New World Record Brown Trout?

This trout was caught in Michigan earlier this month in the Manistee River.

Grand Rapids area resident Tom Healy caught the 41-pound, 7.25 ounce monster on a crankbait while fishing with Tim Roller’s charter service. Michigan DNR fisheries biologists Mark Tonello and Todd Kalish weighed the fish after leveling the certified scales and determined the weight. It is the new record hold for Michigan. Upon the second weighing with the scales leveled, the weight was determined to be 1 pound, .75 ounces heavier than originally determined. The fish was 43.75 inches long.

Go check out Michigan Fly Fishing Club Blog for the details. Wow what a fish.

National Hunting And Fishing Day

Saturday is National Hunting and Fishing Day and North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission has a number of events planned across the state. Check out all the events and even though the weather is calling for rain I’m sure some of these will still go on. People in other states should check the National Hunting and Fishing website for links to local events in their state.
I’ll not be attending any of those events but I’m planning to get together with a number of hunters from across the state. Whatever you have planned to do this weekend take some time to think about the positive things our sports offer. Tell someone else how great our sport is and invite them to join you on a future trip. The future of our sport rest squarely on our shoulders so do what you can to introduce someone new to it.

Saving The Natives

A battle to save the native brook trout in Great Smokey Mountain National Park in Tennessee and North Carolina is going on. The introduction of nonnative rainbow trout and the damage to pristine streams over the years has just about eliminated the brook trout from the park.

Park fish biologist Steve Moore led the way, poking an electroshocking pole into the swift-flowing stream. The device produced a 500-volt, 0.6-amp charge that knocked out the brookies but didn’t harm them. Moore’s colleagues scooped up the stunned fish and deposited them in the buckets. Soon frisky again, the diminutive brookies measured 5 to 8 inches long.
The Cosby Creek crew, and another on nearby Tom’s Creek, collected 355 brook trout one morning earlier this month. The fish roundup was a major part of a long-term project to restore the colorful trout in 35 to 40 miles of former habitat in park streams. So far, five streams on the N.C. side and four on the Tennessee side have been completed.

N&O

Hopefully their efforts will be successful and the brook trout will once again be plentiful. Having caught both brook trout and rainbows I got to admit that I’m partial to the brookie. I think they fight better and in my book they are a very pretty fish.

Annual Fishing Trip A Success

The Crew & the haul

For a number of years now a group of us have been chartering a fishing trip on the Risky Business out of Oregon Inlet Fishing Center. This past Friday we went out and once again Jamie put us on some fish. Years past we’ve gone after tile fish, a pretty tasty fish, but this year no one has had much success on them so we went for trigger fish.

Trigger Fish

I’d never caught a trigger fish before but they were a lot of fun on light tackle and in a little bit shallower water then the tiles. We caught about 85 trigger fish and a whole mess of sea bass with about 30 of them being keepers. When the fishing slowed on them they set up the trolling gear and we went after dolphin having a number of strikes but landing two.

oops not this type of dolphin but we saw a number of the mammal dolphins playing alongside the boat.

The day started and ended a bit on the choppy side getting out of port in the morning the waves seemed a bit choppy for this land lover. The return trip in the late afternoon saw us racing a line of storms that was coming in and I’ll admit I was happy to sit on the porch of the fishing center and watch Mother Nature’s fury. I may love to watch the deadliest catch but I certainly don’t want to even remotely live it.

What a great day and a mess of fish. The trigger fish were as tasty as promised, the dolphin was out of this world good and the sea bass was awesome. Jamie and Andy did a great job of taking care of us and putting us on some fish. As I’ve said before there is nothing Risky about chartering this boat other then you might have to good of a time and want to do it again real soon.
Risky Business has full day and half day charters still available this summer so check them out.

Annual Fishing Trips
2008
2007
2006

Tred Barta Paralyzed While En Route To Alaska To Shoot His Show

Sportsman, television personality, and Salt Water Angler Tred Barta has been reportedly paralyzed from the chest down a result of a rare spinal cord stroke according to Sport Fishing Magazine. Tred Barta host the popular “Best & Worst of Tred Barta” on the Versus Network.

Spinal Cord strokes are a rare medical condition.

Spinal cord infarction is a stroke either within the spinal cord or the arteries that supply it.

Like with the more common cerebral stroke the prognosis is better with timely treatment.

Recovery depends upon how quickly treatment is received and how severely the body is compromised. Paralysis may persist for many weeks or be permanent. Most individuals have a good chance of recovery.

National Institute of Health
Tred told Sport Fishing Magazine

“Don’t take a single second of your life for granted.”

You can follow the link to the magazine where they have a way for you to send along your best wishes to Tred as he fights this.
Our thoughts and prayers are with Tred and his family as he fights this battle.

Town of Summerfield Added to Community Fishing Program

Photo courtesy of NCWRC

A partnership between the town of Summerfield and the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission means more fishing opportunities especially for children and mobility impaired adults.

The N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission recently partnered with the town of Summerfield to construct a universally accessible fishing pier on School House Lake located in Summerfield Community Park in Guilford County.
The floating, T-shaped, pier features an 8-foot wide walkway and extends 59 feet into the water, ending with an 11’ x 48’ platform. The pier also features three benches and incorporates seven low handrail sections to make it easier for children and wheelchair-bound anglers to cast their lines. To facilitate easier access to the pier from the nearby parking area, the Commission and Summerfield will install a concrete sidewalk this summer.
Anglers fishing School House Lake can reel in largemouth bass, crappie and assorted sunfish from the lake’s 5.5 acres. In late May, the Commission will stock 200 catchable-sized channel catfish in the lake to complement the new fishing pier and to support a kids’ fishing event that Summerfield will hold on June 13. The Commission is also donating fishing grab bags for the children attending the June fishing event.
“We are very excited about providing a new recreational activity to our town park,” said Michael Brandt, town manager. “Being able to offer a fishing program to the community is a great way to introduce children to the joy of fishing; it teaches a life-long recreational activity that encourages kids to be outside surrounded by nature.”
Construction of the pier was funded through the Commission’s Community Fishing Program, a cooperative venture between the Wildlife Resources Commission and local governments to provide more fishing opportunities in city and county parks. Program expenses are cost shared with local cooperators, such as Summerfield Parks and Recreation, with the Commission providing 75 percent of the operating funds through the Sport Fish Restoration Program, and local cooperators paying the remaining 25 percent.
The universally accessible pier is part of Summerfield’s effort to expand the park and improve recreational opportunities for the community. The park includes a playground, restroom facilities, picnic areas and more than a mile of paved and unpaved trails leading around the lake.

This is a great program and there are many community fishing sites across the state. Many of them even have equipment you can borrow. So take a kid fishing.

National Park Lead Ban Makes No Sense

Mike Zlotnicki’s column in the N&O about this ban points out how ridiculous the ban will be.

Sounds noble, but is it necessary? Should places such as Cape Hatteras National Seashore be managed in the same fashion as, say, Yellowstone National Park, which has a ban on lead fishing tackle and doesn’t allow hunting?

I wonder how many birds die from eating a lead weight used for surf fishing?

Bob Eakes, owner of Red Drum Tackle Shop in Buxton, who also sits on the board of the American Sportfishing Association.

“It took us by surprise,” he said. “This thing floored a lot of people. Ingested lead by birds and ducks is bad, but what bird can ingest an 8-ounce pyramid sinker? This park service is out of control. They’re not using good science.”

I’D agree it seems like the National Parks Service is out of control on this issue but should we be surprised with the bunch of lefties we got running this country? A lead ban on fishing tackle maybe the least of our problems.

New North Carolina Channel Cat Record Book Fish Was Caught In 1970

E.J. Bowden & 5-year-old son, Louis 23-pound, 4-ounce channel catfish caught in 1970 NCWRC

In what can only be described as a bizarre story a previous recognized fish has return to the top spot. E.J. Bowden of Rocky Mount now has the top spot nearly 40 years after he caught the 23 lb 4 oz channel cat.
North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission did not assume the responsibility for managing the record book until 1971 where at the time a misidentified flat head catfish was occupying the top spot for channel cat. A 2005 magazine cover featuring the “record cat” was what helped push the erroneous fish out but left the top spot empty.

As a result, the NCWRC put the vacated record for channel catfish up for grabs. In the four years that followed, the state record for channel catfish was broken three times with the most recent record holder, David Haynes, gaining notoriety for catching a 21-pound channel catfish with a Barbie Doll fishing outfit in August 2008.

The Dispatch

The Barbie Fishing Pole Story was hot and lots of people heard it including E.J. Bowden who had to wonder about the 23 lb 4oz fish he caught in 1970.

After seeing the media coverage about the various channel catfish state records being broken, Bowden contacted the N.C. Division of Inland Fisheries, which oversees the State Record Fish Program, and advised staff that the fish he caught way back in 1970 outweighed Hayes’ record breaker by more than two pounds. He even had a write-up accompanied by a picture from the Sept. 6, 1970 issue of the Rocky Mount Telegram to prove it.
He sent in the paperwork that he had kept all these years, which, along with the Rocky Mount Telegram article, included a Xeroxed copy of the original photograph, a state record certificate, and an excerpt from a 1971 Freshwater Fishing and Hunting in North Carolina atlas, listing all of the freshwater fish state record holders of the day, including Bowden.
After carefully reviewing the stack of documents and the photograph of the fish, Kent Nelson, fisheries program manager with the Commission, agreed with Bowden. He was still the official holder of the channel catfish state record in North Carolina.
Nelson said the Wildlife Commission had no state record channel catfish paperwork prior to Paine’s 1971 record, which is why the agency vacated the record in May 2005.
Without Bowden’s picture and accompanying paperwork, there would have been no way anyone would have known he was still the record holder. The fish itself was long gone, although Bowden said he kept it on ice for about 10 years, hoping to have it mounted one day. That day never came, so he left it in the woods for animals to consume.

North Carolina Sportsman

This is one whale of a tale fish story but it’s good to see Mr. Bowden get the recognition he deserves after all these years. How long will the record stand? Who knows but with the growing popularity of catfish in this state it might get broken in the next few years. I’ll go out on a limb and say it won’t be on a Barbie Rod.

Summer Camp Plans? How About an Opportunity To Send A Kid For Free?

The snow the beginning of the week and 70’s and sun to end the week has gotten me thinking about summer. As a kid I loved to spend a week or two at camp shooting guns, archery, swimming and hanging out with my friends. Well now I go to hunt camp but for the kids I’m sure that summer camp is something many look forward to.
The 27 annual Fur Fish n Game Rendezvous, a weeklong camp, will take place this summer.

What is the Rendezvous?
Entering it’s 27th year, the Rendezvous is an opportunity for youth to earn their hunter safety certification, study natural resources, create an ourdoor ethic, and learn outdoor recreation skills.
The week-long residential camp is for boys and girls ages 12-15, and held at Millstone 4-H Center, in the beautiful sandhills gamelands. Campers learn firearm safety and shooting skills from hunter education officers. Other activities include: falconry, bird dogs, trapping, wildlife identification, taxidermy, first aid, canoeing, fishing, a low-ropes course, swimming, and much more! Those that have already attended the beginning Rendezvous, or already have their hunter safety certification, can apply for the the Adavanced Rendezvous. During the Adavanced track, campers will learn more about being a wildlife and fisheries biologist. Advanced activites include trapping, wildlife surveys, wildgame cooking, and fish surveys. For more information, please call Renee Strnad, NC Cooperative Extension, at 919-515-5518. Questions regarding registration and fees may be directed to the State 4-H Camping Office, at 919-515-8471.

Ok I’ll admit if I was a few years younger I’d want to go to this camp. It sounds like a great week filled with a lot of opportunities to learn more about the natural world around us. Now a program like this is not cheap and the cost of the camp is $325. With the economy the way it is right now I’m sure for many families that this is something they can’t afford. Well hang on I’ve discovered an organization that is giving out 36 full scholarships to this year’s camp.
The Wake County Wildlife Club will be using some of the money they raise at the Dixie Deer Classic to offer these scholarships.

The Wake County Wildlife Club uses the money it raises from the Dixie Deer Classic to support the resources and for education. One of our projects is to send 36 campers to the annual Fur, Fish, and Game Rendezvous in Ellerbe. Kids 12-15 years old are eligible. They will take the NC Hunter Safety Course and be exposed to a number of hunting and outdoor related activities. If you have or know of a boy or girl who would like to attend this camp please go by the Wake Co. Wildlife Club Hunter Safety Booth at the Dixie Deer Classic and get them registered. This camp would cost you $325.00 if you sending them yourself. It’s a great experience for the kids.

Now when I heard about this I had to do a little bit of checking because it seemed to be too good to be true but it is on the up and up. I was totally unaware that parts of the money raised during the Dixie Deer Classic went to such a worthwhile cause. Additionally I asked about how the scholarships were awarded;

we pay for all 36 slots , whether we fill them or not. We fill them first come first serve. Some years we only have a few names submitted by members or registered at the DDC in which case the FF&G folks ( 4H extension, etc.) fill those spaces.

Well the Dixie Deer Classic is this weekend so stop by their booth to get your youngster signed up. I’m sure if these slots get filled and there is still space at the camp and someone wants to go there are other civic organizations and sportsmen groups that will step up to help. For the rest of us who wondered what our entrance fee to the classic got used for now we know. A tip of the hat to the Wake County Wildlife Club.

Lost Hope In A Sea Of Despair

The US Coast Guard has suspended the search for anymore survivors in the boating accident involving 4 men off the coast of Florida. Nick Schuyler, the man rescued Monday found clinging to the capsized boat, told Coast Guard officials the details of what transpired on the sea after the accident.

Nick Schuyler, 24, told investigators that about two to four hours after their boat capsized Saturday in rough seas, one of the two professional football players gave up hope and let himself be swept away, according to family members of two of the missing men.
A few hours later, the second one did the same.
“We were told that Nick said the two NFL players took their life jackets off and drifted out to sea,” said Bob Bleakley, whose son Will, 25, is also still missing.
With former Tampa Bay Buccaneers Marquis Cooper and Corey Smith gone, only Schuyler and Bleakley remained clinging to the boat.
Then, sometime Monday morning, Will Bleakley thought he saw a light in the distance and decided to take off his life jacket and swim to it, hoping to get help.
“I think he was delusional to think he could swim someplace,” Bleakley said.

This has to be heartbreaking news to the families and friends of these men as they search for them and the answers to what happened. Unfortunately this is behavior that is often seen in people with severe hypothermia where they lose their sense and start removing clothing or having delusions. These men didn’t give up these actions were just the results of the brain shutting down. These men fought hard to survive in conditions that were nearly impossible.
A privately funded search will continue but the US Coast Guard has suspended the official search,

The Coast Guard is ending its search for missing boaters Marquis Cooper, Corey Smith and Will Bleakley at sunset tonight, according to Capt. Timothy Close.
Families were told the news prior to a 4 p.m. press conference. The Coast Guard rescuers said they were confident no survivors would be found in the Gulf of Mexico 60 hours after the search began.

St Pete Times

Thoughts and prayers are with the family and friends of these men.

One Survivor Found Search Continues But It Looks Bleak

The Coast Guard yesterday located the missing boat upside down some 38 miles from sure with only one of the four missing men clinging to it. The St. Petersburg Times reports in this morning’s edition that the four friends were anchored and fishing for amber jacks when a wave flipped the boat over Saturday. The four men attempted at first to flipped the boat back over but were not successful. In life vests they all tried to cling to the slippery hull as the cold water zapped their strength and the relentless waves pounded on them. By Monday only one man remained with the boat the other three had slipped away into the vast sea.

Just after noon, the crew of the cutter Tornado, from Pascagoula, Miss, spotted a tiny orange dot bobbing in the turquoise gulf. They pulled closer, and saw a man sitting upright on an overturned boat. He was wearing his life vest and had pulled a hood over his head.
He seemed to be clinging to the exposed propeller.
The cutter crew sent a smaller boat to rescue the man, who turned out to be Nick Schuyler. They gave him a dry blue Coast Guard uniform. A helicopter lowered a metal litter.
Schuyler was flown to Tampa General Hospital where he was in serious condition: dehydrated, cut and bruised — but able to tell his dad, “Hi, Pops!”
His mom, Marcia, passed out when she heard her son was still alive.
From his hospital bed, he told her that he survived by telling himself that she was not going to go to his funeral.
“That’s what kept him hanging on,” she said.

The Coast Guard is continuing the search and hold out hope that the others will be found alive. We’ll continue to follow the story .

NFL Player & Former Wolfpacker Lost At Sea

Former North Carolina State University star and current Detroit Lions defensive end Corey Smith is missing after the boat he was on failed to return from a fishing trip to the gulf. Weather on Saturday turned “choppy” and were less then ideal especially for the small boat they were on.

CLEARWATER, FLA. — The Coast Guard searched off Florida’s Gulf Coast on Sunday for a fishing boat carrying NFL players Corey Smith and Marquis Cooper and two other men missing nearly a day in choppy seas.

Smith, a former N.C. State standout and defensive end for the Detroit Lions, and Cooper, an Oakland Raiders linebacker, were on a 21-foot vessel that left Clearwater Pass for a fishing trip Saturday morning and did not return as expected, the Coast Guard said Sunday. Crews used a helicopter and an 87-foot ship to search a 750-square mile area west of Clearwater Pass, but poor weather made the search difficult. Officials did not receive a distress signal from the missing craft.

Cooper owns the boat, and he and Smith have been on fishing trips before, said Ron Del Duca, Smith’s agent. The pair had been teammates on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2004. Two others were aboard: Will Bleakley and Nick Schuyler, both former University of South Florida players.

N&O Story

Coast Guard Capt. Timothy M. Close said the weather early Saturday had been fair but worsened toward the evening as a front, still battering the area, moved in. The National Weather Service said seas were about 2 to 4 feet Saturday morning and increased to 3 to 5 feet in the afternoon. Late Saturday, a small craft advisory was issued, when winds were around 20 knots and seas were up to 7 feet or more. There were no thunderstorms in the area.

Close said the men were traveling in a boat manufactured by Everglades. At least one of the men was an experienced boater, and relatives provided the Coast Guard with GPS coordinates from previous fishing expeditions.

Close said there was no communication with the men even before the weather started to pick up. They were expected home by early evening. No sign of them or the boat had been spotted by late Sunday afternoon. Relatives told the Coast Guard the men had lifejackets and flares onboard.

The US Coast Guard is continuing to search for the missing men. Hopefully they’ll be found safe and sound real soon. We’ll post updates when they are available.

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