Instructor Lindsay Agness, left, will lead the fifth annual Women’s Fly Fishing Seminar sponsored by the Tug Hill Chapter of Trout Unlimited and the NYS DEC June 2 and 3 in Altmar. Agness is pictured with participants at last year’s seminar. (Photo by Jessica Burt, Oswego County Tourism Office.)

 
ALTMAR, NY – The Tug Hill/Black River Chapter of Trout Unlimited in cooperation with the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation will sponsor a two-day fly-fishing seminar for women June 2 and 3 on the Salmon River in Altmar.

“This seminar is geared exclusively for women looking to improve their fly-fishing skills,” said instructor Lindsay Agness. “It will cover instruction from beginner to advanced stages of fly-fishing, fly-fishing tips and tactics, and hands-on instruction pertaining to Lake Ontario tributary-style fishing, which can also be applied to many other streams, creeks and rivers.”

Agness said the seminar takes place in a relaxed atmosphere. Students will learn the basics of fly-tying, stream entomology, equipment set up, casting using traditional fly rods and reels, and more.

“There will be highly skilled and experienced female and male instructors on hand to provide guidance so everyone has ample opportunities to learn,” said Agness. “The course will encompass indoor and outdoor classroom settings as well as actual fishing in the Salmon River for trout and other freshwater species.”
Classes will be at 8 a.m. Saturday, June 2, at the NYS DEC Salmon River Fish Hatchery in Altmar, and at 8 a.m. Sunday, June 3. Breakfast and lunch are provided.

The deadline to register is May 19. Registration is $25 per day or $40 for both days. Participants must be age 18 or older and must have a current New York State fishing license. Class size is limited to 20 students.

The seminars will be held rain or shine. Participants should dress for the weather and bring bug repellant and sun block as needed. Waders or hip boots are recommended, as the water temperature might still be chilly in mid-June. Equipment will be available at the seminar, but those who have a good, working fly rod set-up should bring it.

Pre-registrations can be e-mailed to: lindsay.agness@rochester.rr.com with “2012 Women’s Fly Seminar c/o Lindsay Agness TU” in the subject line.

Checks should be made payable to “The Tug Hill/Black River Chapter of TU” and mailed to
Lindsay Agness – T.U. Seminars, 60 Monroe Street, Honeoye Falls NY 14472.  Those with questions may e-mail Lindsay Agness at the above address.

- Remove the restriction of no more than three lake trout as part of the five trout limit in the western Finger Lakes to foster harvest opportunities and reduce competition with other trout species and impacts on the forage base.
 
- Eliminate trout catch and release section for Ischua Creek (Cattaraugus County) in the village of Franklinville to enhance angling opportunities by allowing beginner and young anglers to use the section of stream and keep fish.
 
- Change the minimum size limit for rainbow trout in Skaneateles Lake (Onondaga, Cayuga and Cortland counties) and Owasco Lake (Cayuga County) from nine inches to 15 inches. This would create consistency with the other Finger Lakes as most of these lakes have environmental conditions that support excellent growth of trout and would provide angling opportunities for large fish.
 
- Add the tributaries of Beaverdam Brook (Oswego County) from their mouths to the upstream boundary of the Salmon River Hatchery property to the current Beaverdam Brook fishing closure (which also currently prohibits fishing within 100 yards of any DEC fish collection device). This addition of the tributaries would make oversight and enforcement of this area more effective in safeguarding fish returning to the hatchery.
 
- Delete the special trout regulation for Palmer Lake (Saratoga County) to match the statewide regulation. This minor adjustment would extend the season 15 days.
 
Draft regulations that pertain to pickerel, muskellunge and tiger muskellunge:
 
- Institute a catch and release only regulation for chain pickerel in Deep Pond (Suffolk County) to allow the pickerel population to recover from over exploitation and increase needed predator control over panfish.
 
- Implement a 40-inch size limit for muskellunge and tiger muskellunge in the Chenango, Tioughnioga, Tioga and Susquehanna rivers (Chenango, Cortland, Broome and Tioga counties) and a 36-inch size limit at Otisco Lake (Onondaga County) to increase the trophy potential of these species in these waters.
 
Draft regulations that pertain to ice fishing and baitfish:
 
- Delete special ice fishing regulation for Square Pond (Franklin County) because this water will no longer be managed for trout.
 
- Eliminate the existing ban on the use of tip-ups in Crumhorn Lake (Otsego County) because this is an unnecessary regulation.
 
- Allow ice fishing on stocked trout lakes in Allegany, Niagara, Wyoming, Chautauqua, Erie and Cattaraugus counties unless otherwise stated. These lakes are managed for put and take trout fishing and they contain warm water fish species that should be available to anglers during the winter months through the ice.
 
- Open specific waters to ice fishing currently deemed as trout waters in the counties of Herkimer, Jefferson, Lewis, Oneida and St. Lawrence Counties as ice fishing can be allowed for at these locations.
 
- Provide for ice fishing at a privately managed water in Hamilton County (Salmon Pond) that is stocked with trout by a private party, as requested.
 
- Include Cayuta Lake (Schuyler County) as a designated water from which baitfish may be taken as the commercial harvest of alewife should have no negative effect on the alewife population or the lake’s ecology.
 
Draft regulations that pertain to gear and angling methods:
 
-  More clearly specify that attempting to take fish by snagging is prohibited.
 
- Permit the use of multiple hooks with multiple points on Lake Erie tributaries to provide additional angling opportunities.
 
- For the Salmon River (Oswego County) allow a bead chain to be attached to floating lures. The distance between a floating lure and hook point may not exceed three-and-a-half inches when a bead chain configuration is used. This was determined to be an effective angling method and was not considered an attractive snagging device.
 
- For the Salmon River (Oswego County) implement a “no weight” restriction (i.e., only floating line and unweighted leaders and flies allowed) from May 1 – 15 for the Lower Fly Area and from May 1 – August 31 for the Upper Fly Area to provide further protection to vulnerable fish.
 
- Explicitly and clearly indicate that the catch and release requirement for New York City waters does not apply to snakeheads and that any snakeheads caught while angling are not to be returned to the water.
 
DEC is proposing additional regulation changes to remove special regulations that are no longer relevant, to provide more clarity in the current regulations and to make minor adjustments to current language. The full text of the draft regulation as well as instructions for submitting comments can be found on DEC’s website at: www.dec.ny.gov/regulations/propregulations.html.
 
Comments on the proposals can be sent via e-mail to fishregs@gw.dec.state.ny.us, or mailed to Shaun Keeler, New York State DEC, Bureau of Fisheries, 625 Broadway, Albany, NY 12233-4753. Hard copies of the full text can be requested from Shaun Keeler at the same addresses listed above.  Final regulations, following full review of public comments, will take effect October 1, 2012.

The St. Baldrick’s Foudation is a volunteer-driven charity committed to funding the most promising research to find cures for childhood cancers and to give survivors long and healthy lives.  The Foundation funds more in childhood cancer research grants than any organization except the U.S. government.  St. Baldrick’s funds are granted to some of the most brilliant childhood cancer research experts in the world, and to younger professionals who will be the experts of tomorrow.  Funds awarded also enable hundreds of local institutions to participate in national pediatric cancer clinical trials, a child’s best hope for a cure.  Since the Foundation’s first grants as an independent charity in 2005, it has funded over $78 million in childhood cancer research.
 
For more information about the St. Baldrick’s Foundation, call 1-800-899-BALD or visit stbaldricks.org.  Witmer can also be reached at daniel.witmer@oswego.edu

Joe Thomas, the host of Stihl’s Reel in the Outdoors television show on the Outdoor Channel

OSWEGO, NY (February 13, 2012) — The Wear It! Oswego campaign announces the Fish with a Pro sweepstakes, whereby one lucky grand prize winner will have the opportunity to fish with professional angler Joe Thomas. Thomas is the host of Stihl’s Reel in the Outdoors television show on the Outdoor Channel http://www.reeloutdoorstv.com. An additional 50 runners-up will be eligible to attend a free pre-event barbeque.
 
“I’m excited to team with the Wear It! Oswego campaign on this important safety initiative,” said Joe Thomas. “What better way to promote the use of life jackets while angling than by fishing with the Fish with a Pro sweepstakes winner on the world-renowned Oswego River during peak salmon season,” Thomas added.
 
The Fish with a Pro event will take place in Oswego, New York, on Saturday, October 13, 2012. The winner will fish for salmon on the Oswego River in Oswego, guided by Kevin Davis, an experienced drift boat captain.
 
An additional 50 individuals will be randomly selected to attend the free pre-event barbeque to be held in Oswego on Friday evening, October 12, 2012. Attendees to this exclusive, invitation-only event will get the opportunity to meet Joe Thomas in person and to receive his free autographed picture.
 
According to Thomas, people are encouraged to submit as many sweepstakes entry forms as they would like. You must be 18 years old to enter and must reside in the United States. The Wear It! Oswego campaign will provide the winner with two nights’ hotel accommodations at an Oswego lodging establishment. All other travel arrangements, costs and meals associated with this fishing event are to be incurred by the winner.

 
One Fish with a Pro winner will be selected randomly from all eligible entries. All entries must be postmarked by July 15, 2012. The grand prize drawing will be held on August 1, 2012.
 
The Fish with a Pro sweepstakes entry form and official rules can be found on the “Photos” link of www.facebook.com/wearitoswego or on the Oswego County Tourism website at www.visitoswegocounty.com. Completed entries should be addressed to: Wear It! Oswego Fish with a Pro Sweepstakes, c/o Oswego County Department of Community Development, Tourism and Planning, 46 East Bridge Street, Oswego NY 13126. For additional information on the Fish with a Pro sweepstakes or the Wear It! Oswego campaign contact wearitoswego@gmail.com.
 
Wear It! Oswego campaign collaborators include Brookfield Renewable Energy Partners (www.brookfieldrenewable.com), the City of Oswego Fire Department, the Oswego County Department of Community Development, Tourism and Planning and The Palladium-Times. Wear It! Oswego is an off-shoot of the national and New York State Wear It! programs, implemented by the National Safe Boating Council (www.safeboatingcampaign.com) and Wear It! New York.
 
Brookfield Renewable Energy Partners (TSX: BEP.UN) operates one of the largest publicly-traded, pure-play renewable power platforms globally. Its portfolio is primarily hydroelectric and includes 172 hydropower facilities, six wind farms, and totals approximately 5,000 megawatts of installed capacity. Diversified across 67 river systems and 10 power markets in Canada, the United States and Brazil, the portfolio generates enough electricity from renewable resources to power two million homes on average each year. With a fully-contracted portfolio of high-quality assets and strong growth prospects, the business is positioned to generate stable, long-term cash flows supporting regular and growing cash distributions to unitholders. For more information, please visit www.brookfieldrenewable.com.
 
The City of Oswego’s Fire Department has been operating as a paid fire department since 1876, making it the third oldest paid fire department in New York State. For additional information visit http://www.oswegony.org/DEPT_fire.html.
 
The Oswego County Department of Community Development, Tourism and Planning promotes Oswego County through a comprehensive international marketing plan. For upcoming events and visitor information, go to www.visitoswegocounty.com.
 
The Palladium-Times is Oswego County’s only hometown daily newspaper and has served the City of Oswego and surrounding areas in that capacity since 1845. Visit www.palltimes.com http://www.palltimes.com for more information.

The 35-page Oswego County Fishing and Hunting Guide, just released by the county Community Development, Tourism and Planning Department, features the diverse year-round fishing and hunting opportunities that Oswego County is famous for. To order a copy, e-mail tourism@oswegocounty.com or call 1-800-248-4FUN.

OSWEGO, NY – Oswego County’s diverse world-class fishing and excellent hunting opportunities are highlighted in the new Fishing and Hunting Guide just released by the Oswego County Department of Community Development, Tourism and Planning.

The 35-page guide contains detailed information on fishing eastern Lake Ontario waters, the Oswego and Salmon rivers, Sandy Pond, Oneida Lake, the Oneida River and Lake Neahtahwanta, with a directory of charter captains, river guides, tackle shops, and marinas. Special sections focus on fly-fishing the Salmon River, ice fishing, and public hunting areas.

“This past year was one of our most productive ever for fishing Lake Ontario and its tributary streams,” said David Turner, director of the county Department of Community Development, Tourism and Planning. “In fact, preliminary results of the NYS DEC’s fall creel survey show that more than 100,000 salmon were landed from the Salmon River between Labor Day and the end of November. The Salmon River also led the state in steelhead catch at 39,697, and produced 3,523 brown trout during that period.  The Oswego River in the City of Oswego also had a fantastic fall, with anglers catching 4,088 Chinook salmon, 1,227 steelhead, and 2,930 brown trout.”

Oswego County continues to lead New York State in the sale of non-resident fishing licenses. Nearly 31,000 visitors from across the U.S. and other nations bought their fishing licenses in the county in the 2011 license year. 

The guide features several photos submitted by the winners of the department’s fishing and hunting photo contest, held last summer. Editorial and graphic content were provided by the Oswego County Tourism staff and author Spider Rybaak. Design and layout were by ABC Creative Group of Syracuse, NY.

One hundred thousand copies will be distributed at sportsman shows, hotels, motels, campgrounds, tourist information centers, chambers of commerce, and attractions in New York and surrounding states.

For a copy, call 1-800-248-4FUN or e-mail tourism@oswegocounty.com. The new publication, along with year-round fishing conditions and visitor information, is posted on http://www.visitoswegocounty.com/.

BATTLE OF SACKETS HARBOR – Painting by H. Peabody Flagg depicts the first Battle of Sackets Harbor in 1812. The original oil on canvas painting, c 1904, hangs in the Flower Memorial Library in Watertown. Image appears courtesy of Flower Memorial Library.

OSWEGO, NY – The American Foundry on state Route 104 West (behind Fajita Grill) in Oswego hosts the second annual Oswego County War of 1812 Symposium Saturday, March 31 from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The event commemorates the 200th anniversary of the War of 1812. Several noted historians will present information about military tactics and how the war affected communities along the northern frontier of New York State.

Dr. John Grodzinski will lead off the program to discuss “The Command of the Lake: The Application of Seapower on Lake Ontario, 1812 – 1815.”

“During the War of 1812, the control of the inland seas of North America and in particular, Lake Ontario, proved as vital to the achievement of British war aims as it was to the United States in securing its goals,” said Dr. Grodzinski. “Lake Ontario was a theater far removed from the high seas that navies were accustomed to, but one which witnessed the establishment of the most powerful naval force ever assembled on the inland waters of North America.”

Dr. Grodzinski is an assistant professor of history at the Royal Military College of Canada in Kingston, Ontario. His interests include the North American colonial conflicts and naval warfare during the sailing age. He is also the editor of the online “War of 1812 Magazine” and leads battlefield studies on the War of 1812 and other conflicts.

The U.S. Navy, Army, and Marine Corps all played important roles during the War of 1812. Col. Clayton F. Nans will speak about the little known but significant service provided by the Marines.

“Relations with the army and navy were often difficult at times as the Marine Corps struggled to establish its own unique identity and ensure its survival during a period of economic austerity,” writes Col. Nans. “Despite this, the Marines fought with distinction and won a legacy of valor during the War of 1812, which led to their continued service and growth as the navy expanded during the 19th century.” 

Col. Nans brings his expertise as an amateur naval historian, model shipwright, and retired Marine colonel. During his 28-year career in the Marine Corps, Colonel Nans served in numerous operational command and staff officer billets in the Second and Third Marine Divisions. During his tour as commanding officer of the Assault Amphibian School at Camp Pendleton, he founded the United States Marine Corps World War II and Korean War Assault Amphibian Museum. This museum won the 1996 Marine Corps Heritage Foundation Magruder Award.
After leaving the Corps in 2004, Nans went on to serve as a senior military analyst for the Department of the Army. Currently living in Sackets Harbor, Colonel Nans is a member of the Nautical Research Guild as well as the U.S. Naval Institute.

The symposium is sponsored by the Friends of Fort Ontario, Sackets Harbor Battlefield Alliance, Oswego County Tourism Advisory Council, and Fort Ontario State Historic Site with support from the Daughters of the War of 1812, City of Oswego, The Palladium-Times, H. Lee White Marine Museum, Heritage Foundation, Oswego County Historical Society, Half-Shire Historical Society and Oswego County Department of Community Development, Tourism and Planning.

Registration is $25 per person and $15 with valid student ID. The registration fee includes lunch and workshop materials.  Advance registration is required and may be paid by credit card through the Fort Ontario State Historic Site. Contact Jon Zella at 315-343-4711 Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., or by e-mail at fortontariointern@gmail.com. Checks should be made payable to Friends of Fort Ontario Inc. and mailed to Fort Ontario State Historic Site, 1 East Fourth Street, Oswego, N.Y. 13126.

For accommodations and visitor information, go to http://www.visitoswegocounty.com/ or contact the Oswego County Tourism Office at 315-349-8322. To follow the War of 1812 activities or to learn more about the history of Oswego County, go to http://visitoswegocounty.com/historical-info/war-of-1812/.

“Attack on Fort Oswego, on Lake Ontario, North America.” May 5, 1814. Drawn by Captain Steele and engraved by R. Havell & Sons, London, England, c. 1814. From the Collection of the Public Archives of Canada.

The site can be found at: www.visitoswegocounty.com/snowmobile.

“Unfortunately, January’s weather was not conducive to snowmobiling,” said Dave Turner, director. “We’re very hopeful, however, that the rest of the winter will bring enough snow for riders to enjoy the trails. Our goal in developing this site is to provide the ‘visitor-on-the-go’ with all of the information they need when they’re either planning their trip or when they’re actually out on the trails. The site gives us an opportunity to showcase everything that the county has to offer for riders.”

The microsite acts as a portal of information for riders who either live in Oswego County or are planning a snowmobiling trip to the area.  It features a downloadable trail map, a listing of accommodations, restaurants, gas stations and convenience stores along the trail system, trail head and parking information, and contact information for the ten clubs that are part of the Oswego County Snowmobile Association.

 “This is another new way to showcase the wonderful opportunities for outdoor recreation that we enjoy in Oswego County,” said Oswego County Legislator Louella LeClair (Fulton), chairwoman of the Legislature’s Economic Development and Planning Committee. “There are several lodgings, restaurants, repair shops and businesses along the snowmobile trail system and the microsite presents all of that information. It is a wonderful tool for our visitors.”

Other members of the Legislature’s Economic Development and Planning Committee are vice chairman Morris Sorbello, Granby; Daniel Farfaglia, Fulton; Daniel LeClair, Palermo; Arthur Ospelt, Pennellville; Ronald Sakonyi, Constantia; and Amy Tresidder, Oswego.

For more information on Oswego County’s snowmobile amenities, check out the new website at www.visitoswegocounty.com/snowmobile. For trail conditions and winter events, call the Oswego County activity line at 1-800-248-4FUN (4386).