BOAT INSPECTION INFO

Local Division 6 of the USCG Auxiliary inspected more than 400 boats during May - Safe Boating Month - according to Dave Kirk - PA Officer. He said 85 per cent of the initial inspections met both federal and NJ safety regs.
Records show there were eight boating fatalities in NJ and 22 in Pa. last year. Nationally there were 758 deaths with more than 230 alcohol related.
Division 6 will continue to hold inspections during the summer. Boaters should contact Dirk at dkirk820@aol.com to set up an inspection.

BACK IN THE GAME

Grenloch Lake in Gloucester County is now open for fishing and other water-related recreation.
The popular Washington County lake had been closed since a fuel spill fouled the waters back in January. Some 26,000 gallons of diesel fuel leaked from a storage tank at a NJ Transit bus facility near the water.
Recent surveys since the cleanup showed no surface or fish analysis showed any contaminants present.
Good news for the local folks this summer season.

HEAPS OF TROUT

There's still trout in them thar waters of the state, at least you have to figure all of the 620,262 stocked this spring haven't been caught. Even so, the catch-and-release factor means even more are still there. As long as water andweather conditions are favorable, you should be catching spring released trout well into the summer.
The state says 340,996 pounds of rainbows, brookies and browns were put into lakes, ponds and streams from March to Memorial Day weekend. These include broodstock up to nearly two-foot long fish. The average stocker was about 11 inches.
Go fish!

ALL IN THE FAMILY

Dave Plichta Sr. and Dave Plichta Jr. of  Flemington took four winning trout in the recent contest at Round Valley Reservoir held by the Hunterdon Anglers.
Two of their lake trout and two browns were winners. There were no real lunkers caught however as the biggest overall laker was 3.85 pounds caught by Frank Capobianco of Dunellen. The largest brown was a 2.45-pound fish in the adult division. Jackyln Bridgeman of Keport caught a 2.45-pound brown also to win the junior division.

FOUL CATCH

We've all snagged weeds, sticks and fishing tackle at one time or another, but a fisherman at Round Valley Reservoir won't ever forget what came in on the end of his hook. New Jersey State Police and the Hunterdon County Prosecutor's Office are investigating the discovery of "partial human remains." Law enforcement personnel will try to discover who that victim is.

BEARDED WONDER

Many turkey hunters save beards taken from gobblers, but a bowhunter in Onodaga County, NY collected a bunch in one shot. His tom had FOUR beards.

A REAL GETAWAY

YOU MAY HAVE READ ABOUT MY RECENT TRIP TO THE BEAVERKILL IN THE TRENTONIAN PRINT EDITION OF THE OUTDOOR COLUMN AND THE PLACE WE STAYED OVERNIGHT. IF YOU WANT TO GET AWAY FROM IT ALL, THIS IS THE PLACE FOR YOU AND IT'S FOR SALE. THE CABIN, THAT WILL SLEEP SIX IN A PINCH, SITS ATOP A MOUNTAINTOP NORTH OF ROSCOE, NY OFF OLD ROUTE 17. IT'S A TWO-MILE DRIVE UP AND IT'S A ROCKY AND DIRT ROAD. A 4X4 IS MANDATORY, ESPECIALLY IN BAD WEATHER. THE PLACE IS HEATED BY A WOOD STOVE, BUT HAS WELL WATER AND A BATHROOM AND IS POWERED BY A GENERATOR AND SOLAR PANEL. THE PLACE SITS ON FIVE ACRES. DEER ABOUND. I DON'T KNOW ABOUT TURKEY. E-MAIL CATSKILLSCABINOWNER@YAHOO.COM FOR DETAILS AND PRICE.