BRIEFS

Antique fishing tackle swap

MOUNTAIN HOME -- The 14th annual Arkansas Twin Lakes Antique Fishing Tackle Swap will be held Sat. Nov. 4 at the Ramada Inn at 1127 N.E. Hwy. 62 in Mountain Home, beginning at 7:30 a.m.

The event features collectors from around the South that display, sell and trade antique fishing tackle. Visitors may bring tackle for free appraisals. Traders are advised to come before noon.

General admission will be $3, and table rental will be $15. The room rate for the event is $69.

For more information, call Jerry McCoy at (870) 405-9238 or (870) 481-5199. To reserve a room, call (870) 425-9191.

Youth event successful

Pine Bluff -- More than 200 children and their guardians enjoyed outdoor activities Saturday at the Union Sportsmen's Alliance's "Get Youth Outdoors Day" at Martin Luther King, Jr. Park Pond.

The Get Youth Outdoors Day engaged youth and adults in hands-on activities including learning how to fish and shooting archery and air guns. Volunteers from the Union Sportsmen's Alliance, Arkansas Game and Fish Commission and Arkansas AFL-CIO provided fishing instruction and conservation education. Participants also enjoyed lunch provided by Arkansas AFL-CIO, and children received free fishing gear from Pure Fishing.

"Get Youth Outdoors Day is a great example of the efforts needed to preserve North America's outdoor heritage through hands-on events that instill a love for the outdoors in today's youth," said Maurice Jackson, family and community fishing program coordinator for the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission. "We are proud to say we played a part in introducing so many kids to those opportunities."

FLW inks Canada partnership

MINNEAPOLIS -- Fishing League Worldwide (FLW) recently announced an exclusive licensing agreement with the Canadian Pro Bass Tour to assume operation of FLW Canada bass tournaments.

The agreement was signed by FLW President of Operations Kathy Fennel and Andrew Pallotta, President of the Canadian Pro Bass Tour.

"Canadian bass anglers are among the best in the world and they deserve world-class events in which to showcase their talent," Fennel said. "We are excited to announce Andrew Pallotta as our new partner in Canada. We are confident that his extensive background in tournaments and sport shows will further elevate the status of FLW Canada tournaments and provide a promotional platform befitting such a talented group of anglers."

FLW Canada will continue to advance two pros and two co-anglers annually to the International Division at the Costa FLW Series Championship, where they will compete against anglers from China, Korea, Mexico and South Africa.

The highest finisher in the International Division at the FLW Series Championship will advance to the Forrest Wood Cup, where the minimum payout is $10,000. The winner of the Forrest Wood Cup will receive $300.000.

International Division anglers also compete for FLW Series Championship payouts of up to $95,000, including a Ranger Z518C boat, in the pro division and $32,000, including a Ranger Z175 boat in the co-angler division.

"Our goal is to provide professionally run tournaments that welcome all anglers and provide Canadian citizens with opportunities for advancement that they cannot receive anywhere else," Pallotta said. "We will start with one major event, the FLW Canada Cup, and grow from there with a focus on providing highly competitive and enjoyable tournaments for the largest number of anglers possible."

Georgia record catfish

WAYCROSS, Ga.- Richard Barrett of Axson, Ga., recently broke the Georgia record for blue catfish with a 93-pounder he caught on the Altamaha River.

Barrett's catch beat the previous record by more than 12 pounds.

Barrett caught the fish using a live channel catfish that he caught earlier in the day as bait.

Barrett told the department's Wildlife Resources Division he was shocked when he got the fish to the surface. He said he was worried he wouldn't be able to get it into his boat.

DU honors Pocahontas volunteer

Ducks Unlimited recently dedicated the seventh Arkansas Legacy Greenwing project at Homefield, Saskatchewan to Keith Futrell of Pocahontas.

Futrell started volunteering with DU at 18, and has done so for more than 35 years, during which time he has become known for his work with DU's youth programs.

Futrell also serves on the national Youth and Education Committee. He became personally involved in the Arkansas Varsity Camp when his own son attended at age 15. He'll have been serving as a counselor for the camp 15 years in 2018.

The Saskatchewan prairie project is part of one of the most productive waterfowl areas of North America -- the Touchwood Hills. The 160-acre property was purchased in 1998. The tame grass uplands have been managed as idled nesting cover most of the past 17 years with periodic haying. The remainder of the habitat was left idle to be managed for waterfowl habitat in perpetuity. The area supports waterfowl densities in excess of 40 pairs per square mile. Adding to the value of this project is the high wetland density in the surrounding area and its proximity to several other DU projects.

Arkansas Ducks Unlimited raised $20,000 through Legacy Greenwing memberships. The funding was used as match to secure a North American Wetlands Conservation Act grant.

The Legacy Greenwing program is a bridge between Ducks Unlimited's habitat conservation and youth programs. It is open to youths up to age 21 for a one-time contribution of $200. Legacy Greenwing membership funds are dedicated to a waterfowl habitat project, and each child's name is placed on a sign at the project site. This membership forever links these children to DU's mission of waterfowl habitat conservation.

Sports on 10/29/2017

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