Georgia game and fish [Vol. 2, no. 6 (June 1967)]

JRGIA

VOL. 2, NO. 6 I JUNE, 1967

fi!l ~ GEORGIA
;~, ;, GAME &FISH

June 1967

Volume II

Number 6

Contents

The Little King . . .

...... Herb Wyatt 1

Meet Your Commissioner . . .. . . . .Dean Wohlgemuth 6

Next Time .

.Dean Wohlgemuth 7

Ride with the Rangers . . .

. . . .Dan Keever 10

I Lost My Heart to Hartwell . . .Dean Wohlgemuth 12

Access-Ability

.. .. . .... . . . . . ... . .Jim Tyler 15

Sportsman's Calendar . .

. . .17

Lester G. Maddox Governor

COMMISSIONERS

Judge Harley Langdale, Chairman
Valdosta-8th District

Rankin M. Smith Vice Chairman Atlanta-5th District

William Z. Camp, Sec. Newnan--6th District

Charles L. Davidson, Jr. Avondale Estates-4th District

James Darby Vidalia-1st District

Leonard Bassford, Augusta-lOth District

Richard Tift Albany-2nd District

J. B. Langford Calhoun-7th District

William E. Smith Americus-3rd District

Clyde Dixon Cleveland - 9th District

Jimmie Williamson Darien-Coastal District

GEORGE T. BAGBY DIRECTOR

ASSISTANT DIRECTORS

Howard D. Zeller Program Planning

Jack A. Crockford Field Operations

COORDINATORS

Leon Kirkland, Fisheries

Charles M. Frisbie,

Hubert Handy, Game

Marine Fisheries

RobertS. Baker, Law Enforcement Jim Morrison, Information and

Education

REGION MANAGERS

C. V. Waters, Gainesville, N. Ga. Frank Parrish, Fitzgerald, S. Ga.

Wayne W. Thomaston,

David Gould, Brunswick, Coast

Fort Valley, M. Ga.

GEORGIA GAME & FISH STAFF

Jim Morrison, Editor Dean Wohlgemuth,
Managing Editor

Dan Keever, Photographer Jim Tyler, Staff Writer
Glenn Smith, Staff Writer

* * *
Georgia Game and F ish is the official monthly maga.zine of the Georgia Game and Fish Commission, published at the Commission's of/ices, 401 State Capitol, Atlanta, Georgia 30334. No advertising accepted. Subscriptions are $1 /or one year or $2.50 /or three years. Printed by Stein Printing Company, Atlanta, Ga. Notification of address change must include both old and new address and ZIP code, with 30 days notice. No subscription requests will be accepted without ZIP code. Articles and photographs may be reprinted. Proper credit should be given. Contributions are welcome, but the editors assume 110 responsibility or liability for loss or damage of articles, photographs, or i/lustratio11s. Second-class postage paid at Atlanta, Georgia.

The Okefeno~ee needs protection

Like th e s weet apple which reddens upon the topmost bough, A-top on the topmost twig - which the pluckers forgot,
somehow Forgot it not, nay, but got it not, for none could get it
till now.

Like the wild hyacinth flower which o.n the hills is found, Which the passing feet of the shepherds forever tear and
wound, Until the purple blossom is trodden into the ground.
(Sappho, 7th Century B . C.)

It has been said th at a majority of the people now alive

have never been out of earshot of another human being dur-

ing their entire life, and never will be.

Most of those people have never seen a place like Geor-

gia's famous Okefenokee Swamp . And they really have no

idea what the 23rd Psalm means in the beautiful words "He

leadeth me beside the still waters; he restoreth my soul."

Some of these points should be given careful consideration

in the discussion over adding the magnificent Okefenokee to

the new National Wilderness System.

Right now the Okefenokee is just about the last place on

the Georgia map that a road doesn't make the straightest

line between two towns. Such a road is possible to build,

.and has already been proposed. Under current state and fed-

eral laws, there is no legal protection possible to stop such

an unexcusable, wanton rape of the last great wilderness area

in Georgia.

Sure, we've got to have some roads and highways to get

around the world on, and nobody wants to hike a hundred

miles to go hunting or fishing . But if there were no wilder-

ness left anywhere, there would be no wildlife, and no place

to hunt or fish. When man comes to Jive, he brings the saw,

the plow, roads, houses, factories, pollution, and death for

the wildlife and natural beauty that he seeks as relaxation

"to get away from it all."

By constantly building roads, "scenic highways," picnic

areas, gas stations, souvenir stands, "cabins," and subdivi-

sions in once beautiful natural areas, man eventually destroys

the very thing th at he sought in the first pl ace.

Man can protect his refuges from civilization, but not

without a struggle first with those who are either honestly

mistaken, too blind to see the fallacy of their ways, or who

are too selfish to sacrifice possible material gain for the com-

mon benefit of their fellow men.

We believe that now is the time to preserve all of the la nd

possible for future recreational use by hunters and fisher-

men, regardless of whether a private organization, city, coun-

ty, state, or federal agency administers the area. And that

also means that such areas must not be overdeveloped. ruin-

ing their natural beauty and esthetic appeal. Even though

they may never go there, thousands of outdoorsmen and

nature lovers savor the thought that such an area is there

with no roads, no cars, trucks, or busses, and that someday

they may be fortunate enough to enter it on a quiet and

lonely pilgrimage.

There should be no delay in adding the Okefenokee to the

Wilderness System, as has been proposed by the U . S. Fish

a nd acre

Wildlife refuge.

TSheirsvischeo, ualddmbineisdtoranteorrsegoafrdthleessproefsewnhtet4h0e0~00o0r

not 75 ,000 acres of swampland adjacent to present federal holdings are purchased.

If th~ Okefenokee isn't given additional legal and physical

protection from man, one of Georgia's last rem aining areas

of natural beauty will suffer the fate of Sappho's subject.

J. M.

ON THE COVER: The age-old sport of sailing requires safety, too. Wildlife Rangers patrolling Lake Lanier and others check all types of boats, including this Snipe class sailboat, for safety equipment. The Rangers are there to give aid, if your engine - or breeze - should quit.

ON THE BACK COVER: LAKE LANIER SUNSET "... A summer's day; and with the setting sun
Dropp'd from the Zenith, like a falling star . .." John Milton, Paradise L ost

PHOTO CREDITS: All photos by D an Keever except: P. 5, Joe Kight; P. I, Jim Morrison; P. 12, Pacer Studios; P. 4, Jim Tyler.

Which fish is sought more often by more anglers? What fish can be caught by the most different methods,
the most times of year, and in the greatest numbers? What fish fights ha1dest, ounce for ounce? These factors are all part of the reason that the bluegill, truly, is
The Little King

By Herb Wyatt, Fishe ri es Supervisor So uthern Region

A fly rod arching against a sudden strike; a spinning line slicing frantic circles through the water; a cane pole twitching and throbbing as if suddenly alive .. . Pick your tackle, the bluegill will oblige you.
From a number 20 dry fly to a l j lO popping bug; from a 1/10 ounce ultralight spinning lure to a 4-inch bass plug, plus any kind of worm or insect you can think of. Name your bait, somebody has caught bluegill on it.
This is one reason the bluegill is the first choice of Georgia fishermen. He is so darned cooperative. Yet there is something more.
He is, in all the varied shades of coloration, an extremely attractive fish. Blind indeed is the fisherman who has not paused an extra moment or two to admire the vivid reds, coppers, yellows, blues, and blacks of a large male in breeding color.
But this still does not fully explain the attraction of the bluegill.
He is found in almost any puddle, J>vnd branch , river or lake east of the Rockies. By sheer weight of numbers

he manages to outclass less numerous members of the sunfish family. So naturally he is better known .
Are these then , the reasons why bluegill are so popular?
You can bet your hand whittled sculling padd le it isn't.
The main reason is because for his size, there isn't a more scrappy fish around. Often, when bugging the river for bass, I have set the hook into what felt like a three or four pound bass, and only when the fish settled down to a circling, darting struggle do I realize I've hooked a 10 or 12 ounce bluegill.
As for the fish himself, the bluegill (L epomis macrochirus) is the same species throughout the country. The color pattern and sub-species varies from area to area from the almost black coppernose of parts of Georgia and Florida to the brightly colored specimen of more northern states.
It is a favored speculation of bream fishermen in Georgia that the native bluegill has been polluted by introduction of the northern bluegill. And also, that the small size, pale colored indi-

viduals found in so many ponds is an insipid representative of the species which is contemptously referred to as "government bream. " It is believed this less desirable fish was brought into our waters by the government hatcheries. But bluegill, like any other animal , reaches its greatest size and vigor when best fed .
While almost everyone realizes that different waters bring out diffe rent coloration , few realize that diet effects not only the coloration but also the entire appearance of bluegill . These small fish are the resu lt of bluegi ll from anywhere being so overcrowded they are on a starvation diet.
It is true that there tend to be slightly different characteristics in fish from different areas, but the bluegill from Okefenokee and one from Iowa will produce offspring that are unquestionably bluegi ll , and this offspring will have the potential to be brightly colored or dark, little and pale or large and vividly colored as the water he is in and the amount of food he can get will let him.

Got him! Frank Cole of Fayetteville puts th e hook
in a nice one, and Grandad, F. A. Sams, Sr.,
gets a kick out of seeing it done.
It takes a bit of instruction on the part of
Grandad, or so he feels . But Frank seems to know
how that fish fits on the stringer.

Bluegill is the general term used throughout the country for our fish , but he has a myriad of local names. The most common in Georgia and the southeast is bream. Fisheries people prefer the name bluegill because there are other fish that are called bream, but there is only one bluegill.
The bluegill bites such a variety of baits, and is so avai lable, it is difficult to say with any certainty what is the best way to catch him.
The most popular tackle in Georgia is the slender, whippy cane pole with light monofilament line, one split shot for weight and a number 8 or 10 Aberdeen style hook. When a float is used , the expert cane pole (that's right, ac-

cent on the cane) fisherman prefers the abolutely smallest one he can get by with. Such rigs probably account for three fourths of the bluegill caught in this state and the entire Deep South. And if you haven 't tried it, don't knock it. It has a definite appeal no other technique can match. As with other methods, to acquire the art and science of cane pole fishing requires dedication, study, and observation.
Basically, there are two ways to cane pole fish. The most employed is to park yourself or your boat at a likely looking place, stick a bait on the hook and toss your line into the water. Now this sounds simple, and of course can be, but even the most casual observation of the way this is done will reveal if the fisherman is a cane pole pro or amateur.
Watch the pro and you will first notice that the selection of the place to fish is not necessarily dictated by thoughts of comfort. He will endure some discomfort if necessary to place the bait in the proper pl ace the proper way.
The second way to tell an expert is the way he impales the bait on his hook. Regardless of the type of insect or worm used , he will hook it in such a way that the bait will have maximum freedom of movement. A lightly hooked bait will live much longer too, and a bluegill will hardly touch a dead bait unless the action is really fast.
The amateur, on the other hand, usually threads a worm very carefully on the hook from stem to stern, and a worm with an Aberdeen hook for a spine doesn 't have much chance to wiggle. The amateur is also prone to skewer crickets from head to tail, which takes the kick out of crickets.
But it is in tossing the baited hook into the water that the differences between amateur and expert are most obvious.
The amateur first of all usually has a line anywhere between 10 and 30 yards long with the extra line wound from grip to tip around and around the pole, with a big ball of monofilament at the tip that looks like the worst nightmare of the worst backlash you ever had. Besides effectively taking the action out of the pole, when our un-informed friend tries to get his hook in the water, it takes considerable pole swinging to get the line airborne. He usually picks up the pole and attempts tossing the line out by letting it swing to and fro. The pendulum effect method of casting can be effective with a shorter line, but distance and accuracy is difficult to attain. Usually our beginner has a much longer line than pole and cannot clear the ground with the line even while standing, so he resorts to other methods including swing-

2

ing the line around and around over his head until it is clear of the ground, then trusting to chance the bait, if still on the hook, hits the water somewhere around the right spot.
Consider now the real cane pole fisherman. He takes less space to cast his line than he would with a spinning rod.
First, his line is about the same length as the pole. I don't understand what physical law is involved here, but it is certain that you can't cast a line that is longer than the pole.
The pole is held at the butt with the right hand , the tip is raised until the line swings back to the fisherman's hand. He then catches the hook in his left hand , holds it somewhere around the eye, and with a gl ance to make sure the point is turned up, flicks his wrist forward, bringing the tip down in line with the point he wishes the bai t to hit. The tip bends, and after the ri ght tension is achieved, the hook, still pinched between thumb and forefinge.r, is released . Like an arrow from a bow, the hook, line, and sinker travels in a straight line, landing usually within six inches of the target.
The art of casting with the cane pole is, to me, more difficult to master than even possibly the fly rod. To watch how deftl y some elderly, sunbonnetted lady flicks the cricket under a low hanging branch to land in the only spot of open water among the lily pads is enough to make the most accomplished fly caster take notice.
The fly rod is one of the most enjoyable ways to take any fish , bluegill included. With a fly rod matched to li ne and lure, there is the widest possible variety of baits to use. Although it takes second place to the cane pole in handling live baits, even worms and the entire range of beetle and larvae favored by bluegill fishermen can be used.
Of course, the fly rod is best suited to the almost incredible numbers of wet and dry flys, including the popping bugs, sponge bugs and even the small metal spoons, wobblers and miniature jigs. In the great majority of cases, these artificial baits will take just as many, and perhaps more bluegill than live baits. One of the more consistent producers is the sponge bug. The normal size fits a number six or eight hook, although larger sizes are sometimes more productive for bluegill of pound size and over. Reports of sponge bugs tied on number 14 or 16 hooks taking large numbers of bragging size bluegill are heard , but to my knowledge, these baits are hand tied and cannot be normally bought in the local store.
When the smaller sized fly is used , bream fishermen usually borrow the

Fishing too far from shore? Don't you believe it! Th ese old pros know there's a bream bed do wn there.
trout fishermen's favorite patterns. Strangely enough, the brightly colored patterns such as the Royal Coachman are more normally picked by the fisherman, but bluegill seem to prefer the more drab colors. The most widely used pattern in our section is the Black Gnat. This fly , fished wet or dry or in combination with a small spinner, is a real killer during the spring and summer.
It has been my observation that fly fishermen accustomed to fishing popping bugs on the heavy fly rods favored in the south , tend to make one glaring mistake when shifting to dry flies. They use a leader that is too heavy . This ruins the lie of the fly, causes it to land too heavily and float too low in the water. Where level leaders are used, monofilament of no greater than four pound test should be used. Tapered leaders should have a tippet diameter light enough so that the first couple of

inches of leader is suspended by the floating fly.
Detailed discussions of appropriate sized leaders can be found in numerous books on trout fishing. The fly rod bluegill fisherman should not scoff at the information available on using light fl y tackle. Adapting these techniques to the south's big bluegill can have very satisfying results.
From my own regrettably limited experience, I can say that bluegills taken on the very small trout flies combined with a leader of sewing thread strength is one of the best ways to develop the finesse in playing a fish on a fly rod necessary for the expert to take anything from butterbean-size sunfish to tarpon.
Besides that, it is a real thrill to offer the challenge of a sporting chance to the fish . After all , the sport, not the meat, is what the true angler most desires.
Almost everybody who fishes has a spinning outfit. When going to the local pond for a few minutes after work, the spinner takes the least amount of time to rig and fish. In addition, they are so easy to use that the fantastic increase in fishing in the past twenty years is probably due, in some part, to this inexpensive, versatile, convenient addition to the fisherman's arsenal.
With only a few exceptions, spinning lures do not consistently take bluegills. The use of flies in combination with a plastic float tied some distance from the fly to add the necessary weight for casting and to float the fly, brings the bluegill within the range of the spin fisherman. Ultra-light lures, used with the appropriate rod and line, improves the bluegill fisherman's catch considerably.
A fly trailer on a top water plug is also productive, but the short length of line tied to the rear hook on the plug is prone to become tangled around the plug hooks on the critical cast. This double-barreled rig offers a choice to both bluegill and bass, but frequently the fly is picked first by a bass, which can result in the loss of a nice bass as well as a fly.
A rig which I thought was original at the time paid off in some happy hours on the Alapaha River some summers ago. I was fishing a plastic worm for bass, using a plain plastic worm on a weedless hook. I could feel bream nipping the tail of the plastic worm on almost every retrieve, and even lost the fluttering tail to some bream when attempting to set the hook in what I thought might be a bass, only to have a large bluegill who didn 't want to tum loose make me pull the worm in two.
l threaded some four pound monofilament through the worm with a

3

After snaking a fly line on top of a bream bed, Woodrow Craven of N ewnan brings in th e result of an expert cast.

needle improvised from a long shanked hook, tied on a small wire hook which I embedded in the very tip of the tail of the worm. By embedding the tip of the bream hook in the worm, this left my worm weedless. The soft plastic offered little resistance to the bite. of the bream, and although the day's stringer had only a few bass, it was filled with very nice bluegills, warmouth and redbreast which otherwise would have been swimming around chewing on the vital part of my fliptail.

But the greatest use of a spinning rig for bluegill is with live bait. With just enough split-shot to get the necessary distance, the spin ning rod will cast the most delicate live bait far enough to let the fisherman reach the necessary eddy, stump or bed. In fact , he can stay farther back than the cane pole fisherman , and the fly caster.
This rig can also be used with a sliding cork when still fishing and with a slip lead when bottom fishing.
When using a slip lead to get the

bait on bottom, do not tie the slip lead to the line. Place a small split-shot a few inches above the hook to keep the. lead from running down over the hook. This lets a fish pick up the bait and swi m off with it, as the line runs freely through the lead, and permits you to feel the slightest tug of a fish. Since the bait is not weighted down , the fish takes it more freely.
This method is especially productive in reservoirs when fish ing the bottom and in ponds during the winter months when bluegi ll are feeding on the bottom. At such times, a large wiggler or pond worm hooked near the end and slowly inched over the bottom is one of the best ways I know of to catch large bluegill.
The place to fish for bluegill varies wit h the time. of year. During the spring every pond and lake will have nesting bluegill. When the water temperature reaches about 78 degrees, the bluegill congregate in the shallow water to "fan the bed. " The nest construction consists of sweeping out a circular depres ion abo ut th~ size of a dinner plate where the eggs are later deposited and fe.rtilized .
Fishing these beds, as they are termed in our area, during construction will produce a preponderance of males, for the male builds the nest. .Later on , the females move in to lay the eggs. Both sexes can be caught now and later when they combihe forces to guard the nests from the hordes of smaller bream and other fish who prey on the. eggs. But unlike the bass, who does not readil y bite while nesti ng, the bluegill are not so involved in production of progeny that they pass up an opportunity for an easy meal. The beds, made up from as few as a half dozen nests to (so I have heard) acres of them, produce some fantastic catches. It sometimes seems impossible that so many fish can be caught in one place. This is the reason why the news that the bream are bedding can cause thousands of fishermen to invent excuses for skipping work, class, and wifelychores to converge on the reported

4

body of water. For the bluegill fisher- to present the bait to the greatest pos-

man, this is the highlight of the year, sible number of spots, treat him with

the thought that bears him up through the greatest respect. And when your

a long, hot summer and a tedious win- turn is up, work as hard as you can

ter. It is fishing like no other and an for him, for on the next change over,

experience that no fisherman should be he has the opportunity to take re-

wit hout.

venge. You can tell when a solid rap-

For the balance of the warm weather the bream fisherman must satisfy himself with results consistent with his kill and knowledge of the best a reas and best methods. Ponds and lakes in the summer produce best during early mo rning and late afternoon. This is the time for lei surely working the drooping willow tops and the lil y pad edges with the fly. It is also the time when that ambitious worker, the pitch fi sherm an, can put it on his more lazy brethren .
The pitch fisherm a n works for hi fis h, and like all h ard workers, usuall y has better results. To pitch fis h, yo u must be ab le to scull a light boat with one hand and manipulate a cane pole or fl y rod with the other. The name of pitch fi hing comes from the action of pitching the bait or lure in a likel y looking spot, letting it sink, then slowl y picki ng it up clear of the. water and throw ing in another pl ace. The accomplished pitch fisherman never stops movi ng hi s boat except to land a fish or to throw back in the same spot. The rhythm wit h the pole is pitch, hesitate, pic k the next pot, 1-i-f-t, and pitch agai n. All the while moving the paddle arm in that deceptively ea y looking fig ure eight pattern that moves a boat silentl y through the lilies and cypress knees .
This method demands one thing; targets to pitch to. It works best in mill ponds and wamps that are a maze of trees, lilies, and coontai l moss . Each bit of cover potentially holds a bream. and by constantly moving, a great amount of area can be covered. Pitch fishermen are indeed a specialized lot, but the development of this technique can add enjo yment a nd fish , and is well worth cultivating.
Sum mer bluegill fishing is a lso good in strea ms. The water is never quite as hot as in ponds and lakes. and the bluegill , as a rule, run larger if fewer in number. Summer days bring to mind cool evenings on a river like the Flint, Ocmulgee, Ogeechee, and Altamaha; the sme.ll of insect repellant and an en dless pattern of rocky shoals or willow lim bs tracing v's in the water, each boil and eddy being centered with a dancing popping bug or disappearing co rk.

port has been established when the question "Is this too far out?", is answered by " No, that's about right. "
The cooling nights of September ma ke dove shooters feel prickly and bluegill fishermen happy, for the less congested waters of autumn coincide wit h an upswing in bluegill activity. On the Suwanee, Alapaha, Sati lla, and St. Marys rivers , the tupe los are dropping their fruit in the water, a nd each of the thousand of " plops" made as the tupelo balls hit the water sounds exactly like a big, pug-nosed bluegill sucking in yo ur fl y. And on these streams, if you can get there, more than a few of these " plops" can be just th at.
Let your popping bug float "dead" down towa rd a cypres or gum tree., a nd as it swings out around the triangle or more calm water on the upstream side of the tree get set for a bluegill of pound size or better. Toss your cricket into this same pot or the edd y on the down stream and you are apt to have the same resu lt.
As for winter fishing, J would say the ize of bluegill caught then usuall y averages larger than those caught in the spring. Fish do not fee.d as readily in the winter. Cold water slows down their activity and their need for food. Little fish can ma inta in themselves on less food tha n larger ones, so the larger fi sh prowls about feeding more. Since insects. crayfish , a nd other food orga ni sms a re less plentiful this time of year, the big bream noses a round the bottom of the pond picking up the aquatic worms that li ve there. This is the time when the method with the spinning outfit mentioned above wo rks o wel l.
For the cane pole fisherman, a little baiting with hog pellets or commercial fi sh food in a good spot can also make bluegill s as well as catfish ha ng around an area that can be fishe.d by the comfort of a fire where such necessities as a thermos of hot coffee are readily at hand .
So, no matter how soph isticated the fisherman or his gear ; from the willow pole cut at creek side strung with flour sack st ring and a bent pin baited with a red wiggler dug from the back yard, to the custom made bamboo fly rod with tapered line and leader baited with your own personal hand tied pattern ,

Thi i buddy fishing , for it is dif- no other species of fish offers the va-

fic ult to maneuver the boat and fish riet y of fishing experiences, or is as

alone. Since hand ling the boat requires easy or challenging to catch, depending

the full attention of the paddler and on the fisherman , as the bluegill , the

he controls the opportunities you have most popular fi sh in Georgia.

-

About The Author-Herb Wyatt Pacing across the South Georgia
coastal plain like an expectant father, that is Herb Wyatt, fisheries supervisor of the Game and Fish Commission's southern Region.
With almost nervous anxiety he keeps a watchful eye on the conditions of the fishing waters in his region . At the present time, his greatest concern is a new project for the state, involving the stocking of a mighty fighting fish, the striped bass.
This is the kind of life this biologist loves. But when duties allow him to relax, he likes to find time to get in some sportfishing himself. And one of his favorite fish just happens to be the bream. For the bream is anothe r of his pets, one he studies close ly in the Suwanee and Alapaha rivers.
His parental care also extends to two of the state's major reservoirs, Lakes Seminole and Blackshear. It is at these two bod ies of water that he holds high hopes for the future, because of the striped bass.
Herb received a BS in wildlife conservation from Oklahoma A & M in 1957, and joined the Georgia Commission on Jan. 1, 1958. He ha s lived in Tifton since that time, working now out of Fitzgerald.
In addition to lakes and rivers, he has done extensive farm pond research.
5

meet your commissioner:
Rankin M. Smith 5th DISTRICT
Rankin M. Smith represents th e Fifth Congressional District in the conservation and developm ent of G eorgia's wildlife resources.

5th DISTRICT

With outdoor sports harder to come by for city folks than for others, Atlanta area sportsmen can at leas t be thankful that they have an outstanding sportsman representing them on the State Game and Fish Com mission.
Who, after all , is a more ou tstanding sportsman than the owner of the Atlanta Falcons, Georgia's professional football team?
Now, pro football i not exactly the same type of outdoor activity that comes to mind when you speak of the Game and Fish Comm ission. But that si de of the sportsman is also strong in Rankin Smith, Fifth District Commissioner from Atlanta.
The genial boss of the hunting hawks (Falcons) likes to do a bit of hunting when he has time. But time is a precious commodity for a man whose life revolves around pro football , and around his position of executive vice president and chief agency officer of Life Insurance Company of Georgia.
Now whe n it comes to activities outdoo rs, Rankin has his partialities, but not to the extreme. He likes all types of hunting and fishing, but his special ~oves are bird hunting and trout fishmg.
He is a member of a group of sportsmen that has leases on bird hunting country near Unadilla and Newton. And he owns a farm near Athens, where he usually holds a dove hunt each year.
The Atlanta native loves to use fly and spinner for trout, and growing out of this love was the excellent trout fi hing just beyond the outskirts of his hometown, the Chattahoochee River below Buford Dam.
"Ten of us put in $50 ap iece to buy some trout to put into the river, there at Holcomb Bridge. Some people said they wouldn't survive, but they did. And look at the fishing there now! " he said.
"I was very much interested in seeing that at least part of that stream was reserved for artificial lures only.

In fact , I'd like to see it all that way," he added. The upper 20 miles of that section is now reserved for art ificials.
Commi sioner Smith was appoin ted to the Commission in I 964, to fill an unexpired term. He was appointed to a full term this past January, and thus has seven years to go on his present ter m. Just recentl y, he was elected vicechairm an of the Comm ission. His hopes for hi s position include gaini ng more public hunting and fishing areas for the people he represents . . . "particularly public hunting. People who live in such a vast metropolitan area just have no place to go, unless we do provide them with public hunting and fishing areas. This is especially true of hunting."
Salt water fishing is another favorite sport of the Atlanta commissioner. He keeps a 38-foot sportfisherm an docked in Miami, and whenever possible he loves to take a fishing cruise to the Bim in i Islands.
Commissioner Smith has been a big fan of football through the years, and has always followed the University of Georgia team. He attended the University for a time, after doing some studying at Emory University. He studied busi ness administration.

In earlier school years, at Bolles Hi gh School and Jacksonville, Fla., prep school, he played "little - very little" at halfback.
There was more at Athens than the University and footba ll that attracted the Commissioner. His wife, Meme, is a native of that city. They have five children, Rankin Jr. , 19 ; Carroll, 18; Do roth y Anne, 16; Taylor, 14 ; and Karen , 9.
In Rankin Smith, urbanites have a commissioner who knows and understands their problems in finding a place to go hunting and fis hing. And he'll work to alleviate those problems. ><;;.
Commissioner Rankin Smith , right, boss of the NFL Atlanta Falcons, first pro football team for the South, goes over the club roster with his head coach, Norb Hecker.

The long cast-the strike! And the fight is on! Rankin Smith likes to battle fish, fresh or salt water, just as surely as he loves to see his Falcons tangle on the gridiron.

6

These two boats are about to ram head on (top picture). There won't be any danger, though, if both boat operators know their rules of the road. If they do , th e boat in the foreground will y ield to th e boat at his right. He'll eith er come to a complete stop and allow th e
other boat to pass, or he'll alter his course to pass to th e rear of the oth er boat (bot/om picture). The boat to th e righ t always has th e righ t of way.

A dark, ominous cloud appeared on the eastern horizon, but the two anglers in the small fishing craft didn 't notice it.
They had been enjoying a warm spring day on the lake, catching fish at an encouraging rate. The weather had been perfect - mild, warm, and with a gentle southern breeze drifting across the water, flowing over them cooly. There was just a slight ripple in the water, making fishing conditions just right.
The first inkling they had that a storm was coming, was when the breeze built up briskly, rocking their boat. Still they kept on fishing, until the waves built up more, now sloshing the boat around dangerousl y. It was

then that the fishermen noted the wind had shifted to the east. A quick look told them the big black cloud was moving up on them swiftly, and that most likel y a sudden late spring storm was coming.
They pulled anchor, realizing they had some five or six miles of water to cross to reach the landing where they had put in.
Thinking back, they recalled that when the day had begun, they had forgotten to bring their life preservers. Rather than waste the time necessary to go back home, an hour's drive to get them, they decided to "gamble." After all, they rationalized, there was no real gamble on needing them. The

7

Life preservers are a must for ALL boating! You m ust have one Coast Gu~rd approved preserver, either vest or cushron, aboard for each person in a boat. T he vest type is preferred. Make sure you know how to put it on right, and adjust it properly, as Brenda Bell does for Judi Townsend.
Watch how you cross that wake of anoth er boat. It could be rough enough to upset you. A nd crossing so close to an oth er boat is riski11g collision.

weather was calm and warm, not a
cloud was in the sky when they started. The sturdy fishing boat was nearly new, and they were experienced enough in boating, they felt, to handle a boat safely. If there was any real risk in not carrying their preservers, it was that a wildlife ranger might catch them.
Now they wished they had the preservers, even though it had never entered their mind that they might need them. It was only that peace of mind which would be afforded by having them aboard, that made them worry a little.
Rain began to slant down, drenching them. The small motor droned across the high waves, and the boat was tossed about from side to side. Now and again, a rush of water doused them over the low sides of the boat.
Out in the widest part of the lake, the waves lashed at them viciously. They had to head south to the landing, so the wind was hitting them broadside.
Finally, the man operating the motor from the stern realized he could no longer maintain his course crosswind. He headed upwind, figuring to take it at a slight angle, then he could quarter again downwind, and make it in safely.
The going got rougher heading upwind , so he decided to take a downwind tack. As he turned the boat, a big wave caught the boat broadside, swamping it.
Over the boat went, tossing the fishermen into the water. Fishing tackle and other items sank out of sight quickly, but at least the anglers were soon able to grab the sides of their overturned boat. Holding on tightly, wet and shivering in the high wind, the two rode out the storm for 45 more minutes. Finally as the wind began to ease slightly, their feet touched bottom, some 15 yards offshore of a small island.
They hurried ashore, pulling the boat along. They were safe!
But then, there they were, stranded. They had no food. Their matches were wet, and they were wet from head to toe. They propped the boat up and got out of the wind and rain, but longed for a warm fire to dry themselves.
When the storm was gone, out came the sun. But a glance to the west told them that there were only a couple of hours until dark. They tried to crank their motor, but found it had been soaked too much to start.
Not a boat was in sight anywhere.
The darkness settled in , and the two huddled under the boat, on the lonel y, dark island. One of them finally man-

aged to get a light from his cigaret

lighter, and tried to light a fire fro~

wet wood on the island. But the ram

has soaked everything in sight, and his

efforts were futile.

It seemed like a week went by before

daylight came. But the sun was barely

up good in the east, before they heard

a motor droning in the distance. When

the boat came near, the two waved

their shirts wildly.

They shouted gleefully when the boat

made a sharp tum and headed for

them. And they felt even more re-

lieved when they saw that the boat was

a Game and Fish Commission vessel,

piloted by a ranger. Ironically, they

recalled hoping the day before that

they wouldn't run into a ranger. Today,

they were more than happy to see him.

The ranger had left the dock before

dawn, after receiving a report that two

men who had been fishing the day be-

fore, had not returned home that night.

He recalled the storm, and figured the

two probably had been swamped.

He doubted he'd see any sign of the

two but possibly, he thought, if they

had ' been turned over, he might find

a boat washed ashore somewhere, or

maybe even still drifting out in the mid-

dle of the big water.

.

He'd been running only a few mm-

utes from the landing where he'd found

the men's car and boat trailer, when

he spied two figures on an isl and , wav-

ing their shirts.

Soon the two men were ashore

again , safe and warm. And a Io_t wiser.

Next time there would be hfe pre-

servers aboard. They might not be able

8

to get hold of the boat. And next time,

they'd keep an eye out for bad weath-

er. And if they were caught, they'd

head for the closest land next time, be

it an island or whatever.

Next time. Fortunately for these two

men , there WAS a next time. There

almost wasn't.

There's no way to guess how many

people risk their lives by taking chances

as these two men did.

Perhaps it wasn't life preservers they

left behind. Maybe it was a fire ex-

tinguisher. Or a paddle. An anchor,

maybe.

Or they had too many passengers

aboard. They had neither a mirror or

observer aboard while pulling a skier.

They rode the bow of the boat, with-

out having the protection of a rail.

They "buzzed" a large, fast inboard

runabout close to a small fishing boat

or sailing vessel.

They took a moonlight cruise with-

out lights aboard.

They had to show off a little, making

turns too fast and too close to shore.

They pulled a water skier across a

trolling fi hermen's line.

They crossed their little boat at high

speed across the wake of a larger boat.

They failed to yield the right of

way to another boat.

They ran at high speed too close

to a swi mming area or dock.

Some of them got away with it.

othing went wrong. They were lucky.

Next time, it might not go so well. ext

time.

For others there is no next time.

Just a watery grave.

,_

Cushion preservers are handy in a boat, but are virtually useless if improperly used . In fa ct, th ey can be dangerous if worn on th e back (left ), as Wildlife Ranger Ja ck A ndrews points out. Now, with Jack's guidance (right), Brenda Bell is using th e cushion correctly , putting her arms through th e loops, with th e cushion in front to keep her head out of th e water. Below: Don't be selfish. And inconsiderate. Gi ve th e fisherman his share of room. Do your high speed cruising on open water. Y ou're liable if your wake causes damage or discomfort to any other person or property. Bottom of page: Running close to a swimming area is illegal- because it's very dangerous. Stay away! There's plenty of room else wh ere on a lake, for high speed run-
9

Game and Fish Commission Rangers Protect Lives on the Water
By Dan Keever
Th e rangers of the Gain esville District patrol heavily-used Lake Sidney Lanier to aid luckless boaters and to enforce boating safety regulations. Wizen a call for aid flash es over th e two-way radio, the rangers move out . Calls com e from th e Gainesville and Flowery Branch bases and from oth er patrol units on th e lak e. Familiarity with th e numerous coves, creeks and islands is a necessity for th ese m en- knowing th e shortest route may save a life.

I: Chief R obert Carter of the Gam e and Fish Com m ission (L ) assigns an area of Lanier to receive th e special attention. of R angers Jim Farris (C) and R ussell H onea. T he rangers work in teams of two per boat and there are as many as fi ve boats on patrol on the lake during the peak summ er fun days.
2: This fisherman maintains his cool. A 11 Ulnbrella provides th e shade, a sa fety cushion provides a good seat and hungry trout lurking in th e depths pro vide th e action .
3: A n un beatable skiing com bination: a fas t boat, a good driver, a ski belt, a bright sun, an observer/ friend. a touch of skill, plenty of open water and a watchful ranger who is always happier to see a scene like this than one with a reckless driver with no consideration. fo r th e oth er boats on the water.
4: Part of th e rangers' daily act1 v1ty includes checking fish ing lice nses. Farris and H onea are often fac ed with th e question, " What're th ey bitin'?" and oft en th ey are able to aid th e occasional fisherman in finding th at right com bination .. . but do n't expect fis hing lessons from the rangers-that's left to th e angler.
5: A familiar sight to Lake Lanier boaters: "L et me see your life preser vers!" Th e req uest usually brings th e response o f a cushion for e very person: "A ll hands SAFE!"
11

Gene Floyd of Hartwell works his spring lizard .carefully, waiting for a big one to hit.

,;
I Lost my .. HEAR ~ ,I! to Hartwell

7

.

By Dean Wohlgemuth
12

You could see the bright violet plastic worm dangling from the corner of the bass' mouth as he leaped from the water and shook his head viciously.
Then the worm made a dazzling streak through the deep, forest-green water as the bass bored downward , trying to burrow his way under the boat.
J put pressure on him and managed to lead him out from under and then used all the force I dared to get him into the net.
Gene Floyd neatly swept the bass into the net and hoisted it aboard. Rain water dripped from my face as I weighed the fish, watching the scale go down to I 34 pounds.
No sir, he wasn't the monster we'd been looking for, but right that moment he looked mighty good to Gene and me. We'd been snakebit. For two days we'd fished hard on Lake Hartwell , and what few bass we'd taken had come hard. This bass had come hardest of all.
I wiped some of the rainwater off m y face and all of a sudden I wasn't shivering any more. When the bass had taken the worm , I was shivering so hard I wasn't sure at first that I'd actually had a strike. But then I let the fish have slack line to run with just in case. When I snapped the bail shut and socked the hook home, the bass socked back, and the scrap was on.
ft was nearly noon when 1 took that fish , and we hadn't put a bass in the boat yet that day. We had hit Hartwell shortly after dawn, and had been on the lake barely 45 minutes when the rain started. From then on the rain came down at steady intervals. I was soaked to the skin. All the while 1 mentall y chewed myself out for leaving my rainsuit at the motel in the town of Hartwell , where I was staying.
lt had taken less than two hours from the outskirts of Atlanta to reach the town of Hartwell. And from the moment I reached the water's edge, I felt like this was going to be a lucky weekend .
The first omen I had was when I posed for a picture for a news photographer in a boat near the dock at Hartwell Marina. After he got his picture, I made one cast just to get the loose coils of line off my reel. The plug came in just a few feet before I was gradually aware the tug on the line was too heavy for just the plug. I was about to believe I'd picked up some water weeds on the hooks, when a pound-size bass broke water and shook its head.
Startled, I didn't even set the hook, but looked back at the photographer. "Hey, you want a picture of me catching a fish?" I yelled.

The photographer, some 15 feet away by then , looked back astonished. But when I turned around I had given the bass too much slack, and without the hook driven home, he found it easy to get free .
Moments later, Gene and I were cruising across the big part of the lake in his fishing rig. He had the boat out-
fitted to perfection , with a 35-horsepower electric starting outboard motor, electric auxiliary motor, steering wheel and depth finder on his open 14-foot glass fishing boat.
It wasn't long before Gene's spring lizard put aboard the first bass of the day. But it was better than an hour before l could get fish smell on my hands.
Finally, while drifting before the wind in a cove, I felt the rap of a fish on my fliptail plastic worm. As I set the hook , the fish took off, and the fight was on. He took three leaps before wearing himself out enough to be netted. This one went about two pounds, I suppose, although I didn't think to weigh him.
Gene decided it was time for a fresh lizard , and this time he selected an extra large one. "Going to get me a big one now," he grinned.
And it wasn't long till he set the hook in a bass, but he was disappointed to find that it was no monster, just an average size bass.
"I'll have to say this," said Gene, a Hartwell cabinet shop operator. "These Hartwell bass are mean. They really put up a scrap, and don 't know when to quit. They pull some dirty tricks."
It was about that time. that I set the hook again , and felt a heavy but nearly dead we.ght on tb~ iS-pound test mon-

Big water m eans big wind, to a sailor's delight. Jt's no surprise that sailing goes over big here.
ofilament. The bass came up into view some l 0 feet from the boat, and appeared to be about the same size as the other one I'd already boated.
But when Mr. Bigmouth saw the boat, "he decided he didn't like this silly game," as Gene put it later. He jumped out of the wate.r, then dived , struggling to get under the boat. Though he got out of sight underneath me for a moment, I worked him out again , but then he feinted a run toward the waiting net, then sped off the other direction. The quick turn worked the hook free.
I sat back on my seat and said something derogatory about the fish .
It was mid-afternoon now, and as we pulled up on the downwind side of an island , Gene, watching his depthfinder, said "It's about 12 feet deep here. This ridge runs out about 100 yards, then bends to the left. I always get strikes here. But that bottom is rugged- just full of bushes."
He cast out the big lizard and let it settle to the bottom. Suddenly he was on his feet, leaning forward as the bass began taking out line. If the fish hadn't been there when Gene set the book, I feel sure Gene would have fallen overboard. I mean, he really leaned into that rod!
But in the flash of an instant, Gene

13

One of t wo m odem , full y equipped m arinas on Hart well. Both are easily reached . N ote Tnterstate High way 85 bridge in background.

knew the jig wa up. The bass had made a complete turn around a big tump , a nd there he sat, rod bent, line tight, a nd no nothing on the hook. ''I'll promise you that was a real good one," he sa id.
T believed him. The bass had not yielded a bit to the pre sure put on him on the 25 pound test line, but had driven straight ahead to the waiting stu mp .
ot long after, T had a similar experience. Sure I had a good strike, T heaved on the rod. But though I fe lt something solid , there was no movement on the other end. "Snagged," I muttered and pulled the line firmly, hoping to pull the hook loose. The pre sure on the stump put life into it, however, and I could feel the powerful surge down deep on the bottom. Then it stopped again , solidl y.
This time 1 was ure l'd lost the fish. Undoubtedly, he'd made a turn around a stump, and though he was till on for awhile anyway, T had no hope of getting him in.
He's gone now for sure, I thought, and again tugged on the line with the rod. Once again I fe lt the same surge of a swimming fish , then once again the movement stopped. Then the line went s lack.
" Yessir, these Hartwell bas are mean," droned Gene grimly.
I had to believe him. Our final score wa four fish boated, none over two pounds. We'd lost twice that many more, and I'm sure mo t of the lost fish were larger.
We hadn't picked the best weather ava il able. Clouds had rolled in , bringing high wind and rain. the morning l

drove up . But fishing had been excellent the preceding week. Gene told of m any trips a nd many bass caught here. To him, 8 to I0 pounder aren't exactly a novelty.
Despite not setti ng the woods on fire with my fishing, it didn't take long for me to take a real liking to Lake Hartwell. While there a re often quite a lot of boats on the 57,000-acre Corps of Engineers impoundment on weekends, it's not nearly as jammed up as more popular lakes closer to big cities. The fishing i there, and it's mighty good fi hing.
The. variety of fi h available is wide. It has the usual species found in most middle Georgia la kes, including the more popular largemouth, crappie, bream, walleye and catfish. It also has some striped bass, stocked by South Carolina.
Thi s year should be the best yet for H artwell , as the lake is in its sixth yea r. And severa l more very good yea rs may be expected before the lake settles back to a normal routine.
Facilities as yet are not as plentiful as on other lakes , but they a ppear to be very adequate for the number of users on the lake thus far. Two modern marin as are located on the Georgia side, Harbor Light Marina just off Inter tate 85, and Hartwell Marina, at Hartwell. Both have boat rentals and full facilities. There are 23 boat ramps on the Georgia side, 18 of which are ooerate.d by the U. S. Army Corps of Engineers.
Picnic areas number 13 , and there are four camp sites. The state owns a nd operates one recreat ion a rea. and three more are county owned.

For the most part, Georgia waters of the lake strongly resemble Lake Lanier. Cool, clear mountain water down the Tugaloo River keeps Hartwell cool and clean in that a rm of the Jake. Perhaps since the water is somewhat cooler than in most Georgia reservoirs, the fishing may be a little slower coming about in the spring, but might last a little later into the spring. And cool , deep water can be found even in the summer's heat.
Even though the lake is young, m any local anglers know the bottom well in their own areas. But tho e who know it best are tho e equipped with depth finders. Gene, my companion for example, has an intimate knowledge of the lake near the town of Hartwell.

Yet since the lake is new enough to provide the kind of fishing fou nd only in impoundments of less than 10 years of age, most an yone can find good fishing with little difficulty.

The f irst time I fished the Jake, for exa mple, was a few weeks earlier than my trip with Gene Floyd. Leon Kirkland, coordinator of fisheries for the Commi s ion , visi ted the lake with me to show me around some, and tell me about it. Actually, Leon had seen little of the la ke too, o we depended pretty heavily on Wildlife Ranger Ray Boleman of Hartwell to give us some hint on where to go.

By the time we got around to fi hing, there were only a coup le hours left in the day. And once agai n, we were hampered by a stiff, chilly breeze, and a fine but steady drizzle.

As with the other trip, I found encouragement quickly. My fifth cast produced a bass that would fit neatly into a frying pan. But from then on, we cou ldn't seem to locate the fish.

Finally, with time running out on us we pulled into a sheltered cove. Leon unlimbered a crappie jig and went to work. Still unwilling to give up on bas , l made a few more cast , all unproductive.

Giving up, I decided I'd cast just once more then go to the jig. The plug came in untouched , but just as I lifted it from the water, a ba s of a little better than a pound splashed up and gulped in the plug, inches above the surface. I automatically set the hook a nd as I did , the bass came clear of the water.

I'd like to say the bass are that eager all the time, but I've found th a t Hartwell, like other lakes, is not supernatural. Bass fishing is bass fishitlg, and those bass are as smart as their brothers found a nywhere.

But I agree with Gene Floyd -

yo u won't find more ornery, mea n bas

anywhere. I love 'em!

~

14

Membe rs of th e Cave Springs Wildlife A ssociation launch th eir boats on a public ramp located on th e back wa ters of L ake W eiss near Rome. Th e club initiated th e m ove to get th e ramp and provided th e fenced-in beach play area (o n th e left). Th e Gam e and Fish Commission and Floyd County built th e ramp , one of th e fi rst built with th e aid of th e Commission.

ACCESS-ABILITY

Down the solid, smooth, concrete surface of the new boat launching ramp on Lake Chatuge, the car braked slightly as the boat trailer rolled toward the water. Slooosh. The trailer and boa~ were in the water. A little shove and the boat was free. With a toe touch on the accelerator the heavy car squatted down and traveled effortlessly up the ramp, then was parked in the parking area. Just like that. No strain. The Game and Fish Commission's boat launching ramp program is under way.
Sixteen new ramps are right now in use and several others will be com pleted throughout the following months. As outlined in the October issue of Georgia Game and Fish , these ramps are just the start of a program that will , initially, see within the next five years a launching ramp for approximately every 15 miles on 20 major Georgia streams , plus one ramp for every thousand acres of water not now served by a

By Jim Tyler

ramp in 12 private power company and people. This, however, is just a start-

TVA reservoirs in Georgia.

ing point. "People can 't expect to ask

Each ramp site is, or will be, located for a ramp one day and have it the

in a n area where the ramp will erve next day," emphatically says C. V . Wa-

the most people. Fishing pressure, nat- ters, Northern Region Manager of the

urall y, is the first consideration , but the Game and Fish Commission.

man y uses of water such as boating,

Monies for the new ramps are pro-

hunting, canoeing, and sight seeing-ad- vided by the State Game a nd Fish Com-

ditional recreational pursuits other than mission and by the Land and Water

fishing , were considered when selecting Conservation Fund through the U.S.

ramp sites.

Bureau of Outdoor Recreation, along

Any club or individual interested in with local government support. When

a possible ramp for their area should looked at over the long ra nge, the cost

contact one of the regional supervisors is very reasonable, say the slide rule

of the Game and Fish Department at men. They figure each new ramp will

Gainesville, Fort Valley, Fitzgerald , or yearl y provide 2,920 man-days of rec-

Brunswick, or their county commission- rea tion ( in other words, on the average,

er or county ordinary. 'The regional every day of the year eight individuals

supervisor will investigate the area and will use each of the new ramps as a

see if it is feasible to put a ramp there. springboard for a day's outing) . Over

He will check the area from an en- the anticipated ten year life span of a

gineering standpoint and also see if the new ramp , the initi al investment will be

proposed ramp is located in an area diluted down to show it costs only eight

that would serve a goodl y number of cents for a ma n-d ay of use. But the

15

boater using a new ramp need not worry about the cost; no use fee will be charged.
A bad blow to the ramp program was the failure of a proposed constitutional amendment to be introduced in the 1967 legislature. This amendment, if passed and then voted into being by the Georgia people, would have earmarked the fuel tax paid on the gasoline bought by boaters to be used to expand the ramp construction program and to step up the Department's boating safety program. This tax money now goes to the State Highway Department. Not a paltry amount, well over one half million dollars are involved. So, the program will be limited to a $100,000 yearly expenditure, roughly 40 ramps.
Still, the new ramps will greatly help fishermen and boaters, enabling them to launch their crafts with ease and assurance.
Here is a list of the new ramps: NORTHERN REGION
Nottely Lake, at the dam . Union County. Oostanaula River, at Calhoun . Gordan County. Oostanaula River, Highway 156 crossing. Gordon
County. Etowah River, Highway 5 crossing. Cherokee County. Lake Chatuge , Highway 76 crossing. Towns County. Tugaloo River, below Yonah Dam. Stephens County. CENTRAL REGION Ogeechee River Highway 88 cross ing. Washington-
Jefferson County line. Ogeechee River, Highway 1 crossing. Jefferson
County. Ogeechee River, south of Louisville , McCombs
Bridge . Jefferson County. Ogeechee River, Highway 78 crossing. Jefferson-
Burke-Emanuel County line. Oconee River, State Hospital property,
Milled~eville. Baldwin County. Oconee River, Highway 287 crossing. Green County. SOUTHERN REGION Ocmulgee River. at Abbeville. Wilcox County. Flint River, Reeves Landing. Sumter County. COASTAL REGION Altamaha River, Shrine Club Landing upstream
from Hi~hway 301 crossing. Wayne County. Altamaha River, Gray's Landing between Highway 1
and Highway 221 bridges . Toombs County.
A rutty, inadequate launching site can be a headache. The Commission's new
launching ramp program will provide dependable, fee-free ramps, plus roomy
parking areas.
Sixteen new ramps have been installed. Many more are on th e drawing boards and
will be completed soon .
Put a boat in here? Members of the G eorgia House Lakes and Rivers Study Committee examine a hazardous ramp located at th e G eorgia 120 crossing on th e
Chattahoochee River near Duluth . Committee m embers were concerned with the lack of fa cilities on G eorgia waterways.
16

Sportsman's Calendar

1967 GEORGIA TROUT MANAGEMENT STREAM SCHEDULE

Wr d nuday S3turday-

Thursday

Sund ay

Wednesday- Saturday-

Thursday

Sund ay

SaturdaySund ay

~ed nesday
Th u r sda)'

Wed n e s d a y T hursday

SaturdaySunday

.;

~

rII.:l

.; ,

CQ ~

.. MANAGEMENT . . . AREA
...... ...... ........... .*...... .......... .... . .*.......... .. BLUE RIDGE

STREAM
1~.1~ ~ . . . . . ~.~~. Jones (Artificial Lures) . . . . . . . . . Montgomery . . . . . . . Nimblewill . . . . . . . Noontootley (Artificial Lures)

...:<e..:...

:;:~
~~

~
~c;;

I" 1..11~

... IIi ~~ ... '"' ...... "' ~

'l'

"~'!~ :!I~
~

11

~

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~
~cia

~~
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~

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MO "7~ !:!~

;;;>
~
':';;;.
~<

0
'7'7
NO>

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~
~

or-
~~~

t~Il.~:

I

(Catch and Release)

. . . . ... .... . .. . Rock Creek

. .. CHATTAHOOCHEE Chattahoochee

. . Dukes

. .. . . . .. CHESTATEE

Boggs

.. . .. ... . .. . Dicks

. . . . . . . Waters (Artificial Lures)

. . . LAKE BURTON Dicks

. . Moccasin (Not Stocked)

. Wildcat

. ... . .. . WARWOMAN

Finny

... . . .. .. . Sarahs

. . . .. . . . Tuckaluge

. . . . . Walnut Fork and Hoods Cr.

. . .
.

. .. .
. .
. .

. . .. . .
.

. ...
. . ......

.
. . .

. . .

. .

. . . .. .
. . .

. .
. .
. .

. .. .
.. ..

. . .
. . . .

. . .
.

. .. . ..
. . . . .. ......
. . . . . . . .

. .
. .

. . ... .
. . .
. . . . . .

. . . .

. . . .

. .

. .

. . .

. .

. .

. . ... .

. ... .. .
. ......... .. .

. .
. . . . .

Open Wed. Only

EARN MONEY FOR YOUR CLUB
by selling subscriptions to Georgia Game & Fish .

TROUT STREAMS
__ OF GEOR..G. IA

----- .~ .._- ,.._

. IIIIOo\llo-r

SEASONS NOW OPEN
TROUT Mountain Trout Open Stream Season-April I, 1967 through October 15, 1967. Creel Limit-Eight trout of all species per person per day. Possession limit 8 trout. Fishing Hours-30 minutes before sunrise to 30 minutes after sunset. No night trout fishing is allowed on trout Streams open during the regular state trout season. Trout fishing at night on Reservoirs is permitted . Special Regulations-Coleman River below Forest Service Road No. 54 restricted to artificial lures only, 10 inch minimum size limit on brown and rainbow trout, 7 inch minimum size limit on brook trout. Chattahoochee River below Buford Dam to the Old Jones Bridge restricted to artificial

lures only with a 10 inch mmunum size limit for all trout species. Fishermen on artificial lure only streams may not possess live or natural bait. Management Area Stream Season-May 3, 1967 through September 4, 1967 on designated days only. For detailed schedule see map and chart above. Lake Trout Season-There is no closed season on trout fishing in Georgia Lakes with the exception of Amicalola Falls and Vogel State Park Lakes, and Dockery
Lake. Special Regulations-14 inch minimum size limit on all species of trout in Lakes Blue Ridge, Burton , Clark Hill, and Lanier. No size limit on other lakes.

Your club or organization can earn $1.00 for every $2.50 new or renewal subscription for three years to Georgia Game & Fish Magazine that it sells. Fifty or more subscriptions must be turned in together to the State Game and Fish Commission at the same time.
Your club simply makes the sale, collects $2.50, keeps $1 .00, and remits $1.50 with each subscriber's printed name and full mailing address, including ZIP code, to the State Game and Fish Commission, 401 State Capitol, Atlanta, Georgia 30334.
All checks sent to the Commission should be made payable to the State Game and Fish Commission. Groups of less than 50 subscriptions cannot be accepted at the reduced rate.
To obtain subscription blanks and sample copies of the magazine, send your club's request to the above address.