The Waterways Safety Council invites the public to attend its quarterly virtual meeting on August 19 at 9 a.m. via Microsoft Teams Live. The Ohio Department of Natural Resources Division of Parks and Watercraft will brief council members on ongoing projects and issues affecting recreational boating in Ohio.

Garmin's Automatic Identification System (AIS) technology helps boaters prevent collisions by transmitting vessel data and providing situational awareness. Garmin has partnered with the Whale and Vessel Safety Taskforce to alert boaters to North Atlantic right whale areas, protecting marine life while enhancing navigation safety.

Eddie Smith, 83-year-old CEO , placed Grady-White Boats into a perpetual purpose trust instead of selling the $400 million company. The decision includes employee profit-sharing, bonuses for all 350 workers, and ensures Kris Carroll and Jonathon Burns will lead the company while maintaining its core values and community commitment.

Garmin reported record Q2 2026 financial results with consolidated revenue of $2.02bn and marine segment revenue increasing 14% to $341.4m. The company launched Garmin Signal VHF marine radios and LiveScope 2 sonar system in recent months.

Virginia pro Ryan Lachniet earned a 2027 Bass Pro Tour invitation and Rookie of the Year honors at the 2026 Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit Stop 6 on Lake Champlain. The 22-year-old Campbellsville University graduate finished second in the 7 Brew Angler of the Year race and demonstrated exceptional consistency throughout the season, making all six cuts with three Top 10 finishes.

Minneapolis artist Melissa Mickelson won the 2027 trout and salmon stamp contest with an acrylic lake trout painting, while Virginia artist John Barnard won the walleye stamp contest with an oil painting. The Minnesota DNR uses stamp revenue to fund walleye stocking and trout and salmon management.

CCA Louisiana, ConocoPhillips, and the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries launched a major habitat restoration at Pelto Island in Lake Pelto, installing 650 Natrx ExoForm reef modules to support speckled trout and redfish populations. The project, implemented by Danos and guided by local fishing guides, honors the historic fishing landmark known as the "Sulphur Mine" while building resilience against coastal erosion.

Five leading recreational fishing organizations—American Sportfishing Association, Coastal Conservation Association National, Coastal Conservation Association California, International Game Fish Association, and Wild Oceans—have united to fund a Stanford University study led by Dr. Barbara Block and Dr. Emilius Aalto to better understand Pacific bluefin tuna migration patterns and biology for improved management decisions.

Return 'Em Right, launched in May 2022, is expanding its catch-and-release program from the Gulf into the South Atlantic, including North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia. The program educates anglers on best release practices for reef fish suffering from barotrauma and provides discounted gear kits. Over 50,000 anglers have completed the training and received tools to improve fish survival rates.

Trout Unlimited is hosting the first statewide sea-run brook trout gathering on October 17, 2026, at Freeport Community Center. Featured speakers include Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife Native Fish Conservation Biologist Merry Gallagher, wild trout conservationist Francis H. Smith, and author Thomas R. Pero, who will discuss salter restoration efforts across Maine's coastal streams.

The St. Johns River Water Management District combines natural wetlands and engineered infrastructure to protect Florida communities from flooding. The District manages over 775,000 acres of preserved land, including floodplain wetlands that store water during heavy rain events, while operating 12 major water control structures and spillways across the Upper and Lower St. Johns River basins.

Sharktoberfest returns as a 21+ after-hours tasting event at Mote Science Education Aquarium on October 17, featuring unlimited beverage tastings from local and regional breweries, wineries, and distilleries, live entertainment, and aquarium access. The event is sponsored by Gold Coast Eagle Distributing and Ed Howard Lincoln.

The International Fly Tying Symposium relocated to the Marriott Hotel Lancaster County Convention Center for November 21-22 after its longtime New Jersey venue closed. The event will feature approximately 100 professional and amateur fly tiers.

The Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources' Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries Division has established a 14- to 22-inch protective slot limit for black bass at Duck River Reservoir in Cullman, allowing anglers to harvest bass under 14 inches and one bass over 22 inches within a 10-fish daily creel limit.

The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries will begin a drawdown of Lake Bistineau on August 12, 2026, to control invasive giant salvinia. The lake will be lowered eight feet below normal pool stage through November 2026, with herbicide applications and 37,000 giant salvinia weevils deployed as part of the integrated management plan.

Hoot-owl restrictions prohibiting fishing from 2 p.m. to midnight took effect on the West Fork and Upper East Fork of the Bitterroot River in western Montana due to rising water temperatures. Montana FWP implements these restrictions when cutthroat trout waters reach 66 degrees for three consecutive days to prevent fish mortality.

The Wyoming Game and Fish Department is calling on anglers to fish during early morning hours to protect trout populations from elevated water temperatures. The department has issued voluntary closures asking catch-and-release anglers to stop fishing after noon, with Fisheries Management Coordinator Mark Smith emphasizing the importance of early fishing for trout survival.

ODFW's Marine Fisheries Research team, collaborating with Oregon State University, is departing Newport August 1 to study black, canary, and yellowtail rockfish at Cobb Seamount, 322 miles west of Oregon's north coast. The research aims to determine if older female rockfish migrate to offshore seamounts and remain part of breeding populations, critical data for accurate stock assessments and fishing limits.

The American Sportfishing Association announced that 57 million Americans fished in 2025, down from 57.9 million in 2024, marking the first year-over-year decrease since 2021. ASA President Glenn Hughes highlighted that 19 million anglers dropped from the sport in 2025, the highest churn rate on record, partly due to paused federal funding under the Dingell-Johnson Act's outreach programs.

The Department of Natural Resources (DNR) reminds Maryland recreational anglers that targeting striped bass in the Chesapeake Bay and its tidal tributaries is prohibited from August 1 through August 31. The closure protects younger, resident striped bass when summer temperatures make fish vulnerable to mortality after catch and release.

Stock assessments are scientific processes used to estimate fish population size, health, and trajectory by combining catch data, survey results, and biological information. The North Carolina Marine Education Foundation created FINDEX, a fisheries status index that translates complex assessment findings into understandable percentages, helping the public grasp population health and management goals.

Brad Novak explains how to identify and fix common fishing line knots caused by line twist, wind knots, poor line lay, or baitcaster backlash. The article provides practical solutions and recommends Sunline products like Overwatch Braided Line and Almight Sinking Braid to prevent future knot issues.

Wade Jensen from Moore, Idaho caught and released a 16.7-inch Arctic grayling at Fishpole Lake on June 20, setting a new Idaho state catch-and-release record. The alpine fish, prized by mountain anglers, was caught using a collapsible fly rod during a weekend backcountry fishing trip.

Governor Mike Braun and the Indiana Department of Natural Resources announced $1,297,500 in Lake and River Enhancement (LARE) grants to fund 21 lake, river, and watershed projects across 18 Indiana counties. The grants, funded through boat registration fees, support water quality improvements and recreational opportunities.

Rather Outdoors is hiring a Brand Vice President for Strike King in Columbia, SC to lead brand strategy, product positioning, and marketing initiatives. The role requires 3-5 years of brand management experience and fishing industry knowledge, with responsibilities including product development oversight and cross-functional team leadership.

Flambeau Outdoors introduces the Wild Bite Adventure Fishing Kit, designed to help families enjoy outdoor fishing before school starts. Each kit includes a 25-piece tackle assortment, educational pocket guide, and tools for young anglers, available in largemouth bass, bluegill, and rainbow trout versions.

DAIWA celebrates 60 years in the US market with the limited-edition TATULA MQ LT spinning reel, featuring ZAION V composite construction and AIRDRIVE Design architecture. The premium reel combines advanced engineering for finesse and power-spinning presentations, available in 2500 and 3000 sizes at $299.99 MSRP.

NEBO introduced the SLIM MINI 500 Pocket Light, an ultra-thin EDC flashlight delivering 500 lumens with aircraft-grade aluminum construction, magnetic base, and USB-C rechargeability. Designed for professionals including contractors and electricians, it offers up to 5 hours runtime and IPX4 water resistance at an MSRP of $24.99.

DAIWA introduces the ZILLION TW 150, a premium baitcasting reel engineered for heavy swimbaits and glidebaits, featuring the LC Concept spool, MAGFORCE-Z Boost braking system, and HYPERDRIVE DIGIGEAR technology. The reel delivers maximum line capacity, structural durability, and casting distance with an MSRP of $499.99.

Whitewater Fishing and Fish Monkey collaborated on the Stealth Dry-Tec Glove, featuring HIPORA waterproof membrane, 40g Thinsulate insulation, and touchscreen-compatible fingers for cold-weather fishing. The glove balances warmth, dexterity, and protection with an MSRP of $64.99.

The Gulf Council will meet at The Golden Nugget in Biloxi, Mississippi from August 24-27, 2026, with public comment held Wednesday, August 26 from 2:00-5:00 PM CDT. The Council will take final action on electronic reporting requirements for federal for-hire vessels and work on amendments regarding red snapper management and mutton and yellowtail snapper catch limits.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission will hold an in-person meeting on August 5 at the Panama City Beach Conference Center at Edgewater Beach & Golf Resort, beginning at 9:00 AM CDT. The public meeting is open to all, with opportunities for public comment on agenda items and via email at Commissioners@MyFWC.com.

Hi Mountain Seasonings encourages anglers to enhance their blue catfish catches with Western-flavored seasoning blends including Cajun Cowboy, Cajun Campfire, Trail Dust, and Gourmet Fish Seasonings. President Hans Hummel highlights how the company's premium seasonings help customize fillets with flavors ranging from mild to bold for memorable fish fries.

Alliance Consumer Group offers seasonal gear including NEBO lighting, power solutions, TRUE blades and tools, and THAW heated products designed to transition from summer to fall activities. Featured products include the DAVINCI 12K flashlight, RAMBLER 300 power station, MAAR 2.75" knife, and Heated Vests for cooler weather preparation.

Field & Stream TV announces new Q3 episodes featuring On The Water Angling Adventures, Their Life, My Lens with Chasten Whitfield, Goliath Fishing with Captain James Marko, Scott Linden's Wing Shooting USA, and The Scott Martin Challenge, expanding its outdoor programming offerings.

Major League Fishing announced the 2027 Bass Pro Tour schedule featuring seven regular-season events, Bass Pro Shops REDCREST 2027, and the Kubota Heavy Hitters all-star event. The season opens January 14-17 at St. Johns River in Palatka, Florida, with 50 top anglers competing across fisheries in Louisiana, Tennessee, Texas, New York, and North Carolina.

Hayden Marbut won the 2026 Mercury B.A.S.S. Nation at Lake Champlain presented by Lowrance with a three-day total of 66 pounds, 15 ounces, earning $10,779 and a trip to the 2026 Mercury B.A.S.S. Nation Championship at Lake Hartwell. Marbut's 24-3 final day catch, anchored by a 5-8 smallmouth, unseated Day 2 leader Dan Tavilla.

Major League Fishing's Bass Pro Tour concludes its regular season on Lake Erie, Aug. 6-9, with 51 pro anglers competing for a $125,000 top prize. The event is presented by B&W Trailer Hitches and hosted by Shores & Islands Ohio, featuring reigning champion Jacob Wheeler and three-time REDCREST champion Dustin Connell among other top competitors.

Caige Bragg won the 2026 Strike King Bassmaster High School Championship at Kentucky Lake presented by Bill Dance Signature Lakes with 38 pounds, 4 ounces, edging Weston Rigsby and Hudson Logan of the A1 Anglers Fishing Team by 1-5. Bragg earned a $5,000 scholarship and Tracker Pro170 boat, redeeming himself after finishing third at last year's Clarks Hill championship.

Major League Fishing disqualified pro Chad Mrazek's Day 1 catch from Pro Circuit Stop 6 at Lake Champlain after he competed without a valid Vermont fishing license. Pro Robby Lefere of Jackson, Michigan, moves into 40th place to receive $10,000, and Pro Jimmy Washam qualifies for the Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit Championship.

Researchers from the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, Michigan State University, Michigan Technological University, and Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources discovered that lake sturgeon may live 90-427 years, far longer than the previously estimated 150 years, rivaling the Greenland shark's lifespan.

FWC biologists reached a milestone by tagging the 1,000th smalltooth sawfish in Florida as part of a two-decade research effort led by Dr. Gregg Poulakis. The study, conducted in rivers including the Caloosahatchee and Peace River, aims to promote recovery of this endangered species through fin sampling and population health analysis.

August in the South is not the most wonderful time of the year. The heat, the humidity, the bugs, the snakes. It’s a good time to visit Maine.

Some say you could actually move to hell to cool off. Which is probably true—Hell, Michigan, has an average August temperature of just 70 degrees, they tell me. (It’s not far from Detroit, in case you wondered. I don’t know if this is coincidental.)

But, those of us who have dropped anchor here in Dixie have learned to deal with August, in some fashion. And from an angler’s point of view, it does have one saving grace.

August is time to get froggy.

The water weeds that have been quietly growing like friendly domesticated plants all through May, June and July suddenly morph into massive world-swallowing giants that can cover whole bays almost overnight.

Much of the water turns into a vegetated gel with somewhat the consistency of pizza cheese, thick enough for herons to stroll across without getting their feet wet, and fishing becomes a physics problem—what lure will go through this morass at all, what lure might attract any fish so intrepid as to survive in said morass, and how could said lure possibly have any hooks of any design that would not instantly bog down before a fish could even think of attacking it?

Frogs are the answer.

The weedless frog, exampled in the modern iteration by the Snagproof Frog, which Harry Ehlers first devised about 1960, is a lure so precisely tuned to this malady of Nature that it has spawned an industry. No southern bass angler worth his Bass Pro Shops hat would think of leaving the dock in Dixie this month without a full complement of frog imitations.

Frog imitations are usually armed with double hooks which cradle the back end of the frog, with the barbs curving up against the sides. The body is crushable—they’re typically hollow soft plastic—so that when a fish bites down, the hooks get exposed and the fish gets stuck.

The great thing about these frogs—and there are dozens of brands now—is that they can be thrown into just about any sort of vegetation and come through without snagging or picking up debris. That makes them nearly unique among artificial lures, with the possible exception of an unweighted Texas-rigged Sluggo worm.

Plus, during August, many fish in the deep south plow well back into lily pad fields and under floating mats of duckweed or water lotus for shade. So, when you drag that frog across their roof, they just might come busting up through to eat it.

It’s not only an effective way to fish, it’s down right exciting when the bite is on, which it typically is from now until early October, when the fish on most lakes come out of the cover and start chasing shad in open water.

Most major lure companies make some good snag-resistant frogs. I particularly like the Z-Man GOAT ToadZ, which you rig yourself with a single oversized long-shank wide gap 5/0, and the Berkley Swamp Lord, which has double hooks. SPRO’s Bronzeye Frog and the Booyah Pad Crasher are favorites of many anglers, as well.

You can throw these lures into the middle of a pad field or atop a carpet of floating moss and hydrilla and they will come back clean almost every time.

Just make them look like a frog—pop-pop-pop and hesitate. Rinse and repeat. The fish can’t stand it.

In fact, the tactic is so inviting that both SPRO and Snagproof have tournaments specifically for frog fishermen. (You have to fish the frog like a frog, though—a guide friend of mine at Guntersville won a bunch of money in one of these events a few years back by putting a 1-ounce weight on his line ahead of the frog and fishing it as a Carolina rig on the main channel drops 20 feet down to catch the winning bag. Others in the contest were not amused.)

If you’re interested, SPRO has events on Lake Havasu in Arizona (another place which has much in common with hell, in terms of heat) and on Lake Guntersville. Check them out here: https://www.jotform.com/form/253013852255149.

– Frank Sargeant, Editor, The Water Wire