Thursday, September 17, 2009
Japan largemouth could tie world record
Bill Cochran
Recent field reports
Manabu Kuita of Japan could tie the 77-year-old largemouth bass world record with this catch.
No world record fish, freshwater or saltwater, is more famous or more coveted than the 22-pound, 4-ounce largemouth bass caught by George Perry in Georgia’s Lake Montgomery 77 years ago. Word from Japan officials that the Perry catch has been tied by a fish caught July in an ancient reservoir northeast of Kyoto has caused quite a stir among bass anglers in this country and abroad.
The International Game Fish Association, the official keeper of world records located in Dania Beach Fla., reported this week that it has received documentation of the catch form the Japan Game Fish Association. IGFA said it may take as much as a month to sort things out and determine if the bass indeed ties the current 1932 record, but that appears to be the case.
The fish was reported caught from Lake Biwa by Manabu Kurita, 32, of Aichi, Japan, who was said to be trolling a live bluegill through a canal.
The Perry catch is known as the “Holy Grail” of bass fishing and anglers through the years have worked hard to top it, saying the fete would be worth a million dollars. Many people predicted that if the record ever was matched it would be a bass caught in Florida or California.
BILL
MCDONNELL GET NRA ENDORSEMENT
The NRA is urging its 120,000 Virginia members and others to support Bob McDonnell over Creigh Deeds in the governor’s race. The endorsement is a reverse of the 2005 attorney general’s race when Deeds got the nod over McDonnell.
Two things have happened:
1. The NRA is happy with McDonnell for standing against New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who has contended that criminals purchase guns in Virginia for illegal deeds in New York because Virginia has less restrictive laws on gun purchase.
2. The NRA is disappointed with Deed’s support in recent years of ending the right of private individuals to sell their firearms at gun shows void of a background check of the buyer. Deeds switched his position on this issue following the shootings at Virginia Tech.
For outdoorsmen, the NRA endorsement is the first defining development in a campaign that has embraced the interests of sportsmen very little apart from tacking up superficial “Sportsmen For” signs along roadways.
BILL
ANOTHER RAID ON SPORTSMEN MONEY
Too often sportsmen sign onto some politician’s “Sportsman’s For” movement and when the candidate is elected he forgets them. Or robs them.
Gov. Tim Kaine has requested in his FY 2010 budget proposal that $300,000 be transferred from the Saltwater Recreational Fishing License Fund to the General Fund for law enforcement purposes. The fund is administered by the Virginia Marine Resources Commission from money derived from a saltwater fishing license.
This brings back memories of the raid on the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries’ Game Protection Fund by former governor Doug Wilder. That money was returned after outrage by sportsmen and efforts by the late Del. Vic Thomas, D-Roanoke.
Sportsmen are too quick to climb aboard some “Sportsmen For” effort without getting any kind of commitment from the candidate involved. At the top of the commitment list should be a pledge that no money will be diverted to the General Fund from any special interest fund paid for by sportsmen.
When the saltwater recreation license was initiated and again when it was enlarged, sportsmen said they would support it only if there were guarantees that the money would never be used for purposes other than those intended.
When raids are made on sportsmen funds, it can make it more difficult for agencies like DGIF and VMRC to raise funds in the future, and both agencies will need to do that.
BILL
SEN. WEBB PRAISED BY SPORTSMEN GROUP
The U.S. Sportsman Alliance has praised Virginia Sen. Jim Webb, saying “he stood with sportsmen” in his opposition to the nomination of Cass Sunstein as head of the office of Information and Regulatory Affairs.
For weeks, the alliance and other sportsmen groups, including the National Wild Turkey Federation, had been saying that Sunstein was unfit for the position, known as regulatory czar, because of his views against recreational hunting and the Second Amendment. Sunstein also supports giving animals standing in court.
In the end, opponents were five votes short of stopping the nomination.
“On a day when the odds were against us, [Democrat] Sen. Webb made a courageous vote,” said Bud Pidgeon, the alliance president and CEO. “While it is disappointing to lose this vote, sportsmen in Virginia need to know they can count on Webb.”
Virginia’s other senator -- and also a Democrat, Mark Warner, voted for Sunstein, which the alliance said was a “vote against sportsmen.”
In a letter to a constituent, Warner said:
“I am proud of my consistent record of supporting second amendment rights, and I have full confidence that Mr. Sunstein will stand by assurances he has given that he does not support limitations on hunting and will not use his position to undermine federal law or further any policies that are inconsistent with congressional directives.”
BILL
OUTDOOR BRIEFS
- The Hunters for the Hungry banquet Saturday in Roanoke County attracted about 275 participants. Several who sought to buy tickets at the door had to be turned away because there was not enough room to seat them. No report as yet as to how much money the event raised.
- The Coastal Conservation Association of Virginia has expressed opposition to a proposal by the Virginia Marine Resources Commission to open the striped bass commercial gill net season in the coastal waters Jan. 11 instead of the usual Feb. 1. The earlier start would conflict with recreational anglers; what’s more, the commercial netters are having no problem filling their quota during a February season, CCA said. Comments are being directed to VMRC head Jack Travelstead.
- ReserveAmerica honored Virginia State Parks with 82 awards in 17 categories. Six parks were named the Top 100 Family Campgrounds: Claytor, Grayson Highlands, Kiptopeke, New River Trail, Occoneechee and Pocahontas.
- A 14 pound, 14 ounces Atlantic Spadefish caught June 13 by Roland Murphy at the Cell off Cape Charles, Va., has been certified as an all-tackle world record by the International Game Fish Association.
- Jim Crumley of Buchanan, who started the modern hunter-camouflage trend with his Trebark pattern, has been inducted into the Garry Mason’s Legends of the Outdoors Hall of Fame in Nashville. Other inductees were Gary Yamamoto, lure designer; Terry Redlin, wildlife artist; Rob Keck, former head of the National Wild Turkey Federation; Eddie Salter, hunting personality; Toxey Haas of Mossy Oak Camouflage and Herb Parson, legendary archer.
- The Department of Game and Inland Fisheries is getting a larger than average number of calls from sportsmen reporting a scarcity of Federal Duck Stamps at some local post officers. DGIF information officer Vance Shearin is telling callers to check other sources, such as www.duckstamp.com. Note: in addition to a Federal Duck Stamp, waterfowl hunters in Virginia are required to have a $10 Virginia Migratory Waterfowl Conservation Stamp which is available from hunting/fishing license agents.
- Several businesses on Virginia’s Eastern Shore have started selling mid-grade, ethanol-free gasoline being distributed by Bagwell Gas & Oil in Cape Charles. Included are Cape Charles Harbor, Davis Wharf Marine, Deep Creek Marine, Onancock Wharf and Wachapreague Marine. Ethanol is credited with causing numerous problems for outboard engines. There have been gripes that the ethanol-free fuel is more costly than other gas, but it is well worth the money if it saves on boat repairs.
- Sign on the door at Hunter’s Den in Craig County: “Free bear hounds, 4 yr old Bluetick female, 4 yr old Walker male, 6 yr old Plott female. To many dogs not enough time to hunt.”
VIRGINIA SALTWATER FISHING TOURNAMENT
The entries in the Virginia Saltwater Fishing Tournament are down about 350 from the same time period a year ago. 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
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.
Annual Virginia Deer Hunters Association banquet, Oct 22, Kroger Center, Richmond, information from virginiadeerhunters.org.
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.
