Thursday, July 10, 2008
George Washington Forest resumes plan revision
Bill Cochran
Recent field reports
The George Washington National Forest has reported it will resume its land and resource management plan revision this month following down time while court issues are sorted out.
Five meeting have been scheduled this month, when the public will be invited to participate in work sessions and make specific comments on how they think the forest should be managed. The GW is headquartered in Roanoke with most of its land pushing northeastward along the Shenandoah Valley.
In the past, many of the comment have come from environmentalists who call for no logging, but this session has attracted outdoor sportsmen who believe some timber practices are needed to provide better habitat for game animals. One such group has been headed by the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries and involves a variety of outdoor organizations and sportsmen.
Here are the meeting dates and locations. Each meeting begins at 7 p.m.:
July 14, Woodstock, Peter Mullenberg Middle School.
July 15, Lexington, Rockbridge County High School
July 16, West Virginia, East Hardy County Middle School
July 18, Verona, Augusta County Government Center
July 28, Hot Springs, Hot Springs Presbyterian Church.
BILL
VIRGINIA CAUGHT GROUPER IS WORLD RECORD
A 46-pound, 2-ounce yellowedge grouper caught off Virginia Beach March 12 has been established as a world record, according to Dr. Julie Ball, International Game Fish Association representative.
The fish was caught by Heath Cataulin of Norfolk aboard a charter operated by Capt. Skip Feller out of Rudee Inlet.
BILL
INVASIVE ALGAE CONTINUES TO SPREAD
The invasive algae known as Didymo, commonly called “rock snot,” has been found in West Virginia’s Elk River, a popular trout stream. The algae can form extensive mats on stream beds, covering native plants and aquatic insects, thus lowering the quality of the habitat. It also can make fishing very difficult.
West Virginia officials recently collected samples from three locations on Elk River in the Webster Springs area and all three contained Didymo.
Didymo is native to the northern latitudes of North America, Europe and Asia, but has spread to the Western U.S. and more recently to Maryland, New York, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, Vermont and Virginia.
It has been found in three Virginia rivers: the Jackson, Pound and Smith.
The expansion of its range largely is attributed to anglers and boaters relocating the algae on their equipment. One of the worst culprits in the spread of Didymo is felt-soled boots and waders. The algae cells can remain alive for lengthy period of times on the porous material of the boot bottoms.
Anglers are advised to scrub the mud and debris off their boots and fishing gear before leaving a stream.
BILL
OUTDOOR BRIEFS
>>A proposed project in Chesterfield County would develop 300 town houses and a marina along the James River near Richmond. The project calls for clustering $300,000 homes on a bluff overlooking the river east of Interstate 95. In addition, there would be a 98-slip marina with mooring and dry storage for 600 boats. A retired cruise ship would serve as a floating inn and restaurant.
>>Croaker often are considered to be a late summer catch, but huge numbers have invaded portions of the Chesapeake Bay and the seaside waters out of the village of Oyster. “Catches out of Oyster have been fantastic, with some gluttonous anglers hauling their catches away by the coolers-full,” said Bob Hutchinson, who compiles a weekly fishing report for Cherrystone Campground.
BILL
SALTWATER FISHING TOURNAMENT
The Virginia Saltwater Fishing Tournament has a new leader in the sheepshead category. Here are the standings:
BLACK DRUM: 87 pounds, 3 ounces, Paul Elliott, Surry, Latimer Shoals (C-2 Buoy). BLUEFISH: 19 pounds, 4 ounces, Richard Brown, Richmond, off Virginia Beach.
BLUEFIN TILEFISH: 18 pounds, 12 ounces, Dr. Julie Ball, Virginia Beach, Norfolk Canyon.
COBIA: 90 pounds, 10 ounces, Charles Thain, Birdsnest, Inner Middle Ground, C-13.
CROAKER: 4 pounds, Lorie Richardson, Mechanicsville, Rappahannock River. DOLPHIN: 49 pounds, 7 ounces, Edward Pickett, Portsmouth, Norfolk Canyon.
FLOUNDER: 10 pounds, 8 ounces, Thomas Horsley, Gloucester, off Cape Charles.
GRAY TRIGERFISH: 4 pounds, 2 ounces, Adam Lyons, Chesapeake, Seagull Pier on Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel.
GRAY TROUT: 9 pounds, 8 ounces, Joseph Hudgins, Jr., Chesapeake, Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel (4th island).
KINGFISH: 1 pound, 9 ounces, David Davis, Portsmouth, Sandbridge surf.
SEA BASS: 7 pounds, 8 ounces, Reggie Myrick, Portsmouth, off Virginia Beach.
SHEEPSHEAD: 13 pounds, 15 ounces, Andrew McDougald, Raleigh, N.C., Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel. .
SPADEFISH: 13 pounds, 15 ounces, Donald Knight, Chesterfield, Wolf Trap Light.
SPANISH MACKEREL: 6 pounds, Alfred Simpson, Virginia Beach, Sandbridge pier.
SPECKLED TROUT: 9 pounds, 15 ounces, David Hester, Chesapeake, Elizabeth River.
STRIPED BASS: 73 pounds, state record, Frederick Barnes, Chesapeake, off Virginia Beach.
TAUTOG: 20 pounds, 6 ounces, Michael Shreve, Glen Burnie, Md., Monroe Wreck.
TUNA, BLUEFIN: 195 pounds, Troy Hart, Locust Grove, Norfolk Canyon.
TUNA: 82 pounds, Larry O’Neal, Virginia Beach, Hot Dog.
MEETINGS/EVENTS/SEASONS
Smith Mountain Striper Club meeting, 7 p.m., July 11, Moneta Center, Jeff Meeks on trolling tactics.
Meeting of the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries’ board, 9 a.m. July 15 at the agency headquarters, 4000 West Broad Street in Richmond.
Shenandoah River Rodeo, July 19, Bentonville’s Low Water Bridge Campground, $40, to benefit Shenandoah Riverkeepers, pig roast, bluegrass, fishing, canoeing, camping information from Shenandoah Riverkeepers, P.O. Box 405, Boyce, Va. 22620.
Smith Mountain Striper Club meeting, 7 p.m., Aug. 1, Moneta Center, presentation by Ken Mitchell, manager of the Brookneal striper hatchery.
Triangle Archer’s 3D tournament, Aug. 17, Blacksburg, fee $12 or $25 per family, information from Triangle Archers 3D tournament, June 22, Blacksburg, fee $12 or $25 per family, information from James Overfelt.
Eastern Regional Big Game Championship, Sept. 13 and 14, Southampton County Fairgrounds, Franklin, sponsored by the Virginia Peninsula Sportsmen’s Association, more information from Kenneth Pickin, P.O. Box 1860, Williamsburg, Va. 23187-1860; 757-229-0490. This is the contest for deer, bear and turkey killed east of the Blue Ridge. Additional information from vpsa.org.
Triangle Archer’s 3D tournament, Sept 14, Blacksburg, fee $12 or $25 per family, information from James Overfelt.
Third annual WSLS 10 Hunters for the Hungry banquet, 6 p.m. Sept. 27, Dave Sarmadi Mitsubishi, Salem, tickets $20 singles; $35 couples, kids 12 and under free, to benefit the organization’s feed-the-needy program, tickets from Jeff Fletcher, 540-985-6523 or Fred and Phyllis Wells, 540-992-3874 or may be purchased at Dave Sarmadi Mitsubishi, additional information from hunt4hungry@cs.com.
Western Regional and State Big Game Championship, for deer, bear and turkey killed west of the Blue Ridge or advanced from the Eastern Championship, Sept. 27 & 28, Rockingham County Fairgrounds, Harrisonburg, more information from Jon Ritenour, 2041 Spaders Church Road, Harrisonburg, Va. 22801, 540-434-8028. Additional information from vpsa.org.
Fall Optimist Club of Cave Springs Fishing Tournament, Oct. 3-5, Smith Mountain Lake.
Saltwater striped bass tournament opens Oct. 4.
Roanoke Valley Friends of NRA banquet, Oct. 18.
Got an event? Let us know: xtrails@earthlink.net.
