Georgia game and fish [Vol. 7, no. 1 (Spring 1958)]

:_~l GEORGIAG'AME and FISH',,-.-
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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 GEORGIA

MARVIN GRIFFIN, Governor

COMMISSIONERS

J. T. TRAPNELL, Chairman First District
J. 0. BOWEN, Vice-Chmn. Fifth District

GEORGE EAsT
Sixth District
W. B. (BILL) AUSTIN Seventh District

RICHARD TIFT
Second District
MAYo P. DAVIS Third District
EDwARD E. McGARITY
Fourth District

ALVA J. HOPKINS
Eighth District
FRED C. }ONES, JR. Ninth District
LuKE L. CoucH, Secretary Tenth District

]AMES GOETHE
Coastal Area

FULTON LOVELL, Director
DIVISION CHIEFS
GEORGE C. MooRE ___ _Game Management, Enforcement BoB SHORL___________ ___ Education and Information FRED J. DICKSON_______ ___________ Fish Management HowARD ZELL ER _________ _Dingell-]ohnson Coordinator ]ACK CROCKFORD_______Pittman-Robertson Coordinator ToM SANDERS --- - ------ _ ___________________ License CLAUDE McGAHA________________ _ ____Communications DAviD GouLD ______ __________ __ ____Coastal Fisheries VENNIE M. ]ONES __ ______________________Bookkeeping GLORIA GRIFFIN______ __ ___________________ Personnel

IN THIS ISSUE

Editorial

3

Put Five-Take Four

4

Don't Believe All You Hear About Rattlesnakes 6

Dollars From Farm Ponds . . . . Redeye Anglers Are a Special Cult

7

...

10

Clark Hiii-A Mecca for Bass Fishermen

12

News from the World of Conservation

13

"Shrimp Boats"

14

Born to Be Bad

16

Letters to the Editors

18

Picture Page

19

Catalpa Worms

21

Public Access Areas

22

Allatoona Club Fights Accidents

23

Commission's Hodges, James Retire

23

Trout Schedule

24

Reaching Outdoors

27

COVER PAGES
FRONT-A group of Brunswick teenagers pull into port after an afternoon fishing excursion off the Georgia coast. A trip which oil will agree was profitable, judging from the catch.
BACK-The Ogeechee River hos produced many large Strippers but this one takes the prize. W. H. Lariscy, Jr., of Sylvania landed this 42-pounder.

EDITORIAL OFFICES-404 State Capitol, Atlanta, Georgia

BoB SHORT, Editor

GLYNN V. WoRLEY, Photographer

BILL ATKINSON, Assistant

NANCY RODGERS, Circulation

FISHING EDITION

Vol. 7, Na. 1

Published by the Georgia Game a nd Fish Commission. 412 State Capitol, Atlanta. Georgia. In the Interest of Georgia wi!11ife and for fi shermen . hunt-

ers. nature loers and conservation of natural fishing and hun tin~ licenses. Please notify us

resources. There Is no 5 ubsc rlption at once of any change of address.

fe e - t h i s Co n t e n t s

publication Is free and is of tbls m a~azi n e may be

paid for by the purrbase ~r reprinted with prover cred1t.

This publication welcomes pictures, drawings, stories and articles deallng with outdoor subjects for consideration. No contributions will be returned

unless solicited by authorized party representing Game & Fish Commission and accompanied by sufficient postage. Entered as third class postage.

Editorial

Pollution Top Oyster Problem

Twenty-five years ago Paul S. Galtsoff, an ex-

pert on salt water fisheries, worked along the

Georgia coast to study the oyster industry and to

make a report of his findings.

In his pamphlet "Shellfishery Investigation,"

published in 1943, Galtsoff said, "the state of

depletion of public oyster grounds can be illus-

trated by several exam-

ples. The best one is

found in Georgia.... In

1937, Georgia oysters

were the poorest in the

country, yielding only

,. ~

2.75 pounds of meat per



bushel."

Since Galstoff's visit,

there has been further

declination of the indus-

dustry. In 1955, only

FULTON LOVELL

Florida, with 19,000 pounds, ranked lower

than Georgia in total output among southeastern

states. Our total of 173,000 pounds is dwarfed

beside that of North Carolina, South Carolina,

Louisiana and Alabama.

Savannah's pollution problems lie mainly in the Savannah River. However, the Health Department found pollution on other rivers and creeks.

Pollution
There are several reasons behind the decline in oysters, number one of which is municipal pollution. Pollution has slowly crept into the sounds, leaving little water suitable for oysters. As long as municipal, industrial and other wastes are dumped into rivers and brackish waters, this situation will exist. The only solution seems to be state legislation outlining minimum requirements for waste disposal.
Of all salt water species, oysters suffer most in polluted water. The food of oysters consists of microscopic plants and animals found around oyster beds. Food is taken in by a filter system. Oysters are capable of straining 26 quarts of water an hour through their gills. Naturally, polluted water makes it hard for oysters to survive.

Enforcement
Another problem is that of enforcement. Presently, the Game and Fish Commission does not have the funds to secure adequate personnel and equipment to patrol coastal waters. Such money is direly needed if the oyster industry is to be improved.
When first hatched, baby oysters are grotesque creatures with hairy belts around their midsec-
(Continued on Page 26)

Black areas reveal pollution in Brunswick area . It ce,ters around th~ Turtle and Brunswick Rivers.

3

Fishery Biologist Terrence Merkel tests water in one of Georgia's 700 trout streams.

The author and biologists aide Jeff Houck release rainbow trout into mountain water.

By Terrence Merkel
TROUT FISHING in Georgia is moving toward its golden era. More anglers are doing it than ever before and the future seems unlimited. More than seventyfive times as many fishermen will fish for trout in 1958 than in 1954. Such pressure would normally deplete even the world's most renowned trout stream, if outside help were not furnished by the Game and Fish Commission and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
Georgia is but one of many states that operate a put-andtake program for trout fishermen. Modern conservationists realize that the only sensible answer to growing fishing pressure on trout streams is stocking catchable-sized fish.
It is impossible to depend on natural reproduction to supply enough trout for the fishing public. In 1934, yes, for only 210 fishermen fished in streams managed by the Game and Fish Commission. In 1958, it's a dif-
4

PUT FIVE-

ferent story. A conservative estimate of 17,000 anglers has been made as to the number expected to fish management area streams this season.
With natural reproduction out of the question, it is necessary to depend on catchable-sized, hatchery-reared fish to augment native stock. Fishery biologists realized this long ago, but their recommendations were met with pessimism by sportsmen who felt put-and-take fishing was too easy to solve the preplexing situation brought about by increasing pressure on trout streams.
However, after a few years of it, they soon realized that putand-take fishing is not as simple as they first surmised. Public sentiment soon changed and most fishermen are now happy to try their luck in management area streams for they fully realize that more successful fishing is not to be had elsewhere.

Creel census data collected over the past few years proves conclusively that of every five yearling trout released in managed streams, at least four are recovered by fishermen. And this wasn't done without the
Jessie Haley of Canton shows off limit catch of trout taken from Wildcat Creek.

patience and hard fishing only a wily trout dem a n d s.
Last year, 100,000 trout ranging in size from nine to thirty-two inches, were released in coldwater streams. Of that number, anglers recovered a record 78.5 percent, and each of them caught an average of 3.71 daily. Records show that seventy-two percent of anglers were successful in catching at least one trout.
What do all these figures mean? Simply that without the assistance given by state and federal agencies, Georgia's trout streams would fold under the terrific pressure that is being applied by fishermen. Large, healthy trout would soon be the exception, rather than the rule.
Through experiments of several sorts, biologists have found it is impractical to undertake stocking programs with any other idea in mind than strictly put-and-take. In other words, trout are released in streams solely for the purpose of catching, be it today, tomorrow or next week. Stocking for any other purpose will result in the loss of fish because, in most cases, streams cannot support additional inhabitants.
For that reason, fish must be stocked according to a formulated schedule with the fisherman always in mind.
Fishery biologists lament the thousands of fingerlings, or small trout, wasted before a suitable stocking program was developed. They equally
TAKE FOUR
lament the mistakes made in selecting streams that were not ship-shape for trout, a fish that must have ideal conditions in which to survive. But from the trials and errors of the program has emerged a situation that appears to become more promising each year, catch-wise.
Patsy and Peggy Puett, Neal Efird (left) and Cline Puett, all of Hiawassee, with 39 trout from Wildcat Creek.

The biggest problem in put-and-take fishing is that of providing enough fish for stocking in management area streams. The Georgia Game and Fish Commission operates the Lake Burton Hatchery and the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service maintains the Chattahoochee rearing station to provide fish for this program. The Summerville Hatchery, too, is the site of trout-rearing for stocking purposes, for both managed and open streams, of which there are over 600.
Creel census reports and population studies show that rainbow trout are more common than either brook or brown trout. Approximately threefom;ths of all native fish caught are rainbows. Except when they are blocked by barriers, rainbows move into small tributaries and replace native brook trout.
Presently, Georgia's trout program uses all the fish the Commission can beg, borrow or steal. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's Rock Creek rearing station provides fish for the program, yet its facilities are not large enough to supply an ample number. When, and a very big if, it is expanded. There is no doubt that Georgia trout fishermen will enjoy fishing that will equal any in the FortyEight States.
Next time you slide across a slippery rock to find a clear pool of trout awaiting your bait, thank your lucky stars for a put-and-take trout program. Without it, you would not catch anything near what you do now.
It is paramount that all anglers, whether they are new at the game or experienced hands, allow their catch to be measured, weighed and counted. It takes this information to determine the effectiveness of Georgia's trout program.
5

Don't Believe All You Hear About Rattlesnakes
They Can't Milk Cows, Charm Birds or Even Melt Metal, Expert Says

( This story is based on a survey of popular misunderstandings about rattlesnakes con tained in a hook by Laurence M. Klauber. Mr. Klaub er has recently written a two-vo lu me w ork on rattlemak es, th eir habits, life histories, and influ ence on ma nkind. Th e work w as published by th e University of California P ress.}
It is the opinion of some people that rattlesnakes can perform unusual feats that fall only a fraction short of being miracles. You have, no doubt, heard of the rattler that milked a cow, or the one that charmed a bird, or the one that bit a man's wooden leg, causing the wood to swell to such an extent that the poor victim was smothered.
Tales such as these have made their way through centuries of American history. One of the
The Timber Rattler is another poisonous snake found in Georgia.
6

first ones was told by American writer Cotton Mather around 1714. It was the story of a rattler that struck the metal bit of an ax, causing the metal to change color and, when used again, the edge to drop off.
This is the only yarn wherein rattlesnake venom supposedly affects metal, but several stories of its effects on wood and plants have made the rounds. One of the oldest of such tales tells of a hoe handle that was bitten by a rattlesnake and within an hour swelled to such monstrous proportions that it popped the eye right off the hoe.
Other myths often heard about the queer habits of rattlesnakes include the fallacy that they never bite children. There are many stories, some true perhaps, others folklore , of children playing innocently with rattlesnakes without harmful effects. This is possibly true, for small children are usually unafraid of snakes and rattlesnakes seldom bite unless they are frightened or handled roughly. However, it is best not to encourage a playing session between children and rattlesnakes for a frightened rattler would bite a child as readily as it would an adult.
The age-old myth that snakes milk cows can be disproven by the fact that milk is not a natural food of snakes and stories of their thirst for it are highly imaginary. Rattlesnakes feed almost entirely on rodents and other small animals, thus leaving no reason for belief that they take milk from cows.
Perhaps the most persistent rattlesnake myth is the one which bestows upon them the power to enchant or charm their prey. According to this yarn, rattlesnakes have the power to hypnotize their

Although they are vicious, Green Water Snakes ore not to be confused with Cottonmouths.
prey to such an extent that the victim makes no effort to escape, and even moves without caution to its doom. In one version, the myth recounts how a rattler has only to fix its eye on victims in a tree to bring birds, squirrels and other victims groundward, whereupon they walk hypnotically into the awaiting mouth of the rattler.
In Klauber's work with rattlesnakes, he encountered no proof that they exercise any power of fascination over their prey. Birds and small animals placed in the same cage with rattlers, as soon as they became thoroughly familiar with their surroundings, paid no attention whatsoever to their cage mates. Rats and mice occasionally ate the heads, tails, or rattles of the live snakes. Of course, it is true that a hungry rattlesnake would sometimes strike one of the animals and eat it; but otherwise the animals showed no signs of fear and left no impression that they were in hypnotic trances. It is logical to assume then that rattlesnakes will react in the same manner under the conditions of the wild.
Perhaps the most widely publicized misconception of rattlesnakes is the belief that they harbor a special enmity toward man. This idea has spread everywhere and has left in the human mind a picture of a rattler being cruel, crafty, and vindictive. The truth of the matter is that rattlesnakes, or any other snakes, carry no evil intent toward man. Rattlesnakes are simply primitive creatures with rudimentary perceptions and reactions. One of these reactions is that of fear. When humans or animals approach rattlers, their first reaction is to be afraid. They defend themselves from injury by intruders of superior size with the only weapon nature gave them, namely, venom.
So, regardless of the impression made by such a myth, rattlesnakes bear no special inherited hatred for mankind since the first human being any rattlesnake may encounter is usually the last.

Rattlesnakes have poor eyesight but they do have several highly developed senses. Their tongues, for example, are delicate organs used for feeling and detection, and are not "forked stingers" as some people say. Understanding the entire function of snakes' tongues is difficult although it is known that rattlesnakes are able to pluck small objects out of the air with their tongues.
You have probably seen numerous pictures of "snake charmers." They are small, brown Indians with their heads covered by turbans. Their occupation is sitting on the ground and "charming" snakes with the aid of a flute. According to the belief snakes, usually cobras, cannot resist the charming music and sway back and forth while the charmer plays his tune. Since almost all snakes have no outer ear, they are able to pick up sound only through solid objects and water. Therefore, the charmer's music does not fascinate the snake. It's his movement that does it.
Some people say rattlesnakes will not die until sundown, even though they were killed hours before. You can be sure they die immediately after being slain and do not wait until the sun goes down. The movement seen after death is merely a nervous reaction and not an attempt to hold out until sundown.
Rattlesnakes are not uncommon in Georgia. They range from north Georgia's wooded mountains to the coastal plains and it is not an accident to find rattlers up to six feet long. Despite popular belief, the number of rattlers a snake has is not the clue to the snake's age. It simply shows the number of times a snake has shed its skin. Experts say one rattlesnake may shed its skin six times a year.
7

DOLLAR$ FROM FARM POND$

Fayette Pond Owners Collect $60,000 From Sale of Nominally Priced Fishing Permits

TWO YEARS AGO Frances Reeves, an ex-WAC officer and newspaper editor with a flair for promotion, called together the pond owners of Fayette County for a business session.
She didn't know it at the time, but that meeting opened the door to prosperity in Fayette County,

a rural section on the outskirts of metropolitan Atlanta.

Sora Stinchcomb of Fayetteville pulls largemouth bass from her family's pond in Fayette County.

It brought to these people financial progress through a closely-knit organization of farmpond fishing, which, believe it or not, was strengthened not by competition, but cooperation.
"I read page after page of statistics telling of hunters and

fishermen and their willingness to spend money to enjoy the sports," Mrs. Reeves said afterwards. "I wanted some of that money to be spent in Fayette County."
It has been spent. One year

J. B. Mask, owner of Clover Lake near Brooks, was among the first to operate "Honor System" fishing in Fayette County.

after the formal meeting, a survey showed in excess of sixty thousand dollars were left in the county by farm-pond fishermen.
Incredible? Not quite. But spectacular enough to warrant national attention. For the income from nominally priced fishing permits is but one of the assets of multiple-use farm ponds. Others, such as irrigation, stabilizing water runoff, reducing erosion which destroys farmlands, pollute water and damage rural villages are community services from which no income is derived.
Of course, the first annual meeting of the association (Mrs. Reeves says it is not a formal one) was not the only reason for the climb in income. It took several things to accomplish it.

!P!edse
liNPUT MONEY BOX

First, it took many hours of extra effort by soil conservation agent F. M. Satterfield to convince owners of the necessity to properly fertilize, stock and manage their investments. It took other meetings, in which problems, such as weed control, fertilization and other pressing items were discussed. But above all, it took the cooperation of

every single pondowner in the county.

"Progress would not have been," Mrs. Reeves said, "if pond owners had not realized the importance of cooperation and pooling of knowledge. It took cooperation - not rivalry - to build up the fishing potential of Fayette County."

Then came Mrs. Reeves' map, a one-sheet publication which clearly shows each pond in the county, the species of fish it contains and the facilities. It is prepared by Mrs. Reeves, known locally as "Frances, the fisherman's friend."

The map is distributed free by pondowners. It is financed by advertising, solicited by Frances "the fisherman's friend" and paid for by pond owners.

"At first I got a deaf ear when I proposed the map," said Mrs. Reeves. "But I wasn't discour-

Frances " The Fisherman's Friend" Reeves of Inman points ou t a good lake on her Fa ye tte CaU11ty fishing map.

aged. I kept plugging my idea to

pond owners and soon won them figured in our survey," Mrs. much as they like. Other owners

over."

Reeves said. "Having boats and sell annual permits - average

How much does the map help? Evidently, sixty thousand dollars worth. Not that much to pond owners themselves, but to the county. And, pond owners

baits makes it convenient to fishermen. It seems they like a 'package deal.' That is, a fishing permit, a boat and some bait at the same spot."

cost, thirty dollars - which are valid every day of the year if the purchasers so desire.
Two pond operators, W. F. Farr (Farr's Lake) of Brooks

get their share.

Some owners offer a club plan and soil conservation agent F. M.

Almost all Fayette County of fishing. Permits are sold to Satterfield (Davada Lake) of

ponds have boats and baits for clubs and organizations allowing Fayetteville operate "Honor Sys-

ale to fishermen . "They were members of the club to f ish as tem" fishing. In this system,

money boxes are placed at con-

Mask and Soil Conservation ist F. M. Satterfield discuss pond problems at Mask's Clover Lake.

venient spots around the lakes where fishermen can pay for

their permit without consulting

the owner.

"Fishermen are honest," Mrs. Reeves reports. "None have fudged yet."

Mrs. Reeves is working with Satterfield now to plan the program for next year's annual meeting. Such renowned conservationists as Dr. Roy Grizzell and Fred J. Dickson have discussed pond problems and management with the group. There'll be another next year.

There's no doubt about it, the people of Fayette County and fishermen from that area owe a deep debt of gratitude to Mrs. Reeves and the pond owners of that county.

9

A Coosae bass fisherman works diligently and vigorously down Sm ith Creek.
They May Not Always Admit It, But-
REDEVE ANGLERS

ARE

By BOB SHORT
1\NLY A HANDFUL of anglers can ever be found
U fishing north Georgia's coldwater streams for
coosae bass but those who do belong to a special cult.
As far as they're concerned, you can have your marlin, largemouth bass and panfish. Just give them a spinning outfit, a yellow bucktail and a few "redeyes" and you can take the rest.

Coosae bass, in case you're wondering, are a breed of the smallmouth family native only to the Coosa River drainage in Alabama and Georgia.
They are sometimes called "redeyes" because of the red ring found around the pupil of their eyes. But regardless of the name given them, they are tail-twisting', tackle-bustin' creatures that put up a stiff battle from the business end of a spinning
rod. Actually, redeyes resemble smallmouths in

Redeye fishermen always wade. Here, W . H. Ashburn gets ready to have at 'em.

Redeyes are related to smallmouths and give fish e rmen pulsating action on the business end of a sp inning rod.

This type of spinner is used by most redeye anglers.
markings, except for the prominent eyeband. However, they pack more action, pound for pound, than their cousins.
SPECIAL CULT
Bob Singleton is a member of the redeye cult. He's an ardent fisherman, dividing his time between rainbow, brook and brown trout in the seven hundred-odd streams in that area, and redeyes. He quickly confesses, though, that he prefers coosae bass above the rest.
I have often heard stories, told by Cecil McClure, Talmadge York and young Bobby Dickerson, of their exploits into mountain waters after redeyes. However, until Bob took me along on a trip to the Chattooga River, the broad expanse of water that separates Georgia from South Carolina, I had never done any redeye fishing.
Bob took me to Earl's Ford one midsummer morning and, if nothing else, the trip was worth the expense just to admire the scenery. It was a picturebook morning. When we got out of the car, the sun was struggling to make its way over a three-headed mountain. There was just enough nip in the air to tell you that the water would be cool- just right for redeyes, Bob told me.

He also briefed me on the technique, explaining that redeye fishermen always wade the stream, preferable upstream. Other than that, though, I was on my own.
I rigged my spinning outfit with a bucktail spinner and began slipping on my wading shoes. Before I could get the first one on, Bob was in the water casting his lure from one side of the river to the other.
"Jump you little banshee," I heard him shout as I tied the final knot in my shoestrings. "Give me a run for my money."
I looked up and saw a small fish tailwalking in the middle of the stream. Such a scrap between a small fish and a fisherman, I've never seen. When Bob finally got him home he yelled:
"Just a small one, doubt if he'll go half-apound."
"Gee Whiz," I thought to myself. "If a halfpounder puts up a fight like that I'm wasting time. I need to be out there with 'em."
I jumped into the river and headed upstream, alongside Bob, casting on one side while he worked the other. It wasn't long before I got results.
I flipped my spinner just a few inches short of an overhanging bush. I felt a bump against my line, then whop! A strike. A strike, I might add, like I've never had before. I set the hook and began playing the fish . It swished my line from one side to the other and once, with heart-quickening action, broke water and tail-walked for a few feet. Man, this was action !
I played it slowly until it came into my net without resistance and when I finally got it on my string, I was amazed at its size. It would have pushed the creature to go a quarter of a pound.
Bob, a lifetime friend, snickered at the way I handled the fish.
''You can do better than that," he kidded. "You played it like a kid would do it. If you think that one was tough, just wait'll you hook onto a four pounder."
I never got the chance for rarely does an angler get an opportunity to play a redeye that goes over three pounds. I have only heard of one that went four pounds and fishery biologists said he was a rare one. Redeyes seldom get into the three pound class and when they do, they are capable of playing
(Continued on Page 20)

Here's the kingpin of swift streams, Coosae bass, known to Georgia anglers as re deyes and rock bass.

CLARK HILL RESERVOIR

By EARL DeLOACH
Here's a fishing tip: if you haven't done so, try Clark Hill reservoir this spring. If the past means anything you won't be sorry you did.
For Clark Hill, the massive, appealing body of water that lies between Georgia and South Carolina, has won for itself a berth near the top of Georgia's lakes, both fishing-wise and recreationwise. Clark Hill provides recreation for literally millions of persons each year.
In 1956, the number of visitor days was 1,869,000 and the total showed a substantial increase during 1957. Complete figures for the annual report are not yet complete, but it is expected that the number of visitor days will exceed two million.
The huge lake has a water area of 78,500 acres at the top of the flood control pool, and a shoreline of some 1,200 miles. This vast expanse of water offers excellent fishing, in addition to boating, sailing, water skiing, and literally hundreds of fine spots for picnicking.
The lake extends 39 miles up the Savannah River from the Clark Hill Dam, which spans

It was a slim day for this Atlanta angler but Clark Hill still yielded four nice bass. Note disappointment on fisherman's face .
the river 22 miles upstream from Augusta. The lake also extends about 29 miles up the Georgia Little River arm. This length also provides ideal areas for long boat cruises.
In winter, hunting in the area is also enjoyed by thousands. Use of shotguns only is permitted in the area and must not be fired except when well out of range of the recreation areas. Ducks
(Continued on Page 20)

61\l.E .. WOOD S. C.

To COLUMBIA
S. C.

0

2.

3

Is

I

I

MILES

- ----- - - --
New Management Area in Pine Mountain District. Game Management personnel recently began stocking deer and wild turkeys in the state's newest game management area, the Pine Mountain area near Talbotton. After stocking needs are fulfilled and the area has been managed for approximately five years, controlled hunting will be permitted.
Commission Plans Large Scale Rough Fish Removal. One of the largest rough fish removal projects in the history of the Georgia Game and Fish Commission will be launched this summer. Fred J. Dickson, head of the Commission's fish management program, said helicopters will be used to release chemicals from Lake Worth up the Flint River to Lake Blackshear, which will also be treated. The program is aimed at improving fishing in that area.
New Member Added to Game Management Staff. William H. Moore, an Alabama Polytechnic Institute graduate, has joined the staff of the Commission's game management division. Moore comes to Georgia from Tennessee where he was employed in game management work. He will become leader of the Commission's farm game project.
License Sales Top Million Dollar Mark. For the first time in history receipts from the sale of hunting and fishing licenses topped the million dollar mark. In 1957, a total of 589,293 licenses were sold for a gross amount of $1,028,628.95. Revenue from the sale of hunting and fishing licenses is used to finance the work of the Game and Fish Commission.
McGarity Joins Game and Fish Commission. Edward E. McGarity of McDonough has been appointed to the Game and Fish Commission by Governor Marvin Griffin to fill the unexpired term of J. D. Pope, who resigned as commissioner from the Fourth district. McGarity, a member of the Senate's committee on Natural Resources, has had vast experience in conservation and comes to the Commission with a thorough knowledge of game and fish.
Wildlife Week Begins March 16. Walt Disney, world famous motion picture producer, will serve as chairman of National Wildlife Week March 16-23. Theme for the week is "Protect our Public Lands." Further information on Wildlife week may be obtained from the National Wildlife Federation, 232 Carroll Street, Northwest, Takoma Park, Washington 12, D. C.
Commission Dedicates New District Office. David Gould, supervisor of the Commission's coastal fisheries division, delivered the main address at the dedication of a new district office in Waycross. Also, a new office building has been erected and dedicated in Metter. It will serve as headquarters for the Ogeechee enforcement district. Mallory Hatchett is district chief in Waycross and J. D. Atchison is head of enforcement work in Metter.
Summerville, Burton Hatcheries Renovated. The Game and Fish Commission's fish hatcheries in Summerville and Lake Burton are undergoing complete renovation. According to Fred J. Dickson, chief of fish management, facilities at Burton hatchery will be doubled to provide more trout for stocking into mountain area streams. The Summerville hatchery has also been remodeled and is now capable of producing almost twice as many fish. Improvement of these facilities is another step forward toward the Commission's goal of improving fishing for Georgia anglers.
Public Stocking Program Initiated. Several central and south Georgia rivers and streams were stocked recently with bream from the state's hatcheries in an attempt to provide better fishing. Heretofore, the commission has provided fish for Georgia's 40,000 farm ponds and has been unable to provide bream for public streams. An overflow of fish, however, allowed the commission's fish management division to do limited stocking work on selected streams.
13

After net is released, boats drag it through the water.
Shrimpers' haul includes shrimp, fish and crabs. They must return all fish to the water.

''SHRIMP
WHEN THE SUN sinks and day turns into dusk, shrimpers along Georgia's southern coast return home from a vigorous day of gathering shrimp.
The shrimp industry in Georgia is a multimillion dollar business. Three hundred and seventy vessels, with crews numbering seven hundred thirty-eight are engaged in shrimp fishing in Chatham, Bryan, Liberty, Mcintosh, Glynn and Camden counties. They haul in an average of 7,990,800 pounds annually which is worth $2,661,583 to them.
When shrimpers have totaled their daily catch, shrimp are immediately taken to processing houses where an additional 1229 employees make a yearly wage of $2,016,000 preparing them for market.
Customers buy Georgia frozen shrimp in supermarkets the world over.

II

In the processing plant, workers carefully grade them onto a conveyor belt from where they are cleaned, cooked, breaded, packaged and frozen for distribution all over the world.
After shrimp are shipped by Georgia firms, it is possible to find them anywhere . . . in supermarkets ... in consumers' homes the world over ... in your favorite restaurant.
Shrimping is an interesting industry. From rustic shrimpboat to the table their fascinating path opens all eyes to the economic gain it has given Georgia.
All of it is made possible by the quaint little boats and their crews who daily explore the saltwater sounds for shrimp.

After shrimp are caught and processed, workers prepare them for the freezer.
A typical shrimper with a handful of jumbo shrimp, taken from Georgia water.

14

15

A good day's haul like this means better fishing for anglers.

A commercial fisherman removes a carp from his net. Often, fishermen catch carp weighing up to 30 pounds.

Species of suckers and carp are Georgia's No. 1 rough fish problem.
Fisheries personnel Phil Pierce, Fred J. Dicksa~ and John Frey add up totals from population study at Lake Worth.
16

Commercial Fishermen Geared
To Meet Attack of Rough
Fish in Georgia Lakes, Streams
By FRED J. .DICKSON Chief, Fish Management
There is an old fishing yarn about an expert angler who passed on to his reward and, through some mistake, was sent to the torture chambers in hades. Upon his arrival there he was escorted by the overseer to a beautiful pond of clear, cold water which was filled to the brim with trout of all kinds. At the sight of such extravagance, he became goggled-eyed and asked Satan for a rod and reel.
"It won't do any good," the devil was supposed to have told him. "Those fish can't open their mouths. Where do you think this is, heaven?"
This story comes to mind every time rough fish comes up for the truth is they torture game fish, they can open their mouths and they do it much too often. Few fishermen, except commercial ones who operate nets to take scavenger fish for market, are interested in taking them.
Rough fish are born to be bad. And, true to their birth, they are bad. Nothing can ruin fishing faster than fish such as carp, gar, grinnel and catfish. To add salt to their deeply-imbedded wounds, rough fish multiply faster than game species. That's the reason many Georgia lakes and streams become "unbalanced" in such a short time.

Many states feel that commercial fishermen are the answer to rough fish problems. However, it is d ifficult to attract commercial netters since profit is low.

The Game and Fish Commission, through its fish management program, is trying to rid waters of rough fish through its rough fish reduction program. Its forte is commercial fishermen, whose trammel, hoop, fyke and gill nets annually remove thousands of pounds of rough fish.
As an art, commercial fishing has changed little through centuries of progress in industry. Fishermen employ the same tactics, equipment and hard labor their predecessors did during Biblical times. Today, though, commercial fishing is used as a "whipping boy" to be blamed for poor fishing or the catching of small fish. The truth is, commercial fishing is a fisherman's friend. Every time a commercial fisherman brings rough fish out of a lake or stream he is reducing it in number, thus increasing habitat for game species, which in the long run makes for better fishing.
Recent results of fish population studies prove conclusively the population of larger lakes and streams in Georgia are made up of at least ninety percent rough fish, the remaining percentage game fish.
How do they get that way? Several reasons. Perhaps the most explainable one is that fishermen seek only game species. Rough fish are more prolific; a carp weighing seventeen pounds is capable of having one million young within a year. Another important reason is rough fish are able to withstand more adverse conditions than their game fish adversaries. There are several types of carnivorous, or meat-eating, fish numbered among rough fish. These, such as gar, grinnel and catfish, reduce game fish populations by feeding on young bass, bream and crappie.
There are several ways in which to reduce rough fish populations. Some states use seining

programs; others chemical treatment programs and still others use electrical devices that shock fish into awaiting nets. All of these are effective methods yet they are more expensive than commercial fishermen and require more operational costs.
A few years ago, the Game and Fish Commission proposed rough fish control work in a stream near Glenville. The program brought a flurry of protests from fishermen in that area. They objected to it mainly because they had heard rough fish work reduced game fish populations, which is not true. After proper explanation had all but quelled their antiprogram opinions, the Commission went on with its work and removed several thousand pounds of rough fish.
In a short time, petitions were circulated and presented to the Commission asking that rough fish be removed from all the rivers in that area. Fishing improved tremendously and citizens credited the removal of rough fish as the major factor in its restoration.
Sport Fishing Institute, a group supported by the dollars spent by public fishermen, publically advocates commercial fishing as the best method of reducing rough fish populations which in turn, they preach, will put more fish on fishermen's stringers. States other than Georgia also convinced that such fishing is the wisest and most economical way to wisely conquer rough fish problems.
It behooves all fishermen to examine scientific data collected on rough fish problems and their solutions. Since we are faced with it, it is our duty to conquer it in the swiftest and safest manner. That is, without a doubt, through commercial fishermen.
17

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Have Parasites, Will Treat, Reader Reports
Dear Sirs:
Some time ago I wrote you about my fish. I have found out what they have. They have anchor parasites. Can you suggest a treatment for these parasites?
Since these fish are my brood stock I would like to treat them if there is something I can use to clear it up. Please advise me on what to use and also what to do to the ponds where these fish are.
John W. Holbrook Route 4 Cumming, Georgia
(Editor's Note: A promising remedy for anchor parasites is the use of gamma isomer of benzene hexachloride (Lindane). Two trade names are Lexone and Pendane. It must be used in a fo?mula consisting of 0.1 parts per million pa1ts water. Two-tenths p.p.m. will kill fish. It is best used in emulsifiable form, which must be added on the basis of pure chemical, since it is available in 10 percent or 20 percent concentrations in emulsions. PMA at 2 p.p.m. is helpful.
This Reader Interested In Warmouth Perch
Dear Sir:
Would you please advise me what species of fish the so-called warmouth perch is? All the fishing regulations and descriptions I have read do not list warmouths by that name. What is its correct name?
Robert Johnston Cogdell, Georgia
(Editor's Note: Th e warmouth 7Jerch you mentioned is more commonly called "warmouth bass." It is a member of the bream family but is often called a bass due to its extremely large mouth. It is the only member of the bream family that has teeth on its tongue. Its scientific name is Chaeno bryttus coronarius . Warmouths are capable of g1owing to one pound o1 better, depending on the fertility of the wate1 and the amount of food available.)
18

Reader Asks Lowdown On Coosae Bass
Dear Sir: I have been receiving copies of
Georgia Game & Fish for the past few years and enjoyed them so much that I had some of my friends put on the mailing list.
I have been catching fish in the Conasauga river near here for a number of years and I can't truthfully say I know what they are. I know they aren't largemouth bass, or smallmouth. I think the proper name for them is "coosae bass." Could you give me some information on them?
Bates Davis Dalton, Georgia
(Editor's note: Coosae bass are a sub species of smallmouth black bass and are fo und in the Coosae River drainage which is in northwest Georgia and Northeast Alabama. They are usually a small stream fish and seldom get over a pound and a half in weight. Of course, there are exceptions and we have had rep01ts of coosae w hich went up to four pounds.
Geo1gians lab el t he fish with two nicknames - "Kentucky redeyes" and simply, "redeyes." This nickname was given coosae bass because of the red 1ing w hich ci1cles the pupil of thei1 eyes. They a1e excellent game f ish and a1e quite popular with Geo1gia's smallstream fishermen.)
White Bass for Ponds? Hopeful Owner Inquires
Dear sir: In your fishing edition of
Georgia Game and Fish (Vol. 6, No. 1) I was very impressed by the article on white bass. I am interested in stocking my 50 acre farm pond with them. What do you think of this plan? Any information you can give me will be deeply appreciated.
A. J. Harrison Blackshear, Georgia
(Editor's Note: White bass are very prolific and voracious f eeders. However, they are not recommended for stocking into fa1m

ponds since experiments have p1oven that it is not suitable for ponds. F 01 that 1eason, the Game and Fish Commission does not dist1ibute white bass to farm pond owne1s.)
How Long's Bass' Life? This Reader Asks
Dear Sir: One question I have never
satisfactorily answered is, "what is the life span of a bass?" I have been told that it is six to eight years. Is that correct?
Frank Fitch Biologist, Rock Eagle Lake Eatonton, Ga.
(Edito1's note: Average life span of a largemouth bass is approximately six years, acc01ding to F1ed J. Dickson, Chief of Fish Management. However, this does not mean that bass do not exceed t he expected life span. Th e1e a1e cases among bass, just as the1e is among men, when they exceed life expectancy by several y ea1s.)
Eels Poisonous, This Reader Wants to Know
Gentlemen: Kindly advise me if there is
an eel in our waters which is poisonous or is unfit for use as food.
We procured an eel some two feet long, black and slick, with feet and gills, caught in old Lake Talquin near Quincy, Florida.
When we offered it to our keep for food, they immediately labeled it as poisonous.
Are they? Charles W. Jacocks Bronwood, Georgia
(Editor's Note: There is in Georgia an eel which is very edible. It is commonly known as the American eel and is very popular in other sections of the country even though f ew Ge01gians eat them.
Of course, lamp1ey eels, of which we have a f ew, are unfit for human consumption.
American eels' heads look somewhat like a snake. How ever, lamprey eels have a flat suction disclike head with which it attaches to the body of a fish in order to act as a parasite.)

Chief Wildlife Ranger Mallory Hatchett and Sheriff Robert E. Lee of Ware County examine load of fish taken from violators.
Reuben Golden (right ) of Atlanta and Bill Fain battled this 36 ]!2 pound muskie for two hours and 15 minutes before landing it. The action took place in Lake Blue Ridge and Golden was the lucky fisherman .
an Atlantian, landed what is believed to be a state Lake Burton. Bill's fish weighed in at four
Georgia's Gov. Marvin Griffin (second from left) and U. S. Senator Herman Talmadge (third from right) helped dedicate the Jim Woodruff Dam last spring . Curtis Warren and his fishing son caught these lovelies in Lake
Seminole .

lou Klewer, outdoor writer for the Toledo Blade, and little River Camp's Tommy Shaw with a five-pounder from Clark Hill.
CLARK HILL.-
(Continued from Page 12)
migrate to the lake and its tributaries and a wide variety of small game inhabits its surrounding lands, including quail, rabbits, squirrels, and foxes.
The East Georgia Fox Hunters Association holds its annual bench show and field trials around Elijah Clark State Park near Lincolnton. Hunters estimated at least 100 foxes were chased during the 1957 trials.
On any of the summer holidays, the number of boats on the reservoir exceed 3,000 and creel census figures show that 392,000 pounds of sport fish are taken in the lake each year. The lake also yields a total of 3,000,000 pounds of commercial or rough fish.
The entire Clark Hill area is under the management of the U.S. Corps of Engineers, who not only produce power but give excellent service to and for the public at large.
0. C. Bumpas, reservoir manager, and other personnel at the project are willing and anxious for the public to derive the greatest possible benefits from the recreational facilities of the lake. They encourage and go out of their way to assist fishermen, boaters and picnickers to take advantage of the area, and insist on necessary safety precautions.
To provide for the public convenience, the engineers have constructed access roads into the public recreation areas, and commercial fishing and sportsmen's centers.
The shoreline is dotted with numerous cottages, club houses, and recreational areas of churches, YWCA and other civic and Religious groups, such as the Boys Club of Augusta.
On some of the Clark Hill project land is the Little River Game Management area of approximately 17,603 acres. The area between Little River and Big Cane Creek on the Georgia side of the lake, was set up by the Little River Wildlife Federation, composed of some 20 county game and fish clubs, and the East Georgia Fox Hunters Association.
The area, which has been closed to hunting for the present, has been stocked with deer and wild turkey. There has been good reproduction of wild-
20

life in the area in the last three years, according to Georgia wildlife rangers who are constantly on patrol. Food patches also have been planted in numerous places in the preserve, to provide ample food for the deer and turkey.
It was not considered necessary to stock the area with any small game. Biologists believe that native small game is ample to stock the area with good increase if properly protected and conserved,
Fishing in the reservoir has attracted visitors from all sections of Georgia and South Carolina, and numerous other states of the southeast. The two states bordering the reservoir have set up a reciprocal fishing agreement under which each state honors the license of the other for fishing on either side of the lake.
The Clark Hill Dam is a structure of no mean proportions. Its total length is 5,680 feet and the maximum height of the concrete section is 200 feet. The length of the concrete section is 2,282 feet.
The dam is equipped with 23 Tainter gates, each 40 feet wide and 35 feet high.
Used in construction of the dam were 1,050,000 cubic yards of concrete, 3,300,000 yards of each fill. There were also 1,215,000 cubic yards of earth excavation and 140,000 cubic yards of rock excavation.
Red e y e s - (Continued from Page 77)
havoc with a six-pound test. That's how powerful they are.
We worked the river carefully for the next thirty minutes. Bob landed a couple of small ones but I had little luck. It wasn't long before I decided to move ahead to see if I couldn't get the first shot at them. I left Bob fishing a large pothole on the South Carolina side of the river.
I worked my side of the wash diligently when suddenly I heard a splash a few feet from where I was standing. Bob had hooked into a big one, right under my feet.
"One side, young man," he shouted up at me. "This one's worth keeping."
I moved to one side and watched the rodeo. Bob played the fish with all the caution and action many years of angling had taught him. When he strung him, I saw that it would easily go two pounds.
"We continued up the river, each socking home a redeye frequently enough to keep us from getting discouraged. Soon Bob had creeled several beauties and we started back.
When we reached the car, I looked over at Bob and caught his ear-to-ear smile and his words:
" Well, how do you like redeye fishing?" he asked.
"Man, you can't beat it," was my reply. "Got any room for another believer in that strange cult of yours?"

Catalpa
(KA-tal-pa)
WORMS

Scourge to Gardeners, Larva ol Catalpa Spinx Moth Choice Bait For Early Fall Fishermen. Keep 'em Overnight? Sure, Right in Your Refrigerator.

CATALPA WORMS, the larva of spinx moths, may be a scourge to gardeners but they are welcomed by panfish fishermen.
These grotesque creatures are choice bait for summer and early fall bream and perch fishing. In case after case, fishermen find they seem to work when fish fail to bite anything else.
Fables say the worm, which is black on top, yellow underneath and dotted with occasional
splotches of green, is very delicious to fish. Catalpa worshippers claim the worm's innards are very sweet and delectable, making it a Grade A bait.
The worms are found hovering around catalpa, or if you prefer slang, "Indian Cigar," trees. They feed on the trees' succulent and fast-growing leaves and can soon strip trees of their foliage.
Life cycle of the spinx moth is perhaps the most interesting of Mother Nature's group of unusual group of lif"' cycles.

First, mamma moth deposits eggs on the underside of catalpa leaves. After hatching and a period of feeding on the leaves, the young vacate their environs and transport themselves to the ground.
Once they have their many feet on the ground, the larva spin a cocoon around themselves and enter the pupal stage of development. After a short while in hibernation, the catalpa spinx moth emerges and the mysterious life cycle begins anew.
Usually, largest hatches of catalpa larvae takes place in July, August and September. There is, however, no set time to begin and end reproduction. They have been seen on trees as early as mid-June and as late as October's first frost.
The worms are easiest to find during dry, arrid part of summer. This is a break for fishermen, for it is during this time that earthworms probe deep underground for moist habitat. To get catalpas for bait, you simply remove them from the trees. They will not bite nor is
the secretion they give off
poisonous.

Fishermen have found that catalpas make the best bait during the middle part of their development. Young catalpas tend to attract smaller bream and perch and adult worms cater only to small bass. However, that size between birth and adulthood is a terrific bait.
When using catalpas, some panfish experts turn them inside out so their white interior will be more attractive to fish. This is done by placing a wooden matchstick to the rear of the worm and pushing it forward. Other experienced catalpa-users say it is not necessary to turn them inside-out. They simply hook them in the same manner as they hook redworms and dangle them in the water.
Many Georgians keep forms from one season to the next in deep freeze. They capture them during the period when they are abundant, place them in a container and put them in their freezer lockers.
Catalpas may be kept alive for several weeks by putting them in a container and placing them in a refrigerator.
The creatures are tough and do not come apart when thawed.
21

State Game and Fish Commission proposed
PUBLIC ACCESS AREA
for Ial{es and streams

Minimum Recommended Parking Area ~ Acre with space for a mimimum of 50 cars and boat trailers.
Construction Specification
Parking Lot: I Acre Gravel - 3" depth, 408 cu. yds. Asphalt - 3" depth, 68 tons
or Concrete- 4" depth, 44I sq. yds.
Concrete Ramp: I5o/0 max. slope, minimum

width I4', length of 50' or IOO'. Depth mmi mum of 6" concrete pavement, (Class A concrete) or 4" concrete reinorced wire ( 6-6) I 0 x l 0 wire mesh.
Contact local Game and Fish Commision Wildlife Ranger prior to ramp construction for culditional information.
April-October Minimum depth 3'.
Picnic Tables Garbage Racks Toilets: Equal to State and local Health Department specifica tions. Regular maintenance will he required.

210'

PARKING LOT

~ Garbage Rack
I;I Fireplace
=~ Picnic Tables
22

14'
. :: Concrete Ramp Min. 3' depth

RADIO BOATS

CLELAND C. JAMES Steps down after 32 years

WILLIAM H. HODGES Retires from Emforcement Post

Commission's W. H. Hodges, C. C. James Retire From Enforcement, Fish Posts

Cleland C. James, who worked as a game and fish agent in Georgia for 32 years, retired Oct. 31, 1957. He is 70.
James began his long and illustrious career with the Game and Fish Commission in October, 1925, as a special game warden. Other duties during his tour of service included game management technician, fish management technician, supervisor of hatcheries, superintendent of hatchery construction and chief of game management. He was in charge of division of hatcheries from 1951 until his retirement.
James is one of the pioneers in game and fish work in Georgia. At the time of his employment, only eight rangers patrolled the state in search of violators. He worked through a golden era of game and fish progress.
Since his retirement, James is making his home in Marietta.
James says he plans to spend the summer catching up with his fishing. He also plans an extended vacation in Florida to visit relatives.

W. H . Hodges, popular chief of the Georgia Game and Fish Commission's Enforcement Division for the past eight years, resigned recently and returned to his home in Watkinsville.
Chief Hodges served with the Commission from 1949 until his retirement a few months ago. He was forced to leave his post due to failing health.
During his tenure as enforcement chief, Hodges initiated many programs which made Georgia's wildlife rangers among the best group of conservation officers in the nation. It was under his leadership that the full uniform system was adopted. Also, he was instrumental in inaugurating a state-wide radio system which enabled wildlife rangers to keep in constant contact with each other while enforcing game and fish laws.
George C. Moore, head of the Game Management Division, succeeqs Hodges as head of the enforcement program. Moore will continue to direct activities of the game management division.

Allatoona Boat Club
Fights Accidents,
Teaches Safety
By W. G. Morgan, Jr.
"MAYDAY ... sound the alert."
Those powerful words of danger send the Allatoona Yacht Club's energetic rescue squad into action when disaster occurs on Allatoona reservoir.
A shore station directs radio controlled boats to the scene of the accident and a radio-telephone safety boat keeps in constant contact with the base station, first of its kind to be licensed by the Federal Communications Commission.
The Allatoona club was organized five years ago to promote water safety and give instructional programs on the safe handling of boats, life-saving equipment and to teach water safety.
In addition to radio controlled boats and shore station, the club has first aid and life saving equipment on hand in case of emergency.
Rescue, however, is not the club's only objective. Its members work closely with the U.S. Corps of Engineers in promoting safe handling of boats and distributing safety posters to various Marinas around the lake.
Four well-trained men compose the club's staff which instructs on boat handling, rescue work and life saving techniques. These instructors are also li-
censed radio operators. The club, too, works with the
Georgia Game and Fish Commission in its task of patrolling Allatoona waters to keep down boating violations. Six of its members are deputy wildlife rangers.
23

1958 TROUT SCHEDULE

BLUE RIDGE AREA
ROCK CREEK
(Except Mill Cr.eek)
Directions-From Dahlonega, travel three miles north on U. S. Highway 19, turn left on Camp Wahsega road and go 71!2 miles to Three Notch Gap, turn right and go 3% miles to Cooper's Gap. From Cooper's Gap, turn left and go 4 miles to Hightower Gap, turn right and go four miles to checking station.
OPEN DATES
APRIL-Saturdays and Sundays: 19-20; 26-27.
MAY-Saturdays and Sundays: 3-4; 10-11; 17-18; 24-25; 31.
JUNE-Sunday: 1 Wednesdays and Thursdays: 4-5; 11-12; 18-19; 25-26.
JULY-Friday; 4 (Independence Day). Saturdays and Sundays: 5-6; 12-13; 1920; 26-27.
AUGUST-Wednesdays and Thursdays: 6-7; 1314; 20-21; 27-28. Sunday-31.
SEPTEMBER-Monday (Labor Day)-1.
NOONTOOTLEY CREEK
Directions-From Dahlonega, go three miles north on U. S. Highway 19, turn left on Camp Wahsega Road, go 71!2 miles to Three Notch Gap. Turn right and go 31/2 miles to Cooper's Gap, turn left and go eight miles to Winding Stair Gap, turn right and go four miles to checking station.
OPEN DATES
APRIL-Wednesday, 30. MAY-Wednesdays, Thursdays - 1, 7-8; 14-15;
21-22; 28-29. JUNE-Saturdays, Sundays-7-8; 14-15; 21-22;
28-29. JULY-Wednesdays, Thursdays-2-3; 9-10; 16-
17; 23-24; 30-31. AUGUST-Saturdays, Sundays-2-3; 9-10; 16-
17; 23-24.
JONES CREEK (LOWER BLUE RIDGE) AREA
NIMBLEWILL CREEK Directions - From Dahlonega, go nine miles west on Highway 52. Turn right at Grizzle's Store and go three miles to Nimblewill Church;
24

then go straight ahead three miles to Nimblewill Creek checking station.
OPEN DATES
MAY-Saturdays, Sundays- 3-4; 10-11; 17-18; 24-25.
AUGUST-Wednesdays, Thursdays-6-7; 13-14; 20-21 ; 27-28.
JONES CREEK
Directions - From Dahlonega, go nine miles west on Highway 52. Turn right at Grizzle's Store and go three miles to Nimblewill Church. Turn right at church and go straight two miles to Jones Creek checking station.
OPEN DATES
APRIL-Saturdays, Sundays-19-20; 26-27. MAY-Saturday, 31. JUNE-Saturdays, Sundays-1; 7-8; 14-15; 21-
22; 28-29. JULY-Wednesdays, Thursdays-2-3; 9-10; 16-
17; 23-24; 30-31. Friday-4 (Independence Day) AUGUST-Saturdays, Sundays-30-31. SEPTEMBER-Monday, 1 (Labor Day)
OPEN DATES
MAY-Saturday-31. JUNE-Saturdays, Sundays-1; 7-8; 14-15; 21-
22; 28-29. JULY-Wednesdays, Thursdays-2; 3; 9-10; 16-
17; 23-24; 30-31. Friday-4 (Independence Day) AUGUST-Saturdays, Sundays-2-3; 9-10; 16-17;
23-24; 30-31. SEPTEMBER-Sunday, Monday-1.
DICKS CREEK
Directions-Go to Clarkesville, turn to the left on Highway 197, travel past the Lake Burton Fish Hatchery to the first creek, at which place the permits may be secured from the State Wildlife Ranger.
OPEN DATES
APRIL-Wednesday-30. MAY-Wednesdays, Thursday- 1; 7-8; 14-15;
21-22; 28-29.
JACKS RIVER
Directions-Go to Blue Ridge, turn left on Highway 5 and go 4 miles and turn left on High-

way 2, and travel 9.4 miles to Watson Gap checking station.
OPEN DATES
APRIL-Saturdays, Sundays-19-20; 26-27.
MAY-Saturdays, Sundays- 3-4; 10-11; 17-18; 24-25.
JUNE-Wednesdays, Thursdays-4-5; 11-12; 1819; 25-26.
JULY-Saturdays, Sundays-5-6 ; 12-13 ; 19-20 ; 26-27. Friday-4, (Independence Day)
AUGUST-Wednesdays, Thursdays-6-7; 13-14; 20-21; 27-28. Saturdays, Sundays30-31.
SEPTEMBER-Monday-!.
CONASAUGA RIVER
Directions-Go through Chatsworth and go to Eton, then turn right on Holly Creek Road, and go 10.6 miles, take the left fork and travel 6.3 miles to Conasauga checking station.
OPEN DATES
APRIL-Saturdays, Sundays-19-20; 26-27; Wednesday-30.
MAY-Wednesdays, Thursdays-!; 7-8; 14-15; 21-22; 28-29. Saturday-31.
JUNE-Saturdays, Sundays-!; 7-8; 14-15; 2122; 28-29.
JULY-Wednesdays, Thursdays-2; 3; 9-10; 1617; 23-24; 30-31. Friday-4, (Independence Day)
AUGUST-Saturdays, Sundays-2-3; 9-10; 16-17; 23-24; 30-31.
SEPTEMBER-Monday-!.
MONTGOMERY CREEK
Directions-From Dahlonega, travel three miles north on U. S. Highway 19. Turn left on Camp Wahsega Road and go 71/2 miles to Three Notch Gap. Turn left at Three Notch Gap and go 1.7 miles to checking station.
OPEN DATES
APRIL-Wednesday, 30. MAY-Wednesdays, Thursdays-!; 7-8; 14-15;
21-22; 28-29. JUNE-Wednesdays, Thursdays-4-5; 11-12; 18-
19; 25-26. AUGUST-Saturdays, Sundays-2-3; 9-10; 16-17;
23-24.
CHATTAHOOCHEE AREA
CHATTAHOOCHEE AND SPOIL CANE CREEKS
Directions- From Robertstown, travel three-

tenths of a mile on Highway 75. After crossing river bridge, turn right and travel one-half mile north to Chattahoochee River checking station.
OPEN DATES
APRIL-Saturdays, Sundays-19-20; 26-27. MAY-Saturdays, Sundays- 3-4; 10-11; 17-18;
24-25. JUNE-Wednesdays, Thursdays-4-5; 11-12; 18-
19; 25-26. JULY-Friday-4 (Independence Day)
Saturdays, Sundays-5-6; 12-13; 19-20; 26-27. AUGUST-Wednesdays, Thursdays-6-7; 13-14;
20-21. Sunday-31. SEPTEMBER-Monday-! (Labor Day)
DUKES CREEK
Directions- From Robertstown, travel threetenths of a mile north on Highway 75. After crossing river bridge, turn left and travel three and two-tenths miles west to Dukes Creek checking station.
OPEN DATES
APRIL-Wednesday, 30. MAY-Wednesdays, Thursdays -1; 7-8; 14-15;
21-22; 28-29; Saturdays-31. JUNE-Saturdays, Sundays-!; 7-8; 28-29. JULY-Wednesdays, Thursdays- 2-3; 9-10, 16-
17. AUGUST-Saturdays, Sundays-2-3; 9-10; 16-17;
23-24.
SMITH CREEK
Directions-Go to Robertstown, turn right on Unicoi Park road and travel three miles east to head of Unicoi State Park Lake and Smith Creek checking station.
OPEN DATES
JUNE-Saturdays, Sundays-14-15; 21-22. JULY-Wednesdays, Thursdays-23-24; 30-31. AUGUST-Wednesdays, Thursdays-27-28.
CHESTATEE AREA
DICKS AND WATERS CREEKS
Directions-From Dahlonega, travel north 15 miles on Highway 19, turn left and go three miles to Wildlife Ranger station.
OPEN DATES
APRIL-Saturdays, Sundays-19-20; 26-27.
25

MAY-Saturdays, Sundays- 3-4; 10-11; 17-18; 24-25; 31.
JUNE-Wednesdays, Thursdays-4-5; 11-12; 1819; 25-26.
JULY-Saturdays, Sundays- 5-6; 12-13; 19-20; 26-27. Friday-4, (Independence Day)
AUGUST-Saturday, Sunday-30-31. SEPTEMBER-Monday, 1 (Labor Day).
BOGGS CREEK AND CHESTATEE RIVER
Directions-From Dahlonega travel north 15% miles on Highway 19 to Turner's Corner, at which place is checking station for Boggs Creek and Chestatee River.
OPEN DATES
APRIL- Wednesday-30.
MAY-Wednesdays, Thursdays-1; 7-8; 14-15; 21-22; 28-29.
JUNE-Saturdays, Sundays-1; 7-8; 14-15; 2122; 28-29.
JULY-Wednesdays, Thursdays - 2-3; 9-10; 1617.
AUGUST-Saturdays, Sundays-2-3; 9-10; 16-17 ; 23-24.
LAKE BURTON MANAGEMENT AREA
WILDCAT CREEK
Directions-Go to Clarkesville, take Highway 197 to the end of pavement, turn to the left and travel past Buford LaPrade's Camp, and pass the first creek on top of first hill, turn left on dirt road, which will lead to Wildcat Creek where permits may be bought from Wildlife Rangers.
OPEN DATES
APRIL-Saturdays, Sundays-19-20; 26-27.
MAY-Saturdays, Sundays- 3-4; 10-11; 17-18; 24-25.
JUNE-Wednesdays, Thursdays-4-5; 11-12; 1819; 25-26.
JULY-Saturdays, Sundays-5-6; 12-13; 19-20; 26-27.
AUGUST-Wednesdays, Thursdays-6-7; 13-14; 20-21 ; 27-28.
MOCCASIN CREEK
Directions-Go to Clarkesville, take Highway 197 to end of pavement, turn left and follow main road to the Lake Burton Fish Hatchery, where permits may be bought from Wildlife Rangers.
26

EDITORIAL-
(Continued from Page 3)
tions. After fifteen days of carefree activity near the surface, young oysters drop to the bottom and search for some clean, hard surface on which to attach themselves. Usually, they find rocks or old oyster shells. Sometimes they find nothing but mud and perish.
Oyster farmers are required by law to return at least one-third of the shells they remove back into the water. This is to insure young oysters of good habitat and the law must be obeyed if oysters are to increase.
Oyster Farming
From a conservation standpoint, oyster farming is the best means of insuring continuing success. Furthermore, farming makes it possible to utilize more good oyster bottoms through proper management and development. However, to encourage the Game and Fish Commission must clarify laws on property rights, plant seed stock and develop oyster bottoms, and operate a more intense enforcement program to put the skids to bootlegging and illegal taking of oysters.
We should also be in a position to furnish seed oysters and carry on research programs to keep farmers posted on techniques. But before anything is done, pollution and its nasty effects must be cleared up.
License Fees
COMBINATION: Hunting and Fishing_____________________________________$ 3.25
FISHING: Resident ---------------------------------------------------------- 1.25 Resident Shad -------------------------------------------------- 1.00 Residents under 16 years of age______________None Residents 65 years of age and over - Honorary
hunting and fishing licenses required Nonresident ______________________________________Reciprocal
Nonresident 1 Day--------------------------------------- 1.00 Nonresident 10 Days -------------------------------------- 3.25 Nonresident Shad ------------------------------------------ 10.00
HUNTING: Resident ---------------------------------------------------------- 2.25 Residents under 16 years of age___________________None Residents 65 years of age and over - Honorary
hunting and fishing licenses required Nonresident State Season______________________ 20.25
Nonresident 10 Day or County______________________ 10.25
ROUGH FISH BASKET: Resident ----------------------------------------------------- 1.10

CHING OUTD~

By BOB SHORT
Edito1, Ge01gia Game and Fish

Let's Make Conservation a No. 1 Goal

OUTDOOR living and a penchant for God's wild creatures are not new American traditions. They have been enjoyed since the time of Captain John Smith and Pocahontas, except today outdoor enthusiasts can be multiplied by thousands. It is significant that over 150 million people took advantages of state and national parks last year. The fact that there are over 25 million licensed. hunters and fishermen, which excludes those too young to purchase licenses and old enough to be given an honorary license in some states, further proves America's love for the great out-of-doors.
Poet Sidney Lanier made lasting impressions on the minds of Georgian's with his "Song of the Chattahoochee" and "Marshes of Glynn." Ed Dodd, creator of comic-strip conservationist Mark Trail, has been profoundly influenced by Georgia's water and woodlands. The late Arthur Woody, ''ranger Woody" to his innumerable friends, made a wildlife paradise in the unconquered Chattahoochee national forest, so strong was his love for nature and wild things.
Everyone searches for quiet, leafy spots where they can meditate without interruption and feel closer to the Almighty; or for sport in areas far removed from their natural habitat; or for a cool, shady lake or pond to drown their worries and thoughts alongside their favorite lure.
Mother Nature and her inhabitants are good:t u . They furnish rest, relaxation and sport to millions of Americans each year. Have Americans returned the gesture? Have we put back into nature what we have taken away? What about the passenger pigeon, the heath hen and whooping cranes? Can we truthfully say we have done our best to protect them from destruction?
It is no secret that passenger pigeons may have been saved had enough been known about them to :ecognize their downward plight. But their case IS not the only one in which mankind has misused natural resources. Destruction and unwise uses of forests and soil were rampant for long periods. Farmlands became wastelands and forests were stripped of th~ir timber.

What will America be like in the 21st century if its leaders and people do not wake up to conservation? The answer lies in how well Americans rally to the conservation cause. Those who practice good conservation and are aware of its need must accept this challenge and double the intensity of their battle against non-conformers. Those who are not conservationists must be taught to be conscious of their responsibility in preserving the world in which they so graciously live.
America faces a twofold conservation dilemma. First, there are the constant problems arising from an increasing population, better modes of transportation, modern highways and more leisure time. Too, there's the most preplexing problem of all - lack of interest by the general public toward improving America's natural resources.
The forests and fields, upon which outdoor recreation is dependent, are rapidly decreasing. The growth of cities, highway systems and industry has affected our population. People have deserted well-managed farmlands to take jobs in the city, leaving their soil to be decayed and swept awar by erosion and weeds. This must happen, for prog ress cannot be denied. But why waste such valuable land and wildlife habitat? Can we not do something to restore good game habitat?
Americans are faced with a big decision - if we are to give to ruture generations what the past generation left for us, we must protect what is ours so that our own may enjoy the unrestrained life we have enjoyed. Conservation must be everyone's No. 1 goal.
People are opposed to regimentation. In fact, the purpose of the settlers coming to America was to escape tryanny, to be free and unrestrained. Yet, our leaders foresaw the need for restriction and laws lest America become a land of murderers and thieves.
Such restrictions must also be placed on wildlife if they are to be preserved and enjoyed by generations to come. Conservation has passed the experimentation stage. Action is needed and needed now.

GEORGIA GAME AND FISH COMMISSION
412 STATE CAPITOL BUILDING
ATLANTA. GEORGIA

SEC . 34 . 66 , P. L . & R .
U . 5 . POSTAGE
PAID
ATLANTA. GA. PERMIT NO. 155