an official publication of the union sportsmen’s alliance spring 2014

Trout on the Rocks

your guide to flyfishing pocket water for trophy

browns and rainbows

POPPER TRICKS FOR LARGEMOUTH BASS

THE BEST BAIT RIG FOR MONSTER CATS

HOW TO KILL A CALL-SHY GOBBLER

FIND THE MOREL MOTHER LODE

12 tactics to hunt and fish like an expert all season longSPRING FEvER

22

UNION SPORTSMEN’S JOURNAL 1

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D e pa r t m e n t s

2 Director’s Letter

4 Around the USA

6 Conservation Focus

8 You Are the USA

11 Made in the USA

22 USA Events

24 Take Your Best Shot

C OV e r pa C K a G e

12Spring FeverEverything renews this time of year, including your outdoor sporting options. Our expert tactics will help you land a lunker bass, lure a strutting tom, and call in or stalk a trophy bear.

union sportsmEn’s journal

s p r i n G 2 0 1 4

The Union Sportsmen’s Journal is the official publication of theUnion Sportsmen’s Alliance.

ExEcUTivE DirEcTor/cEo Fred Myers fredm@unionsportsmen.org

DEpUTy DirEcTorMike d’Oliveiramiked@unionsportsmen.org

chiEf opErATing officErDavid brewerdavidb@unionsportsmen.org

commUnicATionS mAnAgErKate Cywinskikatec@unionsportsmen.org

ShooTing EvEnTS mAnAgErNate Whitemannatew@unionsportsmen.org

conSErvATion bAnqUET mAnAgErWalt Ingramwalti@unionsportsmen.org

fUlfillmEnT mAnAgErJim Pryorjamesp@unionsportsmen.org

membership questions or to Update your contact information:877-872-2211 Toll Free

EDiToriAl DirEcTor Anthony LicataEDiTor Slaton L. WhiteDEpUTy EDiTor Colin Kearns mAnAging EDiTor Margaret M. Nusseycopy EDiTor Robert F. Staeger DESign DirEcTor Sean JohnstonDEpUTy ArT DirEcTor Pete SucheskiphoTogrAphy DirEcTor John ToolanproDUcTion mAnAgEr Erika hernandez ADvErTiSing DirEcTor gregory gattochiEf mArkETing officEr Elizabeth burnham MurphyDirEcTor of cUSTom SolUTionS Noreen Myers

USA board of Directors

chAirmAn of ThE boArDRichard L. TrumkaPresident, AFL-CIO

Edwin D. hillInternational President

Electrical Workers

Kenneth E. Rigmaidengeneral President

Painters

Kinsey M. Robinson International President

Roofers

James bolandInternational President

bricklayers

William T. CreedenSecretary-Treasurer

boilermakers

brent bookerSecretary-Treasurer

building Trades

Joseph J. Nigrogeneral President

Sheet Metal, Air, Rail & Transportation Workers

R. Thomas buffenbarger

International President Machinists

William P. hitegeneral President

Plumbers and Pipefitters

James A. grogangeneral President

Insulators

Whit FosburghPresident and CEO

TRCP

Frank J. Christensengeneral President

Elevator Constructors

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As a union member, you understand the value of unions. You know it’s because of unions that Americans no longer work 16-hour days in unsafe conditions without health

care or job security. You know unions continue to pave the way for better wages, good health care, and retirement plans. You know your union brothers and sisters have your back when times get tough. You also know that unions and union members continually give back to the communities where they live and work.

It’s no secret that the American public has misconceptions about unions and union members. Despite the fact that union members band together for workers’ rights, we are often wrongly depicted merely as picketers and protesters and unfairly stereotyped as being anti-gun and anti-sportsman.

As a community of union members who share both union values and a passion for hunting, fishing, shooting, and conservation, the Union Sportsmen’s Alliance is working to change the public’s perception.

We couldn’t have said it better than Andy Chapman of IBEW Local 317 in a letter he sent to us: “Too many times, we get pulled down by those who are jealous of the bar we set in benefits, quality of life, and the justice and equality to all men

and women of the middle class. Your group portrays us for who we really are.... We are fathers, mothers, sisters, and brothers who work hard and love the outdoors and our great nation. We take pride in what we do and do the things that others wouldn’t to put forth our fair share in this great nation.... Whether you know it or not, you guys are paving a new road for us.”

Our sporting clays shoots, magazine, website, and conservation projects are undeniable evidence that being a union member and being a sportsman or -woman can go hand-in-hand.

USA’s national TV show, Brotherhood Outdoors, showcases hardworking union sportsmen and -women who go above and beyond to give back to others: people like Jake Lovato of UA Local 412, who volunteered his welding skills to rebuild an orphanage in Haiti after the earthquakes; Leroy Shull of IBEW Local 124, who organizes an annual Fishing for Freedom event to bring healing to wounded veterans; and Bradley Richmond of IUOE Local 150, who hosts an annual catfish tournament to raise funds for St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital.

Our Work Boots on the Ground conservation projects are not only improving outdoor access, conserving wildlife habitat, renewing America’s parks, and passing on our outdoor heritage to youth, they are also getting long overdue media coverage for the contributions union members make to their communities.

Volunteering and giving back is nothing new to union members, but it’s time your good work is seen and heard by the public. The USA can be one of the best PR tools for the union community. Just keep doing the great things you do, and share your stories with us. Together, we’ll show all of America what it really means to be a union member.

L O O K I N G F O r W A r D

The Union Sportsmen’s Alliance: Best PR Tool for Unions

FreD MyersexecutIve DIrectOr/ceO

F r O M t h e D I r e c t O r ’ s D e s K

2 UNION SPORTSMEN’S JOURNAL

“I love the USA for bringing together union sportsmen and showing

the world that just because we are union,

it doesn’t make us anti-gun and a threat to hunting and fishing. We support the outdoors as

much as we support our organized work.” — Clayton Knepp III,

Boilermakers Local 83

“It’s so refreshing to be able to chat with

other USA members about hunting and

fishing adventures one minute and then labor

issues the next, with the reassurance they’ll understand where I’m

coming from.” —Jim Pruner,

IAM Local Lodge 99

BC_025702_USASP14P.indd 1 1/27/14 10:51 AM

4 UNION SPORTSMEN’S JOURNAL SPRING 2014 5

Michael Pronchik, Fred Myers, and Candi Garri-son get a peek at the stage before The 47th Annual CMA Awards.

In September 2013, Remington Arms Company, LLC, announced the launch of Remington Country Outfitters (RCO), a premier service that aligns sportsmen with the

finest outfitters for first-class hunting and fishing experiences.

“Over the course of our nearly 200-year history, we have been building the most trusted brand in the hunting, shooting, and outdoor space,” says Scott Blackwell, President of Remington. “Now we’re excited to take

the next step and help our consumers find the right outfitter for their hunting and fishing needs. Whether sportsmen are looking for a whitetail hunt out West or a fishing expedition in the South, Remington Country Outfitters is the premier choice for booking any outdoor adventure and creating an experience to last a lifetime.”

Affiliation with RCO is limited to a select group of hand-picked hunting and fishing outfitters. These outfitters are chosen for the depth and breadth of

experience they bring to sportsmen and anglers around the globe. Factors RCO considers in choosing an outfitter include safety, meals and lodging, facilities, and hunting and fishing quality.

“Remington Country Outfitters will represent only the most trusted and proven outfitters across the globe,” says Carl Brown, founder of RCO.

Brown advises sportsmen to choose a respected booking agency for hunting and fishing trips because they will help locate and secure the right outfitter to ensure that all expectations are met. Clients deserve straight answers, and that’s what you can expect from RCO.

“A good booking agency will know their outfitters on a first-name basis,” says Brown. “They will know what species they offer and what you can expect in the quality and quantity of animals you are hunting. They will make sure that you are treated fairly and that everyone has a chance of filling their tag while having an enjoyable experience on their hunt.”

Thanks to a partnership between the USA and Remington Country Outfitters, USA members can now take advantage of this resource while supporting conserva-tion, because RCO will make a donation to the USA as part of every booked package.

“The USA is excited to partner with Remington Country Outfitters to bring the experience and professionalism of one of the industry’s most trusted travel groups to our members for individual and group bookings,” says USA Executive Director/CEO Fred Myers. “Now our members can book hunting and fishing trips with the confidence that they’ll be getting the best deals and working with some of the best outfitters in the business.”

To learn more about Remington Country Outfitters, visit remingtoncountry.com or call 888-283-7336.

A R O U N D T H E U S A A R O U N D T H E U S A

MICHAEL PRONCHIK, a longtime resident of Philadelphia and journeyman with Roofers Local 30, returned home on November 7 with memories of star- studded celebrity sightings, award- winning musical performances, and visits to historical honky-tonks and venues, thanks to an all-expense-paid trip to Nashville, Tennessee, courtesy of Carhartt and the Union Sportsmen’s Alliance.

An avid outdoorsman and member of the USA, Pronchik entered the USA’s “Carhartt Camo & Country Giveaway” for the chance to win gear when he saw the USA was giving away some of Carhartt’s new line of U.S./union-made camouflage. That entry earned him the Grand Prize, a three-day trip for two to The 47th Annual Country Music Awards in Nashville.

“I was very excited about that,” says Pronchik. “I’d just hoped to win the jacket!”

Pronchik enjoys fishing and hunting and says he’s had his eye on items from Carhartt’s new line ever since it launched. In addition to the trip, the Grand Prize also included Carhartt camo bib overalls, pants, and the coveted jacket. Pronchik says he hopes Carhartt expands the line, “especially since it’s made here. They make good clothing that lasts.”

Pronchik, who had never visited the Music City, invited guest Candi Garrison, also of Philadelphia, to come along. “It was a very nice affair,” he says. “We had a really good time.”

Pronchik has been a member of the USA for six years, having joined just a few months after it launched. He enjoys getting to hear stories from other members as well as reading recommen-dations on great gear.

“With a membership base that recently surpassed 200,000, we are more excited than ever about the positive impact we can have on conservation,” says USA Executive Director/CEO Fred Myers. “Michael Pronchik put his support behind the USA when we had little more than 100 mem-bers, so we are thrilled that his commit-

GRAND PRIZE TO GRAND EVENT

Roofers Local 30 member wins VIP trip to CMAs in Nashville By Laura Tingo

TRIPS THAT SUPPORT CONSERVATIONUnion Sportsmen’s Alliance partners with Remington Country Outfitters

B Y K A T E C Y W I N S K I

C.J. and Carl Brown enjoy a turkey hunt at RCO’s Montana property.

The USA’s Fifth Anniversary Dinner, hosted by AFL-CIO President and USA Chairman Richard Trumka in February 2013, was the most successful fundraising event in the organization’s history. With the help of our dedicated partners

USA CONSERVATION GALA BECOMES AN ANNUAL EVENT BY KATE CYWINSKI

ment paid off with an exciting trip and quality U.S./union-made camouflage. We are grateful to Carhartt not only for supporting our mission, but also for bringing added value to our members with durable clothing for both on the job and in the field.”

Tim Humes, Carhartt’s Brand Marketing Manager of Strategic Partnerships and Public Relations, says Carhartt is proud to be a partner of the USA—an organization that aligns closely

with the company’s passion for hard work and love of the outdoors.

“Carhartt wanted to thank the USA membership for all it does by sending one lucky winner to the Country Music Awards in Nashville. It’s our way of recognizing a job well done by an organization we hold in high esteem,” says Humes. “The Union Sportsmen’s Alliance, through its numerous conserva-tion programs, is constantly giving back to wildlife habitats across the country so we can all enjoy expanded and improved recreational activities outdoors.”

Pronchik has been a roofer since 1971 and a proud union member from day one. “It’s good, hard, honest work,” he says.

and sponsors, we raised more than $250,000 in critical funds to support our conservation mission.

As a result of the event’s outstanding success and at the direction of the USA’s Board of Directors, the event will now occur annually and be titled USA’s Conservation Gala for its goals of helping financially support the organization’s important conservation initiatives and honoring the efforts of USA members and volunteers in carrying them out.

In recognition of USA’s mission to unite the union community in preserving North America’s outdoor heritage and the organization’s many noteworthy projects over the past year, the theme of this year’s Conservation Gala, held on February 13 at the AFL-CIO headquarters, was “Mission in Motion.”

“With more than 6 million AFL-CIO union sportsmen and sportswomen across North America, we can build solidarity through the outdoors to confront

the challenges facing our outdoor sporting heritage and reconnect future generations with the age-old pastimes of hunting and fishing,” says USA Executive Director/CEO Fred Myers. “The Conservation Gala provides an opportunity to celebrate USA’s conservation achievements over the past year and get energized for the year ahead.”

Editor’s Note:Due to the magazine deadline, this article was written prior to February 13, 2014. Due to bad weather in the DC area, USA’s Conservation Gala – scheduled for Feb. 13 – was postponed to a later date.

6 UNION SPORTSMEN’S JOURNAL

c o n s e r v at i o n f o c u sc o n s e r v at i o n f o c u s

raising the roof The Lake Delton Sportsman Club gets a new storage facility thanks to union volunteers

B Y l a u r at i n g o

He’s been officially “retired” for six years now. Still, when Larry Volkey, Vice President of Bricklayers Local 34 in Wisconsin, received a call from the Lake Delton Sportsman Club in

Baraboo last June asking him to handle the renovations of its outdoor storage facility, he signed right up.

“I wanted to do it for the club because they do so many good things throughout the year here for so many people,” says Volkey. A past member of the club, he coordinated the project from start to finish.

Over the following couple of months, Volkey volunteered his time and talents to get everything ready, from building the door

frame to collecting the necessary construction materials donated by the club.

Next, Volkey rallied volunteers from his local and the club to turn out on a late September morning to get the storage building built in a day. Ten skilled union bricklayers and laborers joined together to build a new scaffolding frame, lay brick, and carry loads of supplies.

At the end of the day, the club’s new facility was insulated, heated, and enclosed with quality masonry to provide dry and secure storage.

“The BAC and LIUNA locals in Wisconsin have stepped up for conservation on a number of occasions, including this project in

Lake Delton, our Take Kids Fishing events in La Crosse and Eau Claire, and the paver project at the Upper Mississippi Wildlife Area in Onalaska,” says Tim Bindl, USA Conservation Coordinator. “It goes to show that their hard work extends beyond the job site to helping their local community.”

Volkey says the renovations not only make the club nicer for retired and active members to work together and enjoy activities, but they also make it a prime venue for Bricklay-ers Local 34 to host its 2014 Wisconsin Bricklayers District Council Apprenticeship Contest.

“Now we can utilize the facility from the banquet to the awards,” he says.

breaking down barriersA USA-built custom deer blind creates safe hunting access for kids with mobility challenges By laura tingo

Top: Harrison Fentres, 11, of San Antonio, Texas, takes aim from the special-needs blind. Below: Mike Cramer (left) and Hugo Kraft proudly display the new ground blind and travel trailer at USA’s Houston Conservation Dinner.

Wrapping up the last phase of a usa conservation project that began on aug. 21, volunteers from electrical Workers Local 666, plumbers and pipefitters Locals 10, 540, and 110, the virginia Building and construction trades council, virginia pipe trades, carpenters Locals 613 and 388, and the plasters and cement Masons Local 891 came together at virginia’s York river state park on nov. 18 to pour and finish a popular concrete walkway.

When volunteers first arrived on the scene in august, the

original pavement—laid down in the 1980s—was buckled, cracked, and uneven from invasive tree roots, hindering access to amazing scenic views for some park visitors.

“replacing the damaged sections of the accessible Blue Bird Loop improves access for the physically challenged, enabling them to enjoy the beautiful views of the York river from the park gazebo,” says Jonathan tustin, park Manager of York river state park. “We are extremely grateful to the usa for their generous support.”

union volunteers improve access for Virginia State Park visitors with mobility issues By Kate CywinskiYork river

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a neW, custoM-BuiLt deer blind in the Texas Hill Country has set the stage for kids with mobility issues to experience the thrill of the hunt. The blind, affectionately named “Hugo” for Hugo Kraft, the USA member who solely constructed the park apparatus, was built to meet the needs of youth hunters dealing with a range of mobility issues, from needing a wheelchair to using canes, crutches, or braces.

The project began last year, when the Houston-area union community came together for a conservation dinner organized by longtime USA members and project co-chairmen Michael Cramer and Mike Shelton. In October, many of the same union tradesmen attended a second dinner and saw the finished blind.

“This truly was a labor of love,” says Cramer, Financial Secretary of UA Plumbers Local 68 in Houston. “It was a cooperative effort that is good for the community, good for youth with special needs, and good for labor.”

“Not only does it feel good,” says Walt Ingram, the USA’s Conservation Banquet Manager, “but it’s something we can contribute to help our communities.”

“It’s really great to have an organization realize we had a need for a specialized hunting blind and provide a mobile blind that exceeded our highest expectations,” says Jerry Warden, Executive Director of the Texas Youth Hunting Program, a division of the Texas Wildlife Association. Each year, the program organizes 150 hunts for an average of 1,500 kids.

“Oftentimes at first, parents who have children with mobility challenges express concern or apprehension about letting their children experience the outdoors, and we understand that,” says Warden. “With the correct assistance, their kids can become successful hunters.”

The finished stand is the product of the engin eer ing and ingenuity of Hugo Kraft, a member of Electrical Workers Local 66 in

Houston. After talking about the stand with Warden, Kraft was off to the lumber yard. “I brought materials home and started to build,” says Kraft, a five-year USA member. “I felt whatever it took, I’m donating that.”

The deer stand is truly state-of-the-art, with a wheelchair-accessible ramp, a floor that can hold 500 pounds, a window ledge, and an adjustable, handmade gun prop.

Kraft’s final request to the conservation committee—to purchase a trailer to allow the blind safe transport between hunting grounds—was approved unanimously.

“Any time you can help people with disabilities, it makes you feel good,” he says.

BAC and LIUNA members lay brick for a new storage facility.

Yo u A r e T h e u s A

the big showUSA member aims for the Super Bowl of fishing tournaments by Laura Tingo

USA member Joe Sancho has fished on the pro circuit for more than two decades. His personal best is a largemouth bass that weighed a stunning 10 pounds 1 ounce; his best

smallmouth, a whopping 6-pounds-plus. He doesn’t credit anyone with teaching him how to fish, but he still appreciates the welcoming gesture of one special elder who invited him to belong—years ago, when he was just a boy.

He fondly remembers going to a meeting at a bass club and wanting to join. “I was about 15, and thought it was awesome,” says Sancho, a member of Electrical Workers Local 3 in New York. In front of the group of neighborhood fishing club “old-timers,” he bravely made his case about why he wanted to sign up. “They asked me to leave so they could vote.”

He learned later that the consensus was that if they were to let him into the club, it would be

“babysitting.” The club’s president, however, weighed in with a valiant opinion and became Sancho’s ticket in. “He said, `This kid can do a lot more if he wants to learn to fish,’” recalls Sancho. “I’ve been hooked ever since.”

“Hooked” is an understatement for Sancho, who joined the USA last fall. To his credit, Sancho has fished big tournaments for 20 years. Last fall, when he received word that he

qualified to compete in the 2014 Bass Master Elite Trail as one of the top 100 anglers in the country, he set his sights on winning. “I enter to win,” he says. “That’s the competitor in me.”

His first time out, he earned his spot in the top five in the Northern Open on the James River in Virginia, Oneida Lake in New York, and Lake Erie’s Sandusky Bay in Ohio. This year, from March until late August, he plans to fish, fish, fish in several states along Cayuga Lake and the Delaware River to land in the top 36—and with it, the chance to compete in the Classic. “It’s the Super Bowl of fishing tournaments,” he says.

He first learned what pride of membership in the USA means when he attended a USA shooting event in New York. “There are more sportsmen in construction than we realize,” Sancho says. “They’re fishing on the weekend, out there doing the same thing you are!”

Since then, he’s been thinking of ways to connect and help his new brotherhood of USA members. “Maybe there’s a guy out there who doesn’t know how to fish or hunt,” he says. “We can share all that stuff. The USA offers a unique way to get involved with sportsmen to unite us.”

Joe Sancho shows off his bass while fishing the Hudson River in New York.

Drake Adams won the top youth shooting award at USA’s Kansas City Boilermakers shoot.

IT’s AlwAYs excITIng to see young hunters get involved with competitive shooting. It’s even more exciting when they do it in the kind of dramatic fashion that Drake Adams did at the Union Sportsmen Alliance’s 5th Annual Boiler-makers Kansas City Sporting Clays Shoot on September 21, when he nailed 77 out of 100 clays during his first-ever shoot-ing competition.

“I was very proud of him, but I wasn’t surprised at all,” says Drake’s father, Rick, a member of Pipefitters Local 533. “I’ve hunted with him for years, so I know what a good shot he is.”

Rick says that 15-year-old Drake has been hunting and shooting birds for more than 10 years. He had never entered a shooting competition but had always expressed interest. So when Drake’s mom, Renee—a member of Painters District Council 3—said that there were still a couple of openings on her team for the Boilermakers Shoot, Rick and Drake signed up. Renee didn’t shoot during the tournament, but she was captain of the team that Rick and Drake competed on and

shared in Drake’s victory. “It was really special for her

to see her son get so much recognition shooting for her union,” Rick says.

Drake’s score earned him the Highest Overall Youth Shooter award and inspired the crowd to decide unanimously to offer him the one-year membership that Powder Creek Shooting Park was raffling off, as a way to help him pursue the sport.

“We were all very appreciative of their selflessness,” Rick says. “When people go out of their way

like that to support youth hunters and shooters, it not only helps keep these kids involved, but it gives them a great example to follow so that when they’re adults, they’ll know how important it is to support the next generation of sportsmen.”

While Drake has always expressed interest in shooting sporting clays competitively, Rick imagines that there’s probably a little more fuel thrown on that fire now.

“I’d really like to see him compete more,” he says. “I think he’s got a great shot at getting some scholarships. And, besides, he loves it.”

If he continues to post scores like he did at the Boilermakers Shoot, it’s a safe bet he’s going to love it even more.

Right On taRget

The son of two usA members shows natural shooting ability By Chris Cogley

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Spring 2014 12

u . s . g e a r

u Since 1903, hunters have been using Hoppe’s no. 9 solvent to clean their firearms. The company recently updated this

American icon with a new synthetic blend that retains the cleaning power (and the cherished scent) of the original, but is now non-flammable and biodegradable. This new blend will still remove carbon, lead, and copper fouling, but it is now safe for use on modern firearms materials such as anodized aluminum, titanium, steel, chrome, nickel, plastic, polycarbon-ate, and rubber. The new no. 9 is available in sizes that range from 2 ounces to one gallon, selling for $5 to $100.

u You buy a gun safe for three important reasons. First, to prevent theft; second, to keep firearms out of the hands of children; third, to protect your firearms (as well as any other valuable personal property) from natural

disasters. The Cannon Commander Series 43 is built to meet all three conditions. The line has a fire rating of 90 minutes at 1,200°F, and the construction includes anti-pry bars to keep the

bolt secure as well as six layers of hardened steel to protect the lock against any tampering. in addition, oversize (4-inch-long) locking bolts make it extremely difficult for an unauthorized person to gain entry.

u if a new turkey hunter has time to learn only one call before going afield, it should be the yelp. A hunter who learns that has the potential to bring just about any gobbler within range. Thank Quaker Boy for flattening out the learning curve: The company’s Easy Yelper can help a novice sound like a hen right off the bat.

This simple friction call is really no more than a box with an inserted dowel. All you need to do to mimic a hen is push the dowel; the box does the rest. Easy single-handed operation also serves to reduce any extraneous hand movements, which have been known to spook many a wary gobbler.

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made iN the usaTop equipment picks to enjoy in the American outdoors

u if you’ve used a DpmS Lr-308 in the past, the first thing you will notice about the brand-new gii is that it is considerably lighter. much of that weight reduction came through redesigned upper and lower receivers. improved machining operations on the receivers, paired with a 7075 forging, allows

the gii’s upper receiver to be smaller and lighter, yet stronger, than the current Lr-308 design. DpmS also improved the bolt geometry to relieve stress lines, crafting an 8620-forged monolithic impingement carrier with a Carpenter 158 bolt.

other gii features include a steel feed

ramp, an improved extractor, a new elastomer extractor spring, dual ejectors, smoothed edges on all receiver surfaces, and a titanium firing pin. it’s available in three models—Carbine, recon, and Hunter. The Hunter has a 20-inch barrel, a good choice for deer and hog hunters.

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c o v e r s t o r y s p r i n g f e v e r U s J

spring 2014 1312 UniOn spOrTsMEn’s JOUrnAL

spring fever

F r o m b a s s t o b e a r s , t r o u t t o t u r k e y s , t h e r e ’ s p l e n t y t o

k e e p o u t d o o r s m e n b u s y — a n d h a p p y — t h i s

s e a s o n . h e r e a r e 1 2 e x p e r t t a c t i c s t o h e l p y o u s u c c e e d

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Make a splash landing your first lunker of the spring spawn is a rush.

othing can keep sports-men from the woods and water

come spring—not even the most miserable aller-gies. All season long, new hunt-ing and fishing opportunities spread through the outdoors. There’s the trout opener and the spawns for bass and crappies. Gobblers strut their stuff and respond to scratched slate. Even the big-game crowd can look forward to stalking black bears.

This collection of skills and tactics should be enough to keep you outside and having fun all season long—and that just happens to be the very best cure for spring fever.

spring 2014 1514 UniOn spOrTsMEn’s JOUrnAL

cold hotspotsFor this tactic to work, you need calm, clear water, and you must target very specific areas. Look for bluff-bank walls on the main lake that plunge into deep water, or find creek-channel, chunk-rock, and gravel banks in the arms of reser-voirs, focusing on any woody cover.

Lakes that support sub-merged aquatic vege-ta tion such as milfoil, coontail, and cabbage also yield topwater action now. Target the backs of grassy coves where the water is 6 feet deep or less.

tops on topMy favorite early- spring surface lures are Cordell’s fat 4-inch red Fin Minnow and

rebel’s 1⁄4-ounce pop-r and rico. The red Fin responds with a slow, rolling action when you twitch it, giving lethargic coldwater bass plenty of time to react.

Work the rebel pop-pers with extra-long pauses—up to 10 seconds or more. The feathers on the rear tre-bles move slowly and coax fish when the lure

is at rest. should a bass miss the bait on its first effort, try not to move the popper. Those subtly waving feathers can encourage second strikes, too.

These baits may not put as many fish in the boat as the best tradi-tional coldwater lures do now, but there’s nothing like catching bass on top to welcome spring.

I f yo u ’ r e I n the market for an anchor fit for a small boat or canoe, here’s how to make one that’s easy to handle, easy to attach to a rope, and easy on the finish of your boat. since you fish, we’ll assume that you’re a coffee drinker. First, clean out an empty can. You want one of the large plastic containers (to protect your boat’s hull) that has a built-in handle (to make handling simpler). Fill the can with cement (hold the cream and sugar). Let the cement dry. Fasten a length of rope to the handle with a clinch knot, and it’s ready to go overboard. Just try not to spill your morning mud when you set the hook on that lunker as you’re anchored over your favorite sweet spot. —Ed Cartier

early to rise

bowl games

It’s not too soon to coax bass to the surface By mark hiCks

If gobblers go call-shy, set up at their favorite dust bowl. Here’s what to look for and how to call one in By m.d. johnson

most bass fishermen wouldn’t bother to cast a topwater bait before water temperatures climb above the 60-degree mark. it may surprise you to learn, however, that even as early

as april the bite can be very good. best of all, start plugging the surface when the water reaches 50 degrees or so and you’ll have the action all to yourself.

the java-can anchorlIp servIce A

popper can produce 5-pounders like this, even in April.

location sandy soil and light, powdery dirt make the best dust bowls. the only way to find them is to watch birds—and scout your property. wide erosion cuts or dry runoffs in sloping pastures often hold potential.

sign active bowls will show fresh tracks (3 inches or larger points to a gobbler), droppings, and feathers lost as the birds roll in the dust. three-lined strut marks here and there are another good longbeard indicator.

blind set a pop-up blind within range of the bowl, and make yourself comfortable, because the wait for a tom might be long. the best times to hunt are late morning and early afternoon.

decoys set a single feeding hen a couple of steps from the bowl, and a breeding hen in the bowl itself. position both to face your blind location. Gobblers should work around in front of your fakes.

calling subtlety is key. soft clucks and purrs and short yelps work best to attract a gobbler. listen closely for toms to spit and drum, as birds often approach such situations silently.

DIrty BIrD a gobbler in

the midst of a dust bath.

the turkey hunter’s MushrooM

1 Watch the therMoMeter Mo-rels appear when nighttime lows reach the 40s and daytime highs

hit the 60s. soil temperatures of 50 to 60 degrees provide ideal growing conditions for this easy-to-identify mushroom. Once temps are right, rain triggers morel growth. When day time highs reach the 80s, the season ends.

2 learn your trees Certain trees are reliable indicators of morels. in much of the morel’s range, dead

elms (with the bark slipping off) or apple trees—even apple tree stumps—mark a likely spot. Look around white ash and tulip poplars in the south. in the Mountain West, morels typically grow among Douglas firs.

3 search tWeets i learned this sneaky trick from the website morelmushroom.info. Use Twit-

ter’s search feature to find keywords in tweets from the area you want to scout. Morel hunters usually won’t divulge their top-secret mushroom locations, but you can figure out where and when people are finding morels.

4 fInD the pattern—or fIre The woods are full of microclimates. Think of morel hunting like bass

fishing: You cover ground until you find one, then you focus on similar areas—elevations, contours, exposures—as you hunt. Also, the years after a fire can be banner. Keep an eye out for brush fires or con-trolled burns in your area.

Find the morel mother lode in your woods By Phil Bourjaily

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Make a strong (and cool) turkey carrier just in time for spring By mark hiCks

1 Through the outside curve of the

antler, drill a hole that’s the same diameter—1⁄8 to 1⁄4 inch —as the nylon rope you’ll use. next, widen the hole by using a 1⁄4- to 3⁄8-inch countersink bit to drill about 1⁄4 inch deep.

2 run a length of nylon rope through the

hole. Melt the bottom end of the rope, and allow it to harden and form a lip that will fit into the countersink. Form a loop in the rope 6 inches down and fix it with a bowline knot.

3 To use, fold the end of the loop over itself to

form a smaller loop and place it over the talons, above the spurs. The bird’s weight will pull the loop tight for a secure and more comfortable over-the-shoulder carry.

swipe the plastic A black rebel Crickhopper crankbait (lurenet.com) is the best light-tackle cricket lure you’ll find. but don’t simply cast and retrieve. Let this lure sit on the surface, then give the rod a sharp, short sideswipe. The Crickhopper will duck under and wobble like a struggling cricket. Let it float back up and sit again for a few seconds. repeat until a trout or crappie sucks it down.

After ice-out, catfish binge on dead bait. Here’s how and where to catch them By m.d. johnson

tom caddy

shad-mad cats

poInt GuarD smooth the end of the

antler and any other sharp points with a file.

safety first When carrying out

your turkey, tie some orange tape around

the legs and let it hang over the bird.

the cricket triple play

the gobbler grabber

the smackdown big streamers are usually associated with nighttime flyfishing for trout, but a black foam cricket (fly deal flies.com) can do equal damage. Foam is a loud fly material and makes a harder slap when it hits the water. Lay the fly down aggressively to enhance the pop. Then just let it drift through dark eddies or seams until you hear the louder pop of a striking brown trout.

weight-loss plan Live crickets are often fished under a bobber with a split shot, but they don’t live long. instead, rig the bait on a bare dry-fly hook to reduce the weight and coat the first foot of your line with dry-fly floatant. The bobber will still give you casting distance, but the cricket will squirm on the surface, drawing up big bluegills for exciting strikes.

Plastic, foam, or the real thing, crickets catch fish By joE CErmElE

shad graveyard shallow, dark-bottomed still water— 1 to 3 feet deep— adjacent to deeper current channels warms earliest. dead shad collect in the eddies, and catfish cruise over a wide area, taking advantage of the bounty.

gutsy rig so many dead shad are on the bottom that the cats are cherry- picking the choicest morsels, the innards. look for floaters along the bank, or gather live bait with a cast net. put a 3⁄8-ounce barrel sinker, a 5mm glass bead, and a

snap-swivel on the end of your line. Finish the rig with an 18-inch braided leader and a no. 1 daiichi blood red hook. string the guts on the hook as you would a big nightcrawler. i squirt shad-scent smelly jelly on the guts before each dip in the water.

strong yet sensitive my favorite outfit for ice-out cats consists of an 8-foot 6-inch lamiglas G1307 medium-action salmon-steelhead rod with a shimano cu200 curado baitcaster spooled with 10-pound stren magnathin.

shall We shaD noW… Get an

early start on the catfish bite with dead-shad bait.

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if you spent the winter months after whitetail season hunting sheds, here’s a fun project

to tackle before the turkey opener: a d.i.y. turkey carrier made from a palm-size length of antler and some nylon rope. the antler is tough, looks great, and fits nicely in your hand.

spring 2014 1918 UniOn spOrTsMEn’s JOUrnAL

on the rocks The 12 best spots to catch trout in fast, broken water By TEd lEEson

18 UniOn spOrTsMEn’s JOUrnAL

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1 the hyDraulIc cushIon of low-velocity current just off the bottom in front of a boul-

der is a first-rate spot for large trout. From a position upstream, swing a streamer or spinner through this holding zone. Let it pass a couple of feet upstream of the cushion; get too close to the rock and you may put your lure behind the fish. You can also drift a weighted nymph under an indicator down the current lane, right to the fish.

3 sIDe seaMs are best ap-proached from directly be-low, where you can keep

your fly line in the slick water to help minimize drag. Hit the

slower, inside edges of the seams first, casting to alternate sides. Begin low down, and systemati-cally extend your casts up to the corners of the boulder. In shal-lows, use a dry fly and dropper combination. In deep water, try a nymph below an indicator.

5 rock GarDens slow the current enough to make pro-ductive holding water, and

often hold the highest density of fish. Concentrate particularly on two spots: (a) where a seam from an upstream boulder flows di-rectly into the face of a down-stream rock, where the current meets the cushion; and (b) the slack water between two ob-

structions. Position yourself about a rod length to one side of the seam or slick. Using a weighted nymph (or two) with no indicator, cast a short line quartering upstream. Hold the rod high to keep slack off the wa-ter, and use the tip to guide the fly through the drift. You can fish floating patterns the same way.

6 rocky Breaks generate lines of bubbly turbulence and can hold trout at any

time of year if there’s sufficient depth. Even shallow breaks will produce in the dim hours of late summer and fall, as the aerated water draws fish when flows drop and temperatures rise. Toss an attractor dry from below to limit drag, or cast a small, light- bodied spinner into the turbu-lence, and retrieve downcurrent.

7 sloWer Bank Water is al-ways a good bet if there’s some depth, but look to these

areas particularly in spring, when high water and heavy cur-rents push trout to the edges.

8 sloW, Deep pools are an obvious feature, but study the water before making a cast.

In the early season be alert for surface feeders, especially at the tailout, where the biggest fish of-ten lurk. Pools are one of your best bets in summer, when trout keep cool near the bottom; fish anything, but get it down.

9 Deep eDDIes should be ap-proached from upstream so you can get behind the fish.

With a dry-dropper combination, work the center of the eddy first, gradually moving your casts to-ward the bank.

10 Dark Water along sheer rock faces looks appeal-ing, but unless there’s ob-

vious bottom structure, skip it.

11 suBMerGeD BoulDer

patches are always worth a try. From below,

toss a spinner or other small lure to the top of the rocks, then re-trieve it just barely faster than the current. Approach from upstream and cast a heavy streamer across the current; let it swing or strip it through the boulders. This is also good water for drifting a bobber and bait or heavily weighted nymphs.

current

current

2 the water behind a partially submerged boulder is often too shallow or turbulent

to hold fish, but the slick below that is prime territory. make your first presentation below where the two seams converge to form a V, then work upstream. a parachute pattern with a midge pupa on a dropper can be deadly here.

4 Fully submerged stones have a uniform sheet of current flowing over them, and

trout will tuck up directly behind them. cast a subsurface pattern or spinner just above the rock. let the current pull it over the top and suck it downstream as you retrieve the slack.

current

12 rocks and woody debris can form a partial dam along the bank, and the water above

it will be slow, flat, and deep. trout here are always wary, so approach carefully from below. use a dry fly or dry fly–nymph dropper, but lay only the leader on the water to avoid spooking fish. progressively lengthen your casts.

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high-gradient terrain and rocks—lots of them—are what put the pockets in pocket water, and successful anglers target

them for the same reason that willie sutton robbed banks: that’s where the money is. compared with the more orderly riffle-and-pool trout river, pocket water is a form of barely controlled chaos, with countless variations on the single theme of current and obstruction. Visualize this kind of stream as a series of discrete, localized trout habitats, waters that must be fished one little piece at a time. planting your feet and throwing a long line over conflicting currents will only put instant drag on a fly. instead, approach each spot cautiously and strategically, positioning yourself for short, accurate casts. be mobile and be smart.

spring 2014 21

Gary sefton, an expert turkey caller and contest judge, listened while i tried to entice a texas longbeard. shortly after a hen led the tom away, i thought he gave me a compliment when he said, “you run a pot and peg pretty good for an outdoor writer.” i was about to mumble thanks when he dropped the other boot: “but there are three things you can do to get better.”

To hit the right notes, treat your pot and peg as instruments By sCoTT BEsTul

warm spring days may trigger your instinct to beat a path to the river, but in many places, streams aren’t quite ready for prime flyfishing. cool water temperatures keep trout sluggish, runoff makes currents high and dirty, and most good insect hatches need more daylight to reach their peak. but don’t let any of that stop you. some of the season’s best flyfishing can be had on faster-warming ponds and small lakes. Fishing flat water can be technically challenging, but it doesn’t have to be, because you can use a wide variety of techniques to score. here are my favorite approaches, in order:

stay drythe predominant still-water bugs now are midges, which can provide fabulous dry-fly action. don’t make the mistake of trying to match these tiny insects exactly with microscopic patterns. midges like to cluster, and trout love a “meatball” of bug protein. try a Griffith’s Gnat or a Grizzly cluster in size 18 or 20. use a light tippet, starting with 5x or 6x and working smaller if necessary. you don’t want to make much commotion, so cast only to rising fish. imagine your target 3 feet above the surface: cast to that spot, and your fly will fall gently onto the water.

get down trout eat most of their food below the surface, especially at this time of year. that’s why nymphing can be deadly. Focus your attention on vegetation and structure, such as timber, rocks, and inlets. don’t mess with heavy weights or strike indicators. cast to your target, let the fly sink, and then work the fly with deliberate 2-inch strips. a size-16 soft-hackle pheasant tail or hare’s ear usually gets the job done. sometimes, for whatever reason, spring trout prefer darker flies. i always carry a few black a.p. nymphs in my box.

go uglythe right streamer fly can bring out aggression in early-spring trout. try a tandem rig. start with a large, white attention-getter, like a size-10 Zonker. tie a foot of tippet onto its shank and add a trailing “stinger” fly, like a size-12 black woolly bugger. with a floating line, your leader should be at least 6 feet long. with a sink tip, you can go down to just a few feet; let the flies sink after your cast. mix up your retrieves until you crack the code. trout often turn on the bright fly, then inhale the dark one. set the hook when you see a flash or boil and experience some heart-pounding action.

Rivers and streams too high and cold for flyfishing? Hit still waters for great spring action By kirk dEETEr

flies on the pond

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The turned-in point impales fish in the corner of the mouth for secure hookups and easy releases.

Live or dead baitfish and cutbait.

bottom rigs work with dead bait and cutbait. Fish with a free line when you use live baitfish.

This saltwater hook is catching on with freshwater anglers because the ring lets baitfish swim freely.

All live baitfish, from fathead minnows to large chubs, shiners, and herring.

Any live-baitfish tactic can produce great results, including bobbers, free lines, and bottom rigs.

Thin and flashy, this universal minnow hook for crappies encourages bites and penetrates well.

shiners hooked up through the lips or under the dorsal fin above the backbone.

Dip the Aberdeen hook and minnow combo in pools or fish it under a bobber with a tandem bottom rig.

Two spikes on the shank of this worm-dunker’s favorite hold long bait in place.

red worms for panfish; crawlers for walleyes, trout, and catfish.

Drift streams for trout, use a bottom rig under a bobber, or tie on spinner rigs for walleyes and panfish.

The large gap and turned-in point lock larger bait in place. it holds fast after the hookset.

Crayfish, large shiners, and other live baitfish.

Fish shiners under a bobber or on a free line. Crimp a split shot 18 inches above a crayfish.

light wire with ring

gold aberdeen

bait-holder kahlecircle

cluck & purr like a Maestro

kIck Back an early-

season angler unfurls a cast

on a quiet montana lake.

the Baiting gaMe

c o v e r s t o r y s p r i n g f e v e r

1 strIke It rIch instead of holding the peg like a pencil, use only your thumb and index finger to lightly stabilize it.

putting a death grip on the striker squelches the sound. The last section of your middle finger should barely touch the striker, gently guiding it as you cluck, yelp, and purr. says sefton: “striker control is what separates the masters from the just-good-enoughs.”

2 hanDle WIth care hold the pot up on your fingertips. “This creates a better sound chamber beneath the call and

gives those yelps, clucks, and purrs better volume and tone,” sefton says. “Cupping the call in your hand like you’re trying to hold water in it just deadens the sound.”

3 rest easy Your striker hand shouldn’t touch the call at all. but if you have to rest it on the call for stability, sefton

says, lay only the side of your pinkie finger on the edge of the pot. “Think of that pot like a musical instrument: When your hand rests on it, it’s like a muffler choking the notes you play.” 2 the lonG Walk if a bear

ignores your calling—and some will—go after

it. A spring bear will often stay on a good food source for an hour or more, giving you time to stalk into position. Memorize key landmarks and note which way the bear is feeding. pay attention to wind direction as well. While bears have bad vision, their senses of smell and hearing are acute. if you get close, but not close enough, turn to your predator call. in tight quarters, a few soft squeaks may be all it takes to bring a bear the last few yards into range.

this month, black bears should be out in force as they emerge from their dens to refuel on spring greens and the remnants of last autumn’s berries. spotting these hungry bears is usually the easy part; just look for black spots dotting slides, clear-cuts, and mountain meadows or munching along logging roads. once you’ve located a suitable bear, choose from this pair of pulse-pounding tactics—for both bow and rifle hunters—or use both.

1 the close call Any doubts i had about the effectiveness of predator

calls on bears were put to rest on a hunt in new Mexico with backcountry Outfitters (backcountryoutfitters.com), where we called in three bears in as many days. The key was spotting the bears first. blind calling just led to boredom, but when we saw a bear and called to it with sustained, pleading squeals, each came to us as if on a string. if you can, move downwind of the bear and start calling quietly, increasing the volume until the animal turns your way.

Bears two waysHow to call in or stalk your trophy bruin By david draPEr

BIG BruIn Good clues for a

trophy-size bear are ears that sit on the

side of its head and a creased forehead.

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after you’ve made the effort of catching fresh live bait (or buying it from a gas-station vending machine), having it constantly fall off the hook can lead to a short, aggravating

day of fishing. be sure to rig your bait up with the correct hook style: By mark hiCks

Friday, March 14Ohio AFL-CIO

Conservation Dinner Columbus, oH

Saturday, March 15West Virginia

Conservation DinnerCHarleston, WV

DFW Metroplex Sporting Clays Shoot

Dallas, tX

wedneSday, March 19Greater Kansas City Building &

Construction Trades Dinnerkansas City, mo

Saturday, March 22Nashville Area

Sporting Clays ShootnasHVille, tn

Saturday, March 29Oklahoma AFL-CIO & BCTC

Conservation Dinnertulsa, ok

Saturday, april 5Southern Florida

Sporting Clays ShootokeeCHobee, Fl

Saturday, april 12So. Illinois Sporting Clays Shoot

sparta, il

Louisiana State Sporting Clays ShootnatCHitoCHes, la

Saturday, May 3SMART New Jersey Sporting

Clays Shootport republiC, nJ

Friday, May 30AFL-CIO Capital Area Sporting

Clays ShootQueenstoWn, mD

SpRING 2014 2322 UNION SpORTSMEN’S JOURNAL

Uniting the union community through conservation to preserve North America’s outdoor heritage: That’s the mission of the Union Sports-

men’s Alliance, and as sportsmen and -women, we all recognize the importance of preserving the outdoor heritage we cherish. Uniting the union community is vital to achieving that goal, and the USA’s most effective tools for uniting union mem-bers from different trades and different cities all over the country are its on-the-ground sporting clays and trap shooting events and its conservation dinners.

Our magazine, TV show, website, and social networking presence are important in helping us all get to know one another, but nothing compares to meeting each other face-to-face. Not only do USA shoots and dinners raise critical funds to support the USA’s mission and daily operations, but they also educate union members about the organiza-tion and recruit volunteers. To put it simply, these events act as building

blocks for the USA’s conservation projects.

The USA’s Puget Sound shoot led to a USA Work Boots on the Ground project in which 40 members of Painters District Council No. 5 and Plumbers and Pipefitters Locals 26 and 32 constructed large gates for hunter walk-in access roads in Washington State, and our Minne-sota shoot was the foundation for our annual Get Youth Outdoors Day. A conservation dinner in Dallas, Texas, raised funds for a project at Texas’ Cedar Hills State Park in which volunteers repaired three bridges to ensure the safety of park visitors, while a dinner in Houston resulted in a custom-built hunting blind for youths with mobility issues. And a dinner in Richmond, Virginia, raised the funds needed for union volunteers to complete a trail restoration project at Virginia’s York River State Park. As the USA’s shoot and dinner programs continue to grow, so will the opportunities they provide for union members to get connected and directly engaged in

conservation efforts.Since the USA held its first

shooting event in 2009, we’ve had nearly 11,000 attendees at our shoots and dinners and raised more than $4.2 million, before expenses; the growth from year to year has been nothing short of incredible. In 2013, USA shoots raised nine times the funds they did in 2009 and welcomed eight times the number of shooters—such growth in just five years! The money raised at the USA’s 2013 dinners increased fivefold and attendance tripled.

If you attended, sponsored, volunteered at, or helped spread the word about any of USA’s events, you were part of that success, and we can’t thank you enough!

This year, we hope to enjoy a great meal with you at one of our conserva-tion dinners and bust some clays with you at a shoot. And when the end of December rolls around, we want to celebrate crushing our 2014 goals with you and the many conservation initiatives made possible by that achievement.

group effortUSA’s shoots and dinners generate funds to make conservation projects possible

B Y K A T E C Y W I N S K I

u S a E V E N T S

upcominguSA eventS

For information about sponsoring, attending, or helping organize an event

near you, contact:

nate whitemanShooting Events

Manager440-867-8229

natew@unionsportsmen.org

heather tazelaarEvent Analyst

615-831-6779heathert@unionsportsmen.org

walt ingramConservation Banquet

Manager740-542-0470

walti@unionsportsmen.org

Become part of a brotherhood of the great outdoors.

Join the Union Sportsmen’s Alliance today!

n o t a M e M b e r ?

unionSportSMen.org877-872-2211

(toll-Free)

For a complete list of events and to register, visit:

unionSportsmen.org/events

uSA event revenue & pArticipAtion

uSa Shoots

uSa dinners

2009

353 Attendees

1,471Attendees

1,578Attendees

1,977Attendees

2,921 Attendees

$0

$200,000

$400,000

$600,000

$800,000

$1,000,000

$1,200,000

$1,400,000

2010 2011 2012 2013

706Attendees

2,011Attendees

Share your best shots with your brothers and sisters of the USA. Visit UnionSportsmen.org/photos to check out additional photos and to submit your own for a chance to win a Buck Knife.

TAKE YOUR BEST SHOT WORTH $70!

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(L-R) Shawn lewis Jr. and Shawn lewis Sr., both members of steelworkers Local 12934, and Mike Sowle, a member of Retail, Wholesale and Department store Union (RWDsU) Local 386, shot their three-man limit of 15 geese in Edmore, MI, in september.

Darren Jones, a member of plumbers

and pipefitters Local 344 from Guthrie,

oK, took his daughter on her first hog hunt.

priceless!

When Shane lewis (right), a member of the Bricklayers and a union tile contractor, was diagnosed with ALs, Matthew eleazer (left) a member of Bricklayers Local 1, helped him fulfill his dream of catching a salmon by putting a special rod holder on his sled to allow him to reel fish in while seated.

Donna Shaver, a member of steelworkers Local 3657 from New London, NC, celebrated Veterans Day by harvesting this 10-point with a muzzleloader. It green-scored 153¼ with a 21½-inch inside spread, and weighed 197 pounds.

Mike “Sparky” Sparkes, a member of Fire Fighters Local

29 from Chattaroy, WA, took this monster

bull on M2D CAMo properties in Idaho.

Tony christy, four-year-old great-grandson of painters Local 246 member Ralph Southern, reeled in this 17-inch bass. he loves fishing with his papa!

©2014 REMINGTON ARMS COMPANY, LLC.

Made in the USA by American workers

THE LEGENDARY REMINGTON® MODEL 700.™ With more

than 5 million sold since 1962, it’s carved a reputation for

itself out of the sporting landscape of America. The most

accurate, most popular production rifl e ever conceived.

Constantly evolving at The Rock, by Remington.®

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