President's Message
by Stephen Shechtel
 

Last night (Wednesday, May 16th) was the Board Meeting. Speaking with Rick Thompson this morning, we were proud of the accomplishments that the Chapter
has achieved and the direction that the Board is moving the Chapter. The Carnival Cruise fund-raiser is on track (keep selling those tickets), the Fishing Trip for Disabled Vets has been tentatively scheduled (August), advance registrations for chapter tournaments are strong, and we have some great programs scheduled (with dinners and guest vendors) for all but one of the remaining 2006 meetings. We truly are fortunate to have such an active Board with many volunteers willing to make things happen.

So what's new? Well, new Frederick Chapter members (18 months or less) will be assigned a sponsor to introduce them to the membership and to assist in acclimating to Chapter functions. The Chapter will fund a stocked "dock cooler" to facilitate fellowship during Chapter tournaments. The buddy list will be re-established.

Once again, from the weather, sport fishing magazines, NMFS, my mailbox, and talk around the docks, it's almost the start of another offshore season. The tuna bite is already white hot off Hatteras. Good catches of Wahoo are also reported. It's that time alright. If you have not already done so, purchase your 2006 NMFS license, put fresh line on the reels, splurge and buy a new spreader bar, see Ken Wheeler and register for our Offshore Tournament, put in for some vacation time, and get ready to get offshore.

*******
My first draft for this column started how I was in the plane, one hour out of Ft. Lauderdale, and that I could not wait to go fishing the next day. To make a long story short, the "locals" had told me that artificial lures don't catch fish there, only live bait. On Saturday afternoon, I was tired of cleaning seaweed off my lines.

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Next Meeting

June 14th 2006:

Food Service: starts at 6:00 pm
All for $6.00. Bowl of Steamed Shrimp - $3.00. Coffee will also be available

Meeting: starts at 7:00 pm

Speaker:
We were fortunate to secure Richard Grandinetta, a Marine Insurance Underwriter with Boat US.

As many of you know, BoatUS is the largest insurer of boats in the United States. Even if you do not insure your boat, this is the meeting you want to attend to learn about managing the risk of operating your boat. Come prepared with questions and a copy of your policy. For example: does your insurance company insure your boat 55 miles offshore? If your boat sinks and fuel leaks from the gas tank, are you insured for the oil spill? If your boat sinks and is a total loss, can you just leave it on the bottom or do you have to have it moved? Who pays for the cost to remove the boat from the sea bed? What is a marine salvage? If your fishing tackle is lost overboard, are you insured and for how much? If someone is hurt on your boat, who is liable and for how much? If the boat trailer breaks away from the car, are you insured? By which insurer? If the boat is damaged on the trailer from a storm, are you insured? Who gets paid first, you or the bank? All this and more.

Vendor:
Same:

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On the radio I listened to a few hookups here and there. I decided to high speed troll cedar plugs. Within 10 minutes I had my first hookup, and over the next 2 hours I had two more. The largest was a 40+" Bull Dolphin that hit the left rigger on a black/red cedar plug. Remember what you learn at chapter meetings... as the "old ways" still catch fish. A fish is a fish. See you at the next meeting.

Newsletter & Notices Online The MSSA Frederick Chapter Newsletter is available online at: http://www.mssafrederick.com Hard copys are available by special request. To get on the "mail to only list", contact the MSSA Secretary.
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Newsletter Items: for July are due June 22, 2006
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Upcoming Events

SPONSOR LIST
If you joined the Frederick Chapter AFTER January 2005, please notify Stephen Shechtel. Be sure to send your name, phone number(s), and (hopefully) e-mail address. We want to get to know you, and want you to know us, better.

BUDDY LIST
We are starting up the 2006 Buddy List. Persons with boats seeking crew members, and members without boats, please notify John Sivinski via e-mail at:

DINNER
Diane Fox will again serve dinner for the June Meeting. Dinner starts at 6:00 PM. Please come early, support Diane by buying dinner, and enjoy the comradery before the meeting starts.

CARNIVAL CRUISE TICKET SALES
Be sure to see Mr. Pellicot to acquire tickets for the cruise raffle. This is our fund raiser for 2006 so now is the time to promote the Chapter by selling tickets.

2006 NMFS MIGRATORY SPECIES
PERMIT
All permits expire in May. Remember to purchase your 2006 permit. The "permit shop" can be found at:
http://www.hmspermits.gov or
http://www.nmfspermits.com
Permits for 2006 cost $22.00.

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