Ever hook a Humuhumunukunukuapuaa?

To broaden your knowledge of fish, fisheries and fishing I will include certain items periodically that may be of interest. Today it is the word Humuhumunukunukuapuaa.

The long word is the Hawaiian name for triggerfish. This extremely colorful fish favors the safe harbor of reef structures which dot the waters along the central and South Pacific Ocean islands. Their unique coloring can be attributed to their fondness of ingesting coral. It's cream, pink and tan coloration is often accented with black bands, and oddly enough, the teeth of this tropical triggerfish are blue.

NWTF on Facebook

The National Wild Turkey Federation has launched an official Facebook fan page, giving supporters a new tool to share their passion for conservation and the outdoors.

"Our new official Facebook fan page is exciting because we can keep fans in the loop about NWTF projects, news, events and more," said NWTF web director Brent Lawrence. "The page gives us one more way to connect with our fans because their feedback is encouraged. NWTF members and non-members are welcome, and we look forward to interacting with everyone who is interested in helping us further our mission."

The NWTF distributed nearly $250,000 in October as it continues to advance its mission of benefiting wildlife conservation and protecting hunting traditions. The dollars are distributed to states and programs through the NWTF Hunting Heritage Super Fund.

October's Hunting Heritage Super Fund spending included youth education ($78,281), habitat enhancement ($53,367), land purchases ($28,750), junior classes, also known as JAKES ($17,234) hunting opportunities for those with disabilities ($9,805), Hunting Heritage program ($9,250), volunteer and professional education ($8,169), hunter safety classes ($6,868), wild turkey management ($3,500) and women's programs ($2,450).

Woodbury acquisition celebrated

Conservation partners gathered Nov. 1 to celebrate the completion of one of the largest habitat conservation purchases in the state's history with the acquisition of 25,668 acres of working forest land, recreational lands and wildlife habitat in Marion County by the State of South Carolina.

This large block of forest land, previously owned by International Paper, was slated for sale as part of the company's decision to divest of all land holdings. In August 2006, the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources purchased a 56 percent interest in the 25,668-acre property known as Woodbury, located in Marion County. The Conservation Fund and the Nature Conservancy held title to the remaining 44 percent of the property while the DNR worked to obtain additional funding from federal sources. In July 2007, the DNR secured necessary funds to complete the acquisition and purchased all remaining interests from the Conservation Fund and the Nature Conservancy.

The DNR used state funds from the S.C. Conservation Bank and the Heritage Trust bond bill legislation to acquire the initial interest in the property.

The remaining funds came from the following federal sources: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration ($4,451,949), State Wildlife Grant ($50,000), North American Wetlands Conservation Act ($1,000,000), Coastal Wetlands Grant ($1,000,000), Forest Legacy ($3,306,754). The total cost of the project was $28.9 million.

News and Events

Miss Judy Charters will host fishing clinics at Tubby's Tank House in Thunderbolt, Ga. The dates will be Jan. 16, Feb. 20 and March 20 from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. There will also be an offshore school from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Jan. 30.

To sign up, e-mail fishjudy2@aol.com or call 912-897-4921. The information that will be covered will help you develop a better game plan for the coming season.

Tackle tip

When you finally grow tired of those expensive oil sprays, bait concoctions and fish scents, try something new. With the use of a few simple corks you could save yourself the hassle of keeping your spray inventory stocked.

Natural cork is an excellent addition to your tackle box. Cork strips make outstanding tray liners and small cork squares keep your clothing and body parts from fouling stray hooks and lures. The best feature of natural cork is that it is a perfect odor retainer.

Find them at a vintage hardware store or supply house. The larger, unfinished bottle stop corks can be saturated with your favorite flavor and placed unattended in your tackle box. If the larger corks cannot be found, a half dozen smaller corks placed in a cheesecloth and sprayed with your odor of choice will last for weeks, even months. If you want overkill, than by all means spray your lures independently. Those in the market love to ring up sales. The more, the merrier.

Certain tackle boxes will absorb odors better than others. To make sure you are getting the proper absorption, try this simple test. Open your tackle box lid. Do you smell something? If you do, it's working. If not, add a bit more spray until the odor permeates your soft plastic lures and surrounding hardware. Now you don't have to chase down the spray bottle on board or fight slippery hands and a rolling sea, just to spray an overpriced concoction of fish oil propellant in hopes a lesser vertebrae will find your hook more enticing than others.