7 Environmental News
March 1999
Earth Week Celebration April 19 -24 Don’t Let This One Get Away
Try Musky Fishing in Brevard
Kristen Cherry
Activism
> Mass Bicycle Day
This day will be dedicated to
walking and biking. On Bicycle
Day there will be no driving on
campus.
> Coffee Mugs Brevard
Reuse Program
This is a program still in the
process of being worked out.
The basic idea is to have cups
sold at our Brevard College
bookstore that can be used at
surrounding businesses instead
of using their paper or
styrofoam cups. The program
also hopes to have businesses
offer discounts to customers
who bring their own cups.
Campaign for Children
> Trash Art Contest
This is a contest that will take
place between different elemen
tary, middle, and high schools in
the area. Students will bring
their “trash” art to Brevard
College’s campus to be judged.
Students who participate will
have an opportunity to win
prizes.
® In Your Own Backyard
This program will consist of
nature walks conducted by
different professors for children,
students, and parents.
> Thrift Store Fashion Show
A special fashion show, this will
prove that some of the best
clothes on campus can be found
in the thrift store.. .proving its
better to reuse and recycle.
Eartli “Day”
> Tree Planting
Planting native trees on campus
will highlight this event
Rainstick Making
Participants will make rainsticks
that can be used for the Earth
Night jam. These instruments
make beautiful sounds.
Earth “Night”
Drumming
Around the campfire on the
quad, students will hold a jam
session to the Earth.
> Readings
Students are encouraged to
come to the campfire and read
their favorite earth-related
Rufus Henry Temple
The Muskellunge, also
known as musky, is the largest
member of the Pike family and is
one of the most prized freshwa
ter game fish. A musky can grow
over 50-inches long. They are
most common in the rivers and
lakes of Minnesota, Wisconsin,
and Canada, but their range also
dips as far south as North
Carolina and Tennessee.)
Wherever one finds muskies,
one can also find musky
hunters. Musky hunters are
fisherman who spend many long
hours locating, hooking, and
landing these giant fish. Musky
hunters have their own secrets
as to how and where to catch
Muskies.
Even though they are
generally rare in North Carolina,
muskies are common in the
French Broad River. Unfortu
nately most BC fishermen have
never been musky fishing, and
they do not even know there are
muskies in the River.
Two general types of
muskies live in the French
Broad, the native muskellunge
and the stocked Tiger Musky.
Actually, no one ever stocked
the French Broad River. Most of
the Tiger Muskies were stocked
in Lake Fontana and the Little
Tennessee River years ago and
since then have spread up the
French Broad. In fact, the
largest Musky ever recorded in
North Carolina was caught in
the Little Tennessee River on a
live Walleye, but many large 40-
inch muskies have been caught
Th..r«iHav. May 13 - Striving for
a Land Ethic 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Laura Elliott will engage program
participants in a variety of hand-
on activities based on the
writings of Aldo Leopold, often
called the “father of conserva
tion.” Bring a copy of the Sand
County Almanac (if you have
one), a bag lunch, and dress for
the outdoors.
Contact Laura Elliott at 877-
4423 to register.
in the French Broad. Landing a
musky in the French Broad
requires effort, knowledge, and
the right tackle.
When fishing for
muskies, tackle is crucial. First,
fishermen must have big lures
that the muskies will chase.
Any large rappala is a good lure,
but live bait is the best choice
because the biggest muskies are
picky about what they eat.
Usually they can distinguish -
better than most other species
offish - what is real food and
what isn’t. Perhaps that is why
they live long enough to grow
as large as they do.
It is also necessary that
fishermen know what they are in
for when preparing to hook a
musky. To hook a musky,
fisherman must have big enough
rods and strong enough lines.
Fishermen also must use at least
20-pound test with a wire leader
in between the lure and the
monofilament line. Muskies
have rows of sharp teeth that
can shred a 50-pound test line.
A large rod, strong fishing line,
a wire leader, and a big lure are
the necessary tackle for hooking
and landing a musky.
Another important
aspect of musky fishing is river
or lake knowledge. Muskies like
cover and deep holes, so the
best places to fish are the deep
parts of the river with lots of tree
falls. Muskies are known to be
the fish of a thousand casts.
One old timer of
Transylvania, known as “Mr.
Musky,” states he fishes for
musky about twice a week and
catches one about every eight
hours of fishing. He was
reluctant to share his knowledge
with the media, but his truck
license plate reads “Mr. Musky.
One weekend before
you leave Brevard, take advan
tage of living near such good
fishing waters and go try to
catch the fish of a lifetime. Go
musky fishing, and treat
yourself to a day of fun on the
French Broad River.
poems or prose.
PISGAH WILDLIFE EDUCATION CENTER
Volunteer Training Schedule for Spring 1999
Thiirsriav. March 25 - Field Day!
10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Come have fun and participate in
the Center’s most popular group
programs, including Raising
Trout, Mountain Habitats,
Tracking and Talking Animals.
This program is designed for
those volunteers interested in
assisting with the presentation of
group programs. Bring a bag
lunch and dress for the outdoors.
Tuesday. April 6 - Raising Trout
1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Laura Elliott will present a
program on the lifecycle of
hatchery-raised trout from
spawning to stocking. Program
will include a hatchery tour and a
presentation of the daily Raising
Trout Program.
Thursday.April 15-Take Hike
on Wild Side 10:30 a.m.-2 p.m.
Laura Elliott will lead a guided
hike to John Rock. Focuses will
be hiking essentials, area trails,
tips for observing and identifying
wildlife, and area geology The
round-trip hike will be moderately
difficult miles requiring water and
a bag lunch.
Wpdnesdav. April 28 - Sala
manders—^to know them is to
save them 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
This hands-on, out-door program
will focus on salamander ecology
and their role as environmental
indicators. Bring shoes that can
get wet and a bag lunch.