ANGLERS SWARM TO BUSIEST TROUT DAY

It's no opening day, but Virginia's Trout Heritage Day certainlyis the busiest trout-fishing day of the spring.

The seventh annual version of the event is Saturday.

Hordes of fishermen will gather at 16 designated waters that willbe stocked either today or early Saturday morning.

The program was created to appease the thousands of trout anglerswho, after the year-round trout season was established, longed forthe old trout season structure, when opening morning came at the endof a closed season and intense stocking period.

Many fishermen missed the boisterous opening morning crowds, andwanted to be able to plan trips to waters they knew had a fresh loadof trout.

Fishing on Heritage Day waters is not allowed today, or until 9a.m. Saturday. Fee fishing areas included in the program have beenclosed to fishing all week.

Anglers 16 and older must possess an appropriate fishing license,as well as a trout license. Those fishing waters on U.S. ForestService land must also have a national forest license.

This year's Heritage Day waters

- Beartree Lake, Washington County

- Bark Camp Lake, Scott County

- Clinch Mountain Fee Fishing Area, Washington County

- Cripple Creek (Ravens Cliff), Wythe County

- Crooked Creek Fee Fishing Area, Carroll County

- Douthat Lake Fee Fishing Area, Bath County

- Jennings Creek, Botetourt County

- Lake Witten, Tazewell County

- Liberty Lake, Bedford County

- Lincolnshire Lake, Tazewell County

- Middle Fork Holston River, Smyth County

- Passage Creek, Shenandoah County

- Pedlar River (upper), Amherst County

- Pigg River, Franklin County

- Rose River, Madison County

- Tinker Creek, Roanoke County

For additional information, including maps of the stocked waters,visit the trout fishing section at the Department of Game and InlandFisheries Internet site (www.dgif.virginia.gov).

Coyotes on tap at landowners meeting

As coyotes become more abundant across Virginia, many citizenshave offered their opinions on how best to manage the wily, hungrycritters.

Virginia Tech wildlife expert Dr. James Parkhurst has ideas, too,but unlike many of the other would-be biologists, Parkhurst has thetraining and credentials to back up his theories.

Parkhurst will offer a presentation on coyotes at the upcomingmeeting of the Tri-County Forestry and Wildlife Association.

Among the topics Parkhurst plans to address are basic coyotebehavior and life history, difficulties with certain managementapproaches, and his predictions on what the future may hold for theanimals in this region.

Although the group is for landowners in Botetourt, Craig andRoanoke counties, guests are welcome at the 6 p.m. meeting April 16at the Moose Lodge in Hanging Rock.

There is a $10 charge for dinner, and the reservation deadline is Tuesday.

To reserve a spot call Duane Means at 544-3001, Steve Parker at309-4903 or Woody Roberts at 384-7132.

-- Mark Taylor