Outdoors Notebook | Lynnwood couple nets a pair of big surprises

Plenty of mysterious creatures swim in the sea, and occasionally someone will hook into something unexpected.

Earlier this month, Bob and Karen Shoemaker of Lynnwood were trolling for coho salmon at Nootka Sound on the west side of Vancouver Island when they latched into a pair of giant Humboldt squid that weighed 25 pounds apiece.

Back in 2004, a flood of the behemoth squid made an appearance off Washington with some dead ones washing ashore on the southern coast.

They are commonly found off Mexico and southern California, but rarely come up as far north as Oregon.

The strong and voracious squid are named for their habitat in the warm Humboldt current along the South American coast. Their diet is small fish and even salmon, and sometimes they'll eat their own.

Ward beats odds

Bass fishing is an event dominated by anglers from the southern parts of the United States, but Bonnie Ward of Snohomish continues to beat the odds.

The final Women's Bassmaster Tour Event was last weekend in Louisiana, and Ward placed 30th in the co-angler division. Ward finished sixth overall in the season standings among more than 145 anglers.

That was enough for her to qualify for the tour championship in February at a location to be announced.

Muskies draw crowd

The gnarly, toothy Tiger musky is gaining popularity amongst Northwest anglers. A total of 19 teams turned out for the Lake Mayfield Tiger Musky Tournament two weeks ago.

The father and son team of Frank and Mike Haw finished first with a fish of 42 ¾ inches estimated to weigh in the mid- to upper-20-pound range. Frank Haw, a retired state Fish and Wildlife biologist, is well known among saltwater salmon anglers for his efforts on hatchery production.

"My son caught it on a Yozuri plastic plug like the kind you use for largemouth bass, and it's unlike the big plugs you usually use," he said.

Tom Schafenacker and Jill Blakeway finished second with a 41 ¾-inch fish, and Roger and Ron Jutte came in third with a catch of 38 ¾ inches.

Graesen Reis, a youth member with Northwest Tiger Pac, received an honorable-mention recognition with his fish of 38 ½ inches. All the fish were released unharmed. Details: www.nwtigermuskies.com.

Salmon viewing peaks

Nature watchers can get a good view of migrating salmon, especially in the Lake Washington, Lake Sammamish and Cedar River watersheds.

Here are some upcoming events:

• Salmon SEEson in Redmond is from 1-3 p.m. Saturday and Oct. 27 at the Sammamish River Trail, 15500 N.E. 90th St.. Info: 425-556-2822.

• Meet the Salmon along Bear Creek is from 3-6 p.m. Thursday and from 1-4 p.m. Saturday at the junction of Bear Creek and the Tolt Pipeline Trail, off the end of N.E. 148th St. near Redmond. Details: 425-788-5083 or www.watertenders.org.

• The grand opening of Rotary Community Park Boardwalk and Trail will be 2:30-4 p.m. Saturday at Little Bear Creek, 19518-136th Ave. N.E., Woodinville. Details: 425-398-9327 or www.ci.woodinville.wa.us.

• Classic Nursery on Bear Creek at 12526 Avondale Road N.E. in Redmond offers self-guided views of sockeye and chinook from 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Mondays to Saturdays, and from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sundays. A $1 donation is requested. Details: 425-882-1846.

• The Issaquah Grand FINale is 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Oct. 13 at Pickering Farm, S.E. 56th Street and 10th Ave. N.W., along Issaquah Creek in Issaquah. Details: 206-296-1914.

• Volunteer naturalists talk about the Cedar River Salmon Journey Oct. 13, 20, 21, 27 and 28, and Nov. 3, 11 a.m.-4 p.m., at these locations: Renton Library, Riverview Park, Cavanaugh Pond and Landsburg Park. Details: 206-245-0143 or www.cedarriver.org.

• The Piper's Creek Salmon Return and Festivities are held on weekends Nov. 3 through Dec. 9, and Nov. 23. Details: 206-684-0877.

• The Issaquah Salmon Days Festival is 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday and next Sunday in downtown Issaquah. View salmon returning to the hatchery along with exhibits, food and entertainment. Details: www.salmondays.org or www.issaquahfish.org.

Notes

• The Washington Butterfly Association's free lecture and meeting is 7 p.m. Wednesday at the Center for Urban Horticulture, 3501 NE 41st St. Bat specialist Barb Ogaard will speak. Check for details at: 206-364-4935 or www.naba.org/Chapters/nabawas.

• The Methow Conservancy will host a free Methow Mixer at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday at the Seattle REI Store, 222 Yale Ave. N. There will be news from the Methow Conservancy executive director; free desserts and drinks; raffle prizes and gifts; and the Great Methow Treasure Hunt. Details: 206-223-1944 or 509-996-2870.

• The Wilderness Awareness School will conduct a free seminar on the ancient art and science of fire making, 7-9 p.m. Monday at the Seattle REI Store. Dan Corcoran will discuss techniques for creating fire by friction, and the materials needed to start a fire. A $5 donation is suggested. Details: 425-788-1301 or www.WildernessAwareness.org.

• The Northwest Fly Anglers are offering beginning fly-tying classes on Wednesdays 7-9 p.m. from Oct. 10-Nov. 14 at the Bitter Lake Community Center in North Seattle. Cost is $35. Details: 206-684-7524.

• The Northwest Knife Collectors Washington Knife Show is 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Oct. 13, and 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Oct. 14 at the Washington State Fairgrounds in Puyallup. The event is held in conjunction with the Washington Arms Collectors Show. Cost is $7. Details: www.nwkc.org.

• Anglers looking to fill their pockets with a few extra dollars while fishing are getting some extra days to cash in on the northern pikeminnow reward program in the Columbia and Snake rivers.

The recent high catch rates have prompted state Fish and Wildlife officials to extend the reward program, which was created to reduce the number of northern pikeminnow who prey on juvenile salmon, through Oct. 14.

Anglers can earn $4 to $8 per fish measuring 9 inches or more. Specially tagged fish are worth $500.

So far this year, anglers have caught more than 160,000 northern pikeminnow earning nearly $1 million in rewards.

Funding for the program is provided by the Bonneville Power Administration. Details: 800-858-9015 or www.pikeminnow.org.

• The BirdFest and Bluegrass hosted by the Friends of Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge is Oct. 13-14 in Ridgefield.

The event offers guided nature and bird walk tours, raptor show, sandhill crane tours, art displays, 8-mile kayak tours, food vendors, children's' activities, bluegrass music and a birders marketplace. Details: 360-887-9495 or www.ridgefieldfriends.org.

• The Mountain Loop Conservancy, a non-profit organization, working to preserve the quality of the Mountain Loop Highway area, hosts meetings 6:30 p.m. on the second and fourth Thursdays of each month at the Alfy's Pizza in Granite Falls. Details: 360-691-3022.

• The Hood Canal Salmon Enhancement Group is hosting a riparian planting party and BBQ 10 a.m. Oct. 27 at Sweetwater Creek in Belfair.

The group is removing invasive noxious knotweed which has overtaken the stream over the last several years. Native maples, spruce, fir and other native shrub species will replace the invasive plants. Details: 360-275-3575 to RSVP.

• Camp Long in West Seattle offers a toddler-parent nature walk titled Fall Colors 10 a.m. Oct. 9-16. Adults and children ages 2-3 are invited to come along with a naturalist to explore life in a pond, forest and field. Cost is $7 for an adult and child, and up to two children can be registered with one adult; $3.50 per additional person. Register by Oct. 6. Details: 206-684-7434Cor www.seattle.gov/parks/environment/camplong.htm.

• Washington Sea Grant and the Port of Seattle/Fishermen's Terminal are offering a U.S. Coast Guard approved First Aid sea course 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m. Dec. 6 in the Nordby Building at Fishermen's Terminal in Seattle. Cost is $80, and pre-registration in required. Details: 206-543-1225.

• The East Lake Washington Audubon Society is offering a Birding the Hot Spots of King County field trip 9 a.m.-noon Oct. 22. Meet at the Newport Hills Park-N-Ride (I-405 off Exit 9). Cost is $2. Details: 425-746-6351 or www.elwas.org.

• Discover U. is offering a fall colors and salmon spawning float trip on the Wenatchee River 10 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Oct. 13 in Leavenworth. Cost is $75. Details: 206-365-0400 or www.discoveru.net.

• A new hiking trail along the Iron Goat Trail is open and follows most of the abandoned Great Northern Railroad line west of Stevens Pass.

The upper and lower grades of the system are connected by a crossover trail between Windy Point and the Iron Goat Interpretive Site.

The Iron Goat Interpretive Site is adjacent to the Stevens Pass Greenway near Milepost 58.3 on U.S. 2, and includes a parking area with restrooms and interpretive exhibits.

The crossover switchback trail is less than a mile long and climbs a bit steeply over 600 feet to connect with the upper grade. After that, it is only a quarter-mile hike on the upper grade to the Windy Point Overlook, with views of the upper Tye River Basin.

The abandoned railway grade was built in the early 1890s, and the trail is along a portion that was abandoned in 1929 when the "new" Cascade Tunnel was open. Details: 360-677-2414 or www.irongoat.org.

• Maple Leaf Adventures is offering a fall wildlife cruise by the SV Maple Leaf tall ship Oct. 18-23 through the Gulf Islands of British Columbia. Details: 888-599-5323 or www.MapleLeafAdventures.com.

• The Washington Trails Association Northwest Exposure Photo Contest is now underway through Oct. 5. Categories for the contest include winter, spring, summer and fall shots, plus People in the Wild, Offbeat Outdoors and the Youth Photographer category. For details and entry forms, call 206-625-1367 or see www.wta.org.

• Those planning on visiting the Klickitat Wildlife Area should be aware of three road closures from Nov. 1-April 14 to protect roadbeds and to avoid disturbing wintering deer and elk.

The closures are in the Soda Springs Unit, including Anderson Road, 1.3 miles south of the intersection with Soda Springs Road; Old Headquarters Road, 1 mile south of the intersection with Soda Springs Road; and South Breaks Road, 0.1 miles west of the intersection with Soda Springs Road.

The 12 miles of unpaved roads were badly damaged by vehicle traffic last fall and spring.

The roads will be open during the early deer-hunting season in October, and will reopen in time for the spring turkey season. The roads will remain open to pedestrian access.

• Those seeking out a whitewater rafting adventure should take advantage of the increased water flows on the Tieton River starting this and next month.

Water is currently being released from a full water-filled Rimrock Lake into the river to allow farmers to water their crops in the Yakima Valley, which creates a Class III whitewater river rafting adventure.

The experienced Osprey Rafting Company offers late summer 12-mile rafting trips on the Tieton River. A half-day excursion in the morning or afternoon costs $74.07, and includes a BBQ lunch. Overnight lodgings packages are also available. Details: 888-548-6850 or www.ospreyrafting.com.

• Alki Kayak Tours is hosting a variety of trips and events from the Seacrest Boathouse at Alki Crab and Fish, 1660 Harbor Ave. S.W. in West Seattle.

The group offers weekday and weekend paddle tours. There are midweek overnight stays now through September on Blake Island. Cost is $199 and includes all kayak gear, tents, dinner and breakfast. Also try out the Eddyline Kayaks and talk with the staff to find a kayak fit for you. Details: 206-935-0237 or www.kayakalki.com.

• The Inn at Suncadia in Roslyn offers guided half-day guided hikes, and three-hour guided mountain bike rides and fly-fishing trips to the Cle Elum and Yakima rivers. Cost is $50.

The hikes and bike rides are led by Central Washington University's Outdoor Pursuits Team, and packages include gear and lunch. The fly fishing package includes instruction, equipment and fishing license and lunch. Rooms are available for those who want to stay overnight. Details: 800-667-1828 or www.suncadia.com.

• The Wilderness Awareness School in Duvall holds numerous outdoors events, including a monthly "Tracking Club," that meets in Sultan on the third Saturday of each month now through May (but not December) from 9 a.m. to noon.

The program is open to naturalists, hunters and people curious about learning to identify, follow and understand stories written in tracks left by animals on the Skykomish River shoreline. Details: 425-788-1301 or www.wildernessawareness.org.

• The Washington Trails Association offers statewide trip reports and trail conditions. Details: www.wta.org.

• The Northwest Fly Anglers offers various public classes through the year. The public also is invited to club meetings on the third Thursday of each month, at the Haller Lake Community Center, 12579 Densmore Ave N., in North Seattle. Details: 206-684-7524.

• The Emerald Sea Dive Club offers year-round activities including the big buddy program and weekly and monthly dives. The club meets on the first Wednesday of every month, 7-9 p.m. at Alfy's Pizza, 4820 196th S.W. in Lynnwood. Details: 425-775-2410 or www.emeraldseadiveclub.org.

• The Seattle Audubon Society offers field trips and classes every month. Details: 206-523-4483 or www.seattleaudubon.org.

• Northend Bassmasters is accepting new members who want to learn more about bass fishing. The group meets on the first Tuesday of every month at 7 p.m. at the Crystal Creek Cafe, 22620 Bothell-Everett Highway (Canyon Park) in Bothell. Details: 206-789-4259 or e-mail Gary Millard at glmillard@comcast.net.

Mark Yuasa: 206-464-8780 or myuasa@seattletimes.com