The purpose of this entry is supposed to explain how my family has used Coleman camping gear in the past. However, growing up I didn't have an outdoors type family. I would go fishing with my grandfather or my friends when I got older, but we didn't do camping. My dad wasn't an outdoorsman at all, so I was lacking that role model to take me out and show me things. I'd like to change this for my family and especially for my daughter. She's so inquisitive and looks at the world with such wonder that I want to get her out there and show her everything that the natural world has to offer. I want to sit around a campfire and make smores with her and my wife after a day of hiking trails or fishing for wild trout or canoeing on a lake or down a river. Since I haven't had the opportunities to get out camping like this, I don't have the gear. But in order to create these memories with my family, I need to the gear to get out there.
Disclaimer: “Sponsored by Coleman and hosted by the Outdoor Blogger Network, this is my submission for the Coleman Camping Heritage Essay Contest.”
Friday, May 11, 2012
Thursday, May 10, 2012
Where did all the Menhaden go?
Wow! Check out this article by Alison Fairbrother of the Washington Monthly.
A Fish Story
Ms. Fairbrother does a really excellent job first outlining the downfall of menhaden and then gets into the research being done to assess their stocks and what is being done politically to try to return the numbers back where they should be. This is an important issue not just for saltwater fisherman, but also people who wish to see a healthy ecosystem in place. Definitely worth the time to read!
A Fish Story
Ms. Fairbrother does a really excellent job first outlining the downfall of menhaden and then gets into the research being done to assess their stocks and what is being done politically to try to return the numbers back where they should be. This is an important issue not just for saltwater fisherman, but also people who wish to see a healthy ecosystem in place. Definitely worth the time to read!
Thursday, May 3, 2012
Win a Trip to The Forrest Wood Cup
Enter the FLW Outdoors and BoaterExam.com contest to win a trip to The Forrest Wood Cup. Follow this link to enter.
This also gives a chance to bring up an important topic. Before you operate a boat, make you check the rules and regulations for the state you are in to see if you need to pass a boater safety course first. I completed my course for my state online. It took my one night. For my course I needed to read through information, complete a quiz on each chapter, and then pass a final exam. Once completed you get your boater safety card in the mail,and you are legal to operate a boat. Plus, you learn a lot of great information in the course that you probably wouldn't be exposed to otherwise.
Boating safety isn't something to mess around with. Make sure you are making it home to your loved ones after every trip.
This also gives a chance to bring up an important topic. Before you operate a boat, make you check the rules and regulations for the state you are in to see if you need to pass a boater safety course first. I completed my course for my state online. It took my one night. For my course I needed to read through information, complete a quiz on each chapter, and then pass a final exam. Once completed you get your boater safety card in the mail,and you are legal to operate a boat. Plus, you learn a lot of great information in the course that you probably wouldn't be exposed to otherwise.
Boating safety isn't something to mess around with. Make sure you are making it home to your loved ones after every trip.
Wednesday, May 2, 2012
Guest Post: Sportsmen Descend on DC to Save Bristol Bay
A special thanks to Trout Unlimited for providing this post for all bloggers to use. Please feel free the post to your own blog to spread the word.
Sportsmen fly to DC to tell president and congress to say no to Pebble Mine
Starting Monday, April 16, more than 30 sportsmen from around the country are traveling to the nation’s capitol to let their elected officials and the president know that protecting Bristol Bay is a top priority for hunters and anglers.
This is an important week to show the folks who have the power to protect Bristol Bay that sportsmen are in this fight. We’ve got folks from Alaska, Montana, Michigan, Colorado, New Mexico, Pennsylvania, Nevada, Texas, Wisconsin, Washington, North Carolina, California, Missouri, New York, and Virginia representing this great country and the millions of people who want Bristol Bay to be protected and left just like it is today–pristine and productive.
A recent report by the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation shows that there are 34 million hunters and anglers in the U.S., and we’re a powerful constituency. Every year, we pump $76 billion into the economy in pursuit of our passion, through our spending on gear, licenses, gas, lodging, meals and more. All of that spending and activity directly supports 1.6 million jobs in this country.
We are also an influential group because 80 percent of sportsmen are likely voters – much higher than the national average. And, we also contribute the most money of any group toward government wildlife conservation programs. So, hopefully if we care about an issue and show our support, the decision makers will listen to what we have to say.
In just a few weeks, the EPA will be releasing a draft of its Bristol Bay Watershed Assessment. This huge scientific assessment will likely guide future decisions about large-scale mining and other industrial development in the Bristol Bay region. If they find that disposal of waste from the mine would adversely harm the surrounding clean waters or natural resources, the EPA can deny or place restrictions on a required dredge and fill permit. If warranted, we hope the Obama Administration would take that step to protect Bristol Bay.
You can support the fight for one of planet Earth’s finest and most productive fishing and hunting destinations by taking action today. Fill out this simple form that will send a letter to the President and your members of Congress asking them to protect Bristol Bay. Let’s carry our sportsmen into D.C. with a lot of momentum.
About Trout Unlimited
Trout Unlimited is the nation's oldest and largest coldwater fisheries conservation organization. It was created by anglers for anglers in the hopes of conserving, protecting and restoring North America's trout and salmon fisheries and their watersheds.
Thank you to the NY Times for the map.
Sportsmen fly to DC to tell president and congress to say no to Pebble Mine
Starting Monday, April 16, more than 30 sportsmen from around the country are traveling to the nation’s capitol to let their elected officials and the president know that protecting Bristol Bay is a top priority for hunters and anglers.
This is an important week to show the folks who have the power to protect Bristol Bay that sportsmen are in this fight. We’ve got folks from Alaska, Montana, Michigan, Colorado, New Mexico, Pennsylvania, Nevada, Texas, Wisconsin, Washington, North Carolina, California, Missouri, New York, and Virginia representing this great country and the millions of people who want Bristol Bay to be protected and left just like it is today–pristine and productive.
A recent report by the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation shows that there are 34 million hunters and anglers in the U.S., and we’re a powerful constituency. Every year, we pump $76 billion into the economy in pursuit of our passion, through our spending on gear, licenses, gas, lodging, meals and more. All of that spending and activity directly supports 1.6 million jobs in this country.
We are also an influential group because 80 percent of sportsmen are likely voters – much higher than the national average. And, we also contribute the most money of any group toward government wildlife conservation programs. So, hopefully if we care about an issue and show our support, the decision makers will listen to what we have to say.
In just a few weeks, the EPA will be releasing a draft of its Bristol Bay Watershed Assessment. This huge scientific assessment will likely guide future decisions about large-scale mining and other industrial development in the Bristol Bay region. If they find that disposal of waste from the mine would adversely harm the surrounding clean waters or natural resources, the EPA can deny or place restrictions on a required dredge and fill permit. If warranted, we hope the Obama Administration would take that step to protect Bristol Bay.
About Trout UnlimitedTrout Unlimited is the nation's oldest and largest coldwater fisheries conservation organization. It was created by anglers for anglers in the hopes of conserving, protecting and restoring North America's trout and salmon fisheries and their watersheds.
Monday, April 23, 2012
My New Surf Rod and Reel
April 23 is my birthday, so my wonderful wife surprised me by taking to Bass Pro Shops to pick out a new surf rod and reel. I was able to get whatever I wanted, but with the primary purpose of this to be a "back-up" for the days when it isn't a good idea to be fly fishing. We headed to Arundel Mills, to pick out my present. I had been looking at the St. Croix Mojo Surf, but decided to make a more economical decision and went with the Tsunami Airwave in the 9' length to cast lures in the 1 to 3 1/4 oz. range. I matched that up with the Penn Battle 5000 spinning reel and I picked up Suffix 832 30lb. braid to spool it up with. That should make an awesome, striper ass kicking set up for those days when the fly rod won't get it done, due to crowds, wind, or some other circumstance. I need to pick up some bombers, poppers, etc. to cast with it, so look for a post with my haul once I get to the store to pick those up. Also, after a few trips with the new set-up I will be posting my thoughts.
It's Getting Better
Saturday we headed for Lewes with thoughts of flounder again dancing in our heads. Left the house at 500AM, got the boat hooked up and headed south. After an uneventful ride, we arrived at the boat launch to find a boat or two getting underway, but relatively light boat traffic. The weather was in stark contrast to the previous trip. Winds were light, weather was warm, and the seas were calm. We were going to fish the canal again, and drift minnows on flounder rigs. Made a few drifts before my father-in-law hooked up with the first fish for the day. After it was in the net, we knew this fish was close to the 18" minimum size required in Delaware. But no matter what, we couldn't stretch this fish past the 17 inch mark. We made a lot more drifts in different parts of the canal and even ran out to the bay at one point, but in the end we were only able to land three short flounders total. Sorry, no pictures, which makes this a boring blog post, but I wanted to update on my adventures.
Thursday, April 12, 2012
Like being outdoors in PA?
Thanks to BeerTrout for alerting me to this. Under the proposed budget from Gov. Corbett, PA's land, water, and air are under serious attack. There has been additional pressure put on our natural resources by the Marcellus Shale fracking, and now there are proposed budget cuts to funding conservation and recreation programs.
Check out this petition to make your voice heard: http://www.petitionbuzz.com/petitions/2012budget
Among the proposed cuts in the budget:
Check out this petition to make your voice heard: http://www.petitionbuzz.com/petitions/2012budget
Among the proposed cuts in the budget:
- Transferring $30 million from Keystone Recreation, Park, and Conservation Fund to the general fund, which would completely eliminate the KRPCF.
- Taking the funds from the state's cigarette sales tax, which has historically been used for farmland preservation, and transferring them to the general fund. This would be a permanent change that would end the farmland preservation fund unless additional funding was found.
- Continue using the Environmental Stewardship Fund to to pay the Growing Greener II bond debt service. This would leave $23 million for Growing Greener programs and projects, the lowest amount in decades.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)