Waterfowl hunting seminar set for Saturday
RIDGEFIELD — Dog training help, duck-calling tips, decoy demonstrations, and more will be featured beginning at 9:30 a.m. Saturday in the Washington Waterfowl Association’s Lower Columbia Waterfowl Day.
The event will be at Pacific Northwest Best Fish Co., 24415 N.E. 10th Ave.
Doug Hargin of the association’s Lower Columbia chapter said the free event is to boost awareness of the group and waterfowl issues in Southwest Washington.
Robin Rawls, owner of Wetland Retreivers, will demonstrate dog use, plus answer dog-training questions. Participants are encouraged to bring their dogs to the event.
Brandon Eckert, Oregon’s 2009 duck-calling champion, will demonstrate his techniques and answer questions. Mario Frendy, owner of Columbia River Decoys, will share his expertise.
Adam Goss will display an assortment of the new Tanglefree products.
Registration open for disabled fishing event
ARIEL — Registration for the 12th annual Merwin Special Kids Day is open through Wednesday.
At Merwin Hatchery along the North Fork of the Lewis River east of Woodland, the event on July 17 gives children with disabilities a chance to catch large trout.
The wheelchair-accessible hatchery waters will have up to 5,000 trout from 1 to 4 pounds. Volunteers serve as one-on-one fishing coaches.
Rods, reels, tackle and T-shirts are provided for the young anglers to use and keep. A free barbecue lunch will be served plus there will be a casting contest, face painting, and other activities.
The event draws children from the Vancouver School for the Blind, Doernbecher Children’s Hospital, Emanuel Legacy, Kaiser Kids, and Shriners Hospital, but any special-needs child is welcome.
To register a child, or volunteer, call 1-800-899-4421.
Tuna fishing clinic scheduled Wednesday
PORTLAND — A free clinic on albacore tuna fishing will begin at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday at Fishermen’s Marine and Outdoor, 1120 N. Hayden Meadows Drive.
Staff member John Childs and Tron Buell, a Garibaldi, Ore., tuna charter captain, will be the guest speakers.
Four other free seminars are scheduled this summer at the north Portland retail store. All begin at 6:30 p.m.
On July 14, guide Marv McQuinn will discuss salmon fishing at Buoy 10 at the mouth of the Columbia River. On Aug. 4, guide Jim Nicol will cover fall chinook fishing from Buoy 10 up the Columbia to Bonneville Dam. On Aug. 11, guide Rick Sabol will cover summer steelhead fishing in the Deschutes River.
On Sept. 1, guide Jon Huston will explain how to fish for coho in Southwest Washington rivers.
State boat registration due by July 1
Boaters won’t get reminders in their mailboxes to renew boat registrations this year.
To save $150,000 a year, the Washington Department of Licensing has stopped sending mail notices.
Registration expires Wednesday for all boats and personal watercraft, so reminders aren’t needed, the agency says.
However, boaters can sign up for e-mail reminders at www.dol.wa.gov.
