According to event organizers, the day began bright and early, the kids were excited and everyone was ready to fish.

The 24th annual Libby Pond Kid’s Fishing Derby brought together 113 youth between the ages of newborn and 14 with 14 volunteers from the Curry Anadromous Fishermen, U.S. Forest Service, Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife and Oregon South Coast Fishermen to catch 261 trout and eat 223 hot dogs.

Guide Dave Lacey, left, and Amber Timm tease a kayak into the water as Aaron Fitch prepares to launch from Sporthaven Beach in Harbor. The Pilot/Jef Hatch

Those were the words of Dave Lacey, my guide for a day of fishing, kayaking and sightseeing. 

I listen well, but I’m not one to follow instructions very carefully, and as I proceeded away from the beach and the safety of neck-deep water into the rolling surf next to the south jetty on Sporthaven Beach I turned sideways in the breaking waves.

Larry Ellis hoists one of the Chinook he caught last week while fishing out of the Port of Brookings with Captain Jim Bithell of Charthouse Sportfishing. The Pilot/Larry Ellis

June 1-7

Today and tomorrow, the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife is trying to spread an infection. It’s a highly-contagious disease called fisheremia, formally known as fishing fever, and they’re doing it by allowing anyone to fish, crab or clam this weekend, June 9 and 10, without buying a fishing or shellfish license.

The Brookings-Harbor High School baseball and softball teams celebrated the end of their respective seasons with banquets and the announcement of the Far West League All League team honor recipients.

Eleven Bruins were honored between the two teams with five athletes receiving first team nods, one receiving second team accolades and five being named to the honorable mention roster.

(Left to right) Joe Johnson, Cody Testa, Noah James and Brandon Letendre helped their team win the championship. The Pilot/Submitted photo

Four 12-year-old Brookings boys joined forces with Team Ashland to win the championship at the 2012 Yogurt Hut Memorial Day Baseball Tournament for the 12 and Under division during the Memorial Day weekend. 

Fourteen teams from Washington, Oregon and California played games at the US Cellular fields in Medford Oregon from Friday through Monday that holiday weekend. 

Brookings’ Joe Johnson, Brandon Letendre, Noah James, and Cody Testa played on Team Ashland with six Ashland boys. They were invited to play for the team by Coach Sean Gallagher. 

More than a year ago, the shooting pain started in one knee. Then the other. At its apex, the pain prevented him from playing with his two young kids. Climbing stairs was excruciating. He didn’t work out for about six months while he was figuring it all out, and that was bad for his mental health.

A sports medicine specialist told him knee osteoarthritis was degenerative and would only get worse, “which is a hard thing to hear, especially because I’m only 35 years old and my profession involves me being on my feet and using my legs. … I’ve always been fit, not overweight, always active and doing the right things. So for a few months I was crabby and upset about it,” he said.

Nokes asked his orthopedic surgeon to give him total knee replacement surgery. But replacements are not generally recommended for people Nokes’ age. For now, he’s learning how to manage the pain so he can keep teaching tennis in Sunriver, Ore. and he’s delaying knee surgery as long as possible.

Jim Bithell of Charthouse Sportfishing holds 2 of the 3 Chinook he and Bob Rose of Brookings caught while fishing near Brookings Wednesday. The Pilot/Larry Ellis

Fishing report

 for May 25-31

Last week the Port of Brookings Harbor’s fish-cleaning station saw more ocean Chinook than it had seen all year. 

Although the bite is far from being wide-open, anglers are feeling more optimistic every day that California and Oregon’s ocean projections are starting to materialize.

Professional windsurfers catch some air during last year’s Wave Bash. The Pilot/Jef Hatch

GOLD BEACH – Spectators will witness world-class windsurfing during the third annual Pistol River Wave Bash scheduled June 14-17. 

More 75 professional and amateur windsurfers will be competing against one another in six divisions (pro, amateur, women, youth, masters and grand masters) in which they are scored on both wave riding and jumping tricks. Last year’s event included pro-athletes from England, Morocco and Brazil, and with this year’s prize money there is sure to be a showing from international windsurfers.

Here are just a few of the big names that have signed up for the 2012 Pistol River Wave Bash in Gold Beach: 

Senior Chandler Gotfried sets a personal record on his first attempt with a throw of 176-09 during Saturday’s state championships in Eugene. The Pilot/Jef Hatch

Only one Bruin took to the field on Saturday at the OSAA 4A State Track and Field championships, but what Brookings-Harbor High School lacked in numbers it made up in results.

Senior Chandler Gotfried was the lone Bruin to compete on Saturday and, with a throw of 176-09 on his first attempt, Gotfried set a personal record and claimed a second-place overall finish.

The only other thrower to toss farther than Gotfried was Pancho Saldana of McLoughlin High School who threw 197-02.

The top tourist draw of the Southern Oregon Coast is undoubtedly the jet boat rides on the wild and scenic Rogue River, starting in Gold Beach and going upstream from the ocean 32 miles to Agness and well beyond.

The company recently purchased rival Rogue River Mail Boats and merged the two companies under  the name Jerry’s Rogue Jets.

The company offers a 64-mile round trip to Agness, an 80-mile whitewater trip and a 104-mile trip well into the wild river section of the Rogue, where other power boats are forbidden. The company has special permits issued by the Forest Service.