Anglers can give all they got to become a Bass Fishing League winner and compete for a chance to win $500 in Bass Pro Shop gift cards, two season boat rentals and entry into the Bass Series Championship. Also, $25.00 gift cards will be given away nightly.

The Bass Fishing League will be held at Sharon Woods Lake, which has earned a reputation a tope bass lake in southwest Ohio. Schedule is on Wednesdays as follows:

April 17     5:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
April 24     6:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.
May 1        6:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.
May 8        6:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.
May 15      6:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.

Registration is due in advance at Sharon Woods Boathouse beginning March 30. The league is limited to the first 20 teams. Grand prize is based on league points at the end of the five week competition.

A valid Hamilton County Park District Motor Vehicle Permit ($10.00 annual; $3.00 daily) is required to enter the parks.

For additional information, visit greatparks.org or call 521-7275. Also, be sure to check out our Facebook page and follow us on Twitter to find out more about what’s happening at the parks.

Teens who enjoy golfing competitively are invited to join the Great Parks Junior Mini Tour.
Tour membership fee is $35 per player and tournament fees are $25 for tour members and $40 for non-members.

The four-tournament event will take place Saturday, April 6, Miami Whitewater Forest Golf Course; Saturday, May 4, Shawnee Lookout Golf Course; Wednesday, June 5, The Vineyard Golf Course at Woodland Mound; Wednesday, July 10, Sharon Woods Golf Course; Junior Mini Tour Championship, Sunday, July 21, The Mill Course at Winton Woods.

Tournaments will be divided into two divisions for boys and girls, age 13-15 and age 16-17. Players will earn points for each event, and overall points leaders will qualify to compete in the championship.

Register at http://www.greatparks.org/golf/great-parks-junior-mini-tour/index.html. For more information, call Andrew Horner at 825-3701.

A valid Hamilton County Park District Motor Vehicle Permit is required to enter the parks.

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Populations of wildlife species such as the bobcat, bluebreast darter and trumpeter swan as well as Daughmer Bur Oak Prairie Savannah and Whipple State Nature Preserve have all benefitted from Ohioans supporting conservation efforts by donating to the tax checkoff program, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources.

Donations made through the Wildlife Diversity Fund tax checkoff help support critical ecological management activities in Ohio, including efforts to remove non-native and invasive species that pose a serious and ever-growing threat to sensitive habitats. Wildlife checkoff funds also help support information programs such as field guides, which are provided free to the public from checkoff funds.

Taxpayers who are not receiving a refund this year may still contribute by sending a check to: ODNR Division of Natural Areas and Preserves’ Natural Areas Fund or ODNR Division of Wildlife’s Wildlife Diversity Fund, 2045 Morse Road, Columbus, Ohio 43229.

ODNR ensures a balance between wise use and protection of our natural resources for the benefit of all. Visit the ODNR website at ohiodnr.com.

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New statewide and specific site bass fishing regulations are now in effect for the 2013-2014 license year, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources.

Statewide, a new 12-inch minimum length limit has been implemented by the ODNR Division of Wildlife on all public waters for largemouth, smallmouth and spotted bass where there are no other special regulations.

The daily limit of five fish per day remains in effect for black bass, singly or in combination.

Some reservoirs that previously had special regulations were changed to the new statewide 12-inch length limit. he 12-15 inch slot length limit was removed from Timbre Ridge Lake, and 15-inch minimum length limits were removed from:

Caesar Creek Lake (Warren, Clinton and Greene counties),
Kenton Lake (Gallia County),
Lake Milton, including the Mahoning River connecting Berlin Lake and Lake Milton (Mahoning County),
Lake Vesuvius (Lawrence County),
Monroe Lake (Monroe County),
Monroeville Reservoir (Huron County),
Pike Lake (Pike County) and
Sippo Lake (Stark County).

Two new regulations have been incorporated to increase the size and number of bass.

These special regulations include a reduced number of largemouth, smallmouth and spotted bass that anglers may keep per day and split daily limits, where anglers may only keep a specified number of fish of a certain length.

The first regulation is a special 15-inch length limit with a four fish split daily limit.

Anglers may keep two fish under 15 inches and two fish 15 inches or larger, for four fish per day.

The split daily limit allows limited harvest of bass less than 15 inches to promote growth of bass to larger sizes.

This regulation is referred to as a “15, 2-and-2.” It is in effect at these reservoirs:
Acton Lake (Preble and Butler counties),
Findley Lake (Lorain County),
Hargus Lake (Pickaway County),
Highlandtown Lake (Columbiana County),
Lake Snowden (Athens County),
New Lyme Lake (Ashtabula County),
Paint Creek Lake (Highland and Ross counties),
Salt Fork Lake (Guernsey County),
Silver Creek Lake (Summit County) and
Upper Sandusky No. 2 (Wyandot County).

The second split daily limit is referred to as a “Super Slot,” a 14-20-inch slot length limit intended to increase the chance of catching trophy bass.

Anglers may keep two fish under 14 inches and one fish 20 inches or larger, for three fish per day.

However, anglers are not allowed to keep any fish in the protected slot. This regulation will be limited to the following waters:

All American Electric Power (AEP) ponds and reservoirs, including AEP ReCreation Lands, Conesville Coal Lands and Avondale Wildlife Area, with all ponds and reservoirs included in each daily limit per angler (Coshocton, Guernsey, Muskingum, Morgan, Noble and Perry counties),
Belmont Lake (Belmont County),
Guilford Lake (Columbiana County),
Killdeer Plains Reservoir (Wyandot County),
Kiser Lake (Champaign County),
Long Lake (Summit County),
Oxbow Lake (Defiance County),
Spencer Lake (Medina County),
St. Joseph Wildlife Area ponds (Williams County),
Tycoon Lake (Gallia County),
Wingfoot Lake (Portage County) and
Wolf Run Lake (Noble County).

These adjustments in regulations were developed by the ODNR Division of Wildlife through an analysis of historical fish surveys, creel surveys and angler-reported tournament results, an evaluation of management options and fisheries objectives as well as extensive angler input through online surveys, creel surveys, open houses and meetings with sportsmen and women.

For more information, contact:
Vicki Ervin, ODNR Division of Wildlife
614-265-6325.
Jason Fallon, ODNR Office of Communications,
614-265-6860

Successful hunters checked 21,555 white-tailed deer during the 2013 muzzleloader season, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources.

The 2013 harvest total represents a 12 percent increase over the 2012 season, when hunters checked 19,251 deer. The muzzleloader harvest was 17,375 deer in 2011.

Hunters who donate deer are not required to pay the processing cost as long as the deer are taken to a participating processor. To see which counties are involved in this program, go to fhfh.org.

ODNR ensures a balance between wise use and protection of our natural resources for the benefit of all. Visit the ODNR website at ohiodnr.com.

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The Harrison Wildcats finally cured themselves of the road blues, winning a pair of games last weekend away from the friendly confines of the Wildcats Sports Arena - the first two road victories of the season.

The wins over Edgewood (48-35) and Little Miami (55-49) allowed the Cats to even their record at 7-7 and put them back in the hunt for the Southwest Ohio Conference title as they are tied for third behind Ross and Wilmington and both those teams still have to come to Harrison.

A month ago, the Harrison Ladycats had a 2-4 record and coach Stuart Scrivner wasn’t sure where his team was headed. The answer appears to be upward.

The Ladycats won two games last week and have won seven of their last eight games to improve to 9-5 overall.

6-2 in conference

Sept. 1 is the proposed start date for Ohio’s fall squirrel and dove hunting seasons.

Upland game hunting seasons for cottontail rabbit, ring-necked pheasant and bobwhite quail are proposed to start Nov. 1, the first Friday in November.

Fox, raccoon, skunk, opossum and weasel hunting and trapping are proposed to start Nov. 10.
Youth upland game seasons are proposed statewide for two weekends: Oct. 19-20 and Oct. 26-27.

Proposed 2014 wild turkey season dates are April 21-May 18, and the proposed 2014 youth wild turkey season is April 19-20.

Proposals concerning Ohio’s white-tailed deer and fall wild turkey hunting season will be heard at the next Ohio Wildlife Council meeting on Wednesday, Feb. 6.

Visit the Ohio Department of Natural Resources Web site at ohiodnr.com.

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