THE FREDERICKSBURG region has thousands of people who could be characterized as avid outdoors enthusiasts. I run into them at banquets, in stores and occasionally in the woods or on the water.
Some offer viewpoints on an issue, or comment on an article, or share a friendly tip regarding something they've heard or witnessed. A couple of times a year, someone (usually a person who isn't a regular reader and lives out of the area) writes to explain what an idiot I am about a particular issue, or a hunting or fishing expedition, or something else that offends their notion of right and wrong.
For the past few years, I've entertained a notion of getting feedback and opinions in a more structured way. That's why we staged the first meeting of the Outdoors Editorial Advisory Board last Sunday at the Gander Mountain store in Spotsylvania.
This inaugural board includes 10 individuals from a variety of backgrounds and locations around the area. The members are people who love the outdoors. Here's a rundown:
Ben Fulton of Spotsylvania is a Virginia landowner and habitat biologist at Quantico Marine Corps Base, and a past board member of the Virginia Deer Hunters Association. He is actively passing along his outdoors traditions to his children.
J.V. Skinner of Spotsylvania is a lifelong resident who grew up hunting and fishing. A firefighter, he also makes custom fishing rods.
Chris Rollins of King George is a young, recently married man who represents the future of outdoors enthusiasts. As an avid angler, deer hunter and waterfowler, he is also actively involved trying to preserve outdoors traditions.
Stacia Orr of Caroline also reflects the youth movement and the steady increase of women in the outdoors. Just 22, she began hunting and fishing at age 4, mentored by her family.
Glenn Briggs of Spotsylvania is a well-known fishing guide, a master angler affiliated with Bass Pro Shops as a pro staffer. Briggs is very involved in the Lake Anna area, one of the region's most important fisheries.
John Odenkirk, district fisheries biologist with the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries, brings a scientific perspective, as well as governmental voice, to the group.
Ron Hughes, district wildlife biologist with the VDGIF, is tapped into hunters' and wildlife managers' needs and issues.
Tom Worrell, the National Wild Turkey Federation's man in Fredericksburg, brings a strong hunting and recreational fishing perspective, as well as a knowledge of the role conservation associations play in regional outdoors health.
Dave Howard of Fredericksburg, manager of the Quantico Shooting Club, is very active in both recreational and competitive shooting. Along with his work at the Fredericksburg Rod and Gun Club, he brings considerable shooting sports perspective to the table.
Vince Staley of Spotsylvania has long been active in area conservation issues and is one of the staunchest promoters of the Falmouth Flats Flyfishers organization, a group that loves to fish and knows that aggressive protection of habitat is critical to future angling opportunities.
We spent much of the first meeting looking at the strengths, weaknesses and threats to outdoors opportunities in our region, approaching it much as an organization would examine strategic issues.
Not surprisingly, there were some common sentiments related to all areas. Most recognized the region is at a bit of a crossroads, outdoors-wise, when it comes to having it good, but also facing some pressing challenges. Next week, I'll look at some of the issues the board identified.
Smallmouth survey positiveIn his official role, Odenkirk sent via e-mail Tuesday his forecast for smallmouth bass fishing in the Rappahannock River, and his excitement at future prospects for 2006 and beyond came through loud and clear.
What he termed "perfect environmental conditions" in the spring of 2004 resulted in a record crop of young smallmouth bass born during last year's spawning season. The 2003 spawning season was deemed a near total failure.
Department members use "electrofishing" to sample the fish in a certain bodies of water. Generating low levels of electric current into the water temporarily stuns the fish, causing them to rise to the surface, allowing biologists to more easily gather data.
Odenkirk said the electrofishing catch rate of age-0 (young-of-year) smallmouth bass during fall samples was "an astounding 43 fish an hour--triple the average and the highest documented, by far, since record keeping began in 1995."
It takes a couple of years for a bass to grow to sufficient size to start attacking angler offerings, although I've had some tiny smallmouths nail lures almost as big as themselves. Odenkirk said the boom from last year's spawning success really won't show up until 2006.
KEN PERROTTE can be reached at The Free Lance-Star, 616 Amelia Street, Fredericksburg, Va. 22401, by fax at 373-8455 or e-mail at kmunicate@aol.com.