ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times
DATE: Monday, January 6, 1997 TAG: 9701070035
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-6 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: BILL COCHRAN OUTDOOR EDITOR
No bait on Jackson
Q. Is it true you no longer can fish with bait on the Jackson River? J.H.
A. On Jan.1, fishing on the Jackson River tailrace, from Gathright Dam downstream to the Westvaco Dam at Covington, was restricted to artificial lures. That means no bait - worms, Power Bait, salmon eggs, etc. Anglers must use artificial lures with single hooks.
Several sportsmen have been confused, thinking the controversial new regulation dictates fly-fishing only. While the Jackson is a popular fly-fishing stream, the single-hook regulation allows the use of spinners and small jigs, which can be highly productive for catching trout. Treble hooks on popular spinners, such as the Panther Martin, Rooster Tail and Joe's Fly, can be clipped with pliers and turned into single-hook offerings with minimal loss of hooking ability.
The Jackson remains strictly a catch-and-release stream. No trout may be kept.
On the Jackson River above Gathright, in the Hidden Valley special-regulation area, the minimum size has been boosted from 12 to 16 inches and the keep limit has been reduced from six to two trout per day. This also is an artificial-lures, single-hook fishing area.
Appalachian on line
Q. I am planning on doing some major hiking on the Appalachian Trail. Where is the best place on the Internet to find information? J.H.
A. Not long ago, Jeff Wynn, a computer specialist for the Appalachian Trail Conference, did a quick Internet search that resulted in more than 3,000 documents with the words ``Appalachian Trail'' in the title. The conference recommends that if you are new to the World Wide Web, one of the best jumping-off points is Kathy Bilton's Appalachian Trail home page: http://www.fred.net/kathy/at.html.
Bilton has set up direct links to the home pages of state and federal parks and forests, many AT clubs and points of interest along the trail listed in order from north to south. In addition, she has included an Appalachian Trail Conference FAQ (frequently asked questions) and a link to ATC's e-mail account, which is appalachiantrailxc2charitiesusa.com.
Counting all those deer
Q. When will the deer-harvest information be available. D.B.
A. State officials are expected to begin the counting process today and have the deer tally, along with turkey and bear kill figures, available no later than Feb.7, said Matt Knox, deer biologist for the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries.
The best estimate is that the deer kill will not establish a record for the first time in a number of years. While it appears the count west of the Blue Ridge Mountains will be what Knox called ``stable, 5 to 7 percent up or down,'' it may be a different case in the east.
``In the east, there is a whole lot of moaning about the deer season being down, especially in Southside and Tidewater,'' he said. ``I don't have anything to base that on but public opinion.''
The 1996-97 season also may be remembered as a year when wall-hanging bucks were less numerous.
``Trophies are way down from last year,'' Knox said.
Look for an improvement next season. The past fall's abundant mast crop should result in better antler development this year, and a milder winter - if it continues - also could be a positive rack-building factor.
Problems at feeders?
Q. I was at my bird feeder the other day and just reached out and caught a goldfinch. A little later, it was caught a second time. How can you explain that? V.J.
A. It makes you wonder if it wasn't someone's pet. More likely, it was impaired by pesticides or some malady, perhaps - although unlikely - the deadly house finch disease. The Cornell Lab of Ornithology recently reported that house finch conjunctivitis is spreading to other species that visit bird feeders. It has been confirmed in the goldfinch and downy woodpecker population; however, it is rare at this point.
``The spread of this insidious parasite, Mycoplasma gallisepticum, is a scenario that many biologists feared when the disease was first detected in 1994,'' said Kathy Leo of the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources. ``At that time, it was hoped that the disease would remain restricted to house finches, which are not native to the eastern United States. The appearance of the disease in goldfinch populations, however, signals a potential threat to native songbirds, especially those found around bird feeders.''
Birds with house finch conjunctivitis can have a sickly look, their eyes encrusted, swollen or runny. Some may appear to be blind or may encounter trouble flying, Leo said.
Have a question on the outdoors? Contact Bill Cochran, The Roanoke Times, P.O. Box 2491, Roanoke 24010; 540-981-3395.
LENGTH: Medium: 91 linesby CNB