The Fourth might have been yesterday but this is a three day holiday weekend we're in the middle of, and it's also one of the busiest weekends of the year for those of us that like to get on the water. And many people are off work through all of next week.

The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA) is teaming with the Tennessee Highway Patrol (THP), the Governor's Highway Safety Office (GHSO), and local law enforcement agencies to remind drivers to celebrate responsibly, whether they are on the road or on the water.

They said the July Fourth holiday again promises to provide one of the year's busiest boating weekends on Tennessee waters. The TWRA wants to emphasize the use of life jackets and responsible use of alcohol while boating, especially during this holiday weekend.

The TWRA said it's important to consider the effects of drinking and driving whether on water or land. On the water, consuming one beer is equivalent to drinking three beers on land because of external stressors such as engine vibration, wave motion and glare from the sun. Operating a boat with a Blood Alcohol Content of .08 or higher is illegal in Tennessee, the same as operating a motor vehicle.

"We urge boaters to plan ahead to assure a safe enjoyable day on the water," said Ed Carter, TWRA Boating Division Chief. "Choose a designated boat operator and driver. BUI/DUI - both are bad news."

The Agency said eighty-nine percent of Tennessee boaters trailer their boat. This means that most boaters transition from the boat to the car for the drive home and is one of the reasons for this multiple agency approach toward a safer holiday.

Wearing a life jacket is the single most effective way to protect boaters and reduce drownings in boating accidents. Eighty percent of those who drowned in boating accidents were not wearing a life jacket.

So far in 2008, there have been 70 boating accidents reported that have resulted in 11 fatalities and 28 injuries. Two fatalities from the past weekend of June 27-29 are under investigation. TWRA officers have issued 59 citations for BUI in 2008. Through the same period in 2007, 90 accidents were reported with seven fatalities and 40 injuries. Over a five day period last year, the July Fourth holiday saw 11 accidents with two fatalities and five injuries.

Over the 2008 Memorial Day weekend, there were 13 reported accidents with one fatality and four injuries. Officers arrested 26 people for BUI.

The TWRA said there is growing evidence that Carbon Monoxide-related illnesses, injuries, and fatalities on the water may be far greater than reported. The Agency is asking recreational boaters to take special care will boating on Tennessee waters.

Carbon Monoxide (CO) is an odorless, colorless, tasteless and highly toxic gas produced by boat engines, generators, and stoves. Some boaters are aware that CO can accumulate inside engine compartments, and few understand that the gas can pool in deadly concentrations outside the boat as well - around engine and generate exhaust outlets, under and around swim platforms, and even in an open cabin when conditions are right.

In a press release, the TWRA said many boating safety professionals believe that Carbon Monoxide-related injuries and fatalities may go under-reported because they are attributed to other causes such as seasickness or intoxication. There is growing concern that as many as 15% of the deaths attributed to drowning, in fact, occurred when a swimmer was already unconscious from exposure to Carbon Monoxide.

Boaters can greatly reduce the risk to themselves and their passengers by following a few simple suggestions. Know where exhaust outlets for the engines and generator are on the boat, and keep everyone clear. Understand how and where CO can accumulate - for example, when slow speeds and a following wind create a backdraft that draws CO into the cabin. Do not sit or hang on, under, or around back deck or swim platforms when the engine or generator is running. Treat symptoms, such as headache, dizziness, and nausea, as possible CO poisonings until another cause is pinpointed.

In an ongoing effort to teach whitetail hunters about the benefits of sound deer management, the Quality Deer Management Association (QDMA) is offering a free online edition of its flagship publication, Quality Whitetails. Guests at www.QDMA.com who have high-speed Internet connections can "flip" through a free, digital edition of the 100-page June 2008 issue.

"The quality of our publications and educational programs is a key selling point for QDMA members," said QDMA CEO Brian Murphy. "With this new technology, more hunters who are curious about Quality Deer Management or QDMA can learn what we're about and see the quality and quantity of information we provide to our members."

Viewers of the cyber-edition of Quality Whitetails can "flip" the pages of the entire digital layout, or use the table of contents to jump forward to any article. Every Web address in the magazine, including those in advertisements or article text, is linked so viewers can jump to those sites with a click of their mouse. Also, viewers can open text-feeds of each article to view the text in a larger format, and they can search the entire issue for keywords. Both page-layout views and text-only views are printable.

The cyber-edition of Quality Whitetails is QDMA's latest effort using new technology and multi-media outreach to achieve its educational mission. Other efforts, including Quality Whitetails TV on the Outdoor Channel, the Deer Steward certification courses, educational books and posters, and much more, are helping advance the philosophy of Quality Deer Management (QDM) throughout the whitetail's range.

To learn more about QDMA and why it is the future of deer hunting, call (800) 209-3337 or visit www.QDMA.com.

BASS said the July/August edition of the award-winning Bassmaster Magazine is in BASS member mailboxes now. It's a must-read for pro anglers and their fans, the 11 annual issues are the most popular benefit of BASS membership and continue to provide tips and strategies that help anglers reel in big catches. To join BASS and start receiving Bassmaster, visit www.Bassmaster.com.

* Features

DAY ON THE LAKE WITH JOHN CREWS. The Day on the Lake segment is one of the most popular in Bassmaster Magazine, bringing top BASS pros to obscure bodies of water and giving them seven hours to unlock the secrets. Bassmaster senior writer Don Wirth logs a trip with Bassmaster Elite Series pro John Crews of Salem, Va., during the dog days of summer. Crews capitalizes on a productive morning bite, boating a 6-pound, 5-ounce keeper before 9 a.m. Fishing fans looking for tips on how to approach new fisheries in the summer can learn from Crews steady day.

LIVING ON THE LEDGE. Timely information after many Bassmaster Elite Series anglers finished targeting ledges on Kentucky Lake in mid-June: Senior writer Darl Black provides readers with the top five baits to exploit ledge bass. Bassmaster Elite Series pro Paul Hirosky also adds insight on the techniques.

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED? Bassmaster senior editor Ken Duke reports on the big-bass adventures of Joe Everett and George Coniglio, both of Mission Viejo, Calif. The two have been in search of the world-record largemouth bass for two years. On April 15, 2006, Everett landed a 19.7-pound largemouth from 128-acre Lake Mission Viejo and though it was short of the world-record, a 22-pound, 4-ounce, lunker landed by Georgian George Perry in 1932, Everett's fish was good enough to rank as the 12th-heaviest on the Bassmaster Top 25 list.

* More Information You Need

DESTINATIONS: LAKE DARDANELLE. With an influx of zebra mussels, Arkansas' Lake Dardanelle was perhaps affected as much as any other waterway in the past few years. But most recently, Dardanelle and its grass have returned, and the long and prestigious reputation as a producer of impressive 3- to 6-pound bass has been reinforced. The Arkansas fishery, a popular 34,000-acre impoundment, should be attacked with soft jerkbaits and spinnerbaits, while small crankbaits are good choices for the outside edges, as well as riprap and stumps.