September / October 2018 Newsletter
In This Edition
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Club Board Members
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Committee Chairs
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Club Photographer
Open Joe's Coffee Joe Wolf Christmas Party Rick Boettcher Tournaments Khris Bradley |
Upcoming Meetings & Events
Unless otherwise noted, Club meetings are held at 7 pm, the 1st Friday of each month at the Moneta Community Center - in the back-side, lower-level of the Pharmacy building on Rucker Rd, just off VA-122. Visitors and New Members are always welcome.
Perch Jerk - June 1 - Sept 15 - Get out there and jerk up some white perch - turn them in and have a chance to win one of ten $100 prizes. More details later in the newsletter
September Club Meeting - 9/7/18 - Jeff Turner - author of "50 Trophy Waters in 50 States in 50 Days" will be on hand to speak to the Club about the angling adventure that he and he son had crossing our Country in a whirlwind tour, chasing trophy fish across the map.
2018 Perch Jerk Fish Fry & Awards - 9/29/18 Afternoon - More details below in the newsletter
October Club Meeting - 10/5/18 - In October we will have Mike Gafford, hatchery manager at the Brookneal hatchery speak to the club on the processes and improvements ongoing at the hatchery and stocking at SML.
November Club Meeting - 11/2/18 - We'll have our annual chili cook-off & Board / Member of the Year Elections & Annual report by the Board, along with other topics TBD
December Christmas Party - 12/7/18 - More details coming soon.....
Perch Jerk - June 1 - Sept 15 - Get out there and jerk up some white perch - turn them in and have a chance to win one of ten $100 prizes. More details later in the newsletter
September Club Meeting - 9/7/18 - Jeff Turner - author of "50 Trophy Waters in 50 States in 50 Days" will be on hand to speak to the Club about the angling adventure that he and he son had crossing our Country in a whirlwind tour, chasing trophy fish across the map.
2018 Perch Jerk Fish Fry & Awards - 9/29/18 Afternoon - More details below in the newsletter
October Club Meeting - 10/5/18 - In October we will have Mike Gafford, hatchery manager at the Brookneal hatchery speak to the club on the processes and improvements ongoing at the hatchery and stocking at SML.
November Club Meeting - 11/2/18 - We'll have our annual chili cook-off & Board / Member of the Year Elections & Annual report by the Board, along with other topics TBD
December Christmas Party - 12/7/18 - More details coming soon.....
President's Corner
Well the official end of Summer has come and gone - Labor Day is past - I view this as "We get our fishing lake back" holiday :) Soon the cooler nights will come and water temperatures will drop. I'm excited and looking forward to getting out for some time on the water chasing striper, as I've abstained from fishing this summer - though I do need to get after some of those perch to participate in the Perch Jerk!
This month we will have a great speaker at our Club meeting - Jeff Turner will be covering his adventures a few years back with his son as they took on a journey to fish 50 trophy waters in 50 days. This is a talk not to be missed. In October, Mike Gafford, who heads the Brookneal hatchery, will be on hand to discuss operations at the hatchery and all that he's been doing to ensure we have the best yields and outcome as possible from the stockings each year. I'm excited about both of these speakers - and not just because you all will get a break from hearing from me ;)
As we look towards the end of the year it is time to think about who we will be electing to new leadership for the Club. We will have several Board seats that will be coming available. Some of you have served before and perhaps it is time to serve again. Others have not yet - and this is a great way to get involved and help ensure the Club is moving forward. Please give it some consideration to running as a board member and if you have questions about what is involved, just give me a call or speak to any of the board members.
Fish On! - Mike Ward
This month we will have a great speaker at our Club meeting - Jeff Turner will be covering his adventures a few years back with his son as they took on a journey to fish 50 trophy waters in 50 days. This is a talk not to be missed. In October, Mike Gafford, who heads the Brookneal hatchery, will be on hand to discuss operations at the hatchery and all that he's been doing to ensure we have the best yields and outcome as possible from the stockings each year. I'm excited about both of these speakers - and not just because you all will get a break from hearing from me ;)
As we look towards the end of the year it is time to think about who we will be electing to new leadership for the Club. We will have several Board seats that will be coming available. Some of you have served before and perhaps it is time to serve again. Others have not yet - and this is a great way to get involved and help ensure the Club is moving forward. Please give it some consideration to running as a board member and if you have questions about what is involved, just give me a call or speak to any of the board members.
Fish On! - Mike Ward
Member Fishing Partner Roster
At the October club meeting, we discussed ways of improving membership, participation and meeting member interests. One topic discussed was publishing a directory to enable members to contact each other more readily and hook-up (20th Century definition) with new partners to fish, learn and make new acquaintances. Dick Justice has agreed to take this project on. Dick is maintaining the roster containing info on member's desire to share their fishing interests, methods and willingness to be contacted by other club members. This is a voluntary activity and our plan is to distribute the list in hard copy at club meetings. We do not intend to post the file to a website but Dick will have copies at the Club meetings. We encourage each member to consider adding their name and associated info to the list and also offer suggestions for how we could make this more effective.
Catch Two & Quit
For some time we as a Club have been discussing the issue of Summer-time mortality when releasing striper in the Summer waters. There is an exceptionally high mortality rate for striped bass caught from & released back into water water (65-85% die). It may be possible to achieve an improvement in the rate of striped bass preservation, & to increase the number of 3+ year old striped bass surviving in SML to catch in future years, by decreasing the number of striped bass caught per person during the warm water months of June through October.
During each of the past 5 years, striped bass anglers have caught fewer & fewer stripers per “angler day fished” (a 5-year cumulative decline of 46.5%). SML anglers have seldom caught more than 2 striped bass per day per person (7% in 2016). Therefore, adopting a new warm water catch limit of 2 striped bass per person per day will impact relatively few anglers. Most importantly, better stewardship of the limited & fragile striped bass population in SML will help preserve & protect the opportunity for everyone to catch striped bass on Smith Mountain Lake in the future.
Enforcement of the new warm water catch limit will be voluntary through education, self-discipline & enlightened self-interest. This change should complement, not take the place of, other efforts to increase the striped bass population in SML, such as improving the first-year “recruitment” (i.e., survival rate) of striped bass fry.
The SMSC Board of Directors has adopted these "Sustainable Preservation Limits" and we are promoting this as "Catch Two & Quit" - and publicizing it across the area through signs at the boat ramps (approved by DGIF), news coverage on WSLS, and other news outlets. We are also hosting the 2018 SMSC Perch Jerk competition to give anglers an alternative to striped bass fishing this summer - along with a little monetary incentive - more on that elsewhere in this newsletter.
The Club sent out a letter to all guides we can identify in the area raising their attention to this issue in our fishery, and asking for their help and support of the "Catch Two & Quit". We ask each of you as members to also consider these issues when making your fishing plans this summer - either scaling back your fishing, chasing other species or at a minimum - "Catch Two & Quit"
You can download the details on the studies and supporting data on the website at: http://www.smithmountainstriperclub.com/conservation.html
During each of the past 5 years, striped bass anglers have caught fewer & fewer stripers per “angler day fished” (a 5-year cumulative decline of 46.5%). SML anglers have seldom caught more than 2 striped bass per day per person (7% in 2016). Therefore, adopting a new warm water catch limit of 2 striped bass per person per day will impact relatively few anglers. Most importantly, better stewardship of the limited & fragile striped bass population in SML will help preserve & protect the opportunity for everyone to catch striped bass on Smith Mountain Lake in the future.
Enforcement of the new warm water catch limit will be voluntary through education, self-discipline & enlightened self-interest. This change should complement, not take the place of, other efforts to increase the striped bass population in SML, such as improving the first-year “recruitment” (i.e., survival rate) of striped bass fry.
The SMSC Board of Directors has adopted these "Sustainable Preservation Limits" and we are promoting this as "Catch Two & Quit" - and publicizing it across the area through signs at the boat ramps (approved by DGIF), news coverage on WSLS, and other news outlets. We are also hosting the 2018 SMSC Perch Jerk competition to give anglers an alternative to striped bass fishing this summer - along with a little monetary incentive - more on that elsewhere in this newsletter.
The Club sent out a letter to all guides we can identify in the area raising their attention to this issue in our fishery, and asking for their help and support of the "Catch Two & Quit". We ask each of you as members to also consider these issues when making your fishing plans this summer - either scaling back your fishing, chasing other species or at a minimum - "Catch Two & Quit"
You can download the details on the studies and supporting data on the website at: http://www.smithmountainstriperclub.com/conservation.html
2018 Fish Ladder
Keep the catches coming! If you have one not listed below, send us the pic on a measuring board and we'll get it recorded... probably some SMSC members with pics from recent tourneys that qualify!
Member Catches
SMSC Members out practicing "Catch 2 & Quit" this Summer! It's great to be able to share and enjoy these images of others catching fish - please submit yours - you can post them to the Club Facebook page, or send them to [email protected].
2018 SMSC Perch Jerk - June 1 - Sept 15, 2018
In an effort to promote alternatives for Summer-time fishing, the Smith Mountain Striper Club is hosting our first ever, Summer-long "Perch Jerk" competition. The goal of this fishing competition is to help educate anglers on the issues involved with summer-time release mortality of striped bass and to highlight other fishing options that exist during the warm-water season.
The 2018 SMSC Perch Jerk runs from June 1 through September 15 and culminates in a end-of-tournament white-perch fish fry at which $1,000 in cash and other prizes will be awarded to participants. For every 10 white perch submitted, an angler will receive one entry into the cash drawing for ten, $100 prizes. Anglers are to turn in their catch to an identified Club member at one of multiple drop-off locations, who will record the number of fish and then clean and freeze the perch for the end-of-tournament fish fry. All participants will be invited to the fish fry, though they do not have to be present to win the cash awards.
During warm-water months - namely mid-June - late September - the water temperatures are such that striped bass have a significantly increased mortality when released after being caught. While the SMSC strongly encourages release of our larger striped bass much of the year, in the summer months when mortality rates increase the Club has adopted a "Catch 2 & Quit" policy on striped bass during the summer months for those pursuing striped bass, and is encouraging the angling public to support this initiative as well. For those that wish to continue their fishing time on the water, white perch provide a great alternative to pursue. When using light tackle, white perch can put up a fun fight, and can be caught on small jigs, simple "fish finder" rigs tipped with live earthworms, cut alewife or shad fished on the bottom or other techniques. As these fish often school up in large numbers, it is not uncommon to catch many of these in an outing - creating a fun experience for young anglers.
For additional information call Jim Perry @ 540 871-2196
What is this event about?
• To encourage fishing for species other than stripers during the summer months when catching stripers results in a high mortality rate for these fish.
• To encourage getting our youth involved in fishing. Perch jerking is fun!
• To publicize and encourage participation in and growth of Smith Mountain Striper Club.
Who can Enter?
How does it Work?
How does the Drawing Work?
• Smith Mountain Striper Club (SMSC) will put up $1,000 in prize money.
• At the fish fry 10 winning tickets will be drawn from the pool of tickets issued for the fish submissions.
• Only 1 winning ticket per individual will be awarded. Each of the winning tickets (10) will receive a $100 cash prize.
How does the Fish Fry Work?
Locations and Phone Numbers for Fish Submission:
Note: If you cannot reach the primary number below for your location, please leave a message and call any of the other three numbers.
To arrange for fish pick-up at the following locations, please call Craig at 540 915-2810:
• Penhook Minute Market
• Magnum Point Marina
• Shell Station in Burnt Chimney
• Westlake Kroger
To arrange for fish pick-up at the following locations, please call Khris at 540 529 7889:
• Vinton Kroger
• Stewartsville Ball Fields
To arrange for fish pick-up at the following locations, please call Jim at 540 871-2196:
• Westlake Bojangles
• SML State Park (at the entrance)
• Parkway Marina
• Moneta Library
• WaterWheel Marina
Full rules are located on the Website at http://www.smithmountainstriperclub.com
The 2018 SMSC Perch Jerk runs from June 1 through September 15 and culminates in a end-of-tournament white-perch fish fry at which $1,000 in cash and other prizes will be awarded to participants. For every 10 white perch submitted, an angler will receive one entry into the cash drawing for ten, $100 prizes. Anglers are to turn in their catch to an identified Club member at one of multiple drop-off locations, who will record the number of fish and then clean and freeze the perch for the end-of-tournament fish fry. All participants will be invited to the fish fry, though they do not have to be present to win the cash awards.
During warm-water months - namely mid-June - late September - the water temperatures are such that striped bass have a significantly increased mortality when released after being caught. While the SMSC strongly encourages release of our larger striped bass much of the year, in the summer months when mortality rates increase the Club has adopted a "Catch 2 & Quit" policy on striped bass during the summer months for those pursuing striped bass, and is encouraging the angling public to support this initiative as well. For those that wish to continue their fishing time on the water, white perch provide a great alternative to pursue. When using light tackle, white perch can put up a fun fight, and can be caught on small jigs, simple "fish finder" rigs tipped with live earthworms, cut alewife or shad fished on the bottom or other techniques. As these fish often school up in large numbers, it is not uncommon to catch many of these in an outing - creating a fun experience for young anglers.
For additional information call Jim Perry @ 540 871-2196
What is this event about?
• To encourage fishing for species other than stripers during the summer months when catching stripers results in a high mortality rate for these fish.
• To encourage getting our youth involved in fishing. Perch jerking is fun!
• To publicize and encourage participation in and growth of Smith Mountain Striper Club.
Who can Enter?
- Anyone! Children can fish (encouraged) but to submit fish you must be at least 18 yrs. of age.
How does it Work?
- Entry fee $0 – For every 10 white perch submitted during the tournament dates, you will receive 1 drawing ticket.
- Fish submitted must be fresh, well-kept and packed in ice
- Fish must be whole, not filleted and a minimum of 8 “ long
- Fish must be packed in ice and submitted within 12 hours of catch
- Fish are submitted by calling one of the numbers below for the location nearest you
- A club member will meet you at the location, verify the catch, record your name, telephone number, email address, the date and the number of fish submitted.
- There is no limit to the number of fish submitted or the number of times you submit fish - you may also submit less than 10, and a running tally will be kept
- The club member may reject any catch deemed suspect to freshness and/or mishandling.
- The club member will transfer the catch to his/her cooler, then fillet and freeze the catch within 10 hours
- Drawing tickets will be issued on the day of the fish fry. You will receive 1 drawing ticket for every 10 fish submitted. You do not need to be present to receive your tickets, to be entered into the drawing or to win.
- Fish will not be accepted before or after the tournament dates.
How does the Drawing Work?
• Smith Mountain Striper Club (SMSC) will put up $1,000 in prize money.
• At the fish fry 10 winning tickets will be drawn from the pool of tickets issued for the fish submissions.
• Only 1 winning ticket per individual will be awarded. Each of the winning tickets (10) will receive a $100 cash prize.
How does the Fish Fry Work?
- • The Fish Fry and Drawing will be Saturday Sept 29, 2018 from 1pm until 3pm rain or shine at the Skelton 4H Center - 775 Hermitage Road Wirtz, VA
- Drawing tickets will be distributed at the fish fry. If you are entered in the drawing YOU DO NOT NEED TO BE PRESENT TO WIN.
- The fish fry is open to club members and guests, as well as non-club members submitting perch and their guests. There will also be an invitation to those who follow SMSC on Facebook and on the SML Fishing Forum.
- Entry to the Fish Fry is FREE for those folks who contributed perch. For all non-contributors the cost is $5 per person. Children under 12 are free.
- If you plan on attending the event, PLEASE PLEASE RSVP no later than 9/19 by responding to this email or call Rick at 540 774-0328 or Jim at 540 871 2196 and let us know how many in your party will be attending. This is very important so we know how many beans 'n taters 'n hush puppies 'n drinks to have on hand!
Locations and Phone Numbers for Fish Submission:
Note: If you cannot reach the primary number below for your location, please leave a message and call any of the other three numbers.
To arrange for fish pick-up at the following locations, please call Craig at 540 915-2810:
• Penhook Minute Market
• Magnum Point Marina
• Shell Station in Burnt Chimney
• Westlake Kroger
To arrange for fish pick-up at the following locations, please call Khris at 540 529 7889:
• Vinton Kroger
• Stewartsville Ball Fields
To arrange for fish pick-up at the following locations, please call Jim at 540 871-2196:
• Westlake Bojangles
• SML State Park (at the entrance)
• Parkway Marina
• Moneta Library
• WaterWheel Marina
Full rules are located on the Website at http://www.smithmountainstriperclub.com
Tackle Tip for September - Fast Trolling for Fall
The fish seem to be moving more/faster now. One way to keep up with them is to fast troll - 3.5 to 3.8 mph, to cover water and find the fish - you can always stop when you spot a school. Always have jigging and casting rods ready for this. While the water may be cooling slightly, cover the water column by trolling lures that run 18-20 ft with one up around 10 ft. Most fish will come from the deeper lines.
As fall sets in, start at some "known" summer hang-outs and move up river, unless you are seeing a lot of fish at any particular area. Many times you will hook up on a fish without even seeing a group or school, so these must be the loners or in very small groups. This is one advantage of fast trolling and covering water.
Colors remain consistent throughout the year, but can change year to year. This year saw many fish on a chrome/blue back pattern with the "Sexy Shad" always a close second, with a white or white ice type color sometimes getting the nod. Most of the time fast trolling produces on the main channel, channel edge, or tree line fishing, no need to head back into the creeks.
As fall sets in, start at some "known" summer hang-outs and move up river, unless you are seeing a lot of fish at any particular area. Many times you will hook up on a fish without even seeing a group or school, so these must be the loners or in very small groups. This is one advantage of fast trolling and covering water.
Colors remain consistent throughout the year, but can change year to year. This year saw many fish on a chrome/blue back pattern with the "Sexy Shad" always a close second, with a white or white ice type color sometimes getting the nod. Most of the time fast trolling produces on the main channel, channel edge, or tree line fishing, no need to head back into the creeks.
Fishing Outlook for September & October
As we move into September, we typically see a transition in patterns as the month progress.
In the early part of September, expect to still find the fish schooled up - which means you will have to spend some time looking for the schools with your electronics. As a general rule the fish in September will be found in larger numbers in the mid/lower sections of the river arms - so the downside of that means there is a lot more water to cover when looking for them. When locating schools, down lines with alewives will generally produce, or using a fluke jig in pearl-white or "white ice" on a 1/2 or 3.4 oz jig head. If catching striper from below 40'-50', keep in mind that their survival chase from a release will be significantly reduced - however with the cooler temps we have had this year, fish caught in the upper layers of water even in early September have a better chance of survival than in a typical hot summer - use your best judgement based on the tackle involved, duration of the fight, size of the fish, etc.
As the days of September pass, and the hours of daylight shorten, the water temperatures will start a fairly rapid cool-off and the fish will begin to spread out from their schooling pastern and move back up the river arms. With the cooling surface temps, and the large schools of youngling baitfish, surface feedings should not be uncommon. Always keep a top-water lure tied on and at the ready throughout September and into the fall as you never know when you will turn a bend on the lake and spot a pod of fish feeding on the surface.
The cooling temperatures also mean it is time to start focusing on points again - either by casting lures or pulling big bait. Big gizzard shad pulled behind planer boards with free-lines or light-lines closer to the bank should produce some memorable "blow-ups" and quality fish. Alewifes behind planer boards will also produce fish, though often smaller in size, and floats & light-lines fished over deeper water should deliver. As October gets into full swing, expect the fish to be more fully distributed across the river arms, with larger numbers in the upper sections of the lake. Early morning and sun-set surface breaking is typical for mid to late October and can be one of the most enjoyable, or most frustrating experiences you will have when chasing striper on SML.
In the early part of September, expect to still find the fish schooled up - which means you will have to spend some time looking for the schools with your electronics. As a general rule the fish in September will be found in larger numbers in the mid/lower sections of the river arms - so the downside of that means there is a lot more water to cover when looking for them. When locating schools, down lines with alewives will generally produce, or using a fluke jig in pearl-white or "white ice" on a 1/2 or 3.4 oz jig head. If catching striper from below 40'-50', keep in mind that their survival chase from a release will be significantly reduced - however with the cooler temps we have had this year, fish caught in the upper layers of water even in early September have a better chance of survival than in a typical hot summer - use your best judgement based on the tackle involved, duration of the fight, size of the fish, etc.
As the days of September pass, and the hours of daylight shorten, the water temperatures will start a fairly rapid cool-off and the fish will begin to spread out from their schooling pastern and move back up the river arms. With the cooling surface temps, and the large schools of youngling baitfish, surface feedings should not be uncommon. Always keep a top-water lure tied on and at the ready throughout September and into the fall as you never know when you will turn a bend on the lake and spot a pod of fish feeding on the surface.
The cooling temperatures also mean it is time to start focusing on points again - either by casting lures or pulling big bait. Big gizzard shad pulled behind planer boards with free-lines or light-lines closer to the bank should produce some memorable "blow-ups" and quality fish. Alewifes behind planer boards will also produce fish, though often smaller in size, and floats & light-lines fished over deeper water should deliver. As October gets into full swing, expect the fish to be more fully distributed across the river arms, with larger numbers in the upper sections of the lake. Early morning and sun-set surface breaking is typical for mid to late October and can be one of the most enjoyable, or most frustrating experiences you will have when chasing striper on SML.
Tackle Tip for October - Getting Your Money's Worth From Your Foam Off
Those of you that fish live bait are surely familiar with the foam that builds up on the surface of a well aerated tank full of gizzards (or even alewives), and hopefully familiar with a product by SureLife known as "Foam Off". A few drops Foam Off into your tank and the foam disappears - at least for a little while. It is important to keep the foam off the waters surface not only so you can see your bait to net them but also so that the gas exchange can occur on the waters surface - allowing oxygen to be absorbed into the water.
Some folks will use powered coffee creamer, and it has even been reported that a Cheeto tossed in the tank will do the trick - basically it seems anything with a bit of oil will break down the surface tension on the foam's bubbles and clear away the foam. However, if you're not confident in keeping coffee creamer on the boat, then Foam Off is a proven product for this use. However, Foam Off is not especially cheap - typically $10-$12 for an 8 oz bottle. And while you usually only use a few drops at a time, there is a way to make that bottle last an even longer time.
Purchase a small pump spray bottle from the drug store. Any small bottle of a convenient size will do - I use one that is approximately 3 oz in size. Pour your Foam Off from your purchased bottle into the squirt bottle. Now, when your tank foams up, one or two spritzes into the tank and the foam is gone - using a fraction of what you would have previously used. The secret is the spray bottle dispersing a small amount of Foam Off over a much larger area, allowing it to more immediately contact the foam and more rapidly break down the bubbles. Not only will this help preventing an oily buildup on the bait tank water's surface throughou the day, but it will also make your bottle of Foam Off last a lot longer.
Some folks will use powered coffee creamer, and it has even been reported that a Cheeto tossed in the tank will do the trick - basically it seems anything with a bit of oil will break down the surface tension on the foam's bubbles and clear away the foam. However, if you're not confident in keeping coffee creamer on the boat, then Foam Off is a proven product for this use. However, Foam Off is not especially cheap - typically $10-$12 for an 8 oz bottle. And while you usually only use a few drops at a time, there is a way to make that bottle last an even longer time.
Purchase a small pump spray bottle from the drug store. Any small bottle of a convenient size will do - I use one that is approximately 3 oz in size. Pour your Foam Off from your purchased bottle into the squirt bottle. Now, when your tank foams up, one or two spritzes into the tank and the foam is gone - using a fraction of what you would have previously used. The secret is the spray bottle dispersing a small amount of Foam Off over a much larger area, allowing it to more immediately contact the foam and more rapidly break down the bubbles. Not only will this help preventing an oily buildup on the bait tank water's surface throughou the day, but it will also make your bottle of Foam Off last a lot longer.
If you have not already renewed your membership for 2018, please do so today! You can send your membership dues in via check in the mail, or via PayPal but sending a payment to [email protected]
Also, consider dropping off a copy of this newsletter with a friend that may be interested in the Club - and invite them to Join!
Also, consider dropping off a copy of this newsletter with a friend that may be interested in the Club - and invite them to Join!
Please Support our Club Sponsors & Advertisers
Our Club Sponsors and Advertisers provide a valuable support to the Smith Mountain Striper Club and our membership. When in need of goods or services, please give our sponsors consideration and also let them know that you appreciate their support of the Club.
Smith Mountain Striper Club members receive a 10% Discount
Call or e-mail for details. [email protected] / (304) 928-7653 www.rockcreekplaners.com/planer-boards/ |
Check us out on the net at www.castnets.com or call us at (800) 332-6387 ext. 100 and tell them you a member of the Smith Mountain Striper Club to order your nets and receive a 50% discount of list prices.
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