The banning of all lead in fishing tackle because it is ingested by wildlife resulting in lead exposure has become a very controversial topic. This topic is taking on a life of its own. Some people believe that environment lobbyists have extremely blown it out of proportion, while others feel that the government has not taken it seriously enough. There are always two sides to the story, and then there are the facts. I myself am interested in keeping the environment a clean and healthy place for my four young children.

This subject is one that is close to my heart. Whenever I travel around the country or around Long Island, I am amazed by the plethora of beauty and wildlife.

Wow! I never thought summer would ever end. Although not the hottest we have ever experienced, it was still quite unbearable at times. If we could just get some overdue rain, we would be in great shape. As the summer moves into fall, now is an opportune time to spend some quality time with your children. In today’s hectic, rat-race like lifestyles we have, it is important to make time for our kids and make quality out of the time.

As an avid outdoorsman, my love for the adventures of fishing and hunting has come to me as a time-honored family tradition passed down through the years. My brothers and I were fortunate to have a father and grandfather that enjoyed spending time with us and passing on one of America's oldest, handed down traditions - fishing. We began our fishing at an early age in our life.

At the ripe young age of 3 or 4, my father took me on my first fishing trip. We went perch jerking in his old wooden, V bottom boat on the Lake of the Pines in East Texas. After returning home with a stringer of perch, dad told me it was time to clean the fish. It was then that I took off down the hall where my parents found me in the bathroom with a bar of soap in hand, scrubbing those little guys. I’ve been hooked on fishing ever since.

As a professional angler, though not full time, I find it difficult to harm, kill or eat that which helps put food on the table. I can't tell you how long it has been since I put a bass to the knife that eventually ended up on my plate. It's been years. I just can't bring myself to destroy something that I earn part of my living on. But, lookout crappie, trout and white bass!