OUTDOOR BRIEFS
>Mike Smith of Floyd has written a new fishing guidebook, this one titled Fishing the Greenbrier Valley: An Anglers Guide. Previous fishing guides by Smith are Fishing the New River Valley: An Anglers Guide, Fishing the Roanoke Valley: An Anglers Guide and Fishing the Shenandoah Valley: An Anglers Guide all published by University of Virginia Press, upress.virginia.edu.
>Sportsmen hunting at Fort A. P. Hill this season will be required to pass a criminal background check, which will take time and money.
>Looking for a nearby license agent where you can buy a hunting or fishing license or one of the new state duck stamps? Check the DGIF Web site: dgif.virginia.gov.
>The Virginia Invasive Species Council has created an advisory panel to find ways to ward off invasive species. The voracious northern snakehead fish is one such species, but there are many more that pose a threat to Virginias native resources.
>The National Wild Turkey Federation recently donated $100,000 in support of the Hunting and Shooting Sports Heritage Fund, which has played a key role in fending off frivolous lawsuits against the firearm industry. The federation has contributed more than $1 million to the fund during recent years. Said Rob Keck, CEO of the federation: Without shooting, there is no hunting. Without hunting, there is no conservation. Without conservation, there are no wild turkeys or other wildlife.
>The Commerce Departments National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has announced a new grant program called the Open Rivers Initiative designed to provide funding to communities for removing obsolete and derelict stream barriers such as dams. There are currently more than 2 million small dams and other barriers blocking the passage of fish in the United States.
>Dr. Michael Hutchins of Silver Spring, Maryland, has been named Executive Director of The Wildlife Society. Hutchins was selected from over 40 highly qualified candidates. Prior to the new assignment he was Adjunct Associate Professor at the University
of Maryland's Graduate Program in Conservation Biology and Sustainable Development.
BILL
SALTWATER TOURNAMENT
There are new leaders in the dolphin and gray triggerfish categories of the Virginia Saltwater Fishing Tournament. Here are the standings:
BLACK DRUM: 93 pounds, 9 ounces, Willie McWhite, Jr., Richmond, lower eastern Chesapeake Bay.
COBIA: 89 pounds, Mark Shaffer, Fredericksburg, upper eastern Chesapeake Bay.
CROAKER: 4-pounds, 8 ounces, Elliott Souldourian, Virginia Beach, lower western Chesapeake Bay.
DOLPHIN: 52 pounds, Willi Fenske, Hopewell, ocean off Virginia Beach.
FLOUNDER: 17 pounds, 2 ounces, Hopie Firth, Poquoson, lower western Chesapeake Bay.
GRAY TRIGGERFISH: 4 pounds, 12 ounces, James Daughtrey III, Suffolk, lower eastern Chesapeake Bay.
GRAY TROUT: 12 pounds, 14 ounces, William Flipin, Hayes, upper eastern Chesapeake Bay.
KING MACKEREL, 47 pounds, Frank Riganto, Virginia Beach off Virginia Beach.
KINGFISH: 1 pound, 12 ounces, Damon Moore, Sterling, off Virginia Beach.
SEA BASS: 6 pounds, 14 ounces, Chad Stoker, Chesapeake, off Virginia Beach.
SHEEPSHEAD: 16 pounds, 8 ounces, Steven Hord, Williamsburg, lower-western Chesapeake Bay.
SPADEFISH: 12 pounds, 8 ounces, Jerry Carnell, Jr. Oxford, N.C. upper eastern Chesapeake Bay.
SPANISH MACKEREL: 8 pounds, Charles Lewis III, Pasadena, Md., ocean off Eastern Shore.
SPECKLED TROUT: 11 pounds, 3 ounces, Brain Pomije, Chesapeake, Elizabeth River.
SPOT: 1 pound, 4 ounces, Robert Richardson, Richmond, Elizabeth River.
STRIPED BASS: 63 pounds, 8 ounces, state record, Paul Leckner, Greenbackville, Bradford Bay.
TAUTOG: 18 pounds, 4 ounces, Larry Larue, Virginia Beach, ocean off Virginia Beach.
TUNA (BLUEFIN) 129 pounds, Andrew Kidd, Richmond, ocean off Virginia Beach.
TUNA: 90 pounds, 8 ounces, John Mackey, Virginia Beach, ocean off Virginia Beach.
WAHOO: 83 pounds, 3 ounces, John Hamilton, Norfolk, ocean off Eastern Shore.
>Mike Smith of Floyd has written a new fishing guidebook, this one titled Fishing the Greenbrier Valley: An Anglers Guide. Previous fishing guides by Smith are Fishing the New River Valley: An Anglers Guide, Fishing the Roanoke Valley: An Anglers Guide and Fishing the Shenandoah Valley: An Anglers Guide all published by University of Virginia Press, upress.virginia.edu.
>Sportsmen hunting at Fort A. P. Hill this season will be required to pass a criminal background check, which will take time and money.
>Looking for a nearby license agent where you can buy a hunting or fishing license or one of the new state duck stamps? Check the DGIF Web site: dgif.virginia.gov.
>The Virginia Invasive Species Council has created an advisory panel to find ways to ward off invasive species. The voracious northern snakehead fish is one such species, but there are many more that pose a threat to Virginias native resources.
>The National Wild Turkey Federation recently donated $100,000 in support of the Hunting and Shooting Sports Heritage Fund, which has played a key role in fending off frivolous lawsuits against the firearm industry. The federation has contributed more than $1 million to the fund during recent years. Said Rob Keck, CEO of the federation: Without shooting, there is no hunting. Without hunting, there is no conservation. Without conservation, there are no wild turkeys or other wildlife.
>The Commerce Departments National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has announced a new grant program called the Open Rivers Initiative designed to provide funding to communities for removing obsolete and derelict stream barriers such as dams. There are currently more than 2 million small dams and other barriers blocking the passage of fish in the United States.
>Dr. Michael Hutchins of Silver Spring, Maryland, has been named Executive Director of The Wildlife Society. Hutchins was selected from over 40 highly qualified candidates. Prior to the new assignment he was Adjunct Associate Professor at the University
of Maryland's Graduate Program in Conservation Biology and Sustainable Development.
BILL
SALTWATER TOURNAMENT
There are new leaders in the dolphin and gray triggerfish categories of the Virginia Saltwater Fishing Tournament. Here are the standings:
BLACK DRUM: 93 pounds, 9 ounces, Willie McWhite, Jr., Richmond, lower eastern Chesapeake Bay.
COBIA: 89 pounds, Mark Shaffer, Fredericksburg, upper eastern Chesapeake Bay.
CROAKER: 4-pounds, 8 ounces, Elliott Souldourian, Virginia Beach, lower western Chesapeake Bay.
DOLPHIN: 52 pounds, Willi Fenske, Hopewell, ocean off Virginia Beach.
FLOUNDER: 17 pounds, 2 ounces, Hopie Firth, Poquoson, lower western Chesapeake Bay.
GRAY TRIGGERFISH: 4 pounds, 12 ounces, James Daughtrey III, Suffolk, lower eastern Chesapeake Bay.
GRAY TROUT: 12 pounds, 14 ounces, William Flipin, Hayes, upper eastern Chesapeake Bay.
KING MACKEREL, 47 pounds, Frank Riganto, Virginia Beach off Virginia Beach.
KINGFISH: 1 pound, 12 ounces, Damon Moore, Sterling, off Virginia Beach.
SEA BASS: 6 pounds, 14 ounces, Chad Stoker, Chesapeake, off Virginia Beach.
SHEEPSHEAD: 16 pounds, 8 ounces, Steven Hord, Williamsburg, lower-western Chesapeake Bay.
SPADEFISH: 12 pounds, 8 ounces, Jerry Carnell, Jr. Oxford, N.C. upper eastern Chesapeake Bay.
SPANISH MACKEREL: 8 pounds, Charles Lewis III, Pasadena, Md., ocean off Eastern Shore.
SPECKLED TROUT: 11 pounds, 3 ounces, Brain Pomije, Chesapeake, Elizabeth River.
SPOT: 1 pound, 4 ounces, Robert Richardson, Richmond, Elizabeth River.
STRIPED BASS: 63 pounds, 8 ounces, state record, Paul Leckner, Greenbackville, Bradford Bay.
TAUTOG: 18 pounds, 4 ounces, Larry Larue, Virginia Beach, ocean off Virginia Beach.
TUNA (BLUEFIN) 129 pounds, Andrew Kidd, Richmond, ocean off Virginia Beach.
TUNA: 90 pounds, 8 ounces, John Mackey, Virginia Beach, ocean off Virginia Beach.
WAHOO: 83 pounds, 3 ounces, John Hamilton, Norfolk, ocean off Eastern Shore.
