PORTLAND, Ore. (KTVZ) — Anglers, grab your favorite fishing rig and a map, as registration is now open for the inaugural Oregon Native Trout Challenge.

Basalt to Breakers, an Oregon nonprofit with fiscal sponsorship by the Oregon Wildlife Foundation, is launching the Oregon Native Trout Challenge to encourage anglers to explore new waters, celebrate the diversity of Oregon’s native trout fisheries and support projects that conserve our native trout species.

“The challenge is intended to be a celebration of Oregon’s native trout species and the ecosystems that support their populations. We intentionally made this challenge different from other native trout challenges to encourage people to explore the diverse ecosystems that Oregon offers,” said B2B Founder Max McCool. “Completing the challenge consists of catching and taking a picture of any native trout species caught in each of Oregon’s eight ecoregions and submitting the location, date, and species through our online form,” continued McCool.

The Challenge is catch-and-release. “We want to ensure that each participant follows ODFW regulations throughout the challenge and isn’t putting additional pressure on any vulnerable species,” said McCool.

Each catch must be documented according to the Challenge rules to count. A one-time entry fee of $35 offsets the administrative costs of the challenge with net proceeds used for habitat restoration, trout conservation, and education projects. Beyond learning more about Oregon’s native trout species and our diverse ecoregions, the Oregon Native Trout Challenge seeks to encourage advocacy for local fisheries.

“In Oregon, salmon get the lion’s share of attention, but Oregon has stellar trout fishing throughout our state. What I like most about the Oregon Native Trout Challenge is that it encourages anglers to explore more of what Oregon has to offer,” said Tim Greseth, Oregon Wildlife Foundation’s executive director. 

Participants can register at https://owhf.tofinoauctions.com/b2bchallenge24/homepages/show. For more information, visit www.basalttobreakers.org. 

Basalt to Breakers
is a nonprofit corporation registered in the State of Oregon. The mission of Basalt to Breakers is to inspire, educate and engage all anglers throughout Oregon in native trout conservation projects. Basalt to Breakers is sponsored by the Oregon Wildlife Foundation. To support B2B with a tax-deductible gift, visit https://secure.givelively.org/donate/oregon-wildlife-foundation/basalt-to-breakers-oregon-native-trout-challenge.

Oregon Wildlife Foundation

is an apolitical operating charitable foundation dedicated to increasing private and public funding support for wildlife conservation projects in Oregon. Since 1981, OWF has directed tens of millions of dollars in private and public support to a broad range of projects throughout Oregon. For more information, visit www.myOWF.org.

On the warmest day thus far of 2024, Oregon baseball was able to bounce back from Friday’s pitching meltdown and hold on to their lead in besting the Washington Huskies, 13-6.

Grayson Grinsell started for the Ducks, and Calvin Kirchoff took the hill for the Huskies. To say the least, neither pitched particularly well, with bats on both sides hitting early and often.

The Ducks wasted no time in scoring right from the outset of the game, as leadoff hitter Drew Smith started the game with a single, which was followed by Mason Neville hitting a two-run homer off the second pitch thrown at him.

Washington struck back in the bottom of the inning, when Grinsell gave up a home run to the leadoff batter for the Huskies.

Over the next couple of innings, both sides handed out runs like Halloween candy. In the top of the fourth inning, it appeared that Oregon was beginning to distance the Huskies 7-4, but any semblance of control from Grinsell failed him, and Brock Moore took the mound with one out and runners on second and third.

The Huskies immediately hit a two-run double to pull within one run, 7-6, and the game was starting to feel like a repeat of Friday’s debacle.

Much to his credit, Moore shook off two runs that were not earned and pitched his longest outing of this season, completely silencing the Washington bats.

With both sides going scoreless in the fifth inning, the Ducks scored two more in the sixth to pushed their lead to 9-6.

In the midst of Oregon’s scoring push, Moore pitched 1-2-3 innings in the 6th, 7th, and 8th.

In the seventh inning, the succession of a pair of Washington relief pitchers gave up a single to Jeffrey Heard, and the walked Justin Cassella and Maddox Maloney to load the bases. Chase Meggers cleared the bases with a double that coincidentally doubled Oregon’s lead over the Huskies.

Carter Garate added an insurance run in the ninth inning, and his overly aggressive running led to the end of the inning for the Ducks.

Brock Moore finally began to fatigue after throwing 80 pitches, and Logan Mercado notched the final out of the game, with an ending score of 13-6.

It was not Grayson Grinsell’s finest day, and that happens in college ball. Grinsell ended up pitching 4.1 innings with six runs on four hits, along with 4 walks and 5 Ks.

Brock Moore brought game in relief that preserved Oregon’s lead from the fifth inning on. Moore pitched five innings, allowing three hits with no runs, and only one walk to go with 8 Ks.

The Duck bats hit early and often, led by Chase Meggers going 2-4 with 5 RBIs. Here is your final line score:

Coach Waz had these brief comments after the game.

Washington and Oregon battle today for the series win. The game is early this afternoon and 12:05 pm, and will be shown on the Pac-12 Network.

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