>> Some fish to spot through those amber lenses are yellow perch, with new regulations making it more fun during their spring spawning runs. Regs now in effect (Jan. 26) allow 10 fish per day (previously five) and fishing on previously closed rivers — the Patapsco, Magothy, Severn, South and West on the Western Shore, and the Nanticoke on the Eastern Shore.

>> When summertime boat-fishing shallow rivers such as the upper Potomac, Pennsylvania’s Susquehanna or Virginia’s Rappahannock, many of us like to step out to wet-wade a flat or a run. For this, forget the hot fishing vest or shoulder pack for spare lures or flies. Instead use one of the cloth nail-holder aprons available from hardware stores, Lowe’s and Home Depot. They tie around your waist or for deeper wading can be tied loosely around your neck. Use with small lure or fly boxes to hold pliers, leaders and such should you need to change a lure or fly. Last time I checked, these cost 99 cents each. Such a deal.

>> I have finally gotten to the age of needing a wading staff for wade fishing. I was always comfortable bouncing around on rocks, perhaps from a youthful interest in rock climbing, where a slip meant ending up hanging from a rope. That changed a few years ago when I found myself in a shad river with two long-lens Nikons around my neck, no way to go forward, back or turn around. Two friendly shad anglers had to help me to the bank and safety with my two still-dry (fortunately!) cameras.

I bought a wading staff the next day. The Folstaff purchased is the original of the fold-ups. Copies are available, with all in different lengths, but with the same telescoping sections and an inner bungee cord center. These sections spring out into a sturdy staff when the folding staff is pulled from the supplied belt sheath. For me, they are both a life saver and a lens saver. The only disadvantage is that they stick, and sections tend to pull apart when used on a muddy bottom.

>> With those destructive trout fishing invasive diseases — didymo (rock snot) and whirling disease — we seem to be holding our own. Rock snot, the algae that covers streambeds to smother trout eggs and insect larva, is still found only in the Gunpowder. It is transmitted mostly by anglers wearing felt soles, so boot-cleaning stations of a salt water bath have been set up all along the river and at some other area streams.

Whirling disease has been stopped, but the potential is always there for an outside re-infestation. The Bear Creek hatchery, where it was a major problem a few years ago, was closed, thoroughly washed with chlorine and other disinfectants. The sides of the concrete runs have been coated with epoxy to prevent nooks and crannies, where tubifex worms (the host for the life cycle of WD) can grab on and grow. With a little more washing and testing, the Bear Creek hatchery might open this spring for raising trout.

That will give us even more trout than we have had in the past. Many of the trout from a few years ago came from the Freshwater Institute in Shepherdstown, W.Va., which has provided thousands of trout each year for Maryland. Last year, we got 26,000 trout, with some in the two- to 10-pound range.

>> For those interested in poached fish (purloined rather than pan prepared), watch out. The somewhat stressed but always vigilant Natural Resources Police added 11 new graduates a few weeks ago to protect natural resources and to nab the bad guys. That beefs up the department, but they are still down to 231 officers from 280 only a few months ago. You listening, Gov. O’Malley?

C. Boyd Pfeiffer is an internationally known sportsman and award-winning writer on fishing, hunting and the outdoors. He can be reached at [email protected].