“Iron” Mike Everin, a member of Team Striper, winner of the Striper Cup, is worried that the striped bass population is heading for the kind of crash stripers suffered 30 years ago.

Rob Taylor, one of his teammates, is more optimistic about the striper’s future.

The two Rhode Island surf fishermen, along with teammates Keith Salisbury and Chris Daniels, received the Striper Cup Trophy last weekend at Striper Fest, organized by On The Water magazine at the Harpoon Brewery in Boston. The event was the culmination of this year’s five-month-long tournament.

Speaking about the striped-bass fishery, Everin said, “I think it’s going to die like it did in the ’80s.” He blames damage done by overfishing, commercial fishing, and nature. “I think the fish goes in cycle, and I think we’re in [a] down cycle again. Six, seven, eight years ago, it was really, really great. Now, it gets harder every night. You really have to work for your fish.”

Taylor sees great fishing ahead. “I hope it stays the same or gets better,” he said. “I’ve definitely caught more big fish than in previous years. Maybe [that’s a result of] the time I’ve put in and the learning curve, but…Block Island was excellent this year; places like the [Cape Cod] canal and the outer Cape have turned on. It seems like there have been more big fish landed this year than in previous years. I know of two 70-pound fish and multiple fish in the 60s. Hopefully, if it keeps up like this, next year could be even better.”

Asked to explain the difference of opinion, Everin said, “He’s a lot younger than I am.”

Some critics contend that tournaments like the Striper Cup encourage the killing of big fish that should remain in the gene pool. Will Berthold, the tournament’s director, says the Striper Cup encourages conservation. “In our tournament, you can keep one fish per week per angler, whereas in most other tournaments, you can keep two fish per day. We want to make sure that if you’re going to bring a fish in to weigh, it’s going to be your only fish for the week….I believe that’s very conservation minded.”

Carvers flock to Bristol

Norbert Craybas of East Greenwich, a practicing surgeon at Rhode Island Hospital, will join 20 other of New England’s finest wildlife carvers next Saturday and Sunday at the 8th Annual Bird and Wildlife Carving Exposition hosted by the Audubon Society of Rhode Island.

The event will be inside the Audubon Environmental Education Center, 1401 Hope St., (Rte. 114) in Bristol.

Craybas has been carving decorative duck decoys for about 15 years. In addition to showcasing his work with Audubon, he has been involved in competition at the New England Wildlife Carving show in Cromwell, Conn., where he has won several blue ribbons and a best of show award.

The Audubon exposition brings together acclaimed artists from throughout the region. Carving demonstrations and workshops will be held both days. Many carvings, which range in value from the hundreds into the thousands of dollars, will be offered for sale. Work by various artists will also be raffled off. For many collectors, this exposition is one of the most admired in New England and a highlight of the year.

Admission is $8 for an adult and $5 for children ages 4-12 who are not Audubon members; members receive a dollar discount. For more information, call (401) 245-7500 or visit asri.org

AMC weekend walks

The Narragansett Chapter of the Appalachian Mountain Club will host two fall walks next weekend.

Saturday, the group will walk at Swan Point Cemetery in Providence with tree and shrub expert Patty D’Ambra at 10:30 a.m. Call D’Ambra for information and mandatory registration at 949-3374.

A walk for prospective members is scheduled for Lincoln Woods State Park, next Sunday at 10:30 a.m. For more information and mandatory registration, e-mail shilojones@fctvplus.net or call 474-0515. Cutoff time for registration is 9:30 a.m. Sunday.

There is no fee and no obligation to join the AMC.

tmeade@projo.com