Remember When?

70 YEARS AGO • May 2, 1951

FISHING REGULATIONS

Pursuant to an order of the Montana State Fish & Game Commission, the following fishing regulations shall apply in Sanders County for the 1951-52 season.

Regular Open Season: May 20 to November 15.

Regular Closed Season: November 16, 1951 to May 17, 1952.

Hours of Fishing: open from 5 a.m. to 9:30 p.m., in all waters unless otherwise specified.

The daily limit on all species of trout, char, whitefish and salmon shall be 15 fish, not to exceed 10 pounds and one fish. This daily limit shall not include more than 5 fish less than 7 inches in length.

The daily limit on grayling shall be 5 fish.

The limit on pike and pike-perch (walleyed pike and sauger) of all species shall be 15 fish not to exceed 15 pounds in any one day, of which no sauger or walleyed pike shall be less than 10 inches in length and no northern pike shall be less than 18 inches in length.

The limit on bass of all species shall be 15 pounds and 1 fish in any one day.

The possession limit for all game fish shall be one day’s legal catch unless otherwise specifically stated. This regulation shall apply to both fresh game fish and to game fish which have been dried, salted, or otherwise preserved.

Non-game fish may be taken in any quantity during the open season by angling or with set-lines. Set-lines are not to exceed 100 feet and nor more than six hooks shall be attached thereto. Floats on set-lines is prohibited.

It is prohibited to use ground or chipped meat, fish, or other food products “to bait a hole” in any fishing waters. This does not prohibit the use of meat or fish for bait.

Sanders County

Open entire year: That portion of the Clark Fork River from 300 feet below the Thompson Falls Dam to the Montana-Idaho state line.

Other than regular season: Clark Fork River shall be closed to fishing from the Thompson Falls Dam to the Sanders-Mineral County line from March 1 to the beginning of the regular fishing season each year, and open the remainder of the year.

The Thompson River shall be open to whitefishing only from its confluence with the Clark Fork River to the confluence of Big Hole Creek from January 1, 1951 to February 29, 1952.

Set-line fishing: None.

Minnow seines and small fish for bait: Use not allowed.

30 YEARS AGO • LILA RETIRES AFTER 25 YEARS AT COUNTER

After 25 years in the auto parts business, well known NAPA clerk Lila Riffle will retire Saturday.

A familiar figure at the NAPA Auto Parts store on Thompson Falls’ Main Street (now Simple Simon’s Pizza), Lila said she’ll miss all of the people who have shared so much of her life. “I will miss seeing all of the good people whom I have worked with and waited on through the years. Happy trails…I’ll see you down the road.”

Lila began her parts career May 10, 1966, working for John Newell, former NAPA store manager. Also Harold “Sharkey” Vaught of the former Motors Garage was helpful in teaching her to use a parts catalog, etc., she related. That was the year her son, Doug Riffle, played prep basketball at a state tournament, she reminisced, and this year her grandson, Gene Riffle, played basketball with the Blue Hawks at the state tournament.

She named a couple of her “best customers” whom she said, “have grown old with me,” Orville Keith and Rich Heater (Heater’s Garage). Other names mentioned as she looked back over the years were Ron Turk who played basketball with her son Doug at state, and Tom Eggensperger, who attended school with her daughter, Donna.

She also noted that Earl Cockrell, current manager of the local motor parts store, has “improved the store’s appearance so much the last few years that it is a much more pleasant place to work.”

Lila who lives with husband, Clarence “Cap” Riffle, said she’s leaving work now in order to spend more time with her family, friends and flowers. Cap is also retired, having worked as head sawyer for W-I Forest Products.