We still haven't heard from former Gov. Robert Ehrlich on the outdoors questions we posed recently. Answers from Gov. Martin O'Malley are posted.

However, former state Sen. Gerald W. Winegrad, an Anne Arundel County Democrat, decided to take up my question on the flush tax. Here is is response:

The real issue here is not the the use of the monies to help balance the budget and paying it back with the issuance of bonds. Although this will cost the fund $2 million to $3 million in lost interest on the fund monies coming in, the real problem facing the fund is that the Bay Restoration Fee, or Flush Tax, will be running out of money in FY 2012 and will be unable to pay for many of the sewerage treatment plant upgrades planned. The O'Malley administration has known about this for at least 2.75 years and has not acted to raise the fee or otherwise assure funding.

Estimates of the cost to cover Enhanced Nutrient Removal (ENR) upgrades at the 67 largest wastewater treatment plants with 95 percent of the wastewater flow in Maryland were originally from $750 million to $1 billion. But the costs for implementing enhanced nutrient removal are coming in higher than estimated due to increased costs of concrete, energy and construction. This means that not all upgrades to ENR will be funded unless changes are made in the law.

The total funds available for the ENR upgrades is estimated by the Maryland Department of the Environment at $948 million through FY 2013, while the current ENR capital cost is estimated at $1.478 billion, leaving a deficit of $530 million.

Since the funding gap is not expected to occur until 2012, the committee charged with oversight of the Bay Restoration Fund Advisory Committee has recommended waiting. With the election year upon us, the O’Malley administration has postponed any action to supplement this funding.

The Bay Restoration Fund Advisory Committee has recently put together options that include raising the fee to $54 annually from the current $30 to raise the $530 million and prevent the shortfall, or to $60 to allow an extra $150 million to fund ENR at smaller plants.

Maryland's Watershed Implementation Plan suggests that smaller plants should upgrade to ENR to meet the pollution caps. While O'Malley has praised Ehrlich for the Bay Restoration Fee, he has attacked him for assessing the fee on the poor and the suffering taxpayer--but there is not a hint of how this huge hole will be closed.

You can verify this by simply Googling the Bay Restoration Fund Advisory Committee and go the minutes from its last meeting. This is a much bigger issue that the transfer of cash and substitution with bonds; the same was done this year with Program Open Space monies.

A parallel question is what the administration plans to do with the largest contributor of Chesapeake Bay pollutants: agriculture.

The soft, voluntary approach does not and will not work with the agriculture industry. Maryland wastewater treatment plants are on target to meet their nutrient goals. Baywide in 2009, 99 percent of the phosphorus goal was met and 78 percent of the nitrogen goal was met. These goals are expected to be met by 2012 or 2013, this despite a very significant increase in wastewater treatment plant flows since 1985.

Agriculture pollution of phosphorus, nitrogen and sediment lags far behind: about half of the goals have been met so far.

Farm pollution contributes 45 percent of the phosphorus, 43 percent of the nitrogen and 60 percent of the sediment.

Wasteater treatment plants and industrial discharges contribute 21 percent of the phosphorus, 20 percent of the nitrogen and none of the sediment.

Think of that: the human waste and wastewater from all sewerage treatment plants (serving about 13 million people in the Bay watershed) plus all industrial dischargers contribute less phosphorus and nearly the same nitrogen as farm animals!

Why? Because most animal manure is untreated and simply disposed of by dumping it on farm fields, the cheapest and easiest option.

One calculation by a grad student at UMCES (Horn Point) calculates that the poultry industry manure on the Delmarva Peninsula produces the equivalent nitrogen of the human waste of 48,291,000 people. The total human population on the Delmarva is 1,173,000.

Who's going to take on BIG CHICKEN in Maryland? So far, it's been only the Riverkeepers.

Posted by Candus Thomson at 6:00 AM | Permalink
        

Although the fishing will continue--lucky us--Guide Ken Penrod, owner of Life Outdoors Unlimited, is moving on to waterfowl season and other outdoors activities. Here is is final report until next year:

UPPER POTOMAC RIVER: two and a half stars; very clear; 60 degrees; 1.04 feet at Point of Rocks.

The very clear water created by algae die-off makes fishing difficult—and this happens every year. The cold water and lessening daylight is a turn-on for bass, so it’s better than it fishes. Stay low in the boat and make longer casts. Smallmouth are in current lanes and under overhanging ledges. Deliver your tubes (Mizmo or Campground Special teasers) and Rapala crankbaits (DT04 & Clackin’ Raps) to the front porch and your catch will improve. I use medium-action Gator rods with a fast-retrieve spinning reel. For these conditions I like 6-pound test, clear Sufix monofilament (Seige or ProMix.)

At Whites Ferry, we prefer the upriver opportunities, especially along the Virginia shore, but a mid-river drift is a good idea also.

At Lander, either direction from the launch is fine. Find the ledges and deeper holes where chunk rocks are the dominant cover.

TIDAL POTOMAC RIVER: three stars; 53-60 degrees; clear; dying vegetation; stained in some areas from wind action.

I hate beautiful days, particularly clear blue, cloudless periods, when the barometer spikes and wind direction changes and blows strongly. Give me a drizzly or a low-cloud day with the barometer under 30 any time. Bass fishing results were not good most of the week—and October is usually one of my favorite months.

Around Washington, we continue to do well, particularly for smallmouth and rockfish. I’m using 30-pound test Sufix “832” braid or Sufix Deep Crankin’ monofilament attached to Rapala Thugs, DT06 and Crankin’ Raps for stripers in the Washington Channel. I will monitor the 10-foot to 20-foot depth until I locate schools of stripers. Smallmouth action has been solid, especially on bridge foundations, dropoffs and submersed foundations above Key Bridge. Mizmo tubes, Rapala Thugs and Clackin’ Raps do the job for this pattern.

In the vicinity of the Woodrow Wilson Bridge, Fox Ferry Point has been red-hot, especially during low water, and DT-06 in Hot Mustard and Firetiger get it done. In Penrod Cove, the concrete jetty holds plenty of nice bass, but you may have to revisit this area a few times. Green Pumpkin Mizmo tubes and Thugs have been best for us. Other spots in the area that we favor include South Point, Hog Island, Fort Washington Point and Bulltown Cove.

In Mattawoman Creek vicinity, the 6 mph zone improves where tubes, Case Magic Stiks and Penrod Special spinnerbaits catch bass from wood and spatterdock cover—but those outside channel bends get better every day. The grass bass are fickle between Smallwood State Park and the river; use frogs, Case Stiks and buzzbaits here.

SUSQUEHANNA RIVER, PA: three and a half stars; clear; 57 degrees; 4.09 feet and rising at Harrisburg; 3.5 feet at Newport on the Juniata.

LOU guides Mike Breeding and Chris Sanno have been catching outstanding numbers of smallmouth bass from the Duncannon sector by casting Campground Special tubes, Rattlin’ Raps and X-Raps while drifting between the Route 322 bridge and Fort Hunter.

“I’m seldom on-plane, opting to idle back and forth due to low water, but sometimes it’s a fish on every cast and the vast majority of the smallmouth we catch are small,” says Mike.

Mike also fished the Three Mile Island to Harrisburg sector, where he says fish are hard to find because of the clarity of the water.

Posted by Candus Thomson at 6:00 AM | Permalink
        

Hikers should steer clear of two segments of the Western Maryland Rail Trail during the first week of November.

The Department of Natural Resources will be patching up the popular 23-mile Washington County footpath and will post detours during that time.

The first section, between mile marker 9.1 and mile marker 10.3, will be shut down Nov. 1-3. The second section, between mile marker 0.8 and mile marker 2.5, will be closed from Nov. 3-7. Hikers should follow signs and detour onto the C&O Canal.

Bad weather would push back both repair projects one week. The staff at Fort Frederick State Park (301-842-2155) can supply an update.

The Rails to Trails Conservancy chose the Western Maryland Rail Trail as one of the top 12 trails in the United States. The trail can be accessed from I-70, from either exit 12 (Big Pool), exit 3 (Hancock), or from I-68 at exit 77 (Pearre Station).

Posted by Candus Thomson at 1:11 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
        

Last week, Outdoors Girl posed a batch of outdoors-related questions to the two gubernatorial candidates, and welcomed Robert Ehrlich and Martin O'Malley to reply. I promised to publish those answers. O'Malley has responded. Here are his unedited answers.

To the Ehrlich campaign, my offer remains.

Dear Candy –

Thanks for the questions posted on your blog. We’ve made tough decisions over the last four years to get our State through this national recession, but we have tried always to stand firmly on the side of our State’s hunters and anglers. While there is so much more to do, I’m proud of our record protecting our waterways, our open space, our fish and wildlife, and the rich cultural heritage and economic impact these sporting opportunities support. I’m especially proud of the progress we’ve made on Bay restoration, setting 2-year milestones and efforts to bring back the iconic blue crab and native oyster.

I’m pleased to have the opportunity to respond to your questions, but I hope folks will take a look some of the other work we are doing to preserve and restore our environment.

Question: You borrowed millions from the "flush tax" fund--the Ehrlich initiative to help the clean Chesapeake--to balance the budget and put an IOU in the cookie jar in the form of bond money that will have to be paid back with interest. In effect, you created a "We Owe Us," forcing taxpayers to replace their money with more of their own money. Why should we trust you to be a good steward of that fund?

Answer: Just as every family and small business has had to tighten their belts, we have cut state spending by $5.6 billion over the last four years. Today in Maryland we are spending less as a state government then we were spending four years ago – the first time that has happened in decades. At the same time we have protected critical investments in public education and public safety. We have also protected Chesapeake Bay restoration funds. We did, as you point out, change the funding source. It was not something we wanted to do, but it was necessitated by the global recession and continuing shortfalls in our operating budgets. By swapping out Bay Restoration Fund cash for bonds, we were able to use money we had in hand where it was needed at the time, while maintaining our Bay commitments without impacting current or future projects.

Q: Under your administration, the size of Natural Resources Police has continued to shrink. The shell game to hide that fact appears to be changing the "authorized strength" of the agency downward to match reality. Graduates from the one academy class didn't even cover the number of retirements and resignations, and a proposed class has been delayed. To add insult to injury, you cut the NRP helicopters--tools that helped officers do more with less--and gave them nothing in return. What will you do to restore NRP so that people feel safe on the water and in the woods?

A: First I want to commend our Natural Resource Police officers for the tremendous job they do in enforcing conservation law and protecting our citizens – despite the fact that their numbers have diminished over the past two decades through a series of budget reductions. Marylanders are safe pursuing sporting opportunities in our State. I am committed to increasing the number of NRP officers as our economy and state revenues improve. In fact, the academy class you referred to is scheduled to begin in January. Through an analysis of our law enforcement air reconnaissance needs, we determined it would be more efficient and less costly to taxpayers to have the NRP’s aviation needs met by the State police.

Meanwhile, we have actually done a great deal to improve the ability of our NRP officers to do their jobs: We have increased penalties for conservation law enforcement infractions, launched a pilot program in Anne Arundel County to increase judicial focus on conservation cases, and have launched the Maryland Law Enforcement Information Network (MLEIN). Using radar technology and information sharing among jurisdictions, MLEIN will increase enforcement capabilities on our waterways well beyond the benefits of the NRP’s small, aging helicopter unit.

Q: Over the four years of your term, you purchased 28,000 acres with Program Open Space funds to be preserved as outdoor space. Yet the number of people to manage our lands and protect them from poachers, encroachers and illegal dumpers continues to shrink. Why buy something with our money if you're not going to take care of it?

A: Protecting our open space and continuing to expand the public’s green print has been one of my highest priorities. DNR’s dedicated public land managers do an extraordinary job in giving management of these lands the highest priority with available resources. Despite the national recession, we have continued to support their work through a number of avenues: A $4 million infusion has greatly improved our State Park system, which is serving record numbers of visitors. Our move to achieve dual certification of our Western Maryland State Forests will support green jobs. Just last week we announced creation of a statewide Trails Development Office to expand, improve and connect our system of trails. I’m also incredibly proud of the Civic Justice Corps program that we created to put at-risk youth to work restoring our State Parks.

Would we like to have more people to manage our public lands? Of course. However, once a piece of land is lost to development, it is lost forever. This is why I kept my commitment to fully funding Program Open Space — while my opponent shamelessly raided it during more prosperous times. With that funding, we have actually preserved 31,000 acres of Maryland landscape, more than three times that of our predecessor. Much of this expansion of the public estate has expanded public hunting and fishing access opportunities. One of our focus areas through our GreenPrint mapping system is targeting lands near or adjacent to those already in the public system, thus making them easier for existing staff to oversee. We will continue to use our full suite of conservation programs to preserve our heritage, our working farms and forests, and our public lands for recreation and sporting opportunities.

Q: Invasive species are pushing native creatures out of their habitat and altering Maryland's environment. From blue catfish and zebra mussels to emerald ash borers and nutria, the tide against "Made in Maryland" critters is overwhelming. What can be done to ensure the integrity of our outdoors?

A: This is one of the most challenging environmental issues of our time and one for which there is no easy answer given the increase in world trade. DNR’s team of experts work with sister agencies, the federal government, other states and local organizations to prevent introduction of invasive species and to control and contain existing populations. By supporting our biologists and scientists in their work, and we have had great success in eradicating some invasive species. We recently prevented the large scale introduction of a non-native oyster into our bay.

Science tells us that healthy natural communities are less vulnerable to invasive species--so again this means protecting our land base. All told, education is probably our most important weapon in awareness and prevention--getting the information out to our citizens--especially anglers, hunters and boaters--on how to recognize invasive species, what to do if they find one and how to help stop their spread. When it comes to invasive species, an ounce of prevention is worth more than a pound of cure.

Q: Many recreational anglers would love to see Maryland follow other East Coast states and make striped bass a game fish, placing them off limits to the commercial industry. Would you support such a move?

A: Allocation is ultimately guided by our State and regional commissions, our management plan and Maryland law, which prohibits discrimination for the sole purpose of economic allocation. Each of these directives also receives substantial public input.

JUMP BALL QUESTION: Through their license and registration fees, boaters, hunters and fisher folks in Maryland foot the bulk of the bill for managing critters on land and water. Others who use wildlife management areas and state forests don't pay a thing. And when people want government to respond to calls for hurt or nuisance wildlife, hunters pay the bill for that service. Is there a way to more equitably spread the cost of paying for biologists and managers and not dump it all on hunters, anglers and boaters?

A: We very much appreciate the advocacy of Maryland’s sportsmen and women, who contribute to wildlife management. As appropriate (and mandated by law), user fees paid by boaters, hunters and fisher folks are directed to supporting research and management of our living resources as well as some of our public lands. However, these efforts are also well supported through the general fund and supported by all Maryland taxpayers. For example, we have maintained our commitment to match recreational fishery license fee increases to enhance fishing opportunities. It is also important to note that the Natural Resources Police — who enforce conservation law and protect the public on our lands and waterways — are generally funded.

When it comes to protecting our natural resources, we are extremely fortunate to have an army of 6 million Marylanders working with us. Outdoor activities--hiking, camping, fishing, hunting and boating--are proven to inspire stewardship. Under our Smart, Green & Growing initiative, citizens have planted and registered 49,000 trees and are growing oysters in 19 Bay tributaries. The Maryland Fishing Challenge has expanded to reach anglers of all ages across our State. This summer, 750 family teams engaged in outdoor activities through ParkQuest. And our Maryland Partnership for Children--which includes a summer conservation work program for at risk youth--is expanding opportunities for young people to experience nature and learn about their environment.

Sincerely,
Martin O’Malley
Governor

Posted by Candus Thomson at 9:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (6)
        

It's the last weekend of October, a weekend that enjoys Halloween as its
punctuation mark. But you don't need a costume to enjoy the outdoors. Here's a few ideas for getting out and about:

1) Kick the weekend off on Friday evening with a Haunted Halloween History Hike at Soldiers Delight Natural Environment Area, 8 p.m. Be led by lantern light through the area after dark. Hear ghostly tales of lost miners, local lore, tales of gruesome crime and punishment, and visit the site of Maryland’s first execution for murder. Suitable for ages 8 and up. Meet at the Visitor Center, 5100 Deer Park Road, Owings Mills. Cost: $2 per person. If you can't make it Friday, the ghoul patrol will be back Saturday. To save a spot: 410-461-5005.

2) Use your noggin Saturday morning and learn a little bit about animal skulls at the Patuxent Wildlife Refuge's free program, Skull Scene Investigation. A refuge naturalist will explain how you can learn about animal lifestyle from examining its bones. The program, suitable for kids ages 11-14, runs from 10:30 to noon at the National Wildlife Visitor Center, Powder Mill Road in Laurel between the Baltimore-Washington Parkway and Route 197. To reserve a space, call 301-497-5887.

3) Give someone else a treat. Go to REI College Park from noon to 4 p.m. on Saturday and donate an old bicycle to Bikes for the World, sponsored by the Washington Area Bicyclist Association. The program collects unwanted bicycles and ships them to developing countries or youth programs in the Washington area. Bikes for the World asks for a $10 donation with each bike to help with the processing and shipping costs. Learn more at http://bikesfortheworld.org. The REI store is at 9801 Rhode Island Ave. The phone is 301-982-9681.

4) On Sunday morning, join cyclists, walkers and skateboarders on on vehicle-free southbound Roland Avenue for “Ciclovía.” City officials and the Roland Park Civic League will be turning the blacktop into a playground, there will be a kids' bicycle costume parade and local merchants will have coffee and snacks. The inaugural event last October attracted an estimated 1,000 participants. The Roland Avenue ciclovía will start at 8 a.m. and finish at 1 p.m. Drivers can enter the area northbound from Cold Spring Lane or southbound from Northern Parkway. Parking is available at Roland Park Elementary/Middle School and Roland Park Country School. Additional info is at rporg@verizon.net or 410-464-2525. For more biking resources, visit the Baltimore City Dept. of Transportation's BikeBaltimore webpage http://baltimorecity.gov/Government/AgenciesDepartments/Transportation/Planning/BikeBaltimore.aspx.

5) Take a stroll on the Lower Susquehanna Heritage Greenway Trail, just below the Conowingo Dam in Harford County. The crushed-stone trail runs 2.5 miles along the river from the Deer Creek picnic area at Susquehanna State Park to Fishermen's Park just south of the dam. Pretty views, bird viewing opportunities and some historical markers. If there's time, visit the Havre de Grace Decoy Museum, 215 Giles St. Weekend hours: Saturday, 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; Sunday, noon to 4 p.m. Tickets are $6 for adults and $2 for kids.

Posted by Candus Thomson at 6:00 AM | Permalink
        

So let me see if I get this: the state is contemplating spending Program Open Space money--OUR money--to help people who bought Chesapeake Bay-view homes on a cliff, which is now falling into the water.

Note to state officials: rope yourself to those structures and ride them down. You can't possibly justify what you're thinking of doing.

We all have sympathy for folks who find themselves at the wrong end of a bad situation not of their making. Residents of the Ninth Ward of New Orleans, you will always be in our prayers.

And certainly the residents of Calvert County who bought homes along Calvert Cliffs before 1997--when it dawned on county officials to ban building houses on a crumbling precipice--fall into that category.

But for the Department of Natural Resources to mull using money earmarked to buy and save public land for our use to bail out post-1997 byuers who didn't read the fine print in their house contracts is inexcusable. Period.

According to a preliminary report issued Tuesday by DNR, the Department of the Environment, the Maryland Emergency Management Agency and two federal agencies, 234 houses are perched on Calvert Cliffs. Of that number, 83 are within 20 feet of the edge and seven "are most at risk."

Lots of folks blame their woes on the Puritan Tiger Beetle, a bug on the federal threatened species list and on Maryland's endangered critter list. The beetles live in the cliff soil and scientists are loath to disrupt them.

But the beetles aren't the problem. Natural erosion is. And experts say no amount of engineering is going to stop nature and gravity until the cliff reaches its "natural angle of repose."

The report also notes that there's nothing in state or federal law to prohibit the "incidental" killing of beetles during an approved erosion control project.

There's more. Half of the 234 Calvert Cliffs homes don't have beetles living in their
backyards, and of the 56 beetleless properties "deemed to be in immediate danger," 45 owners have not applied for permits or have not used permits to slow their erosion problem.

Further--and this should frost your granny--one of the property owners "illegally constructed" in the fragile zone a hot tub, which plunged to its death last January when a segment of the cliff collapsed.

We pause here for a quick analogy. In the 1920s game of marathon dancing, one contestant rested in the arms of his or her partner, who carried the load for brief periods. But--and this is a big but--even the dancer at rest had to keep moving his feet to avoid disqualification.

Clearly, the folks of Calvert Cliffs aren't moving their feet. They're waiting for John "Monty Hall" Griffin and his "Let's Make a Deal" crew to arrive with our money and make everything OK.

Program Open Space money would be used to buy beetle territory from homeowners. Maryland Emergency Management Assistance funds would be used to buy or relocate the homes of "willing landowners."

Such a deal.

Just like the folks who get killer deals on gorgeous houses next to Superfund sites and airport glide paths and then complain about water quality and overhead noise, these folks should dig themselves out of their problems.

And we should insist that state agencies see some shuffling feet at Calvert Cliffs before they start throwing around our money.

Posted by Candus Thomson at 12:08 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)
        

It wasn't too long ago (say, 15 years, which I know is like the Ice Age for the Twitter crowd) that I covered a public meeting in the People's Republic of Montgomery County, where citizens implored their elected officials to "Save Bambi" from the guns of hunters.

This meeting was preceeded by one in Annapolis, where the locals made the same plea.

About three years later, I covered another meeting in Montgomery County, where the populace, armed with photos of their denuded shrubs and mashed car fenders and fueled by fears of Lyme disease, demanded that elected officials fix the deer "problem."

I predict that a decade from now, suburban and urban dwellers who now declare their superiority and wisdom by opposing Maryland's seventh bear hunt (and by extension, the people who are participating) will change their tune.

Why? Call it the Bambi Syndrome.

Everyone loves wildlife. It looks beautiful in high-def on the flat screen and from the window of the family mini-van as it streaks by farmland on the way to grandma's house in Pennsylvania.

But let it start nibbling the roses, spoiling the paint job or infecting the kiddos and wildlife becomes just another nuisance to be dealt with by other people. You know, the state's wildlife biologists and hunters.

It was entirely predictable that a goodly number of Sun readers would react negatively to Monday's story about the bear hunt. Those same people used to write about the annual deer hunt, but not so much anymore.

The readers who called the hunt, "disgusting" or "shameful" and left it at that are entitled to their opinion.

But people who claim the state's bear population isn't too big don't cite any science to back that up. The Department of Natural Resources, on the other hand, can show you census estimates based on DNA sampling and population density numbers based on boots on the ground research. The population is growing.

And people who say hunting is antiquated and unnecessary "because we have supermarkets" are blowing air through their pie holes at best or are elitists who need to step out of their suburban bubbles. They never stood at the state's check station in Garrett County and listened to hunters say bear meat and deer meat will fill their freezer and feed their families. That's not a "trophy hunt"--the lazy shorthand of the anti-hunting crowd. (If the state truly wanted to attract those high-roller trophy types, it would set a minimum size for a kill. It does not.)

And people who call bear hunting an ambush, insist it's an unfair encounter between an animal and an armed human and not a sport have never tried tracking a bear, getting in range of a bear or watched a football game between any team and the Cowboys (talk about not being a sport).

While their eyesight is Mr. Magoo-like, bears have keen hearing and sense of smell. They move so quietly that most hunters will tell you they never heard the animal approaching.

Finally, what's the moral difference between hunting for meat and buying it at the store? I don't believe those cows, pigs and chickens volunteered to be the protein on our dinner plates. And having read about some slaughterhouse methods, I'm not convinced that commercial processors do a more humane job than a skilled hunter.

(To those of you who wear leather shoes, well, I'm sure the spirit of Bessie rests easy knowing her life was sacrificed to cover your feet).

Will the anti-bear hunt tune change? Just as surely as it did once deer invaded the suburbs.

The bears are getting closer, suburbanites. They need lots of territory to roam, feed and raise their young.

Already this year, a black bear mauled to death a six-point buck in a Montgomery County backyard. The state's census next year is expected to expand eastward to include Washington and Frederick counties. The watersheds around Baltimore's three reservoirs are perfect bear habitat and beckon.

Two governors--one from each party--have supported and expanded the bear hunt. A handful of attempts by state lawmakers since 2004 to ban the hunt have failed. And the Humane Society of the United States, which once made stopping the hunt a top priority and offered a $75,000 bribe to the state to stop it, has moved on. Ending puppy mills and dog fighting, admirable goals, have replaced bears as a fund-raising tool.

It won't be long until sightings at school bus stops, backyard bird feeders and country clubs have suburbanites begging their elected officials to do something about the "bear problem."

Call it the Yogi Syndrome.

Browse pictures of Maryland's annual bear hunt.

Posted by Candus Thomson at 10:37 AM | Permalink | Comments (22)
        

The first bear checked at Maryland's seventh annual hunt was shot by Leslie Nightingale, 39, a juvenile substance abuse counselor from Allegany County. The 234-pound bear was shot in Garrett County near the western shore of Deep Creek Lake.

Browse pictures of Maryland's annual bear hunt.

Posted by Candus Thomson at 10:55 AM | Permalink | Comments (115)
        

Guide Ken Penrod, owner of Life Outdoors Unlimited, has filed this weekly report--the pentultimate Penrod report of the season--for conditions in our region:

UPPER POTOMAC RIVER: three stars; 56 degrees; clear; 1.1 feet at Point of Rocks.
The river is quite low and very clear, creating tough conditions. But the grasses are either gone or lying flat on the bottom. The clairity is caused by the lack of algae and it’s much better to fish early and late in the day—or during those scarce cloudy days.

Plastic tubes and Magic Stiks have been very productive, but now we can use crankbaits such as the Rapala DT04 and Clackin’ Raps to “dig” bass out from ledges.

At Edwards Ferry and Whites Ferry launch sites, the pattern is the same. Find submersed ledges or deep chunk rocks, but also look for submersed wood. At Edwards, we like the ledges just downriver of the launch and the Maryland shore upriver near the power lines. At Whites, we like the mid-river or Virginia shoreline.

TIDAL POTOMAC RIVER: two stars; muddy in areas from wind; 55 degrees.

It’s was a tough week, caused by clear skies, strong winds and an erratic barometer. We are doing pretty well in some areas with Rapala Thug, DT and Rattlin’ Cranks. On those extra-slow days, Mizmo tubes attached to In-Siders or Case 6-inch Magic Stiks can save your day.

The Washington area has become our go-to spot for now. We catch quality smallmouth bass from Long Bridge foundations, Kennedy Center dropoff, Key Bridge and the submersed foundations of the C&O Canal Aqueduct. In the Washington Channel, we use Rapala Thug crankbaits for rockfish and Clackin’ Raps for bass on the Fort McNair side.

In the vicinity of the Woodrow Wilson Bridge, fishing has been disappointing in some traditional hot spots, but really good in others. Fox Ferry Point is “lit-up” now, where crankbaits do the job, and the concrete in Penrod Cove has been productive during low tides. The grass bed in front of Belle Haven Marina, the south side of Broad Creek and Hog Island wrecks are other good stops. To the south, Gunston Cove, the dropoff between Dogue and Gunston and Pomonkey Creek are as good as any when the skies are cloudy.

The area around Mattawoman Creek has been hammered by tournament anglers but every fall, bass run the deeper creeks where baitfish thrive--this is happening now. In Mattawoman, cast Penrod Special spinnerbaits, shallow-diving Rapala crankbaits and Case Jack’s Stiks to grass and wood cover between Slavins and the end of navigation. The outside channel bends between Slavins and the 6 mph buoy are pretty good and will become better. Grass fish are scarce in the morning, between the park and the river, but once the sun jump-starts the vegetation, try Stiks, frogs and critter plastics. The south side of Chickamuxen, south point to Tug Boat Cove and wrecks in Arkindale have been productive.

SUSDQUEHANNA RIVER, PA: four stars; 55 degrees, clear; 4.2 feet at Harrisburg and 3.9 feet at Newport on the Juniata.

LOU guides Mike Breeding and Chris Sanno are all smiles when they report smallmouth bass activity. Launching from Riverfront Campground, the guides don’t travel very far. Between Sherman Creek and the Buffalo Steps, they cast Rattlin’ Rapalas, Campground Special tubes, Rapala DT 04s and Case Salty Shads for bass to 5 pounds—on a regular basis.

“We caught more than 60 smallmouth in six hours Saturday,” said Breeding, “and a dozen of them were 18-inches and longer. Monitor this river level because the trend is falling, and if it gets much lower, we just can’t fish here without banging our boats a lot.

KERR LAKE, VA: two and a half stars; 299 fasl; 63-66 degrees; stained in the rivers and headwaters of creeks.

LOU associate guide Tim Wilson (kickassbassin@aol.com) reports pretty good bass fishing with the fall patterns in full swing. The bass are gorging themselves on shad in main lake pockets and the secondary points of most creeks. Wilson is casting Rattlin’ Raps and DT 04 and 06 crankbaits. He says the grass beds in Nutbush also have been very productive. There's lots of striper activity as the water temperature falls. All you have to do is motor around looking for surface activity, then cast blue/silver Rattlin’ Raps to them.

Posted by Candus Thomson at 5:10 PM | Permalink
        

An Edgewater hunter died today when he fell about 15 feet from his homemade tree stand on the Eastern Shore, the third fatality of the white-tailed deer hunting season.

James Newberry, 77, was hunting on property on Charles Boyle Road in Queen Anne, when his ladder stand became detached from the tree and collapsed, Natural Resources Police reported. He was found at 9:30 a.m. by a hunting companion.

Today was the second day of muzzleloader season.

Last month during the first segment of archery season, two hunters were killed in separate tree stand accidents.

Paul Joseph Kemper Jr., 55, of York, Pa., died on Sept. 15 in Harford County when he fell 25 feet. Four days later, Dennis Arthur Siler, 44, of Port Deposit, died in Cecil County after falling 30 feet from a portable stand. Neither man was wearing a safety harness when he fell.

Nationally, more than 50 percent of all hunting accidents are tree-stand related. Last year, Maryland NRP investigated 12 hunting accidents, six of them involving tree stands. A year earlier, officers were called to 14 hunting accidents, seven involving tree stands.

Posted by Candus Thomson at 4:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)
        

The site is a little off the beaten path and parking is problematic, so the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is installing "Dam Cam," so friends of the Patapsco River can watch the demolition of Simkins Dam live.

The camera, mounted on a telephone pole, will snap photos every five minutes to show earth-moving machines clawing away at the 10-foot-high concrete structure just outside Ellicott City. The work is sceduled to start the week of Oct. 24 and conclude by the end of the year.

The link to Dam Cam is http://www.habitat.noaa.gov/restoration/index.html.

When the work is done, two of the three major blockages between the river's headwaters and the Inner Harbor will be gone, making it easier for paddlers to enjoy the river and aiding in the restoration of habitat and wildlife.

The removal of Simkins and Union dams is costing $4 million as is being paid for with federal stimulus money from NOAA. State and federal officials hope to secure additional funds to remove the final downstream blockage, 23-foot-high Bloede Dam, perhaps as early as 2013.

With the dams gone, migratory herring, shad and American eels will be able to return to their historical homes.

Posted by Candus Thomson at 11:02 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
        

The tiny kestrel rescued earlier this month from an intimidating murder of crows by a Department of Natural Resources Fisheries Service biologist arriving for work in Annapolis has settled into her new legal home.

The Anne Arundel County master falconer who agreed to provide temporary shelter for the bird while the owner was sought has been given a permit and permanent custody.

The bird--the smallest of North American hawks--"has put on weight, but not so much that she has to worry about her figure," reports biologist Rick Morin, who rescued the bird.

Despite the fact that the kestrel sported leather leggings, which would indicate she was being raised and trained, Mary Goldie, the permit coordinator for DNR's Wildlife and Heritage Service, was unable to locate an owner. Falconers are required to report any missing birds to state and federal authorities.

The falconer, who asked not to be named to prevent theft or harm of birds on his property, was taken with the story and the kestrel's, well, winning ways.

She had him at, "Aaagh."

Posted by Candus Thomson at 10:16 AM | Permalink
        

Few of us are single-issue voters, so I'm not going to claim that the Nov. 2 election will hinge on how gubernatorial candidates Martin O'Malley and Robert Ehrlich stack up on issues important to those of us who love the outdoors.

But as taxpayers and residents, we have a responsibility to be good stewards of the half-million acres of public land, 17,000 miles of waterways and millions of critters within. In return, our elected officials have a responsibility to us--120,000 hunters, 600,000 anglers, 200,000 registered boaters and countless thousands of bikers, paddlers, birders and hikers--to say how they're going to govern.

Unfortunately, there isn't a single organization to send out a questionaire to both candidates and publish the results. If I had the clout to make it happen, I would.

So here are my 11 questions--five for each candidate and a jump ball for both of them--about outdoors issues. Gentlemen, you are welcome to respond and I will publish those answers.

For Robert Ehrlich:

1) When your administration took over the Department of Natural Resources, you put a dentist in charge of the agency, replaced managers with science backgrounds with high school graduates and appointed three Natural Resources Police superintendents in less than 18 months. Can you assure the outdoors community that you will fill positions with qualified candidates?

2) Three months into your term and despite warnings from scientists that blue crabs were being overharvested in the Chesapeake Bay, you reduced the minimum harvest size and then fired the Fisheries Service director who opposed the plan. Six years later, drastic steps were needed to halt the crash of the crab population. Why did you ignore your experts and what did you learn from that decision?

3) When faced with an understaffed Natural Resources Police, you merged it with the Maryland Park Rangers. While it temporarily glossed over the lack of staffing, it did nothing to boost the number of boots on the ground to patrol the states public lands and waterways. In hindsight, would you have done anything differently? What would you do now to restore NRP?

4) From 1994-2008, $40 million was spent trying to restore the oyster population, which despite all the money and effort remains at 1 percent of its historic level. Of that $40 million, the watermen's community received $30 million for work on various Chesapeake Bay projects. Yet you say watermen have not been treated fairly under the O'Malley administration's oyster sanctuary and aquaculture plan. What is unfair about paying $30 million taxpayer dollars to watermen and now offering $2.2 million in subsidized loans to help them start aquaculture businesses?

5) You raided millions in Program Open Space funds to balance the budget and never bothered to replace the money. Why should voters trust you with that fund?

For Martin O'Malley:

1) You borrowed millions from the "flush tax" fund--the Ehrlich initiative to help the clean Chesapeake--to balance the budget and put an IOU in the cookie jar in the form of bond money that will have to be paid back with interest. In effect, you created a "We Owe Us," forcing taxpayers to replace their money with more of their own money. Why should we trust you to be a good steward of that fund?

2) Under your administration, the size of Natural Resources Police has continued to shrink. The shell game to hide that fact appears to be changing the "authorized strength" of the agency downward to match reality. Graduates from the one academy class didn't even cover the number of retirements and resignations, and a proposed class has been delayed. To add insult to injury, you cut the NRP helicopters--tools that helped officers do more with less--and gave them nothing in return. What will you do to restore NRP so that people feel safe on the water and in the woods?

3) Over the four years of your term, you purchased 28,000 acres with Program Open Space funds to be preserved as outdoor space. Yet the number of people to manage our lands and protect them from poachers, encroachers and illegal dumpers continues to shrink. Why buy something with our money if you're not going to take care of it?

4) Invasive species are pushing native creatures out of their habitat and altering Maryland's environment. From blue catfish and zebra mussels to emerald ash borers and nutria, the tide against "Made in Maryland" critters is overwhelming. What can be done to ensure the integrity of our outdoors?

5) Many recreational anglers would love to see Maryland follow other East Coast states and make striped bass a game fish, placing them off limits to the commercial industry. Would you support such a move?

JUMP BALL QUESTION:

Through their license and registration fees, boaters, hunters and fisher folks in Maryland foot the bulk of the bill for managing critters on land and water. Others who use wildlife management areas and state forests don't pay a thing. And when people want government to respond to calls for hurt or nuisance wildlife, hunters pay the bill for that service. Is there a way to more equitably spread the cost of paying for biologists and managers and not dump it all on hunters, anglers and boaters?

Posted by Candus Thomson at 6:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (5)
        

The project to remove Simkins Dam from the Patapsco River began Thursday, minus the drama of earthmoving equipment gouging a hole in its side.

State and federal officials and members of the outdoors community gathered along the river bank outside Ellicott City to celebrate another step in the multi-million dollar effort to clear all the manmade blockages and restore the river to its natural free-flowing state.

"Not only is my head in this one. My heart is in this one," said Eric Schwaab, a top official with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration who fished the river as a boy and still lives nearby.

NOAA provided nearly $4 million in federal stimulus money to remove Simkins, built in 1889 to produce hydro-power for a factory, and Union Dam upstream. The Patapsco projects competed against 814 proposals submitted from across the country for $167 million given to NOAA by Congress for coastal restoration projects.

A few technical issues delayed the actual breaching of the dam Thursday, but state officials expect removal of the 10-foot-high concrete barrier to begin next week and conclude by the end of the year. A "dam cam" has been installed that will provide photos of the work every five minutes.

Simkins Dam is the largest to be removed in Maryland. Combined, the removal of Union and Simkins opens 40 miles of Patapsco main stem and tributaries to migrating herring, shad and American eels.

Rebecca Wodder, president of American Rivers, the coordinating group for the project, said demolishing obsolete dams improves habitat for fish and wildlife, creates jobs, enhances public safety and provides better recreational access for residents and visitors.

American Rivers will be submitting a proposal to NOAA in November for design money to plan the removal of Bloede Dam, the last downstream blockage on the Patapsco before it empties into Baltimore's harbor.

Restoration advocates are hoping that their track record in the state and the progress made on the Patapsco will help Maryland secure Open Rivers Initiative funds from NOAA.

To that end, Sen. Barbara Mikulski has already sent a letter to Schwaab urging him to support "uncorking the Patapsco" so that it can flow freely through Patapsco Valley State Park to the Inner Harbor and the Chesapeake Bay.

Posted by Candus Thomson at 2:14 PM | Permalink
        

The Board of Public Works will vote on Nov. 3 on awarding a contract for construction of a new fishing jetty at Sandy Point State Park.

The old jetty, a barely organized rock pile just north of the Bay Bridge, is unsuitable for children, seniors and the handicapped. After recreational angler Skip Zinck suggested a restoration project, state parks superintendent Nita Settina walked the rocks and placed the project high on the priority list.

A number of bids came in, and after review, the Department of General Services has recommended BPW approved the $548,490 proposal submitted by Shoreline Design LLC. of Edgewater. The company also was chosen for the $1.1M shoreline restoration project in Piscataway Park, a national park along the Potomac River in Prince George's County.

Jordan Loran, a Department of Natural Resources engineering guru, says he has the blueprints ready and permits in hand.

Plans call for a crested surface, 7 feet to 8 feet wide, about 7 feet above the water. The widening is to occur on the north side of the jetty so as to not interfere with the boat channel leading to the Sandy Point marina.

The jetty is expected to extend as far as its counterpart south of the bridge, with a top of smooth stone similar to the jetty at the Ocean City inlet.

Posted by Candus Thomson at 1:34 PM | Permalink
        

Don't have a dog in this weekend's college football fights? Sworn off your alma mater after last weekend's crash-and-burn performance? Here's five things to take you beyond the thunderdome:

1) Take a drive in the countryside Saturday and attend the open house at the University of Maryland's Center for Environmental Science Appalachian Laboratory on the campus of Frostburg State University. Numerous hands-on activities geared towards all ages are planned, including geocaching, build-a-bat, caddis fly case making, a critter corner, water cycle bracelet making, fish prints, and a remote sensing image mystery titled, “Where in the World?” The Appalachian Lab is at 301 Braddock Road, just ¼ mile north of exit 33 on Interstate 68. Parking is free and refreshments will be available. The doors will be open from 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

2) After your Saturday breakfast, see how the animals chow down at 10:30 a.m. at the Anita C. Leight Estuary Center, 700 Otter Point Road, Abingdon. Suitable for all ages. Free. Then at noon, learn how to weave a placemat--Navajo style--using natural materials. Cost of the workshop, $4 per person. Details: 410-612-1688.

3) Celebrate fall with a hayride and stories around the campfire Saturday, 6:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.,
at Gunpowder Falls State Park's Hammerman Beach. Free. For kids of all ages; children must be accompanied by an adult. To reserve your place, call 410-592-2897.

4) Walk the Monocacy National Battlefield south of Frederick and learn about the third and final Confederate invasion of the north in 1864. Two Medals of Honor were awarded for bravery during the July 9 battle. Five loop trails will give you access to most of the action. Print out walking tour brochures from the park website http://www.nps.gov/mono or buy them at the visitor center. Park hours are 8:30 a.m. - 5 p.m. daily. The park is south of I-70 off Exit 54. Information: 301-662-3515.

5) If the weather turn icky (that's a technical term) on Sunday, download a podcast of Heritage Montgomery's driving tour of upcounty historical and cultural sites at http://www.heritagemontgomery.org. The 60-minute video podcast tour is divided into five segments highlighting a section of rural Montgomery County on a 61-mile tour. Stories are presented through narrative, visuals and music. Visit where you want and pause where you want on this self-directed tour.

Posted by Candus Thomson at 6:00 AM | Permalink
        

At a BWI-area motel, Maryland’s outdoors community had an enormous coming out party today at the first Trails Summit, organized by the Department of Natural Resources to draft a blueprint for a network of footpaths and paddling routes to tie one side of the state to the other.

DNR Secretary John Griffin announced the creation of a Trails Development Office to spearhead the effort and develop “a trails system second to none in the nation.”

The office will be responsible for maintaining a new interactive trails web page, beginning work on new off-road vehicle trails and establishing a Citizens Trail Advisory Group. The page will be on line this afternoon and accessible through the DNR home page. It will include a list of clubs and organizations, a mapping program, suggestions for trail use and a link to camping reservations.

A standing-room crowd of 200 trails users, outdoors gear suppliers, hospitality industry representatives and regional experts spent the day expanding on a series of summer round-table discussions to improve DNR’s approximately 1,000 miles of trails and connect them to school yards and federal, county and city public lands.

Griffin called the summit “long overdue” and noted that trailblazing has come a long way from the days when the state met opposition during the creation of the Northern Central Rail Trail for hikers and bikers.

“We hung in there and gradually we answered all of the concerns of Baltimore County. It has become so popular that it is now oversubscribed,” he said.

Griffin said a network of trails would have “countless benefits” for residents, tourists and the O’Malley administration initiative to get more children outdoors.

“I’m glad this day has finally come,” Griffin said.

Later in the day, paddlers, cyclists, hikers and other trail users made regional lists of places where trails could be connected. Baltimore area users asked for new paths to connect the NCRR -- renamed the Torrey C. Brown Rail Trail -- to city parks and to rail trails in Anne Arundel County.

Other attendees suggested:

-- Extending trails near expanding Fort Meade to the Bowie area.

-- Closing gaps in Patapsco Valley State Park trail system to make it easier to get from one area to another.

-- Widening road shoulders on rural Howard and Carroll county roads to make them safer for cyclists.

-- Eliminating liability issues so that utility corridors can be used by the recreational community.

-- Taking advantage of the Great Allegheny Passage connection from Pittsburgh to Washington to create opportunities in Western Maryland state parks and forests.

-- DNR's John Wilson, point man for the trails initiative, promised more meetings to refine the lists and set priorities.

-- "We view this as a long-term conversation," Wilson said. "This is just the beginning...We need to build a coalition. You folks are going to help us do our jobs."

Posted by Candus Thomson at 11:16 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)
        

Unfortunately, it's getting to be the new norm. For the third consecutive year, the Chesapeake Bay has produced fewer striped bass babies than what is normal.

Three years of a nursery being half full, or less.

Could it be the weather--massive winter snowstorms followed by runoff? Or water temperature? Could fishing pressure be to blame? Or is myco beginning to take its toll on the adult population and the breeding stock is just vanishing as a result?

We don't know. That's just scary.

And that's the reason why when it meets next month, the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission should kill the plan to increase the coastwide commercial harvest--or any harvest, for that matter--until after the 2012 stock assessment.

This year, the Young of the Year Survey pegged reproduction at 5.6, below the long-term average of 11.6. Last year, it was 7.8 and in 2008, the number was 3.2.

Taking our fingers off the panic button for a moment, the last three years are nowhere near the years leading up to the fishing moratorium of the mid-1980s, when the striped bass population was so low that some anglers feared it would never rebound.

And, unlike those dark days leading up to the five-year fishing ban, we've had some pretty decent production years: 2001 (50.7), 2003 (25.75) and 2005 (17.8).

But (putting our finger back on the panic button) six of the last 10 years have been below the long-term average, compared to four sub-standard years from 1991-2000. An ASMFC Striped Bass Technical Committee report predicts that the number of adult bass will steadily decline through the year 2015.

I'm no math wizard, but that's clearly not acceptable.

Early next month, the ASMFC will hold its annual meeting in Charleston, S.C., to take up the question of increasing the commercial quota.

At its February meeting, commissioners voted 8 to 7 to amend the management plan to increase commercial harvest by 20 to 50 percent. Maryland, which voted against the motion before, provided the margin of victory.

Tom O'Connell, Maryland's Fisheries Service director and ASMFC representative, called his vote "a matter of equity" between commercial and recreational interests. Since 2004, coastal commercial harvest has decreased by 3.6 percent, while recreational harvest has increased by 13.7 percent.

But that was before these new numbers.

There's a joint meeting of the Sport Fish and Tidal Fisheries advisory commissions tonight in Annapolis. The commissioners should urge O'Connell to vote against the commercial increase.

Certainly O'Connell, a cautious and thoughtful biologist, is probably re-evaluating his vote in light of the Young of the Year numbers and other indicators.

If I had to guess, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service--another yes vote in February--is probably doing likewise. Ditto the Potomac River Fishing Commission.

That would be good news for the fish and the fisher folks.

Posted by Candus Thomson at 6:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)
        

For the third consecutive year, the striped bass reproduction numbers in the Maryland portion of the Chesapeake Bay were below average.

The Young of the Year Survey is 5.6, below the long-term average of 11.6.

Even though the number of fish was below average, it was above the threshold that would trigger intervention by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC).

The annual survey showed an increase in the number of juvenile spot and white perch.

Tom O'Connell, director of the state Fisheries Service, says his agency will continue to "carefully" monitor the population, but noted that Maryland is continuing to reach all ASMFC benchmarks.

Since 1954, biologists at the Department of Natural Resourceshave monitored the reproductive success of striped bass and other species at 22 sites in Maryland’s portion of Chesapeake Bay. Biologists collect two fish samples at each site monthly from July through September, using a 100-foot beach seine.

The survey numbers can be affected by weather, snowfall and spring runoff and water temperature.

More information is at http://www.dnr.state.md.us/fisheries/juvindex/index.html

Posted by Candus Thomson at 1:40 PM | Permalink
        

Guide Ken Renrod, owner of Life Outdoors Unlimited, files his weekly bass fishing report for our region:

UPPER POTOMAC RIVER: three stars; 60 degrees; clear; 1.3 feet at Point of Rocks.

Strong winds and sunny skies make catching difficult, but smallmouth bass fishing continues to improve and that trend will continue. The grasses still rooted to the bottom are lying flat making boating less of a chore. Campground Special teasers, Mizmo tubes, Case Plastics and Rapala crankbaits work best. Bass are still in current, especially along submersed ledges and deeper holes where chunk rocks exist. You will notice clearer water and that’s because the algae is dying. We recommend medium-action, Gator fishing rods with 6- or 8-pound test Sufix monofilament line on high-speed spinning reels.

At Lander. Brunswick and Point of Rocks, we are catching plenty of bass, and the size improves each day. From Lander and Brunswick, either up or down river is good. At Point of Rocks, downriver is a good bet.

The area between Edwards Ferry and Whites Ferry is very good. The rocks and ledges below Edwards—and the pool above Whites--are my confidence areas.

SUSQUEHANNA and JUNIATA RIVERS, PA: three and a half stars; clear; low 60s; 4.44 feet at Harrisburg and 3.5 feet at Newport on the Juniata.

“It’s as good as it was in the spring,” say LOU guides Mike Breeding and Chris Sanno. The Juniata, at the confluence, is “lights out” according to the guides, although the dead, floating grass is making it tough to complete casts. On the main stem, between Fort Hunter and Clemson Island, it’s getting tougher to run powered boats but the fishing is outstanding. Use Campground Special teaser tubes in the KP Series, Case Plastics, Big Mouth spinnerbaits and Rapala crankbaits (Clackin’ Raps, Rattlin’ Raps and DT 4 and 6.) Fish the current breaks, grass beds and ledges.

TIDAL POTOMAC RIVER: two and a half stars; 60s; clear.
The water temperature climbed early in the week and the skies were clear most days. Then came the wind. But in spite of that, bass fishing has been good and will only get better. Remember, just because our calendar says it’s fall, the fish will not agree until the water temperature reaches 50 degrees.

In the vicinity of Washington, we target smallmouth bass effectively by casting Mizmo tubes and Rapala Thug crankbaits to bridge foundations, dropoff and rocky cover above Key Bridge. Each day the Washington Channel improves; largemouth and rockfish are being caught along the Fort McNair side—but don’t get too close or the DC Police will respond quickly.

Around the Woodrow Wilson Bridge, fishing was just so-so this week, but the concrete cover in Penrod Cove, submersed foundations and points in Smoot Bay hold nice bass best caught with Rapal DT06 crankbaits and Mizmo tubes. The grass beds in Broad Creek and Bulltown Cove are good stops. Frogs, Case Plastics and Penrod Special spinnerbaits are recommended.

In the Mattawoman Creek vicinity, look to the grass beds in the 6 mph zone. Frogs, spinnerbaits and tubes are best baits. The grass beds between Smallwood State Park and the confluence, as well as grass along the south side of Chickamuxen Creek and main river, just prior to Mallows Bay, can be productive.

DEEP CREEK LAKE: two and a half stars; 58 degrees; below normal level.
LOU guides Brent Nelson and Bret Winegardner say that bass fishing improves each day as the water chills and the boat traffic is minimal. This is a good destination now.

Posted by Candus Thomson at 11:08 AM | Permalink
        

Grab your moment in the sun. Try something new. Explore a place you've never been to before or learn a skill. Try one of these adventures:

1) Take a ride up to Pennsylvania Saturday or Sunday for hay rides, pumpkin carving, apple cider making and candle dipping at Pine Grove Furnace State Park's Fall Furnace Fest. Organizers have arranged blacksmith and coal making demonstrations, park bicycle and history tours and nature crafts along with live music and country line dancing. The event will run during the day from 1 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. on Saturday and 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday. At 6:30 p.m. on Saturday, pumpkins illuminated by candles will be floated on Fuller Lake and the mysterious "Hairy Hand" will emerge from the lake. Really. The park is in Gardners, a short drive off I-81.

2) See endangered whooping cranes and learn about efforts to save them at the Patuxent Wildlife Festival Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Guided tram tours of the refuge will be offered.
The Patuxent Research Refuge visitor center is on Powder Mill Road between the Baltimore-Washington Parkway and Route 197 in Laurel.

3) Pay it back and join Patapsco Valley State Park's trail crew on Saturday morning as it upgrades the trail system. You might even learn some landscaping skills you can use in the backyard. The minimum age to volunteer is 16. The project location depends on the priorities of the trail crew and the number of volunteers who sign up. Participants will be notified by email a day or two before and will be given details. Registration is required. Call 410-465-3287.

4) Spend a spooky Saturday evening at the Anita C. Leight Estuary Center hiking through the woods to discover the creatures of Halloween. Meet these real scary critters up close and listen to their tales spun by Halloween characters. After the hike, enjoy music and roasted marshmallows down by the cozy campfire. Suitable for all ages. The cost is $5 per person. The center is at 700 Otter Point Road, Abingdon. Call 410-612-1688 to save a spot.

5) Take a hike on one of the nine trails at Baltimore County's Oregon Ridge Park, 13401 Beaver Dam Road Cockeysville. None of them are blister busters but you can string a few paths together--Loggers to Ivy Hill to Campbell back to Loggers, for example--to create a good workout. A park map is at http://oregonridge.org . Call the nature center, 410-887-1815, for details.

Posted by Candus Thomson at 6:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)
        

Guide Ken Penrod, owner of Life Outdoors Unlimited, files his weekly recommendations for bass fisning in the region.

UPPER POTOMAC RIVER: two and a half stars; 62 degrees; clear; 1.8 feet at Point of Rocks.

There is no evidence at all that the river was high and muddy a few weeks ago. The river is so clear that it’s tough to catch bass on those clear, blue sky days. But the fall bite is on during cloudy, low-barometer days. There is some floating grass and the vegetation that is still rooted is flat on the bottom so boating is much easier.

At Lander, Brunswick and Point of Rocks, smallmouth bass are still related to current but near chunk rocks, submersed ledges and dropoffs. The pattern is the same at all of the mentioned locations. We use 6- or 8-pound test monofilament, Mizmo tubes and Case Magic Stiks. Rapala will have a new crankbait for 2011 called the Crankin’ Rap and I’ve been testing them. They are winners for sure, but the Rapala DT04 is the deal for now--in Hot Mustard.

At Whites Ferry and Edwards Ferry, I like the ledges and grass edges near Edwards and at Whites Ferry. I use Mizmo tubes (teasers) and Case Magic Stiks.

SUSQUEHANNA RIVER, PA: three and a half stars; 60 degrees; some stain; 5.9 feet at Harrisburg and 3.2 feet at Newport on the Juniata River.

Bass fishing has been “lights out,” according to LOU guides Chris Sanno and Mike Breeding. The bottom is falling out of the Juniata River, losing a few feet of depth during the week but the Susquehanna rose a foot before leveling out at 5.9 feet--a great depth for the jet boat gang.

Mike Breeding has been fishing the Juniata and the main stem between Duncannon and Montgomery Ferry, where both numbers and quality equal the spring. Mike is using Campground Special tubes, Rattlin’ Rapalas and Golden Shiner spinnerbaits by Big Mouth Lure Co. Chris Sann has been working the west shore near Sherman Creek, where he relies on Rapala jerk baits and Campground Special tubes in the Penrod Purple color. “We had 60-some bass in six hours, and they were all big, fat, mature bass,” he reports.

The next day, Mike said, “We caught about 50 smallmouth bass and most of them were between 10 and 14 inches long. I don’t see any shortage of small bass on either of these rivers.”

The difference has been that the little ones have been biting during the clear skies and the big ones eat when it’s cloudy.

NOTE: The Pennsylvania Boat and Fish Commission approved a regulation that will require full-ime catch and release for black bass beginning Jan. 1. On the Juniata, the regulation is imposed from the Route 75 bridge to the confluence with the Susquehanna River, a distance of about 32 miles. On the Susquehanna River, possession of bass is banned from the Sunbury Dam to the Holtwood Dam, a distance of about 98 miles

TIDAL POTOMAC RIVER: two stars to three and a half stars; 65 degrees, clear, grass dying in areas.

What a difference one inch of mercury makes. When the skies are cloudy and the barometer is under 30, the bass eat all day. Those clear sky days are tough though, especially when the barometer is over 30 and rising.

Around Washington, you can catch quality smallmouth bass by casting Mizmo tubes to bridge foundations, the Kennedy Center dropoff and Key Bridge foundations. There are some small stripers in the Washington Channel, along with a few big largemouth bass best caught along the channel dropoff with Rapala DT06 crankbaits.

In the vicinity of the Woodrow Wilson Bridge, submerged barges, bridge foundations and concrete habitat are holding more and more bass each day. Mizmo tubes and Rapala DT06 crankbaits are productive.

Around the Mattawoman Creek complex, we caught small bass in the 6-mph zone using Penrod Special spinnerbaits. When the wind was favorable, we did better in the grass beds near the creek mouth. Anglers will find Chickamuxen Creek and grass beds between Chickamuxen and Mallows Bay worth their time.

KERR LAKE, VA: two stars; 70-75 degrees; muddy upper lake and clear down lake.

LOU Associate Tim Wilson (kickassbassin@aol.com) says the lake has come up 5 feet and the fish are in an adjustment period. Tim advises targeting the creeks this week. With the bass feeding on shad, the Rattlin’ Rapala and Luhr Jensen Speed Trap will catch plenty of fish. The Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries urges anglers to clean their livewells with a 10 percent bleach and water solution to destroy the virus that infects bass.

Posted by Candus Thomson at 2:32 PM | Permalink
        

Rake leaves or play. Tough choice. The leaves aren't going anywhere, but you should. Go play outside. Here's some suggestions:

1) Attend Bedford, Pa.'s 46th annual Fall Foliage Festival, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on both days, which includes crafts, entertainment and family activities. Deatils at http://www.bedfordfallfestival.com. Bring a bike with you and work off some of the great food on a Mann’s Choice Cycling tour, a scenic 15.7-mile ride winds through the rural farmlands. http://www.thealleghenies.com/bike_onroad.aspx?t=52.

2) On Saturday, from 9 a.m. to noon, learn to kayak with your kid at the Anita C. Leight Estuary Center, 700 Otter Point Road, Abingdon. The center provides the instruction and gear. The outing is suitable for children over 5. The cost is $10 per person. Reservations are required. Call 410-612-1688.

3) Go to the Gunpowder Falls State Park Fall Fest on Saturday. There will be face painting and scarecrow making for $2 each. Bring clothes for your scarecrow and the park will supply the straw. Food, drink, hay rides and pumpkins to paint will all be available for a small charge. Call 410-477-0757 for more information. Free, but donations welcomed.

4) Take a hike with a naturalist Sunday at 2 p.m. the Patuxent Research Refuge. The 90-minute walk will explore the woods and wetlands of Laurel's best-kept secret. The outing is suitable for children over 14. Call 301-497-5887 to reserve your spot.

5) Get up early Sunday (or go out the night before) and head out west to Garrett County for Adventure Sports Center International's 2010 Great Pumpkin Festival. The whitewater course, used by Olympians in training, will be opened for all sorts of water competitions. Competition begins at 10:30 with the Raft Regatta, which is just a warm up. The Great Pumpkin Race encourages spectators to buy a pumpkins for $5, which are then set loose on the whitewater for a race the bottom. Proceeds benefit the Dove Center, a shelter for doemstic violence victims. That' contest is followed by The Hooligan Race, in which teams build a boat, dress in costume and race to the bottom. At 11 a.m., you can meet whitewater paddler Casey Eichfeld, a 2008 Olympian. Details? Try 301-387-3250 or asci@adventuresportscenter.com.

Posted by Candus Thomson at 6:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (5)
        

Guide Ken Penrod, owner of Life Outdoors Unlimited, sends along his weekly take on the region's bass fishing waters.

UPPER POTOMAC RIVER: Two and a half stars; 69 degrees; stained; 4.3 feet at Point of Rocks.

The recent rain “jumped” the Potomac about 4 feet at Point of Rocks, but missed an early week prediction of 16 feet. This rise will quickly diminish over the week. Bass fishing had been good before the rains and will become even better as she falls.

At Lander, 5 feet is actually a pretty good level but until the water drops to 2.5 feet and less, fish upriver rather than down. The small surge will wash away the weak or dying vegetation and boaters will be able to get around easier. We use Mizmo tubes and Campground Special teasers along with 4-inch Case Magic Stiks. Look to eddies now but those submersed ledges and current breaks will hold larger fish.

At Edwards Ferry and Whites Ferry, either direction from each launch will be fine. I like the ledges just downstream of Edwards and the Virginia shore above Whites. You simply cannot cast a better lure choice than the Mizmo or Campground Special tubes—and the “teaser” size is best. Color preferences include KP Peanut Butter; KP Candy; Penrod/Purple; Irish Coffee and Roadkill Camo.

SUSQUEHANNA RIVER, PA: two and a half stars; stained to muddy; 8.9 feet at Harrisburg. 5.5 feet at Newport on the Juniata. For up to date conditions, call 1-888-881-7555.

Bass, walleye and muskie fishing had been improving every day until the nearly 6-foot jump during the week. LOU guides Mike Breeding and Any Chiu were putting their boat into the river near Duncannon and fishing the Sherman area ledges. “We bumped bottom about 15 times but we caught dozens of quality smallmouth on Campground Special tubes,” said Breeding.

The river will fall quickly this week so you may want to take advantage. The huge eddy created at the mouth of the Juniata should be full of fish. Reach John Cunningham of Riverfront Campground at 717-877-2704 to arrange for boat rentals, shuttle services or mail order tubes and RAB jig heads.

TIDAL POTOMAC RIVER: three stars; stain in creeks and upper river; 65 degrees.
The hoopla over last week's storm was, well, mostly hoopla. The creeks are stained somewhat and even the main stem will color, but that event wasn’t much. There was a nice improvement due to low barometric pressure much of the week, but when that blew out,
fishing suffered.

In the Washington area, look for some stained water and flotsam but the flow mover, Little Falls, is just 4.3 feet. The smallmouth action has been the bright spot. We use Mizmo tubes and Rapala crankbaits (DT06 and Thugs) at bridge foundations in town and rocky shore lines near Three Sisters Islands. There is decent largemouth action in the Washington Channel, where crankbaits and Case Plastics do the job.

Around the Woodrow Wilson Bridge, you'll find fair to good results in Penrod Cove and nearby submersed barges, where Mizmo tubes and Rapala DT06 accounted for most fish. Other reliable spots in the area include grass beds near Belle Haven and south of Hog Island.

Mattawoman Creek and vicinity was red-hot a few days when the sky was cloudy and the barometer was under 30. The creek will be stained most of the week but that’s not a bad thing. Look for increased activity in this area as the water chills and the bass eat well.

Other areas that were exceptional include grass beds between the Smallwood State Park and the river, where the frog bite was off the chart. Nearby Chickamuxen and grass between the Marine air strip and Arkindale Flats were turned-on during the low pressure days.

Posted by Candus Thomson at 9:58 AM | Permalink
        

The top 80 anglers from four divisions of the Bass Fishing League will be on the Potomac River Oct. 7-9 for their regional championship.

Takeoffs will be at 7 a.m. from Smallwood State Park in Charles County and weigh-ins will be held in the same spot at 3 p.m. The full field will compete the first two days, with the top 12 boaters and top 12 co-anglers advancing to the final day of competition based on accumulated weight.

The top prize is a bass boat and motor combo plus a pick-up truck. The top co-angler will win a boat. The top six boaters and top six co-anglers will advance to the BFL All-American next spring.

The regional championship includes anglers from the BFL's Northeast, Piedmont, North Carolina and Shenandoah divisions. The BFL is a circuit devoted to weekend-warrior
tournament bass anglers.

Posted by Candus Thomson at 6:00 AM | Permalink
        

Almost everyone fishing at Bill Burton Fishing Pier State Park on Saturday morning had some kind of connection to the late outdoors writer.

For Marty Gary, it was watching Burton on Baltimore TV and reading his daily columns in the Sun while growing up that turned him into a fisherman and then a fisheries biologist for the state.

"He was an inspiration," said Gary.

For Jayson Sears, 8, of Severna Park, it was a phone call from Burton two years ago inquiring about an offshore fishing trip that made him a fan.

"He was the best," said Jayson.

More than 50 parents and kids showed up to honor Burton by doing what my former colleague loved to do and write about for more than a half century.

"Bill would be so pleased to see this, to see all these people--especially the kids--using the old bridge for fishing," said Lois Burton, his widow.

Burton used his column to urge the state to save the two ends of the old U.S. 50 bridge over the Choptank River and make them a fishing pier after a new span was built.

The state Board of Public Works last year voted to rename the piers for Burton, who died in August 2009. A dedication ceremony this summer provided the spark for the derby.

Maryland's two largest fishing organizations--Maryland Saltwater Sportfishermen's association and Coastal Conservation Maryland--agreed to sponsor the inaugural event, which organziers hope will grow each year.

Kane Williams, 9, of Columbia, won the grand prize: a full-day charter trip on the Chesapeake Bay aboard Capt. George Prenant's Stormy Petrel.

"We've never been fishing on the bay. We can't wait," said her father, Omar Williams.

Twin sisters, 11 years old, won the two other top prizes. Kaylin Craine of Woodbine won a guided trip next year as part of the Maryland Fishing Challenge. Kathryn Craine won a basket filled with fishing gear selected by the Burton family from Bill Burton's extensive collection.

Other participants won tackle and every child was awarded a medal.

Posted by Candus Thomson at 3:55 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
        

Crows are the biker birds of the feathered world. They scream, they flock, they bully. They even pestered poor Ray Bolger in the Wizard of Oz.

So when Rick Morin arrived Monday for his job at the Department of Natural Resources, he was immediately suspicious when he saw a murder of crows surrounding something in the parking lot, pecking and stalking.

"These are really bad actors," he says. "These are the kind of crows who have their ball caps on sideways."

Why do you think they call a crow gathering a murder?

Morin may be a fisheries biologist, but he had the right instincts.

When he charged the crows, they scattered, but didn't go too far. Standing in the parking lot, shaking, was a tiny bird--a kestrel, the smallest North American hawk.

Its legs and talons were wrapped in leather leggings, a sign that someone was trying to train her.

"She couldn't defend herself," says Morin. "They were terrorizing that little bird."

Attempts to capture her failed. The crows returned to continue their play.

Morin looked for her at lunchtime and then, again, after work.

"I felt like a total failure," he says. "I couldn't sleep that night, thinking about that poor little bird."

Tuesday, Morin scouted the area and found her perched on the fender of a DNR boat trailer. This time, he pursuaded the bird to land on his arm, but it flew away. After a few more fits and starts, Morin nabbed the bird.

"She screeched, she bit my glove, but I had her," he says.

Mary Goldie, the permit coordinator for the Wildlife and Heritage Service, rounded up a hawk box and checked permits. Falconers are required to report any missing birds to state and federal authorities.

Goldie contacted a master falconer in Anne Arundel County, who agreed to keep the hawk 30 days while the owner is sought.

The falconer brought a squirrel leg as a gift.

"She devoured it," reports Morin.

The falconer, who asked not to be identified, says the little hawk is living in his house, flying around and keeping on weight.

"She's happy with something raw, red and not my finger," he says, laughing.

The hawk may not be able to be released because she might be too tame. If that's the case, the falconer would like to see her used in an education program, like DNR's Scales and Tails.

"She's cute and not intimidating," he says. "Kids would come in and just go crazy."

Posted by Candus Thomson at 8:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)
        

A Virginia waterman was sentenced Friday in U.S. District Court in Greenbelt to five months in prison and five months of home detention for his role in the largest striped bass poaching ring in the history of the Chesapeake Bay.

Dennis Dent, 47, of Cherry Hill, Va., also was ordered to serve three years of supervised release, to pay a $1,000 fine and $5,818 in restitution by Judge Peter Messitte, who has presided over all the cases.

Dent admitted that between 2005 and 2007, with the help of others, he poached 16,647 pounds of striped bass from the Potomac River and its tributaries. The fish had a market value of about $83,236.

He failed to tag or used false tags on the striped bass so that he could exceed the amount of striped bass he was permitted to catch by thousands of pounds. Dent also took striped bass out of season and harvested striped bass in violation of size limits.

Dent sold the illegal fish to Profish, Ltd., one of Washington's largest fish wholesalers. The company and two of its employees along with four watermen will be sentenced on Nov. 8.

The sentencing will mark the end of an investigation and prosecution that has resulted in the convictions in Maryland, Virginia and the District of Columbia of 19 watermen and fish dealers and three fish wholesale companies.

An interstate task force formed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Maryland Natural Resources Police and the Virginia Marine Police carried out the five-year undercover operation.

Dent's fine will go to the Cooperative Endangered Species Conservation Fund. His restitution will be used by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation for the protection and restoration of Chesapeake Bay marine and aquatic resources.

Posted by Candus Thomson at 5:03 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
        

Maryland Natural Resources Police has issued a warning to anglers, swimmers and boaters to avoid the rain swollen upper Potomac River and its tributaries this weekend.

River levels are hazardous on the entire main stem of the Upper Potomac River from Cumberland to Little Falls. High water has churned up wave action, water velocity and treacherous currents.

Flood stage at Little Falls near Washington is 10 feet. The National Weather Service predicts the water will reach 5 feet -- called the Action Stage -- Saturday afternoon and remain there until Monday at 3 p.m.

The warning does not extend to professionally guided river trips. The advisory is set to expire at midnight Monday, but may be extended if conditions warrant.

Posted by Candus Thomson at 2:49 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
        

In perhaps the best pairing since Bogie and Bacall, the National Park Service and NASA have combined their awesome talents to give us a cool way to watch the International Space Station while we're camping out or just hanging out in the backyard.

You can try it this weekend, if you can get up early enough.

The station blasts by at at 17,500 mph at an altitude of 200 miles up, so any assistance is appreciated. Even though it's the size of a football field, it's not easy to pick up, especially if the sky is suffering from a case of light pollution or you're near an airport.

Here at the Sun, we used to go up to the roof of the parking garage with colleague Frank Roylance, who shouted out the coordinates for the directionally challenged.

Anyway, the National Park Service gave NASA the coordinates of 507 locations, from national parks in remote locations to historic sites in urban areas. Mission Control did what it does best.

The space agency devised a website with date, time and location information. Detailed sighting information is at http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/realdata/sightings.

The National Park Service has a web guide that adds to the enjoyment at http://www.nature.nps.gov/air/lightscapes/.

The crew consists of Expedition 25 Commander Doug Wheelock, Flight Engineer Shannon Walker and Flight Engineer Fyodor Yurchikhin. They will be joined on Oct. 9 by Flight Engineers Scott Kelly, Oleg Skripochka and Alexander Kaleri.

Here's looking at you, kids.

Posted by Candus Thomson at 6:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)