Get ready folks. We have the Ice Fishing Derby in the first part of the day, and Super Bowl on the big screen later on. Pot luck will feed us fine. More to follow"...the changes affect sportsmen most directly, [and] the public should understand that license and permit fees paid by recreational fishermen and hunters, in combination with federal excise taxes they also pay, represent nearlyall of the revenue devoted to Connecticut's fish and wildlife, including non-game species. For nearly a century, this user-pay model has been enormously successful in generating predictable annual budgets that have been used to restore and manage our wildlife.
"The public should understand that license and permit fees paid by recreational fishermen and hunters, represent nearly all of the revenue devoted to Connecticut's fish and wildlife, including non-game species".
"In the face of an aging sportsmen demographic and broadening wildlife-related mandates, state and federal initiatives have been underway for nearly two decades to expand and strengthen the model by including other constituency groups. Less than a handful of states, however, successfully direct other sources of funding to wildlife — and Connecticut is not one of them. With the gloomy fiscal forecast, it appears Connecticut's wildlife will depend almost solely upon sportsmen for the foreseeable future.
"So, now is not the time to discourage hunting and fishing in Connecticut. Given the budget crisis, most sportsmen would have accepted (albeit unhappily) a fee increase of 20 percent to 25 percent. The 100 percent increase, however, is indefensible. [You can find the complete article here]
Seems he's being immensely diplomatic, while our politicians chose not to be. Now there is an effort being put forward to correct this rank injustice. Contact the governor's office as well as your local legislator [even if he or she is not in favor of hunting] and make your voice heard on this important matter. [here's a set of guidelines on speaking before the legislature.
Bad news folks. We checked the ice this morning and while it is - sort of - walkable in places, it isn't really safe enough to hold the event this week-end.
#2. Sausage making - ordering pork & spices on Monday - 1/25, cutting & spicing Friday pm 1/29, Sausage making 1/30. If you have not contacted JV and are still interested - let him know!
#5. Word is the cod fishing has been hot and heavy in R.I. Take a look at http://www.francesfleet.com/inshore.html Is anyone interested?
We still have 30 spots to fill. The date is this coming Saturday. Please remember we are not having an April Game Dinner this year so if you usually attended that one, you need to reschedule. 
MSC's Annual Tri-Lake Ice Fishing Tournament
Weather/Ice decision: 4:00 pm Saturday 1/30, please call 860-873-3381 to confirm || Rain / no ice date: February 7th Tournament Sponsor Moodus Sportsman’s Club Tournament Fee: $20.00 per adult || $5.00 per child under 16 years old
ALL ADULT PARTICIPANTS
Prize Fish Types: Bass – Largemouth/Smallmouth, Chain Pickerel or Yellow Perch Prizes: Adult Division $1000.00 total purse; First Prize $600.00 for heaviest fish of the three species || $200.00 each to the largest fish in the two other species listed 
Registration Forms: Locations: Verification: The official weigh-in will be held at the Moodus Sportsman’s Club at 1:10 pm sharp! Party Festivities: The Moodus Sportsman’s Club will host one of it's famous lunches after the weigh-in [1:15 pm] with prizes and our usual activities to follow. Tournament Finish: Please return to the Club by 1:00 pm for final tally, lunch and awards. Regulations: Fish must conform to Connecticut fishing regulations for the area being fished 
