WASHINGTON— The Center for Biological Diversity, former federal biologist Jim Williams and law professor Zygmunt Plater petitioned the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service today to lift Endangered Species Act protection from snail darters.

Thanks to government and citizen efforts, the little fish has now successfully achieved recovery and is no longer in danger of extinction.

The 3-inch-long fish gained fame in the 1978 U.S. Supreme Court case Tennessee Valley Authority vs. Hill. The court upheld the newly passed Endangered Species Act at the request of conservationists and others who sought to protect the fish and its free-flowing habitat, along with 300 family farms, from the construction of the Tennessee Valley Authority’s highly controversial Tellico Dam on the Little Tennessee River. Read more

FLIPPIN, Ark. — Ranger’s highly acclaimed FS line of Deep V multispecies boats has been expanded to include new models with all-new designs, upgrades and greater capability.

“The all-new FS PRO Series of boats are the direct result of us listening to the needs and wants of dealers, pros, customers and guides who use these boats to their absolute limit,” says Kody Bradbury, Ranger Product Development Manager. “We pride ourselves in producing not only the highest quality boats on the water, but also the most forward-thinking and angler-friendly models to be found.”

Three new hulls within five new models define the FS PRO Series, including the largest Ranger FS Series boat ever, the 622FS PRO, a 22’ 10” behemoth with greater strength, power and comfort. The 622FS PRO is joined by the 621cFS PRO, 621FS PRO, 620cFS PRO and 620FS PRO to round out the new 2020 model year offerings. The two cFS boats feature Ranger’s all-new Total Command Cockpit™, which has a more spacious cockpit thanks to the deletion of the rear storage boxes along the gunnel. Read more

Swedish company Cimco Marine AB is working on a new-generation 3.0-liter diesel outboard with six cylinders, and two turbochargers. The foundation for the motor is being supplied by BMW. Internally, Cimco is calling it the Bison project. Production is scheduled to begin in Spring 2020.

“The Bison project is proceeding with unchanged intensity,” Per Wigren, project manager at Cimco Marine AB, said in a statement. “Identified improvement potential from the first sea-going concept prototype is now being fully implemented in the next generation prototype. The Bison P1A will be delivering 300 hp on the propeller shaft.” Read more

Destin, FL – If ever an angler truly required high-level hand protection, Northern Minnesota ice fishing guide, Brian “Bro” Brosdahl would be that man. During a frozen-water fishing season that spans nearly five sub-freezing months, Bro does his best to keep his hands under wraps. But after decades of frostbite and numb fingertips on the frozen tundra, the legendary ice angler has finally sworn off a mountain of insufficient ice-gloves for good.

Last year, Bro found the perfect fit and a glove design worthy of a Northcountry winter—Fish Monkey’s Yeti Premium Ice Fishing Glove.

“What convinced me go all in on Fish Monkey was wearing a pair of their Pro 365 Guide Glove all last summer and falling in love with their fit, hand-protection and freedom-of-movement. The gloves perform like they were designed by an angler, which they were. I suspected their ice fishing gloves might be equally special, and I was right.”

Few phone calls later, Bro connected with Fish Monkey president and owner, Tim Mossberg. Before long, the two fishermen became friends, engaging in detailed confabs about the minutiae of ice glove design—and heady concepts like ergonomics, thermo-conductivity and selective permeability.

“I’ve worked with a lot of talented glove and ice apparel engineers over the years,” Bro admits. “It would be hard to image anyone more passionate or knowledgeable about fishing gloves as Tim. Safe to say, Fish Monkey is fishing gloves.” Read more

Oceanside, CA – Two decades ago, Hobie revolutionized kayak fishing with the invention of the original MirageDrive. The radical engineering feat was met with worldwide acclaim and leg-propulsion became the new standard for kayak fishing locomotion.

Imitators eventually arrived on the scene, but the original remains the industry benchmark…

Mount Pleasant Mills, PA – Sirphis, LLC is excited to partner with Uncharted Watercraft to bring Sirphis branded kayaks to the market. Uncharted Watercraft will offer Muddy Girl, Lifestyle Camo, and Pulse on both the Scorpion and Outbound models.

Uncharted Watercraft designed a packable kayak that makes it easy to transport and store. The Scorpion design packs down to 43” x 29” x 12” and holds up to 250 pounds, and the Outbound packs down to 60” x 34” x 22” with a 500-pound capacity. It can be assembled and disassembled in a matter of minutes with no tools required. Read more

Crosslake, MN – Technologists call it augmented reality, a digitally enhanced video display that enriches the real-world environment and increases user entertainment.

For Aqua-Vu engineers, the only “real-world” that matters is the one that lies hidden beneath the surface; goals perpetually focused on maximizing enjoyment of anglers and underwater explorers. On the eve of unveiling its next-generation HDi Series cameras, the pioneering optics company has once again opened new underwater vistas. Read more

OLATHE, Kan. Garmin International, Inc., a unit of Garmin Ltd. (NASDAQ:GRMN), the world’s leading marine electronics manufacturer1 today announced its new Force™ Trolling Motor, bringing superior power and efficiency to the freshwater trolling motor market. More power and efficiency means anglers can cover more area and stay on their spots longer, even in tough conditions—and without spooking the fish. Thanks to its unique brushless motor, Force operates with almost undetectable levels of sonar and steering noise both below and above the water. It’s also the first trolling motor to include built-in industry-leading Garmin CHIRP traditional and Ultra High-Definition ClearVü and SideVü scanning sonars.

“The trolling motor is one of the most critical pieces of equipment on a freshwater fishing boat, and it can single-handedly be the difference between a good or bad day on the water,” said Dan Bartel, Garmin worldwide vice president of consumer sales. “As a new player in the trolling motor market, Garmin is dedicated to delivering a motor that’s as innovative as it is reliable, yet still whisper quiet. Not only is the Force trolling motor at the forefront of power and efficiency, its robust, reliable design was built to withstand strenuous use, season after season, and the result is a trolling motor that’s second to none.” Read more

Introducing OZ by ScentLok Marine Active Odor Destroyers at ICAST 2019

MUSKEGON, Mich. (July 1, 2019) – Ever notice how the air smells “clean” before, during and after a thunderstorm? That’s because lightning and other electrical charges in the atmosphere split nitrogen and oxygen molecules into individual atoms, some of which recombine to form O3, or ozone, giving the air a sharp, fresh aroma. In our boating and fishing world, experienced captains heed this distinct smell as a warning to hightail it back to port.

Maybe you already knew that. But did you know that the power of ozone can be harnessed to destroy other odors? Again, chemistry—and the specific process known as oxidation —makes it possible. Read more