johnny because although Tim’s boat was fast he He was like a grandfather to me and definitely about this boat was that he built it one plank only had a Chrysler Crown for power. had a very positive influence on my life.A super lower because his knees were bad and it made it About halfway through our stay we made a run great guy. easier for him to get in and out of. to Skamokawa for groceries. Tim decided to try fishing his diver drift at We went to the Hobbs store on Steamboat Slough By: Pete Heckes Woody Island that July 1952.The main purpose and stopped into viAsrt iAndterso n who lived of this was to run to Clatskanine to have a power just below the bridge and stayed all night. Tim roller installed and to break me in as a boat had built Art a bow picker before he came to puller for the Aug. season. When we headed out Keystone. I think Art was probably Tim’s best for Woody Island dad was hooking up his boat friend. engine. Tim needed a new big mesh for the Aug. season. We stayed about 2 weeks in Tim’s shack. It Nylon was just coming out and there were a lot was an old scow house on piling on the edge of of stories circulating about knots slipping so Tim 10 Salmon For All News Oregon Legislative Session Closes without Approving Gillnet Restrictions commercial fishery issues. It passed over to the success of our efforts to protect the gillnet The Oregon legislative session for 2009 Joint Committee on Ways and Means, where fishery this past session to the shrewd and closed at midnight June 29. None of the bills the CCA went to great lengths to reinsert the effective work of SFA Board member Bruce aimed at banning or restricting the gillnet original alternative gear proposal. But the NSIA, Buckmaster. Contributions to the coho fishery fishery made it to the floor in either chamber. HB 2579, the one bill to make it out of having failed to advance its “SAFE for Salmon” disaster relief fund allowed us to compensate committee, had originally been sponsored by legislation, was determined not to allow the Bruce for some of the time he devoted to the CCA.The House Sustainability & Economic CCA to succeed where it had failed.As a result, working on our behalf in Salem.We all owe Development Committee amended it to set up HB 2579 also died in committee. Bruce a debt of thanks for his good work. a task force to study Columbia River sport and Lobbyist Jim Markee attributes much of the Full List of Disaster Relief Fund Contributors as of July 15, 2009 Randy E.Anderson John & Carla Hanson Victor & Lois Olson Estate of Johnnie Ray Anderson, Lisa Marsyla, Mark Hawkins Tyler B. Olson Executrix Kevin & Pamela Hawkins Jeremy Olson Charles & Carol Baldwin Kevin D. Hawkins Jr. Gary & Sonja Olson Mike & Henry Balensifer Dan W. Heiner Larry & Kathy Olson Delwin & Hazel Barendse Heuker Brothers Fred & Virginia Ostling Gary & Vicki Bergseng Dave & Jeremy Hoffman Donald & Barbara Ostling Ronald & Norma Britt James & Yvonne Hogan Dan Owings Marty & Lynette Budnick J. Matt Holde Bill Pack Andrew D. Carlson & John Ivanoff Larry Holland Jon Blair & Tammy Peterson Eric & Tami Carlson Dave & Lori Hubbard Jessie’s Ilwaco Fish Les and Frances Clark Bill and Pamela Hunsinger Richard & Jean Quashnick Columbia Pacific Marine Works Larry & Gayle Hurula Rick Quashnick W.Tom Conley Richard & Sylvia Hurula Dave Quashnick David & Jenny Cordiner Bob & Polly Hyke Kim & Connie Rinell Ronny & Lisa Cox Janice Ihander Nathan Rogol Darren Crookshanks/Willow Grove Fish Mark & Rhoda Ihander Robert & Velvyn Scheve Bruce & Kay Crookshanks PeAt. Jeoharns en Gary & Sandy Soderstrom Deward Dalton Tom & Troy Johnson Daniel & Clair Stephan Brian Davis Cary & Jennifer Johnson Richard A. Stevenson Clarence Demase Gregory & Patricia Johnson Dave & Helen Stevenson Bryce & Kim Divine B.W. & MJ.Jolma Robert & Lisa Sudar/Fall Creek Fish Chris & Julieann Doumit/Bristol Pacific Fish Roger E. Jolma Alan & Linda Takalo Donna,Tom & John Dulcich John Jovanovich Todd & Kara Takalo Duffy Duncan Kaboth Fish Paul A. Takko Gene W. Elliott John A. and LJ. Kallunki Brian & Tiffany Tarabochia John & Barbara Estoos Peter & Carol Kelleher Joseph & Joyce Tarabochia Randy & Jeneen Evans Tim Kindred Frank Tarabochia Mike & Jody Falleur Lowell & Carolyn Knapp Burton & Lisa Tarabochia Tom & Emily Falleur Eldon E. Korpela Mark & Billy Tarabochia Donald R. Falleur Kujala Family/Oregon Ocean Seafoods Brandt Tarabochia Carl D. Ferguson Marty & Sue Kuller Joe & Kristy Tarabochia Fishhawk Fisheries Paul & Cheryl Larson Amund & Lisa Taylor Mark & Geri Fick Dale Leino Jeff C.Taylor Jr. Steve & Candy Fick David Lindstrom Larry & Shirley Telen Vern Forsberg Jim Long Steve Telen Russell J. Fowler Jeff & Sherri Lumijarvi Robert Tikkila Greg Fowler Gary & Carol Marincovich Robert E. Van Osdol Justin A. Gifford Jack & Georgia Marincovich Gary & Loretta Viuhkola Scott & Cindy Glegor Kent & Irene Martin John & Charlotte A. Vlastelicia Nick P. Glegor Craig & Diane Mattson Tim & Camy Von Seggern Dean & Paulette Graham Michael P. Maxwell Dale E. Waddell Lance Gray Tom Maxwell Jr. Randy & Brenda Wall Ryan & Steve Gray John McKinley Jim & Barbara Wells John & Cheri Grocott Greg Mustola Jerry & Charlotte Westerholm Charles & Marie Haglund Ron Mustola Jay and Connie Westerholm Vera Jean & Gilbert ‘Doc’ Haglund Emery M. Neale Debra Swanson & Ole Haglund Jon, Ina & Erik Westerholm Jack & Sandra Niemela Doug & Annie Westerlund Bruce & Andrew Hansen Bart & Kathie Oja Ken & Marsha Wirkkala Richard & Frances Hansen Robert & Mary Oja Mike Wullger