Georgia game and fish [Vol. 8, no. 1 (Spring 1959)]

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

ERNEST VANDIVER, Governor

COMMISSIONERS

J. T. TRAPNELL First District
Rici!~RD TIFT. C hmn. Second District
c. J. OWE!\ , JR. Third Di~trict
WILLIAM E. SMITH Fourth District

GEOr:GE EAST
Sixth District
ALVA J. HOPKI NS
Eighth Distri ct
c. FRED ]ONES, JR.
Ninth District LUKE L. (OUCI I
Tenth District

JAMES GOETHE
Coastal Area

FULTON LOVELL, Director

DIVISION CHIEFS

CLIFFORD P. PALMEr:
GEOR GE C . MooR E
BoB SnoRT
FRED J. DI C KSON
T oM SA NDERS
DAv m G o u LD _ VENN IE M. ]ONES

Enforcement _ _ ___ Came llfana{!,ement
Education and Information __ ___ Fish Marza{!,emcnt ______ .License
Coastal Fisheries ____ _ Bookkeeping

BI LL A TKI C\SON

Personnel

FEDERAL AID DIVISION

]ACK CROC KFORD H o w AHD ZELLER

Pittman -R abe rtson
Din w~II -John s on

IN THIS ISSUE

Fish Conservation In Georgia

3

Fishing Forecast for '59

4

A Frontier for Fishermen

6

Where- To- Go

9

Boss Blitz on the Etowah

10

Air Conditioned Fishing

13

License Dollars

14

Operation Cleanup

16

Georgia Ponds Brimming with Boss

and Breom

18

New Trout Stream Open

24

News from the World of Conservation 25

Trout Schedule for 1959

27

COVER
Atlantion Mike Tont enjoys fishing In form ponds. There ore over 40,000 such lakes in Georgia ond they ploy an important role In the state's fishing picture. (See story on poge 18.)-Photo by Charles Jackson.

EDITORIAL OFFICES-40 l Stote Capito l, Atlanta, Georgia

BoB SHonT, Edit 01

\ \\CY BELl\.. Cirndation

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FISHI NG EDI TIO N

Vol. 8, No. 1

l' ul>li,Jilcl 1>_,. tl> t ; cn r~-:i:~ 1::.11 .111<1 l'i,Jt l 'n m mi.,~io n, 101 St;, tc ('a pi tol. .\ tln n ta. G eo r g- i a , in th P in t erest o f Ceo r g ia \\'ildlife and f o r fishermen, hunt-
<'1"!'. natur t lo\'tr~ nnd l"ot~ ~ r\ ~d r 111 ~d n:1tuntl r c~ourccs. Tlwre is n o .... uhsc r iJlt io n fee---t hi s Jlu bli ca ti on is f nf' an d i .~ paid fo r by th e purchns e of fishing and hunt i ng- lic'l' l l.'-'f"~ . l 'lul"H' u'd 11 Y 11~ nt on<'' of a n y c han ge> o f nd d rr ss. Cont C' n t s of 1hi s m a g a7. in e m ay he r-e printf' d \\"ith proper credit . This puhli,-:Jtion Wtlco nws Jlietun~ dr:t\\Ing......-.;tori(:-. nnd :Irfi(les cl f> alin g with o utdoo r suhj f' cts fo r c-on s tdt rat io n . No co nt r ibutio n s will b e returned unless
,i]icittd J,:v n ut hor i7.t.-d pattv npn tntinJ.!' <;anl(' & Fi ~ h C omrn i s ~ion a n d acco rn p anitd by s u fli c ie n t J.os tag e. ~nt e re li a s thi rd class p ostage.

Fish Conservation in Georgia

BY FULTON LOVELL
Fish conservation has undergone many unusual developments within the past several years. The evolution is particularly gratifying because it has
resulted in better fishing throughout the state.

In the early days, fish were abundant. Our state was sparcely settled, fishing methods were crude and actually so inefficient that depletion was never a problem. Therefore, no conservation measures were needed.

FULTON LOVELL

However, as Georgia progressed and its popu-

lation increased more de-

mand \Vas put on its fishery resource. It became

no longer feasible to completely disregard con-

servation and fish management techniques. It be-

came apparent that conservation administrators

must look ahead; center their thinking on a grow-

ing population and build their program around a

sound management setup that will result in more

and better fishing.

It was necessary to collect a license fee from fishermen to pay for this management, which is as it should be. Georgia fishermen do not grumble over the cost of a fishing license, particularly in the face of such dramatic proof that a scientific fish management program benefits all anglers.

Now, Georgia has a growing evidence that fishing is improving. Trained fishery biologists are learning, more and more, how to manage our waters. They are becoming more efficient in handling our fishery resources by stocking, regulations, environmental improvement, controlling fish populations and creating m ore fishing water ..;.

To do a more efficient job, however, they need a more enlightened public. Consequently, the Game and Fish Commission is str iving to place more emphasis on conservation education. It is

going all out to acquaint all anglers with the proper methods of fish conservation through all medias.
By the same token, it has been successful in hiring trained specialists in different phases of fish management. It has also fared well in setting up and carrying out a rigid enforcement program aimed at protecting only the species that need protection before they can successfully reproduce.
In looking at Georgia's fish conservation program one can readily see that it has progressed just as medicine, engineering and other specialized fields have moved forward.
As for the current fish conservation picture, enough is known to present it graphically:
1. \Ve have more anglers than eve r before. Fishing pressure increases constantly.
2. A lake or stream will produce only a certain amount of fish. The average acre of water in the United States probably supports only about 100 pounds of fish.
3. Of these fish, only a portion are of the size or species wanted by the fisherman. In many waters of the state desirable or "game" species are in the minority.
4. Of the available supply, only a fraction can be caught.
5. Because of siltation and pollution many waters can no longer support as large a crop of fish as they once did.
These are a few of the problems facing today's fishery biologist. To say we have them licked would be an exaggerated statement. It is true, however, that Georgia is making unparalleled progress in fish conservation by developing populations, introducing new fish, utilizing every available facility to improve existing streams, and by surveying and controlling rough fish species.
This is a new era of fishing in Georgia. It has reached its first pinnacle. The future holds nothing but s uccess, thanks to a sound, scientific fish management program.
3

P ho to by l<en P att erson
Fishing in Georgia is more th a n a som eti mes re creation- it has assumed th e proportion as a way of life.

FI SHING Forecast for '59

THERE must be a reason why so many devoted husbands leave their mates and offsprings to
move in armies to streams, ponds, lakes, oceans, creeks branches, and swampy backwaters in pursuit of fish.
That reason, while not absolutely clear, could be due to the abundance of bass, bream, crappie,
Robert Hamby of Clayton and His Big Fish 13 pound, one-ounce Brown taken be;ow the Lake Burton Dam.
/'
/

shellcrackers, trout, perch and catfish found in Georgia's lakes and streams.
If early indications can be used as a yardstick, 1959 will be another year of excellent angling in the Peach State.
Already this spring a new trout record has been established and quite a few fishermen have lost lunker largemouth bass that left the impression of being near-record sized.
Robert (Jabbo) Hamby, a Clayton angler who has long sought a trophy trout from the tailwaters of Lake Burton, set a new state record with a 13-pound, one-ounce Brown. Hamb~T landed the fish after a 10-minute struggle in the Tallulah River below the Burton Dam.
But even though Hamby latched onto "old fighter" other anglers are far from giving up hope of matching his catch. Oldtimers say there are still plenty of big browns. and rainbow. too, in mountain lakes.
There appears to be no shortage of lunker largemouths, either. Clark Hill and Seminole have al-

J
r '

Dan Kimsey of Albany with a string of smallmouth Bass Taken from Flint River near Hopeful.

ready yielded fish scaling in the double digits and a 13-pounder, caught by Donald Adcock of LaGrange, was reported from Mountain Creek near Callaway Gardens.
Georgia's 40,000 farm ponds add considerably to the fishing picture. Good ponds yield limits of hand-sized bream and shellcrackers and large bass are not uncommon in some of the more productive ones.
STRIPERS FOR SEl\IINOLE
One of the state's best lakes, Seminole, may become even better. The Game and Fish Commission has announced plans to establish striped bass (rockfish) in the 37,500-acre impoundment.
Biologists from Georgia met with oflicials of the Florida Game and Freshwater Fish Commission recently at Bainbridge and mapped 1' 1ans for the project.
Lake Seminole, formed at the apex of the Flint, Chattahoochee and Apalachicola Hivers, is situated in both Florida and Georgia.
Striped bass are found in the Apalachicola and even in Seminole, but it is the desire of the Commission to establish a greater population.
Trout fishermen have plenty to look forward to

in '59. The State will release over 300,000 trout in the 700 miles of streams located in north Georgia. These fish , in addition to the native population, sho uld make this year one of the best ever for trout fishermen.
Three new managed streams-Sarah, \Valnut Forks and Tuckaluge Creeks-will be opened this year for the first time. These streams are located in the \Varwoman Management Area near Clayton.
Expansion of the Lake Burton Hatchery has more than doubled the rearing facilities of that installation, which will result in more trout for public streams.
Extra large crappie will be taken this year in most lakes. Hecent studi es by fishery biologists s howed an abundance of "speckled perch" in all lakes surveyed. At Clark Hill, the average crappie caught weighed in at one pound, two ounces. which is, as most a nglers will admit, a fair-sized fish.
Overall, 1959 will be an excellent y0ar for fishe rmen. Besides freshwater fish, salt water anglers are looking forward to a good run of weakfish , challnel bass and other species, plus good angling for tarpon and sailfish later in the seaso n.

GEORGIA GAME FISH
A LOOK AT THE GEORGIA COAST THROUGH THE EYES OF ONE OF THE WORLD'S
LEADING SALT WATER FISHERMEN

Author Hal Lyman Lands Speckled Trout From Georgia Surf

Beef cattle, lying on the open sand beach in a brilliant sun, never even raised their heads as our plane flew over them. Some of their companions, standing hock deep in a gentle surf, turned to watch the wing shadow skim by like a living th in g. The plane banked sharply and five white deer burst from the shelter of a huge live oa k to bound into the protection of thicker cover.
"Look there, " exclaimed pil ot Cliff King as h e threw the plane into a slide-slip - which left my stomach at an altitude consi derably high er than the r est of my anatomy. \Vhen my digestive system had settled back into a reaso nably norma l position, I looked.
There, working right at t h e surf line, wer e fish - dozens of th em.
"Bass," said Cliff, who hails f r om B runswick.
"Drum," said Dr. Bill Flynn of Atla nta.
"Redfish," exclaimed Ed LoU;\'S of H ia leah, Florida.
"Channel Bass," I murmured and, to myself, add ed "SciuP11 O]JS Orella tus." A Bostonian has to be careful about spouting Latin at high altitudes. Each of us was co rrect according to his own t erminology.
Zooming low, Cliff looked on'r the beal1, circled once and brought th e light four-seater in to a gentle landing on hard-packed sand. Ifp taxied to softer sand above hi g h \Vater ma r k and we piled out on the shore of Little Cumberland Island, just south of Christmas Creek.
This Island, with its fresh water creek running

into th e ocea n , li es only a shor t dist ance from J ekyll Island, for merly th e coa stal p layground of millionaires a nd now a pa rk owned by the State of Geo r gia.

I took off my shoes, felt th e blast of heat from t he sun, looked a t t he pale , un t a mlPd tops of my toes - and put my shoes back on again!

Scant t ackle was assembled in a rush. Our s upply was strictly unorth odox and meager for this had started as a business trip, so the fishing was purely incide nta l. Bill F lynn had a standard surf spinn ing outfit a nd Cliff King assembled a stubby cr oss between a boat rod and surf rod. Both headed for t he point where the channel bass ha d been seen, comp lete with a few mullet for bait and what later tu r ned out to he all too few hooks.

Ed Louys and I sprinted down the beach to a s pot wher<' gu ll s were w h eeling and diving, pelicans were crashing into bait schools as though they had been shot in midair and frighten<>d minnows were leaping for their lives. Ed had a light bait casting outfit and l had a spinning rig of simihtr \Wight, both good ellOLtgh for small game, but hard!~' the weapons for tangling with !Jig channel bass from the brach. \Vading into tlw warm surf to our waists, we started casting toward e\crr break within reach.

Sudden)~ something stopped m;\' bucktail in mid-rctrieve, g:we a \\'iggle and \\as gone.

".Just had a hit. Ed,'' I yelled.

"Probably bottom," wa s his qttil'k rt>pl;\. "It's

easy for you amateurs to mistake - \\hoops, J' yp

got one!"

' Please turn page )

7

Hal Lyman and Bill Flynn Toke to the Surf on Sea Island .

A Frontier for Fishermen- (continued)

And he hac!. A spotted seatrout had grabbed his small spoon and was doing his best to correct the error. Ed backed toward dry land, his polka dot trunks shimmering in the sun. He had reason to regret those trunks that evening for the sun burned through each separate and distinct dot with the result that parts of his epidermal layer looked as though he had been seized with an attack of g-iant meas les.
The trout, al so s potted, was soon gasping on the beach. It was the first of m a ny, but definitely not the largest. Ed later beat hiR own mar k by switching to a surface plug, which lured fish wC'ighing close t o fiv e pounds.
.\ftP-r watching Ed Janel hi s 1ish. I ~ ,arted casting again and found that I was missing strike aft er str ilH'. I watc:htcl the lure
8

carefully, though the wat er was the color of strong tea, in an attempt to discover why 1 had so many misses. The misses came often just as ! was lifti ng the lure from the water.
Close behind my bucktail I saw a shadow, jigged the rod tip to give the lure more actio n, and was startl ed out of my shoes when a ta r pon of abou t ten pounds swirled righ t at my feet, bumped my knee and darted in panic for deeper water. \Vith tarpon in this vicinity, m~' automatic reaction was to slow my retrieve and jig the lure more often. This technique paid offnot with tarpon but in seatrout.
The tide had just started to ebb and the current was carrying baits of all kinds to sea. 'The birds. the fish - and Ed and myself - worked closer and cl oser to the mouth of the stream as the current became stronger.
(Conti nued on page 22 )

Tarpon like this one ore not uncommon on the coast.

Boats, Baits Available on Coast

Georgia's golden coast offers a wide var iety of sport fishing. At least one prominent specie is available to anglers during each month of the year.
Partv and charter boats arc located in Brunswick, Sheliman Bluff, Savannah and Jekyll Island. Row boats, outboards and bait arc available at all marine docks. If yo u trailer your boat, launching sites are located all along the coast.

waters and occasion~lly in inl et s and suun_ds. Tw? run s lasting approx1~1ately 45 da:rs; on: 111 Apnl and May, the other 111 Aug. to Sept. 01 Oct.
BLACK DHUl\1 - (still fi shing) - slack tide, high or low; best baits arc shrimp , crabs, squid; found in rivers, sounds, inlets and channels usually around piling buoys, channel mark er s and wrecks. :Ccst time April to October.

- Where to go -
Guid es can be found at all points. Overnight facilities, boats, outboards and guides can be located through the local chambers of commerce.
At least 21 different species of salt water game fish provide great s port for anglers on the Georgia coast. These range from the leaping, twisting tarpon to spotted weakfish. Here's a chart showing how, when, and where to catch them and the bes t t:vpe of bait to use.
TARPON - (trolling, still fishing, casting) anv tide offshore morning and afternoon: low tide
in~hore; live shrimp, cut mullet spoons, plugs;
found in sounds, inlets rivers close to ocean and inshore waters. Best time is from last of May to first bad weather in the fall.
EDDYFISH - (still fishing) - low or high slack; shrimp, crabs squid; found around deep wrecks, channel buoys, beacons and other shady spots. Best time from April to September but most abundant in early July.
ALBACORE - (trolling) - any tide early morning or late afternoon; best baits are cut mullet, squids, spoons; found in offshore waters -seldom closer than edge of gulf stream. Best time May through August.
ANGELFISH - (still fishing) - any tide, morning or late afternoon; best baits are cut found in offshore waters, early spring to late fall.
BLACKFISH (COl\11\ION SEA BASS) - (still fishing) - any tide; best baits, shrimp, crab, cut bait; found in offshore waters. Best time is in the summer.
SPANISH l\IACKEHEL- (trolling) high flood tide, inside any tide offshore; best baits are shrimp, crab, cut bait, plugs; found in sounds inlets and offshore waters, May through August.
lONG l\IACKEHEL - (trolling) - any tide; best baits are sh rimp, cut mullet, squids, s poons; found in offshore waters. Generall y when fishing for spanish mackerel. Best time is l\lay through August.
COBIA - (trolling, still fishing) an.v ide; best baits are live baits, shrimp, crabs, lures; found in offshore waters around channel markers, buoys, wrecks. Best time April through November.
BLUEFISH - (trolling, st ill fishing) - any t id e offshore, high water flood in inl ets; best baits are cut mullet , squids, spoons; found in ofl"sho r c

- Where to find 'em -
SAILFISH - (trolling) - an:v tide, early morning or afternoon after ~ p.m.; best baits arc cut mullet, spoons, yellow feather jigs, whole small mullet; found in offshore waters - seldom closer than 10-12 miles offshore. Best time May through August.
Al\IBER.JACK - (trollin g, still fishing)-best baits are mullet, lures resembling sma ll fish, large cut baits: found in offshore waters. Best time May through August.
JACK CHA YELL E - (trolling, s till fi shing) anv tide, offshore; slack tide inshore ; best baits ar~ cut mull et, spoons, plugs; found in sounds, in lets and offsh ore waters. Best time is during summer months.
CHANNEL BASS - (trolling, surf casting, still fishing) - high flood and high slack tides; best baits are spoons, cut mullet, shrimp, crabs, squids, plugs ; found in riven; so und s and inl c~s around oyster beds; sandbars along beaches m summer ~onths. Best time s pring and s umm er into earhr fall.
\VHITiNG- (still fishing) - low ebb or flood inside low tide, fl ood tide on beaches; best baits shrimp, small crabs; found in rivers close to ocean, sounds, inlets and beaches. Ca ught on bottom. Best time early spring to late fall.
\\' INTER TROUT- (casting, sti ll fish in g) low, ebb, high, flood tid es; best baits are liw s hrimp , plugs; found in ~reeks, rivers sounds and inlets around oyster beds. Best times-October through March, December and ,January best.
BAHHACUDA - (trollin g) - a n.v tide; best baits are cut mullet, lures, squids, live baits; found in offshore waters. Best time-l\Iay through Augu-;t.
STIUPED BASS - (trolling, surf casting, stillfishin g, casting) any tide, slack flood best: best baits are crab, cut mullet, shrimp, clams, squ id, natural looking lures; found in sounds, rivers, inlets, beaches, creeks. Best times-spring and fa ll.
SHA I> - (trolling, casting) - flood tich' best; best baits arc flies or lures resembling insects, spoons; found predominantly in St. :\larys, Altamaha, Ogcerhec and Sa,annah Ri,ers. Best time is January through :\larch.

9

BASS BLITZ
O n The Etovvah

By Leon Kirkland
Fishery Biologist
The swirling swiftness of the Etowah Rive1 rus hed a long, flatended boat toward an uprooted tree which stuck out like a sore thumb on the bank. An angler, obviously quite satisfied with himself, grinned from the center of the boat: up front. a frecklefaced ~ otmgster reached for the stringer and hoisted it up in the air. The man in co ntrol of the motor cranked up and headed for the roots.
An anchor rope went out and the man tied the boat securely to the tree, then yelled: "Have any luck fellows? Or. did Jamie catch 'em all?"
\Ve didn't answer. Fishery biologists, as a general rule, never fish. Especially when they are on duty surveying creels as we were on Lake Allatoona.
Fishermen are gregarious and this boatload was no exception. Fishery biologists are usually businesslike. and we didn't break the rule. \Ve exchanged pleasantries and surveyed their morning catch. It only took a minute and after it was over, the man at the controls cranked up and headed the boat for dock.
These fishermen had just been introduced to white bass fishing in Lake Allatoona, a new thrill for them in their quest to enjoy pl easu r e in the outdoors. They had told us that white bass are a sensation on the end of a line and, when we saw them again later in the day, that they don't do too badly on a platter with hushpuppies, either.
\rhite bass, a small cousin of the saltwater striped bass, or
(Pieose turn poge)

Tommy Johnson with String of White Boss. Boll Ground Angler Scored During Recent Spowning Run.
Fishery Biologi~t Leon Kirklond Sur veys Cotch of Conton Fishermon Jesse Holey on Allotoono .
11

LAKE ALLATOONA
AND THE ETOWAH
RIVER

G
cJ/1

0

1

I

I

MILE S

rockfh;h, were first introduced into Lake Allatoona Ly the Game a nd Fish Commi ssion in 1953. Since then, repeated plantings have been made in an attempt to speed up their e~tab li shm ent. It wasn't until the past spring, hO\vever. that white Lass were
taken with any degrcf' of con-
sistency.
March and April ar-.; white
bass blitz months on Allatoona.

This is spawning time and as every good angler knows, white bass are vulnerable during this period. It all begins when the ma les head upstream to spawning grounds and are followed sh ortly Ly f emales. An a ccurate
check on the progl'ess of s pawning can be kept by an examination of ca ught fish . If predominantly male. then spawning is
just beginning. But if the females outnumber the males, then

~~ -=~~

~ :;.r

~-

~

it's well on its way.

A search into the best types of lures to use Lroug ht varied answers. One old gentleman, who should be classed as a "real" fish e l'man , offer ed this as a solu-
tion:

"\Vhite bass can he caught on almost anything," he said, "depending on how bad you want

(Continu ed on poge 24)

=red McDill Got in on the Fun, Too-His White Boss Come from the Etowoh, Just Above Knox Bridge.

This Is It-the Fobled White Boss-It's o Rel ot ive of the Salt Woter Stripe

AIR CONDITIONED FISHING
By Bob Short
Night Fishermen Bring Back The Big Ones, With The Help Of A Bright Moon, Strong Lanterns

If you like to catch fi sh a nd don 't mind losing sleep to do it, join th e crowd - go night fishing.
So me of the biggest fish landed in Georgia are caught at night under a bright moon and a strong la nte rn . And think of having cool air conditioning instead of blazing away in the hot, hot snn.
Of cou n.;e, the big advantage of night fishin g is the payoff. Those wh o know say the best catches a re brought home after dark from .July to September.
Why so?
"Fish feed more at night durin g h ot weather," reasons fishery biologist Howard Zeller. "Then, too, t hey move into shallow wa t er to find food a nd thus are more easily taken."
Avery Rowell, who live:-; in Nahunta, has netted som e bass at night tha t make t wo-pounders look as sma ll as minnows.
Most experienced night fisherm en say the be:-:;t m ethod is to fi:-:;h naturally but Rowell prefers the "jigger" method, in which he dabbles his homemade lure on top of the wat er in a likely looki ng spot until it at t r acts a bass.
First-timers have little success with "jigger" fi shin g because the secret is in the "jig," but experi enced hands like Rowell bring home th e big ones in after dark escapades.
Even mnk amateurs catch bass under the stars wit h noisy, sputtering topwater pl ugs. The secret is to fi nd a good spot, a nchor t he boat. and cast t owar d the bank. Once the fi sh a re found, it's not out of reason to expect fiv e or even six from the same spot.
It is not unlawful to fi sh a t night, contrary to what many people thinlc. The Game and Fish Commi ssion has no r egulations aga inst night fishing but it does have the power t o say just how it ca n be done.
The one restriction on t he books, however, pertains only to Clark Hill Rese r vo ir where a reciprocal agreement with Sout h Carolin a limits t he size of light to five-c ell s a nd und er.
South Carolina does not perm it a light larger than a five-celler.
There have been arguments both pro and con on the effectiveness of a light. Some anglers sa~ the light does nothinJ! wha tsoever toward attntcting fish while others cla im the light is the difference betwepn a st rinJ!t' rful a nd no fish at all.
" I don't lik e to (nt PI" into a n ybod~''s arguments but probabl~ what hap pens is t he light attract s
(Continu ed on page 21)
13

Two-Way Radio System Helps Rangers Corry Out Enforcement Duties. Cliff Palmer (right) Confers with Ranger E. F. Mosely About Enforcement Problem .

LICENSE DOLLARS

Of !Jn6ide Sto,.'l

fiow cflcende mone'l

!Jd Put :Jo Wo,. {5'! :Jfte (jeotgia

(fame _J/nJ :J-idh Commiddion

Ranger R. H. Johnson Checks Hunter's License. License Money Foots Bill for Enforcement Program.
SINCE World War II the Great Outdoors has become alive with hunters and fishermen. An increasing population, more leisure time, the surge of boating and layaway plans account for more extensive use of natural resources for relaxation and pleasure.
With the increase in hunters and fishermen, naturally, came an advance in the sales of hunting and fishing licenses. Receipts in Georgia more than doubled between 1950 and 1958. In 1957, a historical landmark was passed when, for the first time in history, over one million dollars was grossed from the sale of licenses.
This money, after commissions are paid to
license agents, is used to finance the operation of the Game and Fish Commission.
Your license dollar helps to support Georgia's conservation program. It is put, along with many others like it, into the State's general fund and appropriated to the Game and Fish Commission. From there, it may be used in the game and fish management programs, enforcement work, coastal fisheries development and patrol, education and information or administration.
Bulk of the Commission's budget is paid for enforcing game and fish laws. Of the $1,600,128.00 operational expense during the fiscal year 1958, $645,780.00 went to the enforcement division -

40.3 per cent of the total budget. These funds were used to pay the salaries of 115 wildlife rangers, maintain the equipment necessary to carry out the job and to replace old equipment, such as vehicles, radios and boats and motors, with new.
Salaries and maintenance require the largest amount in enforcement work. Georgia's wildlife rangers are well-dressed and well-equipped and have won wide acclaim for themselves in the eyes of law enforcement people in the Southeast.
At the Southeastern Convention of Game and Fish Commissioners in Louisville last fall, an enforcement agent from another state praised Georgia's enforcement division as being "the closest knit and most intelligent in the Southeast."
Federally aided projects in game and fish restoration received the next largest chunk of the license dollar. The Commission's Pittman-Robertson (federal aid to game restoration) division spent $414,033.00 (25 per cent of the total budget). This division is in charge of all game work that is approved by the Department of Interior. Its duties include establishing and managing game management areas, habitat improvement and restoration, game research, trapping and relocating deer and turkeys and other jobs less important to the overall conservation program.
The Dingell-Johnson (federal aid to fish resto-

ration) division received seven per cent of the

total budget for its operation. Farm pond and

reservoir management, rough fish control, trout

stream management and fishery research are the

primary objectives of D-J work.

The State is reimbursed for expenditures in

Pittman-Robertson and Dingell-Johnson work by

the federal government at the rate of seventy five

cents for every dollar spent.

The Game management division, which conducts

all game projects not under federal aid, spent

$22,213.00, or roughly one and three-tenths per

cent of the total budget. Fish Management, which

includes all projects and services not under federal

aid, received $161,297.00 - 10 per cent of the

budget - for its use.

The remaining 15 per cent was used for admin-

istration (7.3), Education and Information (3.5)

and coastal fisheries work.

Administration required $117,915.00 of the

budget.

Education and information, the division respon-

sible for conservation, education and informing

the public of laws, developments and news of the

Department, required $56,473.00 during the fiscal

year. Its expenditures were three and half per

cent of the total cost for operating the Commis-

sion's activities.

(Continued on page 26)

Public Relations Is Big Part of Conservation Work. Ranger A. W. Pitts Instructs Youth Group Basic Concepts of Management.
Fish Management Projects Require Over 10 Per Cent of Budget. Here Wildlife Ranger Releases Fish in Lake Lanier.

Operalion Cleanup

Lakes Blackshear, Worth On Way Back After 900,000 Pounds Of
Gizzard Shad Removed In Big Fish Kill
Howard Zeller Surveys Portion of Kill. Over 900,000 Pounds of Shod Eliminated.
Inaccessible Backwaters Were Sprayed by Aircraft.

Two factors combine to make the rough fish eradication program on Lakes \Vorth and Blackshear a significant landmark in the history of fish management in Georgia. The first of these is the fact that the chemical treatment of an entire watershednever before attempted by anyone- is entirely possible. Secondly, the project praYed that gizzard shad can be chemically wiped out with little damage to game fish populations.
A total of 900,000 pounds of shad were eliminated from both lakes, the Flint river and Muckalee and Kinchafonee creeks. Rampant loss of game fish, an item feared by sportsmen, did not occur. Post treatment surveys revealed that only three percent of the total kill was game fish.
There has been a great change in Lakes \Vorth and Blackshear. They look strangely placid without massive schools of shad around to muss up the water. Their surface is no longer without fishermen and their fisher-

Suffered During the Program, Too. tough Fish Removed from Flint River.
men are no longer without fish on their .stringers.
Both Lake Blackshear and Lake \Vorth arc on the way back. The reason for it is the elimination of gizzard shad during the Game and Fish Commission's eradication program conducted last fall.
The program was suggested after many population studies proved without douLt that excessive numLers of gizzard shad were re~pon s ible for cleclir.e in sport fishing success. There have been other major rough fish eradication programs that exceeded the acreage of the Blackshear- \Yorth project. None of these, however, were as ambitious as tackling an entire watershed, some 15,000 s urface acres of water. The Texas Game and

Fish Department's treatment of Possum Kingdom lake amounted to a total of lG.OOO acres and Florida's Lake Apopka, all 30,000 acres of it, were "Lig" undertakings. But neither job encompassecl a watershed.
Since the Georgia work dealt with the swift Flint ltiver and l\'Iuckalee and Kinchafoonee creeks, manr problems became apparent as the project progressed. The major concern was evenly clistriLuting the chemical in the allotted s ix hours time. To do this, Loth reservoirs were divided into working zones and a crew assigned to each zone. Each crew was responsible for distriLuting the rotenone in its zone during the six hour period.
A total of GOO ga llons of rotenone was distriLuted in Lake Worth and the Flint below the Crisp County Power Dam. It took 3,600 gallons to properly saturate Lake Blackshear and its Lackwaters.
Since gizzard shad have proven more susceptible to rotenone than game species, a lighter concentration was used. A solution containing only .12 parts per million is all that was needed to accomplish the joL. However, where the concentration Lecame heavy, due to current, some game fish and catfish, carp and gar were eliminated.
Rotenone was chosen for the joL to keep from severely <listurL-

Boots Stond By Ready to Pick Up Fish . 5,000 Croft were on Hond for Operotion .
This Crew Ready to Spread Chemical. Rangers Stand By, Waiting for Doylight.

(Continued on poge 23)

Fishery Biologists Mop Pions for Big Kill. Howord Zeller (stonding, center) Directs Operation .

Spectators Line Bonk at Blockshcar. Big Crowd on Hand for "Operotion Cleanup."

... . . .-o&&-

j

r

~,

.. ,

----f. . ,.,;;

Farm Ponds Provide Splendid Fishin g fo~ Georg ia A nglers. Jimmy NeSmith Caught These Beauties in a Harris Co unty La ke.
LAND 0' LAKES
Georgia Ponds Brimming With Bass and Bream
18

There are over 40,000 farm ponds in Georgia and most of them are filled to the brim with bream and bass.
The number of backyard lakes is increasing at the rate of almost 3,000 per year and as it does more good fishing becomes available to Georgia anglers.
The State Game and Fish Commission has a year-around program designed to help farmers with better management of their ponds. Each year millions of fingerling bream and bass are released in ponds throughout the state by fishery biologists.
These little fish, if properly managed, usually wind up the prey of some angler, armed with a pole and a line, a can full of worms and an eagerness to relax in the peace and seclusion of a still pond.
"There is much more to pond management than stocking," says \Yillarrl \\r. Thomaston, a biologist in the state's farm pond investigation crew. "It takes plenty of work and a sound program of fish management."
Certain steps must lJe followed to pr011 uce good fishing. For example, ponds should be fertilized frequently, just like corn and cotton. The amount of fertilizer depends on the fertility of the water but fishery biologists recommend a good fertilizing about t en times a yea r.
"Good fertilization not only helps create acquatic life for fish to feed on," said Thomaston, "but

Mrs. W . R. Flynt of Americus with Day's Catch. These Bass and Bream Came from a Farm Pond.
19

Periodically, Fishery Biologists hold Clinics for Pond Owners throughout the State.

Farm Pond Fishing
also helps curb one of the biggest pond problems in thi s state - weed growth."
Actu a lly all a farmer needs to get started toward the construction of a pond is the land. Techni cal ad vice and assistance is provided by the Soil Conserva ti on Service and Game and Fish Commission fis h er y biologists. SCS agents will test t he soil type a nd watershed for pro~pective pond build er s and hel p him choose a suitable locatio n fo r hi ~ poncl.
Help and advice is also available from both se r vices on b uilding dar1 ~.
"Every builder s hould insist that his pond site be cleared of b ru sh, trees and other debris," state biologist Phil P ier ce a dvised. "It is also importcmt that the edges of a pond he cut approximately two feet deep to elimi nate shallow water. This is ll Peessa ry in o rder to eliminate weed growth around the edges."
Once the pond is construct ed a nd fill ed with w:ttt'l', it is time t o stock it w ith fi s h. Years of l'l'Search and tll>scrva ti on have proved t hat ba ~~ and hrC'am an the most compatible fish fo r ponds .
Dream are :t' ailahlP at state hatcheries in the fall and dist rihnh d. fret' of charge, to owners who

have made application to the Game and Fish Commission.
Following the stocking of bream, bass should be released the following S]Wing- at the rate of 100 per pond acre. One thousand bream per acre are recommended for proper "balance" in ferti li zed ponds.
\Vhen this chore is completed, t h e proprietor has to wait only until the bass spa\vn for the first time before raking his lure in search of a bass or dunking his worms in hopes of landing a pound bream.
B ream mav reach the ha lf-pou nd mark after a year's growth. provided the pond has been manaQ'Prl and fertilize d properly.
There is no set rule on how. whe n. how often or how mnch a pond should be fertilized.
"It depends on the ponds," chorused Herb \Vy att. who hands out a dvice on ponds in the Tifton area. "A good rule to fo llow is to put a fifty cent piece in your hand a nd stick it in the water up to ~ our elbow. If ~ou can see the fift~ cent piece, the pond needs f<>rtilizing."
Biologists recommend that the first application of fertilizer, either 8-8-2 or 20-20-5 formulas, be

made in t he spring and followed with subsequent applications as needed.
One of the biggest vrob lems t hat plague pond own er~ is t hat of un de~i rabl e weeds. B ut, thank s to modern ch emistry, t hey, too, can be solved.
" P ond s with weed problems should very defi nitely be check ed by expe rienced fis hery biologists," r ecommends \Vyatt. " Chemi cal t r eatment is often r ecommended but proper knowl edge of t h e chemical and how to li Re it mu st Le clearl y und erstood. If it isn't rig ht, it can do more harm t han good."
Th er e are many mi sunder stood concepts of pond management th at has owner s co nf used. A mong them:
"Do you drain farm ponds and restock them every five years? "
" Definitely not ," sa ys T homast on. "If a pond is properly constructed, stocked a nd mana ged it will suppl y good fi shing fo r a n indefi nite num ber of years."
" Is it safe to use s hellcrackers in a pond instead of bream?"
" Shellcracker s usuall y cr oss wit h blu egills and produce a hybrid fi sh t hat does not reproduce," Pierce informed. "Ther efore, sh ell cr acker fi sh ing tends t o f ade out. It is usuall y successful, however, when shellcracker s a r e stocked a long with bream . provided th ey do not exceed 20 per cent of th e t ot al bream populat ion."
" \Vhat causes fi s h " kills' in pond s '!"
" Fi sh kills ca n be caused by a variety of things," Thomaston said, "but the most common one is lack of oxygen, especially in the s ummer. \Vh en t his happens t he best th ing to do is eith er crank up a n outboar d m otor a nd whi rl around the lak e several times or add 50 to 75 pounds of super phosph ate ferti lizer per acre of water."
"Should small bream he returned to the pond ?"
"No. 1\Tost ponds tend to become over populated wit h bluegill s and adequate removal of fi sh is necessa r y to a ll ow growth."
" Do bass and bream in farm ponds fight as hard as those found in larger lakes."
"l\Tost of 'em do," P ierce smiled. "And studi es have shown t hat you can probabl y ca t ch fo ur t imes as ma ny fish in well managed ponds as you can in large lakes."
NE \V 1\TANAGEl\TENT ARE A I N" CLINCH, EC HOLS COU NTIE S. Game ManagemPnt techni cians h a ve compl eted st ocking the new Suwannoochee :\lanagement Area in Cli nc h a n d Echols counties. Bob Cannon of the Gam e a nd F ish Commi ssion's Pittman-nobertso n Divis ion says the new area will probably be opened in 19G3 for cont r olled deer hunting. Tom Smith of Pearson is refuge manager.

Night Fish in g
(Continued from pa g e 13 )
insect s a nd small fish , which in turn attract large fish, " says Zell er . " But many fi s h are cau g ht at night eve n withou t a lig ht."
Ther e is no definite proof just who is r ig h t a nd who is all-wet.
Although bass a nd cra ppie are more frequ ently the target after sundown , many ang lers go after other species. Much-Rcoffed-at rough fi s h a rc sought when bass and crappie won't give bait a second glance.
Carp, especiall y, a r e lu crati ve to sleev-l osi ng anglers beca use th ey grow t o mon strous sizes in most lak es a nd stream s. Another popul a r rou g l1 fi sh is th e catfis h, which is found in abundance a ll over the state.
Night fi shing r equires no ex t ra preparation or special skill. A bucket of minn ows, a strong lantern , enough hooks and tackl e a nd a likely-looking shallow cove is all th a t it t a keR.
Unl ess, of course, an angl er ha s done enoug h fishing at night t o have coll ected a fe w secrets good enough to hide from hi s fe llow ma n.
One such bit of informa t ion seems to be the use of hip boots a nd simply wa ding out from the bank with out a boat or even a lantern. \ Vhile t hi s may prove ra ther eeri e on a pitch black ni g ht, it never t heless h as proved profi t able t o t h e few who have done it.
Fishing f r om t he dock is ver y popul ar, part icula rly amo ng novice nigh t a ngl ers. Hanging la nterns f r om posts on t he docks, m idnigh t angler s URe a wi de variety of ba it ... doug hballs, red worms. old garters, spring li zards, artificial black eels and ch icken livers.
The strong lights mounted around boat docks makes night fishing a bit easier.
The main drawback to moonlight angling is losR of sleep. Many a droop,v-ered emploree has been accused of bu rning t he ca ndle at Loth ends aR a "gay blade" for showing up late for work w ith no excuse other than "I went fishing."
\Vhile .June is known for its moonlight nights, its brides and its romantic moments, in modern times it iR becoming known as a month of good night fishing.
To paraphrase an old song ... "Just give me a June night, the moonlight, and bait ..."
21

Weokfish is probably most populor coostal fish. Benny Gentile of Brunswick got these beouties.

Frontier For Fishermen

(Cont in ued from page 8)
Soon we were wading along the shores and on the bars of the creek itself.
Trout lay on the down-current edge of the bars waiting for food tumbled by the current. They also were feeding right on the drop-off along- the channel. A cast into swift water in mid channel would produce nothing as the current became stronger, but a hit wou ld come as the lure swung into more sh a llo w water near the bank. Soon I W<tS casting only along the shore downstream and ignoring the creek ec>nter entirely. The system paid off in hits and in fish landed or released .
In this section of Georgia, thP two favorite stages of tide for thf' heaeh fisherman are the hour on tcteh of high tide a nd the hou r on <':wh sitle of dt>a d low. On th e tlood, f('eding fish wo rk over th e ou ter bars into pot holes a nd <Tf'<'k mou ths. sueh as t h e one
22

we were fishing. On the ebb, an angler may wade to the offshore bars which lie approximately 250 yards out, and fish in the deeper water on the seaward s i d e.
Unlike most sections of the Atlantic coast, maximum or spring tides are not to be desired. \Vhen the tidal flow is strong, mud and silt from the many ri vers and marshes on Georgi a's seaboard are stirred up and the water becomes extremely roiled. \Vith the possible exception of tarpon, inshore game fish avoid such co ndition s. Therefore, local anglers concenbate their effo rts on the neap tide periods. However, I might point out that we were fishing when the spring tide had just passed and, if there was tremendous improvement later in the month, it might have been flan gerous to wade !
Before too long, the cu rrent became so swift that most of t he fi sh moved elsewher e to

avoid fighting so hard for their lunch. Ed looked down the beach, saw Bill Flynn's rod arched in a bow and went scampering clown the beach with a camera to investigate. As usual, I wanted to try "just one more cast" before following him.
Half a dozen casts later, nothing had hanpened. I tossed the lure to midstream, let it sink and drift with the current, then twitched it a couple of times. \Vham! A strike but no seatrout.
Although the fish did not peel off much line. I could not turn it nor get its head up. My thoughts turned to channel bass, but such a fish rarely lies in swift water. Bei'ddes, the vibrations relavecl to my wrist through line and rod indicated that the scrapner was swimming- like crazv with short, nowerful tail stroke~. This was a Georgia creature that had me g-uessing.
Bv clint of straining- mv tackle
to the breaking noint, I managed to turn the fish's head toward shore. It came in with a marathon dash and I eased it up onto the sand. Tt was a jack eravalle. not much bigger than the s ize of m y own hand! Later I learned that jacks are common along- the Georgia coast duringthe summer months. I hapnened to be one of th ose who thinks that a jack, pound for pound, ca n g-ive as good an account of itself as many less maligned snecies. For the Georgia light tackle enthusiast, the fish are there for the taking.
A few more casts showed that my catch was not one of a school - or at least his schoolmates were not in a hitting mood - so I joined the others who were encouraging Bill Flynn. I had plenty of time. H e had hooked the fish a good 15 minutes previously a nd he still had another 15 minutes to go befor e his line parted.
.Just what that finn~ mon ster might have been is an~rone's guess. Bill, who has caught a goocll~ number of channel bass, said it fought like thai species.
It might have been a shark, but

chances are that a shark would have parted terminal tackle early in the battle. whatever it was, it still swims along the coast of Georgia.
After loss of this fish, we compared notes. Bill and Cliff had straightened inadequate hooks or lost them to tarpon and channel bass, had beached gafftopsail catfish of unusual size, and were fresh out of hooks that might do the job. So, slightly more than two hours after we had landed, we were airborn again.
The next time I try Georgia fishing, I will arrive with a complete load of tackle and a considerable amount of time on my hands. Like many other anglers who speed through that state on their way either north or south, I had ignored the fishing potential to a large extent simply because I had heard little about it.
Actually, the entire stretch of Georgia's coast is a mass of inlets, creeks, bays and channels. Ideal breeding and feeding grounds for tame fish that haunt brackish water, it is splendid territory for the small boat angler. Embarked iu a seagoing outboard craft, the fisherman should be armed with not only light tackle casting or trolling outfits, but a lso with surf gear. At dead low tide, when most of the creeks are difficult to navigate, he can fish a foot from the bars for many species, including channel bass, black drum, tarpon, summer flounder and both common and spotted seatrout. Jack crevalle, some pompano and bluefish are also taken by surfmen, but the last named tend to be further offshore in Georgia than elsewhere along the Atlantic coast.
\Vhen the tide makes again, the small boat operator can t ravel with his quarry into deeper waters. For offshore variety, there are cobia, king mackerel, tripletail-known locally as sunfish - amberjack, little tuna (false albacore) Spanish mack-
erel and barracuda. Most of
these are species sought by
larger cruisers, but a seaworthy

It Is Unlawful
To hunt any game over or in the vicinity of any baited area.
To molest, kill, hunt, or trap fur bearing animals out of season.
To take sea turtles or their eggs. To trap, molest, or kill alligators ex-
cept in opened counties. To hunt on any game refuge except on
supervised hunts. To ship game except by permit from
the State Game & Fish Commission. To shoot from public highway or rail-
road right-of-way. To take or sell plumage or eggs of
game or song birds without a permit. To sell, offer for sale, barter, or exchange, any of the protected game animals, or game birds or parts thereof, taken in the State of Georgia. To take any game bird or animal for holding in captivity, except by permit. To trap, net or ensnare game birds and game animals, except fur-bearing animals, in season. To poison game or non-game birds or a nimals. To use a light of any kind in hunting game animals and bi1ds except raccoons, frogs, opossums, fox, mink, skunk, otter and muskrat. To fail to report to the Game and Fish Commission any deer or turkey killed in the State of Georgia. To kill any deer other than bucks with spiked antlers or larger. To hunt on lands of another without permission from the landowner. To hold any game in cold storage longer than five days after the season has expired, without permit from the Game and Fish Commission. To take any fresh water fish with any device except hook and line, trot line, rod and reel, and set hooks. To fish in streams on lands of another without permission from the landowner.
outboard can reach many of them. There are launching facilities at various points for those who trai ler their own craft. Planes are not needed, but, as noted previously, may be chartered locally if desired.
All in all, as far as the average marine angler is concerned, Georgia is probably the most under-fished area on the Atlantic coas._ of the United States. 1 now have joined the group of marine anglers who are not average and Georgia will see me again before too many tides rise and fall!
COPYRIGHT .9S9 BY THE SALT WATER SPORTSMAN

Cleanup
!Continued from page 17)
ing the game fish populations. It has proven ~mccessful in research projects of similar nature in almost all areas of the country. An extract from roots, the deadly chemical has been used by natives of Asia and South America to kill fish for many years. It was not until 1936, though, that scientists discovered the chemical and it became available for public use.
After rece1vmg complaints from sportsmen in the Albany and Cordele areas about the decline in fishing, fishery biologists conducted population surveys on both Lake \Vorth and Lake Blackshear. The results revealed an overpopulation of large gizzard shad, which created an unhealthy situation for game species.
\Vith the cooperation of the local people, the Game and Fish Commission embarked upon a program to eradicate the shad and hoped, ultimately, to restore fishing in the area to its proper place of prominence. The program probably would never have got its feet off the ground had it not been for the eagerness of local citizens.
Plans are underway to introduce two new species of fish in both reservoirs. Preliminary investigative research indicate that both will support white bass, a relatively new fish in the state, and threadfin shad, a forage fish. Threadfins differ from gizzard shad in that they seldom grow over six inches long and serve as food for carniverous fish for a lifetime. Gizzard shad, on the other hand, may attain a size as large as four or five pounds and offer no return for their keeping in sport fishing.
In addition to white bass, fishery biologists are confident that other game fish populations will soon achieve the proper size and growth and that fishing in Lakes \Vorth and Blackshear will return to normal.
23

Nt:.

I t<VU I :::: I
Three new managed trout streams will be opened for public fishing beginning April 18.
The streams, located in the \Varwoman Management Area in Rabun County, are Sarah, Tuckaluge and Walnut Fork creeks. Fishing will be allowed by permit only in accordance with the regulations set forth by the Game and Fish Commission.
The permit, which costs one dollar, is necessary in addition to a regular state fishing license.
Lake Russell, located in the Lake Russell Management area near Cornelia, will be reopened for year-round fishing beginning June 15, 1959.
Edmundson pond on Rock creek and Long Creek pond on N oontootley creek will again be reserved for the exclusive fishing use of women, children under 12 and physically handicapped persons.
Opening of Sarah, Tuckaluge and \Valnut Fork / creeks runs the total number of managed streams opened for public trout fishing to 20.

Bass Blitz
On Etovvah
(Continued from page 12)
to catch 'em. I always use a weighted, thumbnail sized spinner for trolling and have good results. For casting, I use the quarter-ounce white and yellow jigs. Sometimes, when the notion strikes me, I use live minnow~. retrieving them along the bottom."
For :-: nnmer white bass fishing, aftPr tht ~pawn and when they have colkded in schools, most angler recommend the
24

same lures, worked in deeper water.
'White bass are creeping toward the top of angler's popularity lists. Early spring usually finds anglers congregating on Little River and the Etowah in search of spawning fish. Contrary to many opinions, catching them during spawning time is not bad conservation. A single female may deposit as many as one million eggs and, with even a 50 percent hatch, become the proud parent of at least a halfmillion young.
Creel census reports show that the average white bass taken in Allatoona weighs one pound. While nothing to gloat about,

this figure is quite large when you take into consideration the fact that the fish seldom scale over fo ur pounds.
From the same reports covering a four-year period, it has been established that bass fishing has been slightly on the decline, while crappie, white bass and bream have increased. Spotted bass are the dominant species in Allatoona, thus a fluctuating recovery, which is characteristic of the species.
There's little chance of "fishing out" white bass in Allatoona. They'll be around for many years to come despite the heavy pressure that hits the lake during "spring's white bass blitz."

=-----==-------=-----=-=-- ::-
Seminole l\lay Get Rockfish. Striped bass, commonly known as rockfish, may soon be headed for Lake Seminole. Georgia Game and Fish Commission biologists met recently with officials of the Florida Freshwater Fish Commission and mapped plans to stock the fish in Seminole, giving Georgia its first large population of land-locked stripers.
* * *
New Shrimp Rules Revealed. New regulations governing the closing of coastal waters to shrimping have been announced by the Georgia Game and Fish Commission.
Director Fulton Lovell said the new regulation calls for a "formal inspection of the area by an inspection party made up of agents from the commission and four residents from the area. The county residents must be engaged in the shrimping industry."
Previously, the power to open or close waters to shrimping had been vested in the coastal fisheries division of the Commission, which is headquartered in Brunswick.
* * *
Commercial Fishing Laws Revised. The State Game and Fish Commission has changed its regulations pertaining to the size of commercial fish nets in Lake Seminole.
Director Fulton Lovell said action by the Commission reset the size of gill nets used commercially in the lake from three to two inches.
"The new regulation applies only to Lake Seminole," he said, "and no other lake in the state is affected by the new change."
The regulation is effective during the coming season, which will be the months of December, January and February of 1959-60. The lake is closed for the remainder of the year.
Lovell cautioned fishermen on the status of reciprocal license agreements for commercial netting in the lake.
"There is no reciprocal agreement between Georgia and other states in regards to netting in Lake Seminole," he said. "Georgia licenses are valid only in that portion of the lake t hat lies within the boundaries of the state."
* * *
Spring Hunters Get 39 Gobblers. Turkey hunters must be getting smarter - more of them outsmarted the wily bird during this spring gobbler season than ever before.
A total of 39 lucky nimrods brought home a Thannksgiving tom during the week's hunt on three statecontrolled management areas. Only eight birds were taken during similar hunts last spring.
Fifteen toms were taken in the Blue Ridge area; 14 at Lake Burton and 10 on the newly opened Clark Hill area.
* * *
New Line for Salt 'Vater. A change in an old Georgia custom has removed the "dividing line" between fresh and salt water. Heretofore, the Seaboard Railwa?, which extends from Savannah all along the coast, has been the dividing marker. Fishermen were allowed to fish below the line without a license.
But State Game and Fish Director F , lton Lovell said a new ruling has removed the line and that anglers fishing in fresh water must have a license.
No license is required to fish in salt \Vater. Fresh water licenses cost $1.25.
Actually, there has never been a law establishing the railroad as the divide between salt and fresh water. However, it has been a custom for many years to fish below the track s without a licen~e.
25

Uncle Ned
8ez
Bass is funny critters. Sometimes they'll bite everything you put on a hook and again there are times when they won't strike a thing.
I've found that a hungry bass will usually strike right after you begin retrieving your lure after a cast. But, if he ain't hungry, he'll follow it and may hit it when you least expect him to. So, it's best to work your lure right the whole time you've got it in the water.
FLOATIN' FROG A friend of mine told me the other dav he has invented a new way to c'atch bass. H e claims he gets 'em with live frogs, hooked through the mouth. He may have just been making conversation when he told me that he floats the frog out on a piece of pine bark until it gets where he thinks a big bass is laying, then jerks the frog off

in the water. But whether he was pulling my leg or not, I think I'll give it a try one of these days.
CURE FOR SHINY HOOK I read in one of them outdoor magazines the other day where a feller claims he has the cure for a shiny hook. I know that sometimes a shiny hook flashes in the sun and scares off fish. I have seen it happen. This here feller in the magazine sez t o paint the hooks on the end of a lure with fingernail polish (Choose your own shade) and it will git desired results. When you're done, he went on, just remove the polish with some nail polish remover. Better ask your wife first - she may not want you meddlin' in her paints and powders. NE\V WAY TO MAKE LURE I thought I had heard of everything until I noticed in the paper where fishermen are actually makin' lures out of beer can openers. "Church keys," the young sprouts call them. They attach a set of treble hooks to a beer opener and use it as a spoon. I ain't tried it yet, and may not, because the only beer can opener I got in my tackle box is usually busy.

License
Dollars
(Continued from pag e 15 )
Coastal Fisheries, which patrols Georgia's 1,000 miles of coastline conducting research and enforcement, required $69,134.00 for operation during the past year, or four and threetenths of the entire budget.
The graph accompanying this story gives you a good picture of how your license dollar is spent. It will be of interest to hunters and fishermen to know that the Game and Fish Commission has extended its services within the past four years without an increase in personnel. This was possible.
Your license dollar was put to good use by the State Game and Fish Commission. From it, you can expect to reap big dividends in hunting and fishing success in years to come.

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 .

2.25

Nonresident Shad

10.00

HUNTING:

Resi dent

2.25

Residents under 16 years of age

_ None

Ref:ddents 65 years of age and over - Honorary

hunting and fishing licenses required

Nonresident State Season

__________ 20.25

Nonresident 10 Day or County __

10.25

ROPGH FlSH BASKET :

Resident

1.10

TRAPPii\'(;: State Resident Nonresidl.'nt

;).00 25.00

26

Canvasbacks Fastest
Canvasback ducks are the fastest game bird in America, a recent study by the Remington Arms Company shows. They are capable of speeds up to 94 miles per hour.
Researchers found that the speed of an upland game bird in flight depends on a number of conditions. \Vhen unmolested, its flight is slower than when frightened by a hunter. The same applies to migratory waterfowl. But even when frightened, all birds of any particular species do not fly at the same rate of speed.
Dove and plover are the slowest birds, being able to make only 34 miles per hour. Here are others:
Curlew, 38 miles per hour; quail, prairie chicken, ruffed grouse, jacksnipe. mallard, black duck. spoonbill, pintail, widgeon, wood duck and gadwall, 41 miles per hour; swa n, 45 m.p.h.; Canada goose and brandt, 48 m.p.h.; green-\Ying teal, 79 m.p.h.; redhead, 82 m.p.h.; blue-wing t eal, 89 m.p.h. , and canvasback, 94 miles per hour.

1959 TROUT SCHEDULE

BLUE RID GE ~IAN .M~E~ IENT .\RE.\
Hock Cr eek (Except ~Iill Creek) Directions from Atlanta: Go to Dahlonega, travel 3 miles north on U.S. 19, turn left on Camp Wahsega Road, go 7% miles to Three-Notch Gap, turn right and go 3% miles to Cooper's Gap, turn left and go 4 miles to Hightower Gap, turn right and go 4 miles to checking station.
April - Saturdays and ::iun<la ys- 1ti-19. 25 -l ti l\lay- Sa turdays and Sundays- 2-3, 9-10, 16-17, 23-24, 30-31 Jun e-- W ednesdays a nd Thursclays- 3-4, 10-11, 17-18, 24-25 July- Saturdays and Sundays- 4- 5, 11-1 2, 1S- 19, 25-26 Au~u st- W edn esda ys and Thursduys- 5-ti, 12-13, 19- 20 , 26-27 Septe mbe r - Saturday Sunday and Monday- 5-6 and 7
Noontootley Creek Direction from Atlanta: Go to Dahlonega, ttavel 3 mi les north on U.S. 19, turn left on Camp W a h sega Road, go 7 % miles to Three-Notch Gap, turn right and go 3% miles to Cooper's Gap, turn left and go 8 miles to Winding Stair Gap, turn right and go 4 miles to checking station.
May- W e dn esdays and Th urs d ays-6-7, 13-14, 20-2 1, 27-28 Jun ~Saturday s and Sundays - 6-7, 13-14, 20-21 , 27 -28 July - Wedn esdays a nd Thurs da ys- 1-2, 8- 9, 15-1 6. 22-23, 29-30 August-Saturdays and Sundays- 1-2, 8-9, 15-16, 22-23, 29-30
JO~ES C R EEK (Lower Blue Ridge) A I{ EA
Nimblewill Creek Directions: From Dahlonega, go nine miles west on Highway 52, turn right at Grizzles Store, go three miles to Nimblewill Church; then go straight ahead three miles to Nimblewill Creek Checking Station.
May Saturdays and S undays - 2-3, 9-1 0. 16-17, 23-24, 30-31 August W ednesdays and T husdays- 5-6, 12-13, 19-20, 26-27
.Jones Creek Directions: From Dahlonega, go nine miles west on Highway 52, turn right at Grizzle s Store , go three mile.; to Nimblewill Church, turn right at church, and go two miles to J ones Creek Checking Station.
Open Date
Apr il- Saturdays and Sunday s - 18 -19, 25-2 6 Jun ~ SatUJday s a nd Sunday s - 6- 7, 13- 14, 20-21, 27-28 July- W ednesdays a nd Thurs d ays-1 -2, 4-5, 8-9, 15-16, 22-2:~. 29-:~0 Sept e mbe1- Saturday, Sunday and Mo nday- 5- 6-7
i\Iontgomery Creek Directions: From Dahlonega, travel three miles nmth on U. S. Highway 19, turn left on Camp Wah sega Road , go 7% mile s to Three-Notch Gap, turn left and go 1.7 mil es to checking station.
Open Dates
:\l ay-W e d nesdays a nd Th UJsdays 6-7. 13-1 4. 20-21, 27-28 Jun ~ W ednesd a ys and T hursdays 3-4, 10-11, 17-18, 24-25 August-Saturdays and Su nd ays- 1-2, 8-9 , 15-1 6, 22-23, 29 - 30
CIIATTAIIOOCHEE AREA
Chattahoochee and S poil Cane Cneks Directions: From Robertstown, travel 3/10 of a mil e north on Highway 75, t hen cro ss the river bridge, turn right and travel % mile north to Chattahoochee Ri\'er Checking Station.
Open I>ates
April-Saturdays and Sundays 18-19, 25-26 l\lay Saturdays and Sundays-2-3 , 9-10, 16-17, 23-24, 30-31 June - \\'ednes days and Thurs day s-3 -4, 10-11, 17-1 8 , 24-25 July Saturdays and Sundays 4-5. 11-12, 1S-19, 25-26 Augu st W ednesdays and Thursdays-5-6, 12-13, 19-20 SPptPmber Satuclay, Sunday and Monday -5-6-7
Dukes Creek Direction s: From Robert stown, travel :~ /1(1 of a mile north on H ighway 75, then cro~s River Bridge . T um left, then travel 3.2 miles west to Duk es Creek Checking Station.
Opln Dates
l\1:ty - W ednesda ys and T hurs days G-7. 1:l-14, 20-2 1. 2 7- 2~ Jun ~ Saturday s a nd Sund ays G-7. 27-2~ July - WPdnes da)'S and Thurs days 1-2. R-9, 15-110 August-Saturdays and Sundays - 1-2, i< -9 , 15-1fi, 22- 2:\ , 29-:lfJ
Smith Cnek and )lc Ciun Cnek Directwns: From Roberts town, turn right on Uni co i Park R oad, trave l 3. 1 miles east to head of Unicoi Sta t e

Park Lake to Smith Creek Checking Station. Open Datl'S
Jun e--Satunlays and Sunduys-13-14, 20-21 July Wednes days a n d Thu s days - 22-2:3, 29-30 Augus t Wedn!'sdays and Th ursdays-26-27
CllESTXfEE AREA
Dicks and WatNs Creeks Direction s: From Dahlonega, travel north 15 miles on Highway Hl , turn left and - go three miles to Wi ldli fe Ranger's Station.
Open Date:s
April Saturdays and Sunduys- 18-19. 25-26 May - Saturday ~ and Sun d ays - 2-3, ~J-10, 16-17, 23-24 , 30-31 June-- W ednesdays and Thursdays-3-4, 10-11, 17-18, 24-25 July- Saturdays and Sundays- 4-5, 11-12, 18-19, 25-26 September- SatUJday, Sunday a nd Munday- 5 6-7
Boggs Creek and Chlstatee River Directions : From Da hl onega, t r ave l north 15 % miles on Highway Hl to Turn er's Corner, at which place is Checking Station for Boggs Creek and Ches tatee Ri ver.
Open Dat es
Ma:t- W ed n esdays and Thursdays 6-7, 13-14 , 20-21 , 27-28 Jun ~ Satunlay s a nd Sundays - 6-7, 1:3-14, 20-21, 27-2S July - W e dn esdays and Thursdays - 1-2, R-9, 15-16. 22-23. 29-~0 Augus t Saturdays a nd Sundays- 1-2, 8-9, 15-16, 22-23, 29-:30
LAKE BUI{'J'ON i\IANAf;I~ l\IENT AlmA
Wildcat Creek Directions: Go to Clarkesville, take Highway 1!)7 to the end of pavement, turn to the left and travel past Buford LaPrade's Camp, and pass the first creek to the top of the first hill, and turn to the left on dirt road, which will lead to the Wildcat Creek where the permits may be bought fro m the State Wildlife Ran ge t.
Opln Dates
April- Saturdays and Sundays- 18- 19, 25-26 May- Sa turdays a nd Sundays- 2-3, \J-10, 16-17, 22-2 -:, :l0-31 Jun ~ Wednes d ays and Thursdays- :l -4, 10-11, 17-lS, 24-25 July- Saturdays a nd Sun d ays- 4-5, 11-12, 18-19, 25-21) August- W ed n esdays and Thu rsdays 5-6, 12-13, 1\J-20, !!6-27
Morassin Creek Directions: Go to Clarkesv ill e, take H ighway 197 to end of pavement, turn to the left and follow the main road to the Lake Burton Fish Hatchery, where the permi ts may be bought from the State Wildlife Ranger.
Open Dates
June- Saturdays a nd Sundays- 6-7, 1314, 20-21, 27-28 July- W ednesdays and Thu rsdays-- 1-2, 8-9, 15-16, 22-23, 29-30 Augus t -Satur daYs and Sundnys- 1-~. ~ -9, 15-16, 22-2 3, 2n-30 September- Saturday, Sunclny and Monday-5-6-7
Dicks Creek Direction s: Go to Clark esville, tum to the left on H ighway 197, travel past t he Lake Burton Fish Hatchery to the fir st creek, at which place the permits may be secured from the State Wildlife Hanger.
Open I>ates
May W ..dnes chtys ancl Thurs days - 6-7, 13-14, 20-21, 27-2S
COiltTTTA ~L\:\' .,\GE:\IEXT .\tUn
Jacks Rinr Directions: Go to Blue Ridge, turn left on Highway 5 and go four mile s and turn left on Highway 2, and trawl 9.4 miles to Watson Gap Checking Station.
April Saturdays and S unda ys 1S-1 9 , 25-2G
l\1u y -S a turdays a nd Su nda ys 2-:l, \J-1 0, W - 17, 2:3-24 , :w-:n
June - Wedn esdays and Th ursdays :l- 1, 10-1 1, 17-1S. 21-2:, July S aturdn ys and Sunday s 1-5, 11 - 12, 1H- 1!l, 25-2 1) AuJ.[u s t Wednesd ays a nd Th u1sd ays 5-fi, 12-1 :3, 19-20, 2fi ;!; S P]ltl'mlJe r S nt UJda y, ~unda y a ncl l\1 onday 5-1;-j
Cona:-;auga l{ iHr Direction ;; : Go through Chab\\'orth and go to E to n, th en tmn right on !I olly f'reek Road and go UUi mi lP:-;, take the ll'ft fork and trav el fi. 3 mi ll:' :; to Cona,; a ug-a Ch ecking Station.
Open Dat(s
May \\.<<lrwlays :lllcl Th ursday s fi - 7, 1::.J.I, 20-21. :!o-:!~ .Ju ne ~ atu1d ays ~tnd Su n days 1; .:;, 1:{-l J, 211-21. 27-2:-.. .l ui: W ednesdays und T hursclays 1-2. ~-~1. 15-1ti, :!2-:!:l, 2~1-:lll A uJ.[tts t Saturday~ and Sundays 1 2, ~-~). Iii-Hi, 22-2:1. 2~1-:HI

;EORGIA GAME AND FISH COMMISSION
412 STATE CAPITOL BU JLDING
ATLANTA. GEORGIA

SE C . 3 4. 66 , P. L. & R
U . S. POSTAGE
PAID
ATLANTA. GA. PERMIT NO. 155

Acquisitions Division The Un.iveTsity Lib:ra:rieB The University of Geo~gia
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