SKA Forum

American Fishing Wire Products on Amazon

2012-04-17T11:29:02-05:00

]http://www.amazon.com/American-Fishing-Wire-Titanium-Surfstrand/dp/B004VZJLJQ/ref=sr_1_50?ie=UTF8&qid=1334675613&sr=8-50]

If Amazon doesn’t have the product you need, call 800 824 9473.

Wanna see how empty our oceans are?

2012-04-02T10:17:52-05:00

This was taken off Clearwater Beach.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kAbEzakam3Y

These scenes could probably be duplicated on the Atlantic Coast.

Congressman Lieut. Co. Allen West at Fishermens Rally

2012-03-16T10:53:07-05:00

Congressman West has agreed to speak at the 3/21/12 Rally in Wash., D. C.

There is a bus coming from Panama City that will stop in Jax, Fl. to pick up fishermen for the trek north to D. C.

If you are interested, this bus is free, call me 772 446 4176, details on http://www.captstanman.com

For your info

2012-02-27T11:17:11-05:00

Meeting with U.S. Representative Steve Southerland.

While we were at the Miami Boat Show last week, Jack and I had the opportunity to spend Saturday afternoon and late into the evening with Florida’s U.S. Congressional Representative Steve Southerland from Florida District 2 (Panama City through Tallahassee). What a learning experience it was. Steve is on the Fisheries Committee and is raising all kinds of hell with NOAA and the NMFS. He along with several other U.S. Senators and Congressmen are going to speak at our Rally in Washington on March 21st . While NOAA is pushing FISH’S rights down our throat, Steve and several of his co-horts are fighting for FISHERMEN’S rights in Washington. Everyone should make an effort to attend this important Rally.

Want to see just how passionate Steve Southerland is? Check out the following link where he accuses Dr. Lubchenco and her staff member of lying to the fisheries committee:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y1U7uG9Uf9o

On March 6th, Jack and I are heading to the SAMFC meeting in Savannah. Jack has been asked to put together a proposal that will put together a separate ACL for tournament caught King Mackerel. This will create another record source for the NMFS as well as allow tournaments to raise money for their charities by selling the fish caught at their event and these sales won’t affect the commercial ACL. There will be an informal public Q & Q session on Wednesday, March 7th 5:30 at the Savannah Hilton DeSoto, 15 East Liberty Street as well as a public comment session at 5:30pm on Thursday, March 8th. All concerned fishermen should express themselves at one of these important meetings.

On our way back from Savannah on March 6th, we will be attending a Rally presented by the North Florida Chapter of the RFA. The Rally will be held Tuesday, March 6th at Sneakers Sports Grill, 8133 Point Meadow Road (Baymeadows Road and 295 (9A) intersection). The featured speaker will be former Sen. George Lemieux, who was actively fighting for fishermen’s rights the two years that he was in Washington. He needs your vote to oust the incumbent, Sen. Bill Nelson, who is siding with the Enviro’s on every issue. Get there early if you want a seat.

Also, If you get a chance, pick up a copy of the March / April addition of the Big Game Fishing Journal. There are several articles about the state of recreational fishing along the East Coast and the Gulf, including one that Jack and I put together, about what the affects of NOAA’s Enviro driven and funded Leadership is doing to the sport that we love and to so many depend on for their livelihood.

Bob Flocken

Sen. Brown expose of NOAA on You Tube

2012-02-23T10:04:23-05:00

Sen. Brown does an outstanding job in the Senate with photos of the boat and some ridiculous uses of the boat.

Please be sure and mail this to everyone.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=lIdzt53FKtY#

Ocean Closures update 2/2012.

2012-02-08T10:47:20-05:00

from Bob Zale.

All,

You have seen much info on the national ocean policy that I have sent. Here is some info from the conference call the National Ocean Policy Coalition had last week. I was on this call and provided info and suggestions and learned more of the problems facing us if the national ocean policy continues. When you go to the sites listed in the below paragraph you will learn more. Check the members of the joint ocean commission initiative and see who is pushing this and who we are up against. The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission, the Mid Atlantic Fishery Management Council, the New England Fishery Management Council, and the Pacific Northwest are all tuned in to supporting the national ocean policy. Fishermen, boaters, all who use and enjoy our natural marine resources better get involved and now if the nop is to be curtailed. Let your respective managing bodies know you do not support the nop. You need to tell your councils and the asmfc to back off support and listen to the stakeholders who will be most affected. The nop train is moving at light speed while no one is watching. Don’t wait till it is too late.

Bob

At a recent meeting held by the Joint Ocean Commission Initiative featuring discussion about the National Ocean Policy, concerns were expressed about funding levels and maintaining the policy’s viability (most attendees were government officials or NGO rep’s.). Questions were raised about the level of progress thus far, and NOAA Administrator Jane Lubchenco raised the possibility of not leading policy implementation with Coastal and Marine Spatial Planning, but instead focusing on area of common ground such as data collection and standards. It was noted that there was a lot of energy for the process in New England, the Mid-Atlantic, and Pacific Northwest, as opposed to other regions in the country, and that perhaps there should be a focus on areas that want to engage in the process rather than implementing it nationwide. The existing Northeast Regional Ocean Council may hold a marine spatial planning workshop in March, and they are reportedly eager to move forward with implementation.

Capt Bob Zales, II

Rigging the Stanman Way, Angler mag. January 2012

2012-01-17T18:06:08-05:00

Received some inquiries on how to tie the McLean Knot referred to in the January 2012 Angler article by Gary Caputi.

Go to http://www.captainstanman.us/forum/showthread.php?t=3679 for a step by step with photos.

The article stated that we use 1/0 treble hooks on the Ribbonfish Rig. In the Gulf we aluminum spray paint black Gamakatsu size 4, 4 power treble hooks and in the Atlantic we use #6, 4 power Gama trebles and give them the same paint treatment. Aluminum paint is specified b/c it is much brighter than silver or grey.

One piece AFW Bright stranded wire (which is silver colored) is used for making ribbon rigs.

Write me with any questions that you might have. seajay74 at comcast dot net

Merry Christmas from LBFT

2011-12-24T19:51:28-05:00

Merry Christmas from the Lost Boys family to all teams and the entire SKA family.
Rich Cook
Lost Boys Fishing Team (LBFT)

Merry CHRISTmas

2011-12-10T11:53:10-05:00

I wish everyone a safe, blessed and Merry Christmas. I know some of us during the year don’t see I to I on some issues but this is the time of year for us to put those differences aside and focus on the one that allows us to do what we do, the one that has blessed us with what we have how ever large or small it is, Jesus Christ. The one that gave up it all so we could have a chance to have it all one day in Heaven.Sometimes we sit around and feel like everything is going so wrong or how does this guy do what he does and I can’t do it, just don’t see how they spend the money they do. Just look around and you will see someone no matter how little you have, you are rich compared to them. People, we are a blessed people just to live in this county regardless to how bad we think its getting, its still the best Nation in the world. So lets all put our differences aside, pray for each other and our Country, and have a blessed and happy Christmas. May God bless you all.
David

10 AM 10/4/11 Pres. 0 plan to close the oceans

2011-10-04T07:50:12-05:00

Recreational Fishing Alliance
Contact: Jim Hutchinson, Jr. / 888-564-6732 For Immediate Release
October 4, 2011

House Natural Resource Committee Meets Today At 10 A.M.

RFA Likes “Top 10 Things” About President Obama’s Plan to Zone the Oceans”

(10/04/2011) On July 19, 2010 President Obama signed Executive Order 13547 to unilaterally implement a new National Ocean Policy without Congressional approval or specific statutory authority. This policy is a new regulatory layer that could significantly impact the way we use and manage our oceans and is another example of the Obama Administration imposing burdensome federal regulations and policies that could hinder economic growth and harm job creation. In addition, the Administration is implementing a mandatory Coastal and Marine Spatial Planning initiative to “zone” the oceans.

This morning at 10 a.m., the Natural Resources Committee will hold an oversight hearing entitled “The President’s New National Ocean Policy - A Plan for Further Restrictions on Ocean, Coastal and Inland Activities.” The hearing will examine the job, energy and economic impacts of President Obama’s Executive Order.

Tuesday’s 10 a.m. hearing before the full Committee will be held in Hearing Room 1324 in the Longworth House Office Building in Washington DC, and will be broadcast live via the web at http://naturalresources.house.gov/live. The Recreational Fishing Alliance (RFA) encourages its members to visit the link above to watch as the Congressional Committee skewers this controversial presidential edict which RFA has staunchly opposed for nearly a decade.

“Rep. Sam Farr of California has been pushing this ideological hogwash through the House for nearly 10 years, but every time his doomsday bill gets debated in Committee it is tossed out for being utter nonsense and a bureaucratic nightmare,” Donofrio said on July 20, 2010, after President Obama used presidential privilege to circumvent the legislative process (visit http://www.joinrfa.org to view RFA’s frequent comments both on and off the congressional record with regard to Rep. Farr’s failed “Oceans 21” legislation.)

Donofrio points out that Rep. Farr is first up on the slate this morning to talk about the President’s Executive Order 13547 before the Committee. “Mr. Farr’s disastrous Oceans 21 legislation had a handful of supporters who truly believe that our government needs more anti-representative bureaucracy, but RFA and others fought hard to defeat this unnecessary bill in the past, and we hope to see strong objection from the Committee to the President’s Executive Order, Congress should be funding this fiasco,” Donofrio said.

“The Natural Resources Committee never supported Oceans 21, and we applaud Chairman Doc Hastings (R-WA) for taking this initiative to task in an open forum for all constituents to view,” he added.

For saltwater anglers and constituents who wonder how the presidential edict will impact them personally, RFA said Chairman Hastings’ Top 10 Things to Know About the President’s Executive Order and ‘Ocean Zoning’ released in advance of the hearing probably says it best.

1) Lacks Congressional Authorization. In four separate Congresses, legislation has been introduced to implement similar far-reaching ocean policies, and to-date NO bill has passed the House or been reported out of a Committee.

2) Unilateral Action. The Obama Administration has failed to cite any specific statutory authority for the Coastal and Marine Spatial Planning initiative. Instead, it throws up a smokescreen list of all statutes that impact the oceans and claims that is their authority.

3) Imposes ‘Ocean Zoning.’ The Coastal and Marine Spatial Planning initiative is entirely new, mandatory ocean zoning that involves up to 27 Federal agencies and will cost the taxpayers millions, if not billions, in Federal spending. This initiative could place huge portions of the ocean off limits to all types of recreational and commercial activities.

4) Threatens American Jobs. ‘Ocean zoning’ has the potential to damage sectors such as agriculture, commercial and recreational fishing, construction, manufacturing, marine commerce, mining, oil and natural gas, renewable energy, recreational boating, and waterborne transportation, among others. These industries support tens of millions of jobs and contribute trillions of dollars to the U.S. economy.

5) Far-Reaching Impacts Not Limited to the Ocean. This new ‘ocean zoning’ authority would allow Federally-dominated Regional Planning Bodies to reach as far inland as it deems necessary to protect ocean ecosystem health. It specifically mentions the Great Lakes and could potentially impact all activities that occur on lands adjacent to rivers, tributaries or watersheds that drain into the ocean.

6) Creates More Bureaucracy. The Executive Order creates: 10 National Policies; a 27-member National Ocean Council; an 18-member Governance Coordinating Committee; and 9 Regional Planning Bodies. This has led to an additional: 9 National Priority Objectives; 9 Strategic Action Plans; 7 National Goals for Coastal Marine Spatial Planning; and 12 Guiding Principles for Coastal Marine Spatial Planning to be created.

7) Tool for Litigation. The ‘ocean zoning’ initiative involves vague and undefined objectives, goals, and policies that can be used as fodder for lawsuits to stop or delay Federally-permitted activities. This initiative is poised to become a litigation nightmare.

8) New Cost to Taxpayers. This new policy will affect already budget-strapped agencies such as NOAA, Department of Commerce, Department of the Interior, EPA, Department of Transportation, USDA, Homeland Security, and the Army Corps of Engineers. As Federal budgets are further reduced, it is unclear how much funding the agencies are taking from existing programs to develop and implement th