Healthy Grin Sport Fishing

A bit of a surprise to me. The one school that Cameron had not visited was Georgia Tech. It was on his short list so he and his mom visited it last weekend. Tricia was not high on it due to it being too far away but after the visit, Tricia said out of all the schools they had visited, Georgia Tech is the one she would have chosen. It must have been a good tour. Cameron said Georgia Tech was the school for him. He will be attending GT in the fall. He was thinking a major in physics but now plans a major of Aerospace Engineering. My son the rocket scientist.

Southalls, Danny Forehand, and Brandon Bartlett all fished Friday. Danny and Brandon each caught one big red. Charles did not get any. Lee Williams was over there Friday in his kayak and ran into big striped bass, catching fish to 43 inches long. I went over there Saturday afternoon for 4 hours. Had one large dead drum floating around me. No catches for me. I did have one crab bitten in half.

http://hamptonroads.com/2012/04/annual-fishing-awards-program-saved

We have an exciting club meeting planned for April 17. “Jet Ski” Brian Lockwood will be our featured speaker. His topic will not be about fishing from a jet ski or on how to take amazing photographs. Both topics that Brian is expert on but this time Brian will be talking to us about what to do with your catch. The plan is for more than just “talking” with actual seafood preparation as part of the presentation. This will be a great meeting to bring the family to. www.pswsfa.com/meetings

Friday, after work, I went out after red drum with Charles Southall. We fished until about mid-night without a bite. This morning, we did some maintenance on my boat and then took all those crabs that the drum did not eat and tried for tautog on the Winthrop. We caught 25 tautog. The largest was 18 inches long. We tagged and released most of them. We caught 2 togs that already had tags in them. With the tog season closing, we will be after the drum a bunch now.

The Future of Atlantic Menhaden Is Being Decided Now!
Anglers have chance to design blueprints for forage fish recovery

Menhaden Update
The Atlantic State Marine Fisheries Commission is proposing to create Addendum II to the Atlantic Menhaden Fishery Management Plan, which would create new, more conservative reference points for management of this important forage fish. This is the Public Information Document (PID) phase, which is the start of the process. The ASMFC will use the information generated here to create the Draft Addendum sometime this summer.
CCA chapters on the Atlantic coast are submitting testimony at public hearings stating our position that restoring the menhaden resource to historic levels of abundance must be the primary management objective of the Amendment. Fisheries that can operate without depleting the overall abundance of the menhaden resource or fishing on immature fish, and which avoid concentrating effort in relatively small, ecologically important areas such as the Chesapeake Bay, must be governed by adequate monitoring and enforcement measures. Fisheries which cannot meet such basic criteria should be prohibited.
Every angler has a part to play in this effort, as was demonstrated late last year when the ASMFC received almost 92,000 comments demanding reductions in menhaden harvest by the greatest amount available. That outpouring of support got the ball rolling, and now we need to see it through to a successful conclusion.

What you need to do now
The ASMFC is again taking public comments and presenting a suite of options for reducing menhaden harvest. Now is the time for you to contact your ASMFC and let them know you want to end overfishing of the menhaden fishery in 2013 in order to begin restoring abundance to the Atlantic menhaden stock. The menhaden stock has declined to the lowest abundance since records were kept in 1955. Send your comments to ASMFC by April 20th to be included in the public record.

Tell them:
• You support ending overfishing by implementing management measures to reduce fishing mortality to the overfishing threshold, which is F=15% Maximum Spawning Potential (MSP) in 2013.
• You support reducing mortality to the Target mortality rate (F=30% MSP) as soon as possible, certainly no longer than 3 years.
• You support a having full suite of management measures for the commercial fishery, with the exception of limited entry.

A sample letter is available for your convenience that you may use to send your comments to ASMFC.
Michael Waine,
Fishery Management Plan Coordinator
1050 N. Highland St, Suite A-N
Arlington, VA 22201
mwaine@asmfc.org

Subject line: PID Menhaden Management

I believe that restoring the menhaden resource to historic levels of abundance must be the primary management objective of the Amendment. Fisheries that can operate without depleting the overall abundance of the menhaden resource or fishing on immature fish, and which avoid concentrating effort in relatively small, ecologically important areas such as the Chesapeake Bay, must be governed by adequate monitoring and enforcement measures. Fisheries which cannot meet such basic criteria should be prohibited.

Menhaden management is at a critical juncture – overfishing is occurring, even under the old reference points, and must be addressed immediately. Menhaden abundance is at the lowest level in the 50-plus year time series, which, in my view, is a serious management problem.

I believe management measures must be put in place to reach the current fishing mortality threshold and end overfishing in 2013, and that management measures must be in place to meet the current fishing mortality target no later than 3 years later, in 2016, with a 75 percent probability of success.

Putting in place these basic fishery management measures, which are common to virtually all managed stocks, will, at the very least halt, the decline in menhaden abundance and increase spawning stock biomass.

I support putting in place the full suite of commercial management measures, with the exception of limited entry, but question the need for recreational management measures, which comprises less than 1 percent of the harvest.
I sincerely appreciate the opportunity to comment on proposed menhaden management measures.

Your Name
Your Locality and State

Your ASMFC contact information is as follows:

Michael Waine,
Fishery Management Plan Coordinator
1050 N. Highland St, Suite A-N
Arlington, VA 22201
703.842.0741 (FAX) or
mwaine@asmfc.org

Subject line: PID Menhaden Management

We encourage every angler to make their voice heard during this historic process to finally manage menhaden. Industrial harvesters will be using every resource to defeat these efforts and our case is made even stronger by concerned citizens like you contacting these representatives. For more information, including CCA’s positions on this important issue, click HERE.

This CCA VA alert was provided as a public service by the Coastal Conservation Association Virginia (CCA VA). Feel free to forward it to your friends and associates. If you have any comments concerning this subject, send an email to info@CCAVA.org. CCA VA is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization whose goal is sustainable saltwater fisheries for this and future generations. We are active in legislative, regulatory, and educational activities affecting marine resources. Please visit our website http://www.ccavirginia.org/ for more information

Flounder Bowl 2012

The “Flounder Bowl” is back. This year’s tournament is scheduled for June 30 with a captains meeting June 29.

This event is a two-day party with a fishing tournament on the side. The Flounder Bowl is hosted by the Peninsula Salt Water Sport Fisherman’s Association but it is the many businesses that sponsor this event which make it such a great time. These businesses are providing a guaranteed First Place award of $5,000. They also make it possible to provide free food, drink and music for participants at both the captains meeting and at the weigh-in. The sponsors provide for team buckets given out at the captains meeting and they are also providing various prizes which will be given away at the weigh-in. Each team will find door-prize tickets in their team buckets which will give them chances to win these prizes.

The Flounder Bowl will be held out of Dare Marina and Yacht Sales (www.daremarina.com). Boats will be allowed to fish from any port but the fish must be brought to Dare Marina for weigh-in.

This is a team tournament with an entry fee of $125 per boat with up to 4 anglers ($100 early entry). Additional anglers will cost $25 each. Winners will be determined by the combined weight of the team’s top three fish. Cash prizes will be paid through six places.

To give everyone a chance to win, teams not placing in the top six will be entered in a “Lucky Dog” drawing. The team drawn will win an additional cash prize.

There will be a prize for the heaviest flounder caught by a child and a prize for the heaviest flounder caught by a woman in the tournament. There will also be a prize for the heaviest flounder weighed in by a member of the Peninsula Salt Water Sport Fisherman’s Association.

Teams will be given the option of entering a “Big Fish Calcutta” for an additional $100 entry fee. This is a 100% payout to the team that has entered the Calcutta, which weighs in the single heaviest fish.

There is a special Sponsors’ Challenge Division where teams entered by the tournament sponsors will compete with each other for the special Sponsors’ Trophy. The winning sponsor will get to keep this trophy until next year’s tournament. Currently, the Sponsors’ Trophy is in the possession of the office of Dr. K. E. Neill.

The 2011 Flounder Bowl had a total cash payout of $17,450 plus sponsor donated merchandise prizes. The cash payout in 2010 was $14,700. In 2009, the cash payout was $10,900. The winnings are expected to be larger again this year. This is your chance to fish with and against some of the best flounder anglers in the state. There will be food, drink, music, and multiple chances to win. Come on out and join the fun!

Sponsor support for this event is nothing short of fantastic. These businesses are going out of their way to make sure that the local fishing community has a good time. We encourage Flounder Bowl participants to support the sponsors who make this event possible.

If you are interested in becoming a Flounder Bowl Sponsor, contact Capt. Jorj Head: (757) 262-9004.

You can visit the Flounder Bowl on Facebook.

2012 Flounder Bowl Sponsors

Gold Sponsors

Thomas E Wilson Insurance Agency
(757) 283-6351

Mercury Mulch, Inc.
www.mercurymulch.com

The Goose Creek Rockfish Tournament
(757) 871-2250

Yorktown Materials
www.yorktownmaterials.com

Harbor Mechanical
(757) 872-4166

Pomoco Auto Group
www.pomoco.com

Dare Marina & Yacht Sales
www.daremarina.com

Multi-Print Inc
www.multiprintinc.com

Virginia Beach Sport Fishing
www.VBSF.net

Douglas Aquatics
(in memory of Eric Arnold)
www.dapoolsandspas.com

York River Electric, Inc.
www.yorkriverelectric.com

Comfort Technology Heating & Air Conditioning
www.comforttechnologyinc.com

Randy Blanchard, MD
Plastic Surgery Center of Hampton Roads
www.pschr.com

Green Top Sporting Goods
www.greentophuntfish.com

M and M Custom Painting
(757) 879-9860

Michael Surveying & Mapping, P. C.
www.msmva.com

Boat U.S.
www.boatus.com

C. A. Barrs Contractor
www.cabarrs.com

The Bush Companies
(757) 220-2874

Wanchese Fish Company
www.wanchese.com

Sponsors

Drucker & Falk Real Estate
(757) 873-1401

Tidal Fish
www.tidalfish.com

Lateral Line
www.laterallineco.com

Richmond Scale
(804) 321-7903

J. Henry Holland Corp.
www.jhenryholland.com

Ace Peninsula Hardware
www.acehardware.com

Rudees Inlet Station Marina
www.rudeesmarina.com

Grafton Fishing Supply
www.graftonfishingsupply.com

Sinkerman’s Wholesale Sinkers & Lures
(757) 898-3845

VooDoo Tackle
www.voodootackleonline.com

Pig Out BBQ
(757) 879-9100

Beachcomber Restaurant
(757) 874-9420

Sea Tow Lower Chesapeake
www.seatow.com

Aero Colours Auto Body & Paint
www.aerocoloursautobody.net

Just Plumbing
www.calljustplumbing.com

Charlie’s Auto Repair
(757) 890-2623

Amory Funeral Home
(757) 898-5722

Hunt Smile Design
www.huntsmiledesign.com

Costa Sunglasses
www.costadelmar.com

The Pizza Shop
(757) 898-4301

Mountain Breeze Taxidermy
(757) 726-2225

Bishop Fishing Supply
(757) 591-9300

Chesapeake Angler
www.chesapeake-angler.com

Wayne Harbin Builder, Inc.
www.harbinbuilder.com

Dr. K. E. Neill
(757) 898-6832

Parks Orthodontics
www.parksorthodontics.com

Tidewater Family Dentistry
www.tidewatersmiles.com

Yorktown Pub
(757) 886-9964

Paige II Charters
www.paige2charters.com

Oyster Cove Boatworks & Yacht Brokerage
www.oystercoveboatworks.com

Williams Facility Service
(757) 592-1073

Coca Cola Refreshments
www.cokecce.com

Southern Plumbing & Heating Supply
(757) 595-7231

Pop’s Drive In
(757) 898-6870

Parker Piano Outlet
www.pianooutlet.net

True Value Hardware
www.truevalue.com

Fishing Tidewater with Don Lancaster
WHKT 1650 AM

Geary Family & Cosmetic Dentistry
(757) 898-4661

Lila Nicolls, Inc.
RE/MAX Peninsula
www.LilaNicolls.com

ServiceMaster Restoration Services
(757) 596-8852

Mark’s Mirror & Glass
(804) 642-5809

Back River Rods
www.backriverrods.com

Auto Haus
www.autohausva.com

www.sportfishingmag.com/news/tagger-ken-neill-sets-new-record-virginia-game-fish-tagging-program

www.sportfishingmag.com/news/tagger-ken-neill-sets-new-record-virginia-game-fish-tagging-program

Tagger Ken Neill sets a new record for the Virginia Game Fish Tagging Program

April 10, 2012
by Susanna Musick

Angler Ken Neill, III, is a record breaker.

It was 8 years ago today that Ken Neill tagged an 11.5 inch tautog when fishing off Cape Henry. Neill didn’t think about the fish again for a long time, until January this year, when he received his recapture report. Neill’s fish was recaptured on January 5, 2012 by Joe Stagnato, close to the very location where it was tagged. Neill’s tautog was at large for 2,826 days, only 94 days short of 8 years. Ken’s tautog set a new record for days at large for the Virginia Game Fish Tagging Program (VGFTP). But Neill is no stranger to catching big “togs.” In late February he caught one of his own tagged tautog on the same wreck where he tagged it nearly 7 years ago. Originally tagged at 16.75 inches, the fish had grown to two feet when he recaptured it in February.

“Ken’s recaptures are exciting because they help tell the story of these fish. Thanks to his tagging effort and the recapture reports we know that these fish haven’t moved far (or not at all in the case of the second tautog); we know how much they’ve grown and we know that we’ve had success with tag retention in a structure-oriented species. These are great data to document the long-term use and importance of these habitats for these fish. We’re very lucky to have dedicated anglers like Ken in our program,” says VIMS marine recreation specialist and co-coordinator of the VGFTP, Susanna Musick.

Since 1995, the VGFTP has tagged 10 species of recreationally important finfish with the help of volunteer anglers. A cooperative effort between the Marine Advisory Program at the Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS) and Saltwater Tournament at the Virginia Marine Resources Commission (VMRC), the program’s funding is from state saltwater license funds and VIMS.

And Ken Neill, III keeps breaking records. On March 25, 2012 he landed a 24 pound, 3 ounce tautog setting a new state record in Virginia!