Rhode Wins Gold and Connor Takes Silver at ISSF World Cup

Posted by Wayne G. Barber

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colorado  –Six-time Olympic medalist Kim Rhode ended the 2017 International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) season with a gold medal and she picked up right where she left off when she won her 11th World Cup gold in Women’s Skeet today at the 2018 ISSF season-opening World Cup in Guadalajara, Mexico.

Rhode (El Monte, California) finished Qualification in first place, five targets ahead of her nearest competitor with 122/125 hits. Rhode’s teammate and friend Caitlin Connor also secured herself a spot in the Final with 115 hits, finishing Qualification in fourth place.

Once in the Final, Rhode would miss two targets at her first station, but ran 30 straight to eventually equal her own World Record of 56/60 hits. Connor (Winnfield, Louisiana) would finish with 52 hits to claim the silver medal. Amber Hill of Great Britain would win the bronze.

“I started out a little rough, then I kind of pulled it together, did that great final run and I’m just so happy that I walked away with the gold medal, especially with my teammates next to me on the podium,” Rhode told the ISSF.

“It was a rough match,” Connor said. “I just tried to stay focused on what I needed to do to break targets. I learned a lot and had a lot of fun taking the top two with my teammate Kim. She and I always crush it when we’re in Mexico!” In addition to today’s gold/silver finishes, Rhode and Connor have also won gold and silver together in Mexico at the World Cups in Acapulco in 2015 and 2017.

Haley Dunn (Eddyville, Iowa) finished in 14th place with 108 hits.

Also competing today in Women’s Sport Pistol, Nathalia Granados Gomez (East Northport, New York) finished in 19th place with a score of 564. Katelyn Abeln (Douglasville, Georgia) finished in 21st place just one point back with 563.

The Men’s Skeet competition also kicked off today with the first 50 targets. Two-time Olympic gold medalist Vincent Hancock (Eatonton, Georgia) has only dropped one target with 49 hits. His two-time Olympic teammate Frank Thompson (Alliance, Nebraska) has 47 hits and Eli Christman(Hixson, Tennessee) has 45 hits. Athletes will see an additional 75 targets in Qualification tomorrow as well as Finals to close this World Cup.

More than 400 athletes from 50 countries are competing at this ISSF World Cup in 15 medal events. Complete results, schedule and start lists from the ISSF World Cup in Guadalajara are available here: http://www.issf-sports.org/competitions/venue.ashx?cshipid=2390.

Fisheries Division Receives National Award Recognizing Arctic Charr Restoration

Posted by Wayne G. Barber

Fisheries Division Receives National Award Recognizing Arctic Charr Restoration

Last week, our Fisheries Division received national attention for their work restoring native Arctic Charr to Big Reed Pond in northern Piscataquis county.

Joe Larscheid of the American Sport Fish Society presents the Sport Fish Restoration Outstanding Project award to Regional Fisheries Biologist Frank Frost

The American Fisheries Society presented fisheries biologist Frank Frost with their Sport Fish Restoration Outstanding Project award in recognition of the Arctic charr restoration project on Big Reed Pond.

The annual Sport Fish Restoration outstanding project award is given by the American Fisheries Society highlights the importance and effectiveness of the Sport Fish Restoration program and recognizes excellence in fisheries management, research and education.

Arctic charr are a unique resource occurring only in Maine within the continental United States. They became perilously close to disappearing from one of the last remaining ponds in Maine. We are proud to say that the work completed to reclaim Big Reed Pond has restored the charr population, which was confirmed late last spring by our fisheries biologists who documented wild, naturally-reproducing Arctic charr.

Arctic charr are found in only 14 waters in Maine. They prefer deep, cold lakes that lie at high elevation and have few other competing species. An illegal introduction of rainbow smelt at Big Reed Pond upset that delicate balance and threatened the charr population. While native to the state, smelt are invasive to many waters where they do not occur naturally and if illegally introduced can wreak havoc on the natural ecosystem.

Knowing extraordinary measures were needed to protect the charr, beginning in 2007, MDIFW fisheries biologists began an intensive effort to capture some of the remaining live charr. For the next four years, biologists used nets to capture and transfer 14 charr from Big Reed Pond to the Mountain Springs Trout Farm in Frenchville, Maine. These fourteen charr became the breeding stock utilized to restore the genetic population unique to Big Reed Pond.

However, before Big Reed could be restocked with native charr fingerlings, the smelt had to be removed.

MDIFW staff, along with a group of partners, reclaimed the pond with rotenone in October 2010, eliminating the competing smelt population. Rotenone is a plant-based product that affects the ability of fish to use oxygen in the water and it breaks down rapidly in the environment. Reclamation is a long-time fishery management practice employed around the country that is used sparingly in Maine, and only in waters that meet specific criteria. Maine IFW uses this tool to restore native brook trout and charr populations, and to eradicate invasive threats. The Department places a priority on the conservation and protection of native and wild fisheries.

Arctic Charr, bred from the remaining 14 charr that were transferred to Mountain Springs Trout Farm, were first stocked in Big Reed starting in June 2011 and continued through June 2013. In June of 2017, MDIFW biologists confirmed that charr are indeed spawning, identifying three different age classes through the magnified examination of captured charr fish scales, which confirmed three successful spawning seasons in 2011, 2012 and 2013.

It’s important to note that this reclamation project had an amazing array of partners. Without the support of each of them, successful restoration of charr at Big Reed would not have been possible. Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife partnered with The Nature Conservancy, The Bradford Camps, Mountain Springs Trout Farm, and The University of Maine to complete the project. The Presque Isle High School Aquaculture Facility and the Maine Army Aviation Support facility in Bangor provided significant volunteer assistance. The Maine Outdoor Heritage Fund provided financial support in three separate grants to help support the hatchery efforts. US Fish and Wildlife Service Sportfish Restoration Funds were critical to this restoration project, as well as most other freshwater fisheries management and conservation efforts by the MDIFW.

USA Ice Team set to fish for Gold !

Posted by Wayne G. Barber

The #USA IceTeam has arrived in Kazakhstan! Our team has made it to the hotel safely and after a couple of days of travel to get here, we are ready for some much needed rest. It is nearly 6am here now, so the time change will affect our posts, but we look forward to updating you as the ceremonial festivities progress tomorrow. Thank you to all who helped us get here. We couldn't have done it without your support. #USA! #icefishing #WeFishForGold

COMMUNITY FLY-TYING WORKSHOPS KICK OFF NEXT WEEK IN RI

Posted by Wayne G. Barber

PROVIDENCE -The Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (DEM) announces a series of free fly-tying workshops, beginning next week, at public libraries in Charlestown, Middletown, Portsmouth and Little Compton.  Participants will learn how to make their own freshwater flies over several weeks and will have an opportunity to fish using the flies they created at a special fishing event in June. The classes are designed for beginning and intermediate fly-tiers ages 10 and older and will cover techniques for freshwater fishing. 

 

Scheduled events include:

 

Cross’ Mills Public Library // 4417 Old Post Road, Charlestown

March 15, 22, 29

6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.

 

Middletown Public Library // 700 West Main Road, Middletown

April 30, May 7, & June 4

6:00 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.

 

Portsmouth Free Public Library // 2658 East Main Road, Portsmouth

May 3, 10, 17

6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.

 

Brownell Library // 44 Commons, Little Compton

May 9, 23, 30

6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.

 

Classes are taught by experienced anglers from DEM’s Aquatic Resource Education program. All equipment and materials will be provided; however, participants are welcome to bring their own materials if desired.  Space is limited and registration is required. To register, contact Scott Travers via email at Scott.travers@dem.ri.gov. 

Blackstone River Catfishing Time....

Posted by Wayne G. Barber

I used a 24 pound common carp that Dave Pickering had just caught for bait and now all I have to do is figure how to do the taxidermy. Joel St. Germain eat your heart out !

Spring Turkey Hunting Seminar 2018

Posted by Wayne G. Barber

TURKEY HUNTING SEMINAR

APRIL 7, 2018 9AM-1PM

DIVISION OF FISH & WILDLIFE EDUCATION OFFICE 1-B CAMP E-HUN-TEE PLACE EXETER, RI  02822 Presentations will include: • Turkey Hunting Safety • Scouting & Preparation • Clothing & Equipment • Joe Judd, Quaker Boy Calls, Calls & Calling • Hunting techniques • Effective use of decoys

This is a Free event but space is limited and registration is required. Registration begins 3/1/2018

Last two years was a sellout !

TO REGISTER: PLEASE PROVIDE NAME(S), CONTACT PHONE NUMBER AND EMAIL ADDRESS TO JESSICA.PENA@DEM.RI.GOV

Three Record-Setting Fish Caught in Vermont in 2017

Posted by Wayne G. Barber

Anglers caught three new state record fish in Vermont in 2017.  Chase Stokes, 11, of Ferrisburgh caught this new record carp that weighed 33.25 pounds and measured 40 inches long. Anglers caught three new state record fish in Vermont in 2017. 

New records set for cisco, carp and redhorse sucker

 

RUTLAND, Vt – Vermont Fish & Wildlife today announced that three fish caught in 2017 have been certified as new state records.

 

Chase Stokes, 11, of Ferrisburgh caught a new record carp in April while fishing with a nightcrawler on Otter Creek in Panton.  The fish weighed an incredible 33.25 pounds, measured 40 inches long and had a girth of 26.5 inches.  Chase’s carp beat out the previous record, which was caught in Lake Champlain in 2006, by just 4 ounces.

In May, Burlington angler Mike Elwood landed a new Vermont record redhorse sucker while fishing on the Winooski River in Colchester.  The sucker, landed on a live worm, weighed 9.9 pounds and measured 29 inches long with an 18-inch girth, and it exceeded the previous record caught in 2015 by nearly a pound.

 

Finally, in September, Alan Franchot of Richmond caught a record cisco, also known as a lake herring, while trolling on Lake Champlain.  Weighing 2 pounds, 4 ounces, the cisco was only the second of its species to be entered into the Vermont Record Fish Program since records started being kept by the Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department 49 years ago in 1969.

 

“We saw some incredible catches in 2017, especially Chase’s carp,” said Shawn Good, fisheries biologist with Vermont Fish & Wildlife.  “It was an impressive looking fish, but what’s really exciting to me is that we’re starting to see more Vermont anglers fish outside of the box, as I like to call it, by taking advantage of many of the overlooked fishing opportunities we have in our state.”

 

“Vermont has an abundance of waters with a wide diversity of fish species that can be targeted and caught by hook-and-line, which speaks to both the variety and quality of sport fishing opportunities supported by healthy waters and good aquatic habitat,” said Good.

 

“While fishing remains excellent for more traditional species such as bass, trout, salmon, pike and others, there are so many other species out there that can provide amazing action with real trophy potential.  Fish like bowfin, drum, gar, fallfish, suckers -- the opportunities are endless,” said Good. “Catches like Mike’s redhorse sucker and Alan’s cisco just reinforce the notion that Vermont anglers are expanding their fishing pursuits and having a great time while doing it.”

 

With spring just around the corner, be sure to visit vtfishandwildlife.com to buy your fishing license and get in on the exciting action!