Syracuse.com - Figura working on opening day of trout season, tweeting and videotaping a 'Gator Boy'

[HuntingNY-News]

Follow me on Twitter at @davidjfigura

Opening day of this year's trout fishing season is less than a week away. I'm trying some new things in covering this year's opener.

First, I plan on writing a story beforehand on Open Day memories and traditions. Do you have an opening day tradition, or an amazing, funny or bizarre memory of a past opening day?

Send your stories (keep them under 300 words) to me at [email protected] by noon Friday. I'll compile the best for this coming Sunday's paper.

Meanwhile, I'm working on an update on the stocking of trout prior to opening day. As part of that effort, Editor Steve Billmyer, a die-hard angler himself, is helping me to compile a data base that will appear on syracuse.com that will feature stocking information from the state and Onondaga County on every stream one might want to fish. This should be an invaluable resource, not only listing what kind of fish are stocked in each stream, but how many.

Other trout-related stories that I'm writing before the opener include:

-Know the law (a wrapup of regulations local anglers should be aware of)

-An update on the lower section of Nine Mile Creek. Will it be open for anglers this year?

-A poll of what kind of fishing (fly fishing, bait fishing, lure fishing) anglers plan to do opening day.

- A wrapup of the expected weather and temperatures opening day from our weather reporter Glenn Coin.

On opening day, I plan the following stories:

-I'm now on Twitter. Follow me @davidjfigura. On opening day, I plan to tweet every 15-20 minutes or so, beginning at 6 a.m. (or possibly earlier). My tweets will appear on my outdoors blog on syracuse.com.

Want to join in the fun? Use the hashtag of #cnyfishing and your tweets will appear on my blog as well. Questions this? Call me at 470-6066 or email me at [email protected].

-A wrapup of stream conditions and how folks are doing by lunch-time, accompanied by a video and a photo slideshow.

Am I missing anything? Contact me at [email protected].

One last thing. Good luck to everyone who gets out Tuesday morning.

Other stories I'm working on this week and next include:

-A precede to this weekend's "Birds of Onondaga Lake" photo exhibit, which will show some eye-opening shots taken by local wildlife photographers.

-I'm attending this weekend's Big East Camping and Outdoors show at Turning Stone Casino in Verona on Saturday. I plan on doing a video of 'Gator Boy' Jimmy Riffle (from the Animal Planet TV show "Gator Boys") Saturday that will appear on syracuse.com later that day. Apart from that, I'll be seated at a table meeting with readers from noon to 5 p.m. Stop by and say hello. Don 't worry, I don't bite.

-An update on the Seneca Army Depot/white deer situation.

-Late season steelhead fishing on the Salmon River.

- Should hunters in Onondaga County be allowed to hunt deer with rifles? (Many surrounding counties allow it).

- An update on the state's war against wild boars.

-An update on the joint city/county deer task force. ( I hear a meeting is being planned for sometime in April. Stay tuned.)

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.

FIGURA ON TWITTER Follow me @davidjfigura.

View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog