ROANOKE, Va. (WFXR) – Here is a round-up of the latest outdoors news from across southwest and central Virginia.

Fishing Regulation Changes

Every other year the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources (DWR) reviews and assesses current freshwater fishing regulations as part of its fisheries management plan. Regulations are in place to protect resources to encourage aquatic species to thrive. They are also in place to provide fishing opportunities to anglers.

As part of the process, the DWR asks for your input. From now until February 25 you can share your opinion with DWR fisheries managers about any regulation changes you would favor.

Anyone can make those comments at a special page set up by the DWR. You can find that page here.

Become A Park Ranger

The Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) operates Virginia State Parks. If you have ever had aspirations of a career in park management, now is your chance to explore that option. The DCR is offering a Park Ranger Career Development Program. One of the training locations is in Wythe County. You can find more information about the program here.

The Buzz at JMU

James Madison University (JMU) in Harrisonburg is being recognized for its commitment to pollinators. The school is the first in Virginia to earn Virginia Pollinator-Smart certification.

The reason?

JMU has integrated a pollinator habitat into a solar array on campus. The solar array helps to supplement electricity to the university while also providing a place for pollinators like bees, other insects, and birds to thrive.

Pollinator habitat is integrated with a solar panel array at James Madison University in Harrisonburg, Virginia (Photo: JMU Creative Media)

Pollinators are vital to farm crops and native plants, and without them, many of those plants would not exist.

Bill Dance Tournaments

Fishing legend Bill Dance has put his name on a series of open bass fishing tournaments at various lakes across his home state of Tennessee.

Dates for the Bill Dance Tournament Lakes Giant Bass Open have been announced for 2024. The tournament has an hourly payout for big bass. You can find more information about the tournament here.

Smith Mountain Lake Crappie Tournaments

The Smith Mountain Lake Crappie Fishing Group has announced a series of tournaments that will start in February. The tournaments have a variety of sponsors including Magnum Point Marina and SML Tackleshack.

While Smith Mountain Lake is best known for its striped bass, largemouth bass, and smallmouth bass fisheries, it is also a top crappie fishery.

Tournament dates are:

  • February 10
  • March 16
  • April 13
  • May 18
  • May 25 – Tentative at Leesville Lake
  • June 8
  • November 2

Trout Slip-N-Slide Caught on Camera

Sometimes we come across stories and video from other places that we feel compelled to share.

Necessity has been called the Mother of Invention, and there is proof of that from Cleveland, Ohio where Cleveland Metroparks fisheries managers had to innovate to find a way to continue their trout stocking program. Severe winter weather turned access to park lakes into a dangerous, icy mess. But, instead of giving up, fisheries managers and volunteers cut a hole in the ice and ran a makeshift slide to it. Trout were then sent down the slide and into the lake.

Thanks to the Cleveland Metroparks and Metroparks Biologist Mike Durkalec for sharing that video.