Whitewater Fishing launches the Everyday Pant, a versatile performance pant designed for anglers. Featuring UPF 50+ sun protection, quick-dry nylon-spandex blend, stain-release treatment, and articulated knees for unrestricted movement, the pant is available in three colorways with waist sizes 30-44 at $69.99 MSRP.

Carbon Express announces the return of competitive shooting arrows for 2026, including the MAXIMA XL Series, NANO PRO RZ, NANO PRO X-TREME, and X-BUSTER models. These elite shafts feature advanced Tri-Spine Technology and are engineered for compound, recurve, and indoor shooters, with availability beginning Spring/Summer 2026.

Swhacker Broadheads introduces the #316 Universal 100GR Practice Points, engineered to replicate mechanical broadhead flight for accurate sight-in and practice. The USA-made points match the center of gravity of most 100-grain broadheads, allowing hunters to practice without damaging targets or hunting heads.

Carbon Express unveiled four new hunting arrow lines at ATA 2026: the PHOTON Series for lightweight speed, the relaunched MAXIMA RED Series with updated components, the MACH 5 as the lightest 5mm arrow, and the PREDATOR AIR Series for durability and broadhead-ready performance, all available in multiple diameters starting Spring 2026.

Avian-X won the Bowhunting World Readers' Choice 2026 Gold Award for Wild Turkey Decoys, marking the brand's second consecutive victory. The award recognizes the realism and durability of Avian-X's HDR line, including the HDR Strutter, HDR Jake, and HDR Feeding Hen decoys.

Berger Team member Justin Skaret earned second place in the long-range sling division at the 2026 Southwest Nationals held at Ben Avery Shooting Facility in Phoenix, Arizona. Skaret's success utilized Berger 153.5gr LR Hybrid Target bullets paired with Vihtavuori N160 powder and Lapua 260 Remington cases to manage challenging wind conditions during the Desert Sharpshooters Rifle Club event.

Vermont Fish and Wildlife certified a 28.5-pound Freshwater Drum caught by 10-year-old Grayson Carey in the Lake Champlain International Father's Day Derby as a new state record. The catch also earned Carey over $26,000 in prize winnings and recognition for under-appreciated native fish species.

Takahiro Omori secured his first Major League Fishing Bass Pro Tour victory at Lake Hartwell, earning $125,000 by defeating Jacob Walker with 36 pounds, 6 ounces. The Yamaha Pro relied on shallow-water fishing in the Tugaloo River throughout the tournament, avoiding forward-facing sonar technology used by competitors.

Whitetails Unlimited granted $128,868 to mission-related projects in Minnesota last fiscal year through its 30 state chapters. The majority of grants support the Staying on Target program, which advances shooting sports through partnerships with NASP, SCTP, S3DA, and USA Clay Target League.

The Arizona Game and Fish Department released an updated Arizona E-Tag app with improved license and tag access, language preferences, and light/dark mode options. The app allows hunters and anglers to store and view licenses conveniently in the field.

The Wyoming Game and Fish Department will open black bear bait site renewals beginning March 1 at 8 a.m., with a deadline of March 20. New bait site applications open March 21 with a March 28 deadline. Hunters must purchase a 2026 black bear license before renewing or registering bait sites.

The Wyoming Game and Fish Department's Access Yes program provided hunting access to 2,547,138 acres across all 23 Wyoming counties in 2025. The program expands public hunting and fishing opportunities on private and public lands through hunter management areas, walk-in hunting, and walk-in fishing initiatives.

Silencer Central founder and CEO Brandon Maddox contributed $25,000 to NSSF's Protect Liberty PAC to support candidates defending Second Amendment rights in the 2026 elections. The contribution aims to inform voters in key battleground states about candidates committed to protecting Constitutional liberties and opposing progressive gun control agendas.

GunBroker.com, the world's largest online firearms marketplace, launched an AI-powered listing tool designed to help sellers generate optimized descriptions quickly. Built using 27 years of marketplace data and trained by GunBroker, the tool enables sellers to create professional listings with a few clicks and allows up to three generations per listing.

The Houston Safari Club Foundation's award-winning podcast Hunting Matters features Ross Melinchuk, Executive Director of the Southeastern Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies, discussing wildlife conservation challenges, Hunter R3 initiatives, and funding sustainability for the North American Model of Wildlife Conservation.

Country music star Travis Tritt joins host Michael Waddell on The Michael Waddell Podcast, presented by Spandau Arms in partnership with Folds of Honor and Cigars International. The two Georgia natives discuss hunting experiences, career challenges, and Tritt's journey in the music industry, including his five #1 hits and the demanding early years of his career.

Galco has expanded its Brush Hog Belt Holster line to accommodate Glock 17 pistols with red dot sights. The premium steerhide holster features a protective snapping flap, hand molding for perfect fit, and optional Belt Drop accessory for enhanced draw speed and comfort.

Bond Arms introduces the America 250th Special Edition Hand Cannon, a limited-edition firearm commemorating 250 years of American Independence. Available in Rough Series ($499) and Black Cerakote ($699) finishes, the dual-caliber model features a stainless-steel frame, custom commemorative engraving, and B6 grips.

Fish Monkey encourages retailers to stock their complete product line of fishing gloves, merino wool-blend socks, and face guards for the upcoming season. The brand emphasizes quality, durability, and performance features like UPF 50-plus sun protection and moisture-wicking fabrics designed specifically for anglers.

HIVIZ Shooting Systems will exhibit at the 2026 IWA OutdoorClassics in Nuremberg, Germany, showcasing its full lineup of high-visibility sights including LiteWave H3 tritium/fiber-optic sights, FastDot H3 line, and TriViz shotgun sights. The company will highlight product expansions and discuss OEM partnership opportunities with industry partners.

Umarex Airguns is sponsoring the 2026 Black Bear Bonanza on March 7 at Benton County Fairgrounds in Bentonville, supporting the Arkansas chapter of Backcountry Hunters & Anglers. The event celebrates black bear reintroduction in Arkansas with raffles, exhibits, and meet-and-greets featuring podcasters Brent Reeves, Bear Newcomb, and BHA CEO Ryan Callaghan.

Sticky Holsters reaffirms its partnership with Veteran News Network (VNN) since 2017, supporting veterans and local Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) posts and American Legion chapters. The collaboration delivers news, resources, and community coverage benefiting veteran-led organizations nationwide.

Evolution Outdoor, a leading fishing gear provider, announced a partnership with professional angler Matt Becker from Major League Fishing. Becker, a 2023 Bass Pro Tour rookie who won Bally Bet Angler of the Year, will provide expertise on product development and feedback for Evolution Outdoor's premium storage solutions.

The Wyoming Game and Fish Department will hold public workshops in Pinedale (Feb. 26) and Jackson (Feb. 28) to discuss elk Feedground Management Action Plans for the Pinedale and Jackson elk herd units. The workshops will include small group discussions focused on implementing the Wyoming Elk Feedground Management Plan.

Dr. Bob Ledda's new show "Dr. Bob's Wild Diaries" premieres Friday nights at 8:30 p.m. ET on Outdoor Channel, featuring fly-in fishing adventures to Alaska's remote destinations. The experienced ER doctor and pilot operates All Alaska Outdoors Lodge and shares three decades of discoveries across the Kenai Peninsula.

The sixth edition of the Armageddon Gear AG Cup precision rifle match features $20,000 for the winner plus $1,000 cash prizes for top scores on each of ten final courses of fire. The episode also includes Taurus ProTips with Matt Little and airs Wednesday on Outdoor Channel.

Florida’s effort to shake up Atlantic red snapper management is no longer a solo act.

Last week, NOAA Fisheries announced it will accept public comment on Exempted Fishing Permit applications not only from Florida, but also from Georgia, South Carolina, and North Carolina. Together, those proposals would test whether states can do a better job collecting recreational harvest data than the feds—and whether that data could support longer, more realistic red snapper seasons in the South Atlantic.

That matters, because when the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission first asked anglers to weigh in directly with federal managers, it looked like a one-state challenge to the system. Now it looks more like a regional trial, with at least cautious federal approval to see what happens and maybe tamp down a full-blown rebellion.

What hasn’t changed is how unusual Florida’s approach has been.

State agencies routinely argue with federal managers behind closed doors—over stock assessments, survey methods, or season length. What they almost never do is openly ask their anglers to jump into the federal comment process and back a specific proposal.

Florida did exactly that. The state urged anglers to support its Atlantic red snapper EFP, which would allow Florida to run its own recreational data collection while opening the door to a proposed 39-day season in 2026.

The message was blunt and familiar to anyone who fishes offshore: red snapper are plentiful, they’re not overfished, and they’re not being overfished—yet federal seasons have been squeezed down to one or two days in recent years. Florida’s position is that the problem isn’t the fish, it’s how recreational harvest is estimated.

At the time, that sounded confrontational by federal standards. NOAA’s new announcement changes the setting, but not the significance of Florida’s move.

In its statement, NOAA confirmed it is formally reviewing EFP applications from four South Atlantic states as part of a coordinated effort to test new approaches to recreational management. The 25-day public comment period is just an early step, not an approval—but the tone is notably different from past years.

NOAA Administrator Neil Jacobs described the effort as a chance to explore “innovative harvest strategies” and more responsive management, framing the permits as pilot projects rather than a permanent handoff of authority. 

That distinction matters. Federal managers have historically guarded centralized control over seasons and quotas, especially in mixed commercial-recreational fisheries like red snapper. Allowing states to run parallel systems, even temporarily, is a meaningful shift.

State managers—and many anglers—have long argued that federal recreational surveys overestimate harvest, triggering closures that don’t match what’s actually happening on the water. Anglers point to the same thing year after year: steady encounters with red snapper during closed seasons, high discard mortality, and frustration over fish they can catch but can’t keep.

Under Florida’s EFP, the state would collect harvest data using its own tools, with the goal of producing tighter, more timely estimates. The proposed 39-day season would provide anglers access while also serving as a real-world test of those methods.

NOAA hasn’t endorsed Florida’s numbers or its season length. But by opening the door to multiple state proposals, the agency is acknowledging the core problem: recreational management only works if the data are accurate and timely, and the current system has limits.

That language lines up closely with Florida’s stated goal—better data first, then seasons that reflect reality.

The addition of Georgia, South Carolina, and North Carolina changes the stakes. What began as a Florida frustration now looks like a regional experiment, one that’s harder to dismiss as a local complaint.

Public comments on the EFPs won’t just go through the Federal Register. They’ll also be taken during the March 2–6 meeting of the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council. That’s another important wrinkle. Councils often act as buffers between states and NOAA, shaping recommendations while absorbing political pressure. Encouraging anglers to engage at that level expands public involvement—and scrutiny.

Any state-led pilot that promises longer seasons will draw close attention from conservation groups, commercial interests, and federal scientists worried about precedent. Florida appears to have decided that working quietly within the system hasn’t delivered meaningful access, and that a more public push was worth the risk.

NOAA’s willingness to entertain multiple state experiments suggests federal managers see value in testing alternatives, even if they’re not necessarily ready to commit to lasting change.

Whether that alignment holds—and whether it results in longer Atlantic red snapper seasons in 2026—will determine whether this moment is a short-term experiment or the start of a real shift in how recreational fisheries are managed.

But for now, things are looking a lot brighter for reef anglers on the southeast coast.

— Frank Sargeant
Frankmako1@gmail.com