Category: Fishing

BoatUS Says FCC’s Message to Boaters and Those Relying on GPS: ‘Tough Luck’

SPRINGFIELD, Va. – The nation’s largest advocacy, services and safety group for recreational boaters, Boat Owners Association of The United States (BoatUS), says an April 22 decision by the Federal Communications Commission to give mobile satellite services operator Ligado Networks, a private equity company, the green light to build and operate a land-based industrial 5G (fifth generation) wireless network will negatively impact the reliability of the nation’s Global Positioning System and harm boating safety.

Ligado’s slice of licensed “L-Band” spectrum designated for space-based navigation and communications is located near lower frequency bands used by hundreds of millions of GPS units used in public safety, health, government, transportation, military, commerce, agriculture and more. A founding member of the recently launched Keep GPS Working Coalition, BoatUS believes that as the Ligado network is rolled out, instances of signal interference will increase. This will give current GPS users no choice but to either purchase new GPS units or potentially suffer continued interference. The loss of a GPS signal at a critical moment is a significant safety concern for any vessel operator relying on this popular and widely used technology.

The coalition said that FCC’s decision disregarded mountains of evidence highlighting the interference issue, ignored established technical standards, relied only on limited studies with vague and impractical criteria to access interference, and was made during the COVID-19 pandemic when a final decision was circulated only among the five FCC commissioners as stakeholders were dealing with the health crisis.

The commission also ignored serious concerns from the federal government as well as agencies including the departments of Defense, Transportation, Commerce, Interior, Justice and Homeland Security, as well as NASA, the National Science Foundation, Federal Aviation Administration and U.S. Coast Guard. Read more

Fishing

Suspected Poacher Stopped in Tennessee with Illegal Ohio Walleyes

Suspected Poacher Stopped in Tennessee with Illegal Ohio Walleyes

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Wildlife officials in Ohio and Tennessee combined in early June to apprehend a suspected poacher who reportedly took an over limit of walleye on Lake Erie, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Division of Wildlife. The investigation is ongoing with multiple state agencies involved in the case; charges have yet to be filed.

Division of Wildlife officers, assigned to the Lake Erie Unit, investigated an anonymous report to the Turn In a Poacher hotline about two men, from Tennessee and Florida, who allegedly caught and kept more than their daily limit of walleye for several days during their stay in Ohio. The daily bag limit on Ohio’s portion of Lake Erie is six walleye with a 15-inch limit.

After witnessing the men engage in suspected over the limit activity, Ohio officers planned to contact the men on June 10, but determined that the man from Tennessee had left for home earlier in the day. With knowledge of the Tennessee man’s identity, Tennessee officers met the man upon his arrival at his home. After interviewing the suspect and subsequent inspection of the fish, they reportedly seized 28 individual bags of frozen walleye fillets.

On behalf of Ohio wildlife investigators, the Tennessee officers seized chunks of frozen walleye which were not kept in a manner that the fillets could be easily identified and counted. The fish will remain frozen and maintained as evidence in the case. Read more

Fishing, Poachers

BaseMap Hunting and Fishing Now on CarbonTV

Bothell, WA – BaseMap Hunting and Fishing is excited to announce BaseMapTV is now available on CarbonTV, an online video network dedicated to providing top-quality outdoor lifestyle content.

BaseMapTV will feature content from employees, brand ambassadors, and industry partners that showcases how the BaseMap app helps them plan their outdoor adventures, navigate the terrain, and share with others to ultimately be more successful in the field. Viewers will get an in-depth look at the app’s robust feature set and learn how they can put them to use in all aspects of hunting, including land management, scouting, the pursuit of game, and more. Read more

Fishing, Hunting

Historic water levels affect Tawas Point State Park

Record-high water levels are taking a toll on infrastructure across the state as flooding and erosion continue to threaten shorelines, rivers and inland lakes. Michigan’s waterways face other associated challenges, too, including increased river flows, submerged docks and piers, swimming and boating hazards, and damage to wildlife habitat.

Several state parks and harbors are experiencing many of these issues. Tawas Point State Park – the popular destination along Lake Huron in Iosco County – has experienced unprecedented water levels, erosion and flooding over the last few years, as well as record-breaking rainfall last month.

As a result, Tawas Point State Park has closed or altered many amenities and services for the 2020 season: Read more

Fishing, General

Senate Passes Great American Outdoors Act

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Senate has passed the historic Great American Outdoors Act (S. 3422), which represents the single greatest commitment to increasing public access and advancing conservation in a lifetime, on a strong bipartisan vote of 73-25.

The Great American Outdoors Act will provide $9.5 billion over 5 years to address the crumbling infrastructure on America’s public lands and waters. While the National Park Service will receive $6.5 billion in funding, the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation (CSF) led a successful effort to secure the inclusion of $3 billion to repair and maintain public land infrastructure overseen by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), and U.S. Forest Service (USFS), which provides critically important recreational opportunities for America’s sportsmen and women.

“The Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation applauds Senate passage of the Great American Outdoors Act. Today’s vote demonstrates the bipartisan support for advancing conservation and increasing access for hunters and anglers,” said CSF President Jeff Crane. “When signed into law, this bill will provide much needed support for public lands and waters and boost the already formidable outdoor economy. CSF extends our sincere thanks to the Senate Congressional Sportsmen’s Caucus (CSC) members that voted to support these priorities.” Read more

Fishing, Hunting

Michigan: Boaters Beware of Hidden Debris

Many areas around Michigan have experienced damaging impacts of record or near-record high water levels that have caused extensive erosion and inundated infrastructure. The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) and its partners on the High Water Action Team warn those who recreate on the water to watch out for debris in lakes or rivers or along the shores due to the high water levels.

As lake levels have risen, the impact is being felt in a number of ways. Along the Great Lakes, erosion and storms have undermined docks, decks, stairs and trees and washed the debris away from the shoreline. On inland lakes, high water can inundate marinas, yards or public property, making it difficult to see structures in the water.

“As Michiganders take to the water for recreation, they should use more caution and be aware of dangers that can be lurking in the water, either floating on the surface or submerged by record high water levels,” said Jay Eickholt, EGLE’s Emergency Management Coordinator. “As always, follow all boating regulations and wear life-saving equipment when out on the water. And avoid any debris to protect your watercraft and keep everyone safe.” Read more

Fishing

Humminbird® MEGA 360 Imaging™ Now Available for Any Boat

RACINE, Wis. – Humminbird’s exclusive MEGA 360 Imaging™ technology, the winner of “Best of Electronics” at ICAST 2019, is now available to more anglers with the introduction of new MEGA 360 Imaging–Universal.

Humminbird’s MEGA 360 Imaging is now available as an independently-mounted model that no longer requires a trolling motor to get the very best sonar views on the water. When paired with a compatible Humminbird control head, anglers can surround their boat with incredible detail of fish and structure, up to 125’ in all directions. MEGA 360 Imaging is the only sonar technology that gives anglers a high-resolution, 360-degree view without needing to adjust or steer the transducer, which leaves anglers handsfree to catch fish. With ultra-clear underwater views, MEGA 360 Imaging makes it easy to mark and identify fish, so that every cast is productive.

“Humminbird’s MEGA 360 Imaging-Universal was born out of the necessity to not limit the MEGA 360 Imaging technology only to anglers using a trolling motor.” said Matt Cook, Humminbird brand manager. “We want any angler to be able to improve their fishing with this cutting-edge technology, regardless of how their boat is equipped. This new model does that by allowing more anglers to outfit their boat to with the unmatched detail and fish-finding clarity of MEGA 360 Imaging.” Read more

Fishing

Mobile (Underwater) Gaming for Your Boat

Upgrades, great value make Aqua-Vu® micro 4.3 Stealth™ the perfect Dad’s Day Gift

Crosslake, MN – You never know what’s living right beneath the planks of the dock, or hovering beneath the hull of the moored pontoon, or hiding within the limbs of the downed willow tree. You won’t know about some of the most fish-rich areas of the lake, that is, unless you deploy your underwater optics. To the fish themselves, artificial overhead cover provides the most obviously comfortable, appealing territory in any neighborhood, regardless of the lake. And in many lakes, given ample depth, these hotspots can harbor great numbers of bass, crappies and other fish across multiple seasons. The trick lies in identifying exactly where the fish are hiding and how they’re positioned relative to the cover. Read more
Fishing

Michigan: Watch Thursday’s NRC Meeting Live Online

The Michigan Natural Resources Commission’s next regular meeting is Thursday, June 11. Due to COVID-19 public health and safety guidelines, the meeting will be hosted in an online format.

You can watch the meeting live online using this link. Those who want to provide public comment for the meeting should call 517-284-5808 or email NRC@Michigan.gov.

The meeting starts at 9 a.m. with the Committee of the Whole, and the agenda includes updates on:

    • Mandatory elk hunt orientation changes.
    • The 2019 deer harvest survey report.
    • Deer hunting regulations.
    • Several land transactions.

Read more

Fishing, Hunting

Senate Takes Significant Step toward Final Passage of Great American Outdoors Act

Yesterday, the Senate took a monumental step toward passing the historic Great American Outdoors Act (S. 3422), which represents the single greatest commitment to increasing public access and advancing conservation in a lifetime, by voting to proceed to final consideration of the bill on an overwhelming bipartisan vote of 80-17.

S. 3422 will provide $9.5 billion over 5 years to address the crumbling infrastructure on America’s public lands and waters. While the National Park Service will receive $6.5 billion in funding, the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation (CSF) worked to secure the inclusion of $3 billion in funding to be set aside to repair and maintain public land infrastructure overseen by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), U.S. Fish and Wildlife (USFWS), and U.S. Forest Service (USFS), which are critically important to providing recreational opportunities to sportsmen and women. Read more

Fishing, Hunting
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