ROANOKE Fatal hunting-related shootings in which a nonhunter is a victim are rare in Virginia.

Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries spokeswoman Julia Dixon says none of the 39 firearms-related fatalities recorded since 1998 involved a nonhunter.

Health officials have found high levels of mercury in walleye fish in Lake Gaston and have issued an advisory for certain groups of people to avoid eating the fish.

Skip Spires wasn’t looking for another wife when he met his bride-to-be, but he says he struck gold when he bumped into Rene Matheny at a construction site. For one thing, she shared his love of remodeling and site management. He liked her personality and strong belief in God.

The Recreational Fishing Alliance and thousands of anglers are biting their nails waiting for federal fisheries managers to respond to an RFA lawsuit filed last week.

By Peter St. Onge The Charlotte Observer CHARLOTTE The deer are waiting, two of them, lying near a dirt path near the edge of McDowell Park. A buck and a doe, about 110 pounds and 80 pounds. "They sure are pretty," Rachel Humphries says.

They are dropping like flies. Virginia has another state record blueline tilefish. The latest is a 23-pound, 5-ouncer caught July 4 by Michael Adkins of Sutherland. It eclipses the 20-10 fish caught in June by Kenneth Bowe of Chester. Blueline tilefish were added to the Virginia Saltwater Fishing Tournament awards list in 2006, with an initial state-record standard set at 17-1/2 pounds.

Though he'd only been stationed in South Hampton Roads a few months, Steve Albertson knew he had caught something special. Any largemouth bass that weighs 9 pounds, 10 ounces is something special, no matter where you catch it.

It's not a cure for the flu, but it sure works wonders for the boredom of being sick. Katie Synowiec likely won't get FDA approval, but she is willing to share her medical method. Here's the deal.

Larry Gray understands the importance of spending time with his son. Quality time. Because Gray's big passion is fishing, he figured the sport was a great way to hang out with his son and share his love of angling. That paid off last week during a trip that surely produced memories for a lifetime.

Even though it is just 3 years old, the North Carolina East Division of Fishers of Men has enjoyed enough angling success for a lifetime. In its first year as a member of the national Christian-theme angling organization, members of North Carolina East won the East Regional title. Earlier this year, Mike Post of Gates and Kevin Jones of Ahoskie won the national championship.