It was reported in the Baltimore Sun this past Sunday so it’s now official, I and eleven other members have been appointed by the Governor of Maryland to the Sport Fish Advisory Commission. Only a few older members return to the list with a host of new ones. I was sworn in this week and will start work when the meetings resume in September. Many members of the Maryland fishing community know me from the TidalFish.com website that I also run which is why you see that listed after my name.

Candus Thomson reported in her outdoor column in the Baltimore Sun on Sunday:

Take your seats, gentsHere are your new representatives on the Sport Fisheries Advisory Commission. Please hold your applause until all names are announced: Dave Sikorski, Coastal Conservation Association of Maryland; Bill Windley, Maryland Saltwater Sportfishermen’s Association; Ed O’Brien, Maryland Charterboat Association; James Wommack, recreational angler; Roger Trageser, Maryland Bass Federation; Val Lynch, Ocean City Marlin Club; Brandon White, Tidalfish.com; Bill Goldsborough, Chesapeake Bay Foundation; Larry Coburn, guide and tackle shop representative; Neil Jacobs, Trout Unlimited; Herb Smith, McDaniel College; and Jim Gracie, Maryland Aquatic Resource Coalition.

And these are the members of the Tidal Fisheries Advisory Commission: John Van Alstein, waterman and potter; Larry Simns, Maryland Watermen’s Association; Richard Young; Andrea Jacquette, seafood retailer; Jack Brooks, crab processor; Mike Benjamin, JR Gross, Russell Dukes, Greg Price, all watermen; Steve Gordon, coastal bays aquaculture; and Brian Keehn, Maryland Charterboat Association. The SFAC will select one of its members as a representative to TFAC.

Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR)  announced that anglers broke two state records in last weekend’s Ocean City Shark Tournament. The first was a 642-pound thresher shark caught by Brent Applegit of Golden, Colo., and Jim Hughes of Ocean City, Md. caught the second, an 876-pound mako shark.

Applegit’s catch on Friday night broke the previous record of 613 pounds set by Don Lorden in 2003. It was his first shark catch. He and his brother were spending the Father’s Day weekend with their dad, an Ocean Pines resident. On Saturday, Hughes landed his mako shark, and shattered the old record of 766 pounds set by Frank Gaither in 1984. The shark was so large that Hughes needed a larger boat Continue Reading »

Peto Dalle Norgare is a friend from Argentina who just happens to be one of the best fly fishing and light tackle golden dorado fishing guides in Northern Argentina. As I was sitting working in the office yesterday thinking about fishing Peto sent me an email with this monster golden dorado that he had just landed for one of his clients. He said the Lateral Line hat brought them luck, nice going man! He said that they caught three of them in the area about this size. When I asked him what area that was, he replied it was the same area that my friend Tom caught a 24+pounder on a top water fly when we were down fishing with Peto earlier this year. The Rio Parana is a spectacular golden dorado fishery, if you have not been there, you should put it on the list of places to go. If you would like to get in touch with Peto to arrange some fishing you can reach him at: petodn@hotmail.com

Great dorado Peto! Thanks for the picture and keep wearing that Lateral Line hat, it is definitely lucky.

Click on the picture for a larger version

The N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries is accepting applications for proposals for the 2010 funding cycle from the N.C. Marine Resources Fund.

The fund, which receives proceeds from the sale of Coastal Recreational Fishing Licenses, provides grants for projects that help manage, protect, restore, develop, cultivate and enhance the state’s marine resources. This is the first request for proposals issued for the fund.

Only universities, North Carolina local government entities, the state Division of Marine Fisheries and Wildlife Resources Commission are eligible to apply. Others must partner with an eligible entity.

Proposals will be evaluated based on Continue Reading »

Virginia Marine Resources Fishing Tournament 2009 Leading Entries as of June 3, 2009.
Click on the image for a larger view of the leaders

A friend and I needed our fix of a real Chesapeake crab cake so we flew down to Tangier Island for lunch yesterday. It’s a great little island with some fantastic scenery. I took my camera along and took some shots that I thought you might enjoy from the ground and air. You can click on each image for a larger version of the image. Enjoy!

Welcome to Tangier Island

Home of the future Tangier Island airport terminal

A sign of the times

Tangier Seafood Restaurant

Cabbing is the main stay of industry on the island

Shot from where we ate overlooking Tangier harbor entrance

Continue Reading »