Fishing by the Rules: Sport fishermen embrace sustainable techniques
Unlike commercial fishing, the major player in depleted fish populations, sport fishing makes up less than 12 percent of the global harvest. And though they are equipped with the latest tools and technology to increase their haul, today’s sport fisherman embodies a surprising combination of conservation and conquest.
With one eye on environmental responsibility and the other on sportsmanship, most sport fishers have adopted a plethora of sustainable fishing techniques. From reduced-impact gear like lead-free lures to biodegradable bait and hooks, recreational fishermen now have ample opportunities to land their next big catch while preserving big game fish populations for future anglers.
An ardent proponent of aquatic habitat conservation, the International Game Fish Association supports fishermen with guidelines that promote ethical sport fishing practices, including instructions for the best catch-and-release tactics.
“Releasing fish is important, but more important is the way fish are caught and released. Using circle hooks with bait and fish-friendly handling practices that minimize slime loss and damage to the fish help ensure that released fish have the chance to reproduce, and perhaps be caught again,” says Jason Schratwieser, Conservation Director for IFGA.
“In my experience, 90 percent of sport fishermen follow the rules,” says Captain Lee A. Campbell of the Panama Big Game Fishing Club in Boca Chica, Panama, where sport fishing is a huge draw for serious marine fishermen. In order for the region to maintain its status as a sport fishing hotspot, Panama players like Campbell stress the importance of sustainability.
“Panama is lucky to have a great population of fish, and we want it to stay that way,” says Campbell. “If sustainable practices are followed and commercial fishing is banned, Panama could remain one of the best sport fishing destinations in the world. It’s too late for many fishing destinations which have already depleted their fish, but for Panama there’s still time.”
Amble Resorts, an environmentally responsible real estate development company, supports sustainable sport fishing for their new Panama eco resort, The Resort at Isla Palenque. Amble President Ben Loomis notes, “Done correctly, sport fishing is very sustainable. Certainly catch-and-release fishing has a limited impact. But even if we’re catching several tuna or Wahoo and taking them back home to share, our impact is nothing compared to commercial fishermen.”
Loomis concludes, “Isla Palenque is a great jumping-off point for sport fishing throughout Panama’s Gulf of Chiriqui, and we want to protect that. We’re less than two hours from famous sites like Hannibal Bank, and we’ve got a number of other great locations within 45 minutes, like Ladrones or Islas Secas. With sustainable practices, this will remain a fishing paradise for a long time.”
Source: Amble Resorts
Hot Springs to Host BFL All-American and Walmart FLW Tour Event on Same Weekend
All-American Returns to Hot Springs in 2010 for Fifth Time in 11 Years
FLW Outdoors and the Hot Springs Convention and Visitor’s Bureau announced that the Walmart BFL All-American presented by Chevy will return to Hot Springs and visit DeGray Lake. The prestigious championship, which annually shines an international media spotlight on the nation’s best weekend anglers, will be held May 27-29, 2010, making its fifth return to Hot Springs since 2000.
Lake Ouachita will host a Walmart FLW Tour event the same weekend, marking the first time the BFL All-American and a tour event will coincide with one another. The tour event will be held Thursday, May 27 to Sunday, May 30, 2010.
Hot Springs has hosted a number of record-setting FLW Outdoors tournaments, including the historic 2007 Forrest Wood Cup where Team Folgers pro Scott Suggs of Bryant, Ark., became the sport’s first $1 million winner. The event drew a then-record crowd of more than 60,000 fans to Summit Arena and the Hot Springs Convention Center over the course of four days. Hot Springs also hosted the 2005 Forrest Wood Cup and the 2008, 2004, 2001 and 2000 All-American championships, each of which set fan attendance records.
“We have a superb track record of successful events with FLW Outdoors and we look forward to having another one in 2010,” said Steve Arrison, chief executive officer for the Hot Springs Convention and Visitor’s Bureau. “This is a bass-fishing town, and we are honored to once again play host to one of the sport’s premier events. Based on the high-quality, family-friendly events that FLW Outdoors always provides, and the tremendous response we’ve seen in the past, the 2010 All-American should be another record breaker.”
The All-American, in conjunction with the Walmart FLW Tour qualifying event, will feature its traditional Family Fun Zone and Outdoor Show at the Hot Springs Convention Center with daily giveaways for children and adults alike. The Family Fun Zone will be open Thursday through Sunday and the daily weigh-ins will be held in Summit Arena for each tournament. Admission and all activities are free.
“We are thrilled to be returning to Hot Springs,” said Charlie Evans, FLW Outdoors president and CEO. “The record attendance we’ve had during previous tournaments in the city speaks volumes about the enthusiasm for bass fishing that fans have throughout the entire state of Arkansas.”
Coverage of the All-American will be broadcast in high-definition (HD) on VERSUS, the network which brings anglers the best fishing programming on television featuring the most-trusted authorities on the water. “FLW Outdoors,” hosted by Jason Harper, is broadcast to approximately 500 million households worldwide, including internationally through agreements with WFN (World Fishing Network) and Matchroom Sport to such countries as Canada, Germany, China, South Africa, Australia, Malaysia, Russia, Hungary and the United Kingdom, making it the most widely distributed weekly outdoor-sports television show in the world.
Because BFL competitors are weekend anglers, the All-American and its lucrative cash awards and international media exposure present a unique opportunity for qualifiers who will be fishing for top awards of $140,000 in the Boater Division and $70,000 in the Co-angler Division. Additionally, the winning boater and winning co-angler will advance to the Forrest Wood Cup presented by BP and Castrol in Atlanta Aug. 5-8, 2010.
Each year more than 33,000 BFL anglers and 20,000 TBF anglers nationwide compete in the hope of becoming one of just 54 boaters and 54 co-anglers who qualify for the BFL All-American.
As the nation’s leading weekend tournament circuit, the Walmart Bass Fishing League, with divisions nationwide, is widely credited with opening competitive bass fishing to the masses. The BFL also serves as a steppingstone for anglers who wish to advance to the Stren Series(TM), Walmart(TM) FLW Series and ultimately the FLW Tour.
Source: FLW Outdoors
Martin wins Walmart FLW Tour event on Lake Champlain
Wendlandt Wins Record Third Land O’Lakes Angler of the Year Title
National Guard pro Scott Martin of Clewiston, Fla., caught a final-round total of 10 bass weighing 36 pounds, 4 ounces to win $125,000 in the Walmart FLW Tour event presented by Folgers on Lake Champlain. Martin topped his closest rival, Team Chevy pro Anthony Gagliardi of Prosperity, S.C., by 2 pounds, 11 ounces to earn the win and 200 points toward qualifying for the $2 million Forrest Wood Cup presented by BP and Castrol, which will be held July 30-Aug. 2 on the Three Rivers in Pittsburgh, Pa., where they could win as much as $1 million – the sport’s biggest award.
Martin received news Wednesday that his grandmother had passed away, and he said he had a hard time deciding whether to fish the tournament or attend the funeral.
“I have such a peace about this win,” said Martin, who passed the $1 million mark in career earnings with the victory. “If I could keep this confidence and peace the rest of my life, I think I could win every tournament.
“All of my family is in Oklahoma right now waiting for me to get there,” Martin added. “They delayed the services for me so I could attend. What better way to honor her and acknowledge the pain and suffering that my family is enduring right now than to give them a win in memory of my grandmother?”
Martin said he relied on a variety of baits throughout the tournament –a shad-colored Lucky Craft Big Daddy Strike 3 and a Strike King Series 5 crankbait on 12-pound-test Trilene 100% Flourocarbon as well as a green pumpkin Berkley Chigger Craw paired with a 3/8-ounce weight on 15-pound-test Trilene 100% Flourocarbon. Martin said he occasionally threw a brown and green-pumpkin jig with a Chigger Craw trailer. Martin said his key depths were between four and eight feet of water. Martin said he targeted scattered rock piles and milfoil.
“In practice the Chigger Craw in the grass worked really, really good,” Martin said. “The first two days of the tournament I pretty much split my catches on the Chigger Craw and the crankbait. Today I pretty much caught all of my fish on a crankbait. I started noticing bigger bites on the crankbait. I didn’t get as many bites, but when I did, they were those 3- to 3 1/2-pounders.”
Martin said he targeted post-spawn fish that had moved into open water. Martin said he fished mid-lake near CaryBay.
“I cruised around the flats looking for milfoil,” Martin said. “I think those fish were out there feeding on perch and baitfish in the area and getting ready for the summer pattern. Covering water was really important.”
Martin opened the tournament Thursday in fifth place with five bass weighing 19-2. He slipped to ninth place Friday with a five-bass catch weighing 16 pounds, 11 ounces to advance into the final round of 10 pros with a two-day total of 10 bass weighing 35 pounds, 13 ounces. On Saturday, weights were cleared, and Martin caught five bass weighing 18-8 to advance to the final day of competition in first place. Martin added another five bass weighing 17-12 to his final-round total Sunday.
Gagliardi caught a final-round total of nine bass weighing 33-9 to claim second place and $50,000.
“I thought I could catch fish, but my sights were set on (the Forrest Wood Cup),” said Gagliardi, who also passed the $1 million mark in career earnings at the Lake Champlain event. “My goal when I came up here, especially after the egg I laid at KentuckyLake, was to not lay another one and make the cut. That was my goal from the beginning.
“I had a decent practice,” Gagliardi added. “I wouldn’t say it was a great practice by any stretch. That happens a lot with me. A lot of times I catch more fish than I think I’m catching in practice.”
Gagliardi said he caught 15 keepers Sunday and his largest three bass fell for a Lucky Craft Sammy.
“Bringing in only four fish yesterday . . . that’s a no-brainer,” Gagliardi said. “I lost a 5-pounder yesterday that I saw and another I didn’t see. I didn’t hardly ever catch a fish out of my spot that wasn’t over three pounds. I just needed one more.”
Rounding out the top 10 pros were Mark Hardin of Jasper, Ga (10 bass, 33-3, $40,000); Team Chevy pro Jay Yelas of Corvallis, Ore. (10 bass, 31-13, $30,000); Kyle Mabrey of McCalla, Ala. (10 bass, 29-6, $20,000); Team Kellogg’s pro Dave Lefebre of Union City, Pa. (10 bass, 29-4, $19,000); Team Kellogg’s pro Clark Wendlandt of Leander, Texas (10 bass, 28-7, $18,000); Team M&M’s/Snickers pro Greg Pugh of Cullman, Ala. (10 bass, 27-14, $17,000); Mike Hawkes of Sabinal, Texas (10 bass, 27-9, $16,000) and Team Chevy pro Luke Clausen of Gainesville, Ga. (nine bass, 20-2, $15,000).
Overall there were 50 bass weighing 163 pounds, 9 ounces caught in the Pro Division Sunday. The catch included 10 five-bass limits.
Team Kellogg’s pro Clark Wendlandt of Leander, Texas, claimed a record third Land O’Lakes Angler of the Year title Sunday. The Angler of the Year title annually goes to the FLW Tour Pro Division angler who has the highest year-end point total in the standings at the conclusion of the regular season. Wendlandt earned $25,000 and a Ranger 198VX powered by a 200-horsepower Yamaha outboard for the title in a race that went down to the last day of the regular season. Wendlandt also received an additional $25,000 from Ranger Boats as the Ranger Cup pro who accumulated the most points during the season.
Matt Greenblatt of Tequesta, Fla., won the Co-angler Division and $25,000 Saturday with a five-bass limit weighing 15 pounds, 5 ounces followed by Team National Guard co-angler Justin Lucas of Folsom, Calif., in second place with five bass weighing 12-14 worth $9,733.
This is my first win and it feels really, really good,” said Greenblatt, who is fishing in his third year on the FLW Tour. “I’ve accomplished it from the back of the boat. Now comes the front of the boat.”
Greenblatt said he caught his bass Saturday on a Texas-rigged weightless 5-inch Yamamoto Senko laminate color that is half green pumpkin and half watermelon. Greenblatt had been throwing a drop-shot rig tipped with a Baby Bass-colored Yamamoto Shad Shape Worm the previous two days of competition. Greenblatt said he used Trilene 100% Fluorocarbon line in 6-pound-test for smallmouth and 10- to 12-pound-test for largemouth.
“We were in some heavy weeds and rigging it weightless let it fall nice and slow,” Greenblatt said. “We were in a pocket, so the wind wasn’t affecting us that much. The fish wanted a slow fall. So I had to fish it on a slack line to allow it to fall because if I had a tight line, the wind would grab it and the Senko would ski across the top of the grass and ruin the drop. They were just grabbing it on the edge of the weeds and not shy about it.”
Greenblatt opened the tournament in 10th place Thursday with five bass weighing 15-11 while fishing with Rich Lowitzki of St. Charles, Ill. On Friday he jumped into seventh place on the strength of a five-bass catch weighing 13-7 while fishing with Thanh Le of Lake Havasu City, Ariz. He wrapped up his win while fishing with Mabrey.
Rounding out the top 10 co-anglers are Jason Ober of Johnstown, Pa. (five bass, 10-1, $7,300); Team PTSI co-angler Spencer Shuffield of Bismarck, Ark. (five bass, 8-7, $4,867); Jim Sweeney of West Dover, Vt. (four bass, 7-14, $3,893); Brandon Hunter of Benton, Ky. (four bass, 7-12, $3,407); Lynn Baciuska, Jr. of Afton, N.Y. (three bass, 7-9, $2,920); Shane Lehew of Charlotte, N.C. (five bass, 5-12, $2,433); James Schneider of Watervliet, N.Y. (three bass, 4-12, $1,947); and Keith Honeycutt of Temple, Texas (three bass, 3-2, $1,460).
Dearal Rodgers of Camden, S.C., was awarded the Castrol Co-Angler of the Year title Saturday. The Co-Angler of the Year title annually goes to the FLW Tour Co-Angler Division angler who has the highest year-end point total in the standings at the conclusion of the regular season. Rodgers received a $1,000 Walmart gift card and a year’s supply of Castrol motor oil.
“I’ve learned a lot and met a lot of great people since I started doing this in 2006,” said Rodgers. “It’s like I went to school and got a college degree in bass fishing.
“I traveled and roomed with (fellow pro) Clay Dyer this year, and being around him allowed me to have a good attitude,” Rodgers added. “You know, this is a dream of a lot of people . . . to be outside having fun like this. I’m blessed.”
Coverage of the tournament, hosted by the City of Plattsburgh, will be broadcast on VERSUS, the network which brings anglers the best fishing programming on television featuring the most-trusted authorities on the water. The Emmy-nominated “FLW Outdoors,” will air Nov. 1 from 12:30 to 1:30 ET. “FLW Outdoors,” hosted by Jason Harper, is broadcast to approximately 500 million households worldwide, including internationally through agreements with WFN (World Fishing Network) and Matchroom Sport to such countries as Canada, Germany, China, South Africa, Australia, Malaysia, Russia, Hungary and the United Kingdom, making it the most widely distributed weekly outdoor-sports television show in the world.
The FLW Tour will award more than $8 million cash to the world’s top bass anglers in 2009. Regular season competition includes three qualifiers and three opens. Each event takes anglers a step closer to the $2 million Forrest Wood Cup presented by Castrol.
Source: FLWOutdoors.com