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 --- ----------- --- -----------------------------------------~~--- 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 ld 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 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 Wnter 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 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 \\.<