Natural Resources Police Issue Upper Potomac River Advisory

Annapolis, Maryland - The Maryland Natural Resources Police (NRP) has announced, based on information received from the National Weather Service and the Maryland Emergency Management Agency (MEMA), that boating and other recreational use of the Upper Potomac River, including its creeks and streams, should be avoided at this time.

This advisory is from September 07, 2011 thru September 09, 2011 and will be updated at that time if necessary.

Due to recent precipitation, river levels are hazardous for recreational use on the main stem of the Upper Potomac River from Cumberland to Little Falls.

Hazardous stages are water levels which pose a threat to non white- water vessels, tubers, swimmers and other recreational users and are caused by wave action, water velocity, and treacherous currents. This hazardous condition may exist on tributaries of the Potomac River.

This warning does not apply to professionally guided river trips. The public is reminded that river travel involves risks. Water and boating safety should be of utmost importance. The Maryland Natural Resources Police remind boaters to always wear a life jacket. It is mandatory to wear a USCG approved life jacket while boating on the upper Potomac River from November 15 to May 15 each year.

For more the latest information on Potomac River conditions between Cumberland and Little Falls, call the National Weather Service at 703-996-2200.

Media Contact
Sgt. A.A. Windemuth
410-260-8003 office
410-713-8449 cell
awindemuth@dnr.state.md.us

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California Anglers Advised to Exercise Caution When Fishing Where Seabirds Feed

The Department of Fish and Game (DFG) reminds anglers who fish along California's shoreline and piers to avoid casting where seabirds feed or congregate. All along the coast, large schools of bait fish such as sardines and anchovies have recently been swimming close to the shore, thus attracting both anglers and hungry seabirds.

Hundreds of birds, including the fully protected California brown pelican, have been injured or killed in recent years after becoming hooked or entangled as they are feeding on the same bait fish that anglers target, or when they try to snag the bait from the end of a fishing line. This has become a serious problem at the Santa Cruz Pier and Monterey Wharf in particular, where popular fishing piers are adjacent to or within feeding grounds for seabirds. Pelicans are particularly vulnerable because fishing piers and jetties also serve as roosting spots.

To make matters worse, many pelicans that linger in unenclosed areas where anglers clean their fish are becoming contaminated with fish oil. Fish oils compromise seabirds' natural waterproofing and insulation, making them vulnerable to hypothermia when cold ocean water contacts their skin.

"When anglers throw scraps around or directly to the pelicans, it teaches them to bum for such scraps," said DFG Wildlife Biologist Esther Burkett. "Saving them requires expensive capture, cleaning and care at a licensed rehabilitation facility. It's far easier to exercise caution and take steps to prevent the problem in the first place."

Sport anglers can help protect wildlife by not casting their fishing lines in close proximity of feeding birds and disposing of fish-cleaning scraps in secure containers with lids.

If you see injured pelicans or other seabirds that could be captured by trained wildlife handlers, please call one of these wildlife rescue organizations:

Santa Cruz County - Native Animal Rescue: (831) 462-0726
Monterey County SPCA: 831-646-5534
San Francisco Peninsula - Peninsula Humane Society: (650) 494-7283 or (650) 340-8200
Marin County - Wildcare: (415) 453-1000
Bay Area - International Bird Rescue: (707) 207-0380
Arcata - Marine Wildlife Care Center: (877) 823-6926
Morro Bay - Pacific Wildlife Care: 805-543-WILD (9453)
Statewide - Wild Care: 866-WILD-911

In other areas, please call your local humane society or SPCA

More wildlife rescue organizations are listed on the Oiled Wildlife Care Network's webpage at www.owcn.org/about-us/participant-organizations.

DFG urges anglers and anyone who visits the shoreline to never chase or feed pelicans or other seabirds. Other ways to avoid hooking or entangling seabirds are listed in California Seabirds: Give Them a Break, Not a Line, on the DFG website at www.dfg.ca.gov/marine/seabirds.asp.

Media Contact
Esther Burkett, DFG Wildlife Branch, (916) 531-1594
Dana Michaels, DFG Communications, (916) 322-2420

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Who's happy with the 2012 Elite schedule?

Dean Rojas, for one.

Rojas owns wins at Toledo Bend and Oneida Lake, two of the eight stops on the slate in 2012 for the Bassmaster Elite Series. But he likes every fishery on the newly announced schedule.

"With the exception of one, I've had a Top-10 finish at each one of them," said Rojas, a Bassmaster Elite Series pro from Lake Havasu City, Ariz. "I liked the 2011 schedule, but I like this one even better."

The "exception" is the Mississippi River out of La Crosse, Wis.

"It's an unknown to me, and that's the beauty of it," he said. "I won't go in with preconceived notions. And I can enjoy anticipating what's around every corner."

Rojas' high satisfaction with the new schedule comes in no small part from the June stop at Toledo Bend Reservoir. That's where he won in 2011 and secured his fourth Bassmaster title and a berth in the 2012 Bassmaster Classic. The win was all the sweeter because it came early in the season, thus eliminating a three-month sweat for a Classic qualification.

Rojas had another win on Toledo Bend, a February 2001 victory in a Bassmaster Top 150. He noted that the 2012 schedule will take the Elite Series corps to The Bend in June.

"Every time I've done well there, it's always been springtime. It's going to be a different lake with that different timing," he cautioned.

If he had to pick a favorite, it would be Oneida Lake, he said. The upstate New York lake was the site of his 2008 Elite Series win, a third place in a 2009 Elite Series event, and a fourth in a 2007 Bassmaster Major.

Oneida's Aug. 23-26 slot in the 2012 schedule doesn't mirror the timing of his Aug. 10, 2008, win, he noted, but it's close enough.

"The bass will still be in their summer haunts. That isn't likely to change until mid-September," he said.

He hasn't been fishing on Oneida since 2009, but he made a point to drive over it twice when his travels brought him near.

What did a few minutes on a bridge do for him?

"Well, it made me feel really good to see 'my' lake again," he said, laughing. "It fishes a lot like Lake Havasu, the way it's laid out, so I feel so comfortable there."

Rojas watchers could consider Douglas Lake in Tennessee (May 3-6) as his third-strongest "like" of 2012. There he earned a second-place finish to Rick Clunn's 2001 win in a Bassmaster Megabucks event. But, of course, there's Elite Series pro Ott DeFoe to consider on Douglas. Because he lives there, DeFoe will be the all-out favorite.

And then there's the "mystery" stop, a TBA site to be slotted into the schedule on June 28-July 1, between La Crosse and New York. Rojas gives the concept of a mystery lake another nod.

"I like that," he said. "But you know, I take them one at a time. Right now, it's the first up that I'm most looking forward to, and that's the Classic and the Red River."

He hasn't been back to compete on the Red since the Bassmaster Classic in 2009, in which he finished 18th. He's planning a late fall scouting trip, he said.

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Trilogy of Redbone Celebrity tournaments for CF kicks off in Key West

First leg in fall series is Robert James Sales S.L.A.M.; fishing slots still open

It’s one of the most fun, rewarding and longest running fishing series of competitions in the Florida Keys as the Redbone Celebrity Tournaments kicks off September 9 - 11, with the Robert James Sales S.L.A.M. benefiting cystic fibrosis research.

The S.L.A.M., short for Southernmost Light-Tackle Anglers Masters, is part of the Redbone Trilogy in the Keys, now in its third decade to raise money for the fight against CF. The 22nd annual S.L.A.M. targets the "big-three" game fish of the Florida flats – tarpon, permit and bonefish. Catching all three is known as a "flats grand slam."

The other two-day tournaments in the Keys trilogy are the 21st annual Baybone in Key Largo (Oct. 7-9) for bonefish and permit, and the 24th annual Redbone, in Islamorada (Nov. 4-6) for redfish and bonefish. Each event is preceded by a one day Superfly tournament for fly anglers, sponsored by The Angling Company.

“These weekend events are the most exciting experiences a fly or light tackle angler can ever have,” said ex-NFL Tampa Bay Bucs lineman Mark Cooper who hopes to capture the celebrity grand champion title in his rivalry with Baseball Hall of Famer Wade Boggs who serves as the SLAM’s celebrity host.

Capt. Gary and Susan Ellis founded the Redbone tournament in 1988 as a grass roots effort to help victims like their daughter Nicole who have CF. With the help of baseball legend Ted Williams it raised $16,000 that first year and has since grown to nearly 30 events internationally raising over $15 million for CF research. Last year’s combined events alone brought in $1.4 million.

The events also gained fame on TV as hundreds of top celebrities have competed in the past including General H. Norman Schwarzkopf, sportscaster Curt Gowdy, super model Lauren Hutton, MLB pitcher Tim Wakefield, astronaut Bruce Melnick and the late saxophonist “The Big Man” Clarence Clemons.

“There are still a limited number of openings for participant and team entries with great captains to guide them,” said Ellis. “A two-angler team entry fee is $3,500 which includes the guide fees for two days of fishing, all social functions such as the kick-off party, continental breakfasts, box lunches, dockside parties with hors d’oeuvres, Sunday awards barbeque and a tournament bag. The tournament’s $3,000 individual entry fee is also available for those who would like to fish with a celebrity.”

“Our host hotel in Key West is the beautiful Double Tree Grand Key Resort,” said Susan Ellis, “and our dockside host is the Hurricane Hole Restaurant and Marina.”

Original artwork by nationally known marine artists are awarded as prizes to the top anglers and teams in general, spin and fly division, and the largest and most fish caught and released in each target species.

Besides Robert James Sales the other major sponsors in The Trilogy includes Rich Products, Redbone Rods, Sea Safe Suncare, Image Graphics, Double Tree Grand Key Resort, The Islander, Dove Creek Lodge and DragonFly Boatworks.

For more info call the Redbone at 305-664-2002, or go online at www.redbone.org.
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Kumho USA Launches The Reaper Keeper System

At ICAST 2011 in Las Vegas, Anglers Select LLC launched Kumho USA hooks. The first product launch featured Bassmaster Professional Gary Klein as the innovator for the new hook company introducing the patented Reaper Keeper system hooks.

The reaper keeper locks your plastics onto the hook while doing no damage to the plastic that is common with other type keeper systems. With use of specific hooks like the Creature hook, the Flipping hook, the Worm hook and Tube hook.

Gary and the rest of the Pro Staff that includes Brandon Palaniuk, Jeff Kriet, Marty Stone, J Todd Tucker, and Jared Lintner, are hard at work on several new innovations for today's Bass tournament anglers.

While testing new hooks and sinkers, bass fishing pro Gary Klein catches monster bass. "I have used about every hook made, and the Kumho Hooks are the best I have ever fished," Gary Klein said.

It's a strong statement, but after last week's trip to Falcon Lake, the proof was presented and documented. The 3X Forged Kumho did not flex or have a point roll over. Most of the fish were caught 8 to 9 feet deep in big bushes. The Reaper Keeper plastic bait keeper worked perfectly as well.

"We were able to catch several bass on each bait and the plastic didn't roll up on the hook a single time," said Klein. "Now that is impressive!"

After five days of fishing at Falcon, fishing some stuff a bulldozer would have a tough time getting through, he used one -- yes that is right -- one hook. It was a Kumho 5/0 Flipping Hook. The results are staggering. His five biggest bass on his first day weighed 42.15, big fish was 9.3 pounds, small fish was 8.4. His big fish for the week was more than 11 pounds. For the week, they caught 50 fish weighing more than 5 pounds -- WOW!

Gary caught most of his fish flipping a Berkley Pit Boss in two colors, Big Texan and Californian, with a Boss Intruder Punch Skirt and a 3/4 ounce Eco Pro Tungsten flipping weight.

Anglers Select LLC is an American company that loves to fish. For more information on Kumho USA hooks product line, Pro Staff, and how to purchase their product, visit http://kumhohooks.com/.

Media Contact
Tim Norman
778 Route 15 South
Lake Hopatcong, NJ 07849
Tim@ecoprotungsten.com
Customer Service No.
973-396-2959

MEDIA WEBSITE:
http://kumhohooks.com/

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USFWS Will Continue Funding to Arizona's Fish Stocking Program

PHOENIX - The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) has issued a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) as part of the Environmental Assessment of its proposal to continue to fund, in part, the Arizona Game and Fish Department's (AGFD) sport fish stocking program over the next 10 years.

The FONSI decision means that FWS can continue funding to support AGFD's hatchery operations and fish stocking activities that provide recreational opportunities for anglers.

As part of the Selected Alternative, a Conservation and Mitigation Program has been developed. The Conservation and Mitigation Program will implement actions to avoid, offset or reduce environmental impacts of the stocking action and ultimately contribute to conservation and recovery of native species. The program's development was a coordinated effort between the FWS's Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration Program (WSFR), its Arizona Ecological Services Office, and AGFD.

The decision came out of an Environmental Assessment process that analyzed three alternatives which provided a range of recreational opportunities and impacts to biological resources.

After review of public and agency comments received on the Draft Environmental Assessment, WSFR, the Arizona Ecological Services Office and AGFD chose to modify the Proposed Action. The modifications to the Proposed Action include the removal of one previously proposed stocking site and the elimination and/or substitution of some species proposed for stocking at some sites. The modified Proposed Action has been identified as the "Selected Alternative."

Under the Selected Alternative, funding will support stocking of sport fish at 166 sites in selected rivers, streams, lakes, reservoirs, ponds and tanks in the state. It will also support continued operations and maintenance of five AGFD hatcheries that rear sport fish (primarily trout) for stocking. The actions in this alternative are the most comparable to Arizona's current stocking program.

Hundreds of thousands of Arizona residents and nonresidents take advantage of the state's recreational fishing opportunities each year. Based on 2006 numbers, there were 4,156,000 angler use days (AUDs) of fishing in Arizona, with a total annual economic impact of $1.3 billion (Southwick Associates 2007). Arizona Game and Fish estimates a resident demand of 6 million AUDs through 2012, with some growth anticipated in nonresident demand.

Under the Federal Aid in Sport Fish Restoration Act of 1950, FWS has the authority to provide federal funding to state wildlife agencies for management and restoration of sport fish, as well as public use and benefit from those resources. Funding is provided on a match basis through the WSFR program. Sport Fish Restoration funds through that program come from a federal excise tax on certain fishing equipment and a portion of motorboat fuel tax revenues. In July 2011, Arizona received about $7.9 million in Sport Fish Restoration Act funds. Although the amount varies from year to year, about $2.5 million was allocated to sport fish stocking and hatchery operations.

To view a copy of the Finding of No Significant Impact document and the final Environmental Assessment, visit www.fws.gov/southwest/federal_assistance/index.html or www.azgfd.gov/fishea.

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The Arizona Game and Fish Department prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, sex, national origin, age, or disability in its programs and activities. If anyone believes that they have been discriminated against in any of the AGFD's programs or activities, including employment practices, they may file a complaint with the Director's Office, 5000 W. Carefree Highway, Phoenix, AZ 85086-5000, (602) 942-3000, or with the Fish and Wildlife Service, 4040 N. Fairfax Dr. Ste. 130, Arlington, VA 22203. Persons with a disability may request a reasonable accommodation or this document in an alternative format by contacting the Director's Office as listed above.

Media Contact
Tom Cadden (623) 236-7392,
Public Information Officer, AGFD

Jose Viramontes (505) 248-6404,
Public Affairs Specialist, USFWS

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Washington Will Close Curl Lake for Maintenance

Action: Closure of Curl Lake (Columbia County) to fishing for all species.

Dates: Sept. 8 through Oct. 31, 2011.

Species Affected: All fish

Reason for action: Curl Lake in the upper Tucannon River drainage will be drained in early September to allow the lake bed to dry out prior to scheduled maintenance dredging. Dredging is necessary to maintain the lake for spring chinook acclimation prior to release, and for trout fishing opportunities.

Other Information: Curl Lake, located in the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife's Wooten Wildlife Area, is scheduled to re-open for fishing the last Saturday in April 2012, consistent with fishing regulations in the department's current Sport Fishing Rules pamphlet.

Anglers are reminded to refer to the 2011/2012 Fishing in Washington Sport Fishing Rules pamphlet for other regulations.

Information contact: Glen Mendel (509) 382-1005.

Fishers must have a current Washington fishing license. Check the current WDFW "Fishing in Washington" rules pamphlet or the Fishing section of the WDFW webpage at http://wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/regulations/ for details on fishing seasons and regulations. Fishing regulations are subject to change. Check the WDFW Fishing hotline for the latest rule information at (360) 902-2500; press 2 for recreational rules; call the Shellfish Rule Change hotline, (360) 796-3215, or toll free 1 (866) 880-5431.

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