THE FINE FOLKS along the Gulf Coast and in Florida love their red fishing. They even brag about how wonderful their areas are for taking these golden battlers with the spots on their tails. Enjoy their fishery they should. But brag about it? Get real!

Ryan Newman spent Saturday night bumping and grinding with other NASCAR Sprint Cup drivers at Richmond International Raceway. But if not for his race commitment, he might have spent Saturday fishing.

Humans and their property were not the only things that suffered from the devastating tornadoes that swept through Suffolk on Monday. Many pets were either at home alone or couldn't be helped during the storms. Animal groups have tried to help pet owners be reunited with their animals. But wildlife also suffered during the storms.

ISLE OF WIGHT A General District Court judge on Wednesday used trespassing charges against two hunters as an opportunity to warn the hunting community about respecting the rights of landowners. Judge James A. Moore of Suffolk, serving as a substitute judge in Isle of Wight, also told landowners to properly post their land and open dialogues with neighboring hunters.

THE LARGEMOUTH BASS arguably is the most sought-after fish in the world. More angling hours and dollars are burned up each year in pursuit of this hard-fighting freshwater species. Although it's not the oldest world all-tackle record, the International Game Fish Association standard of 22 pounds, 4 ounces is the most coveted record in fishing.

CAPE HATTERAS, N.C. Fish Fishburne is angling's best-known comedian.

CAPE HATTERAS, N.C. Tim Butler's rod tip twitched slightly, then bowed toward the water. After a short battle, Butler dragged a nice flounder onto the Cape Point sand. His family gathered quickly, excitedly taking pictures and marveling at his catch.

When Pat Wessner’s husband Dave asked her where she wanted to go for their 25th wedding anniversary, she had a ready answer. “I said Paris,” Pat said. Dave had a quick response. “He said Costa Rica,” Pat said. “I said OK.”

An experiment using satellite research tags with striped bass is already yielding results. Dr. John Graves of the Virginia Institute of Marine Science placed 10 satellite tags in striped bass from Jan. 26 to Feb. 2. Using eels, five fish were caught on conventional "J" hooks, while the other five were caught on circle hooks.

IF THE LARGEMOUTH BASS is the king of freshwater fishing - and who would argue that? - then the crappie must sit at throne's side as its queen. Crappie long have been a mainstay in the freshwater fishing community. The species' popularity with the shoreline and cane-pole crowd is unparalleled. But in the past decade, competitive anglers have come to know the other side of crappie fishing.