To take a break from further instigation towards derision...
One of the most respected clubs is the
Steelhead Trout Club of Washington .
Here's a snippet from their history:
On Friday evening January 20, 1928 at a meeting in the Wilsonian Hotel in the University District, the Steelhead Trout Club was formally organized with charter members A.A. Paysse, Roger Cummings. V.J. Nichols, Dick Dunn, Andy Braun, Bill Annis, Floyd Ritchie, Louis Ashby, Al Kurth, Al Bloss, Fred and Gordon Hoyt, Tom Myers, S.P. Paysse, Ralph Lyttaker and Ken McLeod. Lyttaker was named president and S.P. "Buzz" Paysse secretary-treasurer.
Some of their accomplishments:
1930 - Activation of first impoundment on upper Newaukum Creek for rearing of steelheads to migratory size and first two circular rearing ponds by County Game Commission at Tokul Creek Hatchery.
1931 - Twelve of its members served on a 31-member statewide committee to sponsor an initiative for state game control, which culminated in passage of Initiative 62 and abolition of the old antiquated county-control system in the November 1932 election.
1933 - Joined forces with the same group and a coalition of commercial fishing organizations to abolish fish traps by Initiative 77 in 1934 election.
1934 - Took lead in organizing Washington State Sportsmen's Council in a statewide group in May of same year.
1935 - Secured over $l million in federal funds for salmon rehabilitation program culminating in construction of Issaquah and Minter Creek hatcheries and biological station, plus screening of irrigation ditches and power diversions in Western and Eastern Washington for protection of downstream migrant salmon and steel-heads.
1936 - Three club members served on 6-man U.S. Senate appointed committee which negotiated final agreement between U.S. and Canadian fishermen, and ratification of Fraser River Sockeye Treaty by U.S. Senate in five months from date of appointment after 40 years of fruitless effort by others. This created the International Pacific Salmon Fisheries Commission; and two members served on its advisory committee for a combined total of 32 years.
1941 - Secured amendment to Federal Black Bass Law to give additional protection against interstate shipment and sale of steelhead.
1942 - Stopped construction of proposed dams on Deer Creek and Stillaguamish.
1943 - Secured legislation at state level requiring approval of game and fishery departments as to adequacy of all fish protective devices before construction of any projects that would change flow of any river.
1944 - Secured federal legislation requiring participation of state agencies during planning stages of all federal water projects.
1945 - Enactment of law that created State Pollution Control Commission with statutory authority.
1946 - Defeated Governor Wallgren's attempt to take over political control of State Game Department and Commission through Referendum 26 by a 7 to I margin.
1946 - Defeated efforts to build flood control dam on Green River six miles East of Auburn and prevailed on Corps of Engineers to move site upstream to Eagle Gorge above the migration range of anadromous fish. Also played major part in preventing dam construction on lower Nooksack River and at Faber Ferry site on Skagit.
1949 - Member, with Club support, authored Lower Columbia River Salmon Sanctuary Act designed to prohibit all dams higher than 25 feet on tributaries of Columbia below Bonneville, including Cowlitz. Passed overwhelmingly in Legislature and reaffirmed in 1957, and again by vote of the people in 1960, but Tacoma's dams were later approved by U.S. Supreme Court through pre-emption of Federal Power Commission. But did get mitigation providing two hatcheries for salmon and steelheads.
1951 - Started successful stream bank access program.
1953 - New gains in pollution control by requiring permits for dumping effluents into state waters.
1959 - Initiative 25 to Legislature to prohibit Cowlitz dams, in which 110,000 signatures were obtained. Club led all others in number obtained and in finance raised.
1960 - Vote of people approved Initiative, but U.S. Supreme Court overruled it. (See comments under 1949 above, also details elsewhere in this booklet).
1964 - Club obtained over 14,000 signatures on Initiative 215 for unclaimed marine gas taxes, leading all groups for number obtained and for passage of $10 million bond issue for outdoor recreation, and later for a $40 million issue for the same purposes. Subsequent activity has been eternal vigilance to maintain the progress already made.
1969 - Under urging of Club and State Legislature named the Steelhead Trout the official 'State Fish of Washington". Feb. 12,1974 - Federal Judge George Boldt showed his contempt for the United States Constitution in his failure to honor his oath of office to defend it when he exploded his dirty bomb on all that is sacred to Americans - the equal protection of the laws to all citizens of the United States, regardless of race, creed or color.
1978 - Club members hatch and plant 116,000 winter-run and 60,000 summer-run steelhead fry this spring for plant in Tolt tributaries.
1974-1978 - The Steelhead Trout Club has been fighting and will continue to fight this foreign Boldt philosophy until victory or eternity, whichever comes first.
more...