Shreve Wins LOC Derby in 
Spectacular Fashion with 28 Pound Salmon

See updated pictures on this website's 2008 LOC derby page HERE

        Todd Shreve of Dover, Pennsylvania, a construction estimator by trade, won the 12th Annual Spring Lake Ontario Counties (LOC) Trout and Salmon Derby in spectacular fashion by reeling in a 28 pound, 11 ounce king salmon on the final day of the contest to earn a check for $12,500 and the Grand Prize trophy. He was fishing out of Point Breeze in Orleans County with his fishing partners Mike Geiger of Wellsboro, PA and Steve Gerloff of Douglassville, PA. 

        The derby was held May 2-11. After spending some time fishing in Wilson, Geiger took his 22 foot Wellcraft (aptly named “This Is It” after his wife told him it was his final boat purchase) to a favorite spot off Johnson Creek west of Point Breeze. Terry Williams, owner of North of the Ridge Campground in Orleans County, was credited with the “secret” location. When they reached the honey hole, they placed a black and purple Pro King spoon 35 feet down over 160 feet of water. At 6:30 a.m. they experienced a hard hit off the downrigger and they immediately knew it was a good fish. They pulled in all the other rods and slowed things down. The fish put up a valiant fight as it pulled the lure to the bottom four times with Shreve battling the fish all the way. A half-hour later, he had his derby winning fish. They were at the Point Breeze weigh station, Narby’s Superette and Tackle, when the scales opened at 9 a.m. and proprietor Sharon Narburgh was wide eyed when she shouted out an enthusiastic “wow.” This was a huge spring king, big enough to make the board in last fall’s LOC competition. “It is our honor and privilege to fish a world class fishery like Lake Ontario,” said Geiger at the awards ceremony at Abe’s Waterfront in Sodus Point, Wayne County. “It truly is a great place to fish.” 

       Shreve had no plans for the prize money other than they were going to be splitting it up among the team. While Shreve and his fish partners were celebrating, there was another celebration of sorts going on in Youngstown, Niagara County. Brian Brehm of Erie, Colorado had been fishing his first LOC Derby on the Niagara Bar with derby veterans David Levan of North Collins and 78 year old Jerry Levan of Cheektowaga when a big fish hit the Forrest Gump Fishlander magnum spoon behind a dipsy diver at 5 a.m. They had been targeting lake trout, but they recognized that this was a big fish. Just how big wouldn’t be revealed until they arrived at Petroy Marina in Youngstown, an official weigh station for the derby. A half hour fight on the water saw a massive lake trout hit the net – the BIG net. The scale read 26 pound, 12 ounces – big enough to take over the lead. Little did they know that Shreve was weighing in his huge king, so their celebration was short lived. 

       First place was worth $1,000. Still, the lake trout was an impressive catch … as was the king. The prior Grand Prize leader had been Duane Knapp of Addison with a 26 pound, three ounce fish he boated out of Olcott, Niagara County. He had been fishing with Paul Pasko of Troy, PA and Del Knapp of Gillett, PA when the weather got rough on the lake. Right next to them in the Town of Newfane Marina was Capt. Chris LoPresti and his father, Mike in their 10 Meter Trojan named “Maverick.” They agreed to give it a go aboard LoPresti’s boat and began trolling northwest of the harbor off the Red Barn. The first place salmon hit a Northern King 28 Frog spoon 200 feet back on a dipsy diver set at No. 2. They, too, earned $1,000. 

        The first place brown trout was quite a story, too. Robert Briggs of Belle Mead, NJ was fishing with his friend, Len Garriques of Belvidere, NJ while trolling out of Sandy Pond, Oswego County aboard Len’s 24-foot Grady White named “Heartbeat.” On Tuesday, they snagged a lure off the bottom that they would later find out was a Renosky firetiger stickbait. They put it down in the water and immediately caught an 8-1/2 pound brown trout. The next day, fishing the same area, they put the newly-acquired bait into 11 feet of water. At 9:30 a.m., they boated a 13 pound, eight ounce fish – a brown that would hold on to be a $1,000 winner. 

       The first place steelhead was another winning fish that almost wasn’t. Larry Daggett of Guilford, Maine was fishing with Allen Cole, Jr. of Brewer, ME and Capt. Frank Peckham of Hampden, ME. Trolling out of Point Breeze aboard Peckham’s 22-foot Starcraft Islander named “Ahab,” they were working 120 feet of water with a dipsy diver on Tuesday morning when a fish hit their Northern King blue dolphin spoon 125 feet back on a No. 2 setting. They figured it was a king salmon that weighed between 16 and 17 pounds, not big enough to make the board. When they showed up at the fish cleaning station, someone there told them that it was a nice steelhead, so they took it down to Captain’s Cove to check it out. The fish weighed in at 16 pounds, nine ounces – 10 hours after they caught it. Yes, it was a steelhead! This was Daggett’s first time fishing the LOC Derby, but it wasn’t the first time for his fishing partners. Daggett is $1,000 richer and he’ll be back. 

     Not too many youth weighed in fish this year. Bobby Lorentz of Rochester did manage to place 20th in the Lake Trout Division with a 15 pound, four ounce fish he caught while fishing off Wilson. The Summer LOC Derby kicks off on May 23rd and runs through July 20th. The Fall LOC Derby is set for August 15th through Sept. 1st. For more information on the LOC derbies or to see the full leaderboard for the May 2-11 Spring event, log on to www.loc.org.

Derby Notes: Of the top 21 salmon caught in the derby, 18 of the winning catches came from off Niagara County waters. All top 20 lake trout came from Niagara County ports, as well. Four of the top nine steelhead came from Niagara, as well.

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First Steelhead Challenge A Success for CF

       The First Annual Lower Niagara Steelhead Challenge was held out of Lewiston last Thursday. A total of 17 boats were on hand to see Dave Gleason of Greensboro, NC (formerly of LaSalle) earn the Grand Champion Angler achievement for the inaugural event. He caught seven salmon and trout with Capt. Bob Cinelli to score 350 points. But this fishing contest wasn’t about who was catching the most or the biggest fish, it was about raising money for Cystic Fibrosis – an inherited disease that affects breathing and digestion. From that standpoint alone, the Challenge was a huge success, raising over $60,000 towards much needed research for CF. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: the people of Western New York are some of the most giving people in the world. 

      It started with the Village of Lewiston and the Barton Hill Hotel and Spa, opening their arms and doors to this event – helping to raise the level of awareness for CF, as well as the tremendous fishery that we have on our dock steps. The event was co-sponsored by Waste Technology Services, led by Gary Hall of Niagara Falls as chairman of the event. Along with the help of his sons, Brian and Gary, and fishing guru Mike Oliver, they promoted the fishing contest through their network of business associates. Capt. Frank Campbell of Niagara Falls was pulled into the mix to help coordinate the charter captains. All 17 boats donated their time and money to make this thing happen. 

     Time and time again, these captains go out of their way to assist with these types of fundraisers – from fishing contests to donations of charter trips as prizes for raffles, drawings and auctions. Time is money for these ambassadors of the water. This time, though, the realization of what CF is all about and what the money is used for opened the eyes of many. “I’m always willing to donate my boat and time for worthy causes like this,” said Doug Stein of Grand Island. “This time, though, we had Justin Juliano of Buffalo on board my boat. Justin has CF and recently went through a lung transplant. He had the good fortune of catching a few trout and they were the biggest fish he has ever caught in his life – he was ecstatic! It made every minute of everything I’ve ever donated for charity causes worthwhile. It also makes me more appreciative for my health. It feels good to give something back.” 

      Of course there were many more people donating time and money, from the reception attendees at Barton Hill on Wednesday to the people and companies that were purchasing boats to fish the river. Every came together like a perfect plan as Kelly Kopra and company from CF ran the function like a well-oiled machine. Anglers from all over New York came to participate, as did people from Florida, Illinois and Michigan. We mentioned that Gleason was the Grand Champion. He was also a member of the Grand Champion Team, fishing alongside Gary Hall and Randy Cline of Wilson – amassing 700 points aboard Cinelli’s Hotline. Cline also caught the largest salmon, a 36-1/4 inch king caught on the Niagara Bar. 

       Largest steelhead was a 34 inch bullet reeled in by Chris Dresso while fishing the river with Capt. Gord LaPorte of Youngstown. Biggest lake trout when to Brian Hall when he hauled in a 37-1/2 inch fork tail while trolling with Capt. Jim Gordon of Appleton. As I mentioned earlier, it wasn’t about the awards as far as who caught what – other than what Juliano reeled in aboard Stein’s Blue Goose. That was an achievement. After the awards ceremony was held and the pictures were taken with the winning anglers, I watched Gleason slip over to Juliano and in the ultimate gesture of the day, present him with his Grand Champion Angler plaque. “This is for you,” said Gleason. He shook his hand and walked away.

       Challenge Notes: There is not truth to the rumor being spread that I had the first ever triple-double in Redbone Series history – 10 cans of pop, 11 bags of chips and an even dozen pieces of fruit (apples and oranges) while motoring around in the media boat …Don’t believe that bananas are bad luck on a boat? Capt. Joe Marra had been consistently catching fish while drifting Devil’s Hole when one of his fishermen snagged a banana peel – probably the most unusual catch for the Challenge. They never caught another fish for the day. Then again, Mike Oliver was on the boat so it could have something to do with that, too…Another unusual catch during the contest was a rod and reel, still intact and in working order.

More Fishing Fundraisers Set –

       The waters of WNY have been a focus for other fishing fundraisers in the coming months and the next one on the calendar is the 8th Annual Lake Erie Bass Fishing Challenge to benefit Make-A-Wish. This is a team event ($140 per team) that still has a decent prize structure while raising money for another good cause. First place is worth $4,000 and a trophy. For more information contact Don Staszczyk, Jr. 491-2131 or visit www.millenniumbassmastersofwny.com/lakeeriebasschallenge.htm  The tournament is run out of the Buffalo Small Boat Harbor. 

     The Buffalo Sabres Alumni Spring Salmon Spectacular will be run out of Olcott on May 29th. More than 30 boats are already lined up and the Town of Newfane Marina will be used as a staging area for the fishing vessels. The other activities will take place at Krull Park under the Lions Club pavilion. For more information, log on to www.sabresalumni.com  The Independent Living Projects will be holding their Third Annual charity bass tournament on August 3 for interested anglers. The fishing will take place out of Fort Niagara, using donated boats to get people on the water. The awards and lunch will take place at the 3-F Club in Lewiston following the fishing fun. This is a follow up to the John Daly Memorial Bass Tournament, previously run by the YMCA. For more information contact Bill Cain at 284-4131 Ext. 12.

Young Turkey Takers –

     The state’s Youth Turkey Hunt Weekend was April 26-27 and we have a few success stories to share: Congrats to 14 year old Shaina Sexton of Newfane. She was hunting with her father, Scott, in a favorite Erie County hangout. Scott called in a big tom first thing in the morning on the opener and she found the mark with her 20 gauge at 20 yards. The bird tipped the scales at 22 pounds, sporting a 9-1/2 inch beard and 1-1/4 inch spurs. Travis Tyrrell of North Tonawanda was also successful in taking his first bird ever while hunting with his uncle Randy, also of NT. They were working state land near their property in Allegany County. Randy called the bird in, Travis shot true and his reward was a 19 pound gobbler with nine inch beard and one big smile! We have some more success stories to share next week so stay tuned.

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What Will Border Issues Be For Great Lakes Fishermen?

        After a USA Today cover story on new Homeland Security Department regulations last Thursday (March 27), the fishing community has been buzzing with what the regulations actually say and what it means for fishermen. Curt Meddaugh of Pendleton, who sits on the Niagara County Fisheries Development Board, gave a quick call to the U.S. Coast Guard out of Buffalo and they were unaware of any new regulations that would affect fishermen that might venture over into Canadian waters while drifting the Niagara River or trolling the Great Lake of Erie and Ontario. Still, concerns were raised by some of the local charter captains. What are the rules? On the Homeland Security website, in the publication of Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative Land and Sea Final Rule Questions and Answers, one in particular that addresses this very situation states:

      What about commercial or charter vessels that enter international waters but do not dock at a foreign port? Are its passengers required to present passports upon returning to the United States?

     No. As long as the vessel does not call to a foreign port, immigration law does not consider this a “departure” from the United States and therefore upon return, is not considered an entry that would require a passport. Therefore, passports or other designated documents would not be required for those, including commercial fishermen traveling on a vessel that sails from a U.S. port and returns without calling at a foreign port.

      This spells things out pretty clearly as far as what happens with charter boats. As far as recreational fishermen, at least based on the comments from the Coast Guard, it would continue to be business as usual. The USA Today article made it appear that even if you cross over the international border be it fishing, boating or sailing, you would be required to check in with the Customs people. Imagine the nightmare that would occur with the Niagara River for all boating activity? The West River around Grand Island is essentially Canadian waters. Think about the potential problems at the head of the river around the Peace Bridge? Forcing people to stay in New York waters would undoubtedly cause boating accidents and possibly much worse. The Jet Boat in the lower river would not be able to conduct business as usual, either. Crazy stuff. It doesn’t look that the DHS changes will affect fishing activity … yet.

Youth Turkey Hunt Weekend is April 26-27

      Young turkey hunters age 12 to 15 will be out and about the Empire State chasing bearded gobblers for the early Youth Turkey Hunt. If you have a family member that qualifies or know a youngster that would love to sample this type of hunting, this is a perfect opportunity to get a jump on the rest of the hunting fraternity. The regular state season opens on May 1. Junior hunters must hold a Junior Hunting License and a turkey permit. All hunters must be accompanies by an adult as required by law. The adult must also be licensed and possess a turkey permit. The adult mentor may assist by calling but may not carry a firearm or long bow. The bag limit for the special weekend is one bearded bird per youth hunter. This will be part of the state’s two bird season limit. The second bird cannot be harvested until May 1 or after. All state wild turkey regulations remain in effect. If a junior hunter is successful, they must report the bird within 48 hours by calling 866-GAME-RPT.

Deadline Approaches for Kids Fishing Contest –

      The 30th Annual Take a Kid Fishing Trip will be held on Sunday, June 1 and the deadline for getting your name into the hat to be on of the 20 lucky winners is fast approaching. The event, sponsored by the 1000 Islands Inn and Fishing Charters, is open to all youngsters between 9 and 15 years of age. The 20 kids selected will received a northern pike fishing charter in the 1000 Islands out of Clayton. The drawing will take place on April 19th so internet entries must be sent in by April 18th. Mail in entries on a post card can be sent to Take a Kid Fishing Contest, P.O. Box 69, Clayton, NY 13624. Be sure to include your name, address, phone number, age, date of birth and the name of the publication and writer that you saw the story in. Mail in entries must be postmarked by April 15. For internet applications, check out www.1000-islands.com/fishing/contest.

Olcott Pen Rearing Project Needs Volunteers –

        Curt Meddaugh of Pendleton is looking for a few good men, women and capable children who are willing to help out with the Olcott Pen Rearing Project for salmon and trout at the Town of Newfane Marina. On April 19th, the group – spearheaded by the Lake Ontario Trout and Salmon Association (LOTSA) - will be meeting at 8 a.m. at the marina to start getting the pens ready and putting them in the water. This year, they will be increasing the numbers of salmon going into the pens, jumping from 50,000 to 67,100 fish. They will also continue to pen 3,500 steelhead. As a result, they will be utilizing all four pens this year and they will need to get them all ready for the fish. If you need any additional information, give Meddaugh a call at 491-7771. Speaking of LOTSA, the fishing club will be meeting this Thursday at the 4-H Building of Cornell Cooperative Extension Niagara at 4487 Lake Avenue (Route 78), Lockport at 7 p.m. Guest speaker will be Capt. Marlowe Bies giving a seminar on advanced spoon fishing techniques in the clear waters of Lake Ontario.

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Federation Honors Area Conservationists

By Bill Hilts, Jr.

    The top conservationist of year was current Federation president John Butcher of Lockport and the top club of the year was the 3-F Club of Lewiston as the Niagara County Federation of Conservation Clubs held their annual awards banquet at the Tonawandas Sportsmen’s Club last Saturday night before a crowd of about 150 people

        Each year, the NCFCC honors the top conservationists that stand out to preserve, protect and enhance our natural resources, including the popular pastimes of hunting, fishing and other outdoor recreation activities.

        The Oliver Jones Memorial Award for the county’s top conservationist/sportsman went to Butcher for his hard work and dedication the last four years as president of the group. “When I took over as president, I asked myself what would my legacy be?” said Butcher. “If I could accomplish one thing, it would be to strengthen and create more youth shooting programs in the county.” He’s done that and more with the development of a portable shooting trailer, a scholastic clay youth program and more. He’s also a hunter safety instructor, a member of several sportsmen’s clubs and is also involved with the Friends of the NRA fund-raising banquet. Butcher runs a successful business, Summit Print and Mail, with his wife, Cookie.

      The top club award, the Leroy Winn Memorial Award - a revolving trophy – went to the Fin-Feather-Fur Conservation Society (3-F Club) of Lewiston for all their hard work in 2007. They hosted a very successful Kelly for Kids program last summer and also supported many other fund raising efforts from wildlife rehabilitators to physically challenged people. They also helped with the shooting day of the Association of Great Lakes Outdoor Writers, making it one of the most successful ever. They have hosted the Pheasants Forever youth hunt for ten years, showing a commitment to the future of hunting, shooting and other outdoor activities.

    The Carl Lass Memorial Award for youth of the year was doubly rewarding for area youth this year. First, Brandon Culverwell of Wilson was recognized for his outstanding leadership, volunteerism and possessing a strong conservation ethic in following in his father’s footsteps, Stan Culverwell. The 14 year old 9th grader from Wilson Central has attended DEC conservation camp, worked on an Adopt A Highway program locally and helps his dad with hunter safety training, trapper training and nuisance wildlife control. He was also the primary reason for a clean-up of the Wilson piers when a problem occurred last year.

McKeown Wins Robinson Award – Paul McKeown, Region 9 Fisheries Manager for DEC, was named the 2007 recipient of the Milford “Pinky” Robinson Award for dedication to the Great Lakes fisheries. While McKeown has long been a friend of the sporting and conservation community, McKeown’s efforts really stood out last year when a salmon egg shortfall was realized and a secondary plan to collect eggs was needed to supplement the state’s take at the Salmon River. He worked nights and weekends to help bring the project to a conclusion. An employee with DEC since 1984, he’s been the Region 9 Fisheries Manager since 2004.
   
       A second award was given to Ashley Butcher of Lockport, possessing the same ethic and dedication. Daughter of John and Cookie, she, too, helps out with all the functions that her parents are involved with (which are many!). The 13 year old, an 8th grader with North Park Middle School in Lockport, scored a perfect 800 on the SAT math test, is in the high honor society with a 98.6 average and took her first turkey last year in the youth mentor hunt. She was one of the outstanding campers at the DEC youth conservation camp in Rushford and routinely volunteers for other committees and functions.

    Assemblywoman Francine DelMonte presented the youth awards and then gave a brief update on legislation that would help to lower the big game hunting age in the state to 14. While it’s not a done deal yet, she was upbeat and positive about working toward this goal with DEC Commissioner Pete Grannis.

    The Ken Berner Memorial Award, for special dedication to a sportsmen’s heritage program, went to John Gensler of Newfane. He stands for conservation. In 2000, he bought a 100-plus acre farm and performed some intense habitat work. He was named Wildlife Habitat of the Year by Pheasant Forever in 2001. He didn’t stop there, either. He applied to be part of the Wetlands Reserve Program and was finally accepted in 2005. Since that time, he has put 50 acres into the program and constructed seven marshes for the benefit of waterfowl and other wildlife.

    Victor Fitchlee Lifetime Achievements Awards went to Rena Israel of Wilson and Gary Lowe of Niagara Falls. Mrs. Isreal, a charter member of the Wilson Conservation Club Auxiliary, was honored last year by her group for being a member all 50 years of the group’s existence. She’s a dedicated hard-worker that knows how to get things done. Lowe is the senior member of the hunter safety training community. His home base is the LaSalle Sportsmen’s Club, but helps out the entire county with his expertise. He is also a previous winner of the prestigious Gen. Douglas MacArthur Award given out by the Masonic Lodge organization.

    The John Daly Memorial Award for Legislator of the Year went to U.S. Representative Thomas Reynolds. He was recognized for his years of service to the outdoor community, especially his perfect record in working to protect the Second Amendment rights of all Americans. He was one of the driving forces to saving the Niagara Air Force Base and continues to sponsor key legislation to conserve and protect our Great Lakes.

    The Steve Fountain/Arch Lowery Memorial Award for outstanding hunter safety education as it relates to archery when to Larry Koch of Newfane. He’s one of the big go-to guys that people look up to and a constant volunteer for the cause.
    The James Reed/Don Meyer Memorial Award for hunter safety training as it relates to firearms went to Dale Dunkelberger of Lockport. Dale has been at it a long time and continues to provide outstanding leadership in the hunter safety arena. He’s always learning new information, new techniques to teach and reaching out to get new people involved.

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Bronson, Godfrey Make 2008 Class in Hall of Fame

         The late Don Bronson of Niagara County and Charles “Chuck” Godfrey of Erie County were two of 11 selected inductees into the New York State Outdoorsmen Hall of Fame for 2008, with the official act taking place when they hold their banquet on April 26 at the Rusty Nail Restaurant in Canastota. This will be the 25th anniversary celebration of the Hall of Fame and it’s only fitting that these guys are being selected during a milestone year. 

        The NYS Outdoorsmen Hall of Fame is dedicated to honoring the men and women who have made significant contributions to preserving and protecting our outdoor heritage. They are also the leaders who pass on the outdoor tradition for future generations to come. They all help to make this place a better place to live.     

       Bronson exemplified everything that the Hall of Fame stands for. He was a standout hunter safety and waterfowl identification instructor, a representative on the Western Zone Waterfowl Task Force and was honored by the county’s Federation of Conservation Clubs many times. He was also the recipient of the Distinguished Service Award by the New York State Conservation Council. In addition, he was a Leopold Education Project Facilitator, passing along his outdoor knowledge to students and teachers alike. He passed away in December 2006. 

      Godfrey, who lives in Cheektowaga, worked tirelessly for over three decades with the Western New York Chapter of Trout Unlimited. He is a past president of TU and was a long time chairman of their Stream Project Committee. For his volunteer efforts, he received the coveted TU Silver Trout Award for outstanding service and was also recognized by the state’s Conservation Council as Amateur Conservationist of the Year in 2005. He was past president of the Erie County Federation of Sportsmen’s Clubs for five years and currently serves on the county’s Fisheries Advisory Board. He’s the board representative to the Niagara Greenway Commission. 

       Other inductees into the Hall of Fame this year include: Raymond “Mick” Elliot of Saratoga County; Dr. John Braico of Queensburg; Rudy Hektor of Binghamton; Harry “Bud” Woodfield of Broome County; outdoor writer Ron Kolodziej of Montgomery County; Bill Wellman of Plattsburgh; and former DEC Commissioner Mike Zagata of Otsego County. 

        Bronson is one of three selections that will be inducted posthumously into the Hall this year. The other two are C. Scott Sampson of Seneca County and Tim Noga of Cayuga County. All were friends of this writer and of the same class of individual that Bronson represented for his 40-plus years of service to Niagara’s sportsmen and women. For more information on the Hall of Fame, contact Leo Maloney at 315-363-3896. If you’d like to attend the dinner, you must contact Maloney by April 18. Their website is www.nysohof.org .

A-1 Bait Opens Friday in Lewiston –

     A-1 Bait Supply will be opening up for the spring season this Friday from 6:30 a.m. to noon, Thursday through Sunday until April 1. When April hits, hours will change to 6:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. and the days will increase to Tuesday through Sunday according to Ron Hutcheson. His new flatfish order is in with the new colors, replacing the discontinued Kwikfish colors. His self-service bait shop located at 5425 Grauer Road in the Town of Niagara continues to be open from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m., seven days a week. If you have any questions, the Lewiston shop phone number is 754-1895.

Deadline for Refuge Funding Approaching –

       The National Wildlife Refuge System is in dire straits right now in the way of funding for refuge operations and maintenance. Costs have not kept up with the rate of inflation or costs associated with environmental, conservation and law enforcement challenges at these refuges around the country. A deadline to support legislation that is asking for $514 million in funding is fast approaching. This Wednesday, an important letter is being sent to the House Interior and Environment Appropriations Subcommittee requesting the funds to support he National Wildlife Refuges in the coming fiscal year. The Izaak Walton League of America has been leading the charge to write letters to their Washington representation and they’ve made things extremely easy on their website through their Conservation Advocacy Center. Simply log on to their website at www.congressweb.com/cweb4/index.cfm?orgcode.IWLA and plug in your contact information. Your zip code tells you who your representation is and they help you formulate a letter to send out via e-mail. With timing so critical right now, don’t delay and send out a note today. If you didn’t know, National Wildlife Refuges provide critical habitat for all sorts of fish and wildlife. In turn, it provides an abundance of outstanding recreational opportunities in the great outdoors, from hunting and fishing to hiking and birding. We need to funding to keep this good thing going.

Input Sought On 2008-09 Waterfowl Seasons –

       The state’s Department of Environmental Conservation is seeking input toward recommendations from the Empire State for the 2008-09 waterfowl seasons. Task Force representation has been appointed for most of the zones that make up the waterfowl hunting areas including members from conservation groups, waterfowl organizations and individual hunters. If you’d like to provide some input into the process, contact your area representative and pass the word along for what you’d like to see. For example, if you’d like to see an early opener for ducks, let them know. 

      If you’d prefer an earlier late season or a longer late season, contact one of the Task Force members and let your voice be heard. Since the passing of Don Bronson, we lost Niagara County representation on the Task Force, something the Niagara County Federation of Conservation Clubs fought very hard for. Best Task Force members to contact for input would be Ken Alfes of Darien Center at 585-547-3579 kalfes@excite.com ; Ken Zolnowski of Cheektowaga at 716-836-2239 zolnowski@cubrc.org ; or Bill Howell of Arcade at 585-496-5162 bill.howell@fisher-price.com . The deadline for submitting comments or recommendations is April 3 for ducks. If you’d like to make comment on other migratory game birds such as Canada geese, snow geese, brant or woodcock, contact members of the DEC Waterfowl Season Setting Team. In Region 9, that would be Connie Adams-Meesig at 851-7010 or Mike Ermer at 372-0645. In Region 8, it’s Mike Eckler at 585-226-5458.

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Larson Wins Niagara River Steelhead Contest

        Capt. Roy Larson of North Tonawanda did something last Saturday he’s been trying to do for a long time – win the Niagara River Anglers Association’s steelhead contest. While drifting a pink egg sack in the tail end of the Stella drift, the retired school teacher managed to out-duel at 14 pound, four ounce steelhead to best 76 other anglers in the one day contest. A guide in these waters, Larson was fishing with friend and fellow captain John DeLorenzo of Niagara Falls. “It was kind of a fluke I even fished it,” said Larson. “John was supposed to have a charter fishing trip and his customer cancelled last minute with the flu. He called me up to fish it and I didn’t like the cold weather in the forecast. He actually talked me into it and I’m glad he did!” 

        Fishing conditions have been tough this year. With Lake Erie not freezing over and lots of wind and rain muddying the waters up, the trout fishing in the lower Niagara has been inconsistent at best. The anglers received a bit of a reprieve on Saturday, with good enough conditions to catch some fish and keep anglers happy. “We caught fish in Devil’s Hole, Artpark, Queenston and Jackson before catching the winning fish on Stella. Egg sacks worked for us all day and I know some boats caught fish on Kwikfish, too. We probably caught a dozen fish for the morning.” Larson wasn’t sure what the key to his success was other than pounding the water and trying out different areas. “We seemed to catch the same size fish on most drifts, so we moved around to seek out some bigger fish. It worked.” 

       Larson prefers a seven foot, nine inch G. Loomis steelhead rod equipped with a Fin-Nor spinning reel. While running a three-way rig, his egg sack was trailing a seven foot lead of eight pound fluorocarbon line. “You want as natural a presentation as possible,” said the avid waterfowler and 3-F Club skeet shooter. He won just under $400 for his efforts. Mike Sullivan and Dan Covell tied for second place with each catching a 12 pound, six ounce steelhead. However, Sullivan claimed the second place prize by weighing his catch in first at Lewiston Landing. According to Larson, Sullivan hauled his catch from Artpark while fishing from shore. Then again, Larson is the guy that followed the wrong car in an attempt to follow his guide while out goose hunting in the Finger Lakes this past goose season, so who knows for sure. Anyway, nice job, Roy! You did good!!

Niagara Outdoors Hosts Big Buck Measuring Day –

      Jeff Pippard of Niagara Outdoors in North Tonawanda sends word that his shop will be hosting a NewYork State Big Buck Club measuring day on Saturday, February 23 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Official scorers Pete Labushesky, Don Haseley and Dave Muir will be on hand throughout the day to score your antlers and give you an official measurement. Food and refreshments will be available. Niagara Outdoors is located at 223 Witmer Road (on the corner of Warner). If you have any questions or need any additional information, give Pip a call at 695-5873.

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Déjà vu All Over Again For Bunky Derby

To quote a famous line from Yogi Berra, it was Déjà vu all over again for the Third Annual Ron Meesig Memorial Fishing Contest - also referred to as The Bunky Derby - held on the lower Niagara River last Sunday. It's funny how things happen sometimes. 

Held two weeks later this year, this fun fishing competition isn't really about who catches the biggest fish (although some local captains would argue that point); and it really isn't about how much money they can raise for a most worthy cause (more than $500 was raised this year for the American Brain Tumor Association); it's about getting together, having a good time and remembering a special friend who really loved to fish these local waters. 

Connie Adams-Meesig of Lewiston started this event up back in the fall of 2005 to get her friends together and "share some love" in remembering her husband. It was at a time of year when local charter captains were "bonding" on the lower river in pursuit of the king salmon, a profession that "Bunky" shared while on this planet. And this little fishing derby has blossomed into a kind of lower river fellowship that anyone who had knew Ron and participated in it looks forward to each fall. One thing is for sure, no one goes away hungry! This year's menu included a truckload of chicken legs, moose tenderloin, venison sausage, deep fried turkeys, chili, moose burgers (and beef), hot dogs and all the fixin's. 

Now the Déjà vu part of the day. Since it's inception, the name of Cinelli has been synonymous with the winners plaque. The first year it was Capt. Joe Cinelli of Grand Island while fishing with Rich Seig of New Jersey. The second year it was Karen Cinelli of Newfane taking the top spot. This year, as luck would have it, it was Capt. Joe Cinelli again in the winner's circle. His fishing partner? Rich Seig of New Jersey, who just happened to be on the boat again taking a charter. They boated a 20.8 pound salmon first thing in the morning in Devil's Hole to take the top prize. 

Second place went to Capt. Jim Gordon of Appleton with a 20.4 pound king and third place was Capt. Scott Endres of Grand Island with a 19.9 pound salmon. Fourth place was Capt. Eric Elenfeldt of North Tonawanda with an 18.7 pound Chinook, followed by 13 year old Nathan Lapides of Williamsville with a 17.7 pound king. He was fishing with Capt. Mark McGranahan of Tonawanda. After a bit of coaxing, Connie put this derby together last minute. She wondered whether or not there would be enough help to get everything accomplished. 

Volunteers came out of the woodwork to help, whether it was to cook, clean or just provide a dish or two to pass. Everyone chipped in to make the event a real success all the way around. Even if you didn't know Ron, you could have listened to some of the stories flying around Lewiston Landing as the chefs cooked moose over charcoal in a brand new propane grill. They couldn't get the new burners to light so they improvised and turned the grill into a charcoal grill! 

The show must go on!! Thanks to all who chipped in made this year's Bunky derby a real success.

See this webpage: http://www.outdoorsniagara.com/bunkysalmonderby.htm 

Western Zone Waterfowl Season Opens Oct. 23 -

If you're looking to chase ducks, coot and mergansers in the Western Zone of the state, the first half of the season will be from October 23-December 6. One of the biggest highlights for area waterfowlers (especially during the late season Dec. 29 to Jan. 12, 2008) is that the daily limit for canvasbacks has been increased to two birds per day in response to record high population levels. Of course, these two birds would be part of the daily bag limit of six ducks. That daily bag includes all mergansers and may include no harlequin ducks. In addition, no more than four mallards may be taken (two of which may be hens); one black duck; one pintail; two wood ducks; two redheads; two scaup; four scoters; and two hooded mergansers. If Canada geese is your pleasure, Niagara County and to the south and east (referred to as the South Zone) will be open from October 27 to December 16 with a daily limit of five birds per day. Slip over to the West Central Zone, which includes much of the Finger Lakes, the season is Nov. 3 to December 2 with a daily limit of three per day. The West Central Zone also has a late season of Dec. 29 to Jan. 12, while the South Zone has one last season from Dec. 26 to Jan. 13 and another that will take place from March 1 to 10 - both with daily bag limits of five per person per day.

Bear Management Meetings Set -

The Department of Environmental Conservation has announced that a series of public education workshops are currently being held to discuss the future management plans for black bears. Bear populations have been thriving in recent years, with secure populations existing in the Adirondacks, Catskills and Allegany regions of the state - the three areas that allow hunting. Already for this fall, bear hunting in the Catskills Region has been expanded to help control increased population levels. Public input is needed to help shape the future of black bear management. It's important that the hunting community turn out to help support hunting as an important tool to help control bear population levels around the state. While several meetings are slated for later this month, meetings have yet to be announced for Regions 3, 5 and 6. Here in Region 9, meetings are slated for: October 23 at Cuba-Rushford High School in Cuba; October 24 at Concord Town Hall in Springville; and October 25 at the Frank Bratt Agricultural Center in Jamestown. All meetings start at 7 p.m. For more information and a complete listing of meetings around the state, check out www.dec.ny.gov/animals/38155.html 

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Niagara Outdoors for Tuesday  August 21 2007 

Passing of John Long, Sr. Is End of an Era

By Bill Hilts, Jr.

    When the news came through that John J. Long, Sr. had passed on to the 
happy hunting grounds last Wednesday, it was like a chapter out of the Twilight 
Zone. Could this really be happening? Time stood still as I reflected on his 
storied past. Previous hunting and fishing trips we shared, outdoor writer 
conferences we attended together, hockey games we cheered and jeered through and 
meetings we toiled through together. They were all adventures in their own 
right and they are coming to a close now that our close friend is gone.

    John J. Long of Niagara Falls, NY was a legend of sorts.  While his focus 
was on bears and his love of the hunt, his legend knew no boundaries around 
sportsman and conservation circles.  A former Conservationist of the Year, 
honored by the New York State Conservation Council for his lifetime achievements 
and unselfish dedication to the state's natural resources, Long's list of 
accomplishments was as his name suggests. Most recently, he was inducted into the 
New York State Outdoorsman Hall of Fame last April, located at the Gander 
Mountain store in Utica. I'm proud to say I was there for the induction ceremonies, 
an honor that was well deserved and long overdue.

    In the interest of time and space, we'll jump through some important 
times of his 74 years of life.  Growing up in the rural expanses of Western New 
York, Long worked his way through college - nearby Niagara University - by 
catching fish from the Niagara River and selling them to local restaurants.  While 
he concentrated on blue and yellow pike, he'd even harvest sturgeon for 
Buffalo-area eateries.

    Fast forward to his first exposure to bears and bear hunting.  That was 
back in 1962 when friends Harry Balmer and Dale Rinker invited Long along on a 
trip to Northern Ontario, Canada.  His life changed forever, in more ways that 
one.  After spending several months on choosing a place to go, corresponding 
with several bear hunting lodges, they finally selected Long Point Lodge near 
Goganda.  Not only were they extremely helpful, Long took it to extremes like 
he almost always does: he married the lodge owners' daughter (not on this 
first trip, though).  That first year he was the only one to take a bear.

    "I was still hunting an old overgrown logging road that fateful day," 
said Long has he reflected back four decades for an article I wrote for the North 
American Bear Foundation Journal. " I had walked about 15 miles when I came 
across a grassy slope and decided to rest.  I dozed off, only to be awakened by 
something.  As I sat up, there was a black bear less than 50 yards from me 
grazing.  It only took one shot from my .30-06 Model 70 Winchester to take my 
first bear.  The rest is history.  I was bit by the bear bug!"

    Among other things, he fell in love with bear hunting and the wild 
country of Northern Ontario.  After several trips up hunting and fishing that same 
year, he decided to get a place of his own up north, doing so in 1963 in 
Englehart.  Four years later, he purchased the camp he owned up until his last days 
on Crooked Creek in Kenogami, near Kirkland Lake.  "I still remember the day, 
August 23, 1967," said Long.  "It cost me $385 for 80 acres of land, the 
buildings and the furniture.  We performed the transaction in one day."

    Long was known for his stories.  As his name suggests, most of them were 
like that.  But don't ever question the validity of his real life experiences 
because they really have happened.  Since 2003, he collaborated with me as a 
featured writer in the NABF publication, keying in on some of the humorous 
aspects of bear hunting.  With 45 years under his belt, he had quite a few stories 
to tell. The sad part is that those stories, as they can only be told by 
Long, are now only part of the legacy he's left behind.

    As we mentioned, his employment is insurance and he's well known across 
the country in that capacity.  He was one of the few people in the U.S. that 
would work to insure hunting and shooting clubs, as well as game farms and 
preserves. 
 
      His reputation even extended into the political arena of the Empire State and 
beyond.  A personal friend of former New York Governor George Pataki, Long 
was asked to take over the Republican Party in Niagara County in 1996 - a 
position he held until 2000. But that's only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to 
his political affiliations in working the system to support the conservation 
movement. He was a very close friend with Senator John Daly, serving as 
chairman of his Conservation Advisory Committee. His influence was a key to Long's 
legacy of leaving this world a much better place to be.
A big responsibility of Long was being Chairman (and  vice chairman) of the 
state's Conservation Fund Advisory Board .  It's the job of CFAB to oversee the 
state Department of Environmental Conservation's expenditures as they relate 
to fish and wildlife.  License money revenues in the state are earmarked for 
something called the Conservation Fund and there are restrictions on how that 
money can be spent. Through Long's leadership, he was able to keep a watchful 
eye on DEC and provide both helpful insight and constructive criticism
While he was often busier than a one-armed paper hanger, he would always make 
time for bears and bear hunting.  "It's the hunt that I truly love," said 
Long.  "I learn something new every time I'm in the bush with these animals.  
I've come to understand their habits, which directly relates to hunting success.  
These animals are very territorial and I use that to my advantage when 
hunting them.  While I don't shoot that many bears any more, I still love the 
hunt...and the meat."

    The last bear he harvested wasn't a black bear at all but an Alaskan Grizzly 
bear taken the middle of April 2001.  All Long's trips are adventures and this 
one was no different.  A call from a friend clued him in on a canceled hunt, 
looking for someone to pick up the difference.  While an Alaskan grizzly hunt 
was the furthest thing from his mind at the time, his love for bears and bear 
hunting got the best of him.  Within two weeks, he was headed off St. 
Michael's, Alaska to hunt with Jerry Austin and his Austin's Alaska Adventures.
Working with master guide Austin, they pinpointed a coastal area where Austin 
had sighted a big bear the previous fall.  They immediately found bear sign 
around a dead walrus that had been frozen all winter and just recently thawed 
out.  It was just a matter of time before Long got his shot and his first 
grizzly.  The huge bruin stood at better than 9-1/2 feet tall and weighed over 
1,000 pounds!  Long was in that final phase of a hunter's life.  It didn't matter 
if he harvested an animal or not, he still enjoyed the hunt itself.  "I get 
more enjoyment in seeing someone else get their first bear, deer or turkey than 
in taking one myself.  When someone gets that first animal, they're walking on 
air and bustling with pride.  If I didn't like the meat so much, I'd never 
shoot another animal myself."

     John Long truly was an outdoor legend.  You never know what's going to happen 
next, either.  He loved hunting alone and often did so chasing moose each 
fall.  One year, while hunting far back in the bush, he hyper extended his knee 
just prior to a major snowstorm.  Everyone feared we lost him when he failed to 
come out.  Search parties were formed as they tried to locate him.  One thing 
about John is that he always prepared for the worse case scenario and this 
was it.  He had some food and built a shelter.  He also had a space blanket to 
keep his warmth.  Surviving a foot of snow for several days, he was able to 
construct a makeshift crutch and hobble his way out almost eight miles.  Oh, yea, 
he got his moose, too.
     
      He was also a family man, proud of sons and daughters… and grand kids. 
He went out of his way to take them hunting and spend time with them, as we all 
should. He was a model for us to follow in so many ways.
           
     From his involvement with the Niagara River Anglers Association 
and his walleye pond project donation to his involvement with things like the 
Strawberry Island project, he made things happen. He was a leader with the state 
Conservation Council and the state Outdoor Writers. He was one of the doers 
we don't hear enough about, the people in the trenches working to make things 
happen.
  
      There are still many more stories to tell. Hats off to one of Long's 
daughters, Amy Long-McCalister who put together an excellent video tribute of her dad 
- nearly an hour of memorable Long pictures through the years and set to some 
of John's favorite songs. The many people who showed up at the funeral home 
all took turns watching as they laughed - and cried - through this pictorial 
collage. It would have made Long happy and I could sense him smiling down on us 
as we watched. In the background, you could hear people tell their own Long 
stories and some of the memories he passed along through his time here on Earth.
    
      John Long, Jr. was up north at the camp this past week to close things 
down for the winter. While using the outhouse one day, he looked over through 
the window and saw a bear paw! As he stood, he could see a big black bear 
carrying around a gas can, almost like he was looking for something. Yes, even the 
bears up north will be missing John, Sr.! Thanks to Long, our life is much 
fuller and we live in a better place. His legacy will live on forever. But like 
the bears up north, we'll miss him terribly now that he's not with us any more 
physically. However, we'll all be carrying around a piece of his spirit. Thanks 
for the memories, John!

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Sportsmen Lose Another Pillar

Don Bronson's death leaves a big void.
Bill Hilts, Jr.

         The outdoor sporting community lost another true leader last week when Don Bronson of Newfane passed away. He was 71 years old, leaving behind a legacy of education that has affected thousands upon thousands of people - in more ways than one. 

         Unfortunately, the obituary in the paper really didn't do him justice as to how influential this man really way. It simply said he was a teacher for Niagara Wheatfield, a hunter and handgun instructor and belonged to the NRA. That was it. 

          The memorial service held at Niagara County Cooperative Extension in Lockport helped to celebrate his life and times as a father, grandfather and friend to more than 200 in attendance. Memories flowed (as did tears and laughs) as they remembered Bronson. However, it still didn't convey how important he was to the outdoor fraternity. 

         John Butcher of Lockport, president of the Niagara County Federation of Conservation Clubs, had this to say about Bronson: "As one of Niagara County's Hunter Education Master Instructors Bronson was someone that the sportsmen's' community depended on to teach us how to be safe a field. 

         Don was at his best when in front of a group of young adults teaching hunter education and it was obvious he loved doing it. His energy and passion for teaching were the driving forces that help make Niagara County's Hunter Education program one of the finest in the United States. 

         He will be sadly missed by the Federation as our mentor and friend." As a hunter safety instructor for both firearms and archery for over 35 years, he truly made the fields and forests a safer place to be - educating thousands of new hunters. Gary Lowe of Niagara Falls was a Master Instructor who worked alongside Bronson for decades. "He came across as a tough guy," said Lowe, "an image that carried through from his days as a U.S. Marine. But once you got through that rigid exterior, he was loving, caring and compassionate. He sincerely wanted to educate his students." 

        Bronson was a man dedicated to the cause. When asked to step up, he did just that. For instance, when the Western New York Relicensing Committee was looking for a chairman to oversee an environmental subcommittee, he didn't make any excuses. He answered the call. 

         When ased to serve as a task force member for Western New York waterfowl, no questions were asked. He filled the role that needed to be filled, with passion, fervor and knowledge. 

       Some of these accomplishments also help tell the story about this man:

* He was named the Oliver Jones Memorial Award recipient in 1995 by the Niagara County Federation of Conservation Clubs, symbolic for sportsman of the year. -- 

* He was selected as the General Douglas MacArthur Youth Award recipient in 2005 by the Mason Lodge. -- 

* Other Federation Awards included the Steve Fountain Memorial Award in 1991 and again in 2006; the James Reed Memorial Award in 1997; and he also received a Distinguished Service Award from the New York State Conservation Council. -- 

* Bronson also received The American Chestnut Foundation (New York State Chapter) Director's Award for Excellence in Education.

And while this recognition was all well deserved, it truly paled in comparison to how much work this man did for the great outdoors and the wealth of people it surrounds. Whether it was with waterfowl identification (another one of his passions), hunter education or anything else he was involved with, Bronson was a public servant that made Niagara County a better place to be. Let's hope he's in a better place, too.

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Pelcin Will Be Missed --

        Charles "Chuck" Pelcin of Amherst passed away this week and his obituary didn't do him justice as to what he meant to the sporting community. As a board member of the Niagara River Anglers Association, he served with his heart and soul for 24 years - since its inception as a charter member. Here's some quotes from people who worked with him over the years: Paul Jackson, current NRAA president: "Chuck was very passionate about the environment, especially as it related to the Niagara River system. He served as an excellent steward to these resources for sportsmen and all the people who live here." Doug Stein, NRAA past president for nine years: "Chuck Pelcin was stability and common sense all rolled up into one. Of all the letters written in the nine years I was president, Chuck wrote them all. He was the voice of the NRAA." Frank Campbell, current NRAA Board Member: "He was level headed with a great sense of hummor. Whenever there was a conflict of opinion or a disagreement, leave it to Chuck to bring it back under control with a smile."

        Pelcin was one of a kind. He was an excellent spokesperson for sportmen and highly respected in the community as a former principle of Niagara-Wheatfield Central School. He was also a good friend, always taking the time to come over and say hello. He will be missed more than most will ever realize.

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Remembering a Friend on the Lower Niagara 

By Bill Hilts, Jr.

       Earlier this year, the Lower Niagara River lost one of its own when Capt. Ron "Bunky" Meesig lost his battle with a brain tumor. Not wanting to let his memory be forgotten, his wife, Connie Adams-Meesig, decided to put together the First Annual Capt. Ron Meesig Memorial Salmon Derby in his honor last Sunday, to have boats compete for the "Bunky" Award. A total of 31 boats competed in this competition. 

      Capt. Joe Cinelli of Grand Island was the first "Bunky" winner. He was the top gun with a 23.3 pound king. Jeff Tedesco of Lewiston was runnerup with a 22.3 pound Chinook. Cinelli earned $294 plus a plaque; Tedesco $126. Cinelli will have his name engraved on a larger plaque that will be on display at Tin Pan Alley in Lewiston, with the new winner to be added on each year. 

       A total of $255 was also raised for the American Brain Tumor Association, in Capt. Ron's memory. While it's nice to win a little cash or receive a plaque, this was all secondary to the real intent of the contest - pull the Lower Niagara River fishing community together for a day to remember a good friend. Both family members and friends pulled together for a great outdoor foodfest that followed the derby, including barbecued chicken, deep fried turkeys, venison chili, hot dogs, hamburgers, salads and much more in the food department. Throw in some music, some great weather and a portable version of the Buffalo Bills game in the corner of the Lewiston pavilion along the banks of the Lower Niagara River - Ron's second home for his time here on earth - and the day was perfect. It most definitely brought an Irish smile from above.

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