DATE: Sunday, September 14, 1997            TAG: 9709140255

SECTION: SPORTS                  PAGE: C10  EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: BOB HUTCHINSON

                                            LENGTH:   67 lines

TUNA BEARING SPECIAL TAGS WORTH THEIR WEIGHT IN GOLD

More than 150 bluefin tuna are swimming around with special implanted tags worth $1,000 each.

The fish were tagged off Hatteras, N.C., earlier this year. The special implants, known as archival tags, gather and store information on the fish's movements, water temperatures, swimming depths and body temperature.

The external part of the tag says, on one side, ``Electronic tag inside cavity,'' and on the other, ``Big $$$ Reward.''

Anyone landing one of these tagged fish should contact the National Marine Fisheries Service at 1-800-437-3936.

TIGHT RACE: Three Virginia Beach anglers are locked in a tight race for angler-of-the-year honors from the Virginia Salt Water Fishing Tournament. But the lone woman among them may have a major advantage.

The trio are former anglers of the year Jimmy Kolb and James C. Wright, as well as Carolyn W. Brown, the first female to contend for the title, inaugurated in 1990. Each has registered citation-winning catches for nine species. But Brown also has a 10th pending approval from the committee that oversees the state-sponsored contest.

Acceptance of this entry has been delayed because it did not contain Brown's signature. Hers was one of several delayed for similar reasons. She has filed the required affidavit, and acceptance is expected when the tournament's committee meets Oct. 1.

OFF TO NEW YORK: Five Hampton Roads anglers have registered to compete in the $200,000 Bassmaster New York Invitational bass-fishing tournament.

The contest, which pays $40,000 for first place, is set for Thursday through Saturday on the St. Lawrence River at Clayton, N.Y.

Local contestants will include the father-son duo of Ivan and Shawn Morris of Virginia Beach, Les Ore of Virginia Beach, Tim Seery of Virginia Beach and Curt Lytle of Suffolk. Joe Nichols Jr. of Ahoskie, N.C., also will compete.

IRON SHOT: Tungsten-iron shot for waterfowl hunting is expected to be approved for the 1997-98 season when the board of the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries meets in Richmond on Oct. 23.

Since the 1994 season, when lead was banned for waterfowling, hunters have been required to use non-toxic shot.

Now the federal government, which forced the ban, has relaxed a bit to allow tungsten-iron.

After a period of accepting public comment on the proposed change in state laws, the game department's board will stage a public hearing at its October meeting at its headquarters at 4010 W. Broad St., beginning at 9 a.m.

TROUT SEMINAR: The Marina at Marina Shores will host a seminar at 7 p.m. Wednesday on fishing for speckled trout.

Speakers will include trout gurus Skip Santti, Ben Tate, Herb Gordon and Greg Cooner. Topics will range from live-bait fishing to fishing at the Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel.

Proceeds from the $2 admission will benefit the Virginia Marine Science Museum's educational program for underserved children.

SHORT CASTS: Bob Eakes, who operates the Red Drum Tackle Shop at Buxton, N.C., and Willie Phillips, a crabber from Columbia, N.C., have been named to the new board of the North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries. ... A weekend workshop for women who want to learn more about hunting for deer and turkey has been set for Friday through Sunday. It'll be at the Smith Mountain Lake 4-H Center near Bedford, Va., and is being staged by the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries. For details or reservations, contact Libby Norris at 1-757-253-4180. . . . The Virginia Beach Anglers Club will hold its annual king mackerel tournament Saturday, with headquarters at Lynnhaven Waterways Marina. Entry is $200 per boat, with cash awards for the top 10 places. For details, contact Al Chewning at 363-2861. ... David Stephenson of Virginia Beach has earned a citation award from the Virginia Salt Water Fishing Tournament with a 3-pound, 2-ounce croaker. He was aboard the boat Fish-N-Fun.

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