OUTDOOR BRIEFS

ANGLING

Etiquette important during fishing

For any sport to be truly enjoyable for all participants, there must be a set of rules that govern the game and its players. The same holds true for the sport of fishing. Some fishing rules, like license requirements, are written in the law while others remain unwritten. These unwritten rules are often called ethics, a system of principals that guide behavior.

Adherence to fishing's ethical guidelines is voluntary, but if no one chose to follow them, fishing wouldn't be any fun.

As ethics go, crowding and casting across another angler's line are minor infractions when compared to others. Some of the more serious ethics infractions are also against the law. They include taking more fish than you're allowed, fishing without a license to do so and throwing spent fishing line and other garbage -- like empty bait containers -- on the ground.

Another ethical issue involves the practice of catch and release fishing. There is a right way and wrong way to do it. One infraction is grabbing a fish you caught with a towel. That practice strips the fish of its slimy, yet protective, coating. And rather than simply ripping the hook out of the fish and throwing the fish back into the water, anglers should handle their fish carefully and remove the hook in a manner that puts the least amount of stress on the fish. Then slide the fish into the water. Don't just throw it.

Armchair biology is another serious issue. Every year, fish species are found in our waters that shouldn't be there, because someone didn't care about the consequences of putting live creatures into waters where they don't belong. A glaring example of the results of this practice can be found at Comins Lake near Ely. Someone illegally planted northern pike into that lake and they have virtually destroyed the trophy trout fishery.

The next time you go fishing, instead of crowding in on the person who just caught a fish, give them the space you would like to have and respect the waters you are visiting.

BIRD MIGRATION

Fall is the season to view raptors

Now that fall is here and the temperatures are slowly dropping, it time to think about getting outside to view the fall migration of birds. While most people associate fall migration with waterfowl, raptors, also known as birds of prey, are also a migratory bird. Raptors from the north fly into Southern Nevada and join those that are year-long residents, and that makes these beautiful birds plentiful during the fall and winter months.

The list of raptors you might see includes golden eagles, ospreys, red-tailed hawks and kestrels. Other raptors, such as the bald eagle and the peregrine falcon can be seen moving into southern Nevada at this time as well, but "the most common of the migratory raptors that we see here are the Cooper's hawk and sharp-shinned hawk," said Cris Tomlinson, supervisory biologist for Nevada Department of Wildlife.

Hawks travel in the daytime, gliding high on thermal air currents rather than flapping their wings. This enables them to conserve energy.

The National Wildlife Federation sponsors an annual Hawkwatch, an event in which volunteer birdwatchers tally the number and species of the different species of hawks they see at popular migratory stopover sites. One of these sites, a Hawkwatch Migration Station, is located in the Goshute Mountains north of Ely. It has been established because of the high numbers of raptors that visit the area.

"The Goshutes host one of the highest concentrations of migrating raptors, but any high mountain peak can serve as a migration corridor and may be an area to look for birds that might be passing through," said Kristy Klinger, diversity biologist for NDOW.

Another place to look for raptors is along Nevada's highways. The birds can often be seen perching on power poles that line the roadside. Information about the Hawkwatch program, as well as a list of possible viewing sites is available at http://enature.com/outdoors/hawkwatch. November is one of the best times to see what's flying by.

FREE FOR ALL

Beginners fishing clinic open to all ages

The Nevada Department of Wildlife will have a free fishing clinic for people of all ages starting at 9 a.m. Dec. 8 at Sunset Park Pond, located at Sunset Road and Eastern Avenue.

Participants will learn such basics as casting skills, fish identification, bait and lure selection, and basic fishing knots. The clinic will conclude by putting those new fishing skills to the test. Participants who are 12 years old and older must have a Nevada fishing license. For more information and registration contact, Ivy Santee at 486-5127 ext. 3503, weekdays.