Published 7/17/02
written by Frank Carbone Jr.

The New York Metropolitan Outdoor Press Association (NYMOPA) will be hosting a one day fishing event for the children of the firefighters and policemen who lost their lives in the World Trade Center on 9/11. These children are invited, totally free, to the Eldred Preserve, in the Catskill Mountains, on Thursday July 25th.

The beautiful ponds of the Eldred Preserve in Eldred, New York, will be loaded with trout waiting for the kids. Fishing tackle, Edy’s Ice Cream, Pepsi Cola and an outstanding barbecue will also be provided. Besides taking home the cleaned and packaged fish that the children catch themselves, each child will receive a hat. Chevrolet will be providing free transportation from locations in New York and New Jersey.

For safety reasons the association must limit participation, in the event, to boys and girls aged 10 to 14. And while there will be adult supervision at Eldred, children must also be accompanied by a parent, grandparent or guardian.

The members of NYMOPA are writers and columnists for major newspapers in New York and New Jersey, as well as Field and Stream, Outdoor Life and the Fisherman magazines. Association members will be on hand to help the children tie on hooks, bait-up, catch fish and provide general expertise.

Trout Unlimited, the national conservation organization, will be on hand for an on-site casting clinic. The Recreational Boating and Fishing Foundation will supply all fishing tackle.

Eldred Preserve, located in a beautiful setting in Sullivan County, is approximately 90 miles north of New York City. Fishing for the day is being made available to the NYMOPA through the generosity of the Robert Abplanalp Family, owners of the preserve.

In order to participate, on this day, for these special children, contact NYMOPA member Milt Rosko at 732-892-8792 or miltrosko@worldnet.att.net. He will provide directions for any persons intending to provide their own transportation.

I’m sure it will be a great day of fishing for all who participate in this event.

* * *

A recipe for fried trout in a pan:

Ingredients: Cleaned (fresh or thawed)Trout with or without head and fins, olive oil, Fresh Garlic, Ground Pepper, Salt, Rosemary (fresh or dried), thin sliced lemon (about 3 per trout), flour. All seasonings to taste and diet limitations.

Season fish inside and out, then roll in flour -- set aside. Crush 3 to 6 whole garlic toes, leave crushed garlic in skin then place in hot oil (approx. 1/4 inch deep) -- cook but do not burn -- remove, place on paper towel, serve later. Place whole trout in pan -- cut in half in the event the trout is too big for the pan. Drop in lemon slices and/or sprizzle a little white wine. Cover with glass lid if possible and cook until done, lightly brown or when flesh turns to white -- do not overcook. If you have a few cleaned fresh shrimp handy place inside the trout before placing it in the pan.

Enjoy!

* * *

NYS Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Erin Crotty recently announced the tentative dates for the 2002-03 Waterfowl Hunting Seasons. This early announcement will allow waterfowl hunters to plan trips and vacations accordingly.

Commissioner Crotty said "Although the dates won't be finalized until federal regulations are
official, based on preliminary indications of waterfowl populations and habitat conditions, we believe that the tentative season dates will conform with federal requirements for the coming year."

The tentative season dates were developed by a team of DEC biologists representing all regions of New York. The season selections were based on anticipated federal regulations for the
coming year and hunter input.

In the Western and Southeastern Zones the DEC adopted dates recommended by two waterfowl hunter "task forces." This approach has helped the DEC set seasons in areas where hunter preferences have been diverse.

The DEC's season setting team assumed that duck seasons would again be 60 days in length and that bag limits for most species would be the same as last year.

Two "Youth Waterfowl Hunt Days" will be held in each zone this fall, providing additional days for junior hunters (age 12-15) to hunt only ducks, coot, mergansers and Canada geese. The junior hunter must be fully licensed and accompanied by an adult hunter in accordance with all
New York State regulations, and only the junior hunter may take birds on these days. This special opportunity is intended to encourage experienced waterfowl hunters to help teach young hunters the techniques and ethics of this sport.

September Canada goose hunting seasons are similar to last year. The dates for each Waterfowl Hunting Zones are as follows:

Lake Champlain Zone -- Sept. 3 -25
Long Island Zone -- Sept. 3 - 30
All other Zones -- Sept. 1 - 25

Waterfowlers who hunt in Orange, Ulster and Sullivan Counties are doing so in the Southeastern Waterfowl Hunting Zone.

The tentative dates are as follows:

Ducks, Coots, Mergansers, Sea Ducks -- Oct. 12 -20 and Nov. 9 to Dec. 29

Canvasbacks -- Dec. 10-29

Youth Days -- Sept. 28-29

Snow Geese -- Oct. 12 to Jan. 11 and Feb. 24 to Mar. 10

Brant -- Oct. 12

Waterfowl hunting season dates will not be final until the final federal regulations have been adopted in late summer. Be sure to check the final regulations before going hunting.

Youth Days are set for Oct. 5 & 6, Sept. 28 & 29 and Nov. 9 & 10

Waterfowl hunting seasons for the Lake Champlain Zone will be announced in late August following a public meeting in mid-August in Burlington, Vermont.

Final regulations will be posted on the official DEC website, mailed to persons who hunted waterfowl last year and announced in a press release.

As always, check the regulations for your region before going afield, hunt, fish and boat safely -- and take someone hunting, fishing or trapping sometime.

* * *

* * *

Back to past columns

Outdoor Liaisons appears every other week in the Times - Frank can be reached at the Times or email forthebirds39@earthlink.net or 845-562-0941.