Thursday, September 10, 2009
Bill Cochran's Field Reports: DGIF has wish list for General Assembly
Bill Cochran is a Roanoke Times outdoors columnist.
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The Department of Game and Inland Fisheries is putting together its wish list of legislation for the 2010 Virginia General Assembly. Eight proposals that the agency would like to see become bills have been submitted to the Attorney General for review.
About half of them address the revenue needs of the agency, according to Bob Duncan, executive director of the DGIF.
The next step would be to send the proposals to the Secretary of Natural Resources for comment.
Charles Yates, chairman of the DGIF board, questioned whether the board had been left out of the loop during the process, but was told members would have an opportunity to address the proposals during their next scheduled meeting in October.
BILL
GRAY TROUT AT ALL-TIME LOW
A dozen years ago, I remember catching nice-size gray trout on nearly every drift along the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel. Our boat, containing three anglers, often would have two and three fish hooked at the same time.
I can count on one hand the gray trout -- sometimes called weakfish -- I have caught this year.
The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission, an independent panel of scientists, has reported that stocks are at an all-time low. Mortality is high and the population currently is in a depleted state, the commission reported.
Given these circumstances, the commission’s management board is considering a range of options to reduce mortality, including a ban on taking this once abundant species.
No gray trout has been submitted in the Virginia Saltwater Fishing Tournament this year.
BILL
OUTDOOR BRIEFS
- The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is funding grants totaling more than $57,000 for native brook trout restoration projects in Virginia. The money is earmarked for stream channel restoration in North River in Augusta County and trout restoration in the Shenandoah River headwaters. The funds are available under the Eastern Brook Trout Joint Venture of the National Fish Habitat Action Plan.
- The American Sportfishing Association has applauded legislation introduced by three North Carolina lawmakers that would restore what it calls “reasonable off-road vehicle access” to the Cape Hatteras National Seashore Recreation Area. Anglers and businesses in the area say current limits and bans designed to protect wildlife, namely shorebirds, have harmed fishing. Bob Eakes, who operates the Red Drum Tackle Shop in Buxton, N.C., said his business is off one-third.
- The Department of Game and Inland Fisheries has commissioned researchers from Virginia Tech to conduct a year-long study to evaluate recreational use on the agency’s Wildlife Management Areas.
- In his new book, Bob Norton describes how hunting and fishing develop values and good virtues in youth and connects them to nature. It is titled “The Hunter: Developmental Stages and Ethics.” Some compare Norton’s work to the writing of Aldo Leopold.
BILL
VIRGINIA SALTWATER FISHING TOURNAMENT
There are new leaders in the gray triggerfish and sheepshead categories of the Virginia Saltwater Fishing Tournament. Here are the standings:
BLACK DRUM: 84 pounds, 12 ounces, William Brown, Hampton, Inner Middle Ground; C-13
BLUELINE TILEFISH: 20 pounds, 10 ounces, Kenneth Bowe, Chester, Norfolk Canyon.
COBIA: 105 pounds, 8 ounces, Wes Blow, Newport News, lower Chesapeake Bay.
CROAKER: 5 pounds, 3 ounces, Nathan Clendenin, Richmond, lower York River. .
DOLPHIN: 39 pounds, Robert Manus, Ark, Triple Zero’s.
FLOUNDER: 12 pounds, 12 ounce, Mike Perron, Virginia Beach, Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel.
GRAY TRIGGERFISH: 4 pounds, 7 ounces, James Eisenhower, Norfolk, Fourth Island of Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel.
KING MACKEREL: 33 pounds, 1 ounce, Ed Cromwell Jr., Virginia Beach, inshore waters off Virginia Beach.
KINGFISH: 1 pound, 12 ounces, Bill Pope, Norfolk, Sandbridge Pier.
SEA BASS: 8 pounds, 4 ounces, Wei Zhohg Zheng, Saranac, N.Y., Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel.
SHEEPHEAD: 17 pounds, 4 ounces, Lesley Inge, Virginia Beach, Chesapeake Bay.
SPADEFISH: 14 pounds, 14 ounces, state record, Roland Murphy, Fredericksburg, the Cell.
SPANISH MACKEREL: 6 pounds, 7 ounces, Michael Bell, Lynchburg, 26 Mile Hill.
SPECKLED TROUT: 13 pounds, 14 ounces, Michael Whittaker, Chesapeake, Elizabeth River.
SPOT: 1 pound, 2 ounces, Chris Brooks, Virginia Beach, Elizabeth River.
STRIPED BASS: 66 pounds, 8 ounces, Pete Johnson, Hampton, Smith Island.
TAUTOG: 21 pounds, 13 ounces, Skip Feller, Virginia Beach, wreck off Virginia Beach.
TUNA (BLUEFIN): 168 pounds, Paulette Johnson, Uniontown, Ohio, 100 Fathom off Virginia Beach.
TUNA: 230 pounds, Jeff Creekmore, Chesapeake, Norfolk Canyon.
WAHOO: 62 pounds, 1 ounce, K.W. Flowers, Richmond, The Fingers.
MEETINGS/EVENTS/SEASONS
Hunters for the Hungry banquet, Sept. 12, 5:30 p.m., Roanoke Moose Lodge #284, 3233 Catawba Valley Drive, Roanoke County, $20 single, $35 couple, children under 12 free, tickets from Dave Sarmadi Mitsubishi, Jeff Fletcher, 540-985-6523 or Fred and Phyllis Wells, 540-992-3874.
Virginia Big Game Western Regional Contest, Sept. 12 and 13, Rockingham County Fairground, Harrisonburg, information from vpsa.org or John Ritenour, 540-434-8028.
Triangle Bowhunters of Montgomery County 3D tournament Sept. 13, check vfaa.org for details or contact Jim Overfelt.
Eastern Shore Bird and Wildlife Festival, Sept. 17-20, headquartered at Cape Charles, info@esvachamber.org.
H.C. Edwards Chapter of the Ruffed Grouse Society, 20th annual Sportsmen’s Banquet, Sept 19, 6 p.m., Augusta Expoland, Fisherville, ticket information from Kenny Wilkinson, 540-337-1298.
September teal hunting season, Sept 21-30, east of I-95 only, four daily.
Virginia Big Game Eastern Regional and State Championship, Sept. 26 and 27, Southampton County Fairground, Franklin, information from vpsa.org or Kenneth Pickin 757-229-0409.
National Hunting and Fishing Day, Sept. 26.
Special youth deer hunting day, Sept. 26.
Hunters for the Hungry Sporting Clays Benefit Shoot, Sept. 27, Flying Rabbit Sporting Clays, Mount Crawford, $50 per shooter, prizes and lunch provided information from 540-574-2529.
Snipe hunting season, Oct. 8-12; Oct. 21-Jan. 30.
Woodcock hunting season, Nov. 7-21; Dec. 26-Jan. 9, three per day.
BASS Elite Blue Ridge Brawl, April 15-18, Smith Mountain Lake.
Got an event? Let us know: xtrails@earthlink.net.
