The AuCoin Report

News Briefs from the Great Outdoors

August 2008

Clean Water Act keeps pleasure boat exemption

Alexandria, Virginia – Letters, calls and emails from boat owners got the bipartisan attention of U.S. House and Senate legislators, who passed the Clean Boating Act of 2008.  President Bush has signed it, thus permanently exempting recreational boats from penalties designed for industrial polluters. (NMMA)

 

Candidate McCain asked about gun rights

New York, New York – Presidential candidate John McCain doesn't hunt, but he fishes.  Senator McCain shared his opinions on the second amendment, assault weapons ban, public lands access, and more with Outdoor Life Editor Todd Smith. (Outdoor Life)

 

America's Cup now "Alinghi Cup?"

New York, New York – The next America's Cup competition is being staged in courtrooms. BMW Oracle, the American team, probably will appeal the latest ruling in favor of the Swiss Team, Alinghi. That ruling establishes the Spanish team as challengers to Alinghi, thus allowing the Swiss and Spanish teams to negotiate the rules. "Why not just call it the Alinghi Cup…," said one insider. (Times Online)

 

Storm leaves, blood suckers arrive

Tallahassee, Florida – Florida say Tropical Storm Fay's heavy rains and flooding will prompt a mosquito outbreak.  (WKMG-6 Orlando)

 

Mosquitoes? You can plant geraniums or...

Cartersville, Georgia – It wasn't an old wives' tale after all. Geraniums repel insects.  University of Florida researchers studied the phenomenon and documented that Geraniol, derived from geranium oil, naturally repels mosquitoes, flies, cockroaches, fleas, gnats, ticks and no-see-ums.  If you don't want to plant geraniums, you can still take advantage of their anti-insect properties. BugBand insect repellent features Geraniol as its active ingredient.  There are BugBand sprays, wrist bands, towellettes, and even bead bags that you can place on in your vehicle, dog kennel, or even on a window sill close to the window box geraniums you didn't plant. Info at http://www.bugband.net/. (Media contact: Dan Ritter, 1-800-473-9467, dritter@eesatl.com.)

 

Wolf hunt in Wisconsin?

Platteville, Wisconsin – As wolf populations expand in Wisconsin, wildlife officials are looking at the pros and cons of establishing wolf hunts in two or three years. There are now more than 500 wolves, well above the recovery goal of 350. (Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel)

 

Lures imitate bioluminescence

Largo, Florida – Saltwater plankton emit super-brief flashes of light when they move or are made to move. Bioluminescence is a plankton defense, scientists say, illuminating and exposing its predators to their enemies. Now a new lure series capitalizes on this underwater phenomenon. L&S Bait Company has developed a gold luminescent insert for one of its most popular lures. Its MirrOdine, a suspending twitchbait that darts side about, flashes luminescent colors and exposes itself to predators like seatrout, bluefish, redfish, snook, striped bass and tarpon. For information anglers can phone the Largo, Florida lure company – dial 727-584-7691 – or visit the MirrOlure website, MirrOlure.com . [Media contact: Eric Bachnik, 727-584-7691, ebachnik@tampabay.rr.com]

 

Wall Arch Collapses

Arches National Park, Utah – The well-known Wall Arch in Utah's Arches National Park went "kaboom," a park official said, and fell under its own weight. Wall Arch, on the Devil's Garden Trail, was one of the largest in the park, 71 feet tall and 33 feet wide, and one of the most photographed. (http://outdoorpressroom.com/)

 

Fantasy fishing winner gets $1 million

Michael Thompson of St. Michael, Minnesota won $1 million in a bass fishing tournament and never caught a fish or even wet a line. The 33-year-old stay at home dad from St. Michael, Minnesota won the Forrest L. Wood Fantasy Fishing Tour by picking the winners of real bass tournaments. (San Diego Union Tribune)

 

Pattern fishing sunglasses

Mobile, Alabama -- Roland Martin, bass fishing's nine-time Angler of the Year, recently revealed one of his success secrets – two pairs of special sunglasses.  At a press conference unveiling the new Roland Martin Signature Series, the father of pattern fishing said when he knows fish are holding in water of a certain color, he uses grey lenses to find more water with the same shade. When he stops to fish his honey hole, Martin switches to amber lenses to detect structure below the surface. But the biggest secret is that he wears sunglasses with bifocal magnifiers so he can tie good knots.  Info at onostradingcompany.com or phone 1-866-865-4695. (Media contact: Bill AuCoin, wmaucoin@verizon.net. 727-522-2371)

 

Olympic seats empty

Beijing, China – China announced it had sold every one of the 6.8 million seats available for the Olympic Games but, alas, there have been lots of no-shows.  Olympic officials are busing in state-trained "cheer squads" dressed in bright yellow shirts. (Washington Post)

 

The sexual preference of artificial worms

Tulsa, Oklahoma – Word comes of a new plastic worm for bass and walleye anglers with interchangeable male and female snaps of various colors. Snaps hook up, as they say, at the curvy tail of an artificial worm made with a special slot for, well, you know what.  The new Snap Tail worm and system is the brainchild of inventor-angler Ronnie Line of Tulsa who says changing snaps is a lot faster than changing worms and, therefore, will help the angler quickly find out which color or colors are going to catch the most fish. These special worms, plus male and female snaps, are sold at snaptaillures.com  (Media contact: Bill AuCoin, wmaucoin@verizon.net. 727-522-2371)

 

Don't feed the alligators

Holiday Park, Florida – Officers for the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission took Everglades airboat rides recently, which has resulted in charges against three airboat captains that they illegally fed alligators.  (The Outdoor Wire)

 

Grants to protect endangered species

Washington, DC – The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is seeking proposals for federal grants for habitat acquisition and protection of endangered species. Proposals are due before September 22, 2008. "The Fund," as it's known, will dispense of more than $75 million in 2009. (FWS)

 

Sportfishing's "Uncle Homer" honored

Las Vegas, Nevada – Homer Circle, 93, was awarded the Samuel C. Johnson Journalist of the Year award at the 2008 fishing tackle trade show – ICAST – in Las Vegas.  Circle has written articles about fishing for more than 50 years, most visibly as the fishing editor of Sports Afield for 35 years. He continues to write a monthly column for Bassmaster Magazine.  (American Sportfishing Association)

 

Coasties now 218 years old

The U.S. Coast Guard, now 218 years old, traces its founding to 1790 when Congress sound to enforce trade laws and prevent smuggling. Today the branch of the armed forces is dedicated to safety of life at sea and enforcing maritime laws. (Trade Only Today)

 

New saltwater fishing tournaments

Perry, Florida – Organizers announced the first saltwater fishing tournament series for speckled trout. Sponsored by Cabela's, Speckled Trout USA will hold events near Perry, Florida this year and, in the Spring of 08, Jacksonville, Florida; Orange, Texas: and Panama City, Florida. For information visit www.speckledtroutusa.com (Media contact: Darrell Van Vactor, 270-395-200. Email dvanvactor@crappieusa.com)

 

Camo for the bedroom

Alexandria, Minnesota – Wilderness Dreams, a Minnesota company, has unveiled its new line of silky loungewear including nightgowns and other female and male garments finished in hunters camouflage. (http://www.wildernessdreams.com/)

 

Barbie rod lands record N.C. catfish

Elkin, North Carolina – David Hayes caught a 32-inch catfish with a 30-inch Barbie rod. The rod belonged to his three-year-old granddaughter but he was holding it for her while she went back to the house to go "potty." The catfish weighed 21 pounds and is a new North Carolina record. (Rockingham News Journal, Outdoor Pressroom)