Sauger-Georgia's Newest Resident Flint River Bass A Decade of Progress GEORGIA GAME AND FISH Published twice annually by the Georgia Game and Fish Commission in the interest of wildlife and for fishermen, hunters, nature lovers, and conservationists. STATE OF G E0 R G lA IN THIS ISSUE ERNEST VANDIVER, Governor COMMISSIONERS Richard Tift, Chairman-Second District J . T. Trapnell, Metter First District Flannery Pope, Dublin Sixth District Wm. E. Smith, Americus J. B. Langford, Jr., Calhoun Third District Seventh District William Z. Camp, ewna n A. J . Hopkins, Jr. , Folkston Fourth District Eighth District C. L. Davidson, Jr. Avondale Estate Fifth District Billy Wikle, Clarkesville Ninth District L. L. Couch, Lexington Tenth District James Goethe, Savannah, Coastal Area FULTON LOVELL, Director DIVISION CHIEFS Clifford P. Palmer_ ____________________ Enforcement George C. Moore ______________ ___ Game lVIanagement Bob Short_ _______________ Education and Informati on Fred J. Dickson ______ ~------------ Fish Management Tom Sanders ______ __ ____________ _____ __ ___ License David Gould ------------- _____ Executi ve Assistant Vennie M. Jones__________________ __ ___ Bookkeeping George Creal _________ __ _______ __ ________ Personnel FEDERAL AID DIVISION Jack Crockford __ _________ __ _______ Pittman-Robertson Howard Zeller_ _____________________ Dingell-Johnson Page Fulton Lovell --------------------------------- 3 Georgia' ew Resident tj. The True Meaning ----- 6 Letters to the Ed itor -- - ------------------ _____ _ 7 Boatin g with David Gould __________________ . __ _ u0 Fish Diseases __ ------------------------------- 10 Kids and Wildlife _____ ---- ------ -------------- 12 Fly Tying ____ ----------------------------- 14 Flint Ri ver Bass _____ -------------------------- 16 Wildlife Rubai yat ----------------------------- 18 Lake Seminole _______ ------------ ______ ______ 20 Farm Pond Weeds ------------------ - ----- - ---- 22 Inside Outdoors __________ ------------------ 27 EDITORIAL OFFICES-401 State Capitol, Atlanta 3, Georgia BOB SHORT Editor BILL BAAB Photographer NANCY BELK Circulation FISHING EDITION Vol. 10, No. 1 Published by the Geocgia Game and Fish Commission, 401 State Capitol , Atlanta 3, Georgia , in the interest of Georg ia wildlife and for fishermen , hunters, nature lovers and conservation of natural resources. There is no subscription fee--this publication is free and is pa1d for by the purchase of fishing and hunting licenses. Please notify us at once of any change of address. Contents of this magazine may be reprinted with proper credit. This publication welcomes pictures, drawings, stories and articles dea ling with out doo r subjects for consideration. No contributions will be returned unless so11c1ted by authonzed party re p resenting Game & Fish Commission and accompanied by s u ff icient postage. Entered as third class postage. Editorial A DECADE OF PROGRESS 1 n conservation (Editor's Note: Fulton Lovell has served as Director of Georgia's Game and Fish Commission for the past decade . He has seen it grow from a fledgling infant into a responsible, close-knit organization. In this story, Lovell takes a close look at conservation, its history, and status in national, state and community life.) FULTON LOVELL BY FULTO LOVELL Director Game and Fish Commission Conservation is a word that is often used, but seldom really understood. Taken literally, it could mean to save . . . to hoard. But conservation in terms of natural resources is far from saving or hoarding. In this sense, it simply means to use wisely. Like the old miser who hoards his money and gets little u e from it. He's as bad off as the spendthrift who goes recklessly through his possession. The REAL con servationist is the man who invests his money wisely and puts it to work for him. So, conservation i really an investment. When Georgia's first settlers landed, the state was a vast and untapped region whose forests were filled with game and whose streams teemed with fish . . . an honest-to-goodness wonderland of natural resources whose conservation wa provided by nature herself. It was an unexplored region, as yet unhampered by the intervention of man. That is, almost. For in those days, Georgia had already become a frontier in the new world for settlers in the community of Savannah. And soon, their numbers increa ed as more and more people found homes in this beautiful and resourceful land of milk and honey. In the very beginning, these new Georgians, like their pioneer brothers up and down the Atiant1c coast, found they must depend on natural resources for their own survival. -Continued on page 24 Qu ite a chang e has occur red in Georg ia 's Wildlife Rangers during th e po~t decode . . . they're better equipped to do a bette r job. 4 I ,. 3 Biologist's Aide Doug Heddon stocks Oliver Lake while others watch. Georgia's nevv resident THE SA lG ER By BILL BAAB A streamlined, flashy fish that fights tenaciously and tastes even better than it fights, has been released in five major Georgia reservoir . The sauaer (Stizostedion canadense} a kissin' cousin to the walleye (Stizostedion vitreum) were borrowed from Tenne see in Alabama for relea e in Georgia waters. The tailwaters of Hartwell, Sinclair, Oliver, Goat Rock and Bartletts Ferry now contain "experimental" tocking of the fish. These stocking were made after tudie by Georgia Game and Fish Commission biologists showed that some of the state's waters were suitable for them. It may be year before the fish become established. Commi ion biologists can only take care of stockingafter that, Mother ature takes over. Of course, adding such fish as bluegill and bass to lake or rivers in which numbers of the same species Deborah Williams, 7, of Fortson, Ga ., finds sauger's teeth sharp. abound is worthless. However, when biologists find more forage fish than game fish , it is practical to see if the addition of a new species-either new to the state or the waters in which it is stocked-is worthwhile. Forage fish are those upon which game fish feed. Studies made by biologists on the waters into which saucbrer were stocked showed there were enough of these "food fish" to support another game fish. Fi heries Biologi t Howard Zeller pointed out that the white bass, al o tocked as an experiment, came out in force last year while this year's forecast is for a "bumper crop." If you happen to be one of those anglers who never heard of the sauger, you might a k, "Why was the auger stocked?" Well there is no one reason for the stocking. The sauger,' popular with fishermen along the Tennessee River, is predominantly a "winter-biter"; that is, it is caught in the greatest numbers between ovemher and March. Commission biologists felt the sauger would greatly supplement winter fishing in the state. It is during these cold months before the sauger starts its "runs," finally congregating in large numbers below dams. In all, biologists stocked more than 700 spawning sized fish-weighing between one and three pounds. A five-pound sauger would be a lunker. World record for the fi h is eight pounds, three ounces. Little is known about this fish's habits. It is true, however, that sauger make spawning runs up tributaries and small rivers. Biologists say its spawning methods are a great deal like the walleye's. . Walleye are haphazard spawners, scattering their eggs here and there and leaving them to their fate. Unlike walleye, sauger prefer comparatively warm, swift-moving waters to frigid, rockbound lakes. It is sensitive to light like its cousin and stays in the dark, deep depths during the summer months. If you were to place a sauger and walleye side by side, you'd probably think both were one and the same fish. However, if you looked closely at the dorsal fin- the fin on top closest to the head of the fish-you would see that the walleye's is clear, while the sauger's has many dark spots. The sauger's body also has deep, chocolate-brown splotches not found on the walleye. ~anger Castleberry, right, points out 1 difference between the walleye W. S. Smith holds and sauger. And so, the sauger, if successfully established, could well be on the way of becoming an old favorite with Georgia fishermen. This fish, however, is not the only "new fish" that has been added to Georgia waters. During the past 10 years, the Game and Fish Commission has provided three others for which the angler may cast. Let's take a brief look into the past to see just what has occurred in the state's waters. The white bass, very popular in fishermen's circles, was first introduced into 10 reservoirs and one river back in 1953. Compared to other game fish, its size is small. Its popularity stems from the fact that it "pulls" like a tarpon. Average weight of this fish is two and one-half to three pounds. This year's runs are expected to be king-size as compared to 1960's. Lake Blackshear and the Broad River in upper Clark Hill Reservoir should provide the ultra-ultimate in sport to seekers of this fish. Another "experimental stocking" prograin took place some seven years ago when biologists introduced a major "Yankee" sportsfish into two north Georgia lakes, Burton and Blue Ridge. The muskie apparently did not "catch on" in Burton, but Blue Ridge fared well. Then we come to the walleye, main ubject of a stocking program started in July of 1955. Lake Burton, Blue Ridge, Allatoona and Rabun were among the first to supply homes for this fish. Few walleye have been caught since the stocking took place, but biologists say the fish will not have reached its potential as a game fish until two or three more years have passed. Game and Fish Commi sion biologists are continuing their never-ending search for "new" gamefish for Georgia game fishermen. A glance into the future shows untroubled waters lie ahead. But getting back to the sauger, we ee one doubtful fact about this fish, one we'll let you decide for yourself. And that is: whether it tastes better than channel catfish. Left photo shows Ranger David Castleberry, Chief Ranger L. P. Cotton, Muscog~e C?unty Policeman J.. H. Green and Police Capt. C. B. f a ison examining sauger at Oliver Lake; fish at right missed bucket bemg f1lled by Carlton N1chols, but was unharmed . THE TRUE MEANING By FLA ERY POPE The author, a member of the Georgia Game and Fish Commission, is one of the state's foremost conservationists and sportsmen. He believes citizens of today must face up and solve problems of our natural resources if future generations are to enjoy them. Iorth America once possessed an abundance of wild life unsurpassed by any other continent. What has hap pened to it, what uses it has, and will, serve in American civilization are matters of both practical and sentimental interest. Conservation agencies have taken a realistic viewpoint toward natural resources, based on more than a quarter of a century of experience gained in dealing with preser vation of one of the nation 's greatest natural assets. Three concepts are considered to form the basis of the conservation movement: (l ) that soil, water, forest and wildlife conservation are only parts of one inseparable program; (2) that wildlife must have an environment suited to its needs if it is to survive and , (3) that any u e that is made of a resource must be limited to not more than the annual increa e if the essential seed stock is to be continually available. These three concepts are the basis of present wildlife and forest conservation programs. A multitude of details remain to be worked out. It is essen tial that the tech nique and tools of the future be radically altered from time to time as knowledge increases and conditions change. It is my belief, however, that no amount of research and study will change these three basic concepts. Despite his tools, his machines and all his progress through the ages, man has always been, and still is, dependent on plants and animals for subsistence and protection against the elements. Fruits, vegetables and seeds of many kinds are his essential foods and cotton, flax and other plant fibers are indispensable for clothing. Meat, fish, shellfish and many other products of the animal world are part of his diet and wool, hair and the skins of animals provide his clothing and shoes, as well as a multitude of other neces s i ties . 6 Primitive man gathered such wHd fruits , seeds and tubers as chance provided and depended on his skill in the chase to obtain meat and fi h . The various Indian tribes of this country, which had advanced to the new stone age when white man first saw him, gathered the seeds of wild rice, smartweed, tubers of the groundnut and of the wapato or arrowhead lilly, as well as the starchy roots of the bitter root. Some tribes cultivated small patches of corn, potatoes and other vegetables and developed great skill in hunt ing the variety of wild animals and birds that provided their fleshy food. Modern man has developed numerous varieties of cultivated plants and have a great range of foods from which to choose. He has also developed a complex and rapid transportation system that enables him to enjoy the seasonal products of not only one community, but also those located thousands of miles away. He gets his meat, eggs, hides, wool and other commod ities from domesticated mammals and birds. Animal and plant life from all over the world are available at a price to any community desiring them. The combination of man's development of domestic varieties and of a mighty transportation system tends to obscure the fact that he still is dependent on plants and animals for his con tinued existence. If all plant and animal life were to become unavailable, human life would quickly vanish from the earth. Wildlife has helped to write American history. The early colonists, after a long voyage across the Atlantic, reached American shores almost without food. When they found the great forests full of deer, moose, partridges, wild turkeys, ducks and pigeons, they felt real cause for thanksgiving. In early diaries, explorers tell of trout, river shad, herring, bass, pike and leaping salmon so abundant that they could be scooped from the water with little effort. Wild game and fish provided much needed food for the pioneers. When virgin forests, prairie and swamps are trans formed into farmland, the day by day existence of wildlife are thrown into confusion. Big game, particularly, begins to disappear. As our nation expanded in population, sight was lost of the true value of natural resources. Precious water was drained and became polluted; mighty dams prevented the annual spawning runs of migratory fishthese facts, plus man's thoughtless waste of fish and wildlife so depleted them that President Theodore Roosevelt became concerned over the final results and called together the first conference ever assembled to discuss problems of conservation. Today, many of our citizens have come to depend on wildlife and fish as our greatest recreational asset. Presently, there are more hunters and fishermen than football, baseball, golf, and tennis fans combined. We must realize this as we come face to face with the challenges ahead. As public participation in hunting and fishing grows, so do the problems of management. One could hardly do better than Kubla Khan of old, who Marco Polo said, not only forbade that game be killed during the months from March through October, but even went so far as to order that millet be planted along roadsides and in waste areas to encourage the propagation of quail and partridge. Although there are dark spots in the past, the future of wildlife today is bright. Where wise conservation has been applied for a few years, results are already apparent. LANIER LUNKER One of the largest bass re- ported from lake Lanier this spring was caught by JOHN C. FORKNER of Avondale Estates. Mr. Forkner caught his prize-10 pounds, one ounce-while trolling with a yellow bomber near Baldridge creek. Mr. Forkner, incidentally, is next door neighbor and fishing companion of Game and Fish Com- missioner CHARLES DAVIDSON, JR. of Avondale Es- tates. Speaking of Lake Lanier we received the following letter from Paul Goza, 2080 Briarcliff Road, Atlanta: Dear Sir: There were several reports last week of two fishermen at Lake Lanier catching and keeping over 700 crappie in one day. There were also numerous reports of catche of over one hundred crappie per man per single day. None of these reported catches were witnessed by the writer and it is perhaps a very good thing that I did not see any of the catches as I probably just might be in serious trouble now. The State of Georgia law limits the catch of crappie to 40 per man per day. But, there doesn't seem to be anything further done about it. SEEKS TO HELP Is there anything you know for any of us to do that might help to prevent such happenings? Real sportsmen resent slaughter of any game. No two men and their families could possibly use or give away that many fish. First, gamehogs of this kind just couldn't have many friends, anyway. Also, even though the fish are stored in a deep freeze they would get old before they could be eaten. It is impossible to shame men like that into obeying the law or getting them to think of all the other fishermen that would have like to have caught even less than their limit of these fish. But, something should be done! What? Well, Mr. Goza, something IS being done. While I wouldn't put it past some people to catch 700 crappies a day, I seriously doubt if this is true. Game and Fish rangers on Lake Lanier do a good job of patrolling and checking fishermen. Also, there is a creel census man who checks the stringers of many fishermen. Unless an angler in keeping his luck a "deep, dark secret," ranger or creel census clerks will find out about their "success." SHRIMP MEASURE Action is pending on a bill in Congress to control imports of shrimp. Several Southern congressmen, including Georgia's Sen. HERMAN E. TALMADGE, have introduced a measure which would place an annual duty on free imports of shrimp in an amount equal to the total import of processed and unprocessed shrimp in 1950. Processed shrimp would be subject to a 35 cent ad valorem, with a minimum duty of 35 cents a pound. The solons said, in a prepared statement, that the proposal "is not intended to effect a cutback in the United States' import of shrimp, but simply to provide controls to runway importations that have depressed 19rices beyond the point where producers can profitably operate." Several Georgia processers have voiced sentiments m favor of some method of controlling imports. 7 lNG with David Gould Common sense tells on e ho w to prope rl y board a boat. Ste p as near as possible to the center of the boat, with gear piled close at hand on the pi er. The n, while seated , lift the gear into the boat. It might save you from an unexpected dunking . The man at the bottom is in trouble . He stepped on th e gunwal e of his boat at the pier with his arms loaded with gear and the boat slid away, leaving him in a bad pred icame nt. 8 The "Rules of the Road" in boating are old stuff to many boaters and most novices have read and studied them. Still, it's amazing to observe the great majority of boaters who fail to practice them. These "Rules of the Road" were established for all boaters to follow, just as auto drivers observe traffic laws. In boating, just as in driving, it is essential that all skippers know the right thing to do in heavy traffic. Every boater, regardless of whether he's a weekender or an everydayer, should know these basic boating "Rules of the Road": Always bear to the right when meeting another boat to avoid collision. A boat should always give way to another in its "danger" zone by altering its course. For you landlubbers, the danger zone is that area from dead ahead to two points abaft the starboard beam- in other words, a boat approaching from the right. If a boat approaches from your left-or port-side, you have the right of way and the other craft must yield. Always be sure, however, that the other fellow intends to yield before you take anything for granted. In meeting a boat to your portside, it is advisable to reduce the speed of your craft until you are sure of the other skipper's intentions. When overtaking or passing another boat, always steer clear of the boat you are overtaking. If your craft is larger or has a deep draft, it is good manners for the skipper of the smaller boat to pull over and let the larger craft pass. This is one situation where it is not wise for the outboard skipper to insist on the right of way. All kippers, yo ung and old, know that sailboats have the right of way over power boats. Some of them do not know, however, that in the unlikely possibility of a power boat being overtaken by a sail, the power boat has the right of way. If you ever happen to have an occasion to pass closely to a sailboat, do so slowly and on the leeward side (the side on which the sail is carrying its main boom). This helps to avoid disturbance from your wake. Courtesy always requires that racing sailboats be given a wide berth. One of the biggest gripes fishermen have against boaters is their failure to use caution when approaching anglers' boats. Fishing boats with nets, lines or trawls out, whether anchored or underway, should be passed with caution. Fishermen can do their share to make the situation more harmonious by never throwing anchor in a channel or fairway. Nobody has right of way in these areas unless they are "j ust passing through." When leaving docks, slips, piers or wharves, boaters must proceed with caution. No skipper can claim right of way for his boat until it is in open water- entirely clear. Boats going downstream or down current in moving water have the right of way over boats moving upstream. Power boats actually have the right of way over tugs and barges, but wise skippers yield to these types of vessels because of their poor maneuverability and lack of speed. Good skippers always investigate any hint of trouble in case of accident or mishap. While thi is not a written rule of the road, it is the courteous thing to do, even if the mishap i not serious. Serious accidents, of cour e, demand immediate action on the part of the skipper. One rule that cannot be outlined or perhaps even explained is that one that insists boaters use common sense, whenever and wherever possible. Yet, use of common sense afloat is the basis of every afety tip and feature that can be offered. A water skiing flag, designed as a safety measure for water skiiers, has been approved by the American Water Ski Association. The flag flies amidships opposite the driver's seat and indicates to other boaters that the boat in which it is flying is busy pulling water skiiers. ' Biologist Howard Zeller gets closeup view of harmful fish bacteria. 10 against FISH DISEASES Fish blight statistics have mounted at an alarming rate during the past few years, literally scaring the daylights out of hundreds of the nation's most avid anglers. But now comes word from fishery biologists that, happily, dampen some of the fears. Blight, they say, may be no worse than it was 50 years ago. The old-timers just didn't keep the best sort of records on numerous diseases common to almost every stream and river in the country. Today's biologists do. They are backed by an increasing demand by anglers throughout the country for better fishing and healthier catches. Georgia is in the forefront among the states that are upgrading fishing yields through biological research. Fish kills resulting from various diseases spring up in Georgia occasionally, the latest ones on Lakes Blackshear, Clark Hill and Seminole and hundreds of farm ponds, where blights caused anglers undue alarm. An epidemic of bacterial disease struck Blackshear recently and with it came widespread alarm that the lake's fabulous fishing would be ruined. A thorough investigation of the situation by fishery biologists, however, revealed only a slight outbreak of a bacterial disease that soon cleared up without damage to the fish population. It could be compared to an epidemic of measles 01 mumps among humans. Fish kills are caused by many things--pollution, natural causes, diseases of various types and sometimes simply by water fluctuations. Most shad kills result from severe temperature changes in water. These fish are affected by the slightest amount of pollution and even slight temperature changes. Many fish die from diseases caused by bacteria, virus, water molds and parasites. Parasites such as copepods (water animals) and glochidia (larvae stage of fresh water mussels) prey on the gills and bodies of fish, causing them injury. There are also many types of internal parasites that prove the undoing of fish. Most common fish diseases in Georgia are Columnaris, red sore, fungus diseases, fin rot, external parasites, blood and virus diseases. Columnaris, a bacterial disease most commonly found in summer, is one of the leading fish destroyers in the state. This infection causes sores on the body of the fish and is recognized by the "cotton" inside the affected fish's mouth. Red sores caused by a bacterial infection are one of the most gruesome diseases found anywhere. It causes unsightly sores and boils that are repulsive to fishermen. Fish that are severely infected will have pinkish skin with hemorrhages under the skin. This particular infection is mo_st common in spring and fall. Fungus diseases usually occur following epidemics of bacterial diseases. This type of infection also may be found among fish that have sustained injuries or have been handled extensively. It causes a greyish or brownish growth, usually fuzzy, from the affected spot. Fin rot is another gruesome and unsightly fish disease. While it does not appear as cancerous as red sores, it causes a progressive degeneration of fish fins and sometimes is so bad that it is almost too gruesome to see. Fin rot is caused by a bacteria and may turn up during any part of the year. External parasite, too, take their toll of game fish that could wind up on the stringer of some happy fisherman. These parasites are hard to see and usually show up as little black specs on the gills or fins of fish. Kidney ailments, anemia and various nutritional diseases are more common in brown, brook and rainbow trout than other varieties found in Georgia. Anemia is more a symptom to disease than a disease in itself. Any factor that lowers the resistance increases the possibility of disease. Anemia is one of the leading causes of low resistance. Ichthyophtherius is another fish crippler but, unlike many of the other diseases, is difficult to treat. Fish infested with this disease may show signs of distress by rubbing on the bottom of a lake or pond. Its body may have grayish-white pimples or irregular patches. During the disease's later stages, the fish may become sluggish and lie quietly at the edge of the lake or pond. The State Game and Fish Commission will soon be equipped with the facilities to investigate and possibly eliminate almost all types of fish diseases. An ultra-modern laboratory is under construction at Fort Valley. The new edifice with its scientific equipment will be the headquarters for the Commission's fishery research unit. This will mean bigger and healthier catches for Georgia anglers through modern fishery management. 11 Six-year-old Mickey Murphy of Atlanta and Smokey the Bear get along famously. 12 Kids are fascinated by wildlife. And, Nature's wild creatures seem to show affection for kids. This was dramatically proven at the State Game and Fish Commission's outdoor exhibit during National Wildlife Week. Smoky the Raccoon captured the show, but the entire menagerie ap pealed to the children. From cribsitters to near-grown thumbsuckers, all enjoyed the unrehearsed antics of the native Georgia game and fish dis played by the Commission's Educa tion and Information division. The exhibit was erected for a pur pose - to emphasize the theme of Wildlife Week "Multiple Use of our Natural Resources." Included in the exhibit was a water fall that supplied water for a lake, teeming with bass, bream and shell crackers; Georgia's native game in their natural environment; a properly equipped boat from the Commission's water safety unit ; Smokey the Bear, emphasizing the hazards of forest fires and an exhibit from the State Parks Department. But the animal stole the show, as far as kids were concerned. While they may be too young to understand the complexities of conservation, they were all willing to admit that animals are fun whether they hunt them or not. Smoky the Raccoon likes vanilla wafers and finds friend in Atlantan Stanley Hurder, 10. Opposite page : "Ohhhhh! Just listen to him hiss!" Albert the Alligator fascinates and scores these children. Linda Davis, 8, of Atlanta, finds mounted trophy buck almost al ive. ttnd wildlife - Photos by Darrell Thompson flshing Y/(J ~ .-~ for Georgia Trout Trout referred to in this article are the cold water fish found in the north Georgia mountains. They are not the coastal Sea Trout (weakfish) or the south Georgia green trout, the name some anglers gives basses of the sunfish family. HJ:STORY Fly fishing is a very old sport. Earli est records on angling for trout with wet and dry flies date back to around 400 B.C. in Macedonia. When Roman Legions captured this area, fly fishing was one of the top sporting events. The idea spread into other countries and was soon discovered by the Franks, Gauls, ormans and Celts. Fly fishermen through the years have developed four principal ideas of ap proaching wily trout. They are with (a) attracters, a fly that does not represent anything but aggravates the fi h for a strike; (b) deceivers, flies that repre sent a "goody" so trout are usually willing to gulp them down. These flies usually represent water insects ; (c) sunken flies, which are fished on the bottom of a stream. This type is usually an attracter; and, (d) floating flies, which are fished on the surface and can be considered deceiver flies. TRO'UT FOODS t Trout are coldwater fish. This means that, during the winter months, they do not slow down their feeding habits. Stone A trout's winter food supply Creeper comes in the form of three I ancient insects : stone creepers, caddis and may flies. The stone creeper is an insect found in swift streams, usually hanging C:oddis .\W',~o,rm~ I May Fly (Dunn) to the bottom of rocks. The caddis fly, or stick bait, lives in drifts, clinging to submerged stick and stones. May flies closely resemble the stone creeper in the nymph stage. They are considered a real delicacy by trout. During hatching, the nymph comes to the surface, sheds its old skin and takes on its flying stage of development. Trout may be seen during this period leaping from the water to feed on this insect. During warm weather, trout feed on ants, minnows, crayfish and many forms of land life. Many of the tools for fly tying can be found around the house. ( 1) Plastic airplane model cement has a tendency to melt nylon tying thread and thus makes a good bond. {2) Straight pins, taken from a new shirt, are used to pick out wrapped down hackles and open cemented eyes on hooks. (3) Fly tier's vise. (4) A shop vise can substitute but requires considerably more work space. (5) Bee's wax waterproof thread. (6) Nylon thread, the smaller the size the better. (7) Bobbin holds thread and makes neater wrappings. (8) Cuticle scissors for cutting. (9) Commercial pliers for many jobs. (10) Clothes pins sometimes substi tute for pliers. :MAT;ERJ:ALS------y--------, 0\~\?0 r: ~ . ry~~ 0 0~/0J 0 Every fly tyer should have the fol and black barred. lowing materials: (11) Golden Pheasant, yellow, gold, (1) Squirrel hair. (2) Size .025 lead wire. (3 ) Tinsel, size .015. black barred. (12) Teal or Mallard duck feathers. (13) Wood or Mandarin duck feath- (4) Hackle stem, stripped and flat ers. tened, makes a good insect body imi- (14) and (15) Rooster hackle, taken tation. (5) and (6) Peacock and Ostrich from three-year-old bird. Hackles are found on the neck and side or saddle. plume for wooly worm types of bodies. (16) Partridge or grouse hackles. (7) Silk floss makes a smooth, glossy (17) Yellow hammer, body, which is usually wrapped with English Pover or Scotch tensil. Grouse Pointer quills. (8) Wool. These should be soaked (9) Turkey tail. overnight, stripped and (10) Lady Amherst Pheasant, white split. :aooxs-------------~ APRIL~~ {r="-:<:::-o:v;' fu~~ ~{d~:::. ~0 ~~{~~IZ~E~16 ~2 ~~ Qile1a :J~~ Round Gripper Barb less limerick :)' :J J. ~ Sproat Sneck Salmon The best makes of hooks for fly tying are those manufactured by the English and orwegians. Ordinarily, hooks made in the United States are soft tempered and do not come in the desired bend and size. The first three columns give an idea of what size hook to use in a given month on six to nine-inch trout. Usually larger hooks are used in high water. Although every angler has his own idea on what shape of hook to use, the round bend ones are more commonly used. :t ~;;rG ~LY~ ~,-~1Jill?- ~ I ~ !Y (j) {\:'~. ~; Nylon Thread Drawn Heavy P.r# To tie dry flies, an angler should follow this procedure: (1) Place hook in vise. Make one turn clockwise with waxed thread. (2 ) Make four more winds, keeping the nylon thread in neat ovals. (3) With index finger, make loop in thread and tie down. Two or three of these knots should be made after each step to keep the fly from unraveling. (4) Take a rooster hackle and wrap three turns around the base of the feather. Pinch it with your left thumb and index finger. Draw the thread tightly around the hook. Take several more turns of thread and knot it as in Step 3. (5 ) Cut tail piece from feather. (6) Tie down as in Step 4. (7) Wrap wool clockwise on two-thirds of the hook. (8 ) Then, wrap tinsel over the top of the wool to give it a ribbed effect. (9 ) Grasp end of hackle with pliers or clothes pin and wind clockwise until most of hackle is used up. (10 ) Tie hackle tip down with thread and knot it several times to secure the fly. Apply several coats of cement. The cement will tend to melt the thread and form a firm head on the fly. T wo or three hackles may be tied to give the desired color effect. A leader is the connector between the line and hook. In Georgia, trout streams are usually fairly small so a three or four-foot leader is sufficient to fit most occasions. On larger streams, such as the Chattahoochee and Chattooga Rivers, six to nine-foot leaders are a good bet. The reason for tapered leaders is to have a thorough ta pered flow for easy casting and to have the smallest size of nylon next to the fish. The illustration pictured on this page shows the minimum size leader for hot, summertime small stream fishing. Trout are usually shy during the hot weather, low water period so nylon is recommended. The knots pictured are standa rd leader knots The eyeknot is a nonslip direct pull knot. The blood knot is the best connector that has ever come along. The two danglers make good droppers for using two or more lures. Fingernail clippers are the best thing for close trimming of knots. The splice is for loops on the end of fl y lines. It works best on small and tapered lines. Large lines make it too bulky. TYJ:NG THE WET P'LY b Wet flies are tied in the following manner: ( 1) Soak pointer quills overnight to soften them. Then, split back fibers off, leaving some of the quill for support. (2) Wrap lead wire around hook as illustrated. WARNING: do not use more than THREE OR FOUR turns of wire. In fly casting, the weight of the line, not the lure, assists in the cast. A heavy lure is uncontrollable and often dangerous. Follow steps One, Two, Three, Five and Six in tying the dry fly. (3) Tinsel is tied down, then the back fibers of the pointer quill. Be sure to leave enough base to hold the fibers. Wool is tied down. Wrap thread around the lead to give a body shape. Tinsel is then wrapped around the hook and tied down. When this has been done, wrap with wool and (4) tie. (5 ) Wind down the pointer quill and (6 ) tie. The head of the fly is then cemented down as in the dry fly. LEADERS n ~- ~ J!HJ!J!:- ~ ~ - ~ ~ ~ -:: M N - L re-=? ;... BLOOD - -G.. ~ ~ ...... > ~ ~::::f: ~ A CT UAL SIZE EYE KNOT KNOT JAM KNOT SPLICE ro