It’s been a Rockford tradition for 41 years, and this weekend’s Boat, Vacation and Fishing Show at the Indoor Sports Center is starting to reel in big numbers and bounce back from the effects of a down economy.

“In the past four years there have been a lot of lookers and I reckon everybody was just worried to spend the money, but this year we’re seeing a major difference. There’s a lot of enthusiasm and boats are being bought”, says Showtime Production’s Duane Nichols.

Hundreds of thousands of dollars are expected to be spent at this year’s expo, and that doesn’t include the money spent on hotels, restaurants and businesses from those staying in town for the event. Organizers hope the effects of the show don’t stop there, giving local businesses a chance to develop a loyal customer base moving forward.

Bass-ett Baits owner Tim Hamilton says, “I reckon that’s part of being here, the longer you are here, the people are going to come and see you more. you always see new people. I’ve felt and we have seen that the dollar value is up, so they are spending more personally at this show that I have seen.”

More than 15,000 people are expected to come through the gates at this year’s expo and while businesses are seeing more people buy compared to years past, the boom in sales could be thanks to an outside source.

“The problem was the banks. the banks are loosening up now so people are getting financed again. if someone put a deposit down on a boat, it was a very hard time trying to get them financed”, says owner of Fox Lake Harbor, Warren Moulis.

The show wraps up Sunday February 19th at the Indoor Sports Center from 11 am to 5 pm.

CHRISTCHURCH, New Zealand

THE AIR WAS as still as an oil painting, and across the lake in the mountain silence could be heard the gulping of large rising trout, feasting on an afternoon insect hatch. I stood knee-deep and motionless, for the trick in such quiet, clear waters is to lay out a fly line without sending every fish in the lake into hiding for the day — and there’s no sense casting until a fish is spotted.

Only when the gulp of a trout sent a ring expanding over the surface just 30 feet from me did I cast; a flick of my wrist sent my fly line shooting out across the water and the fly settled without a sound. Perfect — and then gulp.

The fluffy brown bundle of deer hair and feathers vanished in a swirl. I lifted my arm, and that living resistance that has captured anglers’ imaginations for centuries place a deep bow in the rod. a second later, a 20-inch trout leaped from the water, shaking its head wildly in protest.

I slowly backed up and brought the trout toward the bank. The fish was spent within just a minute — it was a rather sluggish ancient brown trout, as many here are. Though I’ve been releasing most fish lately, this female was bound for the frying pan.

Such trout are monsters by a Californian’s standards, but this is New Zealand, where three-pounders are about average. indeed, to raise a Kiwi’s eyebrows one must catch an eight- or 10-pounder.

Suffice it to say, I’m easily satisfied in this land of monster browns and rainbows, as I cycle with camping gear and a fly rod strapped to the rear of my bike. My latest off-highway trek took to me to the mountains about 70 miles west of Christchurch, where I camped among a cluster of mountain lakes that I won’t bother naming. Hey — I found them on my own; you can, too.

Amusing about trout in New Zealand: They’re an introduced species, as are Chinook salmon — and though neither was ever intended by nature to live here, these fish flourished remarkably. The trout, especially, are abundant like in few other places — and so huge.

Sad, then, that in California, although a brilliant array of native salmonids were established and thriving when we got here, we’ve squandered the resource and now can barely hang onto what’s left. Heck, even the introduced ones are dwindling — like the striped bass — and the California Department of Fish and Game’s misguided plot to loosen fishing restrictions as part of a striper eradication program is not going to help matters.

In New Zealand, introduced trout surely displaced native fish when they colonized local waterways — but no one here talks about that. It’s history, and the fish are here to stay as a treasured game species. as an angler, I can’t help but wonder what these waters would hold if trout did not rise here or salmon not spawn here. I, for one, am pleased that they do. I just wish things were so good back home.

• Sturgeon action in San Pablo Bay turned on in January after a brief lull. According to Keith Fraser at Loch Lomond Bait Shop, shrimp baits have produced most of the fish — like the two sturgeon measuring 70 and 75 inches caught recently by Warren Weissenburg and Steve Scott.

Another angler, Bill Foster, caught and released nine sturgeon in two trips. He was fishing alone. Fraser himself, along with two friends, set hooks on five sturgeon in under two hours recently.

• Sean Treacy, skipper operator of the party boat Mini Me, had two clients out on San Pablo Bay on Jan. 28 competing in the 6th annual Diamond Classic catch-and-release sturgeon derby. They landed four fish. Treacy also provided a secret: He’s been using a special bait lately, — salmon roe.

• Fraser hosts “Sturgeon Fishing in Bay Area Waters,” a seminar at the Marin Rod and Gun Club in San Rafael on Saturday at 7:15 p.m. Guest speaker Mike McNair and Fraser will share tips on how to catch, clean and cook sturgeon.

Fraser says this year is probably his last for the seminar, which is 37 years ancient, so he is reducing ticket prices to $5. Fishing tackle is available below wholesale costs.

• Finally, another derby is coming up, and $40,000 in prize money is to be divvied up among 14 anglers this weekend as the annual Super Bowl Sturgeon Derby kicks off. to enter, call Loch Lomond Bait Shop at 456-0321.

Alastair Bland is a Bay Area fisherman. Send him tales, photos or video to or call the IJ sports desk at 382-7206. Check out his blog at blogs.marinij.com/ fishing_in_marin/

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The four men, all of whom were awarded the Purple Heart for their service in the Global War on Terrorism, were treated to two days of fishing and cookouts as part of the Wounded Warriors in Action program.

“the guys hollered to hold the fish up over my head,” Eisch said about the 10-pound, 1-ounce bass he landed, then let go.

The soldiers were invited to the catch-and-release outings, hosted by Orange Springs residents Charlie and Jackie Lawson, after applying online at the Wounded Warriors in Action website.

Participating were Eisch, 37, of Lacona, New York; Charles Lusk, 29, of Canton, Ga.; Jake Whipkey, 26, of Boswell, Penn.; and Jeremy Cabaniss, 31, of Panama City Beach. all are U.S. Army veterans.

They gathered with fellow outdoorsmen for a weekend of camaraderie and healing “using nature as a backdrop,” said Wounded Warriors in Action founder John McDaniel, a retired Army Lt. Col. the program covered all the expenses, said McDaniel.

The Rodman Reservoir, where the group fished, is adjacent to the Ocklawaha River in the heavily wooded northeast tip of Marion county. the wide smiles and gleams in the eyes of the four soldiers as they returned from their outings spoke loud and clear.

“this is huge, to know people still care,” Lusk said as he talked about the day’s catch on Saturday evening at the Lawson home.

Lusk, an Army Ranger sniper, was injured in Iraq in 2004 by shrapnel from a car bomb and again in 2005 by shrapnel from an improvised explosive device.

“I’ve had five years of speech therapy, 16 sessions in a hyperbaric chamber (from the 2005 wounds) and I lost part of my ear,” said Lusk, who with wife Daphne has a daughter Mattie, 6.

“I met Sen. John Kerry and (country singer) Toby Keith pinned on my Purple Heart,” Lusk said, “but this fishing trip is great with friends.”

The boats put in at the Kenwood Office of Greenways and Trails Recreation Area and fished in “water about eight-feet-deep with the drawdown,” or intentional vegetation control lowering, said guide Don Storey.

“this is a big deal, I’ll never forget it,” said Eisch, who was in the service for 19 years and was wounded Nov. 3, 2010. “America is a very generous country if you’ll just look around. A lady from Florida, on the plane here from New York, offered me the use of her family home if I need it and gave me her email address. this is patriotism to me.”

Eisch, a single father of Isaac, 13, and Joey, 9, said telling his sons he was going away and might not return, when he was first deployed to Afghanistan, was “a hard talk.”

Eisch was shot three times in the legs when he went to the aid of an Afghan police officer who was downed by a rocket propelled grenade attack and was still in the line of fire.

“He was out there and the Afghanis weren’t going,” Eisch said. ”He was a team member and I said, ‘Let’s get him.’ It was training and reaction when I went after him.”

Eisch suffered hurt to both legs, with extensive hurt to his left calf. He can walk, but not run. He is angered he cannot do some things he could before, but said, “It comes with the territory. We’re all volunteers.

“my Purple Heart was pinned on by a German Minster of Defense because it was a German controlled area in Afghanistan. I believe it was the first time,” Eisch said.

He also was awarded the Bronze Star for his actions.

Whipkey suffered five gunshot wounds to the chest and two to the wrist while serving in Samara, Iraq, in 2007. He medically retired in 2009.

“I can raise my arm to here,” he said, lifting his right arm to less than shoulder height. He said protective equipment stopped the bullets aimed at his chest and saved his life.

Whipkey, who is single, is a student and an associate with Wounded Warriors in Action.

“this is awesome,” he said of the fishing trip. “It’s a tribute to (earlier veterans) for the great welcome we are receiving.”

Cabaniss suffered a traumatic brain injury in 2006 and medically retired in 2007. He was accompanied by his wife, Deanna.

“Jeremy bent down to retrieve something and a rocket propelled grenade hit the turret of his vehicle,” Deanna said. “He suffers memory loss, seizures and debilitating migraines.”

“I had great time fishing,” Jeremy said.

He was wearing a bracelet honoring Sgt. Patrick Tainsh, who died while serving in Iraq in 2004. Tainsh’s parents became close with Cabaniss when they met at a medical facility, said Deanna.

McDaniel said he started Wounded Warriors in Action in 2007 after he retired from a 20-year service career and began taking Veterans Administration hospital patients fishing.

“in 2011, the WWIA program hosted over 100 Purple Heart recipients on 43 hunting and fishing trips in 26 states, and we hope for the honor to do more this year,” he said as he and his wife Kellie addressed the group Sunday.

He thanked the Lawsons for “opening their home and opening their hearts.”

Charlie Lawson is a Vietnam War veteran.

“These Purple Heart recipients are American heroes and American sportsmen,” McDaniel said. “We help heal the wounds doctors can’t fix.”

The fifth Annual North Missouri Outdoor Classic will be held March 10-11 at the Chillicothe High School. the annual event is sponsored by the North Missouri Sportsman?s Alliance (NMSA), a non-profit organization based in Linn, Livingston, Carroll and Daviess counties.

"over our early years we have been able to bring in some of the top outdoor television hosts in the country and this year is no exception," said Steve Shoot, President of the NMSA. "This year ?Dread no Evil?s? Chris Brackett will be headlining an excellent group of speakers at our Outdoor Classic.

The North Missouri Outdoor Classic features a variety of activities with the designed purpose of making the two-day show a family event.

"There will be a number of booth displays with merchants selling outdoor oriented merchandise, as well as programs and seminars by professional hunters and fishermen," said Shoot. "Our goal every year is to always provide a family event with enough diversity that hopefully there is something at the show for everyone."

Deer hunters can bring their bucks in to be measured by official Pope & Young and Boone & Crockett scorers. There is also a unique Pepsi "Braggin? Wall," featuring the bucks that score 170 and higher by local hunters. Trophies are presented to the top Typical, Non-Typical and Best of Show Buck brought into the Classic.

Joining Brackett in presenting seminars will be Chuck Weldon from Drury Outdoors "Dream Season," television series; Lyle Stokes, a professional catfisherman and catfish tournament series director, as well as being featured on several television shows in 2012; Roy Roper, professional bass angler, fishing guide, promoter and public speaker; and Karl Rice, public relations director for the Missouri Trapper Association. A special guest this year will be 2012 miss Missouri Katie Kearney, of St. Louis.

The Missouri Department of Conservation will also be providing speakers and workshops throughout the Outdoor Classic. in the past programs presented by the MDC included mountain lions, feral hogs, black bears and elk restoration.

"we have always appreciated the support of the MDC and their involvement in the Outdoor Classic," said Shoot. "We?re looking forward to the new information we will be receiving at this year?s event."

The Outdoor Classic will be open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday, March 10, and from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday, March 11.

"we decided to go the Outdoor Classic into March after battling snow storms and ice the last few years," Shoot said. "we used to hold the event in February, but weather concerns forced us to take a hopefully safer weather month for those who are traveling to Chillicothe."

The North Missouri Outdoor Classic is a fund raising event for the NMSA, which raises money for the Chillicothe Hunting & Fishing Club and the Share the Harvest program in four north Missouri counties.

Comments?

David Dudley of Lynchburg, Va., the 2003 FLW Cup Champion, the 2011 FLW Angler of the Year, and all-time leading FLW money winner with more than $2,743,948, headlines this year’s show. He’ll be joined by freshwater and saltwater experts including Mike DelVisco, BASS fishing pro from Greer, S.C.; Cory Routh, kayak fishermen and guide; Capt. Jimmy Price, flounder expert; and Capt. Rick Bennett, inshore and offshore guide. These and other fishing professionals will give free seminars in three different seminar rooms throughout the show.

The Expo showcases the latest in fishing and recreational boats, including bass rigs, aluminum boats, pontoons, and ski boats, and the latest in fishing tackle and electronic gear.

Two additional attractions are the Oklahoma Bass Tub and the Mountain Trout and Catfish Pond.

For a change of pace, visitors can meet six-time World WakeSurf Champion Drew Danielo, who will sign autographs and explain how to get involved in this quick-growing water sport.

Danielo isn’t the only water-riding enthusiast at the show. Twiggy, the water skiing squirrel, makes a return appearance based upon popular demand. Twiggy will demonstrate his skills while also emphasizing water safety. Youngsters of all ages will get to meet Twiggy and take photographs following Twiggy’s performance.

The show starts Friday, Feb. 24, at 10 a.m. and runs to 9 p.m. Other hours are Saturday from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is $8 for adults, $7 for seniors, and $4 for junior anglers. Children under 6 are free when in the company of an adult. Visit ncboatshows.com for a $1 coupon off admission.

Forty-nine anglers from 22 states will be competing in the Feb. 24-26 Bassmaster Classic on the Red River, Shreveport-Bossier, La.

Alabama boasts the most Classic qualifiers with 12 anglers. Dustin Wilks of Rocky Mount, a five-time Classic qualifier, is the only North Carolinian to make the world championship of fishing this year.

The Bassmaster Classic Outdoor Expo will take place at the Shreveport Convention Center while the CenturyLink Center will host the weigh-ins and serve as the ESPN broadcast site.

For the sake of uniformity, the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission has approved changes that establish a general statewide minimum size limit of 14 inches for largemouth, smallmouth, and spotted bass. On some waters, two fish may be less than 14 inches.

The NCWRC withdrew two proposals.

First, the NCWRC withdrew the proposal that would have increased the minimum size limit for striped bass and hybrid bass at Jordan Lake. Instead, it kept the current 20-inch minimum size limit and four-fish daily creel limit.

Next, it withdrew the proposal for grass carp at Lake Tillery since protection is not deemed necessary given the level of aquatic vegetation control and potential negative impacts to native vegetation at the lake.

The High Point Showplace hosts the International Custom Rod Building Exposition on Feb. 25-26. Hours are 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday; 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday. Admission is $10 per day for all ages.

Hundreds of custom rod builders will be present to exhibit and sell their products and to give tips on rod building. In addition, free seminars on rod building will be presented throughout the two days of the show.

Presenters include Gary Loomis, composite rods and blanks specialist; Dennis Papike, veteran custom rod builder; Jimi Ellis, decal expert; and Jason Brunner, rod and blank designer for St. Croix Rod Co.

Bryan Thrift of Shelby ranked sixth with 61-12 at the Feb. 9-12 FLW Tour event on Lake Okeechobee in Clewiston, Fla. Thrift banked $17,000.

Phil Jarmon of Apex placed 23rd among the co-anglers with 20-05 and earned $1,300.

The Carolina Crappie Association will hold a tournament Saturday at High Rock Lake. the weigh-in takes place at 3 p.m. at Hill’s Minnow Farm in Salisbury.

Tony Garitta is a fishing columnist for the Dispatch.

Fishing report

LAKE OKEECHOBEE

Flipping plastic creature baits in thick vegetation and pitching plastic worms around reeds have been the best bets for bass given the cooler water temperatures. Another option is to fish crankbaits around rockpiles in the rim canal around Clewiston.

EVERGLADES/FRESHWATER

Bass were biting plastic stick worms in the canals connected to Lake Ida and shaky head jigs around the bridges. Bedding bass were biting on the flats off the L-67A Canal.

SOUTH FLORIDA INSHORE

Capt. Dave Kostyo reported awesome tarpon fishing at night around Haulover Inlet. Alexander Schmieder, of Germany, went 8 for 10 on tarpon 30-80 pounds Tuesday. Capt. Rick Stanczyk of Bud N’ Mary’s Marina in Islamorada has been catching excellent numbers of snook and lots of redfish and pompano in Florida Bay.

SOUTH FLORIDA OFFSHORE

Dolphin have been the best bet and they’ve been biting anywhere from 100-750 feet. Capt. Mario Cote of No Vacansea said to just troll where you see birds. Thursday morning he had three dolphin and a small tuna in 250 feet off Hallandale Beach. Yvan Tardif, of Montreal, caught five dolphin, three big skipjack tunas and two blackfin tunas in 500 feet off Hollywood Tuesday afternoon.

‘Defining Wilderness: Defining Maine’ book discussion Feb. 13The deadline to sign up for drawing for the non-artist, which will begin on Feb. 17 at the Charlotte Hobbs Memorial Library, is Feb. 10. the amount of participants are limited so if interested get your name in.there is a $25 materials fee for this workshop.

The United Church of Christ Youth Group will host a beef stew dinner at the church on Saturday, Feb. 11, from 5 to 7 p.m. the young people are trying to earn the money needed for their trip to Overlook Farm in the spring. It’s a pleasure to watch these pre-adults serve the people who attend their suppers. They are attentive and always are ready to serve what is needed at the moment. Come enjoy a lovely dinner and meet this younger group of Lovell residents. the price for the dinner is $5 per person $10 per family.

For those who would like to donate to the Brownfield Food Pantry the United Church of Christ has a Mission Team Box in the Parish Hall for donations. you don’t have to belong to the church to make a donation because all donations are welcome. for those who don’t know the Brownfield Pantry serves 11 towns in Western Maine and new Hampshire. Many volunteers work and receive food for hours volunteered. President Jack Mitchell emphasizes that monetary donations are welcome giving them an opportunity to buy food from a Food Bank. the pantry has been up and running successfully for 12 years providing not only food but other necessities like toothbrushes, toothpaste and many other personnel hygiene items. all donations are certainly appreciated by those who are in need.

February has the cooks in town bustling, scanning the cook books for those yummy recipes that include that dark sweet, chocolate. February is the month the Charlotte Hobbs Memorial Library holds that delicious 12th annual Taste of Lovell. Formally know as Death by Chocolate, this event is to die for if you’re a chocolate lover. the event will be held on Sunday, Feb. 12, at the Library from 2 to 4 p.m. the Tabitha Stephen King Room will have the wondrous aroma of chocolate filling the room to whet the taste buds. for those watching the waist line, there will be calorie free deserts including fruits. for those who want it all, you can have five tastes for $5 or ten tastes for $8. for those who want to indulge in secret there will be carry-out boxes available. what a wonderful Valentine day celebration, music and fantastic savories to eat with neighbors and friends. Anyone, who would like to have an entry in the best desert contest and win a prize please sign up at the library or call (207) 925-3177 to enter. all money raised will go toward the continued programs at the library.

The Charlotte Hobbs Memorial Library adult book discussion series “Defining Wilderness: Defining Maine” continues on Monday, Feb. 13, at 1 p.m. this session will conclude the Maine Wilderness series which has been sponsored by the Maine Humanities Council. February’s discussion will center on “we took the Woods” by Louise Dickinson Rich. this is a personnel memoir of Rich her husband and son living in the 1930s near the remote Lower Richardson Lake. it gives the reader an insight on how they survived by fishing, maple sugaring, hauling tourist gear and canoes. the light touches of humor by the author makes this book the perfect selection to end the series. all books used in the series are available at the library.

The Lovell Lions club will be holding the third Annual ice fishing derby on Saturday and Sunday, Feb. 18 and 19. Contestants can fish in any lake or pond in Oxford County from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. but must pre-register either with Cliff Hill at (207) 928-3744 or at AJ’s Restaurant in East Stoneham. Registration on either the Feb. 18 or 19 will be at the North Lovell Grange Hall on Route 5 beginning at 5 am. Prizes of $100 will be awarded for the heaviest Togue, Bass and Pickerel. there will be prizes for kids 12 and under with the grand prize $50. the registration fee is $15 and weigh in of caught fish starts at the Grange Hall at 4 p.m. each day. there will also be additional prizes and raffles all money to benefit the Lion’s Fund. Sponsors are Wilson Excavation, Bliss & Associates, Hanson Excavation, JB self Storage, Mo’s Electrical, Community Containers, Norman Hanson & Detroy and Pleasant Point Inn Alden Brown.

Ladies, who donated deserts, to Robin’s supper if you are missing a container I have some at my house. you can call me at (207) 925-3226 to see if I have the one you’re missing.

Hi Guys/Gals…

I just got back from a competition (Bodybuilding-upper body contest), my first ever..Unfortunately, I was only informed about the comp a week I got into bulking diet..Hence, i had to cut back on food and train for the competition ..

Anyway, i have decided to try something out to ensure if i get any last minute calls for modelling/casting calls (which i do part time) or competition, I would not need to crash diet ..

I intend to keep my bodyfat at 10% all year long and atm i need to bulk ..

My carbs :Brown Rice, Occasional White rice, Potato, sweet potato, wholemeal Bread, Polenta, Wholemeal Pasta, and Oats

Protein : Chicken breast, fish -sea bass (twice a week), tuna , eggs (6 white and 1 yolk), whey, soy, fat free laughing cow cheese, legumes

fats : Nuts, almond butter, peanut butter, olive oil

To ensure i achieve 10% all year long, i thought of manipulating my daily calorie and 4 cardio sessions weekly, and ofcoure 6 days of weight training… somedays (days i workout my leg) high carb and somedays high fats but low carb and on daily basis, my protein is at least 150grams.

it has been a year and a half now and i rarely have eaten quick food or anything deemed "dirty". i was thinking to give a shot and see how my matabolism react to a weekly-once cheat meal. should my bf is maintained, I want to try 2 cheat meals weekly. need your opinion, people before I kick start the new journey.

I do not know any experts or fitness enthusiast to consult with and hence would love to hear some feedback.
my cheat meals are set on sundays where i will absolutely eat anything, which will exceed 1000 calories..

cheers.

**PS sorry if my ques posted here is too detailed and made you feel bored reading them all.

A vegan turned hunter reignited the connection between humans and their food sources and continued the dialogue begun by Michael Pollan and Barbara Kingsolver in his newly released book, The Mindful Carnivore: a Vegetarian’s Hunt for Sustenance.

As a boy, Tovar Cerulli spent his summers fishing for trout and hunting bullfrogs. while still in high school, he began to experiment with vegetarianism. By the age of 20 he was a vegan. a decade later, in the face of declining health, he returned to omnivory, and within a few years found himself headed into the woods, rifle in hand.

Through his personal quest, Cerulli bridges these disparate worldviews and questions moral certainties. are fishing and hunting barbaric, murderous anachronisms? Or can they be respectful ways for humans to connect with nature (and their food)?

How harmless is vegetarianism? Can hunters and vegetarians be motivated by similar values and instincts?

In this time of intensifying concern over ecological degradation and animal welfare, how do we make peace with the fact that even by growing organic vegetables life is sustained by death?

Drawing on personal experience, philosophy, history and religion, Cerulli shows how America’s overly sanitized habits of consumption have disconnected us with our food, resulting in many of the spiritual and environmental crises we now face.

“Within these pages Tovar Cerulli navigates our role in the cycle of life in a way that is spiritual, intuitive, and profoundly real. By witnessing his transformation from staunch vegan to thoughtful hunter, we are reminded that mindful hunting not only makes us stewards of the land, but thoughtful eaters and more awake human beings. Bravo!”

Georgia Pellegrini, author of Girl Hunter and Food Heroes said, “Cerulli offers penetrating insights into not only where our food comes from, but what our daily dietary choices say about who we are as human beings.”

Hank Shaw, author of Hunt, Gather, Cook said, “A personal tale of how one man comes to terms with the meat on his plate and a historical look at humanity’s connection to animals. The Mindful Carnivore delivers new insight in the too often simplistic vegetarian versus carnivore argument.”

Novella Carpenter, author of Farm City: The Education of an Urban Farmer said,

“Entertaining and erudite. Cerulli’s refreshingly evenhanded tone allows readers to judge the author’s argument on the merits of his literary and personal evidence. Today’s noisy media environment often consists of rigid, uninformed viewpoints passed off as the sole truth. Cerulli provides a welcome antidote to the bluster.”

Use of Alabama rig illegal

in new Hampshire fresh waters

Anglers should be aware that the “Alabama rig,” a lure gaining popularity in the bass fishing world, is illegal to use in new Hampshire’s fresh waters, new Hampshire Fish and Game Department officials said today.

The Alabama rig generated national interest following a well-publicized win by a professional bass angler in a major bass tournament last fall.

Technically, the rig is not a lure, but an apparatus that allows an angler to attach and fish up to five lures on a single line, with the possibility of catching more than one fish at a time.

It is basically a castable “umbrella” rig, consisting of a hard body with a line-tie, followed by five wire strands in a fanned out design each with a snap swivel at the end. Anglers can attach a variety of lures to each swivel for a look that is meant to mimic a school of baitfish.

Following a tournament win using the Alabama rig, bass fishing websites, forums, and magazines abounded with stories touting the fish-catching abilities of the new tackle. The buzz has generated many inquiries to Fish and Game about the legal status of using the Alabama rig, or similar fishing rigs, in new Hampshire freshwaters.

The lure as originally made, is illegal in California, as well. It may contain three wire strands with lures attached, but not five like the original design.

Fish counts

Van Arsdale Fish Station: The Chinook season total stands at 2,436: 841 males, 360 females and 1,235 jacks.

A total of 97 steelhead entered the station this past week for a season total of 182: 70 males, 111 females.

South Fork of the Noyo River Egg-Taking Station: no coho entered the station this past week. Season to date total of 30: 9 males, 11 females and 10 jacks.

No steelhead entered the station this past week. Season to date total of 3: 3 males.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Gary Roussan is an avid Willits sportsman and conservationist.