Outdoor Life - Fishing RSS

Angler Drowns in Columbia River After Diving in to Save Fishing Rod

Alex Robinson — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 10:53:20 -0400

So you’re on the Columbia River in Oregon on a beautiful afternoon in June. The sun is reflecting off the water as you kick back with your fishing buddy. All of a sudden, your rod goes overboard. You watch as it sinks toward the bottom of the river … Do you stand by and let it go, or do you dive in and try to retrieve it?

Unfortunately John Eugene Deranleau, 60, of Portland, OR chose the latter and paid for it with his life.

With no life vest on, Deranleau jumped into the cold Columbia River in an attempt to salvage his rod. His partner reportedly saw Deranleau struggle, but could not get to him in time.

“By the time he got [the boat] maneuvered around, he already had problems in the water. He was face down in the water at that point the fisherman was able to get him back to the boat but not onto the boat,” Lt. Steve Alexander of the Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office told KGW.

It was not until another fisherman came by that Deranleau was finally recovered from the water.

Paramedics performed CPR on Deranleau for an extended period of time near the boat ramps at Chinook Landing Marine Park, KGW reported. He was declared dead at the hospital.

Shark Feeding Frenzy Breaks out in Applebee's

Alex Robinson — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 09:16:20 -0400

A bloody shark feeding frenzy was on the menu at the new Applebee’s restaurant in Coney Island.

When the latest Neighborhood Grill opened on Monday, customers were greeted to the sight of a blacktip shark named Zane ripping through three lookdown fish.

But this was just the appetizer.

Customers and employees also got to witness a whitetip shark die after swimming head on into a three-foot tall replica of the Wonder Wheel.

Restaurant owner Zane Tankel said the dead shark was removed and the $4,000 blacktip was relocated to an aquarium in neighboring New York appropriately and coincidently known as Fishkill.

Although this fish melee was caught on film by Animal Planet’s reality show “Tanked,” I doubt any of it will make it on air.

What do you think?

Comment below!

Tips from a Bass Pro: How to Unsnag a Bait

Alex Robinson — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 13:24:01 -0400

For snags within a rod length of the surface, Texas bass pro Russell Cecil simply reels down to the ensnared bait, reaches below the surface and uses the rod to push the bait free. When he knows the snag sits deeper, he'll grab his line between the reel and the first guide and steadily pull backward to essentially walk the rod into the water and down to the ensnared bait. Instead of reeling the bait to the rod, the inverse operation takes the rod to the bait.

"You can run your rod right over there and use it like a lure retriever," Cecil said. "You want to be careful that you don't get your tip down there in the roots – that would probably create a warranty issue with the rod manufacturer."

At times, Cecil notes, the benefit of retrieving a snagged bait must be weighed against the potential loss of opportunity. Bass can tolerate a certain amount of boat noise, but once rods and arms start reaching into their living room, most fish shut down or simply depart.

"If it's an area that you really believe in and you think you're going to catch one, I'd probably just break it off," Cecil said.

Why I Hate Jelly Balls

Alex Robinson — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 11:39:16 -0400

There aren’t too many things capable of grossing out a 12-year-old kid on summer vacation. I wouldn’t count these among my proudest moments, but I can vividly recall doing such things as: running over a bloated day-old roadkilled cottontail with my bike with disgustingly predictable results; performing more stomach-content analyses on largemouth bass than most fisheries biologists would care to (by the way, they mostly eat bluegills and can carry eggs the entire summer) and putting down a giant rain frog (the thing had to weigh 5 pounds) with a sledge hammer in order to protect the lives of my cousins. But then there were the giant jelly sacks from hell! On the revolting scale, they rated a 15.

If you’ve never seen them nor had the displeasure of stepping on one with bare feet, allow me a few descriptive words on these disgusting creatures that long ago actually prompted a mid-summer trip to the library (imagine that?).

Resembling some sort of gelatinous alien being, jelly balls range in size from golf balls to basketballs and are typically attached to sticks or rocks in freshwater lakes. Although they are typically mistaken for frog eggs, the jelly sacks are actually a primitive colonial invertebrate called bryozoa. Completely harmless—but totally gross—bryozoans are filter feeders and use retractable tentacles to sieve food particles from the water.

According to the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services: “A bryozoan has an outer layer that protects a digestive tract. Bryozoans are filter feeders that eat phytoplankton (algae) and detritus (organic matter from dead plants and animals). The mouth has a crown of tentacles, which direct food to the mouth. A large colony can filter a significant amount of water in a day. This can be very good for a lake with too much algal growth.”

Sounds wonderful. As for me, I couldn’t reach for the anti-bacterial soap fast enough last weekend after my latest run-in with jelly balls. I guess that’s one way to feel like a 12-year-old kid again.

Record 12-Pound 'Saugeye' Caught in North Dakota

Alex Robinson — Fri, 14 Jun 2013 12:42:44 -0400

Dave Fairman caught this monster walleye/sauger hybrid while fishing on the Yellowstone River in North Dakota last winter. Game and Fish Department officials confirmed that the 12-pound saugeye was a state record this week.

This from the Montana Standard: “Results from genetic testing that became available this past week confirmed the fish as a saugeye. Specifically, it’s three-fourths walleye and one-fourth sauger ... While many anglers claim they’ve caught saugeyes, Scott Gangl, leader of the department’s Fisheries Management Section in Bismarck, said genetic testing is the only way to be sure.

'You can see in the picture that the fish has pretty strong blotches like a sauger and lacks the prominent white tip on the tail (like a walleye),' Gangl said in an email. “By the time the fish came to Bismarck for me to verify, the blotches had faded and it looked like a walleye to me. But the angler convinced us to send in the genetic material anyway and turned out to be correct.”

The world record saugeye stands at 12 pounds 13 ounces. If you're curious, the world record walleye weighs 25 pounds and the world record sauger weighs 8 pounds 12 ounces.

BLM Extends Comment Period On Fracking to August 23

Alex Robinson — Fri, 14 Jun 2013 09:11:38 -0400

The Bureau of Land Management has extended the public comment period on its proposal to revise hydraulic fracturing regulations on federal lands to Aug. 23.

The new proposal, published May 25, would modernize regulations and establish baseline environmental safeguards for a process -- fracking -- that is already used to drill 90 percent of wells on federal and Indian lands.

Fracking involves injecting pressurized water into rocks at fault lines to release natural gas for extraction. The BLM's proposed rule changes would be the first update of the federal fracking regulations since 1983.

Following the Department of the Interior's public forum on hydraulic fracturing in November 2010, the BLM released its first proposed rules in May 2012.

During the comment period that followed, the agency received more than 177,000 public comments and feedback, prompting the BLM to withdraw its initial proposal.

Three primary components of the original proposal remain:
* Require operators to disclose chemicals used
* Verify that fluids used in the process are not contaminating groundwater
* Confirm operators have a water management plan for handling fluids that resurface.

To comment during this extended period:

-- Mail: U.S. Department of Interior, Director (630), Bureau of Land Management, Mail Stop 2134 LM, 1849 C St. NW, Washington, D.C., 20240, Attention: 1004-AE26.

-- Online: www.regulations.gov. Follow the instructions for submitting comments at this website.

For more, go to:
-- BLM extends public comment period on proposed fracking rule change

-- BLM wants public feedback on new "fracking" rules

-- BLM Extends Public Comment Period on Proposed Hydraulic Fracturing Rule

-- House Natural Resources Committee Compares Effectiveness of Federal and State Local Species Conservation Practices

-- API: Comment Period Extension for Fracking Regulations Justified

-- Fracking rule comment period extended

-- A balanced plan: Congress shouldn't nullify oil reserve blueprint

-- Conservation, access - It’s time to focus on protecting Montana’s currency

-- Daines offers North Fork preservation legislation

Great White Shark Circles Fishing Boat in New Jersey

Alex Robinson — Thu, 13 Jun 2013 16:46:15 -0400

It was the type of nightmare born from far too many viewings of "Jaws." Except this happened while the anglers were wide-awake.

A group of fishermen were 30 miles southeast of Atlantic City on Sunday when they encountered a great white shark. The men watched for 10 horrific/fascinating minutes as the estimated 14-foot most-feared maneater circled their boat.

The shark was about half the size of the 28-foot boat that the men undoubtedly held tight to.

The shark simply circled the boat, as if just checking it out, all but ignoring the men’s baited hooks still hanging in the water. It did bite the boat a few times, however, leaving teeth marks in the process.

One of the men, Rob Pompilio, told NBC10 in Philadelphia that the experience was unlike anything he’d witnessed before.

Click here to see a clip of the shark. (Warning: video contains explicit language.) Could you have remained calm during this interaction?

Comment below!

Taking Care of Taxidermy: Tips from the Reigning World Champ

Alex Robinson — Thu, 13 Jun 2013 13:03:15 -0400

If the name Dale Manning sounds familiar, it should. He’s a regular part of the OL Optics Test team, and he’s among one of the best taxidermists in the country. In fact, the world.

Manning, who owns Custom Bird Works and Big Game Connection taxidermy in Missoula, Mont., won the “Best in World” in the waterfowl category at the 2013 World Taxidermy Championships in May. His flying snow goose, according to internet message boards, wowed everyone in attendance.

I stopped by Manning’s shop in April to drop my harlequins and Barrow’s goldeneye off and watched as Manning tried out a new technique for making the legs look more realistic. He was carefully layering powder on the orange legs, trying to get that perfectly realistic look for which all taxidermists strive.

“You know how when you look at the leg, you’ll see lighter skin in the cracks and folds of the skin?” said Manning. “That’s what I’m trying to replicate here.”

The seemingly innocuous detail is what makes a world champion. “When you get to this level every little thing matters. Everything has to be perfect,” he said.

Often a taxidermist goes into competition with several pieces to better his odds, but this year Manning went with just his single snow goose. “I’m putting all my eggs in one basket this year,” he said, noting that his associate, Tyler Hoffman, entered four pieces in the Professional Division, which is a step below Manning’s Master Division. Hoffman brought home the “Best of Category” in waterfowl, too. To say they did well on one of the largest stages is an understatement.

Unlike most taxidermists, who usually stick to one discipline, and rightfully so, it’s very difficult to be excellent in multiple categories, Manning is also recognized for his big game work. In 2007, he and Hoffman entered a polar bear in the world championships, which features entrants from around 20 or so countries; they won the “Collective Artists” award, as well as first place in the “Large Mammals” category. Manning also produced a full-body ram leaping down a rock outcropping that cleaned up at the state level competition, garnering nearly every award possible.

To say I’m stoked to get my mounts back is also an understatement. I routinely check out the pictures on Manning’s website, which just gets me more excited – Manning himself doesn’t help the situation when he texts me pics that tease the promise of what’s to come (although, I continually reference those photos, too).

With my mounts in the not-too-far-distant future, and with a world champion on the other end of the telephone line, I thought to ask about proper care of mounted birds. Here are a few tips from the master:

Keep it dusted: Manning recommends regular dusting and cleaning of mounts so that the dirt doesn’t build up. How often depends on how dusty your place is – if you live on gravel road, odds are you’ll have to brush it off more often. Use a feather duster to knock the excess dust off.

“There’s an odd old wives’ tale about using a fresh piece of white bread to clean the dust off birds,” said Manning. “I’m sure it will work, but it will also leave the oils, crumbs and whatever else is in that bread behind. It might also make it smell good to your dog.”

Use lacquer thinner: Don’t use water to remove residual dust and bring out the shine of a bird’s feather, but instead lightly soak a rag with a little lacquer thinner and wipe it over the mount. “Lacquer thinner evaporates from the feather, leaving just a clean mount with bright colors behind,” he said. “Water will matte the feathers and mess them up.”
Keep it out of the sun: Feel free to display your mounts prominently, but take care where you put them. “Direct sunlight will definitely bleach and fade feathers. If you want to keep the original richness and vibrant colors, keep it out of direct sunlight,” he said.

Watch Fido and Fluffy: Kids throwing a ball through the house can knock a mounted bird off the wall or its base, but Manning points to pets as major culprit of destroy memories. “Dogs and cats always seem to get bird mounts,” said Manning. “And, you can’t really blame them if you leave it where they have access to it.”

Repairs are possible: Whether the kid, cat or a natural disaster damages your prized mount, often times it can be salvaged. “Birds are more forgiving than people think,” he said. “Most of the time they can be spruced up; broken tails, wings necks and feet can all be fixed or repaired to one degree or another.”

Four Anglers in Trouble After Attempting to Sell 700-Pound Bluefin Tuna

Alex Robinson — Thu, 13 Jun 2013 12:38:22 -0400

A plus 700-pound bluefin tuna caught off Boynton Beach earlier this week could get the anglers who caught it “canned.”

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration NOAA Fisheries spokeswoman Kim Amendola confirmed that the fish has been confiscated by law enforcement and that her agency is investigating the fishy business surrounding the tuna in cooperation with Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

The problem stems from the fact that bluefin are subject to strict federal and state regulations. Permits are required to land and sell the fish, none of which the four unidentified men possessed. Not only did they not have the correct licenses, but they apparently bragged about catching and attempting to sell the fish on Facebook and on fishing forums (The NSA is listening and reading folks!).

Day Boat Seafood owner Scott Taylor told the Miami Herald that he became suspicious of the fish when his company was approached last week with an offer.

“With the buzz around the fish and the stories about how the fish was caught and handled, we became concerned,” Taylor said Saturday. “We were contacted by the [NOAA] office of law enforcement, and we were fully cooperative with them.”

Dwight Howard Poses With Monster Tarpon

Alex Robinson — Wed, 12 Jun 2013 12:35:54 -0400

The Lakers might have had a disappointing season, but their center, Dwight Howard, seems to be having a pretty good fishing season.

The 6-foot-11-inch all star posted this picture on his Instagram page earlier this month. There's not much info about the tarpon or the fishing trip. All Howard wrote was: "Fish bigger than all us." But, the photo pretty much speaks for itself.

And this isn't Howard's only fishing photo this season. He posted a handful of trout fishing shots in May. But, we've got one question ... did they have to kill this fish (tarpon aren't exactly known for being a great fish for table fare)?

Redneck Reality TV Crushes Celeb Reality TV in Ratings

Alex Robinson — Wed, 12 Jun 2013 11:45:22 -0400

The numbers are in: Americans love rednecks.

A recent article on FoxNews.com brings to light just how popular redneck reality shows have become.

A&E’s “Duck Dynasty,” a show about long-bearded, redneck gazillionaires who eat frogs and ducks and catch squirrels barehanded, delivered 9.6 million viewers for its recent Season 3 finale and averaged 8.4 million viewers through the season. History Channel’s “Swamp People,” a show about swamp-dwelling, gator-hunting, far-from-gazillionaire Cajuns averages 4.5 million per show. Other redneck shows like “Moonshiners,” “Redneck Island,” “Lady Hoggers,” “Rocket City Rednecks,” “My Big Redneck Wedding,” and “Backyard Oil” are also tearing up the Nielsen ratings.

Shows about the well-to-do such as the “Real Houswives of…” franchise and “Shahs of Sunset” aren’t doing nearly as well. “Keeping Up With the Kardashians,” for example, averages around 2.6 million viewers per show.

So why are Rednecks doing so well?

VP of Business & Culture at the Media Research Institute Dan Gainor told FoxNews.com: “Americans enjoy these shows for good reasons. Hollywood wants us to laugh at rural people. They set these shows up to depict them as God-fearing, gun-loving idiots. But viewers see something different. They see the heart, the humanity and the humor. Not everyone lives in New York or Los Angeles."

Or maybe people just enjoy watching shows that take place in the outdoors or watching people hunt and fish.

Who knows?

I don’t as I’ve never seen any of the aforementioned shows.

Do you watch these redneck treasures? And if so, why?

Comment below!

Debate Continues Over Fishing and Hunting Opportunity Bill

Alex Robinson — Wed, 12 Jun 2013 09:48:17 -0400

Editor's Note: This is a guest post in response to Ben Lamb's blog on the Recreational Fishing and Hunting Heritage and Opportunities Act.

America’s sportsmen and women are extremely fortunate. In the U.S. we have some of the greatest wildlife of any nation and the most successful wildlife conservation funding model in the world. We are really fortunate to have the dedicated organizations that care about protecting our hunting heritage for the next generations of outdoorsmen and women.

These hunter-conservationist organizations again are working to advance federal legislation which will require the nearly 500 million acres managed by the U.S. Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management to have open access for hunting, angling, trapping, and recreational target shooting. The 20 biggest hunting organizations in the U.S. support H.R. 1825, the Recreational Fishing and Hunting Heritage and Opportunities Act.

This list includes: Archery Trade Association, Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies, Boone & Crockett Club, Bowhunting Preservation Alliance, Catch-a-Dream Foundation, Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation, Conservation Force, Dallas Safari Club, Delta Waterfowl Foundation, Ducks Unlimited, National Rifle Association, National Shooting Sports Foundation, National Trappers Association, National Wild Turkey Federation, North American Bear Foundation, Pope & Young Club, Quality Deer Management Association, Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, Ruffed Grouse Society, Safari Club International, U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance, Wild Sheep Foundation, & Wildlife Forever.

Most people do not realize that public lands managed by the U.S. Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management are not automatically open to hunting, fishing and recreational target shooting. H.R. 1825 would make our outdoor heritage part of every public land management plan. Think of the opportunities that will open up for more hunters on the 500 million acres these agencies control?!

In fact, federal lands need to be defended. Anti-hunting groups, like WildEarth Guardian and the Center for Biological Diversity, will use any loophole to direct unending litigation to ban our hunting opportunities on federal public lands. It has been happening on over 300 National Wildlife Refuges for over a decade, wasting taxpayer dollars on legal fees rather than conservation. H.R. 1825 will close this loophole which anti-hunting NGOs have used to chip away at our freedoms on public lands.

Another example is that in Michigan one man convinced a federal judge that his recreational interests as a cross-country skier should supersede hunting on the Huron and Manistee National Forests! H.R. 1825 will protect the U.S. Forest Service from such mind-numbing litigation.

Doesn’t this legislation seem totally justified? Shouldn’t we expect more recreational opportunities from the two federal land management agencies that manage nearly 500 million acres of public land?

H.R. 1825, does not create hunting, fishing or recreational shooting opportunities where they are not already authorized. The bill does not remove Wilderness Act protections from lands appropriately designated as Wilderness, nor does it authorize motorized vehicle use or the development of permanent roads in Wilderness Areas. This bill simply protects congressionally authorized activities from legal challenges that seek to interfere with statutorily authorized hunting, fishing and recreational shooting on federal land.

We cannot allow legal loopholes and abstract arguments become the downfall of our hunting heritage. Hunters, anglers, trappers, and recreational target shooters should continue to stand united, just as the 20 largest hunting organizations are doing to protect the future of our sport. Please consider calling your elected official today and ask for their support of H.R. 1825 the Recreational Fishing and Hunting Heritage and Opportunities Act.

- Melissa Simpson is the Director of Government Affairs and Science Based Conservation for Safari Club International

Walleye Fishing: Jig Spoons Over Timber

Alex Robinson — Tue, 11 Jun 2013 16:57:23 -0400

He won the first Bassmaster Classic in 1971 and repeated in '78, but Bobby Murray is no one-trick pony. He holds a fondness for catching walleyes on his home waters of Arkansas's Lake Ouachita. Options are many but when 'eyes suspend over timber, here and in any deep reservoir, Murray said it's time to spoon-feed the fish – literally.

Favoring ½- and ¾-ounce Cotton Cordell jigging spoons, Murray knows that when bait balls move down the lake, they'll tarry over the humps, submerged islands, long points, etc. and walleye will leave the timber with appetites ablaze.

"When these fish get ready to feed, they'll move out of the tree tops in schools," he says. "That school will feed across that (shallow spot) and they will absolutely hammer a spoon."

Murray says the spoon's up-and-down, fluttering motion mimics a wounded baitfish and no self-respecting walleye would turn down such vulnerable prey. Even after the school has had its fill, the walleye's instinct tells it to eat when food avails, so that dancing spoon typically entices any nearby fish – even those with stuffed bellies.

"I don't think they're always trying to eat, but genetically, he can't pass it up," he said. "It's too easy. It's right in front of him. "

Murray advises anglers to closely monitor their sonar to keep track of the school's position in the water column. Keeping that spoon in the strike zone is what keeps your rod bent.

Video: Killer Whale Steals Halibut Boatside

Alex Robinson — Tue, 11 Jun 2013 09:34:56 -0400

An angler reeling in a halibut had his fish stolen from right under him—by a killer whale. The fish was almost at the surface when the orca appeared and chomped its tail. Then the whale closed in and made off with the halibut.

This video was posted on The Alaska Life's Facebook page Saturday.

Michigan Bill Puts More Volunteer Boots on the Ground

Alex Robinson — Tue, 11 Jun 2013 08:41:50 -0400

In a state that's seen more than its fair share of controversial legislation and initiatives focused on hunting and fishing, a law that passed with overwhelming support in 2011 is being put to use.

Dubbed the "Volunteer Bill," House Bill 4111 was signed into law by Michigan Governor Rick Snyder in June of 2011. Today, that bill has helped clear the way for an interesting and, thus far, highly effective partnership between the Michigan Department of Natural Resources and the private sector.

Previously, volunteer labor, while welcomed by the DNR, was greatly restricted in the functions those volunteers could perform. To put it plainly, volunteers simply weren't allowed to do much of anything that a paid state employee could do.

As budgets tightened and staff size declined, however, it became clear that the Department simply couldn't keep up and Michigan's public hunting and fishing areas were suffering from the lack of maintenance.

The Volunteer Bill allows volunteers to truly get their hands dirty and the "On The Ground" initiative is putting the law to good use.

Earlier this year, Michigan United Conservation Clubs, a non-profit conservation organization, partnered with the Michigan DNR to conduct a series of projects across the state that focus on improving public access and enhancing habitat on existing public hunting and fishing areas.

The first project brought 30 volunteers to the Saginaw-Gratiot State Game Area in March where they constructed a series of brush piles for small game habitat while removing unwanted invasive species.

The On The Ground program has another half-dozen projects in the works ranging from removing access barriers to waterfowl hunters on Harsen's Island to establishing clover plots on public lands in southern Michigan.

"So far, the program has been really well received and people are showing up to help," said Drew YoungeDyke, the grassroots manager at MUCC and coordinator for the On The Ground initiative. "People are always talking about how they wish public land offered better hunting and fishing, or that they wish there was more access. This program allows them to stop talking about it and start making it happen."

Wilderness Roads Provision in Access Bill Causes Controversy

Alex Robinson — Mon, 10 Jun 2013 11:12:29 -0400

“I’ve got vision and the rest of the world wears bifocals.” – Butch Cassidy

Vision is what Theodore Roosevelt, Gifford Pinchot, and Aldo Leopold had when they articulated the North American conservation ethic. Vision to see the greatest good, for the greatest number, for the long term.

I’ve been thinking about vision as I review H.R. 1825: The Recreational Fishing and Hunting Heritage and Opportunities Act.

The title sounds like Congress is passing around free apple pie. But the devil is in the details. The basic goal of the bill hits a bullseye—declaring that hunting and fishing have just as much value on public lands as other uses, including resource extraction and grazing. The bill would also end shortsighted efforts to block hunting and angling on public lands. But some of the details in the bill, which has 45 co-sponsors and has been referred to a House committee, miss the mark.

The problems with the bill center on federally designated wilderness areas. Hunters and anglers across the West fight yearly for prime spots in the trailhead parking lots of the Bob, Washakie, and Flattops wilderness areas searching for elk and other landscape-scale animals. Wilderness hunting to many is the stuff of legends. It’s where you test your mettle against an unflinching world. It’s where the road ends and the world according to primal law begins.

Hunting and fishing access is by foot, stock and in some places, boat or bush plane. But language included in HR 1825 would allow the government to bulldoze “temporary” roads in all Congressionally designated wilderness and roadless areas.

That language is getting caught in the craw of some of the more traditional hunter-conservation organizations such as Backcountry Hunters & Anglers and the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership. BHA supports other aspects of the bill, but opposes provisions that could threaten wilderness; meanwhile TRCP has simply asked that the sponsors remove the provision so that it fits with the Senate version of the same bill, noting that a similar provision in the Sportsman’s Heritage Act of 2012 met the predictable fate of no action in the Senate because the controversy couldn’t be overcome.

Critics of wilderness say they need to write this sweeping exemption into the 1964 Wilderness Act. They argue that in desert wilderness areas, people need to do work, such as install water sources, called guzzlers, to help wildlife such as bighorn sheep. In order to do the work, they need to build roads.

But the fact is many guzzlers have been constructed in wilderness areas, including the Owen’s Peak, Kiavah, Chimney Peak, and Domeland in California. One BLM district in Nevada has authorized over 25 guzzlers to be built in three different wilderness areas. The point is, there is flexibility at the local level, which is where these kinds of decisions should be made, not at the congressional level.

The provision in HR 1825 that allows for temporary roads in wilderness and roadless areas creates an appealing corridor for some motorized users. Anyone who has hunted public land knows that even temporary roads can have a lot of illegal traffic, reducing wildlife security habitat and hunter success.

Instead of eroding the best parts of our wilderness areas, I’d urge sportsmen to fight to either amend HR 1825 and or vigourously lobby to pass the bipartisan Murkowski/Manchin bill, which also aims to elevate the importance of hunting and fishing as legitimate uses of our public land. Let’s keep that as our dominant vision and not get sidetracked by provisions intended to split us sportsmen into those who hunt on foot vs. those of us who hunt on machines.

Fishing Gear Review: Outcast PAC 1300 Inflatable Raft

Alex Robinson — Fri, 07 Jun 2013 09:24:09 -0400

When it comes to floating rivers, Western anglers are split into two camps: drift boats versus rafts. Both types of watercraft have their virtues and vices, but a key selling point of a raft is that it can take a tougher pounding than a drift boat while also being more affordable. Outcast Sporting Gear, which builds its boats in Meridian, Idaho, has a longstanding reputation as a maker of top-notch inflatable watercraft that cost as much as some drift boats. I spent last fishing season testing an Outcast PAC 1300 inflatable raft ($5,299) on the rivers in my home state of Montana in an attempt to determine whether the raft was worth that kind of coin, and if it really could take a beating.

My first voyage with the PAC 1300 was a four-day trip down the Smith River. Because I was fishing solo, I spent a lot of time running the raft over rocks and dragging it across barely wet gravel. The boat is 13 feet long, which made it roomy enough to carry both me and my gear. The internal metal frame includes a center seat for the oarsman and casting decks with seats fore and aft for two anglers. The modular frame can be configured in a number of ways. For the Smith River trip, I removed the rear casting brace to make more room for my coolers and duffle bags, while for many other short day floats, I didn’t use either casting platform, which reduced weight and made setup and take-down simpler and speedier.

The Pros
The PAC 1300 has three separate air bladders in the external tubes and a fourth to inflate the floor, making the boat practically unsinkable—and I did try. The floor has a self-bailing design so you’ll never get waterlogged. The boat itself is light and maneuverable, and handled technical water very well. The fact that I could break down the boat and fit it into the short bed of my pickup, eliminating the need for a trailer, gave me a lot of flexibility. Assembling the boat at the launch took about 20 minutes, while getting it back into my pickup at takeout took about 30 minutes. All in all, the boat handled every boulder, snag, and standing wave it encountered.

The Cons
The oars that came with the boat were too short and not strong enough. I bent the blade on one almost immediately; however, it did last the rest of the season without snapping. Regardless, I would upgrade to a longer and stronger pair for better leverage in fast water. I had issues with the anchor rope frequently slipping off the rear pulley, which was a pain, but Outcast is using a new frame design this year that it says addresses this issue.

The Verdict
The PAC 1300 is expensive, yes. But it is flexible, easy to use, and tough, and it’s a serious fishing vessel. If you want maximum versatility paired with excellent quality, this boat is a good choice.

Outcast PAC 1300 Product Details
Inflated Size: 5' 8" x 13'
Weight: 225 pounds
Price: $5,299

Minnesota DNR Using Dogs to Find Zebra Mussels

Alex Robinson — Thu, 06 Jun 2013 12:24:01 -0400

Fugitives and various other bad guys dread the sound of a K-9 unit in hot pursuit. Now, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources adds zebra mussels to the list of miscreants to be targeted by those skilled noses.

In its ongoing battle against aquatic invasive species (AIS), Minnesota has become the second state (following California) to use trained dogs to sniff out zebra mussels during the open water season. Earlier this year, conservation officers Todd Kanieski and Travis Muyres traveled to California to learn about the country's first program successfully utilizing mussel trained K-9's to prevent the spread of AIS.

"A K-9 can find a mussel on a boat much faster than a human inspector," said Kanieski. 
Although the DNR has used dogs in resource protection roles since, 1995, 2013 sees the agency's first use of mussel-detection training. Muyres, an experienced K-9 handler and certified K-9 unit trainer, spent five weeks training three dogs to inspect watercraft for the fingernail-size zebra mussels that can cling to boats and hide in bilges and livewells. Later, these K-9s will also be trained in tracking, evidence recovery, firearms detection, and wildlife detection.

Muyres' K-9 mussel team partner "Laina" is a Belgium Malinois purchased from a domestic breeder. The other teams include water resource enforcement officers Lt. Julie Siems and her K-9 partner "Brady" and Lt. Larry Hanson and his K-9 partner "Digger." Siems' and Hanson's dogs are Labrador retrievers provided by animal shelters and animal rescue organizations.

"It's very difficult to find a qualified prospective detector dog, but each of the dogs selected from the shelter was healthy, sociable and had a strong search drive," said Muyres. "That search drive will prove to be invaluable in detecting AIS."

Kanieski adds: "Combining mussel detecting with these additional skills will add muscle to the DNR's capabilities and efficiency in protecting the state's natural resources."

Potential World Record Snakehead Caught in Virginia

Alex Robinson — Wed, 05 Jun 2013 14:58:28 -0400

On Monday we told you about the Marine Corps’ plan to conquer the invasive snakehead population around Quantico, Va., by hosting a 24-hour long snakehead tournament come June 7. Now comes word that the Old Dominion state has produced what could be the world record snakehead.

Caleb Newton fought a 17-pound, 6-ounce snakehead from the Potomac River tributary near Ashland. He landed the fish into his boat Saturday using 15-pound test line and a light rod. The current International Game Fish Association world record snakehead is a Godzilla-sized 17-pound, 4-ounce beast caught in Japan in 2004.

Newton, 27, told the Free Lance-Star that the fish was so large it barely fit into his ice chest. He should know within two months if his Frankenfish is named the new world record.

With whales like this being pulled out of Virginia, it will be interesting to see what the Marines catch this weekend.

Oorah!

Bass Fishing Prize Money Lures Student Athletes

Alex Robinson — Wed, 05 Jun 2013 14:42:26 -0400

More U.S. college campuses than ever before are establishing bass fishing clubs, attracting the attention of college-bound athletes.

There are now 610 bass fishing clubs at campuses across the country, according to FLW Outdoors, an organization that runs pro fishing tournaments and started a college division in 2009. Five years ago, there were only 90, according to Time magazine. But it is not necessarily their love of fishing that's fueling the growth—it's the possibility of winning lucrative cash prizes.

Whereas a football or basketball star may generate millions in revenue for his/her school and never see a dime, some collegiate anglers are reaping the monetary rewards. Bass fishing is considered a club sport and doesn't fall under the NCAA's regulations which state: “You are not eligible for participation in a sport if you have ever…taken pay, or the promise of pay, for competing in that sport.”

The team that won the FLW national championship in April—the University of Louisiana at Monroe—took home a $27,000 bass boat, $3,000 in cash, and a spot in the 2013 Forrest Wood Cup, Time magazine reports. The winner of that tournament will get $500,000.

Some anglers say they are glad the NCAA is not involved in collegiate fishing.

“We want the NCAA to stay out,” Joe Landry, who fishes for LSU-Shreveport, told Time magazine. “Most schools require that anglers plow earnings from college tournaments back into the club. But they can get individual sponsorships and win cash in non-collegiate tournaments while still fishing for their school.”

Collegiate fishing is becoming so mainstream that some colleges, such as Bethel University, are offering fishing scholarships, Time magazine reports. Some coaches have begun recruiting anglers.

“The students I recruit are coming here to fish,” Bethel University coach Garry Mason told Time magazine. “Just like kids go to Alabama to play football.”

Summer Fishing Guide: 4 Grand Slams You've Never Heard Of

Alex Robinson — Wed, 05 Jun 2013 12:35:59 -0400

Midwest

Great Lakes Slam
Species: Lake and brown trout, chinook and coho salmon, steelhead
When: June–July
Where: Ludington, Michigan
Tackle: Orange spoons, black Bombers, alewives, herring strips
Why: There are few places in the country, or the world, where you’ll have a better shot at so large a variety of species in a single summer day.
How: Glen Buehner of Raptor Charters, no stranger to slams, says water between 45 and 55 feet holds browns in the summer. Once you’ve got your brown, start multitasking. Buehner trolls high lines, between 8 and 10 feet of water, for steelhead and simultaneously trolls deeper for salmon, maintaining a speed of between 2.5 and 4 mph, slowing when he locates a bite. If lakers aren’t suspended, the “mud chickens” will be right on the bottom in 100 feet or more of water.

Southeast

The Bream Slam
Species: Bluegills, redear sunfish, redbreast sunfish, spotted sunfish
When: July–August
Where: Suwannee River, Florida
Tackle: Grasshoppers, worms, small weighted curly-tail jigs, spider flies
Why: ’Cause you can complete this Tom Sawyer–style with a cane pole and crickets. And that’s cool.
How: Get dirty and bust out the bugs. We’re talking crickets, grass shrimp, and worms. Target the outflow from creeks and shady, foliage-covered riverbanks. If you want more of a challenge, throw a popping bug, small spider fly, or even a nymph on a lightweight flyfishing outfit. Look for submerged vegetation (which you can find on the upper reaches of the Suwannee), which attracts more aquatic insects for sunnies to suck down. Spotted sunfish are the prize attraction here.

South

Texas Trash Slam
Species: Alligator gar, channel or flathead catfish, smallmouth buffalo, bowfin, pickerel
When: May–July
Where: Trinity River, Texas
Tackle: Live perch, cut carp or sucker meat, spinnerbaits, weedless soft-plastics
Why: They’re big and ugly, and you can brag about your bag at the bar to the next guy that talks trash about his permit, bonefish, and tarpon trip.
How: Start by targeting giant flathead catfish on the river. These beasts are suckers for a live yellow perch. Lake Conroe on the river will give you a shot at channel cats to 30-plus pounds. Next, go for gator gar. Fish a healthy slab of cut bait near the bottom. Smallmouth buffalo can be found in larger pools and depressions, where they forage for algae and crustaceans. Run a spinnerbait through shallow bays for bowfin. Twitch it to mimic a dying baitfish and expect pickerel to pursue it, particularly after a heavy rain.

West

Montana Trout Slam
Species: Bull, brown, rainbow, cutthroat, and cuttbow trout
When: July–August
Where: Missoula, Montana
Tackle: San Juan worms, stoneflies, salmonflies, small spoons
Why: Rivers like the Bitterroot, Blackfoot, and Clark Fork are temples to those who are ever-tempted by trout.
How: Start with brown trout on Rock Creek outside Missoula. Look for big bugs coming off midmorning at this time of year. Skip the dry flies and tie on a San Juan worm. You may encounter bull trout here, too. The upper portion near Philipsburg is likely to hold the most cutthroats, your next target. Browns and rainbows are more common in the lower section. Next, hit the Bitterroot. In mid-July, stoneflies and green drakes will be coming off in abundance, and you’ll have a shot at rainbows and cutthroats. With the remaining daylight, hit the Clark Fork River for a shot at a cuttbow to seal the slam.

Live Bait: 4 Top Live Bait Rigs for Pike, Bass, Trout, and Walleyes

Alex Robinson — Wed, 05 Jun 2013 11:42:09 -0400

Nothing tempts fish to strike faster than a fresh natural bait, particularly when water and weather conditions are not optimal for angling. These four species-specific rigs fit that description. When they’re used with quality baits, they can be counted on to dupe bass, trout, walleyes, and panfish when other presentations don’t.

1) Quick-Strike Tandem Pike Rig

Prime time: Late winter through early summer

Best baits: Live chubs, suckers

What you’ll need: A strong, good-quality black barrel swivel; 1 to 2 feet of single or multi-strand wire (size 2 to 5; 27 to 44 pounds, depending on the size fish you’re chasing); two plastic beads; two wire sleeve crimps; two high-quality treble hooks (size 4 to 8, depending on bait size and pike sought).

Why it works: This rig can easily be modified for use with nearly any size live chub or sucker bait. Large treble hooks are used to facilitate quick hooking of gamefish, so that bait is not swallowed. The forward wire sleeve is not crimped with pliers, so the wire loop can be lengthened or shortened. The forward hook is positioned in the bait’s nose or mouth; the trailer goes behind the dorsal fin.

2) Air Largemouths

Prime time: Late spring through midsummer

Best baits: Crayfish, live shiners, small bluegills

What you’ll need: A brightly colored balloon; a 1/8- to ¼-ounce bullet weight; a small plastic bead; a good-quality black barrel swivel; a 1- to 4-foot-long fluorocarbon leader (10- to 30-pound-test); 2/0 to 5/0 bait hook (Kahle, circle)

Why it works: Using a balloon instead of a standard bobber allows for a lot more versatility. First, balloons can be conveniently stored, and they’re inexpensive. Also, a balloon can be matched to the size of the bait. A big balloon can be used to help move a bait along the surface if there’s wind or current. When a fish strikes and the balloon is taken under, it usually pops and doesn’t interfere with the fight.

3) Split-Shot Trout Drift

Rig Prime time: Spring through autumn

Best baits: Nightcrawlers, nymphs, grasshoppers, minnows

What you’ll need: A small black barrel swivel; 3 feet of 6-pound-test fluorocarbon leader; 2 feet of 4-pound-test fluorocarbon leader; six small split shots; a bait hook (No. 6 to 1/0, depending on bait size)

Why it works: This rig is designed for drifting bait deep, near the bottom, and at the same speed at which the current is delivering food to trout holding in a stream or river. When cast up- and across-stream and allowed to drift on a taut line, the bait dances near the bottom and appears as a natural food to trout waiting for a meal. The key to the rig is using just enough split shot to get a bait near the bottom but not make it stationary. The natural drift and swing of a bait is important to success.

4) Slip-Float Bobber Walleye

Rig Prime time: Late spring through summer

Best baits: Leeches, small shiner minnows

What you’ll need: A slender slip float, like the Thill Big Fish Slider (4- or 5-inch); a small plastic bead; a short length of 12-pound-test monofilament fishing line; small split shots; a No. 2 to 6 short-shank bait hook (finesse style)

Why it works: This slip-float setup allows walleye anglers to fish baits at nearly any depth, since the stop knot determines how much fishing line slides through the bobber to position a bait in the fish strike zone. It’s as deadly in 40 feet of water as it is in 4 feet. The rig is best used in current, although it works well in lakes where wind pushes a float into productive walleye water. Isolated small and shallow lake humps can be fished well with slip floats from long distances.

Video: Shaq Almost Falls Overboard While Pretending to Fish

Alex Robinson — Tue, 04 Jun 2013 16:15:55 -0400

Apparently Shaquille O’Neal is not much of a fisherman.

Last night’s “Gone Fishin’” segment from TNT’s “Inside the NBA” almost sent Shaq overboard. It took a railing and two men to prevent The Big Shaqtus from falling to the seats below the studio porch at the AmericanAirlines Arena in Miami.

The Gone Fishin’ segment is routinely performed after a team is bounced from the playoffs. Shaq was with the “Inside the NBA” cast after the Miami Heat’s victory over the Indiana Pacers in Game 7 of the NBA Eastern Conference Finals.

Shaq lives to fish another day.

First Look: Potential World Record Mako Shark

Alex Robinson — Tue, 04 Jun 2013 15:43:40 -0400

Mesquite, Texas angler Jason Johnston caught what could be the new record mako shark just outside of the Los Angeles Harbor in California Monday morning. It took Johnston more than two hours to reel in the 1,323.5-pound, 11-foot long shark, a feat that he told CBS was extremely dangerous.

Photos courtesy of Kent Williams of New Fishall Bait Co.

New Record Mako?

Alex Robinson — Tue, 04 Jun 2013 12:55:43 -0400

Sharks don’t get much bigger than this!

“It’s unreal. This thing is definitely a killing machine. Any wrong step, I could have gone out of the boat and down to the bottom of the ocean,” he said.

Johnston told reporters that his behemoth mako took out more than a quarter mile of line and jumped over 20 feet out of the water during the two-hour battle.

Johnston was fishing with Mako Matt’s and Breakaway Charters out of Huntington Beach and plans to go out with them again Tuesday. I doubt he’ll catch anything larger than he did Monday.

He has already donated his catch to science.

The all-tackle world record mako weighed 1,221 pounds and was caught in Chatham, Mass. in 2001.

Photo courtesy of New Fishall Bait Co.