'Here we go' seemed to be the mood at the San Mateo Board meeting. All of the directors came to the meeting with plenty of ideas and ways to get them done.

We are pleased to report that Zack Thomas, our extraordinary Executive Director, has agreed to remain in that position for the upcoming year.

The Conference committee is well on its way to planning the Conferences for 2008. The conferences are a special benefit of your membership and if you haven't attended one recently, take the time and make the effort this coming year.

Our Supporting Membership grew in 2007 and we are looking for others. If you know of a company that would benefit from being a Supporting Member, please take the time to forward the contact information to Zack.
We are looking for a few good candidates for the Board. if you are interested or know another member who you think would be a good candidate, please contact Zack or me.

For more information, be sure to review the minutes of the San Mateo meeting when they are published in the February newsletter.

Gary Graham gary@garycgraham.com

Thanks for Photos

To the many members who sent photos in response to my recent request, thank you! I chose to feature Ernie Cowan's gorgeous images of Anza-Borrego in this issue because it coincides with the release of his book. But watch for your photos in an upcoming newsletter. And again, thanks.

 

Send Links to Articles

In addition to photos, I'd very much like to run links to members' articles in the newsletter. Please take a moment to send me links to your recently published pieces.

 

Spring Conference

The spring conference in Tuolumne County June 8-10 is shaping up beautifully. Sunday activities will be held at the Best Western Sonora Oaks Hotel & Conference Center, with the Sunday night Awards Banquet catered in the historic Sonora Opera Hall. Monday activities will tentatively include houseboating and fishing on Don Pedro Lake, whitewater rafting on the Tuolumne River, fly-fishing, kayaking on Pinecrest Lake, horseback riding to fish high-country streams, gold-panning, golf at Mountain Springs, mountain biking at Dodge Ridge, photo tours and more. Pre- and post-conference tours are still in the works, but Yosemite will almost certainly be an option.

 

2008 Member Cards

By the time you read this, the deadline for payment of 2008 dues by Regular Members —Jan. 18 — has likely already passed. I'm trying to mail out member cards as I receive dues, but I'm not keeping up as well as I should since I spend seemingly all my waking hours locked in near-mortal combat with this book, which is to the printer Feb. 1. If you need your card urgently for some reason, email me and I'll get to it right away.

 

Board Elections

Three board members' terms expire this spring. Last year, only three candidates ran for the three open seats on the board. That's not good for the organization; the membership should be able to choose from a field of candidates those that share their vision of what OWAC should be. We hope to have a somewhat more lively contest this year, so please consider running for a seat yourself or nominating another member. You need not be a long-time OWACer to run; all members are eligible. Board members must attend three meetings a year — at the spring and fall conferences and a third in January in San Mateo. Feel free to call or email me for more details about what's involved.

 

Committee Chair Changes

Board member Bill Ryan is taking over chairmanship of the Newsmaker and Craft Improvement committees from Craig Hanson. For better or worse, OWAC "committees" typically are comprised only of the chair. But Bill would like to form real committees to offer input on speakers and help with planning details. See his note below under "Committee Updates."

 

Calaveras Tear Sheets

We need more Calaveras tear sheets — a lot more. Send one by March 1 to be entered in a drawing for a free conference in 2008. Published photos and online publications count too. Send them to Ken Jones at 1701 Lakeshore Dr., Lodi, CA 95242.

 

Fall 2008 Conference

The fall conference will be hosted Sunday, Oct. 12 through Tuesday, Oct. 14 in Santa Barbara, "The American Riviera," by the Santa Barbara Conference and Visitors Bureau (www.santabarbaraca.co). Tentative activities include fly fishing in the surf, ocean fishing on the Stardust, a Channel Islands cruise aboard the Condor Express, Lake Cachuma trout fishing, Solvang wine-tasting, a nature hike in Los Padres National Forest, and bass fishing at an exlusive "pay-to-play" guest ranch. Monday night's barbecue will be at the Santa Barbara Carriage and Western Museum.

 

—Zack Thomas, owac.director@gmail.com, (775) 562-4585

Photo by Ernie Cowan

Tuolumne County is a place somewhere between relaxation and adventure. You won’t find high falutin' people here — just real people and a pace of life the way it used to be. Wiggle your toes in the water, let the fish nibble on ‘em, feel the wind in your hair ... come be a kid again and savor our “roads less traveled”.

Tuolumne County includes the northern half of Yosemite National Park and the central region of California’s Gold Country. Visitors can enjoy year-round recreation with hiking, biking, mountain climbing, fishing, spelunking and horseback riding. Seasonal recreational activities include downhill and cross-country skiing, snowboarding, sledding, ice-skating and snowmobiling, Class I to V whitewater rafting, and boating and other watersports. Enjoy mountain vistas and tour historic gold rush towns any time of the year.

Our destination includes Highway 120, the northern gateway to Yosemite National Park, the historic gold rush towns of Sonora, Jamestown, Columbia, and Groveland, and mountain resorts like Twain Harte and Pinecrest along Highway 108 to the Sonora Pass High Country.

There’s still gold in them thar hills! Although the Fandango Halls and gun fights are but a ghostly presence found in our historic towns the miners abandoned, the boom of the 1849 Gold Rush left behind nuggets and an exciting frontier experience for today’s traveler. Several mines are open that allow visitors to pan for gold as the 49ers once did. Gold-panning adventure companies teach prospecting courses for thrill-seeking new miners.

Tuolumne County is a fisherman’s paradise, too! Whether fishing for bass, trout, or kokanee, fly fishing, spin casting or trolling, you won’t find a finer fishing experience than in our lakes and streams that teem with fish — especially in the month of June!

Winter, spring, summer and fall are seasonal magnets for those ready to experience the great outdoors. This rural area with its beauty unspoiled by time is a playground shared under the monolithic shadows of Yosemite National Park. Peak visitation is May to September, but with the cooler temperatures comes the brilliance of fall. Dogwood leaves glow among the evergreens, ponderosa pines and incense cedars, while black oaks shimmer in golden hues. Snow flakes cascade down in winter only in the high country with elevations above 3,000 feet. In the small historic towns, snowfall is rare, making many activities including golfing, museums, art galleries, shopping, steam train rides, casino gaming, sightseeing, live theatre, and wine tasting enjoyable all year ‘round.

From mild to wild, from picnics to candlelight dinners, OWAC thrill seekers and comfort seekers alike will find a myriad of activities awaiting them in Tuolumne County.

Mark your calendars to step back in time June 8-10!

Photo by Ernie Cowan

•           OWAC welcomes new member Guy Carl of Napa. who recently assumed Outdoor Columnist duties at the Napa Valley Register, a position his father, George, held for 17 years. Carl can be reached at (707) 963-4466 x15 (work), (707) 255-0463 (home) or gc.outdoors@sbcglobal.net. We're delighted to have you, Guy!

 

•           OWAC President Gary Graham and former President Rick Copeland were inducted into the California Outdoors Hall of Fame Jan. 12. They join current OWAC members Tom Stienstra, Bill Karr, Terry Hodges and Bill Beebe and former members Pete Ottesen and John Reginato. Click here to read Stienstra's article from the San Francisco Chronicle about the Hall of Fame and the induction.

 

•           Check out Barbara Steinberg's story "Yosemite's Winter Wonder" in the new issue of LUXLIFE magazine. Click here

Photo by Ernie Cowan

Supporting Member Notes

•          OWAC welcomes new Supporting Member FLW Outdoors, a Kentucky-based fishing tournament organization that conducts more than 230 events, both saltwater and freshwater, in 10 tournament trails annually. Our primary contact at FLW is Communications Specialist Chad Gay, who can be reached at (270) 252-1626 or cgay@flwoutdoors.com.

 

•           Yosemite Association’s Outdoor Adventures programs have gotten good press recently, with their wintertime focus on snowshoe natural history courses. Have a look at Sunset, the and LUXLIFE. Education Director Pete Devine invites writers to come on a YA program at any time of year gratis. Find January-April details on Yosemite Outdoor Adventures at www.yosemite.org/seminars; the May-December courses will be uploaded shortly.

 

•           Blake Jones Trout Derby, set for May 15, is a 40-year tradition in the Eastern Sierra and a great way for anglers to beat the winter blahs and catch some trophy-size Alpers Trout at Pleasant Valley Reservoir. Complete info and entry forms are available at the Bishop Area Chamber and Visitors Bureau website, www.bishopvisitor.com. Eastern Sierra snowfall has been good so far, writes Executive Director Tawni Thomson, which should translate to good fishing and a long ski season: "Not too many places except here that you can enjoy great skiing and trout fishing in the same visit!"

 

•           Lake Resources Group expands into new manufacturing facility and corporate headquarters; IronClads soft baits named a "Hot Lure Buy" by Bassmaster magazine. click here

 

•           Lake Resources Group President and CEO Ben Hobbins would be happy to connect members with American Bass Anglers President Morris Sheehan and/or ABA American Fishing Tour National Champion and IronClads pro-staffer Thomas Jones for interviews or to develop story ideas. Contact Hobbins at (608) 513-3535 or lakeresourcesgroup@yahoo.com.

 

•           Report published by American Sportfishing Association highlights fishing’s broad economic and conservation impact. click here

 

•           Spring California Waterfowl Association fundraising events span state. click here

Photo by Ernie Cowan

Committee Update

Awards: Bill Becher and Jack Holder — The judges are ready and waiting for your entries! Please take time to read the instructions carefully before you prepare your entries as some procedures have changed this year. If you have questions, email Bill Becher at bb@becher.com. ENTRIES MUST BE POSTMARKED BY FRIDAY, FEB. 1.

Tear sheets: Ken Jones — Send in a tear sheet, and you're automatically entered in a drawing for a free conference. Deadline for tear sheets related to 2007 conferences (Bishop and Calaveras) is March 1, 2008. Address is 1701 Lakeshore Dr., Lodi, CA 95242.

Outdoor Outreach: Ken Jones — Grant applications can be downloaded from the OWAC website at www.owac.org/president/outreach.htm. If you know of a deserving organization, please suggest that they apply or let Ken know about them.

Californian of the Year: Craig Hanson — As always, be on the prowl for Californian of the Year candidates. We're looking for that special person who inspires others, and goes beyond the usual call of duty to support the outdoors. Past winners have ranged from teachers to politicians, so use your imagination. Nominations are open until June 1. Questions and nominations can be sent to sfangler@mindspring.com. Or call

Craig Hanson (415) 753-3504.

Newsmaker: Craig Hanson and Bill Ryan — I'm working with our Tuolumne County liaison Sandy Gordon to find a top-notch speaker. The trails and tribulations of Hetch Hetchy Reservoir is a likely subject. —Craig Hanson

All Members: I have been asked to take the reins of the Board Committee that manages the popular Newsmaker and Craft Improvement programs at our two annual conferences. I'm sure I won't be able to fill the shoes of Craig Hanson in this post. These conference features have improved steadily under his leadership. I do need your help, though.

• Send me you ideas for suitable subjects and participants for each session. Better still, sign up to present a session so we can all learn from your own research and experience.
• Join me on the committee. It's just me now and lonely. Participation will not take a major time commitment; ongoing duties will be to help select and screen potential speakers and some small assistance with the logistical set up of the actual sessions. I'm sorry that at present this job has no stipend but you can be sure that a major lottery win by yours truly will spill over to all committee members.

Give me a yell at acorn_3@comcast.net or (707) 963-7726 to join up. Thanks in advance. —Bill Ryan

Craft Improvement: Craig Hanson and Bill Ryan — Be on your best behavior when checking in at Tuolumne County. Rick E. Martin may be snapping photos in preparation for a craft improvement seminar demonstrating techniques for shooting, editing and mixing sound with an application called "sound slides." —Craig Hanson

Bylaws: Kathie Morgan — The revised bylaws should be ready for review by the general membership in April.

Photo by Ernie Cowan

OWAC's Third President: Phil Ford (1990-91)

NOTE: OWAC Historian Kathie Morgan will be contributing a series of brief pieces on former OWAC Presidents.

Voted in as vice president at the fall 1988 OWAC conference in Red Bluff, Phil Ford stepped into the presidency at the conference held at Kirkwood Meadows in the spring of 1990. His was to be the first of the one-year presidencies.

         Ford’s vice presidents were Gary Voet, North, and Rich Roberts, South. John Reginato continued as secretary-treasurer, and the rest of the directors were Paul Wertz, George Carl, Dale Lackey, Jack Brown and Bill Karr.

         While president, Ford served on the committee to write the rules for the Outdoor Californian of the Year award.

         Ford proposed several perks for Supporting Members as part of a recruitment effort.

         The John Reginato Conservation Award was created, and some of the most prestigious journalists in the country, including a Pulitzer Prize winner and a Pulitzer Prize nominee, were recruited as OWAC craft contest judges. Years later, the Phil Ford Humor Award was created in his honor.

         During his term, OWAC held conferences in Fresno and Lake Tahoe.

Photo by Ernie Cowan

•           2007 National Collegiate Bass Fishing Championship subject of 26-week television series on Fox College Sports network. click here

•           Traveling Sportsman, a new high-end, first-class publication that covers fishing, hunting and travel, seeks queries. click here

•           Destination Fish, the international travel guide dedicated to fishing the globe, is looking for talented writers to share amazing angling experiences — including high-quality photos — from unique locations. Features are 2,000 words plus sidebars. Payment is $500-800. Email editor Allison Solow with ideas at allison@destinationfish.travel.