• Exercise may help stave off Alzheimer�s

• Best Areas for Shore-Bound Crappie Fishing

• World record snakehead confirmed in Virginia

• Nearly 3,900 New Maps in Time for Summer

• Weekly Great Lakes Water Levels for Aug 9

• GI Bill Reminders

• Firearm Deer Permits

• More on Illinois hunting opportunities

• Becoming an Outdoors Woman Workshop Sept 27-29

• New Hunting and Trapping Digest

• State owned surplus land available at auction

• Fall duck and goose seasons

• DEC Changes to bighead carp regulations

• Other Breaking News

Exercise may help stave off Alzheimer�s

Courtesy of the University of Maryland

Moderate exercise seems to im�prove memory function in people at risk for Alzheimer�s disease, possibly helping to ward off symptoms of the memory-robbing illness, scientists have found.

�No study has shown that a drug can do what we showed is possible with exercise,� said study leader J. Car�son Smith of the University of Maryland. The researchers studied people with a condition considered a risk factor for Alzheimer�s: mild cognitive impairment, or MCI, which signals an age-associated memory loss that�s greater than nor�mal.

"After 12 weeks of being on a moderate exercise program, study participants improved their neural efficiency � basically they were using fewer neural [brain] resources to perform the same memory task,� said Smith. The findings are published in the Jour�nal of Alzheimer�s Disease.

Two groups of physically in�active older adults ranging from 60-88 years old were put on a 12-week exercise program that focused on regular treadmill walking, guided by a personal trainer. Both groups � one with MCI and the other with healthy brain function � improved their

cardiovascular fitness by about 10 percent, the study found. Both also improved memory performance and showed enhanced �neural efficiency� during memory tasks.

The results were achieved with exercise consistent with the physical activity recommendations for older adults, the scientists said. These call for moderate intensity exercise (activity that increases your heart rate and makes you sweat, but isn�t so strenuous that you can�t hold a conversation while doing it) on most days for a weekly total of 150 minutes.

The exercise intervention was also found to improve word recall via a �list learning task.� In this, people were read a list of 15 words and asked to remember and repeat as many words as possible on five consecutive attempts, and again after a distraction of being given another list of words.

�People with MCI are on a very sharp decline in their memory function, so being able to improve their recall is a very big step in the right direction,� Smith said. The results suggest that exercise may reduce the need for over-activation of the brain to correctly remember something, he added.

Best Areas for Shore-Bound Crappie Fishing

by Ray Rudolph

You don�t need a boat to catch early fall crappies, just a good plan of action. It can be as relaxing or adventurous as you want it to be. Here are the three best areas to focus on to catch a stringer of crappies from the bank.

Way Up The Creek

�I grew up walking creeks,� says crappie guide Barry Morrow. �I�m talking about the uppermost areas of creeks. Most have access within a short walking distance. Access will often be from a backroad or where a bridge crosses the creek. Some have parks or picnic areas that provide easy access. Public lands are best because you must have permission if you walk private land.�

He moves along in search of laydowns, old stumps or other cover where fish might hide. His weapon of choice is an 11-foot pole, 12-pound test Silver Thread line and a 1/4-ounce jighead with a Lindy Fat Watsit body. He agrees that most fishermen are more comfortable with a lighter-weight jighead, but that extra weight allows better sensitivity to feel the bottom, brush and bites.

�Start at the outside edges of brush or laydowns and work toward the inside,� says Morrow. �The best bite is usually in the heart of the cover, but you can pick off aggressive fish from the edges without disturbing those deep in the thick stuff. Every piece of cover has a sweet spot and you�ll soon learn a pattern where most of these are located.�

His technique requires both hands. Hold the pole in one hand and the line in the other. Pull the jig up to the tip, push the bait where you want it and then drop the jig by slowly moving your free hand toward the pole. Keep dropping it until you feel bottom or reach the strike zone. Controlling the line with your free hand is very important to this style of fishing. Because the rod is often confined within the branches of a laydown tree or bush, use that free hand to set the hook, pull the crappie almost to the tip then back it out.

Spillways for Crappie and More

Spillways damming man-made reservoirs are crappie guide Todd Huckabee�s favorite spots for summertime shore fishing. �Late summer is the perfect time,� he said. �The lake becomes a little stagnate in late summer with the thermocline, low oxygen levels and water temperature all being stressful on the fish. But in the spillway the water will be cooler and dissolved oxygen levels are great. The fish feel better and are more active.�

He says with fairly uniform oxygen levels throughout the water column of a

spillway, crappie can be at any depth. Every spillway is different so there are no �cookie cutter� spots that work everywhere. However, he says two important features, current and eddies, are present at all spillways.

 ï¿½Many fishermen use a cast and retrieve tactic, but their baits don�t stay in the strike zone long enough. I use a float like the Wobble Bobber to stay above the rocks and to find the eddies. Once a float gets in an eddy it will circle around, which is perfect because the eddy is where baitfish and predator fish are holding. The bite usually happens quickly.�

Equipment includes his signature series 10-foot spinning rod, a float and a YUM F2 Wooly Beavertail jig. He prefers using one jig but says a tandem jig rig is fine if you prefer. �My best tip: Don�t overlook shallow water,� he said. �Since oxygen levels are the same everywhere, spillway crappie may be very shallow where it is easier for them to ambush food. �Another great thing about a spillway is you might catch a pound crappie, and on the next cast a white bass, then a 3-pound walleye, a northern or one of the many other species there. Spillway fishing is a lot of fun.�

Surprising Docks

Boat docks are well known crappie magnets, but most boating crappie anglers hit the fronts and maybe halfway down the sides. During summer, especially early and late in the day, the bank-side of docks can be more productive. �Fish can be at many different locations on a dock but the backside can have the right depths and cover for this time of year,� said Morrow. �Fishing from the bank will put you in the action.�

Morrow casts and pitches using 7- or 10-foot poles spooled with 6- or 8-pound test Silver Thread line. The shorter pole is good for casting and flipping while the 10-foot Huckabee spinning rod is good for vertical dipping, pitching and casting.

Rigs can vary based upon your favorite baits. Morrow says his choice easy. �I use a Lindy Crappie Cork because I can fish any depth by adjusting it up or down and I can cast it for distance and accuracy. Under the float I like a 1/16-ounce Fuzzy Grub or 1/8-ounce Watsit jig in a natural color. Green pumpkin has always worked well for me in late summer. If the water is super-clear or the fish run on the small side, use a smaller jig.

�I target brushpiles and cover near the backsides of the docks. Sometimes you can see them but most of the time you�ll have to find them by retrieving your bait between the dock and bank. Keep raising the slip float to put the bait deeper until you find cover.�

World record snakehead confirmed in Virginia

Caleb Newton, a Spotsylvania County, VA resident, plumber and die-hard fisherman, has snagged a world record.

Within a few days, the Stafford County native will be able to hang the evidence on the wall�a certificate from the International Game Fish Association, confirming he caught a 17 pound, 6 ounce monster northern snakehead in Aquia Creek on June 1.  The previous record, 17 pounds, 4 ounces, was caught in Miki Kagawa, Japan in 2004.

 ï¿½His record has been approved and we�ll be sending the certificate later

 this week or early next week,� Jack Vitek, world-record coordinator for the Florida-based IGFA, said Monday.

Vitek said that Newton will actually have two world records: the all-tackle record for the northern snakehead�a predatory invasive fish that has spread from the Potomac River to other Chesapeake Bay rivers�and the record for the 20-pound line class.  The world-record certificate is the same one sent to IGFA record holders  on more than 1,000 fish species.

Newton, 27, was fishing with Stafford buddy Phil Wilcox on Aquia Creek that day, in a tournament with 15 other boats.

To read the full article:  World record snakehead caught in Virginia

Nearly 3,900 New USGS Maps in Time for Summer

New maps include IN, IA, NC, PA, and VA Virginia are now available online for free download

To keep pace with a rapid schedule and increasing demand, the USGS has posted new US Topo quadrangles covering Indiana(640 maps), Iowa (1,011 maps), North Carolina (833 maps), Pennsylvania (798 maps) and Virginia (596 maps) online.

These new quads replace the first edition US Topo maps for those states. The replaced maps will be added to the USGS Historical Topographic Map Collection and are also available for free download from The National Map and the USGS Map Locator & Downloader website.

 "The newly redesigned US Topo maps are visually appealing, especially with the addition of the shaded relief layer", explained Bob Davis, the new US Topo Project Manager. "The addition of shaded relief and other design components demonstrate our commitment to improving the product to meet our users� needs. I encourage you to download these maps, compare them against previous US Topo maps and drop us your comments. We value your input."

US Topo maps now have a crisper, cleaner design - enhancing readability of maps for online and printed use. Map symbols are easier to read over the digital aerial photograph layer whether the imagery is turned on or off. Improvements to symbol definitions (color, line thickness, line symbols, area fills), layer order, and annotation fonts are additional features of this supplemental release. Users can now adjust the transparency for some features and layers to increase visibility of multiple competing layers.

US Topo maps are updated every three years, with the initial round completed last September. Maps for Hawaii are currently in production with Alaska production starting later this year.

Re-design enhancements and new features:

● Crisper, cleaner design improves online and printed readability while retaining the look and feel of traditional USGS topographic maps

●New functional road classification schema has been applied

● A slight screening (transparency) has been applied to some features to enhance visibility of multiple competing layers

● Updated free fonts that support diacritics

● New PDF Legend attachment

● Metadata formatted to support multiple browsers

● New shaded relief layer for enhanced view of the terrain

● Military installation boundaries, post offices and cemeteries

U.S. Topo maps are created from geographic datasets in The National Map, and deliver visible content such as high-resolution aerial photography, which was not available on older paper-based topographic maps. The new US Topo maps provide modern technical advantages that support wider and faster public distribution and on-screen geographic analysis tools for users.

The new digital electronic topographic maps are delivered in GeoPDF image software format and may be viewed using Adobe Reader, available as a no cost download.  For more info: http://nationalmap.gov/ustopo/

Weekly Great Lakes Water Levels for Aug 9 

WEATHER CONDITIONS

Lower than average temperatures prevailed in the Great Lakes basin last weekend and early this workweek. However, temperatures were generally at or slightly above average on Tuesday and Wednesday. Some significant precipitation fell in the Great Lakes on Tuesday and Wednesday.  So far for the month of August, all of the Great Lakes are above their average precipitation amounts.  Most of the region will see temperatures near seasonal averages over the next several days. There is a strong chance of showers throughout the region through Friday, followed by partly sunny skies for most of the weekend.

LAKE LEVEL CONDITIONS

The water levels of Lakes Superior and Michigan-Huron are 7 and 4 inches respectively, above their levels from this time last year.  Lakes St. Clair, Erie, and Ontario are 6, 9, and 14 inches, respectively, above their levels of a year ago.  Over the next month, Lake Superior is forecasted to remain near its current level and Lake Michigan-Huron is expected to decline 1 inch.  Lake St. Clair is expected to fall 2 inches over the next month while lakes Erie and Ontario are predicted to fall 5 and 7 inches, respectively. 

FORECASTED MONTHLY OUTFLOWS/CHANNEL CONDITIONS

Lake Superior�s outflow through the St. Marys River is projected to be above average for the month of August.  Lake Huron�s outflow into the St. Clair River and the outflow from Lake St. Clair into the Detroit River are

also expected to be below average throughout the month of August. 

Lake  Erie�s outflow through the Niagara River is predicted to be near average and the outflow of Lake Ontario into the St. Lawrence River is expected to be below average in August.

ALERTS

Official records are based on monthly average water levels and not daily water levels.  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.

GI Bill Reminders

Attention Army Veteran:

Your service in the Army gives you a huge advantage. The GI Bill and VA Loan can save you thousands and set you up for a better future. Don't let these benefits go to waste.

1. Use your $417K VA Loan and pay $0 down

Lock in the lowest rates in history with your VA Loan Benefit. Buy or

Refinance with $0 Down and No PMI. Find Lenders ready to help you use the VA Loan.

2. Schools with VA approved Programs

Many schools offer credit for military training and experience. Plus, the GI Bill is worth up to $52,500. Search Schools with VA-approved Programs.

New Hunting and Trapping Digest

The Illinois Digest of Hunting and Trapping Regulations 2013-2014 edition is now available to view online in PDF format through

the IDNR website at this link: www.dnr.illinois.gov/hunting/Documents/HuntTrapDigest.pdf

Firearm Deer Permits

Permit applications will be accepted from Aug. 13 through Sept. 9 for random daily drawings for 2013 Illinois firearm and muzzleloader deer

permits.  For details, check the IDNR website at www.dnr.illinois.gov/hunting/deer.

More on Illinois hunting opportunities

Resident Archery Deer and Fall Turkey Permits

Resident combination archery deer permits, resident antlerless-only archery deer permits, and resident archery fall turkey hunting permits are now available over-the-counter from DNR Direct license and permit vendors.  Find a vendor near you at this link: http://dnr.illinois.gov/DNRDirectMonitor/VendorListing.aspx

Non-Resident Deer and Turkey Permits

The remaining non-resident 2013 Illinois combination archery deer permits, as well as non-resident antlerless-only archery deer permits and non-resident archery fall turkey permits are now available over-the-counter (OTC) from DNR Direct license and permit vendors.  Find a vendor near you at this link: http://dnr.illinois.gov/DNRDirectMonitor/VendorListing.aspx

Youth Deer Permits

Resident and non-resident Illinois Youth Firearm Deer permits are available over-the-counter (OTC) from DNR Direct license and permit vendors, by phone at 1-888-673-7648 (1-888-6PERMIT), or online at www.dnr.illinois.gov through Aug. 31 (OTC only after Aug. 31).  The Youth Deer Hunt is Columbus Day weekend, the second weekend in October.

Upland Game Permits

Hunters may apply through Aug. 31 for the Illinois 2013 Free Upland Game Hunt Permit program.  Applications must be made online at www.dnr.illinois.gov/hunting/uplandgame

Controlled Pheasant Permits

Information is now available online for hunters to apply for 2013-14 Illinois controlled pheasant hunting opportunities available at 19 IDNR sites.  Fifteen of the sites are operated by the IDNR, while four other sites are managed by concessionaire T. Miller, Inc.  For application information, check the IDNR website at www.dnr.illinois.gov or www.tmillerinc.com.

Public Duck and Goose Hunting Area Permits

Resident hunters may apply online from Aug. 13-27 for the first lottery for the Illinois 2012 Public Duck and Goose Hunting Area Permit program.  The second lottery deadline will be Sept. 10 for those unsuccessful resident applicants from the first lottery, residents who didn�t apply in the first lottery, and non-residents.

The third lottery deadline will be Sept. 24.  All initial applications must be made online at www.dnr.illinois.gov/hunting/waterfowl/Pages/OnlinePermitApplication.aspx

Becoming an Outdoors Woman Workshop Sept 27-29

The IDNR invites women to register for the upcoming �Becoming an Outdoors Woman� workshop, Sept. 27-29 at Pere Marquette State Park, Grafton.  BOW workshops are designed to provide introductory instruction in 25 outdoor related activities. Classes are conducted in a casual and non-competitive atmosphere by experienced instructors.  The

cost is $165 per person, which includes the workshop, meals, lodging and transportation during the event.

Registration is limited, so sign up today.  For workshop and registration materials: www.dnr.state.il.us/lands/Landmgt/Bow.

(Click on title or URL to read full article)

Lake Huron fishing issue resolved )
There's been a lot of talk recently in the Kincardine area about sport fishing and Native commercial fishing and if the two could co-exist. The local Tourism Table is addressing the issues.

Walleyes well-stocked in Michigan lakes
While the audible walleye conversation usually focuses on the large lobe of Lake Huron, there are increasing whispers about walleyes from nearby inland waters.

Ohio starts projects to protect Lake Erie from Asian carp
Efforts focus on the Portage Lakes, Grand Lake St. Marys and Little Killbuck Creek.

Great Lakes loons dying in record numbers from botulism outbreak spurred by ecological disturbance
The Common Loon is dying at an alarming rate. The fact that they�re dying is troubling, but the cause is downright scary. Most readers are familiar with the loon, but here�s a brief description for those who are unfamiliar with these gorgeous diving birds.