DENNIS. L. CLAY
Herald Columnist
Recent Stories
Raffle ticket deadline July 15
The 2014 raffle permit hunt tickets are now on sale with a due date of next Tuesday, July 15. These tickets cannot be purchased on the Internet or over the phone, but must be purchased in person at your favorite sporting goods store.
Moses Lake becomes base camp after Army service
Fishing heats up for holiday weekend
Clay: Reflecting on 67 years of being alive
This is a two-part series about my life.
Kaysers share rare wildlife viewing opportunity
We have seen a few hummingbird nests in our lifetime, but mostly up in the mountains or in an area where there are pine trees. Never have we seen or heard of a nest in the Columbia Basin or the Moses Lake area.
Eating humble pie: a Gorge Ampitheatre mix-up
Two hunting plans seeking public input
Fish and Wildlife is requesting input from the public about two hunting plans. Although these seem confusing at first, they are important and your input will help. Read on.
False technicality causes loss of money for Clark County Fair
This is the second of a two-part series about the cancelling of a Ted Nugent concert at the Clark County Fair.
Triploids planted for Father's Day fishing
Fish and Wildlife are stocking 10,000 one-and-a half pound triploid rainbow trout in 20 lakes before this weekend, Father's Day weekend.
Concert cancellation steeped in politics
Free fishing weekend tomorrow and Sunday
Hey folks, this is a great chance to take the family to a local lake for two days of fun. Park Lake would be a good choice. Let the kids fish, run and play while Mom and Dad relax. Then make lunch on the camp stove or make sandwiches. Even if the adults don't have a fishing license, they can still fish this weekend. Read on.
New photos take over today
We have been showing old photos and asking for information about those photos for several weeks now. Readers have responded with great enthusiasm. Thank you. The responses to the latest photos, those appearing last week, including the mystery photo, will be presented in the near future.
Site 23 comfortable, but weedy
This is the last of a three part series about camping at Site 23 in Potholes State Park.
Travel and setup routine efficiently accomplished
This is the second of a three-part series about our first camping trip of the year.
Walleye fishing hot on Potholes Reservoir
We have been monitoring the boats coming in from fishing on Potholes Reservoir. Our vantage point is the Potholes State Park boat launch.
More answers to the photo identifications
Readers enthusiastically answered the call to identify a photo in the May 2 edition of this column. Here are their answers to the cutline: Student body officers: On the envelope, "MLHS, 4-67, Student Body Officers." Name them please.
Clay: First camping trip of the year enlightening
This is the first part of a two-part series about our first camping trip of the year.
Several end dates approach
We are approaching deadlines and season ending dates as spring progresses. The first, and most important for some hunters, is the May 22 deadline for applying for special fall hunting permits for deer, elk, mountain goat, moose, bighorn sheep and turkey.
Teach the inexperienced about outdoor survival
The camping season has arrived. Oh, I know the traditional camping season begins on Memorial Day weekend. However, the weather is forecast to be in the 70s and 80s for the next 10 days, so camping is fair game in my world.
Youth head to Lake Lenore Caves
Lisa Porter called me a few months ago.
Lowland lake opener results
The Lowland Lake fishing opener results are as follows: Warden Lake, number of anglers checked 91, with total number of fish kept 383 and number of fish released 154, making the average number of fish caught per angler at 5.9 and the average number of fish kept per angler at 4.2. The Blue Lake numbers are 74, 234, 32, 3.6 and 3.2.
Clay: New hunting pamphlet requires study
The 2014 Big Game Hunting Seasons & Regulations Pamphlet is available online and in most sporting goods stores. The special permit application deadline is May 22, so it is time to study the pamphlet and meet with your hunting buddies about which hunts to submit permit applications.
Lowland lake opener tomorrow
Ready, set, cast. The annual Lowland lake opening day of fishing is tomorrow. Perhaps the most popular areas, oh, we should say one of the most popular areas will be the Sun Lakes area of Blue and Park lakes.
Do you know the answer; week 4
This is the fourth week of asking readers to identify photos, but the third week of class photos. The interest and fun of offering this photo is trying to identify everyone in the photo. This photo, and the other two class photos, was submitted by Regan Berryhill Bonato. Look for this photo in the Columbia Basin Herald's upcoming book, "The Columbia Basin; A Photographic Perspective Volume II.
Clay: The power and beauty of words
Recently Shawn Cardwell and I were talking about, well...I can't remember what our main topic was, but the subject of the meaning of words overcame whatever else we were talking about.
Do you know the answer; week 3
Yes we continue to offer our photograph identification series. Today we have another grade school photograph needing names to go along with the faces. These were submitted by Regan Berryhill Bonato and are being considered for publication in the Columbia Basin Herald's upcoming book, "The Columbia Basin; A Photographic Perspective Volume II.
Black Beauty is a caffeine fiend
So there I was, minding my own business, when...
Do you know the answer; week 2
This week we continue our photograph identification series. Today we have a grade school photograph needing names to go along with the photos. It was submitted by Regan Berryhill Bonato and are being considered for publication in the Columbia Basin Herald's upcoming book, "The Columbia Basin; A Photographic Perspective Volume II.
Dining table problem solved; Garnet's special touch adds comfort
Annual MLIRD Kid's Fishing Derby tomorrow, April 12
The Moses Lake Irrigation and Rehabilitation District will host the Fifth Annual Kid's Fishing Derby at Connelly Park tomorrow, April 12, for youth ages 5 through 14. Weinstein Beverage and Pepsi also sponsor the event.
April is busy month for outdoor activities
April is the month for spring hunting and fishing. Turkey and trout and walleye and camping should all or in part be on your agenda. Read on.
Clay: Still learning about using our travel trailer
4-H members invited to movie in 1950
4-H was as popular in 1950 as the organization is today. In 1950 4-H members were invited to a free movie to celebrate the completion of 1949 projects. Read on.
Time to purchase a fishing license
Pull your fishing and hunting license out of your wallet and note the ending date. It will be 03/31/2014. This means it is time to purchase a new license.
Clay: Spring camping is on my mind
Hazel Osborne remembers the flying ants around the homestead buildings
Today it is simple for us to take a spray can or pump sprayer to get rid of unwanted insects and spiders. Back in the early 1900s, the chickens helped with insect control. Read on.
Record runs of Columbia River chinook, coho forecast
Did you hear we can expect a record run of salmon and steelhead this year? This news is exciting enough to get every salmon and steelhead angler checking their tackle. Read on.
Day trip on tap: Steamboat Rock State Park
The recent columns by Danielle Blevins have inspired me to take to the road in search of interesting places. If I find a plant native to the Columbia Basin, all the better. Fact is, I have been enjoying Basin wildflowers all my life, but didn't know the names or history of them.
Mercer girls arrive in 1860s
OK, in the Feb. 14 Bits & Pieces column, the E-mail from Cheryl segment read as follows:
Access restricted behind Wanapum Dam
The water behind Wanapum Dam is lower than since the building of the dam. This means the area is unsafe. We have heard of one person becoming stuck in sand/mud up to the waist. Take a trip to view this historical event, but stay above normal high-water level. Read on.
State fish art contest deadline approaches
Teachers and children of K through 12 age take notice. The State Fish Art Contest has been holding an annual contest for the past 15 years. The deadline escapes my notice for some reason and I seem to be playing catch up or the deadline is too late. Yes, I'm playing catch up again this year, but there is still time to enter. The artwork must be postmarked on or before March 31.
Fish and Wildlife Commission meeting in Moses Lake
Thanks Moses Lake and Ephrata!
The Heritage Room of the 92nd Air Refueling Squadron, stationed at Fairchild Air Force Base near Spokane, contains items to make the airmen comfortable when they take a break from the stress and pressure of active duty.
Weather affected first-day fishing season turnout
The follow information was received from Fish and Wildlife about the March 1 opener. As you will see, the weather was a factor, as it is during most of the spring fishing openers. The word creelers is used to identify the people who traveled from lake to lake and checked the creels of the anglers. A creel is a place to keep fish.
First Food Bank Challenge produces recipes sure to help others
The residents of Pioneer Village stepped up to the plate and hit a home run recently in the name of food preparation. A month or so ago I challenged the residents to prepare foods for a type of cook off. They were up to the contest and it was titled The Monthly Food Bank Challenge.
First fishing opener tomorrow
Ready, set...go. Tomorrow is the first day of this year's fishing season openers, known as the March 1 opener. The lakes involved include: The three Caliche lakes, Martha, Cascade, Crystal, Cup, Dot, Dusty, George, Nunnally, Quincy, and Spring lakes are all listed as opening on March 1. The most popular will be Martha.
More thoughts on cooking fish and game
Pioneer Village and Food Bank team-up for more nutritious meals and recipes
The Moses Lake Food Bank is well organized and well stocked. The staff and volunteers supply food for...well the numbers are rather interesting and perhaps shocking.
March 1 openers in sight
We are lucky in the Columbia Basin to have lakes and streams open to fishing 365 days a year. We also have lakes which are open only during part of the year. The first opener will take place a week from tomorrow and is known as the March 1 opener.
