Author: BD STAFF

Gila Trout NM During the fourth annual Native Trout Conference on Thursday, April 18, the Arizona Game and Fish Department received an award from the National Fish Habitat Partnership for its involvement in last year’s evacuation and stocking of the endangered Gila trout during the New Mexico Whitewater-Baldy fire. The award is for extraordinary action and support of fish habitat conservation. Some of the fish were rescued by helicopter and taken to a hatchery in New Mexico; others were stocked in Arizona’s Ash Creek. Other award recipients are: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Albuquerque, Pinetop, and Mora; U.S. Forest Service…

Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal, Texas Governor Rick Perry, Florida Governor Rick Scott and Mississippi Governor Phil Bryant are calling on Congress to allow the states to take control over management of the red snapper fishery in the Gulf of Mexico. In a letter to Congressional leadership, the governors declared federal fisheries management “irretrievably” and seek passage of legislation that would reverse a situation that is negatively impacting the coastal economies and citizens of the Gulf Coast. “After three decades under ineffective federal management, our citizens are left with a 9-day season for this iconic fish, and that is just an…

Florida Lionfish Look out, lionfish. The Florida FWC is making it easier for people to harvest you. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) on April 17 at its meeting near Tallahassee discussed waiving the commercial and recreational bag limit and the recreational license requirement for divers harvesting lionfish using certain gear. In August 2012, the FWC put a temporary rule in place that waived the recreational fishing license requirement when targeting lionfish with a hand-held net, pole spear, Hawaiian sling or any other spearing device designed and marketed exclusively for lionfish. This temporary rule change also removed any…

Louisiana Turkey Hunting Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) Enforcement Division agents made six illegal turkey hunting cases during the April 12-14 weekend. On April 12, agents cited Michael A. Kowalski, 34, of Katy, Texas, in Webster Parish for obtaining a license by fraud, hunting turkey without non-resident basic and big game licenses, and hunting turkey without a non-resident turkey stamp. Agents cited Stephen K. Breaux, 37, of Houma, in East Feliciana Parish on April 13 for hunting turkey over a baited area, with an electronic device and failing to comply with turkey tagging regulations. Agents seized the electronic…

Sturgeon for Tomorrow is seeking volunteers to join in its effort, in partnership with Michigan Department of Natural Resources’ conservation officers, to help protect sturgeon from poaching. Each spring, mature lake sturgeon, a fish species that is threatened in Michigan and rare throughout the United States, become vulnerable to poaching as they briefly leave Black Lake in Cheboygan County for spawning sites in the Black River. Hundreds of volunteers stand guard along the Black River during the spawning season, from mid-April through early June, to report any suspicious activity and deter the unlawful take of this prized fish. “For over…

Fishing in saltwater is a blast, but the harsh elements can be murder on your outboard if you don’t flush afterward.

Friends Of Rollo Burglarized – Kid Fishing San Diego Sometime during Saturday night, Friends of Rollo, the popular youth program that has introduced over 85,000 children to the Marine Environment and fishing had their San Diego storage unit broken into and ransacked. The unit contained donated merchandise including new and used rods, reels and other outdoor gear being staged for upcoming fundraising activities. Friends of Rollo President Harold Davis said, “The theft of this product is a severe blow to our fundraising efforts. Offering raffle prizes and selling used tackle are two of our primary sources of revenue. Soliciting donated…

Eddie “Flathead Ed” Wilcoxson was asleep on the fold-out cot of his 24-foot pontoon boat on Friday, April 12, when what would become a state record flathead catfish began taking drag at Bartlett Lake. About 35 minutes later, at 2:37 a.m., Wilcoxson, 56, boated what Arizona Game and Fish Department officials verified is a 76.52-pound flathead catfish. It measured 53.5 inches in total length with a 34.75-inch girth. It also became the heaviest recorded fish of any species in state history, topping the 74-pound flathead catfish caught in 1988 out of the Colorado River by Walter Wilson of Bard, Calif.…

A recent study has shown that bottom-dwelling goosefish, also known as monkfish, prey on dovekies, a small Arctic seabird and the smallest member of the puffin family. To understand how this deep-water fish finds a shallow-feeding bird in offshore waters, researchers looked at when, where, and how these animals were most likely to be in the same place at the same time. Remains of fourteen dovekie were recovered from the stomachs of 14 goosefish caught during the winters between 2007 and 2010. The goosefish were captured in gillnets deployed at depths between 275 and 495 feet in waters 65 to…

The 34 teams participating in the World Sailfish Championship presented by Bass Pro Shops were greeted by breezy conditions and tough fishing on Day One. Winds out of the southeast chopped the seas up and left the sailfish in a more curious – as opposed to ravenous – mood. In all, 46 sails were released on the first day of the three-day tournament with Viva La Vida leading the way with nine releases. The 33-foot L&H Express leads High Standards, Lights Out, Bar South and High Tide, all of which released four sailfish on Thursday. Dr. John Cole, owner of…

The father and son team of “Cajun” Phil and Kevin Broussard recently took home $40,000 for their 44.78-pound first place finish in the inaugural 2013 Academy Sports and Outdoors HT Invitational Redfish Series event at Chalmette, Louisiana. But the tournament proved a challenge for even the best of the best, including the long-time host of “Cajun” Phil & Capt. Kevin’s Outdoors & Fishing Television show and his son, a Lake Charles guide. By Day 3 winds reached 30 mph and pea soup fog made navigation difficult. “It was like flying at night, relying purely on instrumentation to navigate an hour…

It’s that time of year when saltwater anglers start paying closer attention to the tides and water temperatures and mark their calendars for the 4th annual Sportfishing Festival, produced by Pacific Coast Sportfishing. This year’s Festival will be held Saturday and Sunday, April 27th and 28th at the Orange County Fairgrounds. “When we started the Festival four years ago,” shares PCS editor and show producer Bill DePriest, “we wanted it to be a lot of things….a kick-off party for the season; a gathering place where anglers, captains and private boat owners can rub shoulders with each other; a chance to…

Fishworks Updates Popular Fishing Shorts – Fishworks Shorts Sale Fishworks has added some refinements to their popular line of fishing boardshorts. First introduced in 1999, the South Shores shorts were hugely popular among anglers. With some minor tweeking, Fishworks took this retro short and brought it into the 21st century. Available in Navy and Khaki, they are made from durable 100% Heavy Nylon and feature a Contour Waistband, Custom Double Snap Closure and a Nylon Locking Zipper Fly. At 19-inches hitting just above the knee, these shorts give plenty of flexibility and range of motion. The South Shores short, however,…

Shark Video Kayak – Hawaii Shark Attack In February, BD Outdoors published a story about Isaac Brumaghiam, the Hawaiian kayak fisherman who is reconnecting with his Polynesian ancestry by targeting large fish in the deep waters around his home. Read that article, titled BIG MAN IN A LITTLE BOAT, here. Isaac has caught marlin, tuna over 100 pounds, trophy-size mahimahi and wahoo. He is on the water nearly year-round in his custom-fit kayak rigged with electronics and the latest fishing equipment. In our interview, he did mention that sharks can occasionally be a problem, but Isaac recently experienced a close encounter…

Installing A Fiberglass Bait Tank A quality bait tank is key for west coast anglers. Most factory tanks are not designed to take care of our smaller, more fragile baits like sardines and anchovies. For this reason, nearly all serious West coast anglers install a custom bait system.

Coast Guard Assistance The Coast Guard and local agencies responded to a tractor-trailer accident on the Monitor-Merrimac Memorial Bridge in Virginia on Monday morning. Suffolk emergency dispatch notified the Coast Guard Sector Hampton Roads command center of the accident at approximately 9 a.m., reporting a truck was hanging off the side of the southbound bridge span with a person still in the cab. Sector Hampton Roads dispatched crews aboard the Coast Guard Cutter Shearwater, an 87-foot patrol boat homeported in Portsmouth, along with a 25-foot Response Boat from Coast Guard Station Portsmouth and an incident management crew from Sector Hampton…

With an exciting rule change that aims to reward skill instead of luck, the 7th Annual Bloodydecks Yellowtail Shootout presented by Costa is set to take place June 21-23, 2013. The rule change dictates that first through fifth places are to be determined by a bag limit of 3 fish. The biggest fish gets a grand prize and can also count in the 3-fish aggregate. Heralded as the largest yellowtail tournament in California, this year’s Yellowtail Shootout is gearing up to be an event not to be missed. “With the improvements in the economy and SoCal fishing,” said BD Outdoors…

The Rock The Ocean Music Festival at Fort Lauderdale, taking place April 13 and 14, will feature Kenny Chesney, Lynyrd Skynyrd and 21 other groups. The Conservation Village at the Rock the Ocean’s inaugural Tortuga Music Festival, presented by LandShark, the nation’s first ocean benefit concert, will be the place where the message of marine conservation and awareness is delivered in an interactive, thought-provoking and entertaining way. The goal is to let concertgoers know that despite the many challenges our seas face, research and science offer knowledge and alternatives to keep our oceans vibrant for future generations. The oceanfront festival,…

Hammerhead Endangered NOAA’s Fisheries Service, in response to a petition submitted by the WildEarth Guardians and Friends of Animals is proposing to list four populations of scalloped hammerhead sharks under the Endangered Species Act, two as threatened and two as endangered. However, the species will not be listed in the majority of U.S. waters due to steps fisheries managers and fishermen have already taken to help protect these species. For example, in the U.S. Atlantic, the species is managed under a fishery management plan, with established biological catch levels to control harvest. NOAA’s Fisheries Service is also finalizing an amendment…

Anglers Alex Beck, Mark Martin, and Keith Langford (who shot the below video) were participating in the Flying Mako fishing tournament when they captured amazing footage of a 10-foot-long mako shark leaping out of the water nine times. Even more impressive, the huge shark hit a fly and was hooked on a saltwater flyrod. WARNING: If strong language offends you, turn off the sound.

The Virginia Marine Resources Commission is preparing to embark on the largest state-funded oyster replenishment initiative in state history, thanks to a record $2 million appropriated in the budget by Governor Robert F. McDonnell and the Virginia General Assembly. “This historic investment will provide significant ecological and economic benefits, and will provide consumers with more delicious, high-quality Virginia oysters,” said Doug Domenech, Secretary of Natural Resources. “This is a win for the health of the Bay, for oyster-lovers and for our hard-pressed watermen in these difficult economic times.” The replenishment program will begin in May and last through August, and…

Former NASA astronaut Bruce Melnick will serve as celebrity host of the Redbone @ Large Sunrise/Sunset Tarpon Tournament set for Friday through Sunday, April 26-28. Melnick was a mission specialist on the Space Shuttle Discovery in 1990 and flight engineer on the first flight of the Shuttle Endeavour. Limited team entries are still available for the popular event that marks the annual migration of the mighty silver kings to the waters off the Florida Keys. Registration is scheduled for 4-6 p.m. Friday, April 26, at Islander Resort, the host lodging property, located at mile marker (MM) 82.1 bayside. A kick-off…

BD Outdoors Fishin Chicks Krista Tucker and Deadra Bridger took part in this year’s Madfin Shark Tourney, which can be seen on the Outdoor Channel. Krista appeared on BD Outdoors most recently as a Fishin Chick, which can be seen here. Deadra was also featured as a Fishin Chick. Check her out here. The show highlights four couples vying to catch trophy sharks on light tackle in the waters around Key West, Florida. The contestants are all MadFin veterans, except for Krista and her fishing partner. Filmed with the latest technology, including a special helicopter aerial view, the 2013 Madfin…

OK Deer Hunters Harvesting Oklahoma deer hunters are harvesting greater numbers of older bucks while letting more young bucks walk, according to data collected in recent years. The Quality Deer Management Association recently issued a report on a list of states that provided the organization with their 2011 buck harvest data, and Oklahoma was in the top five states with the highest harvest of bucks age 3.5 years old and older. In Oklahoma, 51 percent of the deer jaw bones aged from the 2011 buck harvest was comprised of deer that were 3.5 years old or older. In comparison, the…