At the recent working group meeting of the Pennsylvania Game Commission board of game commissioners two resolutions were drafted and approved in response to legislation that would change the way the agency conducts business.

In the first, confirmed is the BOGC opposition to any attempt to merge the Pennsylvania Game Commission and the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission, and notes it's a message the board wished to convey to the chairmen of both the state House and Senate Game and Fisheries committees. It noted the PGC is an independent agency charged with regulating and protecting wildlife within the state's borders and the PFBC is an independent agency charged with regulating and protecting the state's fisheries.In the second, the BOGC announced opposition to reducing the term of game commissioners from eight to four years. Comprised of eight commissioners who serve a single eight-year term, the resolution noted a majority of commissioners believe it "takes a new Commissioner several years to understand the broad scope of this complex agency."*****Sunday's edition of "Experience The Outdoors," hosted by award-winning Pennsylvania Outdoor Writers Association member Doyle Dietz, at 7 a.m. on 1410-AM WLSH, at 9:30 a.m. on Magic 105.5-FM and on the Web at

http://www.wmgh.com/ by clicking the link to the program, features Koinonia Fishing Guide Service president Rod Bates.*****Every Sunday during June, a free introductory course to fly fishing is being sponsored by the Federation of Fly Fishers at Cabela's Hamburg location. There are two sessions to the course, beginning at 12:30 p.m. with "Introduction to Fly Fishing" and concluding at 2:30 p.m. with "Introduction to Fly Casting," and participants must pre-register by calling the Cabela's Fly Shop at 610-929-7000.*****Basic kayaking courses will be held at Tuscarora State Park, Barnesville, with all equipment provided if needed. Maximum weight capacity is 275 pounds, and preregistration is required either in person at the park office or by calling (570) 467-2506.Classes and times are: Tuesday, July 2, 5 p.m.; Thursday, July 4, 10 a.m.; Friday, July 5, 5 pm.; and Saturday, July 13, 1 p.m.*****A simulated hunting 3D course is open daily through October 12 from dawn to dusk at Bears Head Archery, Delano, off I-81 exit 134. Sundays, the course is closed from 1-4 p.m. for trap. For information, email

docblazer@verizon.net.*****For the second year in a row, the Leukemia/Lymphoma Society Bass Classic will be held on the upper Susquehanna River out of Shikellamy State Park, Saturday, July 20.This is the 10 year for the annual tournament, which previously was held in the Harrisburg area and remains under the sponsorship of the Capital City Bassmasters. Club president Bob Herman said moving the tournament to the Sunbury area last year allowed for fiberglass bass boats, as well as aluminum jet boats, to compete because of the deeper water created by Lake Augusta.Herman said that another full field of 100 boats is expected to compete for the guaranteed first prize of $3,000 and more than $10,000 is expected to be raised for the Leukemia/Lymphoma Society. A Celebrity Challenge will be held in conjunction with the tournament that begins at safe light and concludes with weigh-ins at 2 p.m.Entry forms can be downloaded from the club website at

http://www.capitalcitybass.com/, and information is available by calling Herman at (717) 938-8752.*****This year's Lake Ontario Counties Summer Derby is underway through Sunday, July 28, and charter captains enter their boats in the tournament in order that clients are eligible for the cash prizes that are awarded for the largest daily fish species and the overall champion of each species.There is a total payout of $18,550 in cash for this year's LOC Summer Derby, with a grand prize of $10,000 for the largest salmon and has four divisions for salmon, lake trout, rainbow/steelhead and brown trout. Cash prizes for each division are: first place, $1,000; second place, $400; third place, $300; fourth place, $200; fifth place, $100; sixth-10thplace, $75; 11th-15th place, $50; and 16th-20th place, $25.