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Cabela�s announces plans for Kalispell, Mont., Outpost Store
Cabela�s plan to open a Cabela�s Outpost Store in Kalispell, Mont.  Construction on the 42,000-sq ft location is scheduled to begin in spring 2013 and Cabela�s expects to open the store in the fall of 2013. It will be Cabela�s second store in Montana, joining the Billings location.

Cabela�s anticipates the store will employ about 75 full-time, part-time and seasonal employees. It will be located near W Reserve Drive along U.S. Route 93. The area also includes Lowe�s, Costco, The Home Depot, Best Buy and Target, among other businesses.

Designed for efficiency, flexibility and convenience, Cabela�s Outposts will serve customers in markets of less than 250,000 across North America. The Kalispell location will feature a Core-Flex floor plan allowing products to be rotated seasonally, as well as a rugged outdoor look and feel. It will

include innovative digital signage and the same quality products and customer service for which Cabela�s is famous.

Customers in Kalispell will be treated to the unique Cabela�s shopping experience with access to Cabela�s thousands of outdoor products via online order kiosks, as well as free shipping with an In-Store Pickup program. In-Store Pickup allows customers to order Cabela�s gear ahead of time and pick it up at their convenience at the store of their choice.

Currently, Cabela�s operates 39 stores across the United States and Canada. The company will open its first Cabela�s Outpost store Oct. 4 in Union Gap, Wash., and has announced plans to open another in Saginaw, Mich., in 2013. Additionally, Cabela�s has announced plans to open 10 next-generation stores, ranging from about 80,000- to 100,000-square-feet, by the end of 2014.

Flare Down by Grate Chef

For outdoors Grilling � a grease Fire stopping, Food Safe Spray

A unique and very useful outdoors grilling/cooking product that outdoor chefs will definitely be interested in. Called the Flare Down, it is an all-natural, 100% food safe spray that quickly and safely neutralizes outdoor barbecue grill grease flare ups. 

No more trying to use water or letting the food burn.  Flare Down puts the fire out without ruining the flavor of the food or soaking it with toxic chemicals. 

Flare Down is an all-natural, 100% food safe spray that quickly and safely neutralizes outdoor barbecue grill grease flare ups that can burn food or cause injury to people nearby.  Fire experts have always warned that water should never be used on a grease fire. 

Flare Down is the only product on the market that can stop a grease flare 

up and keep food from burning without toxic chemicals or ruining the flavor of the food.  It can be used on any grill, gas or charcoal.  Flare Down is completely non-toxic, does not leave any taste or odor on the food, is FDA-approved and made in the USA. 

The Grate Chef team has over 40 years combined experience in the foodservice and retail food sales business. Most products from Grate Chef are consumer-friendly versions of �methods� that have been used by the restaurant industry for years. They make it practical for you to achieve the same professional results that many executive chefs would prefer we keep locked in secrecy.

See video of it in action at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qOJffIZ2OI8. 

About $5.99

877-900-8415   [email protected]   www.gratechef.com

Budget Law will freeze Sport Fish Restoration Fund
Unprecedented move will impact economy and fisheries conservation

Alexandria, VA - September 24, 2012 � On September 14, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) released its recommendations for budget cuts that include withholding parts of the Sport Fish Restoration and Boating Trust Fund, a move that would have a significant impact on fisheries conservation and the jobs it supports. OMB�s action was triggered by the failure of the Congress and the Administration to enact a plan to reduce the deficit by $1.2 trillion, as required by the Budget Control Act of 2011.

�The angling and boating community was shocked to learn that for the first time in its 62-year history, the Sport Fish Restoration and Boating Trust Fund � the backbone of fisheries conservation in the United States - is recommended for a cut under sequestration totaling $34 million,� said Gordon Robertson, vice president of the American Sportfishing Association.

Robertson further said, �This conservation trust fund, established in 1950 with the support of industry, anglers and state conservation agencies, is an outstanding example of what good government should be and is the backbone of the user-pay model of funding conservation in this nation. It is essential that it remain untouched. The sportfishing and boating communities are ready to work with Congress and the Administration to solve this problem.�

The Sport Fish Restoration Act of 1950 placed a federal excise tax on all recreational fishing equipment, which manufacturers pay and is then incorporated into the cost of the equipment that anglers purchase. In 1984 the Act was amended to include that part of the federal gasoline fuel tax attributable to motor boat use. The total annual value of the Trust Fund is approximately $650 million. The monies from the fund are apportioned to state conservation agencies for sport fish restoration, boating safety, angler and boater access and other fishing and boating programs.

�When anglers and boaters pay the equipment tax or the fuel tax they are doing so with the understanding that this money is going to a trust fund dedicated - by law - to the resources they enjoy,� said Robertson. �Withholding funds from this essential program at a time when state fishery programs are already struggling to ensure the best quality service to anglers and resource management will only cause fishery resources to suffer even more and cause job losses associated with the loss of recreation fishing boating programs. The sportfishing and boating industries as well as anglers and boaters themselves fail to understand how cutting a user-pay trust fund helps the economy.�

Recreational fishing adds $125 billion each year to the nation�s economy and supports more than one million jobs. Since its inception, the Sport Fish Restoration Act has pumped $7 billion into habitat restoration, access and boating safety programs.

The Sport Fish Restoration and Boating Trust Fund�s older sibling, the Wildlife Restoration Act of 1936, after which the Sportfish Trust Fund was patterned, is slated for a $31 million freeze. That Act is funded by hunters and men and women who engage in the shooting sports and archery, who pay a similar tax to support wildlife restoration. �This level of cuts to conservation programs that pay their own way is unprecedented and all anglers, hunters and shooting sports enthusiasts must speak up to prevent these cuts,� Robertson concluded.

Along with these two cornerstone conservation acts, many other critical conservation funds are also listed for significant cuts. Congress, with the cooperation of the Administration, must address the sequestration schedule and they will not occur until after the elections and possibly not until early 2013 and with a new Congress.

�We encourage all anglers to go to www.KeepAmericaFishing.org for information about when Congress may act and when anglers should speak up to maintain critical conservation funding,� Robertson said.

Lake Michigan States agree to revised stocking strategy

Michigan to shoulder majority of cuts, by 1.13 million or 67 % of the 1.69 million chinooks previously planted

The four states surrounding Lake Michigan have agreed to a new stocking strategy to continue the outstanding salmon and trout fishing anglers have enjoyed on the big pond for the last decade, and plan to meet with their individual constituents later this winter.

The Michigan DNR announced on Monday Sept 24, that following more than a year of deliberations with constituents, scientists and fishery managers, it agrees with an inter-jurisdictional recommendation by the Lake Michigan Committee to reduce Chinook salmon stocking by 50 % lake-wide.

The Wisconsin DNR, on September 25 said it will work with the Lake Michigan Fisheries Forum to hold a meeting over the winter with Wisconsin anglers. �We want to listen to anglers and work with them to distribute Wisconsin fish in a way that�s fair and supports the great fishing so important to so many Lake Michigan communities" Wisconsin DNR Secretary Cathy Stepp announced.

Under the lake-wide plan, the 3.3 million Chinook salmon annually stocked in total in Lake Michigan by the four states would be reduced to 1.7 million starting in 2013.  Because of the significant natural reproduction occurring in Michigan, the Michigan DNR will shoulder the majority of the stocking reduction, reducing stocking by 1.13 million spring fingerlings, or 67 % of the 1.69 million chinook salmon recently stocked by the state. Wisconsin will reduce by 440,000; Indiana will reduce by 25,000; and Illinois will reduce by 20,000.

A key factor to Lake Michigan�s current and potentially precarious ecosystem balance is an increasing presence of wild Chinook salmon in Lake Michigan. Streams in Michigan continue to produce significant

numbers of naturally reproduced Chinook salmon and lake-wide estimates show more than half of the lake�s Chinook population is of wild origin.  
 

This marks the third time in recent history that stocking in Lake Michigan has been reduced by the agencies. Previous decisions to reduce stocking in 1999 and 2006 resulted in maintaining and improving catch rates. Fisheries managers believe this is because natural reproduction continues to fill any available predatory space.

The decision to reduce stocking is part of an adaptive management strategy that includes a feedback loop that will monitor certain indicators in the lake � such as Chinook salmon growth. If conditions improve or get worse, stocking will be increased or decreased accordingly, and more quickly.

�This will give the Michigan DNR more flexibility to adaptively manage the lake,� said Jay Wesley, Southern Lake Michigan Unit manager. �Traditionally, we have made changes in stocking and waited five years to evaluate it, and another two years to implement changes. Now we have the ability, through a defined and accepted process, to make changes as they are needed.�

Michigan�s Fisheries Division will discuss with constituents this fall how each stocking location will be affected by the stocking reductions. Future site-specific stocking levels will be based on natural reproduction, net pen partnerships, broodstock needs and hatchery logistics. Every existing stocking location should expect a reduction.   

For more info go to the Michigan Sea Grant web site on the reduction plan, and Wisconsin�s Lake Michigan Management Reports page of the DNR website.

Weekly Great Lakes Water Levels for Sept 28, 2012 

WEATHER CONDITIONS

Showers fell across the Great Lakes basin last weekend accompanied by cooler than average temperatures to start the week. Temperatures then rose temporarily before falling again on Wednesday and Thursday. A dry weekend is expected, with the exception of some eastern parts of the basin which may see a few showers and thunderstorms. Temperatures over the weekend are expected to be near average. Very dry conditions have continued for the Lake Superior basin and the Lake Michigan part of the Michigan-Huron basin. So far in September, Superior and Michigan have each received less than half of their typical precipitation totals for the month.

LAKE LEVEL CONDITIONS

The water level of Lake Superior is 2 inches lower than the level of one year ago, while Lake Michigan-Huron is 12 inches lower than its level of a year ago. Lakes St. Clair, Erie, and Ontario are 14, 15, and 10 inches, respectively, lower than their levels of a year ago. Over the next month, Lake Superior is forecasted to drop 1 inch from its current level, while Lake Michigan-Huron is expected to fall 2 inches. The water levels of Lakes St. Clair, Erie and Ontario are forecasted to fall 4, 5, and 4 inches, respectively, over the next thirty days.

FORECASTED MONTHLY OUTFLOWS/CHANNEL CONDITIONS

Lake Superior's outflow through the St. Marys River is projected to be below average for the month of September. 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 September. Lake Erie's outflow through the Niagara River and the outflow of Lake Ontario into the St. Lawrence River are predicted to be below average in September.

ALERTS

Lake Superior and Lake Michigan-Huron are below chart datum. 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.

CEI sues EPA for hiding agency records on private e-mail accounts

Washington, D.C. � The Competitive Enterprise Institute on Sept 12, filed suit in federal district court for the District of Columbia challenging the EPA's efforts to shield a senior official�s practice of hiding public service on private e-mail accounts that only he controls or can access.

The complaint demonstrates the epidemic in the Obama administration of moving controversial actions to non-public e-mail accounts.  By exposing this practice, the suit will pave the way for obtaining all such public records stashed in private corners and thus out of reach of the nation's transparency laws, which clearly prohibit this kind of activity.

In May, CEI filed a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request seeking correspondence between EPA Regional 8 boss James Martin and the Environmental Defense Fund, where Martin had previously worked as a senior attorney. CEI�s FOIA request was aimed at determining the extent to which policymaking in the Obama Administration is being coordinated with outside environmental pressure groups.

CEI expressly extended its request to cover information from Martin�s non-official e-mail accounts, based on his clear history of using such accounts to perform official business. For five months, however, EPA has refused to produce these e-mails, claiming that records �sent to a personal email address� are not agency records. EPA has also stonewalled CEI�s administrative appeal, refusing to provide a response and make its arguments on the record for CEI to challenge. As such, CEI�s suit seeks to compel the release of these records.

On September 17, the CEI also filed a lawsuit against the Treasury Department that has been stonewalling inquiries regarding internal documents related to a �possible effort� to enact a carbon tax during Congress� forthcoming lame-duck session.  The last thing America needs is an utterly bogus tax on so-called greenhouse gas emissions. A similar law is wreaking havoc on Australia�s economy. And, since there is no �global warming� and carbon dioxide does not cause warming, such a tax is just one more way to grab more revenue.

Because of the hundreds of thousands of regulations the EPA has promulgated, the agency is constantly in court responding the law suits brought by states, by trade associations, and by corporations, but mostly by environmental organizations.

The EPA actually encourages environmental groups to sue in order to enter into consent decrees to �settle� the case in a manner they prefer. For decades, environmental groups have reaped millions in taxpayer dollars by accommodating the agency in this fashion. A case in point is the Environmental Defense Fund received $2.76 million in grants over the last decade while at the same time suing the EPA over various issues.

The Wyoming-based Budd-Falen law office has documented more than 3,000 law suits against the EPA by a dozen environmental organizations over the past decade! During the same time period, the Environmental Law Institute that created a citizen�s guide to suing the EPA has received $9.9 million in grants!

It is especially ironic that the courts have often become the only protection Americans have against the Environmental Protection Agency. Despite the EPA�s inflated bogus claims that it is saving lives, the reality is that�particularly during both the Clinton and Obama administrations�it has existed to destroy many elements of the nation�s economy, with a special emphasis on the provision of the energy upon which everything depends.

In a recent Wall Street Journal editorial, �EPA Smack-Down Number Six�,

a decision by the D.C. Circuit court �marks the 15th time that a federal

court has struck down an Obama regulation and the sixth smack-down for the Obama EPA. This tally counts legally flawed rules as well as misguided EPA disapprovals of actions by particular states.�

The court ruling �saved Texas from an arbitrary and capricious EPA rejection of its permitting process for utilities and industrial plants� and asked �Why do federal judges constantly have to remind EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson� of the basic principle that even regulators must follow the laws of the United States?

Ms. Jackson is an acolyte of Carol Browner who served as EPA Administrator during the Clinton years. These days Ms. Browner is one of the many shadowy, behind the scenes, �czars� of the Obama administration, accountable to no one except the President. Many were surprised to learn that she was also a member of the Commission for a Sustainable World Society for the Socialist International. When that was revealed her biography was taken off its website.

In war you target a nation�s energy facilities. This explains why the Obama administration has targeted coal-fired plants that generate nearly half of the nation�s electricity.

Courts, however, are composed of judges trained in the law, but often ignorant of science. In an egregiously bad judicial decision the Supreme Court in 2007 ruled that carbon dioxide (CO2) and other �greenhouse gases� were deemed �pollutants� under the Clean Air Act.

Carbon dioxide is not a pollutant. It is vital to all life on Earth because no vegetation can exist without it. Moreover, there is no need to limit so-called greenhouse gases to fend off global warming�now called climate change�because there is no global warming. It was a huge hoax, but that doesn�t deter the EPA from basing its regulations on it.

In a recent case, a D.C. Circuit Court decision was based on a Clean Air Act that empowers the EPA to regulate greenhouse gas emissions in �upwind� states �without regard to the limits imposed by the statutory text� thus vacating the Cross-State Air Pollution Rule that forces reductions from plants in 28 states in the eastern half of the nation. It was challenged by several states including Texas, Alabama, and Georgia.

An illustration of how the EPA justifies its insane attack on the generation of electricity can be seen in its estimates that the rule would have prevented up to 34,000 premature deaths, 15,000 nonfatal heart attacks, and 19,000 cases of acute bronchitis annually. Such figures are simply plucked from thin air, having no relationship to reality than a ruling that a child story�s fairy dust can kill you.

Indeed, in 2011, the House of Representatives approved legislation aimed at ensuring that the EPA cannot regulate �farm dust.� H.R. 1633 would prevent the EPA from issuing any new rule in 2012 that regulates coarse particulate matter. It passed on a vote of 268-150. Thirty-three Democrats joined with Republicans.

The EPA has become a major threat to property rights nationwide in addition to its relentless attacks on the energy sector. It is a very costly agency in terms of what Congress calls �major rules� that are defined as costing the private economy more than $100 million annually. In August 2010 Speaker of the House, John Boehner, sent President Obama a letter pointing out that the administration had been creating regulations that cost ten times more.

Of the seven rules that broke the $1 billion barrier, four of them were from the EPA. The total cost of EPA regulations hit $104.5 billion versus $5 billion for the entire rest of the government!

To read the complaint, click here.

Brauer announces retirement from tour competition

Camdenton, Mo. - September 24, 2012 - As the old adage says; "all good things must come to an end." Thus, legendary angler, Denny Brauer, of Camdenton, Mo. has decided to retire from Bassmaster Elite Series competition following the 2012 season.  

Citing several facets of the expanded Elite Series schedule and the toll a 32-year career competing on the sport's highest levels have taken on him physically; Brauer has decided to retire from tour level competition. "While I will not ever fully retire from this great sport that has been my passion for so many years, it is time for me to step down from competing on the Bassmaster Elite Series," said the 63-year-old Brauer. "The last 32 years have been tremendous; Shirley and I are so appreciative of all that this sport has been for us."

Brauer steps away from what is highly regarded as one of the greatest career records in the sport of professional bass fishing. His career statistics began with his first Bassmaster entry in a Federation Chapter Championship on Lake Eufaula, Alabama in 1978. That entry would spawn his full time venture into Bassmaster competition in 1980, and the rest as they say, would become history.

Brauer steps down from tour level competition after a career that includes 317 Bassmaster Entries. Those many events have produced 17 wins, 79 top 10 finishes and 197 finishes in the money. He has competed in 21 Bassmaster Classics, winning the 1998 event on High Rock Lake in North Carolina. He was also the 1987 Bassmaster Angler of the Year, and retires as one of only 12 anglers to have won both the Bassmaster Angler of the Year and Bassmaster Classic titles. He retires having earned $2,579,394 in Bassmaster competition; a total that ranks him third amongst all competitors in the history of B.A.S.S.  

He also found success on the FLW Tour. In 38 FLW Outdoors entries, Brauer recorded nine top 10 finishes, four appearances in the Forrest Wood Cup, collected $132,350 and earned the 1998 FLW Angler of the Year title.

His 1998 year still ranks as the most impressive single year a professional angler has ever recorded. In 1998, Brauer won four BASS events including the Bassmaster Classic, and placed in the top 10 five out of seven times on the FLW Tour. His Bassmaster earnings of $406,000 still ranks in the top 10 of all time highest single season earnings. He earned an additional $52,500 in FLW competition that year en route to winning the FLW Tour Angler of the Year award.

Amongst a career full of highlights, some of the other remarkable ones include being the first professional angler to appear on a box of Wheaties cereal, and he made two appearances on the David Letterman Show. He has also been the host of several popular television shows throughout his career.

The first people Brauer wanted to acknowledge for helping make his career a possibility were his family. "I could not have done this without the sacrifices of Shirley and Chad throughout the years," he said. "Shirley made sure everything was taken care of for me. She has been my friend, my business partner and road companion through everything. I cannot

say enough how proud I am of Chad and the man he has become. One of

my true joys in this life has been seeing him build a career in bass fishing and beyond, and being able to share in it alongside him."

Brauer said that his career would not have been possible had it not been for the help of an incredible list of sponsors. "I owe so much to them for everything they have done and continue to do for me even now in the planning of this phase of my career," he said. "I owe a tremendous amount to those people who have stood by me over the years and still remain a part of me now.

"I owe special mentions to John Barnes, Doug Minor and the people at Strike King Lure Company, Kim Ott, Bart Schad, Randy Hopper and everyone at Ranger Boats, Krista Heidgerken and her team at Evinrude, Mike Brooks at Ardent, Todd Hammill and his team at Gemini Sports Marketing / Wired2Fish, Jeff Pierce at Mustad Hooks, Tim Price at Humminbird / Minn Kota, and to the folks at Busch Beer, Oxygenator and Seaguar, thank you so much for standing behind me for so long. I know there are people at all of these companies that I'll overlook here, please know you all have meant so much to us.

"I also want to say thank you to Ray Scott for his vision of B.A.S.S. and to Irwin Jacobs at FLW, you both are responsible for the venues that helped me build my career. Lastly, thank you to Forrest and Nina Wood, without your support I don't think I would have been able to make this a career."

He revealed that the hardest part of stepping down from the tour competition will be missing the people that have been a part of his life for so many years. "Shirley and I have met some incredible people over the course of this career, and knowing we won't be seeing as much of them has been the most difficult part of this decision," said Brauer. "We have met some amazing people and have been so touched by so many of you; we will miss seeing you every day."

He also said he will miss the people that make everything in the sport possible. "I will greatly miss the interaction with the fans of the sport at tournaments," he said. "The fans are who make this career so rewarding, to hear your cheers and listen to your recollections of events throughout my career are moments that I remember and cherish - thank you for giving so much of yourselves to me, and to the sport as a whole."

In retirement from full-time touring competition, Brauer and his wife Shirley have decided to list their Camdenton, Mo. property for sale and will take up full-time residence in their new hometown of Del Rio, Tex. where he will still actively participate in fishing activities on a frequent basis. "I really call this a semi-retirement because I will still be fishing tournaments, primarily at Major League Fishing events and events on Lake Amistad and the surrounding areas," he said. "I will still be working with my sponsors on product development and making appearances at shows; I may also end up doing more television in the future, so I'm not going to completely step away, it just means too much to us.

"The past 32 years has been amazing," said Brauer. "I could have never imagined a career such as this in my wildest dreams. There have been ups and downs, but we step away with the warmth of friendship, support and a career full of goals reached and dreams realized. "Thank you to sport of bass fishing, it has been a wild and crazy ride; one that I am really humbled and proud to have taken"

Water samples detect Asian carp eDNA in Lake Erie�s Maumee Bay

Asian carp environmental DNA (eDNA) has been detected in three of 350 water samples collected from western Lake Erie�s Maumee Bay and Maumee River between July 31 and August 4.  The three samples, all positive for silver carp eDNA, were found in Maumee Bay � two in Michigan waters and one in Ohio waters.

The water samples were collected by the Ohio DNR), Michigan DNR, USFWS and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers as part of an extensive sampling effort developed in response to the discovery of Asian carp eDNA in water samples taken from Maumee and Sandusky bays in summer 2011.  In addition to the three positive eDNA samples recently found in Maumee Bay, the ODNR, MDNR and Service previously announced that of 150 samples collected from Sandusky Bay in late July, 20 tested positive for silver carp eDNA.

The western Lake Erie response plan also included intensive electrofishing and test netting in the Maumee Bay and River and the Sandusky Bay and River in August 2012, during which time no Asian carp were found.

Addressing the Asian carp threat is a priority issue for the Great Lakes Fishery Commission�s inter-jurisdictional Lake Erie Committee, which includes representation from Pennsylvania, New York, and the province of Ontario in addition to Michigan and Ohio. The Service and other federal agencies are also key players in Asian carp research and investigative work.

Researchers say eDNA analysis provides a tool for the early detection of Asian carp at low densities, and these latest positive results heighten concern about the presence of Asian carp in western Lake Erie. However, the analysis cannot provide or confirm information about the number or size of possible fish.

�Our field crews were out on the water numerous times over the last

couple of months, using multiple gear types and they found no live Asian

carp,� said U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Midwest Deputy Regional Director Charlie Wooley. �We are still trying to pull back the curtain on what the source is for these positive eDNA samples.�

At present, eDNA evidence cannot verify whether the DNA may have come from a live or dead fish, or from other sources such as bilge water, storm sewers or fish-eating birds. The Service, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the U.S. Geological Survey are leading a two-year Asian Carp Environmental DNA Calibration Study (ECALS), funded through the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative to reduce the uncertainty surrounding Asian carp eDNA results.

Extensive sampling conducted for Asian carp this summer and fall have yielded no live fish, suggesting that if Asian carp are present, then they are in very low abundance.

Asian carp, including bighead and silver carp, pose a significant threat to the Great Lakes ecosystem and economy. Help from the public, especially Great Lakes anglers, will be imperative moving forward. All anglers are strongly encouraged to learn how to identify Asian carp, including both adults and juveniles, as the spread of juvenile Asian carp through the use of live bait buckets has been identified as a possible entry point into the Great Lakes.

If anglers or constituents have observed or captured an Asian carp, immediately notify ODNR at 800-WILDLIFE (945-3543) or MDNR at 800-292-7800. Photograph the fish from nose to tail, and retain the fish on ice for verification. Online submission forms, identification guides, frequently asked questions and management plans are also available at www.michigan.gov/asiancarp and www.wildohio.com.

To learn more about eDNA sampling and filtering in western Lake Erie, view images of the process at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/acrcc/sets/72157630854558566.

Klarer, Lake Erie Charter Boat Association Receive Ohio Lake Erie Awards
PORT CLINTON, OH � Dr. David Klarer, a recent retiree from the Old Woman Creek National Estuarine Research Reserve (Ohio Department of Natural Resources) and the Lake Erie Charter Boat Association (LECBA) are the winners of the 2012 Ohio Lake Erie Awards, according to the Ohio Lake Erie Commission (OLEC).

These award recipients have shown a great commitment to protecting and promoting Lake Erie and its watershed,� said Gail Hesse, executive director of OLEC. �We commend their efforts.�

OLEC honors one person and one organization each year that have worked to protect and restore Lake Erie and its watershed. Since 1995, the commission has awarded 17 individuals and 17 organizations for their stewardship.

Dr. David Klarer began his career at the research reserve in 1979. He helped establish the Old Woman Creek National Estuarine Research Reserve laboratory and focused reserve research toward determining the role of coastal wetlands in the Lake Erie ecosystem. Through the understanding gained from more than 250 published papers and reports completed at the reserve, many citizens, resource managers and agency officials alike have gained a greater appreciation of coastal wetlands and the critical part they play in a healthy Lake Erie. 

LECBA has become a leader in helping to address many of the issues concerning Lake Erie. They remain dedicated to encouraging and promoting sound fisheries management in Lake Erie through partnership with state and provincial partners. LECBA has proved their commitment to Lake Erie repeatedly by building bridges between numerous governmental and non-governmental entities, on both state and federal levels, to work together to address Lake Erie issues.

Lake Michigan States agree to revised stocking strategy

Michigan to shoulder majority of cuts, by 1.13 million or 67 % of the 1.69 million chinooks previously planted

The four states surrounding Lake Michigan have agreed to a new stocking strategy to continue the outstanding salmon and trout fishing anglers have enjoyed on the big pond for the last decade, and plan to meet with their individual constituents later this winter.

The Michigan DNR announced on Monday Sept 24, that following more than a year of deliberations with constituents, scientists and fishery managers, it agrees with an inter-jurisdictional recommendation by the Lake Michigan Committee to reduce Chinook salmon stocking by 50 % lake-wide.

The Wisconsin DNR, on September 25 said it will work with the Lake Michigan Fisheries Forum to hold a meeting over the winter with Wisconsin anglers. �We want to listen to anglers and work with them to distribute Wisconsin fish in a way that�s fair and supports the great fishing so important to so many Lake Michigan communities" Wisconsin DNR Secretary Cathy Stepp announced.

Under the lake-wide plan, the 3.3 million Chinook salmon annually stocked in total in Lake Michigan by the four states would be reduced to 1.7 million starting in 2013.  Because of the significant natural reproduction occurring in Michigan, the Michigan DNR will shoulder the majority of the stocking reduction, reducing stocking by 1.13 million spring fingerlings, or 67 % of the 1.69 million chinook salmon recently stocked by the state. Wisconsin will reduce by 440,000; Indiana will reduce by 25,000; and Illinois will reduce by 20,000.

A key factor to Lake Michigan�s current and potentially precarious ecosystem balance is an increasing presence of wild Chinook salmon in Lake Michigan. Streams in Michigan continue to produce significant  

numbers of naturally reproduced Chinook salmon and lake-wide estimates show more than half of the lake�s Chinook population is of wild origin.

This marks the third time in recent history that stocking in Lake Michigan has been reduced by the agencies. Previous decisions to reduce stocking in 1999 and 2006 resulted in maintaining and improving catch rates. Fisheries managers believe this is because natural reproduction continues to fill any available predatory space.

The decision to reduce stocking is part of an adaptive management strategy that includes a feedback loop that will monitor certain indicators in the lake � such as Chinook salmon growth. If conditions improve or get worse, stocking will be increased or decreased accordingly, and more quickly.

�This will give the Michigan DNR more flexibility to adaptively manage the lake,� said Jay Wesley, Southern Lake Michigan Unit manager. �Traditionally, we have made changes in stocking and waited five years to evaluate it, and another two years to implement changes. Now we have the ability, through a defined and accepted process, to make changes as they are needed.�

Michigan�s Fisheries Division will discuss with constituents this fall how each stocking location will be affected by the stocking reductions. Future site-specific stocking levels will be based on natural reproduction, net pen partnerships, broodstock needs and hatchery logistics. Every existing stocking location should expect a reduction.   

For more info go to the Michigan Sea Grant web site on the reduction plan, and Wisconsin�s Lake Michigan Management Reports page of the DNR website.

Hunters reminded to use safe practices in the field
Fall Archery Season opens October 1^st for Deer and Turkey throughout Illinois

SPRINGFIELD, IL � With Archery season just around the corner for fall deer and turkey, the Illinois Department of Natural Resources is reminding all hunters to make safety a top priority when in the field this year.

While hunting is one of the safest forms of outdoor recreation, thanks to the diligence of law-abiding and safety-minded hunters, incidents do happen.  Last year in Illinois, there were 26 hunting incidents, one of them fatal.  There have been six hunting incidents reported in the state so far in 2012. 

Whether in a blind or a tree stand, it is crucial that hunters are acutely aware of their surroundings including fellow hunters.  Never take a shot without knowing what is beyond your target and always use the proper working equipment when ascending or descending from a tree stand,� said IDNR Director Marc Miller

Of the 14 incidents reported in 2011 that did not involve discharge of a firearm or bow, 13 of them were tree stand falls.  If hunting from a tree stand, make sure you are using a full body safety harness (also known as a Fall Arrest System or FAS).  

This year the seven-day firearm deer season begins November 16-18 and continues November 29-December 2^nd. 

Last year, firearm deer hunters in Illinois took a preliminary total of 97,760

deer during the seven-day firearm deer season on Nov. 18-20 and Dec. 1-4. The 2011 preliminary firearm season harvest total compares with the 98,944 deer taken during the 2010 firearm season.    The legal hunting hours for the firearm deer season are one-half hour before sunrise to one-half hour after sunset.

Hunting Safety Facts:

• Illinois law requires that anyone born on or after January 1, 1980, must successfully complete a hunter safety course before a regular Illinois hunting license is issued.

• The number one cause of hunting accidents in Illinois is falling from a tree stand.

• When using a tree stand, remember the following:

�  Check ladder stands before climbing to make sure they are secure.

�  Wear a Fall Arrest System/Full Body Safety Harness when leaving the ground until returning to the ground from the tree stand.

�  Use a haul line to raise and lower your equipment and unloaded firearm or bow into a tree stand.

When hunting with a firearm, sportsmen should remember three primary rules of firearm safety:

�  Know your target and what is beyond your target.

�  Point the muzzle in a safe direction.

�  Treat every firearm as if it were loaded.

Fall Trout Season opens October 20

Trough will be stocked at nearly 40 locations throughout Illinois

SPRINGFIELD, ILL. � The 2012 Illinois fall trout fishing season opens on Saturday, Oct. 20 at 37 ponds and lakes throughout the state, Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) Director Marc Miller announced today.

"Fishing is a great family activity and the fall trout season is a great opportunity to take the kids fishing,� Miller said.  �Fall is a great time to spend time outdoors, and we want to encourage youth, families and experienced anglers to participate in the fall catchable trout season.�

More than 70,000 trout are stocked by IDNR at the locations listed below just prior to the opening of the fall trout season.  The Illinois catchable trout program is funded entirely by those who use the program through the sale of inland trout stamps.

Anglers are reminded that no trout may be taken from any of the stocked sites from Oct. 1 until the fall trout season opens on Oct. 20 at 5 a.m.

To take trout legally beginning Oct. 20, anglers must have a fishing

license and an inland trout stamp, unless they are under the age of 16, 

blind or disabled, or are an Illinois resident on leave from active duty in the Armed Forces.  The daily catch limit for each angler is five trout.

Anglers are reminded to check the opening time of their favorite trout fishing location if they plan to go fishing on opening day.  While regulations allow trout season to open at 5 a.m. on Oct. 20, not all locations are open that early.

For more information on fall trout season and other Illinois fishing opportunities, check the web site at www.ifishillinois.org.

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. 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).

For more information about all site regulations, anglers should contact individual sites that will be stocked with catchable-size trout.

State and Federal Sites to be Open for Youth Waterfowl Hunting Seasons

Youth Hunt Weekends Precede Start of Regular Waterfowl Seasons in Each Zone

SPRINGFIELD, IL � A number of Illinois state parks, fish and wildlife areas, conservation areas and recreation areas will be open to youth waterfowl hunting during the 2012 North Zone Youth Waterfowl Hunt, Central Zone Youth Waterfowl Hunt, South Central Zone Youth Waterfowl Hunt and South Zone Youth Waterfowl Hunt, the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) announced today.  Federal sites that fall under the IDNR waterfowl administrative rule that will be open for the youth seasons are also listed below.

At most sites, regulations that apply during the regular waterfowl hunting season apply during the Youth Hunt (hunters should check for site-specific regulations, including changes in legal shooting hours).  During the Youth Hunt, the bag limits are the same as during regular seasons.

As part of the Youth Hunt, hunters age 15 or younger may hunt ducks, geese, coots and mergansers as long as they are accompanied by an adult at least 18 years of age. The accompanying adult cannot hunt these species, but may participate in other open seasons.

Youth hunters must have a hunting license. The youth hunter or his or her accompanying adult must have a valid FOID card. The supervising adult does not have to have a hunting license if they are not hunting other species. Youth hunters age 15 or younger are not required to have a state or federal duck stamp.

All waterfowl hunters, including those participating in the Youth Hunt, are required to register with the Harvest Information Program. In order to register with HIP, hunters will need to have their hunting license number available. Hunters should register for HIP at the license vendor when they buy their hunting license or by calling 1-888-6PERMIT (1-888-673-7648) or online through the IDNR website at www.dnr.illinois.gov.

For more information on Illinois waterfowl seasons, check the IDNR Digest of Waterfowl Hunting Regulations 2012 -13, which will available at IDNR offices and online through the IDNR web site at www.dnr.illinois.gov/hunting/Documents/DigestWaterfowlHunting

Regulations.pdf

For hunter fact sheets online go to http://dnr.state.il.us/lands/landmgt/hunter_fact_sheet/index.htm

Fall Color beginning to appear across Ohio

COLUMBUS, OH � The first week of autumn is ushering in an array of colors as Ohio begins its fall color transformation, according to Casey Burdick, fall color forester for the Ohio DDNR.

Buckeye trees are showing their yellows, and a few of the fencerows are starting to show hints of red from the poison ivy and Virginia creeper.

The bright yellows in the tulip poplars are also noticeable earlier than normal this season. While driving through many towns, people may begin to see a few trees, such as maple and ash, changing and dropping leaves. These trees are going dormant early to protect themselves from any further damage.

Ohioans are encouraged to plan their fall getaway at one of the Ohio State Parks. Numerous options are available including our campgrounds, getaway rentals (including yurts and cabins) and lodges. There is something for everyone!

This Saturday is the start of the bow season for white-tailed deer for the hunters across the state. For more info, go to www.wildohio.com.

This coming weekend, there are several events happening at Ohio State Parks:

►Civil War Encampment, Caesar Creek - Sept. 29-30, 10 AM, Pioneer  

Village.; 513-897-1120 or email www.caesarscreekpioneervillage.com

►Ohio Heritage Days, Malabar Farm, Sept. 29-30, 10 - 4 PM daily, 419-892-2784

►Fall Festival, Indian Lake - Sept. 28-30, 937-843-2717 or 937-843-3553

►Remembering Euclid Beach Park, Cleveland Lakefront - Sept. 30, 1-5 PM at Euclid Beach; 216-881-8141, ext. 3001

The ODNR Fall Color website is the premier guide to Ohio�s fall color season, posting weekly color updates and information to help plan leaf-peeping adventures. Weekly videos from ODNR Fall Color Forester Casey Burdick will highlight color hot spots around the state and provide informative tidbits about some of Ohio�s 100-plus tree species. This page also offers helpful links for leaf collecting tips, scenic road trips and more.

Looking for some great fall getaway ideas? The Ohio Division of Travel and Tourism has numerous itinerary ideas at www.discoverohio.com  under their Autumn Adventures feature.  Ohio's 75 state parks, 21 state forests and 135 state nature preserves provide excellent locations to view fall foliage. To learn more about going on a fall getaway, visit www.ohiodnr.com/parks.

Trout/salmon egg collection facilities to hold open houses

KEWAUNEE � Lake Michigan trout and salmon are soon to start their spawning runs, offering "fintastict" opportunities to see first-hand how state fish crews give nature a hand in helping produce the next generation of fighters to test anglers on the big pond.

The eggs are collected at three facilities open to the public whenever Department of Natural Resources staff are processing fish, and two of the facilities along Lake Michigan have open houses in October for people to see egg-collecting demonstrations, to learn or tune up their casting and knot-tying skills, and to enjoy other free fun. Brief listings of those two events are below, with more details on each available on an open house page of the DNR website.

• On Oct. 6, The C.D. �Buzz� Besadny Anadromous Fisheries Facility located along the Kewaunee River in Kewaunee County offers food, fish and fun at their annual open house, from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m.  

• On Oct. 13, the Root River Steelhead Facility located along the Root River in Racine, also holds its open house event from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., and will include guided tours of the facility, hands-on demonstrations of fish spawning procedures by fisheries staff, fishing rod casting lessons, knot tying, and fly-tying.

The third egg collection facility, Strawberry Creek Weir outside Sturgeon Bay, does not have an open house per se but all three facilities are open to the public during times when DNR crews are processing fish.

Egg-collecting is expected to begin at Strawberry Creek on Oct. 1, with DNR turning on pumps to supplement water flow there to help the fish reach the weir where DNR crews collect their eggs.

The vast majority of fish populations in Wisconsin are naturally self-sustaining, but Lake Michigan chinook and coho salmon and steelhead trout are not self-sustaining in Wisconsin although Michigan streams are producing larger numbers of wild fish.