OUTDOOR BRIEFS

LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES

School kids find hot fishing in July

With temperatures soaring well over 100 degrees, you may not expect for local fishing to be very good, but school groups recently found the opposite to be true.

While attending fishing clinics at Floyd Lamb Park, members of two different school groups caught more than 80 fish, mostly bluegill. The Nevada Department of Wildlife hosted the fishing clinics through its angler education program, something the agency has been doing in Southern Nevada for more than 15 years. The clinics are available to both public and private schools.

Some may consider time spent at a fishing clinic to be somewhat frivolous, but the program actually meets many of the state science standards for the second graders who take part, said Ivy Santee, angler education coordinator for NDOW. The kids learn about the different fish species found in Nevada, as well as about their habitat needs and adaptations. They also learn about the fish's place in the food chain. But, what really impresses the kids is a day like the one Mrs. Orton's class had at Floyd Lamb Park last week. The kids, from Goynes Elementary School, caught 22 bluegill in 30 minutes. All together, three classes from the school caught 44 fish.

The day before, a handful of kindergarteners caught 47 bluegill, and they did so in less than two hours. Even though the kids caught a lot of fish, they had almost twice as many worms stolen from them as fish caught. And every fish was released back into the pond.

"The trick for catching bluegill is simple -- use a small hook no bigger than size 10 threaded with a plump meal worm (with a kiss blown to them) and sit very still while waiting for a fish to bite," said Santee.

Funding for NDOW's angler education program comes from federal excise taxes on all fishing equipment. Teachers who are interested in learning more about the NDOW angler education experience can find more information by calling Santee at (702) 486-5127, Ext. 3503.

BE CAREFUL

Summer storms pose dangers for boaters

Summer thunderstorms in Southern Nevada are characterized by sudden and often violent changes in the weather. The characteristics of summer storms are high winds, lightning and heavy rain that create severe danger for boaters, according to the Nevada Department of Wildlife.

"Many people, especially those who are new to the desert or here on vacation, just don't realize how fast desert thunderstorms come up. Unsuspecting boaters are often taken by surprise and that can lead to some very real safety problems," said Lt. David Pfiffner, supervising game warden for NDOW.

Over the years, several people have lost their lives in weather related boating accidents along the lower Colorado River. Swamped boats are a significant problem this time of year and not only pose a danger to passengers but also to responding game wardens.

"When caught by a storm, a boater's first order of business -- if they aren't wearing it already -- is to put on their life jacket. Then the boater should look for a protected location, such as a cove, in which to ride out the storm," Pfiffner said.

Summer storms also may be accompanied by heavy rains that can lead to flash floods, which can wash large amounts of debris into waterways.

A good rule of thumb is to "keep an eye to the sky." The sky will tell the weather story for you, especially during the summer, he said. When thunderheads build up on the horizon, it's probably time to head in. Pfiffner encourages anyone who re-creates outdoors to make a habit of checking -- and heeding -- the weather forecast before leaving home and routinely checking it while out and about.