The caller wanted to know where he could catch some fish in January. I said to go north or south, because there wasn’t much going on around here.

You go north to find ice fishing where the locals actually know how to do it or south to find open water. Around here if our lakes and pond ice over, they’re seldom safe for fishing.

The one option I didn’t include was the Ohio River for sauger. The river is back at pool and clearing.

When those two factors line up, even in the midst of a bitter-cold January, anglers can catch sauger near area dams like Cannelton, Newburgh and Uniontown. Try minnows, jigs and jigs tipped with minnows from boats or the bank.

n E-The Environemntal Magazine reported “We’re Losing Winter” in a story in the January/February 2008 issue.

I think I found it here in the Tri-State, at least.

n There’s still time to plan to attend the 25-Gun Raffle on Feb. 2 at the Vanderburgh 4-H Center.

Sponsored by the Evansville Chapter of Ducks Unlimited, the 25-Gun Raffle features roast pig, drinks, games, auctions and other raffles. Doors open at 5 p.m.

n Environmental license plates, which help fund the Indiana Heritage Trust, have been good for conservation. In 2007, the IHT passed two milestones. More than 1 million blue license plates have been sold and more than 50,000 acres of land conserved.

All the 2007 acquisitions were far, far away from our little corner of the state, but that doesn’t diminish the overall good or the cause. But we need good stuff, too.

n Canada goose season will extend into February (1-15) during Late Canada Goose Season at a few selected Indiana sites.

The two closest opportunities are at Goose Pond (Greene County) and Minnehaha (Sullivan County) state fish & wildlife areas. Hovey Lake is not included.

Hunting takes place every day at Minnehaha, beginning at 6 a.m. Goose Pond hunting will be divided into four hunts per week: Monday-Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday-Friday and Saturday-Sunday with daily drawings at 5:30 a.m.

n Many user fees are going up on March 1 at Land Between the Lakes (LBL) National Recreation Area.

LBL does honor Golden Age and Golden Access Passports and the new “America the Beautiful — The National Parks and Federal Recreation Lands Pass,” a regular access or senior pass.

For a list of fees go to lbl.org or call 1-800-LBL-7077.

n Trapping, one of the outdoor traditions that helped found this country, is on the increase again, at least in Kentucky.

Licensed trappers numbered as many as 7,100 in 1981 in Kentucky before a steep decline in fur prices trimmed that number to a low of 614 in 1999. That number has more than doubled as about 1,300 trapping licenses were sold for the 2006-07 season

Canadian Car Shipper

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