Father’s Day was this past weekend, and it reminded me of the wonderful days that I had spent fishing with my Dad. I was fortunate to have a father that took us camping, introduced us to fishing and other joys of being outdoors. His influence, whether he liked it or not, put me on a path of making a living by sharing my fishing experiences. My brother Rick was a fishing guide for many years. Rick and I made a tradition of taking Dad fishing on Father’s Day over the years. Our adventures included many trips for walleye on Moses Lake, kokanee fishing on Lake Chelan, trout fishing on Rufus Woods and other destinations here in Central Washington. One of our most memorable trips was to Domke Lake. We took the Lady of the Lake to Lucerne and hiked into the lake. We had great time fishing for the cutthroat and that evening we prepared steaks and potatoes over the camp fire. Dad’s idea of cooking the steaks by holding them over the fire with green willow “baskets’ was a monumental failure that was told over and over at our family gatherings. Make some memories with your Dad and go fishing. My daughter came to visit me for Father’s Day. This week’s photo is of the two of us on Lake Chelan, fishing for kokanee a few years ago.

For something completely different, I traveled to Moses Lake to take a tour of the ORV Park. This park has over 3,000 acres and much of it is set aside for the use of those who enjoy off roading. Rich Archer, of the Sand Scorpions ORV Group, was glad to meet me at the entrance at the bottom end of Moses Lake to show me around. He unstrapped his two seater side by side, backed it off the trailer, and away we went. He first showed me where the park is at the edge of the top end of Potholes Reservoir, and that’s where they can get muddy. After that we zoomed down the sandy trails and out into the rolling dunes. While I clutched my camera gear to my chest we flew over the rolling sand dunes. We would roar straight up until I could see nothing but sky and then down the face of the dune. Rich told me later that he was a former race car driver, and it showed. What a thrill. I can see how people on two wheels or four get addicted. Wait till you see the video of this adventure! It will be posted soon, on the Dave Graybill YouTube channel.

There is a lot of interest in the Brewster Salmon Derby, and this year there are more than the usual questions about it. I want to remind anglers that the Brewster Pool is closed to fishing for Chinook this season, but open to fishing for sockeye. I posted the closed area earlier this month on my Facebook page and I am adding the legal fishing areas for the derby. Mike Mauk, who runs the derby, said that the area above Wells Dam is within the legal fishing area, as usual. To clarify, fishing for Chinook salmon opens here on July 16th every year. The fishing area also includes the stretch of the Columbia River from Pelican Point to the bridge at Bridgeport, which has always been the case. Mike said that this is clearly stated in this year’s derby rules. There have been questions in the past if fish caught at Chelan Falls could be turned in for the derby, and that has never been the case. The closure was prompted by an anticipated very low return of Chinook bound for the Colville Hatchery, which releases over three million smolt each year. They need all the brood stock they can get for the future.

Many folks begin their boating season right about now. They may be bringing their boat out of storage for the first time for their first on-the-water adventure with the family or friends. I am surprised at the number of boats I see at the ramp that won’t start. They either have a dead battery or bad gas. It’s always a good idea to start the motor before you have a load of people on board for a day of fishing or recreational boating fun. I am also disappointed to see people parked on the ramp while they load their coolers, and other items. Please do this before you pull up and block the lane. Another thing to be aware of is what you need on board for safety. You need to have life jackets for everyone and if there are kids under twelve in the boat they need to be wearing the life jacket, and a throwable cushion. Every boat also needs to have a fire extinguisher, a sound signaling device, like a whistle or horn, and navigation lights that are visible from sunset to sunrise. A first aid kit is also a good idea. Google boating safety equipment for a complete list. Be safe and have fun!

By now the kids are out of school, and families are making their plans for the summer. Some have already made reservations at one of the many State Parks in the area or one of the great resorts on the shores of one of the lakes and reservoirs. Families will be looking for a place to spend a weekend or a week. One the most recreation rich areas in the state is Grant County. Grant County PUD has created a bunch of quality recreation areas along the Columbia River. I have videos of almost all of them on the Dave Graybill channel on YouTube. These are short and informative and if you are exploring they are worth a look. There are also several videos about the lakes in this county, including tours of the boating accesses on Banks Lake, Potholes Reservoir and Moses Lake. There are others that describe the fishing opportunities throughout Grant County and Moses Lake. Take the time to explore this area via video, and you will certainly find a place you will want visit. There are even some very informative videos on tackle and techniques to help make your fishing adventures successful. New videos are being added all the time.

See you on the water soon!