Washoe County's informal Home Page, Copyright  1999-2010. 
Email us:  editor-at-washoe-dot-org

Sunday, August 29, 2010
Washoe County, Nevada

washoe.org

(If what we had under Bush was capitalism, then socialism can't be all that bad.)

Ledditors

Your emails, telling us what you think, of our opinions, our page, how we can be a better voice for Washoe County, or anything else are printed here:

Our Two Cents:

Major Annual Events

Burning Man.   Those who find the State Fair a bit too tame can stock up in Reno for the Burning Man festival in late August. Some 30,000 people camp for about a week on the Black Rock Desert, two hours north of town. Burning Man

Great Reno Balloon Races. .Rancho San Rafael Park. The Balloon Races are held each year, in early September. Second only to the Albuquerque races, the Reno Balloon Races are a visual and auditory delight of the first order. Little kids stand in awe. Thousands crowd into Rancho San Rafael Park and surrounding areas to watch over a hundred of the world's most beautiful man made devices take to the air. Great Balloon Races

Best in West Nuggett Cook-off 

National Championship Air Races.   Not long after the Balloon Races end, the Reno Air Races take our eyes skyward again. The town fills up for these races, which are second to none. National Championship Air Races

Street Vibrations.   For a few days in late September, the streets of Reno are owned by motorcycles. Vibrations is set mostly in downtown Reno. Impaired by Nevada's archaic helmet law, this celebration of two wheeled freedom nonetheless gives us couch potatoes a glimpse of what life is all about. Street Vibration.

Skiing. Our main winter/spring event is skiing at Mt. Rose and Squaw Valley, both about 30-45 minutes from downtown. The City of Reno maintains its own mountain ski facility for local youth at Sky Tavern. And many of the other Lake Tahoe ski resorts (Alpine Meadows, Heavenly, Kirkwood, Northstar and Sierra) are also within an hour's drive.

Reno Championship Rodeo. (June 17-26, 2010) The Reno Rodeo, held every June, is probably the best of American rodeos. Reno Rodeo

Hot August Nights. Every year, at the outset of August, Reno comes alive with the sights and sounds of a thousand old cars, brought or driven here from all over the world. This week is full of fun and frolic for the whole family, particularly dads. Some of the cars are souped up, some not. All are beautiful.(775-353-2291) Hot August Nights

Reno Tahoe Open. Montreaux Golf and Country Club. Every August, golf enthusiasts are treated to PGA competition at the Reno Tahoe Open, where some of the nation's top golfers duke it out. Reno Tahoe Open.

Nevada State Fair. Late August brings the Nevada State Fair, one of the nation's best. Wholesome fun for the whole family. Only degenerates skip this annual home town fun. Nevada State Fair

FISHING THE SIERRAS

Those of you who are seasoned fisher-persons need not read this. If you're a fly fisher-person, such as my friend Oro Comstock, you are likely better at this than I am. However, for those of you new to Reno, just visiting, or just starting to fish for trout, I include some basics to allow you to catch trout around here. Also,if you're taking a kid fishing  these are good techniques for them to learn with. There are basically two types of water to fish: streams and lakes. Each takes different techniques.

Stream Fishing: A lot of you will use a spinning rod and reel. Use six pound or less mono filament. Best bet is to attach a snelled size 10 hook at the end of your line. Clasp a couple of split shot about a foot above the hook. The split shots should be six to eight inches apart to lesson snagging. Bait can be night-crawlers, if the water's not too murky, (I break a baby one in half which is plenty for the average trouts small mouth) threaded on the hook. Alternatives are bright red salmon eggs or a pink Power Bait nugget (when the water is murky from run-off). Just cast upstream, quickly tightening your line as the bait drifts towards you from up-stream. If you don't keep your line tight you won't feel the bite. Don't use treble hooks. You'll hook more fish but also kill more that way when they swallow the three pronged hook. To release your catch, keep the fish wet and in the water as much as possible. Don't let it flop around on the bank as that'll just kill the fish later on. Use needle nosed pliers to remove the hook. If the hook is swallowed just clip off the mono filament of the snelled hook and release the fish. I can't tell you how many healthy fish I've caught with a little mono filament protruding from their mouths. They seem just fine until the hook rusts and falls out. If you are a little more experienced use a fly rod. Just let around ten feet of line dangle from the rod tip and let your bait drift around each rock you see. I've caught plenty of 3-5 pound trout using this method. Right next to the bank is also a good spot so long as you approach the spot silently and don't bang around sending vibrations into the water. Don't wear white tee shirts, pants or hats. Wear subdued colors as the trout can see you. The flash of bright clothing sends them running with closed mouths. For those using spinning gear use a small spinning lure. I like Red Rooster Tails with red buck tail. You can fish these down-stream or across stream bringing them in very, very slowly. The current will provide the action needed to interest the fish. The trout are all over the stream during cold water times. However, during the heat of summer you'd be amazed at the numbers of fish you'll catch in shallow riffles. Also, everyone on the stream hits the deep holes and they are quickly fished out.

Lake Fishing If you want some exercise you can walk the shoreline and cast spinners such as the Red Rooster Tail. Green and yellow is also a good color combination. During bright sunlight conditions let the lure sink a few feet. Late in the day or very early I like to buzz the lure across the surface with its blades breaking the water. The strikes are explosive! For those who like to "kickback"../Archive/ a little, find a nice spot and just plop yourself down. Put your line through a hollow sinker and then tie a size ten snelled hook to the end of your line. Put a split shot about three feet above where you tie the hook onto the line and between the hook and the sinker. This keeps the hollow slip sinker from sliding down on your bait. Thread a night crawler onto the hook. Then inject air into the worm so that it floats. You can find a device for this at the local drugstores in their fishing sections. It looks like a small plastic eye-dropper bottle but has a needle on its end. Injecting the worm with air will cause it to float above the weeds growing from the bottle. The trout cruise the tops of these weeds and the worm is irresistible to them. I usually add half a piece of bright pink Power Bait as an attractor. The Power Bait floats also and helps keep the bait out of the weeds. Cast out and prop your rod with the tip up towards the sky at a 45 degree angle and wait for the bite. I let a little slack into the line hanging from my rod tip. This allows the trout to get the whole bait into its mouth. Otherwise, if you keep a tight line the trout will feel the resistance and spit the bait out and you'll miss strike after strike. Fish deep water during the middle of the day and the shallows during early morning or evening. Even ten pound trout cruise the shallows in dim light conditions. Don't keep reeling in a few feet every few minutes or you'll simply cover you bait with weeds.

On both types of fishing you'll be smart to take a hand net with you. The first time I fished a stream for trout I hooked a five pounder. I got it to the bank but when I tried to lift it out the line broke It never fails that if you don't have a landing net with you, you'll hook the fish of your dreams.

Take a Kid Fishing Now!
Tight Lines-Walley
Email Walley Pike
For additional fishing info, Walley suggests Fishfinder

Other Major Events

All University of Nevada Sports
Good Reno events sites are at
Reno News and Review,
and
City's special Events Page.
See also:
Renotahoefun
Plan your own event

Places to See

Reno is nestled in the Truckee Meadows, a short distance from Virginia City, Pyramid Lake,Lake Tahoe and the Black Rock Desert. Downtown Reno features an impressive auto-museum and the stately University of Nevada campus. as well as several art galleries, Wingfield Park and the Lear Theater. The Tahoe Rim Trail is about an hour away. Hunting nearby and fishing allover, including downtown. Picture of the nearby Sierra Nevada mountain range, with the inscription: "Las Vegas, duplicate this", and you will understand the futility of our sister city in the South ever attempting to compete with Reno for beauty and outdoor recreational opportunities.

Museum Activity

Nevada Museum of Art 160 West Liberty St.

Wilbur May Museum Rancho San Rafael Park, 1502 Washington, 10-5 Wed-Sat; 12-5 Sun.

Major Downtown Hotel/Casinos

Silver Legacy
Harrah's
Eldorado
Circus Circus
Club Cal Neva Hotel Casino
Siena Hotel Spa Casino
Fitzgerald's
Gold Dust West
Sands Regency
Golden Phoenix

Major Suburban Hotel/Casinos

Hilton
Peppermill
John Ascuaga's Nugget
Atlantis

Lousy Citizen of the Day*

Today in Washoe County

July is Arttown month.  Wingfield Park, 1st and Arlington, is its center stage, but events are held all over Reno

Please email us your event. We can't list it if we don't know about it.

Weather                          Map        

Coming

TMCC student calendar

Continuing/Irregular

National Automobile Museum, Lake at Mill Streets

Nevada Museum of Art Calendar, N. Virginia

Law Firms

White Law Chartered, 335 W 1st St, 89503, 775-322-8000

White & Wetherall, LLP, 3185 Lakeside Dr., Reno, NV 89509, 775-828-9999 (and 8363 West Sunset Rd., Ste 340, Las Vegas, NV 89113, 702 838-8500)

Jesus Talk

Churches

St. John's Presbyterian, 1070 W Plumb Lane. 8:30, 11(Sunday School 9:45)

Good Shepherd Lutheran, 501 California Ave, 7:30,9 (family), 10:15 (traditional), Tuesday Bible Class at noon and 5:30

Mt. Rose Reformed Presbyterian, Echo Loder School, Apple at Yori, 10 am.

Second Baptist, 265 Montello, William Webb,Pastor. 11 am

St. Thomas Aquinas Cathedral, 310 West Second St

Kingdom Hall (Jehovah's Witness), 601 Spokane

Latter Day Saints, Golconda at Sharon (1 block South of Plumb )

St. Rose of Lima Catholic, 565 Zolezzi Lane (Mountain View Montessori School), Father Tom Donnelly, Pastor. Saturday, 4; Sunday 8:30, 10:30, 5. St. Rose

Islamic Center of Reno, 1855 Oddie Blvd, Sparks

Temple Emanu El, 1031 Manzanita Lane 825-5600

Youth

Reno Host Leos Club, KNPB Community Room (N. Virginia St., across from Little Waldorf), First and third Wednesdays, 6:00-7:00.

Children's Cabinet

Visit Our Sponsors

Panther Valley RV Park600 Newport Lane, Reno (323-1447). Once again, Reno's best - Country camping in the City. 12 new spaces just opened. (1 mile North of the Bonanza Casino)

Downtown Movies

Riverside 12, 1st St. at Sierra. Find which first run movie you like.

Transportation

Reno is well served by train, air, car and bus. AmTrak gets you here, rested and happy, from the Bay Area or Salt Lake, once every day Amtrak. Most major airlines serve Reno. Reno Tahoe International . And bus service is not bad. Greyhound .
Major highways are Interstate 80 connecting Reno to San Francisco to the West and Salt Lake City to the East, and U.S. 395, connecting Reno to Los Angeles to the South, and Susanville to the North. Nevada Road Conditions. See also Caltrans Or call 877 NV Roads (877 687-6237). Same info at 530 AM Radio.

Health

Saint Mary's,Arlington Ave at West Sixth St., 89503 (775) 770-3000 .

Washoe Medical Center, Pringle at Mill St. (East of Kirman Ave), 89502 (775) 982-4100

Contact your Reno City Council

With few exceptions, the city council every Monday

Council Members
At-Large,Pierre Hascheff
Ward #1, Dan Gustin
Ward #2, Sharon Zadra
Ward #3, Jessica Sferrazza
Ward #4, Dwight Dortch
Ward #5, David Aiazzi
Mayor, Bob Cashell

Ward Map .
City Charter 
Municipal Code

Local Governments

City of Reno
City of Sparks (East Reno)
Washoe County Commission
County Departments
Washoe County Courts
Truckee Meadows Regional Planning Agency

Other Important Web Pages

Better Business Bureau
Chamber of Commerce
Economic Development Authority of Western Nevada
For the Love of Jazz
High Schools: Galena ; Hug; McQueen; North Valleys; Reno; Wooster ; Manogue.
Reno Gazette Journal
Reno Host Lions Club
Reno Marriage Information
Reno Pages (Find a Reno Web Address)
Reno-Sparks Convention and Visitors Authority
Senator Harry Reid
Senator John Ensign
Sherry Steel-Carlin's About Reno
Truckee Meadows Community College
University of Nevada, Reno
Washoe County School District
Procrastinating Pedalers
Lake Tahoe Accommodations
Lake Tahoe Vacation Guide

* Whoever advertises, either with little "stickum" notes or with removable outserts, covering all or part of the front page of today's RGJ, gets this dubious award.  Let them know you don't appreciate it.