HuntingNY-News

Know anyone involved in the CNY outdoors that would make a good feature story? Contact Outdoors Editor David Figura at 470-6066 or email him at [email protected] Here's what's on tap for this week's Outdoors pages in The Post-Standard. FRIDAY: Main piece: Did you know a lot of big-name golfers also fly fish? Some swear by it. Column: Bits and pieces from past Bassmaster tournament (like what did they do with all those fish caught), plus I look into reports there was actually some competitive trout fishing that went on last week in local streams. SUNDAY: Main piece: What did the Lean2Rescue crew do this summer? They repaired some lean-toos, bridges -- and even a fire tower in the Adirondacks! Column: Still mulling my options. ANYTHING ELSE READERS OF THIS REPORT WOULD LIKE TO SEE ME WRITE ABOUT? The effectiveness of this report is two-fold. First it lets readers know what's coming up story-wise. It also allows readers a chance to affect coverage and provide sources for upcoming stories. Bottom line: Keep in touch and give input. You could make a difference as to what appears week to week on the outdoors page! Email me at [email protected] or call 470-6066. If you want to join The Post-Standard's Outdoors Group and get this emailed directly to you, subscribe here.. FIGURA ON FACEBOOK: For those who are on Facebook, I also have a PS Outdoors page, which I check several times daily for feedback and story ideas. I also post personal fishing and hunting and other outdoors-related photos from time to time and I ask members to do the same. When you join, please be sure and hit the "like" button. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

The competition will be run by Advance Strategies, a group dedicated to helping disabled, elderly and youngsters participate in outdoor adventures. Advanced Strategies Adventures, Inc. is holding a carp and catfish tournament from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sept. 8 on private property owned by Duke and Karen Strache, just south of Baldwinsville on the Seneca River. Cost to enter is pros, $25; amateurs, $15 and kids, $5. The peg draw will be at 7:30 p.m. All proceeds will go toward helping the disabled, elderly and youngsters participate in outdoor activities. To sign up, volunteer or for further information, call Lloyd Weigel at 315-656-9050 or Mark A. Spratt at 315-530-8631. You can also email Spratt at [email protected]. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

"The contest is put on by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service," their mother said. "The kids had to submit original artwork along with a short essay about what conservation means to them." Joe's pintail water color. Ann Capozza, of Skaneateles, wrote me recently about her children's success in the Federal Junior Duck Stamp art contest. She wrote: "Earlier this year, all five of my kids entered the Federal Junior Duck Stamp Contest. "My son, Joe who is 13, won 1st place in New York State for his watercolor of a blue winged teal, and my daughter, Gabriella, who is 12, won 2nd place for her pencil sketch of a Northern pintail. "My son, Massimo who is 10, and also my daughter, Isabella who is 9, both won honorable mentions for their entries." "The contest is put on by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service," The mother added. "The kids had to submit original artwork along with a short essay about what Conservation means to them. "Their original pieces were returned to us at the time the awards were given out. In addition to ribbons and award certificates, Joe was awarded a really nice art set, art supplies, and a nature journal. Gabriella was awarded a nice field book of North American birds. " Gabriella's drawing. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

The plant currently employs about 1,000 workers and is the economic lifeblood of the community. An Aug. 23 article by Thomas Kaplan in the New York Times focused on the future of the Remington gun plant in Ilion, just south of Utica. Company officials say the plant, which essentially built this upstate community and currently employs about 1,000 workers, would close and move out of state if New York state officials follow through on recent talk concerning toughter gun control laws in the wake of recent mass shootings at a screening of “The Dark Knight Rises” in Colorado and at a Sikh temple in Wisconsin. According to Kaplan's story, "While elsewhere the debate over gun control includes talk of balancing constitutional rights with public safety, here residents are most concerned with a little-discussed element of the gun industry: economics." Read the full story. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

Bassmaster officials say whenever an angler's wife just has a baby, the father seems to do extremely well in the next tournament. Winner Boyd Duckett's wife just delivered a son two weeks ago, he said. Dennis Nett/The Post-StandardDuckett holding up a couple lunkers. Alabama angler Boyd Duckett had two things going for him this week that enabled him to win the Bassmaster Ramada Championship on Oneida Lake today. First, was the “Baby Pattern,” a frequent phenomenon on the Bassmaster Elite Series tour. For some reason, tournament officials said, whenever an angler’s wife has a baby, he often ends up doing extremely well in the next competition. Second, was an opportune pause for some beer and chips after practice fishing last Monday evening at his rented cottage overlooking Maple Bay on the south shore of Oneida Lake. It was at that time, Duckett said, that he noticed “a huge school” of feeding fish, rising some 200 yards out. He ended up fishing the spot Tuesday during practice and stayed camped there all four days of the tournament, turning four impressive bags of mostly smallmouth and some largemouth bass. His five-fish, bag Sunday weighed 17 pounds, the best weight of the day. Duckett, 52, also caught the biggest fish Sunday — a 4 pound, 3-ounce largemouth bass. The rest of this fish were smallmouths. He won $100,000 for his efforts. His final total was 62 pounds, 6 ounces. “The key bait for today was a four-inch, Berkeley Hollow Belly, a paddletail swimbait. It was blue herring (colored),” he said. “I may have caught one fish on a top water lure, but all the meat came on (the Hollow Belly).” Finishing second today was fellow Alabama angler Randy Howell, who led the field Saturday by more than two pounds. However, he only managed to catch four keeper bass in today’s final, turning in a bag weighing 14 pounds, 4 ounces. His failure to bag a fifth bass cost him the competition. Howell, who tried to keep his composure on the stage, at one point became choked up with emotion. He lost the competition by a mere 6 ounces with his final total of 62 pounds. Third place went to Scott Rook, of Arkansas, who turned in a five-fish bag totaling 15 pounds, 4 ounces. His four-day total was 60 pounds, 7 ounces. Sometimes life just works out for you.” Dennis Nett/The Post-StandardDuckett said he plans to give his $100,000 in prize money to his newborn son. Duckett said his wife, Jennifer, delivered their son, Eli, just two weeks ago. As for what he’d going to do with the $100,000, the winning angler said the money will most likely go to his son. “He earned it,” he said, smiling. As for spotting the feeding fish Monday evening, Duckett said he and fellow angler, Kelly Jordon, of Texas, had rented the cottage. He said he had just cracked open a can of beer and was munching on some chips after a hard day of fishing. Duckett said he noticed the fish rising in the bay and pointed them out to Jordon. Duckett thought they were perch. Jordon figured they were smallmouth bass. “The next morning, Kelly goes out and checks them. They’re smallmouth,” Duckett said. “There’s a lot of smallmouth out there.” Duckett said he, Jordon and Jeremy Starks, of West Virginia, proceeded to fish the stretch for the first three days of the tournament. “I’d idle over them every morning on the way to the launch,” he said. “I’d then go to Oneida Shores, get my marshal, and go right back in front of my house and fish. I should have told him to just meet me at the house.” During those three days, Duckett was the most successful of the three anglers. His secret? “Light line. Even when flipping, I went to 10-pound test line. That made a big difference,” he said. “When using the Hollow Belly, I used 10-pound, 100 percent, fluorocarbon line.” Duckett said after he boated that 4-pound largemouth today, he knew he had a good chance of winning. He said he just kept catching and culling smallmouth bass the rest of the day. He said he was drinking a Michelob Ultra Monday evening in front of the cottage on the picnic table. “And I’m going to have a few more tonight, I might add,” he said. “ Standings Here’s the results of today's final in the Bassmaster Ramada Championship on Oneida Lake (pounds-ounces). 1- Boyd Duckett, 62-6 2- Randy Howell, 62-0 3- Scott Rook, 60-7 4- Takahiro Omori, 57-4 5- Ott DeFoe, 56-14 6- Brent Chapman, 56-10 7 – Nate Wellman, 56-7 8- Jason Quinn, 55-10 9- Terry Scroggins, 52-12 10- John Crews, 49-8 11- Fletcher Shyrock, 48-11 12- Bernie Schultz, 44-3 For complete results, see bassmaster.com. &raquo: Previous bassmaster tournament coverage. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

<p> Duckett turned in five fish weighing 17 pounds, including a 4- pound, 3-ounce largemouth bass, which was the largest fish caught in today's finals. The win earned him $100,000. </p> <div id="asset-11483476" class="entry_widget_large entry_widget_right"><span class="adv-photo-large"><img height="409" width="380" src="http://media.syracuse.com/outdoors/photo/11483476-large.jpg" class="adv-photo" alt="2012-08-26-dn-bass2.JPG" /><span class="photo-data"><span class="byline">Dennis Nett/The Post-Standard</span><span class="caption">Boyd Duckett</span></span><span class="photo-bottom-left"><!-- IE6 HACK --></span><span class="photo-bottom-right"><!-- IE6 HACK --></span></span></div> <p>Alabama angler Boyd Duckett out-fished 12 other anglers in today's final of the Bassmaster Ramada Championship on Oneida Lake -- turning in the biggest fish and heaviest bag of fish.</p> <p>The performance resulted in his winning the tournament and earning $100,000. The Elite Series competition, which began Thursday morning with 97 anglers, featured the best bass fishermen in the nation.</p> <p>Duckett turned in a five-fish weighing 17 pounds, giving him a total of 62 pounds, 6 ounces for the four-day competition.</p> <p>Finishing second was fellow Alabama angler Randy Howell, who turned in four fish -- one shy of the limit allowed. They were big ones, though, and with his lead from Saturday he just missed winning by a mere 6 ounces. His four-day total was 62 pounds.</p> <p>If Howell had caught a fifth keeper (the minimum size limit is 12 inches), he would have won. </p> <p>Finishing third was Scott Rock, of Arkansas, whose five-fish bag today weighed 15 pounds, 4 ounces. His four-day total was 60 pounds, 7 ounces.</p> <p><a href="http://www.bassmaster.com/tournaments/oneida-championship/leaderboard">See the complete results.</a></p> <p>I'll file more on this story later this evening.</p> View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

Rangers in a helicopter spotted a large male grizzly bear sitting on the hiker's remains. ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — A hiker in Alaska's Denali National Park photographed a grizzly bear for at least eight minutes before the bear mauled and killed him in the first fatal attack in the park's history, officials said Saturday. Investigators have recovered the camera and looked at the photographs, which show the bear grazing and not acting aggressively before the attack, Denali Park Superintendent Paul Anderson said. The hiker was backpacking alone along the Toklat River on Friday afternoon when he came within 50 yards of the bear, far closer than the quarter-mile of separation required by park rules, officials said. "They show the bear grazing in the willows, not acting aggressive in any form or manner during that period of time," Anderson said. Investigators have identified the man but won't release his name until they've notified his family. They said he's a U.S. citizen but declined to release any other information about him. Rangers were hoping to recover his remains later Saturday after ensuring the scene was safe. Several other bears have been seen in the area. Officials learned of the attack after hikers stumbled upon an abandoned backpack along the river about three miles from a rest area on Friday afternoon. The hikers also spotted torn clothing and blood. They immediately hiked back and alerted staff park. Rangers in a helicopter spotted a large male grizzly bear sitting on the hiker's remains, which they called a "food cache" in the underbrush about 100 to 150 yards from the site of the attack on Friday. A state trooper shot and killed the bear on Saturday, and investigators will examine its stomach contents and use other tests to confirm it's the animal that killed the hiker. There's no indication that the man's death was the result of anything other than a bear attack, investigators said, adding that it's the first known fatal mauling in the park's nearly century-long history. "Over the years, and especially since the 1970s, the park has worked very diligently to minimize the conflict between humans and wildlife in the park," Anderson said. "We have some of the most stringent human-wildlife conflict regulations in the National Park system, and I think those are largely responsible for the fact that there hasn't been a fatal attack." Park officials said they don't believe other registered backpackers are in the immediate area. That portion of the park is closed but other wilderness areas remain open, officials said. Prior to receiving a permit to hike in the area, all backpackers in the park receive mandatory bear awareness training that teaches them to stay at least a quarter-mile away from bears, and to slowly back away if they find themselves any closer. Investigators confirmed that the hiker had received that training. Denali is located 240 miles north of Anchorage. It spans more than 6 million acres and is home to numerous wild animals, including bears, wolves, caribou and moose. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

The weigh-in was held for the first time at the State Fair. Highlights included the announcement that Brent Chapman, Kansas, won the Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Angler of the Year Award, which earned him $100,000. Jm Commentucci/The Post-StandardKansas angler Brett Chapman was named Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Angler of the Year, an award that earned him $100,000. He's in 6th place going into Sunday's final. The top three anglers going into Day 3 of the Bassmaster Ramada Championship on Oneida Lake kept their positions Saturday on what many called the most challenging day in the tournament. Only 30 of the remaining top 49 anglers turned in five-fish limits Saturday afternoon at the 4 p.m. weigh-in, held for the first time ever at the State Fairgrounds. Many said the wind, which at times resulted in waves of three feet or higher, was a factor. Following Saturday's weigh-in, Alabama’s Randy Howell remained the top angler going into Sunday's final round at 47 pounds, 12 ounces; followed by Boyd Duckett, also of Alabama, at 45 pounds, 6 ounces and Scott Rook, of Arkansas, in third at 45 pounds, 3 ounces. The field was also pared down from 49 to the top 12 anglers. They'll go out at 6:30 a.m. Sunday for the final day of fishing. The winner will earn $100,000. Highlights from Day 3 included the announcement that Brent Chapman, of Kansas, won the Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Angler of the Year award and that Brandon Card, of Tennesee, is the Bassmaster Rookie of the Year. The award earned Chapman $100,000 and a trophy. Card earned a trophy. At the end of today's weigh-in, the field of 49 anglers was pared down to 12 for today's finals on Oneida Lake. The final weigh-in will be at 4 p.m. Sunday at the State Fair, on the southwest corner of the fairgrounds, in the infield near the go-carts area. Look for the black tents and stage. The winner wil get $100,000. For more on Day 3's action, see Sunday's edition of The Post-Standard. For complete updated results, see the Bassmaster web site. &raquo: Previous bassmaster tournament coverage. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

The only New York waterway on next year's Elite Series tournament schedule is the St. Lawrence River. Also, read about angler's favorite songs and one angler who saved a giant snapping turtle this week.... Gary Walts/The Post-StandardEdwin Evers, Talala, Oklahoma, fishing in the Bassmaster Ramada Championship on Oneida lake. The good news is the Bassmaster Ramada Challenge on Oneida Lake has been local a taste of the high-stakes world of professional bass fishing, has brought national exposure to the Syracuse area and has provided a substantial economic boast to the local economy. The not-so-good news is that the tournament is not returning to Oneida Lake next year. The only New York State waterway on the 2013 Elite Series schedule is a Aug 8-11 tournament set for Ogdensburg of the St. Lawrence River. That doesn’t mean B.A.S.S. tournament officials are turned off by Oneida Lake. They’re just try to give their anglers exposure to different bodies of water each year across the country, they said. A return to Oneida Lake in the future looks promising. This the fourth time an Elite Series competition has been held here (previous tournaments were held in 2006, 2008 and 2009). Also, Oneida’s great bass fishing speaks for itself . It was rated as the 14th best bass angling lake in the country (100 waterways made the list) in an issue of Bassmaster Magazine earlier this year. Anglers’ favorite songs One the features of each day’s weigh-ins for the Ramada Challenge is that each angler has chosen his favorite song and that tune is played as the angler steps on the stage. The songs vary — from hard rock to soft country. Examples include Todd Faircloth (“Born in the U.S.A” by Bruce Springstein), Boyd Duckett (“Sweet Home Alabama,” by Leonard Skinner) and Mark Davis (“I’m Going to Miss Her” by Brad Paisley). Turtle tale Ohio angler Brent “Brody” Broderick, whose shoulder-length hair stuck out among the mostly short-haired pro anglers this week, was eliminated after the first two days of fishing on Oneida Lake. He’ll take home a unique memory. Courtesy of B.A.S.S.Brent "Brody" Broderick On the weigh-in stage Friday at Oneida Shores, he said on the way home from fishing Thursday — he said he was staying at a friend’s house in East Syracuse— he came across a massive snapping turtle in the middle of the road. Fearing for the turtle’s safety, he pulled out of his car and walked into the middle of the street, stopping traffic. He said as he lifted the estimated 35-pound turtle, it turned its head and repeatedly tried to get a piece of him. As he carried the turtle to the road side, he said stopped motorists and passersby began jointly chanting, “Turtleman, Turtleman! “I yelled back, ‘No, it’s Brody Man!” he said. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

Today's and Sunday's weigh-ins will take place at 4 p.m. at the State Fair. The stage will be set up on the infield at the southwest corner of the fairgrounds near the go-carts area. Courtesy of B.A.S.S. Randy HowellAlabama angler Randy Howell jumped from sixth to first place on Day 2 of the Bassmaster Ramada Championship on Oneida Lake. After turning in a bag of five fish weighing 15 pounds, 12 ounces the first day, he bettered it on the second day of the preliminaries with 16 pounds, 6 ounces. He lead the field going into Day 3 with a total weight of 32 pounds, 2 ounces. He caught four smallmouths and one largemouth bass both days. "I love this lake," he said. The field was cut to 49 for Saturday's competition on Oneida. By Sunday, only the Top 12 will compete for the event’s $100,000 first-place prize and an entry in the 2013 Bassmaster Classic. Mike Iaconelli, from New Jersey, who finished Day 1 Thursday with a commanding lead with 20 pounds, 3 ounces, fell to fifth with a mediocre day Friday when he turned in five smallmouth bass weighing 10 pounds, 6 ounces. He said his first day was magical. “Today was the opposite of magical. I didn’t have a keeper in the boat by noon,” he said. “I went into survival mode.” Moving into second place was Boyd Duckett, of Alabama, who rose in the standings from a 27th finish on Day 1, courtesy of the heaviest, five fish bag of the day Friday – 17 pounds, 11 ounces. Duckett caught two largemouths and three smallmouth. One of his largemouths, which tipped the scale at 5 pounds, 1 ounce, was the largest fish of the day among the 97 anglers in the contest. Scott Rook, of Arkansas, moved into third place after finishing 8th on Day 1. He turned in a bag Friday weighing 15 pounds, 9 ounces. On both days, all his fish have been smallmouths. At 4 p.m. today and Sunday the anglers will weigh-in their catches at the state fair. The stage will be set up on the infield at the southwest corner of the fairgrounds near the go-carts area. With the warm weather, the anglers will take precautions as they transport their fish in their boats. Ice will be provided to help them keep the water in the live wells cool. A dead fish will result in a penalty — a 4-ounce deduction from the angler’s total weight. Once the fish are weighed at the fair, they will immediately be put back into water tanks on two trucks and taken back to Oneida Lake, where they will be put back into the lake. Click here for complete results. For more on this story, see Saturday's edition of The Post-Standard &raquo: Previous bassmaster tournament coverage. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

"Just as we turned to head back to the launch, another king fired a rod for spectacular sunset fight." Submitted photo Chris Schroer, of Fayettevill, and Chris Salvas, of Mexico, made it out onto Lake Ontario for a few hours on Wednesday afternoon and evening. Schroer wrote: " We landed two 20-ish pound kings and two silver cohos in 110-120 feet of water. The light afternoon chop laid right down as we fished into the evening. Just as we turned to head back to the launch, another king fired a rod for spectacular sunset fight." Editor's note: Love this photo. Thanks for sharing. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

Iaconnelli said he had a "magical day" and turned in a bag of five fish weighing 20 pounds, 3 ounces. See complete results. Watch video Courtesy of B.A.S.S.Michael Iaconelli Michael Iconelli told the crowd it was just a “magical day” on Oneida Lake. While angler after angler registered sub-par catches and talked about “how hard it was out there” fishing Thursday, Iconelli walked on to the stage at Oneida Shores Park and took a commanding lead of at the Bassmaster Ramada Championship with an eye-opening bag of bass weighing 20 pounds, three ounces. He also held up for the crowd the biggest bass of the day caught by the 97 anglers competing — a 5 pound, 5 ounce largemouth bass. At the 4 p.m. weigh-in Thursday, Brent Chapman, of Lake Quivera, Kansas, finished second, bringing in five bass that weighed 16 pounds, 12 ounces. Third was grabbed by J. Todd Tucker, of Moultrie, Ga., with 16 pounds, 6 ounces. The winner of the four day tournament will win $100,000. “It was one of those days when everything fell into place,” said Iaconelli, who lives in Pittsgrove, N.J. His bag that got weighed consisted of four largemouths and one smallmouth. “Having a good day like that makes me feel good, makes me feel relaxed and I think I can do it again,” he said. Chapman, who leads the Elite Series in points for the $100,000 Toyota Angler of the Year award, came into Thursday worried about keeping his lead. Thursday's finish gives him a little cushion. Tucker was all smiles with his third place finish after day one. Friday is the second and final day of the preliminaries in the four-day competition, the field will be reduced to 49 anglers after today’s 4 p.m. weigh-in at Oneida Shores, which is free to attend. The semi-finals Saturday will reduce the field to 12 for Sunday’s final. The weigh-ins both Saturday and Sunday will be held at the state fairgrounds, beginning at 4 p.m. each day. For more on this story, see Friday's edition of The Post-Standard. &raquo: Previous bassmaster tournament coverage. The results from Thursday's competition follow: 2012 Ramada Championship 8/23-8/26 Oneida Lake, Syracuse NY. (PROFESSIONAL) Standings Day 1 Angler Hometown No of fish./lbs-oz 1. Michael Iaconelli Pittsgrove, NJ 5 20-03 2. Brent Chapman Lake Quivira, KS 5 16-12 3. J Todd Tucker Moultrie, GA 5 16-06 4. Clark Reehm Shreveport, LA 5 15-15 4. David Walker Sevierville, TN 5 15-15 6. Randy Howell Springville, AL 5 15-12 7. Jason Williamson Aiken, SC 5 15-08 8. Scott Rook Little Rock, AR 10. Edwin Evers Talala, OK 11. Ish Monroe Hughson, CA 12. Bobby Lane Lakeland, FL 13. Kevin Short Mayflower, AR 5 15-02 14. James Niggemeyer Van, TX 5 15-00 14. Terry Scroggins San Mateo, FL 5 15-00 16. Matt Herren Trussville, AL 5 14-14 17. Bernie Schultz Gainesville, FL 5 14-13 8. Tommy Biffle Wagoner, OK 5 14-10 9. Brandon Palaniuk Rathdrum, ID 5 14-07 20. Mike McClelland Bella Vista, AR 5 14-06 20. Fletcher Shryock Newcomerstown, OH 5 14-06 22. Todd Faircloth Jasper, TX 5 14-05 23. Kelly Jordon Palestine, TX 5 14-04 24. Jonathon VanDam Kalamazoo, MI 5 14-03 25. Keith Combs Huntington, TX 5 14-00 26. Skeet Reese Auburn, CA 5 13-13 27. Terry Butcher Talala, OK 5 13-11 27. Boyd Duckett Demopolis, AL 5 13-11 27. Aaron Martens Leeds, AL 5 13-11 30. Denny Brauer Camdenton, MO 5 13-10 30. Chris Lane Guntersville, AL 5 13-10 30. Cliff Pace Petal, MS 5 13-10 30. Keith Poche Pike Road, AL 5 13-10 34. Stephen Browning Hot Springs, AR 5 13-09 35. Jeremy Starks Scott Depot, WV 5 13-08 36. Cliff Crochet Pierre Part, LA 5 13-07 37. Bill Lowen Brookville, IN 5 13-06 38. Kevin Ledoux Choctaw, OK 5 13-05 39. Yusuke Miyazaki Forney, TX 5 13-04 39. Cliff Prince Palatka, FL 5 13-04 39. Morizo Shimizu Osaka JAPAN 5 13-04 42. Brandon Card Caryville, TN 5 13-02 42. Jason Quinn Lake Wylie, SC 5 13-02 44. Zell Rowland Montgomery, TX 5 13-01 45. Rick Morris Lake Gaston, VA 5 12-15 45. Casey Scanlon Lenexa, KS 5 12-15 47. Jared Lintner Arroyo Grande, CA 5 12-14 48. Marty Robinson Lyman, SC 5 12-13 48. Chris Zaldain San Jose, CA 5 12-13 50. John Crews Salem, VA 5 12-11 51. Matt Greenblatt Port St Lucie, FL 5 12-09 52. Grant Goldbeck Boerne, TX 5 12-09 53. Casey D Ashley Donalds, SC 5 12-08 53. Rick Clunn Ava, MO 5 12-08 53. Takahiro Omori Emory, TX 5 12-08 53. Kevin VanDam Kalamazoo, MI 5 12-08 53. Nate Wellman Newaygo, MI 5 12-08 58. Billy McCaghren Mayflower, AR 5 12-06 59. Ott DeFoe Knoxville, TN 5 12-05 60. Shaw E Grigsby Jr. Gainesville, FL 5 12-03 61. Brian Snowden Reeds Spring, MO 5 11-14 62. Davy Hite Ninety Six, SC 5 11-13 63. Travis Manson De Pere, WI 5 11-12 64. Gerald Swindle Warrior, AL 5 11-11 65. Russ Lane Prattville, AL 5 11-10 66. Mark Davis Mount Ida, AR 5 11-06 66. Dean Rojas Lake Havasu City, AZ 5 11-06 68. Paul Elias Laurel, MS 5 11-05 68. Matt Reed Madisonville, TX 5 11-05 70. Timmy Horton Spruce Pine, AL 5 11-00 71. Britt Myers Lake Wylie, SC 5 10-13 72. Derek Remitz Grant, AL 4 10-13 73. Dustin Wilks Rocky Mount, NC 5 10-11 74. Greg Vinson Wetumpka, AL 5 10-06 75. Charlie Hartley Grove City, OH 4 08-14 76. Mark Menendez Paducah, KY 4 08-10 77. Kenyon Hill Norman, OK 4 08-09 78. Greg Hackney Gonzales, LA 4 08-07 79. Byron Velvick Boenre, TX 3 07-13 80. Jared Miller Norman, OK 4 07-09 81. Steve Kennedy Auburn, AL 4 07-08 82. Brent Broderick Oregonia, OH 3 06-15 83. Fred Roumbanis Bixby, OK 2 06-13 84. Scott Ashmore Broken Arrow, OK 3 06-11 85. Andy Montgomery Blacksburg, SC 3 06-08 86. Chad Griffin Cresson, TX 2 05-11 87. Gary Klein Weatherford, TX 3 05-06 88. Jamie Horton Centerville, AL 2 04-13 89. Pete Ponds Madison, MS 2 04-08 90. Alton Jones Lorena, TX 2 03-02 91. Jeff Kriet Ardmore, OK 1 03-02 92. John Murray Phoenix, AZ 1 02-15 93. Russell Parrish Riesel, TX 1 02-04 93. David Smith Del City, OK 1 02-04 95. Bradley Roy Lancaster, KY 1 01-15 96. Kotaro Kiriyama Moody, AL 0 00-00 96. Michael Simonton Fremont, OH 0 00-00 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Totals Day #Limits #Fish Weight 1 73 423 1117-12 ---------------------------------- For more, see the Bassmaster Web site. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

A total of 97 of the nation's top bass fishing pros are competing for the $100,000 first prize in the four-day tournament. Watch video The Bassmaster Ramada Championship fishing tournament kicked off this morning on Oneida Lake under sunny skies and practically no wind. A total of 97 of the best anglers in the nation launched their boats at 7 a.m. at Oneida Shores Park in Brewerton. They are competing for the top prize of $100,000 in this four-day competition. After the launch, I got out on the water in a media boat driven by Dallas Barton, of Elbridge, along with Steven Cannerelli, one of our staff photographers. We started off getting close to watch Brent Chapman, of Lake Quivara, Kansas, who currently leads the pack for the Bassmaster Angler of the Year award. Chapman had a cameraman in his boat and pulled in two nice, keeper smallmouth bass while we were near him. He also switched rods and lures more than a half dozen times. We dropped in next to observe Edwin Evers, of Mannsville, Okla. Evers landed two, 20-inch plus pickerel and quickly released them. Next, we watched Aaron Martens, of Leeds, Ala. who was decked out in a floppy hat, long-sleeved shirt, pants and thin gloves -- apparently to keep the sun off him. He didn't catch any while we were watching. Finally, we stopped in on Terry Butcher, of Talala, Okla, who after numerous casts, spotted a rise and used his electric motor to get close to it. He was rewarded with a keeper smallmouth bass that he landed on a top-water lure. The weigh-ins for the anglers today and Friday are scheduled for 4 p.m. at Oneida Shores. The weigh-ins for Saturday and Sunday will be at the New York State Fairgrounds. This is the last of an eight-tournament Elite Series schedule that has taken these fishermen across the country this year. The competition is a catch-and-release format. Anglers can keep up to five fish each day to be weighed. Four ounces will be deducted from an angler's total weight for each dead fish turned in. The fish will be released back into Oneida Lake after being weighed each day. &raquo: Previous bassmaster tournament coverage. For more on this, see Friday's edition of The Post-Standard. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

When fishing Oneida Lake for bass, watch for the birds., Smallmouth bass are keying in on the shad schools. When bass chase the shad to the surface, birds will swoop down to eat the shad. CNY FISHING FORECAST Bait stores (list and map). LAKE ONTARIO Fishing has been good lately. Anglers report catching salmon in 140 feet of water (about 80 to 80 feet down), using flashers and flies. Some spoons have also been effective. SALMON RIVER A handful of chinook salmon were seen entering the lower part of the river at mid-week. OSWEGO RIVER Water remains low and warm. Sheepshead and rock bass are active throughout the river with crayfish or worms working. ONEIDA LAKE The Bassmasters tournament is taking place on the lake through Sunday. Meanwhile, blade baits and bucktail jigs tipped with nightcrawler are still producing some walleye in 20 to 30 feet of water. Smallmouth bass are also keying in on the shad schools, so keep an eye out for birds (terns or seagulls). When bass chase the shad to the surface birds will swoop down to eat the shad. You can see this bird activity from a greater distance than you can see bass rolling on the surface as they chase shad. Good lures are lipless crankbaits, topwater or plastic stickbaits. Perch bite has picked up lately for anglers using fathead minnows tipped on a small jig. CAYUGA LAKE Water fleas have been less of a problem recently. Lake trout are hitting spoons, or flasher and flies, fished 70 to 80 feet down over 80 to 150 feet of water. It continues to change from day to day, with spoons out fishing flasher and flies one day and then the reverse the next. Many methods are working to get lures down to depth such as copper, wire, lead core, Dipseys and downriggers. Running Dipseys 200 to 300 feet back, 10 colors of lead core, and copper at 400 feet back have been good starting lengths. Vertical jigging continues to work for lake trout in 75 to 95 feet of water. SENECA LAKE Water fleas and weed mats have been less of a nuisance recently. Lake trout are hitting Spin Doctors and flies, along with spoons, fished 50 to 80 feet down over 120 feet of water. Vertical jigging with chartreuse plastics has also been working for lake trout in 90 to 110 feet of water. OWASCO LAKE Water fleas are still making trolling difficult on the lake. Try using flea flicker line or vertical jigging instead if trolling becomes too frustrating. Lake trout are being taken down 80 to 90 feet over 100-150 feet of of water on spoons or flasher and flies.Anglers continue to catch bass, and some perch. Those using live crayfish are doing well. OTISCO LAKE Trolling with worm harnesses has been working for walleye. Bass are hitting wacky rigged stick worms and plastic worms on drop shot rigs in 10 foot of water along weed edges. Flipping tube baits and creature baits into the weed mats is also working for largemouth bass. SKANEATELES LAKE Rainbow trout are hitting small spoons fished down about 20 feet. The early morning bite has been best with action slowing down about 7:30 a.m. Lake trout are also hitting on spoons fished 55 to 60 feet down. Trout are feeding on small yellow perch, so good colors for the spoons have been perch colors. Glow baits are also working well. Bass fishing along the shore continues to be good from 5 to 30 feet of water with tube jigs, topwaters and drop shot rigs. Good colors for the drop shot plastics and Berkley gulp baits have been minnow imitating colors. SODUS BAY Bass fishing has been good early and late in the day with spinnerbaits, topwaters and a variety of plastics working. Fishng in the thick weed growth with tube or creature baits is also working. SANDY POND Nothing to report this week. ST. LAWRENCE RIVER Bass and being caught by anglers fishing deep (around 25-30 feet) using crayfish. Pike are being taken around 40 feet by anglers using pike minnows or suckers. WHITNEY POINT RESERVOIR Anglers are catching bluegills by trolling and than anchoring and fishing with small jigs when fish are found. A few walleye are being taken early or late in the day for anglers trolling with worm harness and nightcrawlers along the old river channel. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

" I heard that the mother may have been hit by a car." Lew Troast Jr. photo Lew Troast Jr., of Manlius, snapped these cool photos of a small, white deer he spotted earlier this month on Route 290 between Manlius Center and the entrance to Green Lakes State Park during rush hour. I showed the picture to two DEC officials at the Cortland office this morning and both said it looked like it was an albino. Troast wrote: " I heard that the mother may have been hit by a car. Thought you might be interested." Thanks for sharing, Lew. Lew Troast Jr. photo Lew Troast Jr. photo View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

See photos of anglers practicing in preparation for the tournament, which begins at 7 a.m. Thursday morning with boats being launched at Oneida Shores Park. A total of 97 anglers are competing for the $100,000 first prize. Watch video Bassmaster Tournament official Trip Weldon said this week's Bassmaster Ramada Championship on Oneida Lake will feature the best professional bass anglers in the nation. The winner will get $100,000. Anglers began practicing at daylight Monday and registered for the tournament at 3 p.m. today. The tournament kicks off at 7 a.m. Thursday morning at Oneida Shores Park. End-of-the day weigh-ins today and Friday will be at 4 p.m. at Oneida Shores Park. Weigh-ins on Saturday and Sunday will be at the state fair. Staff Photographer Steven Cannerelli shot this video of Weldon and photos of anglers practicing on the lake this morning. Among the anglers photographed practicing this morning is Jonathon VanDam, of Kalamazoo, Mich. He is the nephew of bass fishing legend Kevin VanDam, who is also fishing in this week's tournament. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

This fish took out most of the boy's line and really put up a great fight, his father said. Submitted photo Hunter Sattler, 13 of Cazenovia, caught this monster sheepshead while walleye fishing with his dad on Oneida Lake. His dad, Michael Sattler, wrote: " He was working a gold sonar in 20 feet of water. He was casting with an east wind, jigging off the bottom when the fish hit. "This fish took out most of Hunter's line and really put up a great fight. The fish measured 32 inches in length and was released after the photo." View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

The only New York waterway on next year's Elite Series schedule is the St. Lawrence River. On the eve of the Bassmaster Ramada Championship on Oneida Lake, which begins tomorrow morning at 7 a.m., B.A.S.S. officials announced next year's schedule. Oneida Lake is not on that schedule and the only New York waterway that made the cut is the St. Lawrence River. Bottom line: Now is the time to get out and check these guys out. The following is the press release announcing next year's schedule: The 2013 Bassmaster Elite Series offers something for everyone: rivers and lakes; largemouth, smallmouth and spotted bass; opportunities for record catches; and plenty of challenges for the world’s greatest bass anglers. Eight events in seven different states promise to create a true test of the best and one of the most exciting Elite seasons ever. The coming year marks the eighth anniversary of the Elite Series and the 46th of the Bassmaster Tournament Trail. The organization will be commemorating the milestones with a new Bassmaster Classic venue, some water the Bassmaster circuit has never visited and a few historic fisheries on which anglers will pit their skills against the fish and one another. It all begins with the 43rd Bassmaster Classic — “the Super Bowl of bass fishing” — on Grand Lake o’ the Cherokees out of Tulsa, Okla. (Feb. 22-24). It will be the first time for Tulsa and Grand Lake to host a Classic — and the farthest west the championship has been held since 1979. The 2013 Classic will feature some three dozen Elite pros, including winners from each of the 2012 Elite tournaments. Other qualifiers include champions from the 2012 Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Opens, six talented amateurs from the B.A.S.S. Federation Nation, the Weekend Series champion and the Carhartt College Series qualifier, Matt Lee of Auburn University. After the Classic, the Elites head south to Orange, Texas, and the Sabine River system for the Sabine River Challenge (March 14-17). It’ll be the first time B.A.S.S. has ever held a professional level event on the river, which flows out of the historic waters of Toledo Bend Reservoir. In early spring, bass on the river should be fat and plentiful. From the Sabine River, the Elite anglers will drive southwest to Zapata, Texas, for the Falcon Slam (March 21-24) and a much-anticipated return to Falcon Lake. When they were last here in 2008, it was nothing short of historic. Paul Elias won the tournament with a record catch weighing 132 pounds, 8 ounces. The event also produced the biggest bass in Elite history (13-2), the second heaviest five bass limit in B.A.S.S. history (44-4) and 12 catches weighing better than 108 pounds. Not surprisingly, Falcon was selected as No. 1 on Bassmaster Magazine’s 100 Best Bass Lakes for 2012. The pros and fishing fans everywhere have been waiting for this one! With another round of record-breaking catches expected to come from Falcon, the Elites will have — and probably need — a short break before the third event, the Bull Shoals Quest on Bull Shoals Lake (April 18-21). This will be B.A.S.S.’s eighth visit to the historic impoundment where flippin’ first came to national prominence in 1975. In April, Elite pro Brandon Palaniuk needed more than 78 pounds of bass over four days to win here. And while largemouth bass will likely dominate catches in the tournament, Bull Shoals has produced smallmouth and spotted bass weighing better than 7 pounds. In May, the Elite trail heads east to LaGrange, Ga., for the West Point Lake Battle (May 2-5). It will be the seventh trip for B.A.S.S. to West Point and the first since the Elites were there in 2011. That’s when Steve Kennedy pulled out a win with nearly 65 pounds of bass over four days. At the conclusion of the West Point event, anglers will drive 95 miles west to Montgomery, Ala., to begin practicing for the Alabama River Charge on the Alabama River (May 9-12). The tournament marks a return to the birthplace of B.A.S.S. as well as the site of two Bassmaster Classics (1981 and 1982). Its waters, part of the popular Alabama Bass Trail, are well known to those anglers who qualified for the postseason events of 2009 and 2010 or Toyota Tundra All-Star Week in 2011, but they’ll be unfamiliar to much of the field. All three of those events were held in late summer. Fishing is traditionally much better in late spring — plus, anglers will be permitted to go through Robert F. Henry Lock and Dam to fish the Alabama River downstream. Wisconsin was the site of two successful stops in the 2012 season, so it should come as no surprise that the Elites will be back next year. The Mississippi River Rumble out of La Crosse (June 20-23) will be the fourth time B.A.S.S. has visited this stretch of the Big Muddy. Todd Faircloth will look to repeat his success on the popular fishery that always seems to offer exciting topwater action and outstanding visuals on The Bassmasters. The St. Lawrence River Showdown out of Ogdensburg, N.Y. (Aug. 8-11), marks the return to one of the Bassmaster trail’s favorite fisheries. Though the last professional event here came in 2002, this will be the 14th trip to the river, making it one of the most-visited destinations in B.A.S.S. history. It was also the site of the 1980 Bassmaster Classic and of Kevin VanDam’s professional debut in 1987. KVD was just 19 years old when he fished that New York Invitational, and he finished 110th out of 311 anglers. He still thinks of the St. Lawrence fondly, though. Two of his 20 career wins have come from here. The 2013 Elite season wraps up in Detroit with the Lake St. Clair Championship (Aug. 22-25). Though the Elite Series has not been to the Motor City before, this will be the fourth B.A.S.S. event to launch from the lake since 1994. Northern Opens were held on the adjacent Detroit River in 2010 and 2012. The lake and rivers are strong summertime fisheries — St. Clair ranks 13th on the Best 100 Bass Lakes list — and promise to provide a great season finale in which so much is at stake. The 2013 Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Angler of the Year will be crowned here, and as many as 36 Elite anglers will earn berths in the 2014 Bassmaster Classic. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

<p> I'll also be monitoring such things as the crossbow bill, which sits on the governor's desk. </p> <div id="asset-11465710" class="entry_widget_large entry_widget_sp_secondary"><span class="adv-photo-large"><img height="244" width="380" src="http://media.syracuse.com/outdoors/photo/11465710-large.jpg" class="adv-photo" alt="2009-08-16-sjp-bassmastersw.JPG" /><span class="photo-data"><span class="byline">Steven J. Pallone/The Post-Standard</span><span class="caption"> Chad Griffin of Texas won the 2009 Ramada Champion's Choice fishing tournament, the final event of the ESPN Bassmasters Elite Series season, with a grand total of over 65 lbs. of fish caught during the four days of competition at Oneida Lake. </span></span><span class="photo-bottom-left"><!-- IE6 HACK --></span><span class="photo-bottom-right"><!-- IE6 HACK --></span></span></div> <p>I'll be providing comprehensive coverage of the prestigious Bassmaster Ramada Championship on Oneida Lake this week. The tournament begins Thursday morning at 7 a.m. and ends at 4 p.m. Sunday with the final weigh-in at the state fairgrounds. Look for updates, videos and lots of photos along the way in both The Post-Standard and on Syracuse.com.</p> <p><strong>Friday:</strong><br />Wrapup of Day 1 of fishing.</p> <p>Column: Notebook items from tourney, plus an update on the Lean2Rescue Team.</p> <p><strong>Saturday:</strong><br />Wrapup of Day 2 of fishing, plus a short story on how the anglers will get their fish from Oneida Lake to the state fairgrounds to be weighed in both Saturday and Sunday.</p> <p><strong>Sunday:</strong><br />Wrapup of Day 3 of fishing. plus notebook from the tournament and standings. (<em>Will also be monitoring whether governor signs new crossbow bill, which would essentially kill the DEC-endorsed, special firearms hunt during the Columbus Day weekend)</em> </p> <p><strong>Monday:</strong><br />Wrapup of the final day of competition, winner of the tournament, plus announcement of who won the Angler of the Year Award for the 8-tournament Elite Series.. Both winners will get $100,000 checks.</p> <p><strong>ANYTHING ELSE READERS OF THIS REPORT WOULD LIKE TO SEE ME WRITE ABOUT? </strong><br />The effectiveness of this report is two-fold. First it lets readers know what's coming up story-wise. It also allows readers a chance to affect coverage and provide sources for upcoming stories. Bottom line: Keep in touch and give input. You could make a difference as to what appears week to week on the outdoors page! Email me at <a href="mailto:[email protected]">[email protected]</a> or call 470-6066.</p> <p><a href="http://update.syracuse.com/adv_syracuse/newsletters/syracuse/subscribe.htm">If you want to join The Post-Standard's Outdoors Group and get this emailed directly to you, subscribe here.</a>.</p> <p><strong>FIGURA ON FACEBOOK:</strong><br />For those who are on Facebook, I also have a <a href="http://www.facebook.com/PostStandardOutdoors#!/PostStandardOutdoors#!/photo.php?fbid=3369108872206&set=a.1178365985003.2028364.1403751639&type=1&theater&notif_t=like">PS Outdoors page</a>, which I check several times daily for feedback and story ideas. I also post personal fishing and hunting and other outdoors-related photos from time to time and I ask members to do the same. When you join, please be sure and hit the "like" button. </p> View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

<p> "We weighed in that day about 180 gross weight of fish," one said. </p> <div id="asset-11465540" class="entry_widget_large entry_widget_right"><span class="adv-photo-large"><img height="213" width="380" src="http://media.syracuse.com/outdoors/photo/11465540-large.jpg" class="adv-photo" alt="charlie.JPG" /><span class="photo-data"><span class="byline">Submitted photo</span><span class="caption">Charlie and Clayton hold up their biggest fish.</span></span><span class="photo-bottom-left"><!-- IE6 HACK --></span><span class="photo-bottom-right"><!-- IE6 HACK --></span></span></div> <p>Charlie Sovik, of Cazenovia, sent me this pictures recently, along with the following email:</p> <p>"I thought you might like to see some pictures of some great fish that we caught last week, early August, on a charter. We were fishing in Lake Ontario just about 3 miles outside of the can. We were using herring and flies.</p> <p>"Clayton Andrews (in white shirt), of Oswego, caught a chinook salmon that weighed 33 pounds at 41.5 inches. My fish was the smaller at 25 pounds and 35 inches. </p> <p>"Both fish took all the line out and it was a long way back... We weighed in that day about 180 gross weight of fish. The captain was Dave Wilson of Oswego.</p> <p>"I also threw in a picture of my son, Timmy, 7, who caught a nice brown trout the week earlier with Capt. Tony Buffa, Oswego. Tim wasn't able to hold the 12- pound brown trout for the picture after fighting it for about 20 minutes. Tim caught it on a spoon."</p> <div id="asset-11465545" class="entry_widget_large entry_widget_right"><span class="adv-photo-large"><img height="480" width="360" src="http://media.syracuse.com/outdoors/photo/charlie2-2jpg-7bbe993291220862.jpg" class="adv-photo" alt="charlie2_2.JPG" /><span class="photo-data"><span class="byline">Submitted photo</span><span class="caption">Timmy and his nice brown trout.</span></span><span class="photo-bottom-left"><!-- IE6 HACK --></span><span class="photo-bottom-right"><!-- IE6 HACK --></span></span></div> View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

The tournament, which begins Thursday morning, has a strict, catch-and-release format. Anglers can only use artificial lures and bait. They can turn in a maximum of five fish each day and weight is the determining factor. The winner gets $100,000. This week 97 of the top, bass fishing pros from across the country have been fishing Oneida Lake, practicing and taking note of good spots for the the prestigious B.A.S.S. Ramada Championship that begins Thursday morning. The practice began at first light Monday morning and ends this afternoon. The anglers have to register at 3 p.m. at the Ramada Inn in Syracuse on Buckley Road. The entry fee for each angler for the eight-tournament Elite Series is $43,000. Those wetting their lines include fishing legend Kevin VanDam and 2012 Bassmaster Classic winner Chris Lane. They are among those competing for the $100,000 first prize in the four-day tournament and a spot in the 2013 Bassmaster Classic set for Feb. 22-24 in Tulsa, Okla. Like many aspects of this prestigious competition, there are strict rules about does and don’t during the anglers’ practice time. For example, they are not allowed to talk to local anglers on or off the water, or stop in at local bait shops to get information. The four-day competition begins at 7 a.m. Thursday with the full field of anglers launching their boats at Oneida Shores Park in Brewerton. Weigh-ins for Thursday and Friday will be at 4 p.m. at the park. The tournament has a strict, catch-and-release format. Anglers can only use artificial lures and bait. They can turn in a maximum of five fish each day and weight is the determining factor. Among those competing this week is Dean Rojas, of Lake Havasu, Ariz., who won the 2008 Elite event on Oneida, and finished third when the Elite field returned in 2009. He was successful in both trips with shallow-water frog and plastics patterns. Targeting the lake’s largemouth paid off big back then for Rojas, but he contends that he hasn’t eliminated a smallmouth strategy from his 2012 game plan. “The lake has big largemouth, but a lot of big smallmouth, too. You have to keep an open mind because largemouth might not be the winning pattern this time,” said Rojas. “I have to be tactical about how I approach the lake.” Following the initial two days, the field will be pared down to the top 49 anglers for Saturday. Following Saturday’s fishing, the anglers will bring their catches over to the state fairgrounds for the weigh-in, beginning at 4 p.m. On Sunday, the final day, the top 12 anglers will compete and once again the 4 p.m. weigh-in will be at the state fair. The Ramada Championship is the last in a series of eight Elite-level, Bassmaster competitions, which have been held all over the country. The anglers competing on the circuit have been accumulating points from their performances in each of the competitions. Sunday, in addition to the Oneida Lake tournament winner, the Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Angler of the Year will be announced, with the winner earning $100,000. Angler Brent Chapman, of Lake Quivira, Kansas, currently leads the pack at this point. This is the fourth time an Elite Series competition has been held on Oneida Lake. Previous tournaments were held in 2006, 2008 and 2009. This week’s competition will be aired on TV on ESPN 2 from 7 to 8 a.m. Sept. 8, and on ESPN Classic from 7 to 8 a.m. Dec. 1 and 9. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

He finished 19th overall in the Co-angler's Division. George Fiorille of Moravia, New York caught the largest bass last weekend in the B.A.S.S. Northern Open professional tournament on Cayuga Lake in the Co-Angler’s Division. The Co-Angler Division (the angler who fishes along with the angler who controls the boat) was won by Todd Sterner of Mechanicsburg, Pa. Fiorille's largemouth bass weighed in at 5 pounds, 5 ounces and was caught on the north end in 17 feet of water on a green pumpkin colored Yum paddle-tail worm with a Bass Pro Shops tungsten worm weight with a Mustad Denny Brauer Flipping worm hook. Fiorille also finished in 19th place overall for the event. The Co-Angler Division (the angler who fishes along with the angler who controls the boat) was won by Todd Sterner of Mechanicsburg, Pa. The top pro angler in the competition was Pete Gluszek, of New Jersey, who reeled in bass total over three days that totalled 56 pounds, 1 ounce. He won $4,800, a boat and motor worth $45,000 and an automatic berth in the 2013 Bassmaster Classic on Oklahoma's Grand Lake. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

All their fish were caught on homemade spinners with worms. Submitted photoTom Andrews with a couple of nice fish. The following email and phots was sent in by Tom Andrews, of Pompey: My brother Jerry and I (yes, we actually ARE Tom and Jerry) went on our annual fishing trip to the St. Lawrence near Ogdensburg the week of July 28. We didn't get anything really spectacular this year, but as you can see from the photos, we did OK. " Between the two of us, we caught 8 walleyes, all between 19 1/2 and 22 inches. We ate one (VERY tasty!) and froze the other filets to enjoy all winter. We didn't click with the bass so well, but we did get some nice ones. The biggest was 16 1/2 inches, with two others coming in at 15 and 14 1/2. All were caught on homemade spinners with worms. "The gobies were hungry, too - but even they didn't seem to be so numerous this year. Could be the bass and walleyes are keeping the population better in check. I wouldn't be surprised if the cormorants are helping with that, too." Submitted photoJerry Andrews with a walleye. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

<p> Training in safe handling of firearms and hunting is required before purchasing a hunting license. All courses are free of charge, but space may be limited. </p> <p>The following is a DEC press release:</p> <p>All new hunters or trappers planning to go afield this upcoming hunting and trapping season must first complete a mandatory hunter or trapper education course, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) today reiterated.</p> <p>Previously licensed hunters who plan to hunt out of state should also have their sportsman education certificates or previous licenses in hand as proof that they have completed the required course. All states accept New York’s hunter education course but states differ on what is required as proof of completion.</p> <p>Sporting licenses went on sale August 13. To purchase hunting or trapping licenses in New York, proof of a previous license or your original sportsman education certificate must be shown. If adequate proof cannot be shown, one may be required to take the course again to be recertified. Finding a course immediately prior to or during the hunting season will be difficult. With the Southern Zone bow season beginning October 1 this year, September courses will be in high demand and those offered in October will be too late for those wishing to bow hunt the first part of the season.</p> <p>New York sportsmen and sportswomen that travel out of state to hunt should be sure to satisfy all the requirements of the destination state well in advance. Some states require the original hunter education certificate, and getting a replacement can be time consuming if the original is misplaced. The New York State Sportsman Education Program has an extensive database from which replacement certificates can be issued if the course was taken in 1980 or after. Those unable to locate their original certificate, or cannot find a record of it, may be required to repeat a course. A previous hunting license cannot be used to reissue a certificate.</p> <p>All first-time hunters, bowhunters and trappers must pass one or more courses before they can obtain a license in New York. Trained instructors, certified by DEC, teach safe and responsible outdoors practices and the important role of hunters and trappers in natural resource conservation. All courses are free of charge, but space may be limited.</p> <p>To locate a nearby hunter or trapper education class, <a href="http://www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/9191.html">visit the DEC’s website and course list online.</a> or contact a local DEC regional office.</p> <p>Courses can also be found listed in local papers, sporting goods stores, and posters at gun clubs. For a list of regional offices and contact information, <a href="http://www.dec.ny.gov/about/558.html">visit the DEC website</a>. The website information is updated regularly throughout the year.</p> View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

One of the Scouts pulled the leader to shore and then tossed the beaver aside. The other Scouts then used rocks to kill the animal. OK, I just got back from vacation (I was visiting my daughter in Seattle) and was made aware of this story that ran while I was away. You can't make this stuff up: PINE PLAINS, N.Y. (AP) — A Boy Scout leader from New York who was attacked by a rabid beaver while swimming in the Delaware River is recovering. The Poughkeepsie Journal reports that 51-year-old Normand Brousseau, of Pine Plains, was swimming in eastern Pennsylvania on Aug. 2 when a beaver swam through his legs and bit him in the chest. The animal then bit him in the leg, buttocks, arm, hand and torso before he managed to grab it and hold its jaw closed. One Boy Scout pulled Brousseau to shore, where he tossed the beaver away from him. The Scouts then used rocks to kill the animal. A doctor confirmed the beaver had rabies a day after the attack. Dutchess County health officials say a rabid beaver attack is unusual. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog