Hi all. I have been lurking on this board long enough and finally got around to registering.
If you fish the Lewis River system, please consider attending the banquet. These guys are very dedicated and have implemented some very good programs.

In 1995, a group of five men who fished and lived along the Lewis River near Woodland, Washington, decided it was time to do something about the dwindling fish returns, even on this hatchery-fed river. When a biologist suggested that if they simply put the fish first, other things in the ecosystem would fall into place, the organization had a name and a clear mission: Fish First. All efforts have been toward improving habitat, raising smolts, nutrient enhancement, and fixing streams and side channels so that fish can spawn.

On the first Saturday of May, Fish First holds a banquet to raise funds and introduce people to the hard work of these dedicated volunteers. A raffle and silent auction of fabulous fishing gear precedes the dinner.

Fish First's Seventh Annual Banquet and Auction

May 4, 2002, Saturday
Oak Tree Restaurant, Woodland, WA exit off I-5
Doors open at 4 p.m.
Dinner is at 6 p.m.
Tickets are $35 per person; $280 per table for eight; $400 Premium Table
Contact: Jody Loomis-Brentin at bjody12@hotmail.com or 360-225-7797.

Listed below are a few of the projects Fish First has completed in the past seven years:

Habitat Restoration: Fish First is dedicated to improving habitat for fish. Their projects include pasture fencing and bridge installation to keep livestock out of the stream, riparian plantings, stream bank and stream channel restoration, development of off-channel rearing habitat, and an educational area for school children. Project examples are:

 The Carter/Malinowski/Shimano project. (Permitted in 1999.) Gravel holding and grade control rock cross-vanes, compression rock, root wads, and spawning gravel were installed. The success of this project can be seen in the 40+ redds counted in the Fall of 2000 and spring of 2001. Spawning species include coho, chinook and winter steelhead. The total project transformed 1,200 feet of a large cobble and bedrock based channel into a unique, viable spawning site for native and wild fish populations. In addition a side channel for juvenile rearing and refuge from high water flow was developed on the Shimano property. It, too, received intensive use after fry emerged from the new spawning beds. Stream complexity was restored to this section of stream that was down to bedrock and held no redds prior to the restoration work.
 Pigeon Springs included a bank restoration and 500’ of fencing along Cedar Creek near Amboy, WA. This project had a market value of over $100,000 and was accomplished by Fish First for $42,000 thanks to donations of labor and materials.

Nutrient Enhancement: Each winter the Lewis River Hatchery supplies thousands of fish carcasses that Fish First members distribute in tributaries of the Lewis river. The carcasses feed the young fish and macro-invertebrates.

 In 1999 approximately 40,000 pounds of fish carcasses were deposited in the watershed of streams that feed into the North and East Fork Lewis Rivers.
 In 2000/2001 13,000 fish weighing a total of 85,000 pounds were deposited into North and East Fork tributaries. Fish were distributed in Rock Creek, Green River, and the North and East Fork Lewis Rivers, as well as tributaries of Cedar Creek, which include Pup Creek, John Creek., north and south forks of Chelatchie Creek, and some unnamed tributaries. It took 23 volunteers 312 hours to complete this project.

Fish Passage: Culverts prevent adult fish from getting to spawning grounds and prevent young fish from using some excellent rearing habitat. Fish First is improving fish passage by removing culverts and replacing them with bridges or more fish-friendly culverts that mimic the natural stream beds.

 The Lockwood Creek project - This project involved a culvert that denied fish passage. The culvert was removed and replaced with a bridge.
 Railroad Culvert project - In partnership with Clark County, Fish First removed a railroad culvert near Yacolt and opened up over seven miles of excellent spawning and rearing habitat.

For more information on Fish First, check out the web site: www.fishfirst.org.

Hope to see some people from this board there.