Fishing News

SuperUser Account — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 20:54:39 GMT

Illinois Finalizes Plans for High School Bass FishingSPRINGFIELD, IL—The Illinois High School Association Board, the body that oversees 35 intra-school sports and activities in the state, has made it official: Illinois will be the first state in the country to have a sanctioned, state high school bass-fishing championship, beginning in 2009. IHSA directors approved schedules and official rules for the new Bass Fishing State Series to be inaugurated during the 2008-09 school term. Sectionals in the series will be held on Friday of Week 42 (April 24, 2009), with the state final being held on Friday and Saturday of Week 44 (May 8-9, 2009). Sites for the events have not yet been determined. Schools will be allowed to enter up to two boats, with up to three students in each boat, although only two may fish at any one time. The competition will take place for up to eight hours per day, with provisions for inclement weather. Each boat will weigh five fish at the end of each day’s competition. “We are excited about the new bass fishing tournament,” said Marty Hickman, IHSA Executive Director and the driving force behind state-sanctioned high school bass fishing. “We believe it will be the first bass fishing tournament in the country sponsored by a state high school association. The tournament is a great way to reach out to high school students and give them an additional opportunity to compete in interscholastic activities.” Fisherman Hooks Drowning ManHALLOWELL, ME--A drowning man owes his life to an angler who reeled him in—literally. Bob Greene of Hallowell, Maine, was recently having his morning coffee when he heard what he thought was a bird. He then realized there was a man bobbing in the Kennebec River screaming. Greene said a 911 dispatcher told him to throw something out to the man. He snagged the man's shirt with a fishing lure and reeled him in. As of press time, the rescued man remained in critical condition at a Portland hospital. Hallowell Police Chief Eric Nason says Greene did the right thing by calling police first and not jumping into the water.Boater GassedPORT SALERNO, FL—Here’s some advice for anglers and boaters reeling from the record-high gas prices: When you’re filling your boat with gas, make sure you put the pump nozzle in the gas tank and not in the fishing rod holder. And, if you mistake the fuel intake holes on your craft, let’s hope you’d recognize your error before you pump 100 gallons of pricey petroleum product overflowing into the water at a marina. The Palm Beach Post discreetly failed to publish the name of the boater whose 100-gallon fueling mishap required the response of the Martin County Fire Rescue Hazmat team to Finest Kid Marina fuel dock in Port Salerno, Fla. According to the report, only about 15 gallons went into the water around the fuel dock. Hazmat crewmembers towed the boat from the fuel dock to a safe location, where they secured the fuel, said Jeff Alter, Fire Rescue bureau chief.Florida Enacts New Reef Fishing RegsTALLAHASSEE, FL—The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) is reminding Gulf anglers fishing from a vessel for any reef fish species must carry and use circle hooks, dehooking devices and venting tools. The new rules are intended to increase the survival rate of released fish when they are not legal to harvest. Reef fish species include all snappers, groupers, sea bass, amberjacks, gray triggerfish, hogfish, red porgy and golden tilefish. A venting tool is a sharpened, hollow instrument, such as a hypodermic syringe with the plunger removed or a 16-gauge needle fixed to a hollow wooden dowel, used to deflate fish that become bloated when brought up from depths of 50 or more feet. Proper use of a venting tool will help ensure fish survival by allowing it to safely return to the bottom.

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