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IGFA Report
The International Game Fish Association (http://www.igfa.org) (IGFA) Fishing Hall of Fame Class of 2017 was honored on Sat., Oct. 28, in a ceremony held at the new IGFA Fishing Hall of Fame located in Johnny Morrisí Wonders of Wildlife National Museum & Aquarium in Springfield, Mo.
The 2017 inductees include Rick Clunn, Larry Dahlberg, Peter Fithian, Mike Levitt, and Dr. Eric Prince. These five anglers join 116 fishing greats in the IGFA Fishing Hall of Fame and were recognized for their extraordinary achievements in recreational fishing around the world.
The 2017 IGFA Fishing Hall of Fame honorees were recognized for their contributions to the sport fishing community and are highlighted below.
Rick Clunn is a four-time Bassmaster Classic winner (one of only two anglers to achieve the honor) and is a member of the Bass Fishing Hall of Fame. When heís not fishing, Clunn shares his love of the sport with children in schools across America. He is recognized by the IGFA Fishing Hall of Fame for his endless enthusiasm for the sport of bass fishing, his unmatched four decades of winning B.A.S.S. events and his amazing bass fishing prowess.
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(Provided by Shimano)
Shimano Offers $3,000 Scholarships to High Schoolers
The ‘Shimano Varsity’ program for high school and college anglers is now ready to help them achieve success in higher education.
Shimano will award five $3,000 scholarships to select high school seniors planning to major in biology, fisheries, wildlife or natural resource fields for their studies beginning in fall of 2017.
“Our scholarship program is one of the keystones to our entire Varsity program,” said Shimano Youth Fishing Director Frank Hyla. “With Shimano staff at all levels, we want to form a mentor relationship, and help these anglers pursue a college degree leading to a career creating better fisheries policy and management practices.”
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(Provided by BoatUS)
If you get in an accident while trailering your boat, do you know which insurance policy will pay for repairs to the trailer?
If it's a simple accident with damage to the trailer only, it's likely your trailer insurance coverage that pays. But what happens when you back the trailer into a neighbor's stone wall or a tree comes crashing down on your trailer in your backyard? Boat Owners Association of The United States (BoatUS) understands how the combination of homeowners, auto, boat and boat trailer insurance add up to protect trailer boaters and offers these tips:
- Start with the basics. When shopping for insurance for your trailer boat, ensure to ask if the policy provides boat trailer coverage. Not all insurers provide it.
- Know the trailer value. If you decide to add trailer coverage to your boat's insurance policy, your insurer needs to know the cost of the boat and trailer separately. If you don't separate each out, the insurer may have difficulty in fairly compensating you in the event of a claim.
- How far can you trailer? Ask if there are geographic limits on where or how far you may trailer your boat.
- Check your auto insurance. Ensure your tow vehicle's insurance policy includes liability coverage for any damage to others' property caused while trailering your boat, for example, backing into your neighbor's stone wall. This liability coverage is not provided by your boat and trailer policy.
- Check your homeowner's insurance. Ask your homeowner's insurance company if your trailer is covered while stored at home. And try not to park a boat trailer under a tree.
- Read the fine print. If you store your boat trailer at your marina or other storage facility, read the fine print in your contract as it relates to insurance. Many include language that holds these facilities harmless. Review these clauses with your insurance company to make sure you're not in danger of a breach of the insurance contract, which could result in no coverage.
- Roadside assistance. For a nominal fee, many auto insurance policies offer roadside assistance. Boat trailers, however, aren't likely to be included in the coverage and if there is a breakdown of the tow vehicle or the trailer, your boat could be left on the side of the road. Consider adding separate roadside assistance for your boat trailer. For BoatUS insurance policyholders, roadside assistance for both the tow vehicle and trailer (while towing) is included with the insured trailer. Or it may be added for $14 to any BoatUS membership. In either scenario, BoatUS Unlimited Trailer Assist will tow both a boat trailer and its disabled towing vehicle up to 100 miles.
For more information, go to BoatUS.com/insurance or call 1-800-283-2883.
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(Provided by ASA)
On the day before President Obama left office, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service issued an edict to phase out the use of traditional fishing tackle on the hundreds of thousands of square miles of federal public lands under its management.
Director's Order No. 219 will, "require the use of nontoxic ammunition and fishing tackle to the fullest extent practicable for all activities on Service lands, waters and facilities by January 2022, except as needed for law enforcement or health and safety uses, as provided for in policy."
Scott Gudes, vice president of Government Affairs for the American Sportfishing Association (ASA), the trade association that represents the recreational fishing industry, issued a statement of behalf of the industry.
"The sportfishing industry views this unilateral policy to ban lead fishing tackle, which was developed without any input from the industry, other angling organizations and state fish and wildlife agencies, as a complete disregard for the economic and social impact it will have on anglers and the recreational fishing industry," said Gudes.
Gudes further said, "In the limited instances where lead fishing tackle is demonstrated to harm local wildlife populations, the sportfishing industry supports actions to minimize or eliminate these impacts. However, unnecessary and sweeping bans such as this
Director's Order will do nothing to benefit wildlife populations and instead will penalize the nation's 46 million anglers and hurt recreational fishing-dependent jobs."
Gudes concluded, "A sound, science-driven and durable policy could've been crafted with input from industry and the broader recreational fishing community. We are hopeful that new leadership at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will repeal this Director's Order and develop public policy in a way that is open, inclusive and based on science."
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The Chicagoland Fishing, Travel & Outdoor Expo returns to Schaumburg, Ill. Convention Center January 26-29, creating an outdoor oasis indoors.
Whether it's testing the latest fishing and outdoor gear or learning the latest and greatest techniques, the Expo is the place to be for anyone interested in exploring the outdoors. Attendees to this year's expo will have the opportunity to improve their fishing knowledge through an extensive lineup of seminars with top-notch local and national fishing professionals, buy the newest fishing and outdoor gear and equipment from top manufacturers and retailers from around the country book a trip of a lifetime, and even browse the latest fishing boats on the market! This year's expo is THE place to be for anyone interested in the outdoors.
It features more than 100 travel-related exhibitors (including guides, lodges, resorts and regional promotion agencies), major fishing tackle manufacturers, local fishing retailers, and a diverse selection of fishing boats, attendees will be able to see, learn, touch and buy everything they need for the ultimate fishing and outdoor adventure.
An impressive lineup of seminars will be led by expert instructors and nationally recognized fishing celebrities such as Mike Iaconelli, Ish Monroe, and Seth Feider. A full listing of seminars can be found here. Show goers can also chat with and learn techniques from some of the best guides and outfitters from around the globe.