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Photo from KDF
February days in the 60s make for crowded boat ramps and golf courses during a time of year usually spent indoors.
Everything, nature wise, seems a couple of weeks ahead of schedule. Buds show on lilac bushes, green grass already grows in bunches and the sound of lawn mowers permeates an afternoon backyard barbecue.
The rare winter temperatures may alter white bass spawning runs as well.
“With the weather pattern so far, I would be looking at the white bass getting going a little earlier than usual,” said Rob Rold, Northwestern Fisheries District biologist for the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources. “When we’ve had consecutive warm days, the white bass run up a bit into the headwaters above Nolin River Lake, but when it cools they go back down in the lake. They will do false runs until it gets right.”
Water temperatures are in the low 50s on Nolin River Lake, while other lakes such as Taylorsville Lake are flirting with water temperatures in the mid 50s.
“It should be getting close,” said David Baker, Central Fisheries District biologist for Kentucky Fish and Wildlife. “We are doing a creel survey on Herrington and the white bass are staging in the upper one-third of the lake, waiting for the next temperature spike. A good warm front with water temperatures getting into the upper 50s, they will start moving to the shoals in the upper lake of both Herrington and Taylorsville.”
Baker said Herrington gets the nod for size of white bass. “There are a lot of really big white bass in Herrington, many up to 14 inches long. For catching a big white bass, Herrington is better than Taylorsville,” he said. Taylorsville Lake produces numbers of white bass, but less size.
Anglers may access the upper section of Herrington Lake and Dix River via Bryants Camp Boat Ramp in Garrard County. Bank anglers may access the Salt River above Taylorsville Lake via River Road on the Taylorsville Lake Wildlife Management Area until the opening of spring turkey season April 15. Boaters use Van Buren Boat Ramp on Taylorsville Lake.
Nolin River Lake holds arguably the best white bass population in Kentucky.
Rold said the Cane Run area, known to locals as the “Three Fingers,” in the upper lake upstream to Broad Ford at the KY 1214 Bridge is usually where the white bass runs begin.
“The length of day really dictates when they will run, even if it is not the preferred water temperature,” Rold said. “They start staging around Cane Run. It is a bit early, but they will come on soon.”
Rold said bank anglers use the access at Bacon Creek for productive white bass fishing. “Go to Bacon Creek ramp and walk the bank up or down,” he said. “The Corps property goes all the way up past Broad Ford. At winter pool, Broad Ford is the first shoal on Nolin River upstream of the lake.”
The tailwaters downstream of the locks and dams on the lower Green River also provide excellent white bass fishing. “The water below Lock and Dam 1 at Spottsville, Lock and Dam 2 at Calhoun and Lock and Dam 3 at Rochester all have decent white bass,” Rold said. “The mouth of Pond River downstream of Calhoun at Jewel City has a big white bass fishery. They run up into Pond River.”
Anglers may access the mouth via a public boat ramp at Jewel City. The tailwater below Lock and Dam 2 has a boat ramp and limited bank access at the end of Second Street in Rumsey, across the river from Calhoun. The tailwaters below Lock and Dam 3 at Rochester offer excellent bank access just west of town on Boat Ramp Road via KY 70.
The smaller male white bass make the initial runs. You will catch many fish during this time, but most will be of similar size. You often catch fish on consecutive casts when the males are running.
“By the first weeks of April, the females show up and it is prime,” Baker said. “This is the best fishing of spring runs.”
Running white bass hit anything that resembles baitfish with abandon, one of the keys to their enduring popularity. When the spring white bass runs peak, nothing else compares to the furious fishing.
White, chartreuse or gray in-line spinners are hard to beat during the runs, but 2-inch white curly tailed grubs rigged on 1/16-ounce leadheads also produce many white bass. Anglers also suspend 1/32-ounce white and red, pink or yellow feather jigs from 18 to 24 inches deep under small bobbers and allow them to drift in the current. Some anglers tip the feather jigs with small crappie minnows to make them more attractive to white bass.
As the runs peak, small topwater propeller baits draw vicious strikes, but you get more consistent action with subsurface presentations.
The next long sustained warm front will get the white bass running. It is time for the most exciting fishing of the year. Remember to buy your fishing license. The new license year began March 1.
Twitter/@realDonaldTrump
President Donald Trump visited Louisville this evening for a rally in Freedom Hall. The arena was filled to capacity with supporters holding “Women For Trump,” “Promises Made, Promises Kept,” and “Buy American, Hire American” signs as well as the omnipresent “Make America Great Again” caps while a long line of people stood outside hoping to be let in.
Not everyone in attendance was a supporter, however, as there was a scattering of several protesters outside of the event.
During the event, President Trump hit on all of his usual talking points including terrorism, imigration, tax reform, crime and drugs, trade agreements, and the Second Amendment.
He covered the repeal and replacement of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) in depth, while making multiple references to US Congressmen Andy Barr and James Comer (both from Kentucky) for their help and a reference to the efforts of US Senator Rand Paul in making sure the replacement is not just “Obamacare lite”. He pointed out that as many one third of the counties in the entire US are limited to only one health insurance provider because of the regulations that the ACA put into place, causing health insurance companies to pull out of many markets.
He went on to outline that the real issue is not just the cost of health insurance, but the cost of health care and medicines. Trump tied in tax reform with this repeal and replacement, stating that the administration cannot accomplish tax reform until they know how the new health law will be structured. The President was very optimistic with the replacement plan that is coming forth and is confident that a plan that will make everyone happy will be on his desk at the end of the day.
Near and dear to many Kentucky workers, Trump also specifically mentioned the automobile manufacturing and coal industries. He recently signed a bill that eliminated a piece of regulation that many supporters of the repeal believe was put into place to shrink the coal industry by requiring coal mines to spend millions on compliance costs. More than 600 coal mines have closed since the 2009 regulation went into effect. Since the rule has been revoked, many coal mines have slightly increased their labor force, but POTUS Trump promised that this is just the beginning.
No Trump event would be complete without Trump’s trademark jabs at the “fake news” and former political rival Hilary Clinton. The President even made light of the Louisville Cardinals men’s basketball team’s second-round elimination from the 2017 NCAA basketball tournament. He did continue on to say, “They are a great team, great coach.”
Photo From KDF
Women who want a relaxed setting to learn more about the outdoors can now register for a special one-day Beyond BOW (Becoming an Outdoors-Woman) seminar being held April 8 at the Salato Wildlife Education Center in Frankfort.
Women who want to learn an outdoor skill or build upon their basic skills can sample from a variety of topics, including basic fishing, fun with air guns, beginner crossbow, bow hunting, tricks of the trade and more. A special class titled “Teaching Conservation with Live Animals” will give participants a behind-the-scenes look at how the Salato Center staff use animals to educate people about nature.
The event is limited to 50 women and classes are filling fast. Registration is open through March 27 by applying online at www.fw.ky.gov. Search under the keyword “bow” for registration and more information. Participants must be 18 or older.
The $50 registration fee includes two classes, equipment to use during classes, materials and lunch.
The Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources offers the BOW program through its educational outreach efforts. The department launched Kentucky’s BOW program in 1995.
What do pawpaw trees, river birches and devil’s walkingstick trees have in common? They are all woody plants that are native to our region.
Using native trees, shrubs, vines, hedges, grasses, ferns and flowering plants in landscapes large and small helps conserve water, attract wildlife and reduce the use of fertilizers and pesticides.
The public is invited to learn more about the native plants of Kentucky, Ohio and Indiana at a free workshop March 20 on the University of Louisville’s Belknap Campus.
The 1 p.m. event will be held inside the Cultural Center Multipurpose Room next to UofL’s Garden Commons community garden. Margaret Shea, owner of Dropseed Native Plant Nursery in Goshen, will be the speaker.
“Native species are so important to our environment, even right here on our urban campus,” said Justin Mog, assistant to the provost for sustainability initiatives. “Margaret has more than 25 years of training and practical experience in natural areas management, restoration and biological inventory. We are thrilled she is coming here to speak to students, faculty, staff and members of the public.”
For more information, contact Mog at justin.mog@louisville.edu or visit louisville.edu/sustainability.
The Home, Garden & Remodeling Show opened this morning at the Kentucky Exposition Center. The show features home improvement and landscaping exhibitors from all over the nation, but the majority are from right here in Kentucky. The more than 300 exhibitors will showcase their products and services, which include everything from hot tubs and roofing materials to fire places, landscaping and deck furniture.
The show also features many information sessions that will cover gardening and landscaping tips, insect control (as well as what not to control), and cooking classes. L&N Federal Credit Union will be sponsoring a tree giveaway: 4,000 saplings of several varieties will be given to show guests who stop by their booth.
The Kids Craft Area for children up to 10 years of age provides the opportunity to take home a flower that they planted themselves, and a bug house that will feature tropical insects. If you need a break from all of the information, there will also be multiple performances each day that will feature performing Frisbee dogs.
The show exhibits occupy the Kentucky Exposition Centers’s south wing halls B & C all weekend. Show hours today and Saturday are from 10 AM to 9 PM and Sunday from 10 AM until 5 PM.
Pets, excluding service animals, will not be allowed into the show area. Admission is $10 per person (16 and older) with free admission for children accompanied by an adult. Those with a military ID will be admitted free and seniors will receive a discount. Credit cards will not be accepted at the Ticket Gate. Advanced tickets are available online through Facebook with a Buy 1, Get 1 Offer or through the show page with a $2 discount along with a one year subscription to one of four magazines. Kentucky Exposition Center parking is $8 per car.
Follow Louisville Dispatch on Facebook for more details and additional photos from the 2017 Louisville Home, Garden, and Remodeling Show. Continue reading
Louisville’s fourth Financial Empowerment Summit will bring together local and national speakers, community leaders, service providers, and nonprofits and financial institutions eager to help individuals and families improve their financial well-being.
The Summit — presented by Metro United Way and Louisville Metro Community Services — will take place on Thurs. March 9, from 8 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. at Bellarmine University, 2001 Newburg Road in the Amelia Brown Frazier Hall. More than 100 attendees are anticipated. They will participate in activities and workshops geared to build on their personal finances so they can better understand and secure their own financial success, and better assist with the financial success of their clients.
Registration can be made through March 3 on-line at http://www.cnpe.org/learnings/a051A00000FcS3kQAF. The $25 registration fee includes a continental breakfast, buffet lunch, all workshops, door prizes and giveaways.
The goal of financial empowerment is to help people make informed financial choices and to make progress toward their financial goals. This includes expanding financial literacy and education opportunities so people learn how to reduce debt and manage their budgets, build credit, and plan and save for long-term goals.
Theresa Reno-Weber, President and CEO of Metro United Way, and Eric Friedlander, director of Louisville Metro Community Services will jointly open the day sharing their support for Louisville’s community-wide financial empowerment efforts; and to encourage the strengthening of partnerships to meet the needs of our residents.
“Financial Empowerment is a key part of the work we do in Community Services”, stated Friedlander. “Our staff members continually seek new and innovative ways to help the clients we serve find the long-term path to economic stability. I look forward to the Summit to continue our community’s work together to build strategies that break the cycle of poverty.”
Keynote speakers at the Summit include:
- Kathleen Cooter, Bellarmine University Professor and former Executive Director for the Kentucky Council for Economic Education, will provide an overview about the importance of education achievement in relation to achieving life’s financial outcomes.
- Carl Rist, Director for Children’s Savings and Senior Advisor of Asset Building for CFED will discuss the impact Children’s Savings Accounts have in propelling children, especially low income children, to pursue postsecondary education.
- Lamar Davis, Community Affairs Specialist for FDIC will provide an overview of the FDIC’s commitment to expanding access to safe, secure and affordable banking services to better serve the unbanked and underbanked consumers.
- Alianna Havrilla, Community Coach, County Health Rankings and Roadmaps will explore the intersection of financial stability and health efforts to create healthier communities.
A variety of workshops will be offered at the event including, “Workplace Financial Education”, “Children’s Savings Accounts – A more in-depth exploration from Promise Indiana” and “Money Smart Tools and Resources”.
Also highlighted at the summit are lessons learned from the nearly 114 individuals representing 48 organizations who took part in the 2016 Personal Finance Empowerment Series (PFES). The series aimed to provide social service frontline staff with personal finance workshops to enable them to become more secure in their own financial situation.
The PFES series and the Financial Empowerment Summit are made possible by a grant from the FINRA Investor Education Foundation through a partnership with United Way Worldwide. Local partners include Louisville Metro Community Services and Metro United Way, with support from Apprisen, Louisville Urban League, Bellarmine University, AARP, the Kentucky Council for Economic Education, Quantum Communications, the Center for Nonprofit Excellence, the Kentucky Department of Financial Institutions and Fulton180 Coaching, Consulting and Training Projects.
Shelter life is not easy for any animal. It takes a toll on them. Imagine yourself cooped-up in a kennel. Staff members and volunteers at Louisville Metro Animal Services do their best to interact and engage with the shelter animals, but it’s not enough. That’s why LMAS Foster Coordinator, Stephanie Jackson, wanted to organize a Yoga Cats event. “The benefits of an event like this are four-fold. It promotes adopting and fostering, raises money for our foster program, and gives our shelter animals a chance to socialize.”
LMAS will release its shelter cats to roam freely as yogis practice. Picture yoga mats, dim lighting, relaxing music and calming scents, with curious kitties thrown into the mix. “We hosted our first Yoga Cats event on February 13th and it was such a success, we decided to host another! Everyone had a smile on their face as they interacted with cats and enjoyed yoga. This is such a unique event that benefits everyone involved.”
LMAS’ next Yoga Cats class is set for Monday, March 13, from 6:30 p.m.-8 p.m. at the LMAS Animal House Adoption Center (3516 Newburg Rd.) A $20 donation to benefit the LMAS foster program will grant you a spot in the class. To secure your spot, please send an email to stephanie.jackson@louisvilleky.gov. LMAS has room for 40 yogis. All participants must sign a waiver to interact with cats during the class. Please bring your own yoga mat.