FINS, FEATHERS, FURS

WAPPAPELLO, Mo. Christmas tree fish shelters will be replenished in Wappapello Lake Jan. 16.

"These shelters provide fish with breeding areas, resting places and protection," said Michael McClendon of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers at the lake. "The shelters give young fish much-needed living space and provide protection from larger fish."

There are 18 fish shelters at Wappapello Lake.

"New structures must be added to shelters each year," said McClendon.

The Corps of Engineers invited any interested in renewing the fish shelters to lend a helping hand in placing the shelters in the lake. Participants may registered at Red Man Creek, Chaonia landing and Holliday Landing boat ramps on the day of the event.

The shelters will be placed in the lake, starting at 11 a.m. Jan. 16.

---

JEFFERSON CITY The Missouri Conservation Commission will hold its regular monthly meeting beginning at 9 a.m. Jan. 29 at Tan-Tar-A Resort, Osage Beach.

Commission meetings are open to the public. Anyone with business for the Commission should contact: Director, Department of Conservation, Box 180, Jefferson City, Mo., 65102-0180, or phone (314) 751-4115, at least 10 days before the meeting date.

Persons with disabilities requiring special services or accommodations to attend the meeting can make arrangements at the same address or phone number.

Commissioners are: Jay Henges, St. Louis, chairman; Jerry P. Combs, Kennett, vice chairman; Andy Dalton, Springfield, secretary; and John Powell, Rolla, member.

---

PERRYVILLE A new bass harvest regulation has been announced for Perry County Community Lake.

"Anglers can no longer possess any bass under 15 inches in length at the lake," said Dennis Norman, Fisheries District Supervisor for the Missouri Department of Conservation. "Starting this month, all bass under 15 inches long must be released."

Perry County Lake is located two miles west of Perryville off Highway T.

A creel limit of six bass is in effect at the lake.

---

OLIVE BRANCH, Ill. The late-December and early-January migration has resulted in big increases of Canada geese in the Southern Illinois area, especially in Alexander County, home of Horseshoe Lake.

The latest goose census Wednesday in Southern Illinois/Western Kentucky area, shows more than 416,000 geese this week.

The count revealed 130,000, up from the 75,000 count of two weeks ago, at Horseshoe Lake, 114,000 at Crab Orchard, 45,000 in Union County. The count from Ballard Wildlife Refuge in Western Kentucky was 29,000.

Kill totals through Jan. 1 in the four-county Alexander, Union, Jackson and Williamson counties are 8,695. A total of 2,382 geese have been harvested in Alexander County; 1,440 in Union County, and 4,873 in the Crab Orchard area near Carbondale.

---

CARBONDALE, Ill. A special committee has been formed to seek the designation of Cedar Lake as a "Trophy Bass Lake."

The Committee For Quality Bass Fishing includes members from Southern Illinois and Southeast Missouri, with Rex Barker, a teacher at Shawnee High School, as president.

The committee will meet Wednesday at the Mississippi Flyway, located in the Murdale Shopping in West Carbondale, Ill. to discuss the Cedar Lake proposal.

Cedar Lake, a 2,600 water impoundment, is located between Murphysboro and Carbondale.

---

Larry Strattman of Cape Girardeau has been elected president of the Bassbusters of Southeast Missouri. Other officers include Kevin Hogan, Jackson, treasurer; Jim Dunn, Cape Girardeau, secretary; and Kevin Baker of Cape Girardeau, tournament director.

Gary Turner was named overall champion of club during the club's January meeting. Turner, of Jackson, caught more than 60 pounds of bass in 11 tournaments during the years.

Finishing second was Kevin Baker of Cape Girardeau. Rounding out the top five are Strattman, Hogan and Mike Woods of Jackson.

The club will meet again Feb. 2.

---

JEFFERSON CITY Carp, gar and suckers led the hit parade of big fish caught in Missouri last year, according to records maintained by the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC).

Missouri anglers set eight new state fishing records in 1992. Record-breaking catches included: A 14-ounce golden redhorse sucker caught by Blah Stilts of Zalma on the Castor River May 28; a 130-pound paddlefish snagged by Edward Brown of Sugar Creek on the Osage River April 4 (the only game fish record of the year); a 27-pound, 9-ounce bighead carp snagged by Gary Hoskins of Nelson on the Lamine River April 4; a 2-pound, 1-ounce spotted sucker snagged by Douglas S. Stilts of Wappapello at Lake Wappapello April 5; a 11-pound, 3-ounce shortnose gar shot with a bow by Lance Sullentrop of Warsaw on Truman Lake, April 15; a 1-pound, 6-ounce goldeye caught on a minnow by Jerry D. Rollins of Sedalia at Truman Lake June 13; a 2-pound, 10-ounce spotted gar caught by Gary G. Stilts of Wappapello at Mingo National Wildlife Refuge June 20; a 55-pound, 12-ounce grass carp caught on a Mud Bug lure by Anthony Winans of St. Joseph from the Platte River July 15.

MDC maintains records on 64 varieties of game and non-game fish. To qualify, fish must have been taken by legal fishing methods. Additional details about the state-record fish program are available from: Fisheries Division, State Record Fish, Missouri Department of Conservation, P.O. Box 180, Jefferson City, Mo. 65102-0180.

---

JEFFERSON CITY Missouri's 1993 spring turkey hunting season will run from April 19 through May 2, with only minor regulation changes. The bag limit will be the same as last year, one bearded bird for each week of the season.

The only changes in turkey hunting regulations concern tagging and licensing. Starting this year, no one under the age of 11 years may purchase a turkey hunting permit. Also new this year is a rule that detaching the transportation tag from a turkey hunting permit before taking a turkey renders the permit void.