ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Saturday, November 9, 1996 TAG: 9611110085
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-3 EDITION: METRO
TYPE: LETTERS
Fishing group has Limited view of sport
After reading the Sports section of The Roanoke Times on Oct.25, a sinking feeling overcame me. Once again, my life has been saddened. Not by the death of a loved one or life-long friend, but rather the useless, untimely death of fond times and pleasurable memories of trout fishing on the Jackson River.
The culprits were a small, self-centered group of fishermen who had struck a fatal blow to my style and the majority of trout fishermen's style of fishing on the river.
I am the scourge of the seekers of trout. I use bait.
Granted, I did fail to attend the public hearing. I trusted that the common sense of state fish biologists would prevail. Then it became apparent. The real expert in the field is Trout Unlimited. The professional opinion of biologists and scientific data has been overshadowed by the knowers of all, the saviors of trout, the spokesmen for all trout fishermen, heroes in their own minds, Trout Unlimited.
Am I giving up? No! My newly-found friend the pen is poised to strike again, just as it was when the guts of my first letter to the Sports Mailbag was skillfully removed by another pen, that of the editor.
Let us not speak ill of nor shed light on the shortcomings of TU and its individual members. Remember, these are purists. Purists? I fail to find the purist methodology in fishing for hatchery-reared trout in the outfall of a man-made dam, with water flows and temperatures controlled by man. The only purity there is shortly the fishing of the Jackson will belong purely to TU and its supporters. The lowly bait fisherman is thus relegated to fishing for lower forms of the fish kingdom in non-blue ribbon streams.
TU does not speak for me or to those who have shared with me their agreement with views set forth in my first letter to the editor. In light of the board's most recent ruling and the influence of TU, one must ponder to what extent trout fishing requires dividing one's free time from lobbying for the right to fish and actually fishing.
MIKE DeHART
Pembroke
UVa and Tech beat bunch of cupcakes
To Jack Bogaczyk:
Since you love to tell your readers about the pitiful six opponents Virginia Tech has defeated (those six teams have a 17-36 record against I-A teams), please note that Virginia's six victories have come against teams with combined records of 15-34 against I-A teams. Five of those wins belong to MAC member Central Michigan.
Sounds like both state schools have beaten up on a bunch of cupcakes.
AL PATTERSON
Roanoke
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Roanoke, Va. 24010
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LENGTH: Medium: 64 linesby CNB