ROANOKE, Va. (WFXR) — Here is a round-up of some of the latest outdoor news from across the region.

Safer Lures

Vinton fishing gear maker Grumpaw’s Tackle is coming out with a line of fishing lures that are more conservation-friendly and safer for children. They are a line of inline spinnerbaits that have a single barbless hook. So, if the hook goes into a finger or somewhere else it should not, it slides out easily.

A barbless spinner from Grumpaw’s Tackle (Photo: George Noleff)

“There’s a big push for that on the conservation side and on the parenting side,” said Grumpaw’s owner Matt Estes. “Getting hooked or hooking a loved one, that’s often one of those things that often ends in a trip to the emergency room.”

The new lures are part of Grumpaw’s “Take a Kid Fishing” line of baits.

Reel Connections

Reel Connections for Kids will hold its annual kid’s fishing event on May 21.

Reel Connections Take a Kid Fishing Event in June 2022 (Photo: George Noleff)

The non-profit works with local charities and faith-based organizations to provide a free day of fishing on Smith Mountain Lake with charter captains for children and their parents who otherwise would not get the chance. Reel Connections is looking for donations and sponsors. Interested persons can find out more at the group’s website.

Try on an Invasive Species

You can help fight invasive species in Virginia by wearing them.

Well, sort of.

One of the new Invasive Species shirts from the VDWR (Photo: Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources)

The Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources is selling shirts with various invasive species printed on them. The shirts look a lot like horror movie posters. Funds from the sale of the shirts go to conservation.