The good news: 2012 saw the 42nd Yachats Fish Fry, on July 14th. The bad news: what once was the Yachats Smelt Fry is now the Yachats Fish Fry. Why? We don't know, but we do know that smelt, which were once very plentiful in local waters, are pretty scarce around here these days. We'll also hazard a guess that many folks don't like smelt.

The good news: the wild cod is expertly fried and moist. The bad news: it comes from China. Here we are on the coast of Oregon and the local fish fry uses Chinese fish? Yikes! The good news: they give you a generous portion of fish. The bad news: it's no longer all-you-can-eat. The good news: the Lions Hall in which it is held has a friendly, small-town vibe. And, although the Lions Clubs did not permit women to join until 1986, this particular Lions Club currently has a female president. The bad news: the festival is no longer held outside in a local park.
The good news: the pies are baked by local volunteers and donated to the festival. We are certain our excellent wedge of rhubarb even had a homemade crust. You don't usually find long hairs in store-bought crusts. The bad news: not even buffetbuster could hope to sample all of the vast selection! Choices must be made.
The good news: we saved room for a visit to McMinnville's Turkey Rama during the drive back to Portland and the airport. The bad news: this was our last meal on the Oregon coast!