Cowgirls Gone Wild event a success

We visited the Sisters On The Fly encampment a couple of weeks ago. There were 48 trailers and one tent. Around 50 sisters attended and some brought guests. Attendees arrived from Idaho, California, Oregon, Canada and several from around Washington State.

Donations for the pleasure of touring the vintage trailers amounted to $1,300. This amount was passed along to Columbia Basin Cancer Foundation. Event Hostess Connie Scott, along with Co-Hostess Phyllis Hirai deemed the event a success.

We arrived at around 11:30 to find the encampment bustling with visitors scurrying from trailer to trailer. Not a word of disappointment was heard. Rather, there were smiles of explanations of excitement and amazement at the various trailer's decorations.

Some visitors were asking how they could join. The organization mission statement is: "Offering empowerment and sisterhood through exceptional outdoor adventures."

Information about the group continues on their website: As a group of women we challenge ourselves in all that we set our mind to. There is no age, color, religion or political group. All women who want to share in the adventures of sisterhood are welcome. This sisterhood has grown to more than 2,400 women since inception in 1999. This is a national organization and states their current membership range in age from 21 to 93, with most being in between.

This group of women is known for their love of vintage travel trailers, which are restored into a mixture of individualized treasures.

Contact Connie at 760-2954.

Columbia River sturgeon fisheries subject of upcoming meetings

We know of several sturgeon anglers living in the Columbia Basin. This is presented for them and other anglers interested in pursuing these large fish. Read on.

Fishery managers from Washington and Oregon have scheduled six public meetings this month to discuss possible changes in those states' white sturgeon fisheries in 2013 and ensuing years.

Each meeting will begin with an update on the status of white sturgeon populations, followed by a public discussion of possible options for future management of the fishery.

Responding to recent declines in the abundance of white sturgeon on the Columbia River, both states have reduced catch guidelines by 30 to 40 percent in each of the past three years. Harvest levels have also declined for sturgeon in coastal fisheries and in Puget Sound.

"It's no secret that catch guidelines for white sturgeon have declined significantly in recent years," said Brad James, sturgeon manager for the Fish and Wildlife. "We would like to hear from the fishing public how they would prefer we structure future seasons and regulations to reflect those changes."

James said key topics of discussion will include season length, number of retention days per week, fishing gear and catch allocation. Dates and locations of the six public meetings are: July 24 - Raymond: Elks Lodge #1292, 326 Third St., 6-8 p.m. (Contact: 360-249-4628); July 26 - Mill Creek: 16018 Mill Creek Blvd., 6-8 p.m. (Contact: 425-775-1311); July 31 - Montesano: City Hall, 112 N. Main St.,6-8 p.m. (Contact: 360-249-4628).

Dennis note: You would think sturgeon anglers don't live on this side of the Cascade Mountains, wouldn't you?