Athens Review, Athens, Texas

August 15, 2010

8/15 Outdoor Briefs


The Athens Review

ATHENS — 2010-11 hunting, fishing

licenses on sale Sunday

New hunting and fishing licenses valid for fiscal year 2010-11 go on sale Aug. 15 at more than 1,500 licenses vendors, dozens of state parks and 28 field offices across the state. Current licenses, except year-to-date licenses, expire on Aug. 31.

 In addition to a license, hunters and anglers should remember that special stamp endorsements are needed to hunt certain game animals or to fish in fresh and saltwater. Stamp endorsements can be purchased separately, or included in a package license.

 The best deal going for serious sportsmen is the Super Combo license, which costs$68. The Super Combo includes resident hunting and fishing licenses, plus all state stamp endorsements. Seniors ages 65 and older qualify for the discounted Senior Super Combo, $32. Additionally, waterfowl hunters will need a Federal Duck Stamp, $15.

ESPN says it will cash out BASS to private investors

For the second week running, big news has rocked the ranks of professional fishing. First came word that Bruswick had sold Trition Boats to Platinum Equity. The California investment outfit picked up six other boat brands including Ranger, Stratos and Champion, along with several manufacturing plants, in the Genmar bankruptcy auction earlier this year.

 Triton has been heavily involved with BASS for years and currently sponsors rides for a number of tour level pros. The boats will be produced out of the Ranger Boat plant in Flippin, Ark. Ranger is the primary sponsor of FLW Outdoors, which is BASS' main competition in big league fishing arenas.

 More recently, sports television giant ESPN announced the pending sale of BASS to a investment group headed by Don Logan, Jerry McKinnis and Jim Copeland.

 Founded in the late 1960s by the legendary Ray Scott, BASS is the foundation on which modern tournament fishing has been built. With more than 500,000 members, the organization is the largest of its kind in the country.

— Matt Williams