Week of January 26, 2009

Feature USA Discount



Top Dog Tackle offers a full line of fishing tackle along with camping supplies, digital game cameras, game calls and more. Owner Aaron Hochstedler, a member of UAW Local 685, is proud to offer USA members a 10% discount on everything in the online store. 

Click here to take advantage of this special offer.

Recent Gun Winners

Michael Rogers
Member of IBEW Local 510
300 New Member Drawing

Ray Carpenter
Member of Roofers Local 49
300 New Member Drawing

Lawrence Wade
Member of Glaziers Local 513  300 New Member Drawing

Ian Sargent
Member of IAFF Local 3080 December Gun-A-Month

Bob Setlock
Member of UA Local 14
300 New Member Drawing


Michael Richardson
Member of IAFF Local 337
300 New Member Drawing


All USA members are included in the USA Gun-A-Month drawing. Every 300 new members are included in an additional raffle.

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In Memory of Jim Range



The Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership suffered a terrible loss last week when Jim Range, founder of the TRCP and Chairman of its Board of Directors, died after a short battle with cancer. This crushing blow was felt not just in the TRCP family, but across the conservation community and the many organizations Jim helped lead. Jim cherished critters and places so dearly that he often wept when talking about them. Now we weep for this man who was our champion and inspiration.

Click here to visit the James D. Range Memorial website.

 

The USA is a program of the
Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership (TRCP), a coalition of America's leading conservation
groups, trade unions and individuals working together to preserve the traditions of hunting and fishing. 
Learn more about the sportsmen's issues the TRCP is working on at www.TRCP.org.

 

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More USA Member Photos

 

Danny Lancaster, an International Rep. for BRC/TCU/IAM/Unit 50, harvested this 6x6 elk with a rifle in Colorado's Powder Horn Wilderness.  The bull was shot from 276 yards on opening morning of the first season.  It took three days to pack the meat out of the 4+ miles that were restricted to vehicles.  Photo taken by David Koenig, a UTU member.

 

 

Erick Gerritson, a member of IAFF Local 400 in Oakfield, Wisconsin.

 

 

Michael Lemon, a member of IBEW 1579 in Thomson, Georgia, and his dog Chesney display their limit of Canada geese taken during the spring season in Georgia.  This was 17-month-old Chesney’s first real hunt.

 

 

Scott Steelman, a member of IBEW Local 340 in Sacramento, harvested a big 4-point in Northern California in a migratory wintering zone.  Steelman (bottom row-second from the right) is pictured with his father and brother, both IBEW members, and his nephews.  “We had a great hunt in our favorite spot.   Hunting is all about family and friends to us.  We killed three 4-point bucks in driving rain and wind.    
 

 

Ken Dick, a member of IAFF Local 1415 in Petaluma, California.

 

 

 

Jack Lee (left), Business Manager of Roofers local 210 in Erie PA, harvested this buck during archery season.  He is pictured with his hunting partner and SMWIA Local 12 Business Agent George Sommer (right).

 

 

 

In This Issue:

Best Shot Photo Contest
First Harvest Program Announces Youth Prize Giveaway
BAC Member Fights Big Game Fish on Escape to the Wild
Ice Fishing 101
50,000 People Sign TRCP's We are Wetlands Petition
Crappie Quesadilla Recipe

Best Shot Photo Contest | December Winner


Adam Hill, a member of SMWIA Local 103 in Casper, WY, harvested this 162lb. mountain lion in Ten Sleep, WY.

Check out the Brand-New USA Member Photo Gallery on the USA website and find out how you can win a #110 Buck knife ($70 value) with your best photo.  top

TRCP TV | BAC Member Fights Big Game Fish in Panama on Escape to the Wild.
by Sara Gabbard

Gary Babineau, a Minnesota native and member of BAC Local 1, always enjoyed an active lifestyle.  “Physical labor is what I like doing,” he said.  

He was able to put his active lifestyle to work on the evening of August 1, 2007, during one of the biggest tragedies and worldwide media stories Minnesota ever experienced.  Caught in rush hour traffic, Babineau was crossing the I-35 bridge when he felt rumbling and watched, in horror, as the bridge in front of him vanished. “I watched cars disappear into a cloud of dust,” he said. “It was then that I knew what was happening but couldn’t do anything about it.” 

Thoughts of dying and of his pregnant fiancé, Liz, raced through his mind. Would he die here and leave his child fatherless?  When the dust settled, Babineau opened his door and saw cars falling from the incline above. “I helped a lady next to me start walking off the bridge, and that’s when I heard a bus full of children screaming,” Babineau recalls. Putting his safety aside, he and several others helped pull children from the bus and get them to safety.

A few weeks later, Babineau witnessed the birth of his own child, Joe. Looking back, he describes August 2007 as the best month of his life.  “The whole thing changed our lives.  I’m very fortunate I’m still here, and my son is not without a dad. I haven’t been taking things for granted as much. Life can be taken at any moment, and I have to cherish the days I have.”

One way Babineau cherishes those days is hunting and fishing with his family and friends. With a lifelong passion for fishing, it was an easy decision to apply for TRCP’s Escape to the Wild, a program of the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership (TRCP), VERSUS and several trade unions and contractor associations that takes hardworking union members on the hunting or fishing trip of a lifetime. 

“I had seen the show on TV and heard about the contest at one of my local meetings,” Babineau said. “I never thought I would actually win.”

But with the help of Liz and close friends, the show’s host, Tom Ackerman, surprised Babineau with exciting news. “My softball game got rained out, so my buddies and I went to the bar for a couple of beers,” Babineau said. “This man came up and started asking me about the bridge experience. That wasn’t anything new since I was used to people recognizing me from the news coverage. All of a sudden, I put it together and realized I was talking to Tom Ackerman from Escape to the Wild! He told me to pack my bags because I was headed to Panama for a saltwater fishing trip.”

“I was in awe,” Babineau said.  “I’ve been fishing my whole life but never had the chance to do any saltwater fishing. I couldn’t wait to get out there and hook a monster!”

Babineau hopped aboard a small plane that took him to the heart of the Panama jungle. Almost immediately, his fun began as he got acquainted with Ackerman and the rest of the crew.

“Everything was exactly how I pictured it,” he said. “We went out on the boat everyday and caught tons of fish – everything from marlin to mahi mahi. The best part was coming back to the resort at night and cooking the fish we caught for dinner. Talk about fresh!"

When the fishing slowed down, Babineau had more time to get to know everyone.  “I gained a lot of friendships on the trip,” Babineau said.  “I met a lot of good people and learned a lot of good fishing techniques.  I want to say thanks to the TRCP, VERSUS and my union for their support. It really was the trip of a lifetime.”

Join Babineau for a heart-pumping, muscle-draining, big game fishing adventure in Panama. Airs Sunday, February 1 at 9:30 AM Eastern on VERSUS Country.

Visit www.TRCP.tv for additional air times, video, photos and more.     top

               

Ice Rods and Reels 
Though traditional rod/reel combos will work just fine for ice fishing, specialty, i.e. shorter and much lighter weight, outfits are not only recommended, but widely available. Outdoor stores such as Cabela’s or Bass Pro, as well as many of the local retailers, carry a fine line of ice fishing rods and reels. How do you, then, choose between makes and models? Truthfully, any of the name brands—Shakespeare, Eagle Claw, Berkley, to name but three—will serve you well, and shouldn’t set you back more than $30.

Cold-water Line 
Ice and light lines and lures go together, and this holds particularly true when the quarry are panfish. With lines, a tensile strength of two pounds is considered about the maximum, with a single pound often being better. Because of the ultralight nature of the lures used during wintertime panfishing, the lighter the line, the more precise the line handling and lure presentation becomes.  In hard water situations, one of the best monofilaments available is Berkley’s Trilene Cold Weather, a steel blue mono that offers anglers top-notch control without the hassle of cold water induced snarls and kinks. Berkley also offers ice anglers their choice of Fireline Micro Ice and Trilene Micro Ice, both excellent hard-water monofilament options. For more information on the complete line of Berkley/Pure Fishing ice-angling products, visit the company’s website at www.purefishing.com.

Baits and Lures
As far as baits and artificials are concerned, traditional holds true and traditional means ice flies, Pin Mins, meal worms and waxworms. Despite the technological advances in the fishing industry, few can argue with year-after-year success, and the aforementioned baits and lures continue to produce fantastic catches for ice anglers the country over. When combined with thumbnail-sized floats and quill bobbers, these tiny teardrop-shaped pieces of colored lead account for more ice-water catches than the sum of all the other available panfish baits. And while the productive colors may change from day to day, few anglers can go wrong by carting a tin filled with lead flies, Rat Finkies, and Pin Mins onto the ice.

Assorted Gear
Like most outdoor pursuits, ice fishing can be as simple or as complex as the individual wishes. Elementally, little more is actually needed than a rod and reel, bait and lures, and a way of cutting a hole through the ice. Augers or ice drills are popular among the hard water crowd, with both muscle-driven and gas-powered models being available. An ice scoop, or something to remove ice chips from the hole, is nice, though your hands can work just fine. Pleasant, too, are electronics, with the battery-powered Vexilar unit being a coast-to-coast favorite. A portable fish-finder, Vexilars not only reveal water depth, but can translate variables such as structure and fish presence to the user as well. Nice, but not inexpensive, a good sonar unit will run from $200 to $300.

Tactics and Techniques 
In ice fishing, water depth is often the most vital ingredient to success, that, and a good memory. More often than not, those areas that produced good catches during the summer will continue to provide fast action throughout the winter. Breaks in water depth, creek or river channels, or submerged vegetation are prime locations, as are shallow water coves or finger bays having a deep-water drop-off nearby.

Fortunately for ice anglers, the fish themselves will frequently dictate what style of lure presentation is best suited for success. In some cases, hard water panfish seem to favor a stationary bait, while in others, a slight jigging motion. Just a quick twitch of the wrist is all it takes to trigger a strike. On the subject of to jig or not to jig, anglers should remember that hard water means slow metabolisms, and any movement should be only enough to attract attention. On the topic of attracting attention, here is an old ice fishing tactic that works well on both bluegills and crappies—crushed eggshells.  When crumbled and dropped into the hole, the crushed shells act as tiny white spoons fluttering to the bottom. Panfish seeing these flashing movements draw near to investigate, and then it simply becomes a matter of the right bait at the right time.

Most Importantly, Safety
Two words really apply to ice and ice fishing safety—common sense. Ice fishing has become one of the nation’s foremost wintertime outdoor activities, but even a creel filled to overflowing with fish is not worth taking a chance on poor ice. As a rule, two inches of new, fresh ice is considered safe for a pair of anglers. Never go alone. Nobody likes to think the worst, but in the event of a break-through, two extra hands can mean the difference between getting home a little wet and chilly and not getting home at all.

Safety equipment, too, such as ice cleats, a pair of ice (hand) claws and a strong length of rope should be included in the gear bucket. Some anglers even go so far as to wear a lightweight life vest when on the ice, a good safety measure, and an extra layer of insulation against the chilly winds that warm the hearts of America’s ice fishing fanatics.  top

Conservation | 50,000 People Sign TRCP's We are Wetlands Petition

As a hunter or angler, you know the vital impact that our nation’s wetlands have on fish and wildlife habitat and outdoor recreation opportunities.  Wetlands are among the most diverse ecosystems supporting ducks, fish and countless other plant and animal species.  Alarmingly, we lose roughly 80,000 acres of these natural wetlands each and every year to development, urban sprawl, agricultural production and other land uses.

       

In April 2008, the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership (TRCP) launched a We are Wetlands petition drive to gather 80,000 names – one per acre of natural wetlands lost each year – in support of stronger legislation for wetlands protection.  As of January 2009, the TRCP has reached 50,000 signatures, illustrating the deep desire of the American public to see Congress pass strong new clean water protections.

“At a time when a series of Supreme Court decisions and subsequent rulemakings have dramatically weakened the Clean Water Act,” said TRCP Initiative Manager Geoff Mullins, “we need our leaders to take decisive actions to restore its original scope. Nothing short of a critical resource for millions of waterfowl and countless aquatic species hangs in the balance.”

“America’s hunters and anglers know full well the importance of wetlands to the resources they revere,” said TRCP President and CEO George Cooper. “Five to 7 million waterfowl annually use wetlands as feeding and resting areas, and 9 of every 10 fish caught recreationally depend on wetlands at some point in their lives. Put simply, it’s impossible to overstate the value of wetlands to our nation’s fish and wildlife – and the American sportsman.”

More than just a vital resource for hunters and anglers, wetlands are critical for everyone as nature’s water filters.  “As our population grows, preserving our natural wetlands means preserving clean drinking water supplies for all Americans,” said Tom Franklin, TRCP senior vice president.

The We Are Wetlands petition is available at: www.wearewetlands.org. top