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Post #758 by Rajesh Kumar on July 26th 2016, 3:58 PM (in topic “Protest over Skokomish fishing restrictions set for Saturday”)
Protest over Skokomish fishing restrictions set for Saturday
UNION — Anglers plan to protest the Skokomish Tribe's decision to close one of Hood Canal's most popular sport fishing spots.
Puget Sound Anglers, a recreational fishing group with about 7,000 members, plans to gather Saturday at the river's George Adams Hatchery to demonstrate against the closure.
"Sport fishing for chinook and coho salmon has occurred here for many decades as these fisheries are extremely popular with many thousands of Washington citizens," the group's president, Ron Garner, wrote in letter to the tribe.
The tribe has long held that the portion of the Skokomish running alongside its reservation is under tribal control.
"We want to manage (the river) in a more positive way and protect not only the water but the habitat," Skokomish Tribe Chairman Charles "Guy" Miller said.
The U.S. Department of the Interior recently weighed in with a legal opinion in the tribe's favor. The opinion boosted the tribe's standing during this year's tumultuous negotiations between the state and tribes over Puget Sound's fishing season.
The much-delayed agreement reached in May greatly reduced fishing opportunities and makes the lower stem of the Skokomish off-limits to nontribal fishers.
The state still disagrees with the tribes' claim and likely will launch a legal challenge sometime this or next year.
The lower stem was often crowded shoulder-to-shoulder with sport anglers. The river's popularity led to conflict with tribal members and claims of environmental damage.
"On weekends, we'd get several hundred of them," Miller said of sport anglers. "Sometimes there'd be so many that they'd be pushing and shoving."
In 2009, an abundance of human waste attributed to Skokomish sport anglers led to the emergency closure of nearby shellfish beds. Thousands of pounds of commercially harvested shellfish had to be dumped and tribal harvests were delayed.
Garner said sport and tribal fishers should be allies.
"(We) have mutual interests of saving and restoring our salmon and steelhead resources," he said.
Garner warned that disputes over fishing access could turn anglers against public funding for hatcheries, including the Skokomish's George Adams Hatchery.
"Without our involvement, further significant improvements to habitat and increased hatchery production is unlikely," his letter stated. "Without meaningful fishing opportunities, (our) support will wane."
State Department of Fish and Wildlife enforcement officers plan to patrol the area during August — the month anglers typically congregate along the Skokomish. They hope to prevent expected conflicts between anglers and tribal police.
Saturday's protest is scheduled for 1 p.m. at the George Adams Hatchery, 40 W. Skokomish Valley Road.
Post #757 by Rajesh Kumar on July 26th 2016, 3:55 PM (in topic “Youghiogheny River workshop teaches tactics on trout fishing after dark”)
Youghiogheny River workshop teaches tactics on trout fishing after dark
“Big trout become suspicious, solitary, selective and seldom find their way into creels,” wrote Potter County author L. James Bashline in his classic 1973 treatise on night fishing for trout, aptly titled “Night Fishing for Trout” (Freshet Press).
But sometimes, he wrote, some of those wary behemoths “display a complete character reversal. … These sudden fits of irrational behavior occur infrequently during daylight hours. They are fairly common at night.”
That’s the premise of a Venture Outdoors fly fishing workshop Aug. 17 on the Youghiogheny River at Ohiopyle, Fayette County. Long after the summer evening hatches, rising green drakes, hexagenia and stone flies may be picked off the surface by trout. Moths, terrestrials from june bugs to cicadas, and unlucky field mice that drop into the water sometimes become late-night snacks.
“The reputation of big browns feeding only at night is erroneous -- I think they’ll feed through the day like all trout,” said workshop instructor Dale Kotowski, president of Chestnut Ridge Trout Unlimited. “But some brown trout change their behavior about the time they stop growing, when they’re 5 to 8 years old. They stop eating macroinvertebrates [trout’s primary food source] and start eating fish.”
Those that become carnivorous, even cannibalistic, can live twice as long as other browns. Opportunistically taking food that passes their deep and well-covered haunts by day, they can feed aggressively, brazenly -- even recklessly -- under the cover of darkness.
“There are some big rainbow trout in the Yough, but this behavior is pretty unique to brown trout,” said Kotowski.
Those that become meat eaters were not born wild. The state Fish and Boat Commission annually stocks 200,000 to 300,000 trout fingerlings 3 to 5 inches long throughout some 20 miles of the river’s colder upstream waters. By agency estimates, about 12 1/2 percent survive to legal size, which in the All Tackle Trophy Trout area from Ramcat Run to Ohiopyle is 14 inches.
In June at the Youghiogheny River Symposium sponsored by Chestnut Ridge TU, Fish and Boat announced it will alter its Yough fingerling program from 50/50 rainbows and browns to 70 percent rainbows because, biologists believe, the rainbows survive longer.
“I think it’s just that in their surveys, they’re not finding a lot of the browns,” said Kotowski. “There’s a larger population of browns in that river than Fish and Boat acknowledges.”
Some, he said, are raised in Chestnut Ridge TU’s cage-culture co-op nursery at the tailrace of Youghiogheny River Dam and stocked as legal adults. Last year, TU raised and released only browns.
As documented in books by Bashline and another nationally renown Pennsylvania outdoors writer, Joe Humphreys, there’s a lot to be learned about catching trout with flies at night. Kotowski said his workshop will focus on two things: skating dry flies and swinging big mouse patterns.
“Dry fly fishing at night is totally different than in the day,” he said.
Kotowski uses big 1 1/2-inch mayfly patterns on No. 6-8 hooks and caddis sizes 8 to 10, tied to 2X or 3X monofilament leaders and thrown with 6- or 7-weight rods.
“In the day, you cast upstream and try to give the fly a good natural drift,” he said. “At night you cast down and across, pulling it as it swings to skate it across the surface pushing water aside so the trout can see it. Give it one final dance and pick it up, load the rod and cast again. That’s key. At night, no false casting. You have to get a feel for when the cast is accurate.”
The big mouse patterns covered in the workshop look like 3- to 4-inch bass bugs tied on No. 4 hooks. They can be fished upstream and across or down and across, and are retrieved with a sharp stripping motion, alternating the strips or stripping as quickly as possible.
Night casts are best when they’re short, 20 to 30 feet. Keep slack to a minimum, including the retrieved line at your side -- you’ll want to get big browns on the reel right away. Kotowski recommends arriving early to fish the evening hatch while scoping the area for structure and other obstructions, best positioning, getting a feel for cast placement and learning where it’s safe to step ... and where it’s not. At night, find a good spot and stay put.
“Safety is a big consideration when wading at night,” he said. “There are places on that river that can be dangerous.”
Wear a headlamp that shines white and red, and when possible avoid shining it on the water.
Kotowski said the workshop will touch on night fishing with 3- to 4-inch streamer patterns. Bashline, who died in 1995, often plied the surface at night with Yellow Duns, but also wrote about nocturnal browns he had taken on Governors, Professors and other wet flies.
“I am convinced that night fishing for trout was brought to its highest degree of perfection in the headwater region of the Allegheny River. Potter County was the motherlode of this specialized sport,” he wrote. “Where else in the world is any wet fly larger than a size 10 always referred to as a ‘night fly’?”
Venture Outdoors’ Night Fishing for Brown Trout workshop runs 3-10 p.m. Aug. 17 and meets at the Ohiopyle State Park Visitors Center, Route 381, Ohiopyle. Minimum age 16. Fly fishing experience and fishing license required, BYO equipment. $86, VO members $65. Details and registration 412-255-0564, www.ventureoutdoors.org.
Post #756 by Rajesh Kumar on July 26th 2016, 3:53 PM (in topic “Grand opening promotes fishing, hiking at Quarry Springs Park”)
Grand opening promotes fishing, hiking at Quarry Springs Park
COLFAX — Many families battled the heat Saturday spending the morning at one of Jasper County’s newest attractions, Quarry Springs Park in Colfax, for its grand opening that included several activities that showcase what the park has to offer.
The main event was a kids fishing derby, which kicked off the day at 9 a.m. and had nearly 70 kids casting their lines into Quarry Springs’ lake competing to reel in the largest catch.
The competition had families staking out their fishing spots for two hours around the park’s west lake. Some of the reported fish caught Saturday were several bluegills, a 16.5-inch catfish and a 20-inch garfish.
Following the two-hour long derby, children then cleaned up and made their way to the prize giveaway ceremony where winners chose one of many prizes available including brand new fishing poles, tackle boxes, camping gear and coupons for local stores around Colfax. Every kid in each age group walked away with a prize.
A freewill lunch featured hamburgers, chips and beverages for guests. According to Doug Garrett, who is the Colfax Park and Recreation Auxiliary Board President, donations for the day totaled $324 and another $294 was raised from the selling of Quarry Springs Park apparel items. The money will be used in the progression of the new park as the board continues transforming the former gravel quarry into an outdoor recreational complex.
The 480-acre land was formerly known as Martin Marietta Materials Inc. until Colfax obtained ownership of it in April of 2015. A master plan for the park was released one year later.
The auxiliary board, a 501(c)3 nonprofit in charge of park operations, opened the property to the public on May 1 offering fishing, hiking and camping, but volunteers wanted to work out the kinks before a grand opening.
Garrett shared the land’s history of the past two years during a ceremony Saturday afternoon. He then gave a special appreciation to Neal Grant, former Martin Marietta Material Inc. district land manager, for working with the auxiliary board in making the transfer of ownership happen.
Grant thanked Colfax in his response and said Martin Marietta Materials Inc. was happy to make this project happen as a way to give back to the community.
“I’m very excited to watch this property develop into something very special the next few years,” he said.
Garrett introduced many other guest speakers Saturday including U.S. Congressman Dave Loebsack.
Loebsack, who visited the park last summer, said he can see the land becoming a destination and will try to help it progress any way he can.
“What I can promise you is that I’ll continue to do what I can to work going forward to see if there is any kind of funding available for this wonderful project,” Loebsack said. “I came out here in August of last year, and it was clear to me the kind of potential that exists out here.
Other guest speakers included Iowa Department of Natural Resources Wildlife Diversity Technician Pat Schlarbaum, a member from the Van Dusseldorp family — past operators of the land — and Colfax Mayor David Mast.
Mast officially opened the park with the ribbon cutting to end the ceremony.
For more information about Quarry Springs Park visit www.quarryspringspark.com or its Facebook page.
Contact Alex Olp at aolp@newtondailynews.com
Post #755 by Rajesh Kumar on July 26th 2016, 3:49 PM (in topic “DEC proposes 8 'free fishing' days each year across NY state”)
DEC proposes 8 'free fishing' days each year across NY state
The state Department of Environmental Conservation is considering expanding the number of free fishing days for anglers across the state and setting those days in regulation so they are consistent from year to year.
The DEC is seeking public comment.
In addition to Free Fishing Weekend, (the last full weekend of June), the DEC would like designate six additional free fishing days during the year. The proposed dates are:
*Presidents Day weekend in February (the Saturday and Sunday prior to Presidents Day)
*The third weekend in May
*National Hunting and Fishing Day (the 4th Saturday in September)
*Veteran's Day
To submit comments for or against, send an email to regulations.fish@dec.ny.gov with the following subject line: "Possible Amendment to Free Sport Fishing Days."
Input will be accepted through Aug. 31. If the proposed changes are made, the additional free fishing days would become effective in 2017.
Post #754 by Rajesh Kumar on July 22nd 2016, 2:01 PM (in topic “American Museum of Fly Fishing to host festival”)
American Museum of Fly Fishing to host festival
MANCHESTER >> The American Museum of Fly Fishing has announced that its 9th annual Fly Fishing Festival: A Taste of the Great Outdoors will take place on Aug. 6, from 10 a.m.- 4 p.m. The museum's signature event of the summer is back showcasing the joy of fly fishing with demonstrations, local vendors, and a gathering of people who are all equally enthused about the sport.
This year, we are taking it a step further and also adding the celebration of local cuisine. Chefs, food trucks, farmers, and eating establishments, both local and from across the state of Vermont, will be in attendance, adding a fun element to an already exiting day. Participants include Pink Boot Farm Store, Tall Cat Coffee Roasters, Goodman's American Pie of Ludlow, and many others. Mad River Distillery will also be on hand providing tastings to those that are of the proper age to enjoy the Green Mountain State's finest bourbons and rums.
Representatives from the fly fishing industry will also have booths at the festival, including Douglas Outdoors, who will be holding a casting tournament on the Museum grounds and giving away a brand new Upstream fly rod to the winner. World class fly tiers Mike Rice of Mud Dog Saltwater Flies, Chris Samson and Brian Price of Vermont Fly Guys, Paul Sinicki, Kelly Bedford, Henry Hall, and Bill Sylvester will be demonstrating how to tie a wide variety of patterns from dry flies to saltwater patterns to big, flashy streamers for pike and muskie. Rhey Plumley will conduct a special demonstration on how to tie the official State Fly of Vermont, the Governor Aiken.
Author Catherine Varchaver will lead a presentation on two books written by her grandparents, legendary Battenkill fly anglers John and Maxine Atherton. Skyhorse has recently published a reprint of John's "The Fly and the Fish", one of fly fishing's most iconic texts, and a previously-unpublished book by Maxine called "The Fly Fisher and the River." Other presentations held throughout the day include rod building, casting, and demonstrations from local chefs on how to cook your catch.
There will be plenty of activities for children as well, including learning to create "clown flies"- a decorative fly tied with feathers and pipe cleaners that introduce children to the basics of fly tying. They will also have a chance to learn how to cast with volunteer Paul Sinicki and experience more fishing fun from the Vermont Fish & Wildlife's "Let's Go Fishing" program.
To cap off the entire event, there will also be live music courtesy of the Dear June band throughout the day. This talented quintet of Berklee trained musicians are making the Museum their first stop in the Green Mountain State.
The American Museum would like to thank local sponsors R.K. Miles, Mulligans, Finn & Stone Insurance, Vermont Kitchen Supply, and Mrs. Murphy's Donuts for contributing to the success of this event.
Post #753 by Rajesh Kumar on July 22nd 2016, 1:59 PM (in topic “Increased hunting, fishing fees explored for Washington”)
Increased hunting, fishing fees explored for Washington
Salmon fishing guide Dave Grove nets a fall chinook for David Moershel of Spokane while fishing on the Columbia River. (Rich Landers)
FISHING/HUNTING -- Increased fees for hunting and fishing are on the horizon in Washington.
The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife has been prepping sportsmen for months in meetings with advisory groups. Expect to pay for the Hunt by Reservation program and higher license fees seem inevitable.
No surprise. Costs are going up for everything.
Here's a closer look at the fishing fees proposals by Al Thomas of The Columbian in Vancouver.
The cost to fish for salmon and steelhead in the Columbia River would more than double under Washington’s draft license fee increases for 2017-19. Most of the increase would come through charging $17 for both separate salmon and steelhead catch-record cards, which currently are issued free with purchase of a fishing license. The Department of Fish and Wildlife initiated its “Washington’s Wild Future” program in 2015, which included a series of public meetings around the state to determine the priorities for the agency over the next several years. The process also involved meetings with advisory committees, legislators and review of thousands of emails, social media posts and online comments. Identified are a variety of priorities for the department to improve fishing, hunting and protection of the resource, plus a proposal to help pay for it through hunting and fishing license fee increases. The fee increases would be the first since 2010 and structured so the participants in high-cost programs – such as salmon and steelhead management – pay more. ”A key goal of the proposal is to set fees that more accurately reflect fisheries management costs, including the relatively high cost of managing salmon, steelhead and other fisheries in waters where some fish are protected under the federal Endangered Species Act,” said Jim Unsworth, director of the Department of Fish and Wildlife. Overall, the fishing fee increases would generate about $12 million per year. Under draft proposals for 2017-19, an annual freshwater fishing license would increase from $29.50 to $34.12 and the Columbia River endorsement would increase from $8.75 to $9.75. However, the now-free catch record cards would be $17 for salmon, $17 for steelhead, $11.50 for sturgeon and $11.50 for halibut. What it means for a typical Columbia River angler is today’s cost to fish of $38.25 ($29.50 for a freshwater license and $8.75 for a Columbia River endorsement) would double to $77.87 ($34.12 freshwater license, $9.75 Columbia River endorsement, $17 for salmon catch card and $17 for a steelhead catch card). “CCA has not yet taken a position on the increase, but our membership is understandably concerned,” said Nello Picinich, executive director for the Coastal Conservation Association in Washington. He said commercial fishermen need to contribute equally to the Department of Fish and Wildlife’s costs and that the bistate reforms eliminating gillnetting in the mainstem Columbia River need to be implemented fully in 2017. Proposed commercial fishing license fee increases will be added to the package, likely this week,” said Bruce Botka, a department spokesman. Liz Hamilton, executive director of the Northwest Sportfishing Industry Association, said her group appreciates the active outreach by the department under Unsworth to ask what sportsmen want. ”We’d all love a Mercedes (lots of improvements), but it’s a question of how we get to the right place,” Hamilton said. “A doubling of the fees is really out of the question. There’s a fair number of dedicated users who’d pay double, but we can’t price families out of fishing. We’ve got to listen and figure out what’s affordable.” An annual razor clam license would increase from $17.10 to $24. A three-day razor clam license is proposed to jump from $9.70 to $18.50, a two-pole endorsement from $14.80 to $16.50 and a one-day fishing license from $11.35 to $19.82. Senior citizens would qualify for a discounted license at age 65, instead of the current age 70. Hunting licenses are proposed for a 10 percent increase in 2017-2019. A big-game license, which includes deer, elk, bear and cougar, would increase from $95.50 to $104.85. Another hunting fee change would include a hunt-by-reservation fee, a modest charge to offset the cost of managing the Hunt by Reservation program, which enables hunters to reserve a space on selected private land. The migratory bird permit fee is proposed to increase from $17 to $28. This money is used to buy and develop bird habitat. An administrative penalty would be applied for each species to encourage harvest reporting. Currently, a hunter failing to report across all tag types is assessed a single penalty. Hunters and fishermen are not the only ones who will be asked to pay more to conserve fish and wildlife. Washington has funded programs for non-hunted wildlife through the sale of personalized license plates, plus a specialty plate featuring the image of an orca. But revenue from these sources is expected to fall short of current levels in the 2017-19 budget period by $1.2 million. The agency will seek $1.2 million from the state’s general fund for 2017-19. ”Obtaining general fund budget increases will be difficult for all agencies next year,” Botka said. “But WDFW delivers programs and services that benefit the entire state, so there is a strong rationale for using general tax dollars.” Law enforcement and habitat conservation activities that support clean water and a wide range of ecological benefits are enjoyed by all residents, not just sportsmen. ”Some of our responsibilities are not connected to hunting and fishing opportunities,” he said. “So it would not be appropriate to ask hunters and anglers to shoulder the whole funding burden.” Botka emphasized the proposals are in draft form. There will be public workshops in early August to get feedback. State agencies have a deadline of Sept. 9 to submit their proposals to the governor and the Office of Financial Management.Post #752 by Rajesh Kumar on July 22nd 2016, 1:57 PM (in topic “Hot spots fishing tips (July 22 edition)”)
Hot spots fishing tips (July 22 edition)
Inshore
It probably goes without saying, but Spanish mackerel continue to be an easy target for inshore anglers looking for action. Look for them around Pensacola Pass and along the beaches out in the Gulf.
Quite a few redfish are being found around structure like deep docks and bridges as well as on the flats in the upper bays near the mouths of Escambia and Blackwater rivers.
There’s a few flounder being caught in Pensacola Bay, but the majority of them have been on the small side. You’ll want to find a spot with good moving water and fish with live bait like bull minnow or alewives.
Offshore
The wahoo and dolphin bite has been great out around the Edge and Nipple. As usual, your best bet is to troll with small ballyhoo and Ilander Lures.
Anglers have been finding plenty of king mackerel on the shallow water wrecks and even in open water where bait is present. You can slow troll with live bait or troll weighted dusters with dead cigar minnows.
Piers and beaches
A few Spanish and king mackerel are being caught on the Pensacola Beach Gulf Fishing Pier and Navarre Beach Fishing Pier. You might also get lucky with a tarpon this time of year.
Fishing on the inshore piers has been slow for the most part, but you might be able to find some bull redfish off the Pensacola Bay Fishing Bridge at night.
Freshwater
According to a few different reports, it sounds like the consensus from the rivers is that the bite has been hit or miss unless you’re looking for catfish after dark. Of course, there’s some bass and bream being caught, but you’ll want to hit the water early.
Post #751 by Rajesh Kumar on July 22nd 2016, 1:54 PM (in topic “Professional bass fishing Forrest Wood Cup comes to Wheeler Lake August 4 – 7”)
Professional bass fishing Forrest Wood Cup comes to Wheeler Lake August 4 – 7
HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – The Forrest Wood Cup – the world championship of professional bass fishing – will come to Wheeler Lake and the Huntsville area August 4-7 to crown bass fishing’s top angler of 2016.
Hosted by the Huntsville/Madison County Convention and Visitors Bureau, the tournament will feature 50 of the world’s best bass-fishing professionals casting for the sport’s biggest award – $300,000 cash.
On Saturday and Sunday, the first 500 children 14 and under each day who are accompanied by an adult will receive a voucher to redeem for a free rod and reel combo courtesy of WHNT News 19 after the evening’s weigh-in.
Anglers will take off from the Ditto Landing located at 2963 Ditto Landing Road in Huntsville, at 7 a.m. each morning at the Folger’s Morning Takeoff. Each day’s weigh-in will be held at the Propst Arena located at 700 Monroe St. SW, in Huntsville, beginning at 5 p.m.
“I’ve won a lot of tournaments and been really blessed to have a successful career, but the Forrest Wood Cup is a title that is still on my bucket list,” said Walmart pro Mark Rose of West Memphis, Arkansas, who will be among the 50 anglers competing. “To win this tournament would really mean a lot to me and my family.”
Wheeler Lake is setting up to be a bit of a wildcard for the tournament anglers, as competitors believe a variety of patterns will be in play. Multiple baits and techniques will be featured by competitors – swimbaits, big soft-plastic worms and football-head jigs are expected to play prominent roles for anglers fishing offshore, while topwater and flipping baits will be strong for anglers fishing the bank.
Fans will also be treated to the FLW Expo at the Von Braun Center on Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. prior to the weigh-ins. The Expo includes games, activities and giveaways provided by more than 40 FLW sponsors, the opportunity to shop the latest tackle and outdoor gear from more than 100 exhibitors, Ranger boat simulators, a casting pond and a trout pond for children, as well as the opportunity to meet and interact with top professional anglers, including Hank Parker, Jimmy Houston and Byron Velvick. FLW’s namesake Forrest L. Wood, the legendary founder of Ranger Boats, will also be greeting fans.
On Saturday and Sunday, FLW fans will be treated to the Bass & BBQ Festival in conjunction with the FLW Expo. The BBQ Festival will feature four award-winning BBQ teams offering delicious fare to visitors at the Forrest Wood Cup. A portion of all proceeds will be donated to local Alabama charities.
Country music superstar Dustin Lynch will perform a free concert on the Walmart weigh-in stage at the Propst on Sunday starting at 4 p.m., prior to the final weigh-in. Lynch occupies a unique place in today’s country music. Thanks to his classic sensibilities, he’s been heralded as the heir to George Strait’s throne. Yet with one listen to, “Where It’s At” it’s obvious the young Tennessee native knows how to combine his traditional influences with an edgy intensity that places him at the vanguard of today’s contemporary country scene.
The Folger’s Morning Takeoff, FLW Expo, Bass & BBQ event, live concert and weigh-ins are all free and open to the public.
For a full schedule of events, complete details and updated information visit FLWFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow us on Facebook at Facebook.com/FLWFishing and on Twitter at Twitter.com/FLWFishing.