New twist at the Rotary Classic
By DENNIS APRILL, Outdoors Columnist
PLATTSBURGH — Anglers at this year’s Rotary Club Lake Champlain Fishing Classic May 31-June 2 will be bringing in not only the normal qualifying fish — walleye, lake trout and landlocked salmon — but, if Mark Malchoff’s message gets out, sea lamprey as well.
Malchoff, a member of the Lake Champlain Sea Grant Program team researching these parasites, will be collecting lamprey at the Snug Harbor Derby Headquarters on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. The more he gets, the better the chances for retrieving marked lampreys to track their movement in the lake. He should be pretty busy, as Lake Champlain is loaded with these creatures.
The entry fee for this year’s Rotary is $32 per adult. In the past, the tournament has generated an estimated $350,000 in sales revenue to the local community. Those who want to register by phone using a credit card can do so by calling 1-800-533-1555.
Managing Nuisance Conference nears
There are still openings for a conference on Managing Nuisance Species scheduled for Thursday, May 9 at the Lake View Hotel and Conference Center, Lake George. The focus is the Champlain Canal, but undoubtedly there will be some discussion of nuisance species coming from the north. There will be a number of presentations and speakers. For more information or to register, call 564-3038.