By Dave Hurteau & Chad Love

Esopus Creek, one of New York’s renowned Catskill-region trout streams, was once loaded with big wild rainbows and often lined with eager anglers. The numbers of both has declined in recent years, largely due to silt added to the fishery via the New York City water-supply chain. Last Monday, the U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear an appeal from NYC in a lawsuit brought by sportsmen and environmentalists, and the city must now pay $5.2 million in fines for violations of the Clean Water Act. Whether this decision will actually stop the discharge of muddy water into Esopus Creek is still up in the air, but it is at least a partial victory for Catskill anglers and may well have much larger implications, as water agencies from across the United States that sided with the city may find that their own practices are likewise subject to the federal law. Read the full story here.

By Dave Hurteau & Chad Love

Last month, we asked for your comments on a story reporting that Idaho had adopted new rules to ban in-line muzzleloaders during primitive-weapons seasons. Many of you disapproved of the change. You were hardly alone.

From the Casper Star Tribune:

The Idaho Fish and Game Commission may revisit its decision to ban the use of in-line muzzleloader rifles in some hunting seasons, after commissioners have been deluged with letters and phone calls from angry hunters.

By Dave Hurteau & Chad Love

In a column leading up to this year’s Classic on Alabama’s Lay Lake, Mike Bolton of the Birmingham News wrote that he liked the chances of the “local” boys in the contest. This was a fairly bold prediction, given that no home-state angler has ever won the event in its entire 37-year history. But Boyd Duckett broke the curse and proved Bolton right. Here’s the latter’s report:

Rookie Classic angler Boyd Duckett of Demopolis broke the curse to become the first angler to win a Bassmaster Classic in his home state. With confetti falling and "Sweet Home Alabama" blaring over the loudspeakers this afternoon, Duckett lifted the Bassmaster Classic trophy over his head before a delirious crowd of about 15,000 in the BJCC Arena. Duckett's win on Lay Lake marked the first time an Alabama angler has won the Classic since Phenix City's Jack Chancellor 22 years ago. California's Skeet Reese finished second and two-time Classic winner Kevin VanDam finished third. Duckett had a three-day catch of 48 pounds, 10 ounces and beat Reese by just six ounces.

For more coverage see:
“Alabama Angler Wins Bassmaster Classic”
“Sweet Home Alabama”
“Boy, Oh Boyd!”

By Dave Hurteau & Chad Love

In their infinite wisdom, television producers have long known that what the viewing public really wants to know is what happens when a Pennsylvania family that bottles doe pee for hunters meets an Ohio family that throws princess parties in their hair salon. Curious? Of course you are. So first check out this story from PA’s The Sentinel, then look for an upcoming episode of “Wife Swap.”