NOAAï¿½s National Marine Fisheries Service, which is part of the Department of Commerce, is undertaking a socio-economic study in Massachusetts by offering cash to saltwater anglers in exchange for giving up their right to fish for the rest of 2012. According to the Recreational Fishing Alliance, those licensed Massachusetts anglers who go for the deal will receive up to $500 apiece when they give up their fishing license and all rights to fish in state waters.

Now before you start firing off e-mails to Washington, you should know that paying people for research studies isnï¿½t all that uncommon these days. Just go on Craigslist, for example, and you can get bucks for joining studies on maladies like osteoarthritis or fibromyalgia. Moreover, we in the boating industry have long urged the NMFS to undertake socio-economic studies of fishing to better understand the immense positive social and economic impact of fishing. But, itï¿½s probably safe to assume no one in the boating and fishing industries ever expected paying anglers to give up their fishing rights would be a chosen study method.

You have to question what will really come out of this study, assuming a sufficient number of anglers give up their fishing to make the study statistically valid. Hopefully something good for fishing because itï¿½s likely going to have a negative impact on local boat and fishing businesses.

According to already existing NMFS socioeconomic data on saltwater angling habits, the final economic impact

within the Massachusetts coastal fishing community

amounts to approximately $201,425 in overall consumer spending. But, the RFA says that may not be the whole story.

For example, for fishermen 16 and older, total annual expenditures by saltwater anglers average about $1,151 per person, with $219 spent annually on food & lodging, $137 on transportation expenses, and $795 per angler directly on fishing equipment and services. But, if dad ï¿½sells offï¿½ his fishing rights it seems predictable heï¿½s not taking the teens and pre-teens fishing in 2012. More loss not included.

In addition, U.S Fish & Wildlife data indicates that there are approximately 298,000 saltwater anglers in Massachusetts who, in 2006, spent more than $494.6 million on saltwater fishing tackle alone. Approximately 69 percent of those anglers fished by boat in 2006, meaning that fewer fishing trips will result in less money spent on boat preparation, docking, fuel, and other services directly related to marine dealers and marinas. The result is a negative trickle down impact within the Massachusetts coastal community. If the idea is to measure what happens to small businesses when the government pays customers to stay away, this study should be a landmark!

In reality, the NMFS is responding to the widespread call for better socio-economic data on recreational fishing. As boaters and anglers, weï¿½re absolutely for that. Weï¿½ve called for it. Nevertheless, this particular method ï¿½ well, itï¿½s hard to fathom the idea of paying people not to fish.

Anglers invited to experience World-Class Competition at 2012 Louisiana Saltwater Series

The 2012 Louisiana Saltwater Series promises to be the biggest and best yet, with over $75,000 in cash and prizes up for grabs. The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheriesï¿½ annual catch and release tournament enters its third year, with last yearï¿½s competition drawing participants from across the Gulf Coast including Texas and Florida.

The tournament opens on March 31 and runs through October 20. The 2012 series offers 13 events including redfish, speckled trout, yellowfin tuna, tarpon and youth-exclusive tournaments.

Catch and release fishing is fast becoming one of the most efficient ways to collect scientific data. Data collected from the tournament entries will serve as a valuable tool for LDWF fisheries managers and biologists to better understand the life history and habitat of sport fish. Past tournament participants indicated that prior to fishing the series, they were not catch and release anglers but have since become actively involved in the Departmentï¿½s tagging program.

The 2012 redfish tournament schedule is as follows:

March 31 Empire, The Delta Marina

April 28 Lake Charles, Calcasieu Point Landing

May 19 Lafitte, SeaWay Marina

June 23 Delacroix, Sweetwater Marina

July 14 Slidell, Rigolets Marina

August 25 Cocodrie, Boudreauxï¿½s Marina

Championship October 5 and 6 Venice, Venice Marina

Each redfish tournament includes two-man teams with a $200 entry fee for each event. Up to two anglers under 16

are allowed to participate per team. The tournament is a 100 percent payout series. There is a 90 percent payout for the first six events with 10 percent retained for the championship. Payout is determined separately for each event based upon the total number of boats entered.

A youth division is also available for no additional cost to introduce our young anglers to the sport of fishing and to teach the catch-and-release approach to conservation. Youth division participants compete against one another for trophy catch. All anglers in this division will be recognized.

For complete information, including rules, regulations and online registration go to www.lasaltwaterseries.com. A $20 fee for all onsite tournament registrants will be incurred per team. Only cash and checks will be accepted for onsite registrants. A $60 discount is available for teams interested in pre-registering for all six tournaments. Contact: Heather David (225) 763-5415 or Becky Chaney (504) 261-0275.

Tournament sponsors include Academy Sports and Outdoors, Category 5 Outdoors, Plaquemines Parish, Dockside Marine, Skinny Water Products, Slayer, Blackfin Skeg, Faux Pas Prints, Frabill, Marsh and Bayou Magazine, Power-Pole, Pro-Drive Shallow Water Outboards, Sea tow, Stick It Anchor Pins, Swamp Swatter, Whole Foods Market, Bollinger Shipyards, Chik-fil-A, To Fish Charters, Tony Spell Insurance Agency, Southern Eagle and Standard Mapping.

Hunting & Shooting Products/Issues

Brite-Strike Tactical Blue-Dot Light

For Law Enforcement, safety, security

Brite-Strike Tactical Blue-Dot tactical LED flashlights were designed by police officers for police officers. The body is CNC machine milled from a single billet of high grade aerospace aluminum. The proprietary black anodized finish exceeds Mil Spec class two type III. The unique tri-sided body is more ergonomic for better gripping.

The front crenelated strike crown is blunted and the rear crown is more aggressive for maximum effectiveness in applying pressure point control techniques. The pocket clip is specifically designed for line officers and is reversed from other tactical lights. The clip features a greater clearance for lighting fast draws from either a BDU pocket, duty belt, or six pocket police pant. It also allows for quick mounting on a uniform epaulet, and quick removal when needed. The beam is a brilliant white light with a wider ï¿½spreadï¿½ for a flood effect, which illuminates the entire area of a vehicle on a motor vehicle stop.

The Tactical Blue Dot series was designed to have features that a patrol officer needs, such as the tri-sided barrel design for a more ergonomic grip, front and rear tri-strike-crown, provides maximum impact for pressure point and weapon retention techniques. The Tactical Blue Dot can be turned on and all modes accessed using a single finger or thumb on one hand, thus meeting our definition of a true ï¿½Tactical Flashlightï¿½.

The patented hi-tech HLS (Hi/Lo/Strobe) "Tactical Touch" switch design allows the operator to turn the light on with a full click on, then allows the user to rapidly and silently move to low then strobe, then back to high. The switch has six chips to perform these functions, and is protected from damage by being slightly recessed within the crenelated crown. As todayï¿½s LEDï¿½s are nearly indestructible, it is the chips in the light and end cap that are prone to damage causing a light to fail.

Specifics Include:

Output: up to 220 lumens / Lo-90 Lumens

Switch: High/Low/Strobe

LED Life: 100,000 hours

Runtime: Hi-(2.5 Hours)

Runtime: Lo-(8+ Hours) Strobe-(3 Hours

Length: 5.2 inches

Ballistic Nylon Holster (included)

Ergonomic Grip

Other models/variations available

About $250.00

508-746-8701

[email protected]

www.brite-strike.com

All Purpose Adhesive Light Strips

With active Illumination technology ï¿½ for safety

All Purpose Adhesive Light Strips (APALS are a super thin LED light/battery unit that comes in five visible colors and true IR (Infrared).

APALS with Active Illumination Reflective Technology, is a micro-thin LED light strip that operates in three modes; fast strobe, slow strobe and steady on.

They are waterproof and shockproof. They're great for hiking, jogging, cycling, water sports, motorcycles, coming home late at night from the train station, or even walking the dog, as they can be seen from up to 1/4 mile. They are

1" x 2.5" and they have a heavy duty adhesive back that

can be placed anywhere, e.g. on the back of running shoes, on a running shirt, life jacket, helmet, or hat.

APALS and APALS-AIR will revolutionize the way we keep our military, public safety workers, and the public safe at night. They have an operation time of 35+ hours.

About $10.00 per 2-pak

508-746-8701 [email protected]

www.brite-strike.com

Birchwood Casey Stick-A-Bull Adhesive Targets

Offer Great Value and Performance

Birchwood Caseyï¿½s new Stick-A-Bull targets are self adhesive and will easily adhere to most any surface. Shooters no longer need to worry about forgetting their stapler or running out of staples at the range.

Stick-A-Bull targets are non-reactive, making them a great low cost alternative to more expensive targets. 12ï¿½ bullï¿½s-eye and sight-in versions are both available. Both versions

come with repair pasters to extend target life for even more added value.

Stick-A-Bull targets come in packs of 5. The bullï¿½s-eye targets come with 60 pasters and sell for a suggested retail price of $5.30. The sight-in version comes with 55 pasters and sells for $5.30 as well.

800.-28-6156 x7933

www.birchwoodcasey.com

National

Coast Guard issues standard for ballast water discharged in US waters

The U.S. Coast Guard announced publication in the Federal Register of a final rule for standards for living organisms in shipsï¿½ ballast water discharged into waters of the United States.

The Coast Guard is amending its regulations on ballast water management by establishing a standard for the allowable concentration of living organisms in ballast water discharged from ships in waters of the United States. The Coast Guard is also amending its regulations for engineering equipment by establishing an approval process for ballast water management systems.

ï¿½Once fully implemented, this ballast water discharge standard will significantly reduce the risk of an introduction of aquatic nuisance species into the Great Lakes,ï¿½ said Rear Adm. Michael N. Parks, commander of the Ninth Coast Guard District in Cleveland.

The numerical limits set by the discharge standard in this Final Rule are supported by reports from the National

Academy of Sciences and the EPA Science Advisory

Board in 2011 as the most stringent that vessels can practicably implement and that the Coast Guard can enforce at this time.

Vessels entering the Great Lakes will still be required to fully exchange or flush their ballast tanks with seawater until they are equipped with the approved ballast water treatment systems that meet the discharge standard. All inbound foreign vessels are examined in Montreal by a working group of U.S. and Canadian agencies, including the U.S. Coast Guard, to ensure the ballast tanks are exchanged or flushed as required. Click here to read about the release of the 2011 Ballast Water Working Group annual report

Go to www.archives.gov/federal-register/public-inspection/ and select the option to ï¿½View the Special Filing Document List."

The final rule is effective 90 days after publication in the Federal Register, which is available through the new Federal Digital System at www.gpo.gov/fdsys/.

A new weapon in the fight against zebra mussels: Zequanox

EPA approves biopesticide, safe for native species

Zequanox, manufactured by Marrone Bio Innovations, is a biological product which the company claims can be used to fight off invasive mussels in enclosed systems and infrastructures. According to a statement made by the company, ï¿½Zequanox is the first biopesticide available for controlling zebra and quagga mussels, which are crippling industrial and commercial operations by restricting water flow in heat exchangers, condensers, fire suppression systems, and service and cooling water systems, as well as by damaging other infrastructure and equipment.ï¿½

Zequanox is produced from a naturally occurring microbe (Pseudomas fluorescens) and has been shown to be highly lethal to zebra and quagga mussels, without harming humans, infrastructures, or native species. Mussels recognize the Zequanox as a food source and once it is ingested it quickly destroys the musselï¿½s digestive system.

The bacteria used in Zequanox is so remarkably safe for

native species because it is ï¿½Omnipresent everywhere,ï¿½

according to Dr. Daniel Molloy , ï¿½It is already in the lakes and that is because it lives in soil, and its job is to protect plantï¿½s roots.ï¿½

Zequanoxï¿½s key advantages:

Up to a 90% mortality rate in targeted colonies

Treatments can occur during the workday and can be completed within hoursï¿½without having to schedule downtime

Can be used as a control agent for mussel in all life stages

Effective in broad range of water temperatures

Applies with standard injection equipment

Applicators need only minimal personal protective equipment

Detoxification is NOT required before discharge

Zequanox is noncorrosive and nonvolatile

Constant equipment maintenance is NOT required to ensure efficacy

Zequanox is already slated for testing in several locations across the country. Minnesotaï¿½s Douglas County Lakes Association invited Molloy to begin testing this summer. The tests will begin in power plants

Groups petition EPA for 3^rd time to ban lead in ammo and Fishing tackle

The Center for Biological Diversity has renewed it's petitioning of the Environmental Protection Agency to have lead banned in ammunition. It's a third attempt to get lead banned, and proves the CBD and like-minded groups simply aren't going to give up on getting lead banned.

They've tried twice previously, but this time they've narrowed their application and exempted law enforcement and military from the ban. The new petition erroneously claims that the use of traditional ammunition by hunters is inconsistent with the Toxic Substance Control Act of 1976. The petition goes on to suggest that the use of traditional ammunition poses a danger to human health and wildlife, in particular raptor populations, such as bald eagles, that may feed on entrails of unrecovered game left in the field.

The EPA has told the groups - twice- that the ban isn't something they have the jurisdiction to enact, but that

hasn't stopped them from trying.

In response, the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) is urging all of us to contact our national legislators and voice our support for H.R. 4089, the "Sportsman Heritage Act of 2012". If passed, 4089 would not only protect our hunting, fishing and shooting heritage, it would exclude traditional ammunition and fishing tackle from EPA regulation.

"These relentless and unfounded attacks against traditional ammunition by agenda-driven groups such as the CBD are exactly why Congress must take immediate action and pass the Sportsmen's Heritage Act of 2012," says NSSF Senior Vice President and General Counsel Lawrence G. Keane. "Needlessly restricting or banning traditional ammunition absent sound science will hurt wildlife conservation efforts as fewer hunters take to the field. Let's not forget, hunters and their ammunition have done more for wildlife than the CBD ever will."

USFWS awards $4.2 Million in Grants to Tribes

Conservation Grants to enhance projects that benefit fish and wildlife

WASHINGTON -- The USFWS announced more than $4.2 million in Tribal Wildlife Grants to 23 Native American Tribes in 17 states to fund a wide range of conservation projects ranging from salmon restoration to invasive species control.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has distributed more than $54 million to Native American Tribes through the Tribal Wildlife Grants Program since 2003, providing support for more than 350 conservation projects administered by participating Federally-recognized tribes. The grants provide technical and financial assistance for the development and implementation of projects that benefit fish and wildlife resources and their habitat, including non-game species.

For example, the Miccosukee Tribe of Florida will be a partner in efforts to restore Everglade snail kite habitat on the Miccosukee Reservation and surrounding lands totaling more than 260,000 wetland acres.

The tribe is also pursuing its ability to restore and enhance aquatic habitat for native fisheries, and reduce mercury exposure for Tribal members in the heart of the Florida Everglades, where nearly 90 percent of the waters are covered by consumption bans due to toxic levels of mercury in fish. A $199,000 grant will help the tribe increase its fish-rearing and stocking capability.

Other examples of this yearï¿½s Tribal Wildlife Grants in the Great Lakes Region include:

MICHIGAN

Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians ($199,978)

Development of the Michigan Walleye Population Model for the 1836 Ceded Territory

WISCONSIN

Ho-Chunk Nation ($200,000)

Development of Ho-Chunk Nation Wildlife Management Plan and Native Species Restoration Plan

St. Croix Chippewa ($200,000)

Common Carp Research/Mitigation and Wild Rice Restoration on the Clam River System and Clam

Support of National Right-to-Carry Reciprocity

On March 13, U.S. Senators Mark Begich (D-Alaska) and Joe Manchin (D-W. Va.) introduced S. 2188, the "National Right-to-Carry Reciprocity Act of 2012." The bill is the Senate companion to H. R. 822, which was approved by the U. S. House last November by a vote of 272-154.

S. 2188, like H.R. 822, would allow any person with a valid state-issued concealed firearm permit to carry a concealed handgun in any other state that issues concealed firearm permits, or that does not prohibit the carrying of concealed firearms for lawful purposes. A state's laws governing where concealed handguns may be carried would apply within its borders.

Today 49 states either issue carry permits or otherwise authorize law-abiding people to carry firearms outside the home for self-defense. 41 states have fair "shall issue" permit systems that allow any law-abiding person to get a permit.

In contrast to dire predictions from anti-gun groups, Right-to-Carry laws have been enormously successful.

Interstate reciprocity will serve as a fundamental protection of the right to self-defense by providing people with the ability to protect themselves not only in their home states, but anywhere they travel where carry concealed carry is legal.

Contrary to the false claims of some, these bills would not create federal gun registration or gun owner licensing, nor would they allow any federal agency to establish a federal standard for a carry permit or impose gun control restrictions of any kind.

These bills would have no effect on permitless carry laws, currently on the books in Arizona, Alaska, Wyoming and Vermont, that allow concealed carry without a permit. In addition, Vermont residents would be able to take advantage of S. 2188 and H.R. 822 by obtaining a permit from one of the many states that offer non-resident permits.

Please contact your U.S. Senators today and urge them to cosponsor S. 2188. You can call your U.S. Senators at 202-224-3121, or send them an email by clicking here.

Critical reminder about Gun Safety Rules

With all the recent exciting news concerning the streamlining and expansion of concealed carry rights, itï¿½s important for gun advocates to reinforce the knowledge and common sense that makes CCW not only possible, but socially viable. With the tragic death on March 15 of a 3-year-old child in Tacoma, Washington, which was, in fact, the third recent accidental shooting by a child in the state, CPL holders are reminded of the huge responsibility that comes along with carrying a firearm.

The child was easily able to access a loaded handgun his motherï¿½s boyfriend had quickly stashed under his car seat when he parked at a gas station and exited to start the pump.

The fundamental rules for safe gun handling are:

1. ALWAYS keep the gun pointed in a safe direction

This is the primary rule of gun safety. A safe direction means that the gun is pointed so that even if it were to go off it would not cause injury or damage. The key to this rule is to control where the muzzle or front end of the barrel is pointed at all times. Common sense dictates the safest direction, depending on different circumstances.

2. ALWAYS keep your finger off the trigger until ready to shoot

When holding a gun, rest your finger on the trigger guard or along the side of the gun. Until you are actually ready to fire, do not touch the trigger.

3. ALWAYS keep the gun unloaded until ready to use

Whenever you pick up a gun, immediately engage the safety device if possible, and, if the gun has a magazine, remove it before opening the action and looking into the chamber(s) which should be clear of ammunition. If you do not know how to open the action or inspect the chamber(s), leave the gun alone and get help from someone who does.

When using or storing a gun, always follow these NRA rules:

►Know your target and what is beyond.

Be absolutely sure you have identified your target beyond any doubt. Equally important, be aware of the area beyond your target. This means observing your prospective area of fire before you shoot. Never fire in a direction in which there are people or any other potential for mishap. Think first. Shoot second.

►Know how to use the gun safely

Before handling a gun, learn how it operates. Know its basic parts, how to safely open and close the action and remove any ammunition from the gun or magazine. Remember, a gun's mechanical safety device is never foolproof. Nothing can ever replace safe gun handling.

►Be sure the gun is safe to operate

Just like other tools, guns need regular maintenance to remain operable. Regular cleaning and proper storage are a part of the gun's general upkeep. If there is any question concerning a gun's ability to function, a knowledgeable gunsmith should look at it.

►Use only the correct ammunition for your gun

Only BBs, pellets, cartridges or shells designed for a particular gun can be fired safely in that gun. Most guns have the ammunition type stamped on the barrel. Ammunition can be identified by information printed on the box and sometimes stamped on the cartridge. Do not shoot the gun unless you know you have the proper ammunition.

►Wear eye and ear protection as appropriate

Guns are loud and the noise can cause hearing damage. They can also emit debris and hot gas that could cause eye injury. For these reasons, shooting glasses and hearing protectors should be worn by shooters and spectators.

Never use alcohol or over-the-counter, prescription or other drugs before or while shooting.

Alcohol, as well as any other substance likely to impair normal mental or physical bodily functions, must not be used before or while handling or shooting guns.

►Store guns so they are not accessible to unauthorized persons

Many factors must be considered when deciding where and how to store guns. A person's particular situation will be a major part of the consideration. Dozens of gun storage devices, as well as locking devices that attach directly to the gun, are available. However, mechanical locking devices, like the mechanical safeties built into guns, can fail and should not be used as a substitute for safe gun handling and the observance of all gun safety rules.

Be aware that certain types of guns and many shooting activities require additional safety precautions.

►Cleaning

Regular cleaning is important in order for your gun to operate correctly and safely. Taking proper care of it will also maintain its value and extend its life. Your gun should be cleaned every time that it is used. A gun brought out of prolonged storage should also be cleaned before shooting. Accumulated moisture and dirt, or solidified grease and oil, can prevent the gun from operating properly.

Before cleaning your gun, make absolutely sure that it is unloaded. The gun's action should be open during the cleaning process. Also, be sure that no ammunition is present in the cleaning area.

Regional

Southern Illinois U. wins College Fishing Central Conference

Event on Table Rock Lake

The Southern Illinois University team of Ryan Dunn, Harrisburg, Ill., and Brandon Ringer, Carbondale, Ill., won the National Guard FLW College Fishing Central Conference event on Table Rock Lake Sunday with five bass weighing 17 pounds, 3 ounces. The victory earned the team $5,000. The win also helped them advance to the Central Conference Regional Championship.

ï¿½This was both mine and Brandonï¿½s first time on the lake,ï¿½ said Dunn, a junior biology major. ï¿½We really didnï¿½t know what to expect so we started out fishing on the main lake using jerkbaits. At 10 a.m. we didnï¿½t have a bite so decided that clearly wasnï¿½t working so we moved up into some secondary points and pockets and thatï¿½s when things started to happen for us.

ï¿½We had the boat in about 20 feet of water and were casting to the bank,ï¿½ Dunn continued. ï¿½Most of our fish came on Brown Craw Wiggle Warts. The big one (5-pounder) Brandon caught with the Alabama rig.ï¿½

Less than two weeks ago tornadoes ravished the Branson area forcing this tournament to be rescheduled from March 3 to today. Wind and rain prevailed again today, however, this time they were welcomed by the anglers and according the team from SIU helped improve the bite.

ï¿½We came in to this tournament blind,ï¿½ said Ringer. ï¿½We really didnï¿½t expect to win not having fished here before; I think we got pretty lucky. I was throwing the Alabama rig and that is what we got our kicker fish on. We fished hard all day and never gave-up.

Rounding out the top five teams and advancing to the Central Regional Championship are:

2nd: Winona State University ï¿½ Cade Laufenberg, Stoddard, Wis., and Sam Schollmeier, Rochester, Minn. (five bass, 16-3, $1,500)

3rd: Georgetown College ï¿½ Mike Huff, Corbin, Ky., and Nick Huff, Georgetown, Ky. (five bass, 15-14, $1,000)

4th: Southern Illinois-Edwardsville ï¿½ Justin Skinner, Taylorville, Ill., and Brad Lemasters, Edwardsville, Ill. (five bass, 15-11, $1,000)

5th: Eastern Illinois U ï¿½ Dan Martin, Elmhurst, Ill., and Michael March, Chicago, Ill. (five bass, 14-8, $1,000)

Complete results can be found at www.FLWOutdoors.com

The top five teams from each tournament qualify for the regional championship where the first-place team will win a Ranger 177TR bass boat with a 90-horsepower Evinrude or Mercury outboard wrapped in school colors for their fishing club. The top five teams from each regional tournament advance to the national championship.

College Fishing is free to enter and FLW provides boats and drivers for each competing team along with travel allowances. All participants must be registered, full-time undergraduate students at a four-year college or university and members of a fishing club recognized by their college or university.

The next National Guard FLW College Central Conference tournament is scheduled for May 12 at Kentucky Lake in Gilbertsville, Ky., and is hosted by Marshall County Tourist Commission. Visit www.CollegeFishing.com to sign up or to start a club at your school.

IN DNR gives temporary OK to umbrella rigs

Other regional states do ï¿½ or donï¿½t approve of rig

Indiana DNR has signed a temporary rule that establishes a limit on the number of hooks allowed on a rig or lure array used for sport fishing, essentially making so-called umbrella rigs legal through the remainder of this year. The temporary rule expires on Jan. 1.

The Indiana temporary rule does not apply to trout and salmon streams that are tributaries of Lake Michigan or to the St. Joseph River downstream of the Twin Branch Dam in Mishawaka. The regulations on those waters continue to be limited to one single hook, one harness for use with live bait, or one artificial lure per line. Single hooks, including those on artificial baits, must be no larger than 1/2 inch front point to shank. Double and treble hooks on artificial lures may not exceed 3/8 inch from point to shank. All trout and salmon taken in Indiana must be hooked in the mouth (no foul hooking allowed).

The rig is an umbrella-shaped frame of multiple wires from which lures or hooks are attached. It is designed to resemble a school of baitfish. Professional bass fisherman Paul Elias triggered a frenzy among freshwater anglers when he used a version of the apparatus, The Alabama Rig, to win an FLW Series national tournament in October. Elias caught a 20-fish limit weighing more than 100 lbs to beat his closest challenger by 17 lbs and earn the tournamentï¿½s $100,000 first-place prize.

Technically, the rig is not a lure, but an apparatus that allows an angler to attach and fish up to five lures on a single line, with the possibility of catching more than one fish at a time. It is basically a castable ï¿½umbrellaï¿½ rig, consisting of a hard body with a line-tie, followed by five wire strands in a fanned out design each with a snap swivel at the end. Anglers can attach a variety of lures to each swivel for a look that is meant to mimic a school of baitfish.

In the meantime, states have been scrambling to see if umbrella rigs fall inside or outside of their fishing regulations. The ambiguity with the umbrella rig is whether

it should be defined as one lure with many parts or many

lures on single line.

Other regional state updates

Illinois

The Alabama Rig is both legal and not legal depending on the body of water being fished. The Alabama rig IS legal in those waters in the state that do NOT have the ï¿½2 poles only with no more than 2 hooks or lures per pole regulation.ï¿½

Minnesota

The Alabama Rig is illegal in Minnesota

Michigan

The Alabama rig is legal in Michigan. Castable umbrella rigs like The Alabama Rig are legal in Michigan using up to 6 hooks

New York

It is legal to fish the Alabama Rig in New York with (5) hooked lures. each line is limited to not more than five lures or baits or a combination of both; and in addition, each line shall not exceed fifteen hook points in any combination of single, double or treble hooks.

Ohio

The Alabama Rig may be used with (3) hooked lures. An Alabama Rig or Umbrella Rig, using 5 leaders, is not legal in Ohio. Anglers may only use up to three hooks on each line.

Pennsylvania

The Alabama Rig is legal to use with (3) hooked lures. It is recommended that anglers use spinnerbait blades on the remaining (2) wires to remain legal. No more than three hooks shall be attached to a line used in fishing (one hook having two or three points is considered a ï¿½single hookï¿½). All rods, lines and hooks shall be under the immediate control of the person using them.

Wisconsin

It is legal to use the Alabama Rig with (3) hooked lures. It is unclear if ï¿½teasersï¿½ or spinnerbait blades on the remaining (2) wires would be considered illegal. It is illegal to fish with more than three hooks, baits, or lures.

Ontario

Ontario is one lure per rod , four hooks per line

Check your stateï¿½s regs for recent updates !!

Great Lakes Water Levels for March 16, 2012

WEATHER CONDITIONS

The Great Lakes basin experienced unseasonably warm temperatures this week, which helped to melt any remaining snowpack and ice cover. The Superior, Michigan-Huron and Erie basins recorded some heavy precipitation at the beginning of the week, with over half an inch of precipitation recorded in some areas. Temperatures will remain warm and above seasonal averages into the weekend and early part of next week. Some scattered thunderstorms and showers are possible in the region this weekend, especially in the Erie and Ontario basins.

LAKE LEVEL CONDITIONS

Currently, Lake Superior is 2 inches higher and Lake Michigan-Huron is 7 inches higher than it was last year. Lakes St. Clair, Erie, and Ontario are 8, 12, and 12 inches, respectively, higher than they were at this time last year. Over the next thirty days, Lake Superior is projected to rise 1 inch from its current level and Lake Michigan-Huron is projected to increase 3 inches. The water levels of Lakes St. Clair and Erie are forecasted to increase 1 inch over the next month, while the water level of Lake Ontario is expected to remain at its current level.

FORECASTED MONTHLY OUTFLOWS/CHANNEL CONDITIONS

Lake Superior's outflow through the St. Marys River is projected to be below average for the month of March. Lake Huron's outflow into the St. Clair River and the outflow from Lake St. Clair into the Detroit River are expected to be near average throughout the month of March. Lake

Erie's outflow through the Niagara River and the outflow of

Lake Ontario into the St. Lawrence River are both predicted to be above average in March.

ALERTS

The water levels of Lakes Superior and Michigan-Huron are below chart datum. Lake Superior is forecasted to remain below chart datum until July, and Lake Michigan-Huron is expected to be below chart datum through March. Users of the Great Lakes, connecting channels and St. Lawrence River should keep informed of current conditions before undertaking any activities that could be affected by changing water levels. Mariners should utilize navigation charts and refer to current water level readings.

	Superior	Mich-Huron	St. Clair	Erie	Ontario
Level for March 16	600.13	577.43	574.18	572.08	245.93
Datum, in ft	601.10	577.50	572.30	569.20	243.30
Diff in inches	-12	-1	+23	+35	+32
Diff last month	0	+2	+2	0	-1
Diff from last yr	+2	+7	+8	+12	+12

General

Critical reminder about Gun Safety Rules

The child was easily able to access a loaded handgun his motherï¿½s boyfriend had quickly stashed under his car seat when he parked at a gas station and exited to start the pump.

The fundamental rules for safe gun handling are:

1. ALWAYS keep the gun pointed in a safe direction

2. ALWAYS keep your finger off the trigger until ready to shoot

When holding a gun, rest your finger on the trigger guard or along the side of the gun. Until you are actually ready to fire, do not touch the trigger.

3. ALWAYS keep the gun unloaded until ready to use

When using or storing a gun, always follow these NRA rules:

►Know your target and what is beyond.

►Know how to use the gun safely

►Be sure the gun is safe to operate

Just like other tools, guns need regular maintenance to

remain operable. Regular cleaning and proper storage are a part of the gun's general upkeep. If there is any question concerning a gun's ability to function, a knowledgeable gunsmith should look at it.

►Use only the correct ammunition for your gun

►Wear eye and ear protection as appropriate

Never use alcohol or over-the-counter, prescription or other drugs before or while shooting.

Alcohol, as well as any other substance likely to impair normal mental or physical bodily functions, must not be used before or while handling or shooting guns.

►Store guns so they are not accessible to unauthorized persons

Be aware that certain types of guns and many shooting activities require additional safety precautions.

►Cleaning

Before cleaning your gun, make absolutely sure that it is unloaded. The gun's action should be open during the cleaning process. Also, be sure that no ammunition is present in the cleaning area.

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2nd Amendment Issues

Support of National Right-to-Carry Reciprocity

Interstate reciprocity will serve as a fundamental protection
of the right to self-defense by providing people with the ability to protect themselves not only in their home states, but anywhere they travel where carry concealed carry is legal.

Lake Erie

OH - Anglers Get Early Start to Fishing with the Annual Walleye Run

Daily bag limit is four walleye from March 1 to April 30 with a 15" length limit

COLUMBUS, OH ï¿½ Warm weather and the appearance of migrating walleye in the Maumee and Sandusky rivers has triggered some early fishing opportunities, according to the Ohio DNR.

From March 1 to April 30, anglers are reminded the Lake Erie daily bag limit is four walleye. Anglers are also reminded that there is a year round 15ï¿½ length limit for walleye on Lake Erie and its tributaries to the first dam or designated landmark.

An annual phenomenon in northwest Ohio occurs each spring when a portion of Lake Erieï¿½s walleye population makes their way up the Maumee and Sandusky rivers to spawn in northwest Ohio. Although the fish caught represent a small portion of all Lake Erie walleye, the run brings hundreds of thousands of fish within casting distance of eager shore anglers.

Walleye spawning normally occurs in these rivers anytime from mid-March through mid-April, but the peak activity usually occurs the first week of April when the water temperatures range from 40 to 50 degrees. Moderately-high water also increases the number of walleye in the

rivers, especially if river temperatures are warmer than lake

temperatures.

The best fishing areas in the Maumee River will be from Orleans Park in the city of Perrysburg upstream to the end of Jerome Road in Lucas County. Sandusky River anglers will find greater success from Bradyï¿½s Island to Roger Young Park in the city of Fremont. Fishing is prohibited upstream from Rodger Young Park to the Ballville Dam.

Though most anglers wade in the rivers while fishing for walleyes, some choose to fish from boats. ODNR advises boat anglers to always properly wear life jackets, take precautions against overloading their boats and capsizing, be well dressed to avoid the onset of hypothermia and be prepared to handle any emergency. Boats should never be anchored off the stern.

Special regulations are in effect for Maumee and Sandusky River walleye fisheries during March and April. Fishing is only allowed between sunrise and sunset in specified areas, and treble hooks are prohibited. Anglers may only use a single hook that is no larger than one inch from shank to point. Only fish that are hooked inside the mouth may legally be taken, and any snagged fish must be immediately released. Anglers should refer to ODNRï¿½s regulations pamphlet or contact the Division of Wildlife for additional information.

Ohio makes Water Quality Recommendations to protect Lake Erie

Awareness and Additional Research Needed, 4R Nutrient Management Encouraged

COLUMBUS ï¿½ The Ohio Department of Natural Resources, the Ohio Department of Agriculture and the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency announced their recommendations for reducing excess agricultural nutrients from affecting or entering the western basin of Lake Erie.

The recommendations come after meetings with a diverse working group of Lake Erie stakeholders and agriculture professionals over a six month period.

ï¿½There is no question that there are a variety of factors that are contributing to the increased frequency of harmful algal blooms in Lake Erie, and many of Ohioï¿½s other streams and water resources,ï¿½ said Scott Nally, director of the Ohio EPA. ï¿½Ohioï¿½s agricultural community is not being singled out. With that being said, fertilizer is a contributing source to the problem and thatï¿½s why we felt the need to direct the ag communitiesï¿½ attention to this problem and then take action.ï¿½

ï¿½Our agencies worked with Ohioï¿½s agricultural community to identify the best ways to decrease this nutrient loading into Ohioï¿½s water bodies,ï¿½ said David Daniels, director of the ODA. ï¿½The farmers, private companies, agricultural organizations, agri-businesses, environmental organizations and academic institutions were all asked to provide their best input, ideas, advice and guidance. That was the foundation for developing these initial recommendations.ï¿½

The report establishes the following key recommendations for action by ODNR, ODA and OEPA:

ï¿½ Promote the voluntary ï¿½4R Nutrient Stewardship,ï¿½ which encourages farmers to use the right fertilizer source, at the right rate, at the right time and with the right placement;

ï¿½ Utilize a three-tiered, statewide structure for prioritizing the implementation of any recommendations, based upon the condition of any given watershed in Ohio;

ï¿½ Coordinate research and align funding streams;

ï¿½ Coordinate programmatic funding within OEPA and ODNR;

ï¿½ Coordinate communication and outreach effort to farmers;

ï¿½ Develop a voluntary, statewide ï¿½Certified Nutrient Stewardship Programï¿½ for farmers (ODNR);

ï¿½ Provide ODA authority to better train Ohio farmers about applying commercial fertilizer;

ï¿½ Expand the regulatory authority of ODA to collect more specific geographical data on where fertilizer sales are currently made;

ï¿½ Clarify the authority of ODNR to aggressively pursue habitual bad actors; and

ï¿½ Expand ODNRï¿½s authority to development Nutrient Management Plans.

In addition to continuing to stress the use of the 4R nutrient management methodology, the Ohio Department of Natural Resourcesï¿½ Division of Soil and Water Resources will be tasked with coordinating an extensive education and outreach effort, as well as developing a roadmap for implementing the other policy recommendations going forward.

ï¿½We have two goals: reduce the occurrence of harmful algal blooms in Lake Erie and make sure we protect the regionï¿½s productive agricultural base," said James Zehringer, director of ODNR. "Itï¿½s a complex and challenging problem, and a lot more research needs to be done to fully understand the issue; but these are strong, first steps to move us closer to a healthy Lake Erie.ï¿½

The final report also includes a list of participants, summaries of the discussion points and letters submitted by organizations and individuals who participated in the working group. The complete report is available at http://dnr.ohio.gov/portals/12/docs/waterqualityreport.pdf.

USDA takes steps to improve Lake Erie Water Quality

The $2 million that USDA announced it would set aside from the Environmental Quality Incentives Program will help farmers grow cover crops, keep more fertilizer in the field and take other steps to improve water quality in streams and rivers that feed into Lake Erie.

The announcement is part of an effort to improve water quality and support jobs in the region that are generated through the hunting, fishing, and outdoor recreation industry.

The announcement recognizes the critical role agriculture plays in conserving our natural resources and helps support the millions of jobs that are generated through the hunting, fishing, and outdoor recreation industry. Funds will address the excess amounts of phosphorus that cause blue-green algae to grow intensively in rivers and streams where it limits oxygen concentrations in water, makes water quality improvement more expensive and impacts tourism in surrounding communities.

To read the full announcement - View it as a Web page.

Illinois

Illinois new State Record Walleye

The Illinois IDNR has officially certified the catch of a new state-record walleye ï¿½ the second time the state record has been established this year. On Sunday, March 11, 52 year old James Zimmerman of Beloit, Wisconsin caught a

15.08 pound walleye on the Pecatonica River in Winnebago County. The fish was measured at 31 and 1/2 inches with a girth of 20 and 3/8 inches. Zimmerman caught the fish on a 1/8 ounce Northland Fire-Ball jig.15 year old Nick Tassoni of Rockford caught a 14 pound, 12 ounce walleye on January 7, 2012 on the Pecatonica River between Rockton and Harrison in Winnebago County that eclipsed the former state record 14-pound walleye caught on the Kankakee River in 1961.

Southern Illinois U. wins College Fishing Central Conference

Event on Table Rock Lake

Rounding out the top five teams and advancing to the Central Regional Championship are:

2nd: Winona State University ï¿½ Cade Laufenberg, Stoddard, Wis., and Sam Schollmeier, Rochester, Minn. (five bass, 16-3, $1,500)

3rd: Georgetown College ï¿½ Mike Huff, Corbin, Ky., and Nick Huff, Georgetown, Ky. (five bass, 15-14, $1,000)

4th: Southern Illinois-Edwardsville ï¿½ Justin Skinner, Taylorville, Ill., and Brad Lemasters, Edwardsville, Ill. (five bass, 15-11, $1,000)

5th: Eastern Illinois U ï¿½ Dan Martin, Elmhurst, Ill., and Michael March, Chicago, Ill. (five bass, 14-8, $1,000)

Complete results can be found at www.FLWOutdoors.com

Illinoisï¿½ 2012 Spring Trout Fishing Season Opens April 7

Rainbow Trout stocked at 43 locations statewide

SPRINGFIELD, IL ï¿½ The 2012 spring trout fishing season in Illinois will begin at 5 a.m. on Saturday, April 7. The IDNR stocks more than 60,000 rainbow trout each spring in bodies of water where trout fishing is permitted during the spring season. The Illinois catchable trout program is funded entirely by those who use the program through the sale of inland trout stamps.

Illinois fishing licenses and inland trout stamps are available at DNR Direct license and permit locations, including many bait shops, sporting goods stores and other retail outlets. For a location near you: http://dnr.illinois.gov/DNRDirectMonitor/VendorListing.aspx

Fishing licenses and trout stamps can also be purchased by using a credit card through DNR Direct online via the IDNR website at www.dnr.illinois.gov, or by calling DNR Direct toll-free at 1-888-6PERMIT (1-888-673-7648).

To legally participate in the trout fishing program, anglers must have a valid Illinois fishing license and an inland trout stamp. The annual fishing licenses for the 2012 season are valid through March 31, 2013. Anglers may also purchase a 24-hour Illinois fishing license, which includes trout fishing privileges for the 24-hour period the license is valid. A license is required for fishing in Illinois unless the angler is otherwise exempt (under age 16, blind or disabled, or is an Illinois resident on active military service who is home on leave).

Anglers may not take trout from any of the stocked sites

from March 15 to the opening of the season on April 7 at 5

a.m. Anyone attempting to take trout before the legal opening will be issued citations. During the spring trout season the daily possession limit for trout is five fish.

While the statewide spring trout season opens at 5 a.m. on April 7, anglers are reminded to check in advance for any site-specific regulations and the opening time of their favorite trout fishing location.

For more information about the trout stocking program, contact the IDNR Division of Fisheries at 217/782-6424 or check the web site at www.ifishillinois.org .

Anglers in central Illinois are advised that the catchable trout program which operated previously at the IDOT Lake in Springfield has been relocated to the Southwind Park Pond in Springfield. The pond at Southwind Park offers enhanced public amenities and shoreline access.

In addition, anglers in central Illinois will find that the spring catchable trout program in Bloomington has been temporarily relocated from Miller Park Lake to White Oaks Park Lake. The location was changed because the water level in Miller Park Lake has been lowered by the Bloomington Park District to repair the dam, making shoreline access difficult at Miller Park.

Anglers in northwest Illinois are advised that the catchable trout program operated previously at the Coleta Trout Ponds has been relocated to Centennial Park Lake in Rock Falls.

Concealed Carry Supporters Flood Illinois State Capital

Illinois gun advocates took to the streets in Springfield on Wednesday to, amongst forwarding other pro-firearm goals, show support for a proposed concealed carry law sitting before the state legislature. Illinois is famously the last state in the union which bans the concealed carry of pistols by its citizens, but it took a first step toward changing that on Tuesday when House Bill 5745 passed the House Agriculture and Conservation Committee. HB 5745 would mimic the carry laws of many states by requiring a citizen to take a safety course before obtaining a license from his or her sheriff and ultimately carrying a handgun.

The march, called the Illinois Gun Owners Lobby Day for 2012, was organized by the Illinois State Rifle Association (ISRA), started at the Prairie Capital Convention Center and worked its way to the State Capitol to lobby senators and representatives to support HB 5745 and strike down bills like HB 5167 which would levy a tax on ammunition sales in the state. The stated number of participants at the rally varied widely, with some claiming numbers in the low hundreds to 1,500, and some believing it to be much higher, such as one rally-goer who said, ï¿½As I was there it was estimated that this years crowd was one of the largest ever. It was a march that took 5 blocks to hold and was estimated at near 7,000 people.ï¿½ ISRA states that early estimates place the number at 7,500.

As firearms owners took to the capital building, however,

the offices of several concealed carry law opponents were

found empty, though it is unclear if this was intentional or merely a coincidence. Remaining representativesï¿½ responses to ralliers ranged from handshakes from supporters to rationales against the law from opponents, such as Rep. Mike Zalewski, who was quoted in The Quincy as saying, ï¿½People feel that (concealed carry) is their universal right that has been affirmed by the Supreme Court, but until we address compelling crime prevention issues in Chicago and suburban Cook County I do not believe itï¿½s the right policy for the state of Illinois.ï¿½

In truth, some supporters have been worried about a clause in the bill that allows universities to choose their concealed carry policies while simultaneously holding the institutions liable if a student with a CPL is harmed or killed because they were prevented from carrying on campus. Some feel this may ultimately stymie the already hotly contested bill, such as Rep. Don Moffit, who said plainly, ï¿½That [clause] may not be building support. We want to improve the odds ï¿½ that we can actually get there.ï¿½

Nevertheless, the ISRA considers the rally a victory, as executive Director Richard Pearson noted, ï¿½In short, IGOLD 2012 was a great success ï¿½ an effort of which the organizers should be proud. We are already planning IGOLD 2013, and expect it to be bigger and more effective than ever.ï¿½

2012 Resident Deer Applicationsï¿½Apply Now

Resident Illinois deer hunters can apply online beginning March 13 through April 30 for the first lottery drawings for 2012 Illinois firearm and muzzleloader-only deer season permits through DNR Direct. Just click on the Online Services tab on the IDNR website home page at www.dnr.illinois.gov. Application forms in PDF format will be available online in late March. The first lottery drawings for firearm and muzzleloader-only deer permits are for Illinois residents only.

Application deadline dates

The deadline to apply for the first lottery drawings for 2012 firearm and muzzleloader-only deer perï¿½mits is April 30. Resident hunters can apply in both the firearm and muzzleloader-only lotteries.

Season Dates

Firearm deer seasons are Nov. 16-18 (first season) and Nov. 29-Dec. 2 (second season). The 2012 muzzleloader-only permits may be used Dec. 7-9 (and in the second firearm season, Nov. 29-Dec. 2).

Indiana

DNR gives temporary OK to umbrella rigs

Other regional states do ï¿½ or donï¿½t approve of rig

In the meantime, states have been scrambling to see if umbrella rigs fall inside or outside of their fishing regulations. The ambiguity with the umbrella rig is whether

it should be defined as one lure with many parts or many

lures on single line.

Other regional state updates

Illinois

Minnesota

The Alabama Rig is illegal in Minnesota

Michigan

The Alabama rig is legal in Michigan. Castable umbrella rigs like The Alabama Rig are legal in Michigan using up to 6 hooks

New York

Ohio

The Alabama Rig may be used with (3) hooked lures. An Alabama Rig or Umbrella Rig, using 5 leaders, is not legal in Ohio. Anglers may only use up to three hooks on each line.

Pennsylvania

Wisconsin

Ontario

Ontario is one lure per rod , four hooks per line

Check your stateï¿½s regs for recent updates !!

New DNR firewood rule takes effect

March 17

With camping season approaching, visitors to DNR properties should prepare for the new DNR firewood rule that takes effect Saturday (March 17). The Indiana Natural Resources Commission approved a similar firewood policy last year but adopted it as a permanent rule in January.

The new rule helps protect forests from the 140 known pests and pathogens that currently affect forests. The pests and pathogens are transported from place to place primarily through the movement of firewood.

Under the rule, in-state visitors to state parks, reservoirs, state forests and state fish & wildlife areas can bring firewood from home as long as the bark has been removed. The reason for bark removal is insect larvae live in the sapwood under the bark. Visitors from outside Indiana cannot bring firewood from out of state because of federal emerald ash borer quarantines.

Guests may also bring firewood into DNR properties, if it is:

ï¿½ Kiln-dried scrap lumber.

ï¿½ Purchased outside the property and bears either a USDA compliance stamp or a state compliance stamp. www.in.gov/dnr/entomolo/6413.htm#usda

ï¿½ Purchased from the property campstore or on-site firewood vendor and has a state compliance stamp.

Regardless of where visitors get their firewood, they should burn it all at the campsite before they leave. In short, the firewood rule means: ï¿½Buy it with a stamp, bring it debarked, burn it all.ï¿½

The rule gives DNR staff the ability to confiscate firewood that does not comply, and gives Indiana Conservation Officers the authority to write a warning or citation for violations, with potential fines up to $500 plus court costs.

Michigan

Steelhead egg collection to begin on Little Manistee River

Michigan DNR announced the annual collection of steelhead eggs on the Little Manistee River in Stronach, Mich., will again be taking place this spring. Exact dates will be determined based upon conditions at the river.

Since 1968, the Little Manistee River weir has served as the sole source of winterï¿½run steelhead eggs for fish hatcheries in Michigan, Ohio and Indiana. Yearling steelhead produced through hatchery operations are stocked in tributaries of the Great Lakes. Steelhead provide one of Michiganï¿½s premier sport fishing opportunities for both open-water and stream fishing.

Egg-take operations begin by lowering the weir grates in early March to stop fish migration upstream and to divert steelhead into the facilityï¿½s holding ponds. Usually during the first two weeks of April the fish ripen and egg-take operations begin. These activities continue daily until the established egg quota has been reached.

During egg-take operations, unripe or ï¿½greenï¿½ steelhead are counted and passed upstream to sustain the wild Little Manistee River steelhead run. Steelhead that are spawned during operations are also passed upstream and many will eventually return to Lake Michigan. Once the quota of eggs is reached, the weir grates are removed and all remaining fish are allowed to migrate upstream with no impediments.

Information regarding egg-take days can be obtained by calling the Little Manistee weir hotline at (231) 775-9727, extension 6072. The facility is open to the public for up-close viewing on all days of egg-take operations. Fish can also be observed in the river below the weir at any time.

As a reminder, the Little Manistee River is closed to fishing until April 1. This regulation is in place to ensure enough steelhead make it to the weir for egg-take purposes, and that enough steelhead make it upstream to spawn naturally.

New York

DEC releases draft objectives for Lake Ontarioï¿½s fish community

Plan to Guide Bi-National Management of Lake's Fisheries Resources

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) today released its proposed Fish Community Objectives for Lake Ontario for public review and comment. The comment period ends April 27, 2012.

Lake Ontarioï¿½s fisheries are jointly managed by DEC and the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources (OMNR). DEC and OMNR strive to provide sound management of Lake Ontarioï¿½s fisheries for ecosystem function and recreational benefits.

The draft plan is available at www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/27068.html on the DEC website. The objectives would serve to guide bi-national ecosystem research and management programs including reintroduction and restoration of native species, trout and salmon stocking programs, maintenance of predator-prey balance, and sea lamprey control.

Objectives are outlined in the draft plan for restoring populations of native lake trout, Atlantic salmon, lake sturgeon, lake whitefish and lake herring, and reintroducing species of deepwater cisco that have not been observed in the lake since 1984. The draft plan also provides for the maintenance of diverse trout and salmon fisheries including Chinook and Coho salmon, rainbow trout (steelhead) and brown trout.

The draft plan describes primary goals, objectives and indicators for fish communities in the nearshore, offshore pelagic and offshore benthic ecological zones. It also discusses dramatic, ongoing ecological changes in the lake due to invasive species introductions and how these changes affect Lake Ontarioï¿½s food webs and the fish communities and sport fisheries they support.

Comments may be submitted in writing through April 27, 2012 to the NYSDEC Lake Ontario Fisheries Unit, P.O. Box 292, Cape Vincent, NY 13618 or by e-mail to [email protected].

DEC Invites Hunter Input on 2012 Waterfowl Seasons

Task Forces to help set season dates for Waterfowl Hunting In NY

Hunters are invited to submit recommendations for the dates of the Fall 2012 duck hunting seasons to regional Waterfowl Hunter Task Forces, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation announced today. DEC will evaluate the task force recommendations in setting waterfowl seasons, which must comply with federal rules.

New York is divided into five waterfowl hunting zones: Western, Southeastern, Northeastern, Lake Champlain and Long Island. DEC recently appointed task forces for each zone (except Lake Champlain, see link below) to solicit recommendations for the Fall 2012 hunting seasons, including opening and closing dates, split seasons and a special hunting weekend for youths. Each task force includes representatives from the New York State Conservation Council, established waterfowl hunting organizations and individual waterfowl hunters who were chosen to provide input from diverse points of view.

The recommended dates must be within federal guidelines established by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). For Fall 2012, DEC expects the USFWS to allow a 60-day duck season, split into no more than two segments per zone, opening no earlier than Sep. 22, 2012, and closing no later than Jan. 27, 2013.

Waterfowl hunters can participate by providing season

suggestions to any task force member on, or before March

30, 2012. Names and contact information for all task force members are listed here: www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/42364.html.

Comments can be provided by mail, telephone or e-mail. The task forces will meet in late March and April, and DEC plans to announce tentative duck hunting season dates in June.

Input on hunting seasons for other migratory game birds, including Canada geese, snow geese, brant and woodcock, may be submitted also to any member of DECï¿½s season-setting team. However, due to greater uncertainty about federal regulations for those species, decisions and tentative dates will probably not be known until later in the summer.

Waterfowl seasons in the Lake Champlain Zone will continue to be set by the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Management Board, with input from DEC and waterfowl hunters in New York and Vermont. Although there is no formal task force for this zone, hunters can send their suggestions to any DEC season-setting team member on the attached list.

Descriptions of New York Stateï¿½s waterfowl hunting zones can be found on the DEC website at www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/28497.html and are listed in DECï¿½s Waterfowl Hunting Seasons and Regulations brochure. The tentative waterfowl hunting season dates will be posted on the DEC website and announced in June.

Ohio

Anglers Get Early Start to Fishing with the Annual Walleye Run

Daily bag limit is four walleye from March 1 to April 30 with a 15" length limit

COLUMBUS, OH ï¿½ Warm weather and the appearance of migrating walleye in the Maumee and Sandusky rivers has triggered some early fishing opportunities, according to the Ohio DNR.

rivers, especially if river temperatures are warmer than lake temperatures.

Placing trees to create more fishing hotspots

Recycled holiday trees will yield big results

Thanks to a partnership between the Mahoning County Green Team and the Ohio Division of Wildlife, anglers across Northeast Ohio can find a few more ï¿½hot spotsï¿½ this year.

This past winter, crews from the Ohio Division of Wildlife placed a total of 948 structures consisting of recycled holiday trees. These trees will be excellent spots for crappie and other panfish, and they should be fishable for several years. ï¿½This year was, by far, the largest tree project that we have been involved with,ï¿½ says Matt Wolfe, fisheries biologist who oversees this project for the Division of Wildlife. ï¿½Along with our partners, we recycled over 2,200 trees. Thatï¿½s about 55 tons of material that will be used to help shorten the time between bites for anglers,ï¿½ added Wolfe.

Locations and GPS coordinates:

Lake Milton (Mahoning County)

GPS Coordinates	Location
N 41^o 5ï¿½ 52.3ï¿½ / W 80^o 58ï¿½ 37.5ï¿½ to N 41^o 5ï¿½ 49.3ï¿½ / W 80^o 58ï¿½ 35.9ï¿½	North of the lighthouse along the State Park access.
N 41^o 6ï¿½ 0.7ï¿½ / W 80^o 58ï¿½ 40.1ï¿½	Far east I-76 bridge pilings
N 41^o 7ï¿½ 33.9ï¿½ / W 80^o 58ï¿½ 48.5ï¿½ to N 41^o 7ï¿½ 32.3ï¿½ / W 80^o 58ï¿½ 50.5ï¿½	Underneath the walking bridge near dam
N 41^o 6ï¿½ 32.2ï¿½ / W 80^o 59ï¿½ 6.4ï¿½	Jersey Street pier and launch
N 41^o 7ï¿½ 15.0ï¿½ / W 80^o 58ï¿½ 46.5ï¿½	South of beach around the fishing pier

Berlin Reservoir (Mahoning/Portage/Stark counties)

GPS Coordinates	Location
N 40^o 59ï¿½ 44.6ï¿½ / W 81^o 0ï¿½ 55.0ï¿½ to N 40^o 59ï¿½ 43.5ï¿½ / W 81^o 0ï¿½ 52.3ï¿½	Far east end of Wagner Road
N 41^o 1ï¿½ 5.1ï¿½ / W 81^o 1ï¿½ 28.3ï¿½ to N 41^o 1ï¿½ 3.1ï¿½ / W 81^o 1ï¿½ 27.7ï¿½ to N 41^o 1ï¿½ 2.1ï¿½ / W 81^o 1ï¿½ 32.3ï¿½	East of the dead end at Diver Road
N 41^o 2ï¿½ 22.7ï¿½ / W 81^o 0ï¿½ 29.6ï¿½ to N 41^o 2ï¿½ 15.6ï¿½ / W 81^o 0ï¿½ 29.5ï¿½	Around the point of the Berlin Work Unit
N 41^o 1ï¿½ 22.0ï¿½ / W 81^o 0ï¿½ 13.8ï¿½ to N 41^o 1ï¿½ 22.7ï¿½ / W 81^o 0ï¿½ 16.6ï¿½ to N 41^o 1ï¿½ 24.3ï¿½ / W 81^o 0ï¿½ 16.1ï¿½	NW side of the causeway
N 41^o 1ï¿½ 2.0ï¿½ / W 80^o 59ï¿½ 13.8ï¿½ to N 41^o 1ï¿½ 6.0ï¿½ / W 80^o 59ï¿½ 13.0ï¿½	Bay next to Bedell Road
N 41^o 1ï¿½ 0.4ï¿½ / W 80^o 59ï¿½ 17.4ï¿½ to N 41^o 1ï¿½ 8.1ï¿½ / W 80^o 59ï¿½ 19.9ï¿½	North of USACE auxillary launch.
N 41^o 2ï¿½ 5.3ï¿½ / W 81^o 0ï¿½ 37.5ï¿½	Back of the bay near Bonner Road.
N 40^o 59ï¿½ 58.6ï¿½ / W 81^o 1ï¿½ 20.7ï¿½ to N 41^o 1ï¿½ 2.2ï¿½ / W 81^o 1ï¿½ 21.4ï¿½	Along Portage Hike and Bike Trail
N 41^o 2ï¿½ 4.8ï¿½ / W 81^o 0ï¿½ 31.4ï¿½ to N 41^o 2ï¿½ 5.1ï¿½ / W 81^o 0ï¿½ 33.7ï¿½	South of Bonner Road launch

Wisconsin

New tools can help make 2012 fishing easier, more fun

MADISON ï¿½ Anglers planning their Wisconsin fishing trips for 2012 in Wisconsin can reel in two new free resources to help put them on to more fishing fun this summer, state fisheries officials say. Get tips and tactics for catching catfish, like this 65.5 lb and 49.5" flathead captured by DNR fish crews in fall 2011 on the Lower Wisconsin River.

The 2012 Wisconsin Fishing Report is a 16-page compilation of fishing forecasts submitted by DNR fisheries biologists for many popular waters statewide. The forecasts share information about the number and sizes of fish state fish crews found on the particular waters, as well as habitat improvement and access projects that help make it easer to fish in those areas. The report is available on the DNR website (search keywords ï¿½fishing reportï¿½) and printed copies of the report are available at DNR service centers statewide.

And, new this year anglers can download and print off a color calendar with photographs of Wisconsin fish species, important fishing dates; moon phases; game fish

identification tips; and monthly forecasts. The calendar is available on the DNR website (search keyword ï¿½fishingï¿½ and then click on the ï¿½plan your tripï¿½ button on the right).

ï¿½Wisconsin's a great place to fish, whether you're looking to stay local or travel,ï¿½ says Karl Scheidegger, fisheries outreach leader for the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. ï¿½These are resources that can make your fishing easier by helping you find the areas you might want to fish and when to fish them.ï¿½

Scheidegger notes that the fishing report, produced every year by DNR's fisheries and communication staff for the last decade or so, contains forecasts for more areas than ever, as well as a special focus on fishing for catfish, including tips on what gear to use, how to use it, and when and where to find the fish.

ï¿½Based on the feedback we've gotten over the years on the fishing report, we've tried to provide more of the forecasts so people have the opportunity to learn more about other places to fish, and we are concentrating each year on either a geographic region or a fish species, and this year, the cats get their due.ï¿½

April 9 spring hearings offer a smorgasbord of issues Crane hunt, recycling, wetlands, motor trolling, year-round fishing

MADISON ï¿½ Hunting for sandhill cranes, restoring recycling funding to local communities, allowing year-round fishing and statewide motor trolling, and removing local wetland permitting authority are among the natural resources topics citizens can weigh in on April 9 during the annual spring hearings at locations statewide.

Attendees also will be able to share their suggestions for meeting Gov. Scott Walker's call for recommendations to simplify hunting, fishing and trapping rules and to reduce barriers to getting more people outside to hunt, fish and trap.

ï¿½The spring hearings are a great chance to let us know the direction you want the state to go on a broad range of natural resource issues,ï¿½ says Department of Natural Resources Secretary Cathy Stepp. ï¿½Our job is to be the listener and not the teller.ï¿½

There are 72 public meetings, one in each county throughout the state, starting at 7 p.m. April 9. They are hosted by DNR and the Wisconsin Conservation Congress, the agency's main advisory board for natural resources rule making. A list of meeting locations and a booklet with the questions attendees can vote on is available on the DNR website (search keywords ï¿½spring hearingsï¿½) and at DNR service centers.

The informational hearings have four main parts for attendees: electing county delegates to the Wisconsin Conservation Congress; voting on DNR fisheries and wildlife questions; voting on resolutions from citizens and advisory questions from Congress members, and finally, new this year, participants can share their ideas at a town hall aimed at meeting the governor's request.

DNR questions now advisory under Act 21

This year, DNR questions are advisory only, reflecting changes made as a result of Act 21, a law passed in 2011 that changes state agency rule-making processes. Now, questions on specific rule proposals will be presented in odd-numbered calendar years; under Act 21, review of state rule changes by lawmakers is now limited to when the Legislature is in session.

Fishing issues bulk of DNR questions

In 2012, DNR questions pertain to hunting, fishing and trapping, with the bulk of questions aimed at gauging attendees' sentiments on how to simplify fishing rules, now contained in six separate regulation pamphlets.

ï¿½The governor asked us to look at simplifying our regulations so we are asking some questions to generate discussion of longstanding tools we've used to manage fish

populations and fishing,ï¿½ says Mike Staggs, DNR fisheries

director. ï¿½Our fisheries questions are general proposals so we know the way that anglers want us to go.ï¿½

Attendees, for example, can weigh in on whether to allow year-round fishing if DNR finds that closing seasons for certain species for part of the year -- traditionally done now on most waters -- is not biologically necessary to protect fish populations.

They'll also be asked whether to adopt a single statewide musky season, instead of having different seasons for the state fish in northern and southern Wisconsin.

Other questions would allow anglers to weigh in on whether motor trolling is allowed statewide, and if DNR should eliminate separate stamps and tags required for inland or Great Lakes trout fishing and pursuing sturgeon and instead roll those costs into the annual license fee.

Among the wildlife questions being asked are ones seeking permanent adoption of a two-period bobcat hunting and trapping season with permit applicants being required to select either the early or the late season; updating licensing requirements for hunting guides; and, expanding open water hunting opportunities for waterfowl.

Congress questions cover a broad range of natural resource topics

This year, as every year, study committees of the Conservation Congress have proposed questions to get feedback from the public on a wide variety of issues. The questions range from asking if people support legislation authorizing a hunt for sandhill cranes, to restoring recycling funding to local communities, to changing which level of government has responsibility for construction erosion and wetland permitting.

All Congress advisory questions are a result of citizen resolutions that were presented and supported at the previous year's spring hearings, as well as Congress study committee proposals, says Rob Bohmann, who chairs the Conservation Congress.

ï¿½It's important to recognize the process by which citizens have an impact on the rule-making process,ï¿½ Bohmann says. ï¿½Now more than ever it's important for the citizens of Wisconsin who care about the environment, fishing, hunting, trapping and other outdoor pursuits, to be an active participant in shaping the future of how we're able to protect and enjoy Wisconsin's resources.ï¿½

Bohmann encourages people to stay for the Town Hall and provide ideas and feedback to help shape into recommendations to the governor on how to simplify regulations and eliminate barriers to hunting and fishing participation. People not able to stay for this session can submit written comments on the form in the questionnaire booklet and turn those in.

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