STEVE Thomas, owner of game fishing boat Amokura is approaching Lake Macquarie’s Bigfish Bonanza game fishing tournament this weekend armed with a special weapon, 14-year-old daughter Jacinta.

The laid-back dad reckons if there’s marlin out there, his girl, overall champion angler at Lake Macquarie Game Fishing Club for the past two years, will find them.

‘‘While ever she’s on board, we’re a chance,’’ he said. ‘‘She’s won plenty of trophies over the years.

‘‘She could find marlin in a schooner glass.’’

The forecast for the tournament is looking pretty bright, with reasonable conditions predicted both days.

Steve was keeping tactics close to his chest yesterday but was prepared to tip ‘‘a hangover on the Saturday and maybe another on the Sunday’’.

‘‘Iona, Tim Dean on Calypso, Running Bear – all the usual suspects will be there, so the competition will be fierce during the day, but we’ll catch up for a bit of socialising each night.

‘‘It will be a great way to kick off the tournament season.’’

Like many local anglers, Steve intends to fish all major tournaments over the next month, including the Luhrs Shootout and Interclub.

But like a number of bigger boat owners, he’s been forced to relocate Amokura, skippered by Chris Jolly, to Newcastle for the duration of the event due to the dredging situation in the channel.

‘‘It’s an absolute joke what we have to contend with and the local authorities need a good kick up the proverbial,’’ he said.

‘‘They got $300,000, or something, to deal with it recently, but the size of the dredge they got ... you’d be better off with a bucket and spade.

‘‘We have to travel to Newcastle tomorrow night and we’ll stay there Saturday and Sunday due to the tides in the lake.

‘‘We need a 1.6-metre tide to clear the channel and the best one for us is on Monday.

‘‘We don’t want to be coming back through the channel Sunday night.’’

Furthermore, Steve intends to base Amokura, which he works as a charter boat, out of Port Stephens for the next four months.

‘‘It used to be you could jump on the boat out of your front door [Lake Macquarie] and go fish, but not now, you have to worry about whether you can get back in and what not with the channel, it’s a real problem for bigger boats.’’

Steve’s been taking Amokura up to Cairns for the past two years for charter and entertains a lot of local lake anglers.

Parked out there

Another game fishing gun, Luke Stansfield, from boat TJ Mann, is fired up and ready to roll this weekend buoyed by reports from out wide over the last few days.

‘‘There’s a few marlin out there,’’ he said.

‘‘I heard there were 15 Bay [Port Stephens] boats out last Saturday and they all did all right. Seeka might have got four or five. A few others did all right.

‘‘So I reckon there’s plenty of fish sitting out there on the Carpark.’’

Luke’s also a big rap on Jacinta Thomas.

‘‘Mate, she goes very well indeed, that girl.’’

Rainlovers cluster

HATS off to nine-year-old Jacob Hoschke, of Blackalls Park, who caught a 106cm cobia and his first jew in Lake Macquarie last Friday.

Hopefully there’ll be a few more about this weekend in local estuaries.

There’s certainly plenty of whiting, bream and flathead about.

There were a few jew caught in the harbour last weekend too, and with all the rain, they should still be on.

Flat out competing

FORTY-seven boats, with a minimum of two anglers per boat, competed in the Newcastlefishing.Com Flathead tournament on Lake Macquarie last Sunday.

The event, based on total length not weight, was taken out by Team Ronald and Grimace, who were Shane (Brodo79), from Redhead and Mathew (Hammo), from Mereweather, with a total of four fish measuring 2580mm.

Team Rapala, Greg (Fishlips) and son Oscar, from Lambton, managed three fish totalling 2170mm in second place. Young Oscar bagged the biggest lizard, measuring one metre, which was duly released.

Team Hells Bells, Paul (Booty) and son Sonny, from Charlestown, finished third with a total of 2140mm.

A bit Murrayed

PETER Hatzidimitriou headed up to Seven’s River near Inverell recently – a round trip of about 1500km – to chase Murray cod.

After a bit of intelligence gathering at his local motel, Pete was able to hook up with a local farmer who shared his passion and gave him access to the river section on his property.

"After having a good chat with the motel owner about my passion to catch one of these magnificent fish he offered to have his father-in-law take us to a few of his secret spots," Pete reported.

"These are accessed by private property on the back of farms/properties and not accessible by the public.

"We met the entire family and they were truly the epitome of classic friendly and accommodating country folk ... very very lovely genuine people!

"Ron has been fishing for murray cod for over 40 years and had a lot of stories to tell!"

Pete got a couple of nice MCs for his troubles, but they didn't come easy.

"My total tally of fish was four in three days of fishing with each day lasting around 6-8 hours’ worth of fishing ... but all worth it!" he said.

"As my dad would say, 'Nothing ventured, nothing gained.'

http://www.theherald.com.au/blogs/sky ... /2441982.aspx?storypage=0

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 put 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 old 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.

Funny 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 plan 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 happy that they do. I just wish things were so good back home.

http://www.marinij.com/sports/ci_19880937

THE Government has called for an end to the formation of cartels by some safari hunting businesses which has restricted the entry of new safari hunting enterprises.

Ministry of Information, Broadcasting and Tourism Permanent Secretary Amos Malupenga said some companies had been bidding for hunting concessions under different names resulting in the same investors holding on to hunting concessions for a long period of time.

Mr Malupenga, who was speaking when he officiated at a consultative meeting of the Zambia Wild Life Authority (ZAWA) with local communities on the expiry and allocation of hunting blocs, said such unethical business practices coupled with the failure to utilise the allocated quotas, had been detrimental to the viability of the hunting business as it reduced revenue that would have accrued to the local communities and the nation.

"I challenge this meeting to deliberate and find workable solutions to these and other hurdles facing the safari hunting industry," Mr Malupenga said.

He told the meeting that was attended by 31 traditional leaders from 21 hunting blocs that the Government wanted to consult on the allocation of hunting blocs as the 10 year period for most hunting concessions would soon expire adding that lessons had been learnt over the 10 years.

And in an interview, Chief Chipepo of the Tonga people of Chirundu District called for the inclusion of the local communities in the selection of safari companies as they were the ones that lived with the operators and observed their performance.

Chief Chipepo said it had been observed that some operators were criminals who used the safari business to launder their money before moving to their next venture.

Chief Chipepo, however, implored the Government to ensure that the operators' existence in the hunting blocs benefited the local communities who were the custodians of the wildlife.

He said unless the community benefited from the wildlife, poaching would continue to be a problem in the game management areas.

http://allafrica.com/stories/201201300197.html

On Sunday, the CBS news program 60 Minutes highlighted the killer instinct within animal rights/anti-hunting organizations.

Friends of Animals President Priscilla Feral was allowed to explain how she's worked to help enact rules requiring a federal permit to hunt the endangered scimitar-horned oryx in the United States.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service posted an explanation of the new rule — including a list of myths and explanation of the new red tape the rule requires — after the 60 Minutes report aired.

At face value, this appears to be a noble cause to Feral's financial supporters. After all, why would anyone want to hunt an endangered antelope species that's on the brink of extinction?

In the 60 Minutes segment, reporter Lara Logan asks that question repeatedly to the Texas game ranchers who have used high-fence ranches and hunting to help save three antelope species that have essentially gone extinct in Africa.

“If the species is endangered, why do you hunt them?” she asked.

The answer: We hunt a few for the survival of the species.

The ranchers clearly explained they have imported antelopes such as the beautiful scimitar-horned oryx to huge fenced preserves where the species has been nourished and allowed to prosper and maintain a gene pool for reintroductions into their native Africa.

Meantime, in order to pay for maintaining these herds in Texas, sportsmen pay a hefty fee to hunt and harvest a few of the oryx that have lived well into maturity and spread their genetics to numerous offspring.

Without hunting to pay the bills, U.S. game ranchers won't be able to afford to maintain oryx herds.

Simple as that, the species could go poof.

Pricilla Feral said she'd rather see extinction than hunting.

That's sick. But it's a well-funded position.

http://www.spokesman.com/blogs/outdoo ... would-love-species-death/

When he's not busy shooting the latest installment of Parks and Recreation, funnyman Chris Pratt prefers to shoot "varmints" and elk, according to an interview in the February issue of Outdoor Life magazine.

Pratt, who also appeared in last year's hit Moneyball, acknowledges that "there aren't a ton of hunters in Hollywood."

For him, it's the perfect way to escape the stress of Hollywood. "Some people fast, some people go on a cruise or visit a day spa. I get out in the woods with a rifle or a bow. That's my release."

His favorite prey? "My favorite animal to hunt is probably elk. There's nothing like the sound of a bugling bull splitting the cold air at first light. And that smell is unmistakable. Once you experience their musk in the wild there's no going back! A close second would be a varmint hunt. I love long-distance shooting and I'm not sure there's anything as exciting as calling in predators."

His wife, Anna Faris, is on board with the idea since a knife she gave him ranks among the actor's favorite hunting gear.

After all the acting is over, Pratt says when he retires he "could see tanning (taxidermy) being a craft I could really get into."

And for anyone who objects to his favorite pastime, he says, "Sometimes people don't understand and I don't waste my breath trying to explain it. Either you get it or you don't. But for the most part people aren't judgmental about it. We just disagree and move on."

http://content.usatoday.com/communiti ... -you-get-it-or-you-dont/1

How do indigenous communities hunt without pushing target species to local extinction? In other words, how have communities retained sustainable practices over countless generations? One answer is given in a new study by the Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR) and the Center for International Research in Agronomy and Development (CIRAD): supernatural beliefs. Looking at a community of indigenous people on the Indonesian island of Seram, researchers found that supernatural beliefs ensured animals never vanished for good.

"The fact is that for many communities, supernatural agencies are realities," explains Masatoshi Sasaoka, a post doctoral fellow with CIFOR, in a press release.

The people of Seram's diet is largely made up of sago, but for protein they hunt mostly northern common cuscus (Phalanger orientalis), but also timor deer (Cervus timorensis), Celebes warty pig (Sus celebensis), and a number of bird species. In order to keep track of hunting rights, the village of around three hundred people has divided their forest into over 250 lots. When a lot is hunted out they impose seli kaitahu or a moratorium on hunting in the lot to allow wildlife populations to bounce back. The moratorium is enforced not by park rangers or police officers, but by forest spirits. Any person who hunts in a lot under seli kaitahu faces punishment from supernatural forces. The fear of breaking seli kaitahu is upheld by stories of people who have ignored the moratorium and ended up paying for it, sometimes with their lives. The researchers retell a particularly graphic story wherein a hunter is killed by a falling tree for having broken seli kaitahu. This also ensures concord in the community, since punishment is not exacted by other community members, but by forces beyond them.

Notably at the time of their study 203 lots, or over 70 percent, were protected under seli kaitahu. Only forty lots were open to hunting.

There have been numerous other studies showing that supernatural beliefs of indigenous communities often rein-in resource use. Research in Guyana has found that hunters avoid potent spiritual sites, creating refuges for animals. In the Cote d'Ivoire some communities refrain from hunting or fishing on Wednesdays, which has become a day for the "spirits and other inhabitants" of the forest," according to the authors of research published in mongabay.com's Tropical Conservation Science.

"Despite the evidence of their importance," says Sasaoka, "supernatural beliefs of indigenous peoples continue to be regarded as 'unscientific' and ignored by agencies like NGOs and governments who seek to develop 'self-directed' indigenous resource management strategies with communities.”

The researchers recommend a new model for resource management that works with such beliefs, not against them. Eroding such beliefs often comes at the price of local wildlife and the people who depend on them.

http://news.mongabay.com/2012/0202-hance_selamisland_hunting.html

A hunting expedition turned tragic on Monday when a 25-year-old hunter Harrison Taye, shot a farmer dead in Duogee Town, Grand Gedeh County. Suspect Taye told the New Dawn he mistakenly saw the victim Hexiphus Pajebo, like a red deer when he discharged his single barrel round, instantly killing him.

However, he said regrettably after firing the gun, he realized he has killed a human being. Police in Grand Gedeh County have launched an investigation into the incident, while defendant Taye is being held for recklessly taking the life of another person in violation Section 14.23 of the new penal code of Liberia, pending trial.

http://allafrica.com/stories/201202010564.html

Three Mozambican rhino poachers have each been sentenced to 25 years imprisonment by the Phalaborwa Regional Court, says the South African National Parks (SANParks).

Aselmo Baloyi, Jawaki Nkuna and Ismael Baloyi were found guilty on four counts including illegal hunting of rhino, possession of a prohibited firearm, possession of a firearm and possession of ammunition.

SANParks CEO Dr David Mabunda said the men were arrested on 10 July 2010 in Mooiplaas, Kruger National Park.

"They were found with two freshly chopped rhino horns, an assault rifle, a hunting rifle and an axe," he added.

The poachers admitted to camping in the Kruger National Park prior to poaching the rhinos.

"The sentencing of these poachers is an indication that as a country, we are taking more stringent measures in the fight against rhino poaching. I am glad the sentence is harsher than it has been in the past," Mabunda said.

http://allafrica.com/stories/201202010841.html

Taylor Gramling was nearing the end of her battle with leukemia, but her zeal for life was undiminished when the teenager told her mother last fall she wanted to go deer hunting.

It was an unusual request, but one of her final wishes. The only problem: it was bow hunting season, and Taylor, who had been diagnosed in November 2009, was no longer strong enough to use a bow.

“She got to the point where she knew she didn’t have too much longer, so she just wanted to try different things,” said her mother, Andrea Moats. “I was scared for her to do it, but of course with her being sick, I had to let her do what she wanted to do.”

With the help of state and local officials, she was able to hunt with a firearm and kill a deer on her first time out.

“I was there when she pulled the trigger,” said Scott Kuhn, a family friend who took Taylor out to hunt. “It really made a difference in her life. It was like winning the lottery.

Taylor died six weeks later, on Nov. 30 – two years and two weeks after her diagnosis. She was 18.

On Tuesday, the Georgia Senate passed a bill named in her memory with her friends and family watching in the gallery. Sen. Rick Jeffares, R-Locust Grove, sponsored the bill after helping Taylor’s family secure her hunting permit.

Taylor’s Law was approved by a vote of 53-1, and the bill now heads to the House for its consideration.

The bill would authorize the state’s natural resources commissioner to issue special hunting permits for big game or alligators to anyone under 21 with a life expectancy of a year or less due to a terminal illness.

The legislation would waive legal weapons requirements, antler restrictions, quota limitations or hunter education requirements, and would allow the commissioner to impose any terms necessary to facilitate the permit. Anyone receiving the special permit would have to hunt under the supervision of an adult hunter.

The authorization would be good for one hunting season.

Taylor’s mother said after the vote that she hopes the legislation will make it easier for children with terminal illnesses to be able to hunt as her daughter wanted to.

“She was very excited,” Moats said. “She was very proud of it.”

http://chronicle.augusta.com/news/201 ... nting-permit?v=1328044057

A MAN was shot in the head when a pheasant shoot near York went disastrously wrong.

The 45-year-old, named locally as Darren Allison, of Strensall, spent Saturday night in hospital and returned home yesterday.

The incident sparked a police inquiry involving members of the shooting party and the firearms licensing authority.

The drama began shortly before noon on Saturday when a group of shooters were hunting pheasants on farmland near Woodhouse Lane, north of Strensall.

At 11.34am, the party made a 999 call that brought an ambulance crew from the Yorkshire Ambulance Service, the Yorkshire Air Ambulance and police to the scene.

Paul Richardson, duty manager at North Yorkshire Police control, said a 45-year-old man had received a “grazing gunshot wound to the head”.

After treatment by paramedics at the scene he was taken to York Hospital by road ambulance and was detained overnight. He has since been released home. Police spoke to members of the shooting party and decided no offences had been committed. No-one was arrested at the scene. Police were treating the incident as an accident.

The remainder of that day’s shoot was abandoned.

http://www.yorkpress.co.uk/news/94858 ... in_face_at_pheasant_hunt/

THERE'S a cloud hanging over the wet season, if you'll excuse the terrible pun.

Well into January, there has only been one significant flood pulse.

The weather has been a huge contrast to the previous year's wet season.

Top End fishos could rightly feel a little despondent this weekend.

But the 2012 barra season could still be a ripper.

The Weather Bureau says the monsoon is reforming.

The La Nina pattern is in decline, but it is still there, which leaves three months capable of bringing heavy rain.

In its January 18 ENSO wrap, the Weather Bureau said: "Over the past fortnight, atmospheric indicators of La Nina, such as the Southern Oscillation Index (SOI), trade winds and cloudiness over the equatorial Pacific Ocean have shifted towards more neutral values, implying some weakening of the La Nina event.

"Tropical cyclone risk is increased for northern Australia during the cyclone season (November to April), peaking in February and March.

"The chances of (northern Australia) receiving above median rainfall during the February to April period are between 60 and 70 per cent."

So don't despair.

Even if there is not much rain, the effect of last year's record Wet should mean barramundi and coastal reef fish will probably be around in numbers.

Barramundi don't disappear if the run-off doesn't happen - it just requires different methods to catch them.

The big tides this week are coming off a dark moon, and the afternoon low tides should be good for targeting barra and salmon in Darwin and Bynoe Harbours.

But keep in mind it might be hard to pull the boat quickly out if an arvo storm brews, as the ramps will be high and dry.

GTs and queenfish should be around the tidal rips near rock walls this week.

With most inland billa- bong roads closed, keep Manton Dam in mind for some easy freshwater fishing.

In reports, Tackle World Berrimah's Mal French said there had been no heavy rain on the big catchments last week.

"The bluewater has been fishing alright when we have been able to get the charter boats out - they caught 26 goldies the other day, some around the 4kg mark," he said.

"The Daly River was back down to a metre last week - there was not much happening at the South and East Alligator Rivers and the Adelaide River is a little to thin to plough.

"There are good reports of barramundi coming out of the harbour - there have been big schools of golden trevally near the Deckchair Cinema.

"You can see them in the clear water as the harbour has not been stirred up much yet by heavy rain.

"It has been too windy for wide trips, with the westerlies coming in.

"Even Shoal Bay hasn't been fishing that well, although there are crabs.

"The charter boats have not been getting many jewies, but instead loads of goldies.

"Hopefully the monsoon will kick in this week - that's what everyone wants."

Craig's Fishing Warehouse's Craig Grosvenor said the last neaps saw staffer Mal Strong hit the Mauna Loa wreck. "He drew a blank early, so headed to Emery Point to settle a score on the inshore reefs," he said.

"The change of tide brought aboard golden snapper to 2.5kg, and the saddletail and stripeys were in full swing too.

"One customer sat on Rick Mills Reef for the change of high tide and reported a 15kg mackie rampaging its way north with a ganged pilchard on board. Old mate had to pull anchor and chase it in a hurry with limited line capacity, eventually winning the fight, but somewhat off course!

"In other harbour news, it would seem that the gas pipeline structure is winning a few fans, with nice fish coming off it during the night in the form of jewfish to 18kg, mid-sized snapper and stonker cods.

"Being such a lengthy structure, pinpointing best spots is almost impossible without a waypoint to work with, but nonetheless it is a winner for us fishos looking for somewhere new to try.

"Talking barras ... the Daly Rivers fishing performance has been up and down like a yoyo, however late last week saw some awesome fishing sessions on soft plastics.

"It must've been a matter of being at the right place at the right time with some reports totalling 40 fish and others only three ... but as they say, thats fishing.

"Fish were mostly in the 70-85cm range, so few were complaining.

"Here's a funny one.

"Normally, crabbing would be getting pretty tough by now but lately it has been nothing short of brilliant.

"Darwin Harbour's East Arm, Lizzy River, Hudson Creek and the like have really turned it on lately with multiple monster bucks per pot reported.

"As you would therefore expect, Shoal Bay has been pretty special too ... but check this. Two good mates recently hit Meckit Creek with 10 pots on the incoming tide.

"An hour later it was time for the first round pull and that netted 38 big bloody crabs ... 28 of the smallest were returned to the water and it was time to head home!"

Katherine Rod and Rifle's Brendan de With said he had not heard much from the Roper or Daly Rivers last week.

"One guy got 40 fish at Cooinda but isolated storms have started again which might change things out there - but at least there is hope now for some run-off," he said.

"I had one person go to the Daly River on the weekend and report that it was quiet.

"The Katherine River is quiet - I went to Donkey Camp on the weekend - it was not far off dry season levels but a storm has dirtied it up - we got a few small fish there last week.

"No one has been down to the Victoria River either, and it is at its normal water level.

"Shane Compain was down the South Alligator River and said it was poor.

"I am hoping the rain is not coming too late - it should all be in flood by now.

"At this time of year we should now be planning our run-off trips.

"There is talk of the monsoon starting to build, which is the news we want."

Tackle World Coolalinga's Pat Tait said there had been snapper at Town Hall and some of the wrecks but not all wrecks had fish.

"At West Arm and Middle Arms there are lots of salmon in prawn-feeding mode, and they are hard to catch," he said. "There have been some good crabs getting caught in the harbour, but otherwise it has been fairly quiet."

The Tackle Box's Frenchy Maujean said mud crabs have been back in force in Shoal Bay and Middle Arm.

"The major rivers have slowed right down and on the barra front the Daly River has slowed from the lack of rain, but it looks like changing soon with the monsoon," he said.

"The last flowing Daly feeders like Bamboo Creek were fishing well but it has slowed down now and we badly need that rain.

"There have been good jewies caught out the front of Talc Head in the deep hole there - one customer got double hook-ups, and he also fished the Containers near the Stokes Hill Wharf later in the week and caught good fish there as well.

"There are still plenty of snapper being reported through the harbour and the like.

"The harbour slowed down for barra briefly but it will pick up again - it slowed down for a week or so.

"I have heard some good reports from Bass Reef, with lots of snapper caught.
"The weather has been good if you avoid the storms - (which is) typical for the time of year when the monsoon is not there.

"The Adelaide River has quietened right down."


http://www.ntnews.com.au/article/2012/01/22/284741_fishing.html

The pike swipes at my lure arcing circles beneath the ice, but I don't set the hook - because I'm not fishing with hooks.

Tim Spreck, who had been alternating between talking tactics with me and talking trash with his pals outside our canvas icehouse on Cross Lake, leans over from his hole in the ice to peer down mine.

"Right behind the head," Spreck says. "Take it."

I thrust a steel-barbed pitchfork into the placid scene below, causing a rush of bubbles and yielding a spine-stabbed pike and a tale to tell.

[img width=300]http://photo.twincities.com/ssp/p.php?a=ZmJ3YGE6Oj1OWkwuJzM3My4yJjclPz8yKzYlODc+NjknIi0mOicjKDonNz8xMQ==&m=1327191085[/img]

I'm "darkhouse angling," a cultish, quirky - and controversial - activity whose origins can be traced to mankind's first attempts at fish-eating.

Led by Spreck, president of the Minnesota Darkhouse and Angling Association, and Kirk Schnitker, an indefatigable advocate, a group of the sport's most vocal ambassadors invited me out here to indoctrinate me into their passion, and now they've succeeded.

For several years, they've attempted to recruit new spear fishermen and lobby lawmakers to protect their practice amid declining popularity.

According to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, fewer than 15,000 Minnesotans bought a darkhouse spearing license last year. The numbers have been falling since nearly 55,000 purchased the license in 1958, according to data since 1957.

Spreck's pitch is straightforward.

"We just try to convince people with facts," he explained. "A lot of the old guys have reputations for being secretive, but I want to show people exactly what it is we do."

And what they do is really more like hunting than fishing.

HOW IT'S DONE

Part of the craft is making one's own lures, which are hookless and called decoys. Carved from a block of wood and often ornately painted, the decoys are jigged or twitched - decoys that gracefully sweep a circle are common - to lure the fish beneath the hole.

The "hole" is big, about the size of a 50-inch TV screen - and equally as captivating. The "darkhouse" moniker comes from the lack of light allowed inside the shanty, which allows the TV screen to glow and the viewer to see all sorts of goings-on beneath the ice. (This also plays into the stereotype of the solitary darkhouse spearer, staring endlessly down a green-glowing hole; modern-day comforts of sofas, real TVs, ovens and so forth have no place in the darkhouse angler's den.)

When a fish comes into range - usually, directly beneath the hole - the angler has a choice: to spear or not. There's no catch-and-release in spearing, but, as advocates argue, their version of release is to never even make an effort at the fish. Generally, it's the smaller pike that darkhouse anglers pass up, like a hunter choosing not to fire at a young buck.

That's a luxury, they point out, that traditional hook-and-line anglers don't have, and it's a key counter to critics.




CRITICISM

The Minnesota DNR has no formal position. However, spearers say the $18 additional fee - on top of the $17 annual license - for residents to spear reveals a bias against them.

The long history of spearfishing likely began as soon as people began living near frozen bodies of water and getting hungry. Its history of controversy in modern times has included several attempts in Minnesota to ban it.

In simplest terms, muskie anglers hate spearfishing. Modern muskie fishermen live by a strict catch-and-release ethic, and they've lobbied hard against a sport that is decidedly catch-and-kill.

Pike, catfish and whitefish are the only game fish that can be speared legally in Minnesota. Winter pike spearing is banned on 25 muskie lakes.

Critics have charged that spearers often can't distinguish between a muskie and a pike on lakes where the esox cousins coexist. Additionally, trophy pike, which are harder to come by than trophy muskies on many lakes, shouldn't be killed, critics say.

Shawn Kellett, a member of the Twin Cities chapter of Muskies Inc., who buttonholes policy makers for the group's cause, says he's not "anti-spearing," but he has tussled with the darkhouse folks.

"My father-in-law is a die-hard spearer and decoy carver," Kellett said. "I've looked down the hole plenty. I get it....It's the conservation ethic of the spearers versus the muskie anglers. The muskie anglers are 'throw them back.' The darkhouse guys are 'put something on my plate.' "

The result, he says, is that spearing culls the up-and-coming pike in the 4- to 5-pound range, as well as too many large ones, leaving lakes choked with stunted "hammer handles." But he sees hope in the overlap between younger pike spearers and muskie fishermen.




"It's starting to turn, and it's a generational thing," Kellett said. "Once a certain demographic is no longer breathing, we'll have taken care of it."

CASS BAN LIFTED

Darkhouse advocates point to studies and statistics that suggest they're responsible for a small part - 15 percent, by one DNR study - of the pike killed in a year, with summer angling responsible for the vast majority.

The well-organized group, along with a number of resorts and businesses around Cass Lake near Bemidji, scored a victory last year at the Legislature, when a spearing ban on the trophy muskie lake was lifted after more than 20 years.

"It's the best thing that's happened to me in the 10 years I've been in business," said Steve Ballou, owner of Break on the Lake Resort on Cass Lake. "Most of our winter business used to be snowmobiling, which wasn't much when snow was everywhere and is nothing this year. The spearing thing has given us an entirely new business for the winter."

The DNR is closely watching the action, performing daily surveys of what size fish anglers are stabbing with their pitchforks.

Dean "Froggy" Phillips, owner of Froggy's Bait and Tackle, which maintains 24 rentable ice houses on Cass Lake for spearing, said he urges clients to be certain they're not spearing a muskie and to consider holding the spear back if a lunker pike cruises beneath.

Phillips and Ballou said they believe spearers aren't killing many trophy fish, but Kellett said he has heard otherwise.

SAVAGE SPORT?

Ask darkhouse residents where their passion comes from, and you'll get a range of responses, from carrying on an endangered tradition to the pride of fooling a fish with a decoy you spent days carving and painting.

The weekend I joined these spearfishionados was the occasion of the not-so-legendary Whitefish Open on the Whitefish chain of lakes in Crow Wing County. Schnitker's lake home serves as a base for eating too much chili and boasting too much over decoy-making prowess.

Being surrounded by the trappings of the trade was unlike any "normal" fishing outing. Between the hand-honed pitchforks stacked against the walls and the handsaws used to cut the holes, the place looked like a medieval weapons cache. Pictures of spearers hoisting their trophy catches impaled on tines border on grotesque.

Beneath the surface of some anti-spearing sentiments is the notion that these are merely angling deviants, the whips-and-chains crowd of the wider fishing population.

But gazing down the hole captivated me. I've peered through auger-sized holes previously while ice fishing, but nothing compares with the widescreen effect of the darkhouse theater. The various actions of the decoys themselves - and each is unique - captivated me like my son with a new batch of bathtub toys. (Fans say kids love the darkhouse experience.)

The thrill of seeing a pike enter the show was a joy I don't get when jigging traditionally, and the anticipation of throwing the spear was exciting.

If you're out to catch dinner, it's hard to argue with the convenience of being able to select your fish, or not. It's like being at the butcher counter.

I'm a muskie fisherman, and I well know - and practice - the no-kill credo. Darkhouse spearers on muskie lakes would do both sides a disservice if they didn't ensure they spear only pike.

I drill my hole into the winter spearing debate with caution. The darkhouse boosters are keeping their legislative agenda close to the vest for now, so it's unclear whether tempers will flare this year.

I'll just say this: I went, I speared, and I had a heck of a lot of fun doing it.

Dave Orrick can be reached at 651-228-5512. Follow him at twitter.com/OutdoorsNow.

http://www.twincities.com/sports/ci_19791453

In the North Country, fishing enthusiasts embrace the winter cold to keep the lines casting year-round.

By late December, the open water of Lake Champlain usually begins to freeze. For ice anglers, this means the start of the season. They replace boats with snowmobiles and even cars to explore the three-fourths of the lake that eventually ice over.

"The bays up north, like Kings Bay, freeze first," Plattsburgh-based charter guide Mickey Maynard said. "It freezes from the north and south toward the middle, but usually doesn't close in the middle near Port Kent."

With an unusually warm fall, this season may have gotten off to a slow start. But the ice has begun to arrive, and ice anglers know that for a successful day of fishing it's crucial to understand the habits of fish during the winter months.

Fish are drawn under the ice because it acts like protection.

"When a bay gets its first ice and there is open water on the outside, the fish will go beneath the ice," Maynard said. "In a spot like that, there will typically be good fishing."

The rule of thumb is the ice should be at least 3 or 4 inches thick to safely support an ice angler on foot. For cars and snowmobiles, the ice needs to be much thicker, around 8 to 12 inches.

Equipment for ice fishing can be as expensive as one pleases, but the basic tools have remained the same for many years.

A chisel, known as a spud, is used to knock holes in the ice early in the season when the ice is relatively thin. Come January, the ice is usually too thick for spuds, and a drill, called an auger, is used to punch holes. These holes rarely exceed one foot in diameter because too much sunlight will shock the fish.

The fact that most fish become dormant in the winter makes them harder to catch as they need less food. The more common species found in Lake Champlain include perch, northern pike and walleye.

Lake Champlain's species variety and size make it the most popular ice-fishing spot in the region. However, anglers can catch fish through the winter on smaller lakes and ponds throughout the North Country. Chazy Lake and Chateaugay Lake are also favorite destinations.

In addition to choosing a lake, an ice angler must choose bait: natural or artificial.

"I typically use live bait," Maynard said. "For example, if I am looking for perch I use maggots and minnows."

For lures, it's recommended the shinier the better. These lures reflect what little light penetrates the snow and ice above.

Ice fishing requires time and patience. To escape the frigid elements, people often buy, rent or build shelters called shanties. These can either be rigid or folding, similar to a tent.

"My shanties for rent are solid wood structures that move on skis," said Gilly Gagner of Bronze Guide Service in Highgate Springs, Vt. "The larger ones are 7-by-16 feet and have a heater and stove."

Sometimes clusters of shanties called shanty towns will pop up because there is good fishing in that area. If the fish stop biting, the shanties will spread out.

Although fishing in groups usually mean the fish are biting, it's also a smart approach in terms of safety.

"It's always a good idea to have at least one partner when you're out there ice fishing," Maynard said.

Because the sport requires extensive ice coverage, ice fishing locations are limited and the number of quality spots is even fewer.

Fishing charters, such as the services offered by Maynard and Bruce Batchelder of Holiday Harbor Motel in North Hero, Vt., take advantage of the touring side of ice fishing.

"I took five or six groups of clients out last winter," Maynard said. "Anyone can stroll on the ice and go fishing, but some people want a guide if they're not familiar with the area."

Lake Champlain is a popular destination for people living in locations that don't accumulate enough ice cover for fishing.

"Most of our clients come from places like Massachusetts, Connecticut and New Hampshire," Batchelder said.

In recent years, Lake Champlain has welcomed a growing number of out-of-state anglers. Gagner believes this trend is not simply about quality fishing.

"Southern New England is getting less ice every year," Gagner said. "These people are heading north because of the effects of global warming. They can't fish were they used to anymore."

Sitting out on the lake might not seem like much of a getaway, but it's a different world out there on the ice.

After a few hours, it is easy to forget how close civilization is.

"You get a fire going in a wood stove and that shanty becomes a warm place to get out of the cold," Batchelder said. "People bring portable cookers so they can enjoy their catch right out there on the ice. It can be a real escape."



TECHNIQUES TO ATTRACT FISH

Regardless of whether the fish are plentiful or not, there are always tricks to improve one's chances of getting a bite, according to charter guide Mickey Maynard.

— Try alternating between live and plastic bait. Like people, fish enjoy something different now and then. Don't always assume live bait is the best answer.

— Lower the line to the bottom or as deep as possible. If the water is shallow enough the lure will hit bottom and stir up the lake bed. Fish are more likely to notice this change in their surroundings over bait suspended in dark water.

— Fish are obviously attracted to bait, so use more of it. Try dropping bait down the ice holes to cause more attention. Not only does this buffet from above mean more food, but it also makes the line seem less suspicious.

is the ice safe?

Ice anglers should avoid running water and be watchful for thin ice where streams enter lakes or around dams. These ice thickness numbers are provided by the state Department of Environmental Conservation and are based on clear, blue, hard ice:

Ice Thickness — Permissible Load

▶ 2 inches — 1 person on foot

▶ 3 inches — group in single file

▶ 7.5 inches — one car (2 tons)

▶ 8 inches — light truck (2.5 tons)

▶ 10 inches — truck (3.5 tons)

▶ 12 inches — heavy truck (7-8 tons)

Slush ice and other poorly formed ice can be much weaker.

Source: http://www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/7733.html

IS THE ICE SAFE?

Ice anglers should avoid running water and be watchful for thin ice where streams enter lakes or around dams. These ice thickness numbers are provided by the state Department of Environmental Conservation and are based on clear, blue, hard ice:

Ice Thickness — Permissible Load

2 inches — 1 person on foot

3 inches — group in single file

7.5 inches — one car (2 tons)

8 inches — light truck (2.5 tons)

10 inches — truck (3.5 tons)

12 inches — heavy truck (7-8 tons)

Shush ice and other poorly formed ice can be much weaker.

Source: http://www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/7733.html

http://pressrepublican.com/0105_outdo ... art-of-ice-fishing-season

WHEN Pittsworth man Reuben Sippel packed up his tackle box and took his fishing rod down to one of his favourite fishing spots on the Condamine River on Saturday, there was no way he would know this trip would be his last.

Later that evening when the 76-year-old did not return home, concerned family alerted Pittsworth police.

The Pittsworth police and SES formed a search party, but long-time friend of Mr Sippel and SES group leader Neil Miles said poor light made it too dangerous to continue searching throughout the evening.

"We received a call from police on Saturday evening but by the time we got down to the river and found Reuben's ute it was too dark," he said.

"We searched around the area where his vehicle was located until the early morning, but to go down closer to the river in the dark was too dangerous."

The search party was called off and rescheduled to resume at first light yesterday morning.

"We actually got down to the river an hour early," Mr Miles said.

"Groups patrolled both sides of the river and after almost an hour of searching, one of the groups found Reuben's fishing gear and then about 150 metres further down the river we found him deceased."

Pittsworth Police acting sergeant Stephen Johnson said the death was not being treated as suspicious.

Mr Sippel and his wife Margaret moved into the township of Pittsworth just over three years ago after retiring from their farm at Iron Gate.

He was renowned around town for his love of fishing and his deep appreciation for country music.

Toowoomba Regional Councillor and former Pittsworth Mayor Ros Scotney said Mr Sippel was a loveable character who was highly regarded by Pittsworth residents.

"He was one those people you would think would be around forever," she said.

"It may sound like a cliché, but he truly was the salt of the earth."

http://www.thechronicle.com.au/story/ ... to-tragedy-reuben-sippel/

It is a phrase that stops conversation in its tracks, puts all senses on alert and starts the adrenaline flowing.

The quail hunter who hears, “We got one on point,” is the equivalent of the Daytona 500 fan who hears, “Gentlemen, start your engines!”

Read more: http://www.newsherald.com/articles/qu ... s-holy.html#ixzz1kF2Oqqj2

It is that moment a trained dog, running freely, never slowing and always sniffing abruptly freezes, its tail straight out and, on a good point, a front foot in the air, his nose pointed at the prey.

If a good shot follows you might remember it but over time it is the working of the dogs and the fellowship of the hunt that remains.

That was my experience a week ago after I was invited on a quail hunt at Hard Labor Creek Plantation by Ted Everett, who owns the 2,600-acre hunting and fishing preserve south of Chipley. He hosts Bobwhite Quail hunts, fishing, other activities like an annual dirt-bike race.

Though an avid deer, turkey and duck hunter, I didn’t know much about quail, had never hunted them and wasn’t ecstatic about the invite. But Everett’s enthusiasm was contagious even if I didn’t understand what he was so worked up about when we first talked.

“We’ve got Dez Young, you know about Dez, right?” Everett said. “His dog Hank had his own show, the first dog to ever have his own show, ‘Hunting with Hank,’ you’ve heard of it, right?”

I hadn’t. I learned that Hank was a Llewellin Setter who did in fact have a hunting show with Dez Young that ran for six seasons, that Hank is in the National Bird Dog Museum Hall of Fame and that he died in 2004 but his Dash carried on the tradition.

And it was Dash, Everett told me, that we would be “hunting over.”

It still didn’t resonate as being the treat it would turn out to be. But every time I mentioned my upcoming trip with my older hunting buddies, I was educated.

“I’m going on a quail hunting trip with this guy who had a dog named Hank that had its own show and he’s bringing Hank’s son,” I told my friend Allen.

“What? I remember that show. Hank’s dead you idiot, what are you talking about?”

I explained about Dash. “You’re still an idiot, but a lucky one,” Allen said.

So a week ago Friday I showed up with a borrowed Remington 1187 semi-automatic 12-gauge shotgun (Allen said showing up with my pump 870 would be an “embarrassment”), two boxes of shells and a knot in my stomach the size of a quail I was sure I’d shoot at and miss.

Everett greeted me first (actually he drove out and found me after I got lost) and he had Young riding with him.

Young hopped out of Ted’s truck, introduced himself and asked if he could ride with me back to the barn, the first sign of why he is so respected in his field. He began unknowingly teaching me why they call quail hunting a “gentleman’s sport.” He didn’t talk about himself, he talked about his dogs. He asked about me and my son. He told a joke. We didn’t talk about killing birds.

It was more of the same at the barn where we loaded up. On this day I was joining Bob Hasiuk, who traveled from Clemson, S.C. for a quail hunt.

“Really?” I asked. “Is it really worth that?”

“I’ve hunted with Dez before and I wasn’t passing up a chance to do it again,” he said.

Hasiuk and I chatted but didn’t get deep into financial matters. My impression was that he wasn’t some independently wealthy guy who can afford to travel the world chasing famous hunters. If I remember correctly, he’s semi-retired and moved to Clemson, S.C., to be near his daughter who is attending school there, apparently because the University of Georgia was full (college joke). He works part-time at a golf course there, which allows him free golf. And if I understood correctly he’s been saving that part-time job money for this trip.

We set out riding on a small trailer that carried Dash and the other dogs we’d be working with that day and arrived in the quail hunting area. Controlled burns helped nurture the right vegetation for quail — high alfalfa-like plants, undergrowth and bushes interspersed between planted pines in some sections.

Jerry Strickland was our guide, mixing his knowledge of the sport with plenty of humor and good-natured ribbing.

Dash was released and followed Young’s commands, working the area in a grid-like fashion while we followed behind, talking about family, hunting, the weather, and the tips I would need to survive the day as a novice quail hunter.

They really only had two instructions for me: Don’t shoot any person or any dog. We walked in a loose line and it wasn’t long before Young called out the magic words: “He’s on point!”

It is a beautiful sight if you can appreciate the work that goes into a good bird dog. Dash was nearly frozen, the only movement being the quiver of excitement coursing through him as he fought the instinct to pounce and flush.

We moved in, side by side — I took the left and Hasiuk the right — and walked up to and then past Dash until we “flushed” the quail. As feared, it flew in my direction and I missed.

No one cared. As we moved along Young worked his way over to me and put his hand on my shoulder.

“Caz,” he said quietly, “I noticed you approached with your barrel low and you put the gun too high on your shoulder. You always want to walk in with the tip of the barrel right below eye level — it’s a natural flow from there to your shot — and put the butt of the gun lower on your shoulder. Your reaction time was great, try that.”

On the next flush I followed his instruction and walked toward Dash, the bird again busted low and to my left and I fired, knocking down my first Bobwhite Quail, a beautiful male that will join my wood duck, green-wing teal and bucks in our hunting room. (see video online at newsherald.com)

We walked and talked for hours and shot our share of quail and missed our share, too. We took as much pride in the shots we DIDN’T take — the ones where the bird was too low near the dogs, or flying toward someone — as the ones we did.

We took quail close, we knocked some down at a distance. Young took some turns, hitting just about everything he shot at.

But what he really reinforced for me is the bond between a good man and a good dog. My chocolate lab, Jordan, is a trained duck and dove dog but first he’s our family pet, and so it is with Young and Dash.

He carried water for Dash, taking breaks when needed, and spent time tending to his paws to make sure they weren’t getting roughed up in the thorny undergrowth.

I could see why Young is known for not just his ability to train a dog but his likeability, his attitude, his treatment of his dogs as partners and pets, not equipment. One of the most popular segments of his show was his satirical take on spoiled dogs.

“On each episode I’d have a part where I’d warn people to never, ever spoil their bird dog,” Young said. “It started as kind of ribbing dog trainers who think you have to keep your dog in a kennel and only get it out to train or hunt. We treat our dogs like family.”

Later in the morning as Dash tired, Strickland brought out three of his dogs, two short-haired and a Llewellin Setter, and I learned even more. When one dog went on “point” and froze, the other dogs running around would see that and would also freeze. I thought all three dogs had found quail, but Strickland explained the second and third dogs were “honoring the point” of the first dog, stopping so as not to flush the quail too soon.

“That’s what they’re trained to do,” Strickland said. “It’s something, isn’t it? The self-control?”

Those kinds of conversations carried the day. Within a week of the hunt Young had contacted me twice to check in and Hasiuk had sent me a hand-written letter saying how much he enjoyed hunting with me and included a DVD with pictures and video he took of us during the hunt.

That speaks of a sport of gentleman as much as anything, and I’m an official convert.

http://www.newsherald.com/articles/quail-99850-hears-holy.html