June 2, 2004
Shock And Awe Fishing The act of taking game fish through the use of an electro-shocking device is known in some regions as "telephoning," and in others as "monkey-fishing." However, unless you're a fisheries biologist studying aquatic science, this method is definitely not recommended. This week, two Florida brothers were arrested for such a shocking crime -- about a mile from where they were found doing the same thing 25 years ago!
In this week's installment of The Outdoor News Hound, you'll also read about camo-clad cops in the Keystone State, Minnesota's first dove season in 58 years, and a short history of plastic fishing worms.
Not-So-Bright Brothers? Last Thursday, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission reported the arrest of Ocala residents Leo Bright, 60, and his brother, Luther Bright, 50, after they were discovered with a shocking device and about 40 pounds of catfish. The two were charged with taking freshwater fish in Bear Creek off the Ocklawaha River in Putnam County utilizing a fish-shocking apparatus.
The arrest for such a violation is not normally a big news item, although this method of fish-poaching is not nearly as common as it once was, say 25 years ago -- which is the last time the Bright brothers (or, should that read "not-so-Bright?") had a run-in with the law.
In classic Outdoor News Hound irony, Lt. Bob Lee, law enforcement supervisor in Putnam County, noted that the arrest was a silver anniversary, of sorts. Lee told the Lakeland Ledger newspaper that Leo and Luther were "caught Thursday probably not more than a mile where I got them 25 years ago.
"I thought it was kind of interesting. I hadn't heard from them since then," Lee said Friday. "When the officers cited them, one of the officers said one of the brothers told him he had a heart attack last year and he said he had to have one more go at it before he died. Well, he did, and he got caught."
Shock and Aw -- fully Dumb The terms "monkey fishing" and "telephoning" can be traced back to the days when such devices were operated with a hand crank, generating adequate electricity to shock fish. Stunned fish were then scooped from the water using a long-handled net.
Both old terms are rooted in the imagery of turning a handle or crank, the first recalling the days of an organ grinder and his monkey, and the latter referring to the first telephones that were cranked prior to connection.
The Bright brothers were each charged with taking freshwater fish by an illegal method and possession of illegal gear, according to a FWC news release. Both charges are second-degree misdemeanors, with each carrying a maximum penalty of a $500 fine and 60 days in jail.
Camo Cops They're decked-out in full head-to-toe hunting camouflage gear, blending in perfectly with the bushes, trees and other cover on the Pennsylvania hillside. They've got guns, too. But these aren't the turkey hunters they might appear to be. Their quarry is a speeding motorist.
They're Indiana County's "Camo Cops," and they're using radar guns and stealth to nab speeders. When a camoed trooper connects with a speeder, he radios an officer waiting down the road in a chase car.
Last Monday, on the first day using the new tactic, 14 citations were issued. On Tuesday, 25 motorists were clocked at 70 mph or more--the threshold for issuing citations. One driver was doing 90 mph, and another 86 mph.
"We love it," said Shawn Houck, safety press officer for Pennsylvania DOT District 10, which includes Indiana County. "The motorists may not like it because they think it's sneaky, but you have to look at the possibilities and purpose."
The targeted roads were areas with "clusters of crashes" and in need of more speed enforcement, Houck said.
Dove Hunting Comes To Minnesota Minnesota hunters will enjoy hunting mourning doves for the first time since 1946 this fall. Gov. Tim Pawlenty made it official last week when he signed a bill authorizing the state's department of natural resources to establish a dove-hunting season.
The dove-hunting provisions were maintained in the Senate's omnibus game and fish package after an intense debate and 33-33 vote; the final package passed by a vote of 42-24. The bill designates the mourning dove as a game bird in Minnesota, thus allowing the DNR to implement a hunt in early September. In addition, the legislation requires the commissioner to report back to the legislature on the impact of the hunting season on Minnesota's mourning dove population by March of next year.
"The Minnesota Outdoor Heritage Alliance Caucus did a great job in moving this initiative forward this year allowing us to accomplish one of our three primary goals for this legislative session," said MOHA Caucus vice chair and primary sponsor of SF 2203, Senator Tom Saxhaug. "We have been trying for 12 years to get a dove-hunting season in Minnesota and we look forward to providing another opportunity for hunters to take advantage of our great outdoors traditions."
Outdoor News Hound Almanac: The Soft Plastic Lure Revolution It's hard to imagine what bass fishing would be like today without soft plastic lures. Imitations of worms, insects, amphibians, and minnows made from rubber compounds were first developed in the late 1800s. The first rubber worm-type bait received a U.S. patent in 1877. Unfortunately, those early lures were ineffective for most freshwater species because they suffered from a pungent, rubber smell.
An Ohio machinist and fisherman is credited with pretty much inventing the modern soft plastic bait that we use today. In the mid-1940s, Nick Creme began experimenting with various compounds of PVC and rubber obtained from associates in the tire-manufacturing industry in Akron. He and his wife, Cosma, turned their home into a laboratory and developed the first soft-plastic worm that looked and felt like the real thing in 1949. Creme's first offerings were pre-rigged worms with beads, inline spinners, and exposed double hooks. The "Wiggle Worm" was sold by mail order beginning in 1951. The business moved to Tyler, Texas, in 1960, where it remains today.
Quote Of The Week "When a big covey explodes under my very garters, I sometimes forget to release the safety catch. I stand with a look of imbecilic ecstasy on my face, dazedly squeezing a dead trigger until the covey fades into the distant landscape. Then I berate myself for days after." -Havilah Babcock "Birds Scare Me" Outdoor Life, magazine, 1946
J.R. Absher is a freelance outdoor writer whose articles and columns appear in numerous national publications. Visit his Web site, The Outdoor Pressroom (www.outdoorpressroom.com) to find the latest outdoor news of interest. He offers his unique perspective of the outdoors weekly for sportsmansguide.com. You may contact him at jrrabsher@outdoorpressroom.com.