Outdoor tidbits (perch fishing to ammo shortage)

Wildwood Marina in Cleveland is again planning to hook perch jerkers with its annual Battle of Lake Erie Perch Tournament.

This is the eighth year for the event which will be held June 13 and 14.

It will feature an adult category and a junior division and is designed for the advanced perch angler as well as the novice. Fishing can be from shore or a boat.

The adult division winner will be determined by the five longest perch while the youth category will be determined by the three longest perch.

There also will be a largest yellow perch category and worth either a $50 gift certificate for the adult or a $25 gift certificate for the youth winner.

The contest features an 80-percent pay-out of total entry fee and awarded to the 1st, 2nd and 3rd place finishers.

Entry fee is $20 for those age 16 and older and $10 for those age 15 and younger.
Dick's Sporting Goods is the contest's sponsor.

For further information, call the marina at 216-481-5771.

PERCH JERK - The perch bite is on not only off the Wildwood unit of Cleveland Lakefront State park but also the "Hump" area off the Grand River. One lucky angler even managed to catch a 28-inch walleye on a perch rig while fishing for perch found on the Hump.

EYES ON THE PRIZE - The Ohio Division of Wildlife is asking people who sees wild turkeys or ruffed grouse to enter the sighting on a special web page just for that purpose.

The sightings need to be made from June 1 through August 31 and can be reported at www.ohiodnr.com/wildlfie and then go to the site's hunting and trapping page.

IS SHORTAGE EASING? - The National Shooting and Sports Foundation may be seeing a glimmer at the end of the ammunition shortage tunnel. A FEW reports are trickling in that outdoors stores and gun shops are restocking the shelves with ammunition, especially handgun ammunition.

However, the critical shortage is not over yet and it is too early to say when that will be, too, cautions a NSSF spokesman.

SAY CHEESE - The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is looking to assemble a 10,000-photograph compilation that captures families discovering nature this summer.

This mosaic will be made into a commemorative poster. All digital photos submitted will be included and one that will - when viewed at a distance - be seen as a single image.

It is called the "Let's Go Outside" program is available at www.fws.gov/letsgooutside.

DOLLARS FOR DUCKS AND EVERYTHING ELSE - While on the subject of the Fish and Wildlife Service, the agency has distributed more than $61 million for state wildlife grant programs that benefit wildlife and their habitats.

Money is collected from taxes paid on firearms and ammunition.

Ohio's share for Fiscal 2009 is $1,744,566.

- Jeffrey L. Frischkorn
jfrischkorn@news-herald.com