Georgia game and fish [Vol. 2, no. 7 (July 1967)]

lRGIA

VOL. 2, NO. 7 I JULY, 1967

8 ~GEORGIA
.~. -,;, GAME &FISH

July 1967

Volume 11, Number 7
Contents

Savages of the Sea F a mil y Fishing Fun Don't-F ence- Me-In Bass Meet Your Commissioner For the Fun of It Why The Shrimp Ebb Sportsmen Speak .. Sportsman's Calendar

. . . . Jim Morrison 1 .. Dean Wohlgemuth 6
. . Leon Kirkland 7 Jim Morrison 9 Herb Wyatt 10 Jim Tyler 13 16 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-! Oth 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 DIRECTOR Jack A. Crockford

COORDINATORS

Leon Kirkland, Fisheries

Charles M. Frisbie,

Hubert Handy, Game

Marine Fisheries

Robert S. Baker, Special Services 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 Jim Tyler, Staff Writer

Dean Wohlgemuth, Managing Editor

* * *
Georgia G am e and Fish is the offici al m onthly magazine of the Georgia Ga m e and Fish Co mmission , published at the Commission's offices, 401 State Capito l. Atlanta, G eorgia 30334 . N o advertising accepted. Subscriptions are $/ for one year or $2 .50 fo r 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 n otice. N o subscription requests will be accepted without Z IP code. Articles and photograph s may be reprinted. Proper credit should be given. Contributions are welcom e , b ut the editors assume rro responsibility or liab1lity for loss or dam age of articles, photographs , or illustrations. Second-class postage paid at Atlanta, Georgia.

Does Georgia Need a Saltwater Fishing License?
A major portion of this month's Georgia Game and Fish magazine is devoted to the treasures of the Georgia coast, both for the sport fi sherman and for the man who makes his living harvesting shrimp, crabs, and oysters from the sea.
From the mouth of the Savannah to the mouth of the Saint Marys, from the thousands of miles of saltwater creeks and rivers, and from the beautiful offshore islands to the brilliant blue Atla ntic waters offshore, the Georgia coast is unquestionably a fisherman's paradise.
But like any section of paradise, a worm can be found in the apple. In the case of the Georgia coast, the major problem seems to be that Georgians for one reason or another have never really done anything to develop the full potential of this great sport and commercial fishing area.
Vast areas teaming with fish in season go virtually untouched by fishermen , while thousands of Georgians a nd even more of their northern cousins race each other down the ever widening highways to Florida, there to spend their money for gasoline, meals, lodging, bait, boat rental , fishing tackle, guide service, etc. Much of this money could have been spent with equal fishin g success in Georgia waters, but was not.
Wh y? There seem to be two answers, both closely rel ated. The first is the relative shortage of facilities for fi shing on the Georgia coast, such as large fi sh camps with motels, restaurants, guides, boats, etc., at least when compared with most Florida fishin g waters. The second factor is the almost complete Jack of promotion of the fi shing and facilities that are avail able, at least up until recently. In fact, few Georgians have any idea that there are more than a dozen saltwater fishing camps now located on the Georgia coast. True, the services offered by each varies widely, running from everything a fisherman could ask for to a mere gas pump on th e water. Some are sparkling new additions to the coastal scenery, while others are aging, paint-peeled watermarks of years past. Some are operated by intelligent, aggressive men anxious to please their customers, while others are the bailiwick of sour old curmudgeons who scarcely seem to care if a single fisherman ever darkens their door again.
Why haven't more top-notch fi shing facilities been constructed a nd efficiently operated to Jure fishermen to the Georgia coast? And why hasn't more promotion gone into advertising th e facilities and services that are now available? And why hasn't some effort been expended in improving sport fishing throu gh management of fi sh there, such as the potentially helpful construction of artificial offshore reefs?
These are all knotty problems. The first two are similar to the argument of whether the chicken or th e egg came first. If there are few decent facilities available to promote, what good is it to advertise an inferior product? And if not enou gh promotion is given to those facilities to attract enough customers, how can the busine survive, flour ish, a nd expand ? Obviously, both ingredients are needed: there is room for ambitious businessmen with money to construct the necessary facilities and to begin promoting them. At the same time, more effort in advertising th e are a to fishermen can and should be made by local chambers of commerce, and by city, county and state government. Such an effort would be amply repaid in increased business for the area, resulting in increased profits of opera-
(Continued on page 16)
ON THE COVER: Down goes th e gaff and in comes a little tuna, one of the fierce battlers of the sea found off the Georgia coast during the summer months. The landing of the fi sh is the anti-climax, but still an exciting moment for these anglers on a charter boat operating from Jekyll Isla nd. Photo by Jim Morrison.
ON THE BACK COVER: This painting by Georgia's former first lady, Mrs. Betty Foy Sanders, graphicall y depicts the twilight entra nce of a Georgia shrimp boat into th e harbor at Brunswick, center of Georgia's multi-mill ion doll ar commercial fish ing fleet.
PHOTO CREDITS: Dan Keever b. 4, t. 7, 8, 9, 13, 14, 15; Jim Morrison 2, 3, t. 4, b. 7; Walt Stephens r. 6; Jim Tyler 10, 11, 12; Dean Wohlgemuth I, 6.

1'he Dolphin is probably the most beautiful big game fish caught on the Georgia coast, rapidly turning from blue to green to yellow when taken from th e water. He's a strong fighter who jumps often while on th e lin e.

as my line, sickeningly, went slack and my king fish splashed back into the sea.
"Tangled in one of the other lines," cursed the mate. "Unhooked him." In the excitement of the strike, we had carelessly forgotten to reel in one of the four trolling lines and it had coiled itself around my fish, releasing it. The fish must have been a 20 or 25 pound king mackerel, even if it was "the big one that got away."
It was just as well that the next strike came on someone else's line, because my heart hadn't stopped pounding from my exhausting battle with the big king. Still, I was green-eyed when one of my companions boated a king at least as big as mine would have been.
Later, other members of the party matched strength with a deceptively named "little tuna," pictured on the cover of this month's Game and Fish magazine. We found that he is a real scrapper, even on heavy tackle.
Then, a dolphin took the hook. After a battle of almost 15 minutes and three spectacular jumps more than a yard out of the water, we stuck the gaff into one of the most beautiful creatures ever to come from the sea. In quick succession, the 20-pound fish changed color, chameleon-like, from blue to green to a brilliant yellow-gold hue.
Trolling more than 40 miles offshore from the Georgia coast, we had other strikes and lost other fish , but the three tackle-busters we landed were well worth the trip. As a bonus, we ambushed a school of Spanish mackerel in Saint Andrews Sound on the way out, in plain view of Jekyll and Cumberland Islands. In fact, we had scarcely left the dock at the Jekyll Marina and got our lines rigged with small trolling spoons before spotting the mackerel school almost inside the inlet. Small black "mackerel birds" circling and diving rapidly in the water were the first indication of feeding fish , quickly confirmed by signs of small bait fish leapiag from the water, pursued by the thrashing forms of larger, hungry fish .
Trolling around the edge of the school to avoid driving it back down, we quickly began piling two-pound fish into the boat with six lines in the water at a time. As quickly as we could let a Clark's spoon on a three foot wire leader back into the water, a mackerel took it.
Using heavy trolling tackle, the oneand-a-half to two-pound Spanish mackerel can't put up much of a fight, but it's a good way to fill your ice chest in a hurry and catch all of the fish that you'll ever want to at one time, one after another. We never halted the

boat as we constantly followed the
fish, pulling in mackerel after mackerel. In case you're wondering, there is no limit on the number of fish you are allowed to take in the ocean, and no fishing license is required.
On this trip, our goal was the big offshore fish so we left the Spanish mackerel school after 30 . minutes and at least as many mackerel. We could have regretted this move if we hadn't hit the big fish later.
But don't be fooled about the sportiness of Spanish mackerel. If you don't like meat fishing with a "block and tackle," you can get real sport from the Spanish by using light spinning tackle. Use a short six-inch wire leader for casting since the mackerel has a respectable mouth of needle-like teeth . Bluefish, another small size school fish , are frequently caught with the Spanish mackerel, trolling or casting small spoons. Both are tasty additions to the frying pan, as well as dogged fighters on li ght tackle.
During the summer months from late May through early September, especially July and August, the ocean waters off the Georgia coast are an angler's paradise for many exciting species of game fish. After wintering near the Bahamas, the fish migrate north, split off from the Gulfstream, and move inshore as the ocean waters warm in the summer. King mackerel, dolphin, little tuna, cobia, bonita, amberjack, jack crevalle, tarpon, Spanish mackerel, and bluefish are just a few of the fish that make their appearance in Georgia waters only during this time of year.
Closer inshore, fishing is also good from the beaches for channel bass. Old docks and pilings make good places to fish for sheepshead, croaker, spot, tripletail, and flounder. Saltwater rivers, creeks, and sounds are good spots for summer sea trout and channel bass fishing from small boats. Since these species are more accessible to the average fisherman from the bank or small boat, most of the fishing on the coast is for these inshore species. The larger fish are found only further offshore. Catching the big game fish is a matter of having good enough equipment, starting with a boat capable of going offshore.
The smaller varieties such as Spanish mackerel and bluefish can often be taken in the summer months inside the sounds or within five or six miles offshore, putting them in reach of even fairly small outboards, depending on weather conditions and the nerve of the boat operator. In the ocean, all of the safety problems of boating on freshwater lakes and rivers are multiplied many times by the vast expanse of wa-

ter, the stronger currents, the hidden sandbars, the distance to shore, the lack of other boats around, and the sud-
denness of squalls. Obviously, fishing outside the sounds
is only for the cautious and calm-nerved angler who is prepared for all eventualities, and who finds that the worry about possible risks does not outweigh his potential enjoyment of the excitement of pulling fighting gamefisb from the very ocean itself in a small boat skippered by himself.
How big a boat do you need for offshore fishing? There really aren't any hard and fast rules. You could try it with your horse-and-a-half motor and pond fishing pram, but most fishermen won't go five or six miles out in anything less than an 18 to 100 horse outboard, depending on their financial means and need for peace of mind. Most also take a small motor clamped on the transom or stashed under the bow for possible use as an auxiliary motor in case of engine failure at sea. A good anchor with a line six or seven times the depth of the water is an essential if your motor stalls, you want to anchor, and you can't keep the bow into the wind (a sea anchor is also used for this) .
Needless to say, a good repair kit with pliers, wrenches, screwdrivers, extra sparkplugs, shear pins, spare prop, etc. should be standard equipment, along with a fire extinguisher, first aid kit, drinking water, emergency food supplies, extra gasoline and oil, signal fla res, towing line, and other odds and ends. Of course, you could do without any or all of these items, but why fin d out that you should have bad them when it's too late?
Needless to say, make sure that you have at least one U. S. Coast Guard approved life preserver on board fo r each person in your boat. Life preservers of the jacket, vest, or "horsecollar" design are preferred over the cushion type of preserver, especially in saltwater where rescue may be hours away at best.
Whenever you go boating, especially offshore, it's a good idea to let someone at the dock or at home know where you're going and when you'll be back, in case you run into trouble. Make sure they have a good description of your boat to aid searching parties.
One of the best safety precautions as well as a good way to catch fish , is to go out offshore with another boat, especially with a native fisherman who is familiar with the water, sand bars, buoys, weather, and the fish. Then if either one of you runs into trouble, help is close at hand. On the Georgia coast, it's a fairly simple matter to follow along with another boat going off-

shore, especially on Saturday and Sunday.
Most anglers like to have the company and the safety that numbers bring. There is plenty of room for extra boats offshore without hindering the fishing for anyone. If you use one of the many popular docks or boat launching facilities on the coast, you usually won't have to take long to make arrange~ ments, especially through the dockmaster.
Most of the larger outboard and inboard-outboard boats now being used on the larger freshwater Georgia reservoirs are suitable for use in saltwater, often with onl y a few additional items of equipment. One of the most essential is a good set of lifting rings on the boat, since there are few launching ramps in the tidal areas. Such ramps usually stay covered with a coat of sticky mud after every tide, making them dangerous to use. For this reason as well as for easier handling of bigger boats, the hoist is the most common saltwater launching facility. The saltwater also rusts metal trailers quickly. Some hoists are equipped with straps which can be placed beneath the boat, but most require that boats be equipped with lifting rings, usually one on the front deck and two on the transom of outboards, or one on the back deck of inboards. The front ring should be bolted through the deck to the keel below to insure safety in lifting. The owner of the boat is always liable for the security of his own lifting rings, in case they pull out and his boat sinks at the hoist. Launching fees are usually $2.00 for boats under 18 feet, and $4.00 for larger ones. Regular users of a hoist usually join a club, which reduces their Iiwnching fees in half. Dry storage is available at many marinas for boats at low prices.
For going after the bigger offshore varieties 30 to 40 miles out, naturally you need a larger, more powerful boat.

Top: Outboard and inboard boats with 100 or more horsepower motors are commonly used by Georgia coastal fishermen as far out in th e Atlantic as 30 or 40 miles. Judson Smith and Freddie Missildine are old hands at offshore trolling, as are many oth er m embers of th e St . Simons Boat Club .
Above: Th e sweet exhaustion of victory! Norval Netch's king mackerel is a whopper in the book of any fisherman who never caught one before. The king is fine eating.

3

Top: Trolling under offshore buoys is a good way to catch cobia, one of the larger offshore species. Cobia like to lay under the shade of navigation markers.
Above: Modern marinas on the Georgia coast offer fishermen good launching facilities, gasoline, and food. Launching hoists are used instead of ramps on the coast because of tidal mud and salt water corrosion of metal boat trailers.
4

Outboard and inboard motors of more than 100 horsepower and boats 20 or more feet in length are a good idea, if they are well constructed with plenty of freeboard, especially at the transom. Poorly designed boats can break apart in heavy seas, or be quickly swamped by breakers. An electric bilge pump is one of the many items worth their cost further offshore, along with a depth finder, a ship-to-shore radio, a good compass, and a set of charts. (An index of charts of the Georgia coast is available by writing to the U. S. Coast and Geodetic Survey, Washington, D. C.)
Such boats may be capable of speeds of over 30 miles an hour, in calm water, but frequently in a squall they cannot safely operate at more than 7 or 8 miles an hour. If a storm overtakes boats fishing 30 miles out, they must be able to weather the blow if they cannot run in or run further out in time to avoid it. This can call for real seamanship on the part of the ski pper, and a good knowledge of his boat and its capabilities in all kinds of weather and water conditions. Most of these men are reasonably familiar with basic navigation principles. If you haven't taken it, it's a good idea to sign up for one of the U. S. Power Squadron's ba ic piloting courses. The U. S. Coast Guard Auxiliary also gives boating safety classes, and makes free safety inspections of boats and their safety equipment.
Fishing tackle-wise, you can get along with your regular freshwater spinning or casting equipment inshore, although you may want to use light saltwater spinning or casting rods and reels. Offshore, you'll need really heavy, short saltwater trolling rods and star-drag reels. Without outrigger poles on your boat, it is difficult to effectively troll more than two lines at a time. Outriggers enable you to fish two lines out-

side the wake of the boat, and make it possible to catch billfish like marlin and sailfish that characteristically strike a bait fish with their biU , then circle back to eat it.
When an outrigger is not used on a trolled line, the billfish strikes the bait, circles around, and expects to find the bait lying dead in the water, so that he can immediately eat it. However, if the bait is still being trolled, it won't be there, and the fish knows that something is wrong.
For this reason, outrigger poles are usually equipped with a clothespin-type clip into which the trolled line is placed with just enough tension to snap out when the fis h first strikes the bait. This lets enough slack line loose so that the bait stops moving in the water, even though the boat does not, and the fish takes the lu re.
Outrigger poles usually are 20 to 25 feet long, and are equipped with a pulley type line using guides up the poles for reeling the spring clip into the boat and back out the pole again when the trolling line has been placed in the snap.
A wide variety of baits and lures are used for the large offshore fish, but the most popular are large barracuda spoons, feathered jigs, broken-back plugs, cut mullet or bonita strips, and small dead bait fish known as ballyhoo that can be purchased in fish markets.
Although the excitement and adventure of taking your own boat offshore and catching large fish is worth considering, suppose that you first want to get better acquainted with where and how to fi h, or that you don't have the boat or the tackle for it yourself, what then?
The best answer probably is to charter a boat and skipper to take you out, provide the tackle and lures, and show you how and where to fish. There are dozens of small boat owners on the

coast who are licensed by the Coast Guard to carry passengers for hire, and who will be glad to take you out for a reasonable price if you make arra ngements a day or so ahead with a

Use a heavy glove and/or a pair of pliers. Smaller fish like trout may be netted, but a gaff is essential for larger fish.
If you want to score on the savages

Bottom: Fishing is good on the coast during the summer for large channel bass inshore. Bull Durham and Bob Gill of Brunswick are proud o f this fish taken near Little Egg Island in the A ltamaha Sound .

marina operator, especially for the weekends. Prices vary considerabl y, but a boat capable of taking up to eight fishermen would run about $100

of the sea lying in wait off the Georgia coast, don't put it off too long most of these species migrate back into the Gulfstream and back to the Ba-

Below: From top to bottom, three popular o ffshore battlers are the dolphin , king mackerel, and spanish mackerel.

a day, although a smaller boat with hamas by early fall as the water be-

room for three fishermen and a skip- gins to cool in September, returning

per probably could be arranged for again to Georgia waters in May. In-

$50 or less, depending on how far out shore, fishing for trout and channel

the run is.

bass improves, and actually reaches its

Inshore, guides for trout and chan- peak in November and December (See

nel bass fishing charge about 10 to 12 Georgia Game and Fish, November,

dolla rs a day, with or without bait in- 1966).

cluded . Boats and motors can also be So if you've always had an inner

rented for an additional charge. Boats longing to go down to the sea in your

for inshore fishing are readily avail- own small boat and catch a fish half

able at more than a dozen saltwater as long as you are, now is the time.

fish camps on the Georgia coast. Char- Even if you don't get a strike, it'll

ter boats for offshore fishing usuall y probably be an adventure that you 'll

can be arranged at either Savannah, never forget.

~

Thu nderbolt, Savannah Beach, Sun-

bury, Midway, Yellow Bluff, Bruns-

wick, Saint Simons, or Jekyll Island.

Wri ting to the chamber of commerce

in many of these cities will provide

some helpful information. In addition,

a map is available free of charge from

the State Capitol office of the State

Game and Fish Commission which

shows the locations of the various fish

camps and marinas, and gives an in-

dex of the type of facilities and equip-

ment available at each location. The

folder also includes an identification guide to saltwater fish species, along with tips on how, where, and when to catch them. Ask for the brochure,

RIOUPE1

CREEK

"Saltwater Fishing in Georgia." When you're making plans for your

MAR\NA

saltwater adventure, don't forget the

possibility that you could get seasick.

If you're not an old salt who can take

the constant up and down and side-

ways motion of a small boat on the

ocean swells without hanging your head

over the side, it's a good idea to get

some motion-sickness tablets at the

drugstore and begin taking them the

night before you go out for maximum

protection. Avoid eating spicy seafood

and consuming much in the way of al-

coholic beverages the night before you

go out- you'Ll feel safer until your feet

are firm ly planted back on the bank.

Sunburn is also another possibility,

since the power of the sun's burning

rays are intensified by the reflections

fro m the water, as well as by the effect

of wind. Extra protection may be

needed for hands, ears, neck, nose, etc.

Another thing - don't try to un-

hook your fish with your bare hands.

Almost every saltwater fish, no matter

how small, has a respectable set of

chompers that he'll gladly use on your

unsuspecting fingers, if you let him.

5

The plug came in untouched for about the lOth time in a row, and impatience overtook me. I walked up the dam to where I had left my tackle box, and selected a new one.
As I was tying it on, I was aware that a group of three women were approaching. One of them stationed herself right where I'd been standing.
My first reaction was disappointment, because I'd already landed some 10 or 12 bass from that one spot, although none quite reached the 10-inch size limit, and had been carefull y returned to the water.
Then, recalling the fruitless casts immediately preceding the change of lures, I thought little of it. Let her have the spot, I told myself, and crossed over to the other side of the dam to another pond.
Only a few minutes passed before I heard a gleeful shriek. "I've got a big one!" The voice was that of the woman who'd taken my spot. I peered over

No boats are available, so anglers must use their own. Only electric motors are allowed. A campsite is set aside for those desiring to stay overnight.
Charge for non-fishermen usi ng picnic facilities is $1 per person 12 or over. but there is no charge for fishermen and their families who wish to use the picnic tables. Only limited camping facilities are available including water and tables .. . There are no tent or trailer pads.
Since this is the third year for the area, fish should be of better size than in previous years. Ed Henderson, who is superintendent of the area for the Commission, told me that there should be quite a good number of four to five pound bass and equally good channel cats in the ponds now. Shellcrackers up to lV<! pound and bluegills of a pound were not too uncommon last year, and these species can only be better this year. Last year, 6,000 fishermen took home 10,200 pounds of fish .

the dam. The woman needed help with

the fish. I got there just in time to aid

her in landing it, a three-pound beauty

with a plastic worm dangling from its

mouth.

This spot became m y favorite in all

the many spots available to anglers at

the McDuffie Public Fishing Area. On

my next visit, I got there just as an-

other group of anglers were leaving,

with a good sized stringer of bass. Still

I got a two-pounder and a. couple oth-

er keepers in an hour and a half.

Later in the day I found another

spot, full of stumps, and in the next

hour I landed bass almost at will. Most

of them, admittedl y, were again below the keeping size. But it was good recreation.
Actually, I wasn't seriously fishing

Above: If fish aren't biting in one of th e M cDuffie Pu blic Fishing Area's 14 lakes, it's a simple matter to find one wh ere th ey are.

that day. I had taken the family and

some friends along, with hopes of giving them some sport.

L eft: H ow much happiness can you hope for? F our year old Warren W oh lgemuth

And the McDuffie Area, in McDuf-

of D ecatur seems to have found it with

fie County not far from Augusta, was

th ese chunky M cDuffie bass.

the logical choice for such an expedi-

tion.

Read y to go? Here's how you can

The public fishing area operated by

get there:

the Game and Fish Commission con-

The McDuffie area is about 30

tains 14 lakes, totalling some I 00 acres

miles west of Augusta just off U.S.

of fishing water. All are stocked with

278 Highway. From Augusta, go to

bass and bream, and five of them also

Dearing. Turn left at caution light and

have channel cats. It is pond fishing at its finest, in the highl y managed ponds. The Commission uses its best

F a m i l y go three miles to Iron Hill Church. Turn right at the church and go to a wooden sign, and turn left on a dirt

F i s h i n g knowledge in pond management to pro-
duce the maximum fis hing possible for as many anglers as possible.

This, of course, means a few more restrictions than on big water. Bag limits are 20 bream, five bass and five channel cats per day. Bass must be

Fun

road. Follow the dirt road .8 of a mile to the checking station.
From other sections of the state. go to Thomson on U.S. 278, continuing east on that highway 5.2 east of Thomson. Bear right at a large wooden sign on a sharp curve, and travel 3.3 miles

over 10 inches long. And anglers over

on a paved road. Turn right onto a

I 6 years of age must pay $1 each per day to fi sh.

By Dean Wohlgemuth

dirt road and travel .8 miles to the

checking station.

)Q.

6

When you see anglers in a boat, casting plugs, you almost always see them along a shoreline. If you do see someone fishing quite a distance from shore, chances are you laughed at them.
"Amateurs," you chuckled. "They don't know that fish must have something to hide around, so they bang around stumps along the shore."
Very true - in spring or fall, when the water is cool enough. But when the weather and the water gets good and hot - or very cold - you won't get anything along the edge except perhaps
a yearling bass. Those big boys didn't get that size
by being dumb. They're old enough and smart enough to know they are too big to maneuver well in shallow water. And they can be seen there.
More important, the temperature is too warm in shallow water during hot weather - even in the springtime at

midday. And if the water is cool enough, the sun's rays penetrate the shallow water and make things too hot for them.
Then too, bigger fish eat higger food and this is h!lrd to come by when the big bass can't hide well along the shore. He's too big to get into any chases around tangles, stumps and weeds.
He just lies in wait, where he can't be seen, until some foolish forage fish gets too close, and POW! It's dinner time.
And who says there's no cover for the big boys 'way down deep? YOU can't see it. But you see only the top of the water. HE sees everything underwater.
So if you want to get the really big bass, especially in hot or cold weather, you've got to find good cover in deep water.

The best time you can spend in hunting big bass, is to go out to your favorite lake in the winter time when the water is down low. Now, and only now, can you see what the fish sees all summer. You'll be amazed. Out in the middle of that cove, you'll see huge rocks, stumps and brush protruding out of the water. In the summer, all you saw was wide open water. During low water, you'll see dropoffs. Last summer, it all appeared to be level.
You can get a good idea of very deep spots, and you can find shallow spots out in the open, often referred to as "submerged islands," or "underwater islands." These are little hills that were flooded along with everything else, but they're not so deep. While water around them may be 50 or 60 feet deep, atop the "islands," the water may be eight to 10 feet or perhaps a little deeper. These, especially if they have

Som e good spots to fish for bass on Lake Lanier during the summer months include submerged islands like the one marked on the right, along with the tree areas in th e background which may also indicate a submerged island or point where bass are hanging out.

a lot of brush or rocks on them, are the places where you'll find the big ones.
Some of the shallow spots in the open may be long ridges. They provide huge areas of extra fine fishing. If the wind is blowing right, you might be able to drift along the ridge and really clean house!
Of course the water may not be lowered enough even in the dead of winter or at the lowest point during a long drought, for you to actually see bottom . . . But you CAN see stumps, tree tops, etc., that you couldn't see if the water were even three or four feet higher. These are tipoffs that there is shallow water there.
Get a good map of your lake. Mark these spots on the map. Make sightings of your location with objects on shore. And check them for depth. That's easy to do with a heavy weight and line, measuring the line. You can easily find where the shallow water drops off that way, too. And dropoffs are just made for a bass's liking. He can hunt in the shallows, and easily slip off into deeper water when he's aware of danger, or when he gets his fill.
l;he preferred depth for open water fishing is from about 8 to 18 feet. These are the kind of places you're looking for.
Of course, there's a better way to find these spots, especially in summer when the lake is full. This is with an electronic device called a depth finder. This way is more expensive than most of us can afford. And there are those that feel such devices are unsporting.
It's possible, true enough, that sometimes you may actually find fish - or what you think are fish - with a depth finder. but the real value of this device is to tell you how deep the water is in a certain spot. And as a bonus, you can often get an indication of what's on the bottom in the way of cover. You can readily find the drop-

offs with the depth sounder. No, you don't have to spend all that
money. You can go back to your heavy lead and sounding line, and measure the depth. This, however, is much more trouble, much slower, and takes up so much of your time you won't get in near as much fishing.
There's another way you can find water and cover at the right depth, and at the same time help you to locate the fish. Although I don't personally care for this method of fishing, trolling can help you learn a lake.
Take deep running plugs and troll them, noting carefully where the plug hits bottom. Of course, it helps if you have a good idea just how deep the plugs are running. If you hit snags, you know you have found cover. And if you get a bass, stop and anchor near there, and cast for awhile.
You should realize, of course, that you must find cover to find bass. And finding cover this way will mean finding snags. What I'm preparing you for is that you can expect to lose some plugs on those snags.
While plugs are the thing to use while trolling as just described, I don't recommend them for fishing these open water fishing spots, once you drop anchor and start fishing seriously. You're far better off using plastic worms or lizards. These stay right on the bottom, and work the bottom slowly. You can drift fish them too, if you like, if the wind is not too strong. The slow movements of these baits are just what the doctor ordered for those big Junkers.
It should go without saying, that this type of fishing requires weedless hooks. If you don't, you'll spend most of your time getting unsnagged, breaking your line, re-rigging, or spooking fish by trying to get your rig free. I can catch just as many bass on a weedless hook as a regular hook, especially when you consider I spend a lot more time fish-

ing. Just remember to set the hook

harder.

If you have an aversion to using

plastic worms or lizards, possibly the

best artificial lures you could use

would be large spoons, if they're prop-

erly worked. I let them sink to the bot-

tom , pull them up a bit, let them flutter

down again, pull, let them sink, and so

on .

Live bait, too, such as worms and

large minnows, can be effectively fish-

ing in these deep water spots. Let the

bait sink to the bottom, and fish simi-

lar to plastic worms and lizards. One

thing you must learn in bass fishing,

is that versatility is the most important

factor in catching fish.

You must realize that fish do move

around, seeking a water depth to their

liking. So don't stick to one depth with-

out trying others, week in and week

out. In fact, try various depths each

day you fish.

One of the easiest ways to find the

right depth of water by trial and error

casting, is by anchoring off a point

where the land slopes down into the

water.

Anchor where you can cast to the

shoreline. If you get no results, turn

around and fish toward open water.

And especially if it stays shallow for

quite a distance, move a little farther

from land and fish even more toward

open water. Judge the depth by wheth-

er your deep running plug hits bottom.

You might find some good dropoffs

and fish cover by fishing this way.

Just remember this - bass are

where you find them. You could take a

slide rule or a small computer in your

boat with you. According to the moon

tables, wind direction and velocity,

temperature, barometer and everything

else, you may be able to determine

whether the bass should be hitting and

where they SHOULD be. But they can't

read. They might not know where

they're suppoed to be. You still have

to find them, to catch them.

~

8

meet your commissioner:
BEVERLY LANGFORD
Beverly Langford represents the Seventh Congressional District in
the conservation and development of Georgia's wildlife resources.

7th District

A white and brown colored beagle

burst into the clearing, raced across the

pasture, and leaped into the wood on

the other side where the unmistakable

music of beagles hot on the trail of a

rabbit had just sprung up .

"There goes Dan! " shouted. Seventh

District Game and Fish Commissioner

Beverly Langford of Calhoun. "He's

got a voice that'll knock the hickory

nuts out of the trees! He's got a mouth

like a big hound! "

In a moment, the commissioner's

point was made as the distinctive voice

of a champion rose in excited contrast

to that of the other dogs.

"Yoou! Yoou! Yoou!"

"That's Dan!" cried the commission-

er.

"Yoph, Yoph, Yoph."

"That's Dottie."

"Yap, Yap, Yap."

"That's the puppy."

Commissioner Langford has owned

two field champions that he handled

himself, plus two near champions in

"Langford's Dirty Dan" and Dirty

Dan's mother. D an wo n the Southern

Futuri ty last year.

"I usually keep a kennel of 15 to

20 hounds," Langford says. Helping

take care of the Langford kennel and

two Gordon County cattle farms is the

duty of Mr. Woods, a retired West

Virgi ni a coal miner.

The commissioner keeps a herd of

registered Aberdeen Angus cows on his

land, along with a tremendous bull

with the deceptive name of " Millie."

"I like my cows about as well as

my <logs," smiles Langford , who is real-

ly a farm boy at heart. He takes great

pride in experimental pasture plantings,

as well as game food patches. There

c is nothing that he would rather do than

0
Cl')

walk

briskl y

over

his

acres,

inspecting

'E the grass, and listening to the dogs.

~ "If all my children were out of

school, I'd move out here," he says
E wistfull y. "I love the country - onl y

--, thing is I can't get out here often

>.. enough - just two or three times a

CD week. I never have time to take a va-

cation. I got to take only four days last summer, but I can come out here for half a 'day and feel just as refres hed as going on a vacation. "
Actually, most of Beverly's waking hours are devoted to his extremely successful law practice in Calhoun , where he is buitding a modern new office building behind the Calhoun National Bank, of which he is a director. Although be likes to call himself "just a country lawyer," Langford's reputation in the courtroom is more impressive.
As a member of the State G ame and Fish Commission since 1959, Beverly has lived up to his reputation for energetic hard work, especially during his

Fishing-wise, Beverly prefers bass
and bream fis hing in hi s two fish ponds, using artifici al lures on closedface spin casting equipment. He keeps a small fishing boat and motor for getting around on tqe largest pond.
Now 45 years old , Beverl y was born in Calhoun near where his father and grandfather lived. His college education at the University of Georgia was interrupted by a tour of duty in Ital y during World War II as a cryptographic security officer with the 12th Air Corps, after completing OCS training. Finishing his law degree in 1947, he has practiced ever since in Calhoun , marrying a girl he met in the service,

. ,

Running his champion beagle hou nds is rh e fa vorile pasrime of Sevenlh D islricr Game and Fish Commissioner S everely Langford of Ca lhoun (l) .

term as chairman of the Commission in 1964. Even before being appointed to the Commission by Governor Ernest Vandiver, Langford was instrumental in efforts of the Sugar Valley Sportsmen 's Club to help the Commission set up the John's Mountain Game Management Area, which was soon restocked with deer and turkeys that have since spread out into many surrounding northwest Georgia counties where both species once we re extinct.
Primarily a small game hunter himself, Beverl y rarel y kills a rabbit, but prefers only to enjoy the chase by the dogs, letting the rabbit survive for another chase another day. He likes to shoot doves and quail , and occasionally does some squirrel and raccoon hunting. Hi son Jim is also a hunter, baggin g hi s fi rst deer last season.

Edna Synder, from Ponca City, Okla-

hom a. In addition to 13-year-old high

school freshman Jim , the Langfords

have two daughters, Jud y, 17, a fresh-

man at Agnes Scott; and Lucie, 11 , in

junior hi gh.

Fo rmerl y president of the Rotary

Club and chairman of the board of

deacons at First Bapti st Church in Cal-

houn , Beverl y perhaps holds his fondest

memories of his youthful years as a Boy

Scout, when he was an Eagle Scout,

and worked several summers as a camp

counselor on the water. "Scouting is a

wonderful thing, " Beverl y says. " It's

something you can't learn anywhere

else. I'm proud of the Scouts."

And sportsmen from the 7th Dis-

trict have plen ty of reason to be proud

of their commissioner - a good scout,

and a good conservationist.

~

9

Looking for an exotic-type fish with plenty of muscle that he just loves to use? Here's a Georgia fish that picks a fight with most any type of lure, at the slightest provocation.

He means business when he strikes. He is not temperamental like bass or trout. When he goes for a lure it is because he means to kill and eat it, not apparently because he is mad , moody, or playful.
After getting a plug in his mouth, he tears into it with a jawful of needlesharp teeth, shaking his head from side to side to rip while chewing. No aereobatics for him. He doesn't have the finesse to jump and throw the plug. All he knows to do is to bulldog it through, bore down, thrash, shake and overpower. Pull out the hook, break the line.
He will take your most cherished plug, the one like they don't make anymore, and reduce it to a useless chunk of splintered wood, gouged with tooth marks, paint flaked off, hooks bent and broken , spinners or lip bent out of true.
For doing this he is one of the most maligned and mistreated fi sh that swims in Georgia. When he is hooked he is cussed, in landing he is clubbed, shot, stabbed, stomped and beaten off the lure. When finall y subdued to the status of turtle food , and lying in the bottom of the boat, he will still revive enough to chew up a finger, knock over your tackle box and your just-opened cold drink.
He is a pre-historic monster, a never-say-die fighter. He is the bo.wfin .
Call him mudfish, blackfish, dogfish. grinnel , cypress trout, bowfin or any of the host of unprintable name fishermen feel obligated to use on occasion , he is still the same brawler.
Although he is found all over the eastern United States, the bowfin is usuall y not really plentiful in streams. Swamps and woods ponds are his habitat. Situations where more sensitive fish are killed by stagnant water are home for the bowfin. Although he spills out into streams flowing from these areas, in Georgia he is normally associ ated with slow water, gar and 'gators.
One exception to this is the Suwanee River. Besides growing some of the largest bluegill, warmouth and stumpknockers found in Georgia and some of the scrappiest bass found an ywhere, the scenic Suwanee has an abund ance of bowfin . In fact, surveys show the bowfin is the most abundant fi sh in the river at the present time.
Since the Suwanee flows from the Okefenokee Swamp and is fed by

countless outlying bays and swamps, it is a natural outlet for the bowfin that abound in these areas.
The present high numbers of bowfin probably resulted from one drought a few years ago. During this extended drought, the water in the swamps stopped flowing and almost dried up. The leaves, limbs and accumulated natural debris of the swamps continued to decay. The decay of any organic material in water or on dry land, requires oxygen. Under normal conditions, the debris is spread out in a large area by currents. Oxygen is mixed in the water from the air as the current churns the surface, and the decay is accomplished with no harm to anything. In fact, this decay is what fertilizes the waters. But when water is ponded with an excess of organic materials, such as is found in a swamp, the weather is hot and there is no current and little wind action, the decay uses up all the oxygen, leaving none for the fish .
Most fish must take oxygen directly from that dissolved in the water. The water flowing over the gills supplies this oxygen. When there is not sufficient oxygen in the water. the fish simply suffocate. But the bowfin has a primitive lung. The pongy tissue joining the underside of the air bladder is connected to the mouth by a type of windpipe. As long as the bowfin can keep this tissue wet, he i able to actuall y take a breath of air and survive while most other fish are dying.
In this way, the bowfin can outlive his competition , and when conditions again become favorable for normal activity, there are more bowfin left than any other kind of fish .
Since the bowfin has a head start on other fish , he is able to get off larger spawns and can maintain this dominance of numbers until finally forced to control his own numbers by cannibalism, by starving from eating himself out of house and home, or by being killed out by nature's control for overcrowded animals - a parasite or disease.
The short-circuiting of this normal sequence of events resulting in high numbers of bowfin in the Suwanee River, is one part of a study being conducted by the Game and Fish Commission. Biologists working on this project have some evidence that time is running out for the bowfin there, since

II

Top : Bowfin can be as thick as flies. From the small slough on th e Suwanee River in the background, over 500 pounds of bowfin were taken with toxicant during a Gam e and Fish CommissiOit population study by fish eries biologist Herb Wyatt.
Above: A n armored head, tough, sturdy body, muscle power to spare, a fight -to-win attitude - the bowfin is a worthy adversary of any fish ermmt.
12

they have not found any small bowfin for the past three years. This indicates the bowfin reproduction is very low. Such a reaction is common in fish populations that become so overcrowded that they endanger the food supply. So, if this sign of trouble is correct, another two or three years should see a considerable drop in t.he bowfin numbers.
But for the present, if you want to catch fish just for the fun of it, you are missing a bet if you don't try for bowfin in the Suwanee and Okefenokee. There is no limit and the local fishermen will welcome your efforts to thin out the bowfin. And make no mistake about it, you catch those fish on almost any type of lure or bait. Like any other fish , sometimes they bite better than others, but I would almost guarantee catching an ole mudfish on something. They have a definite preference for underwater lures and seldom hit a top water plug or any lure retrieved rapidly. I'm planning to launch an assault on the bowfin this summer with a fly rod and streamers. My friend Wallace Herrington of Fargo, who fishes for Suwanee River bass with a fl y rod and popping bugs tells me that a few years ago while using streamers for bass, he hooked bowfin. In fact, they bothered him so much that he uses popping bugs exclusively now for bass to avoid catching bowfin .
Imagine . . . a fighting fish on light tackle. This is the main point. All else; the eating quality, attractiveness, acceptability and so forth is window dressing.
The worst thing about a bowfin is his reputation. In a sort of reverse snobbishness, by voicing your disgust

with the bowfin , loudly and at length, you can prove to anybody within hearing that you are a sure enough .bass fisherman and simply can't tolerate any fish other than the one recognized as worthy of your efforts. So go ahead and fuss about catching the bowfin. It's traditional and adds to the fun , something I guess like the fox hunter whooping after his dogs. It doesn't discourage the bowfin, and you can still have the thrill of a good tussle and save face at the same time.

Some time ago I was talking with A. J. McClane, fi shing editor of Field and Stream and renowned fisherm an . He was telling me of one of his trips up the Amazon River and the amazing variety of toothy, savage fish found there. One thing I especially remember is his vivid description of a particular fish that had a mouthful of teeth with a set of lower fangs, and how this fish slammed a lure, gave a strong fight and was very abundant. I recall thinking at the time that we have a mild counterpart in Georgia of both the river and the fish. Instead of the Amazon's wild headwaters where few fishermen have ever been, we have the placid Suwanee, known by thousands, which

pours from the untamed Okefenokee Swamp. And our own lowly bowfin has much in common, too, with the exotic South American fish.

At didn't mention if the fish was good to eat or not, and I didn 't think to ask him. It didn't cross my mind. You go to the Amazon to catch fish, not to eat them. You fish for the fun of it.

So, if you can't manage the Amazon,

try the bowfin in the Suwanee this

summer and have some fun.

,.._

Why

the

Shrimp

- Ebb - - t3y J.im f yler

-..----~-

--

More shrimp for the shrimpers is what the shrimp research project is all about. Charles Frisb ie,
Marine Fisheries Coordinator and shrimp project leader for the State Game and Fish Commission ,
seems to be toying this idea in his mind as he watches th e shrimp boat Miss Nina Jo pass by .

So you like shrimp. And, in 20th century style, you don't have to go to the sea to enjoy this fine eating. Miraculously, if you think about it, packs of shrimp can be fou nd in the nearest grocery whether it be in Rome, Georgia, in Coon Rapids, Iowa, or in Cheyenne, Wyoming. Yes, everyone knows of shrimp eating. "But where does the shrimp come fro m?" I asked. "From the ocean , silly." "Oh yeah , what does he do in the ocean?" "Oh . . . he lives in the ocean," she replied knowingly, gave a pretty smile, munched another boiled shrimp. "I mean, is he found near the beaches

in shallow water, or a hundred miles offshore? Do they swim, walk, or crawl?"
She smiled, and had another shrimp. I'll bet my dinner companion speaks fqr most of us in our knowledge of a live, moving shrimp. Well, let's take one of those ready to eat shrimp and put the plastic-like protective shell back on. Continue to back up the process even farther, put his legs back on, give him his head. Pump some blood and air into him, give him life again. Now let's take a look at him. First, we see shrimp come from the sea via commercial fishermen . Along the Georgia coast there is a thriving business that depends on these live

shrimp. Over 300 boats search for them, and in 1966 they deposited 6,475,746 pounds of shrimp on Georgia docks. That's a lot of shrimp, but the total catch bas fallen off in the last few years. Way back in 1945 Georgia shrimpers had a bumper catch of 16,400,000 pounds. For the last 10 years the annual take bas varied from between 10 million to five and a half million pounds, with a declining trend from 1960 to 1964. It did recover somewhat in 1965.
The men in the shrimp boats and the shore-bound industry depend on shrimp for a livelihood. Naturally this drop-off in annual catch concerns them. It also concerns the shrimp

13

fancier who gets bug-eyed when he focuses on the high price stamped on a carton of frozen shrimp. And it concerns the Game and Fish Commission too. Concern has firmed to action and a three year research program is now underway to see if Commission biologists can find out why the shrimp catch has dropped off.
Charles Frisbie, the Commission's Marine Fisheries Coordinator, heads up the research effort. Plowing through the title of his project, "Seasonal Abundance and Biological Stability of the

be found over 10 miles from shore. Shrimp, then, tend to restrict themselves to a narrow coastal band.
When the fall season puts a chill in the water, offshore shrimp, like the migrating birds, head south. Some of the inshore shrimp migrate offshore, then southward. But some of the shrimp stay put and overwinter in Georgia coastal waters. Moving along the bottom, migrating shrimp can do a rapid shrimp-walk. To find out how fast, North Carolina biologists have tagged shrimp and followed their movements.

Top: In comes the shrimp net after a 15 minute pull along the ocean hottom where it has scooped up shrimp and whate1'er el.le it came upon. The larRe wooden doors kap the mouth of the rret spread open while the mt is on the bottom.
Abme: Sortint: Nept une's gra b bag. After the net is emptied, the entire catch i.1 separa ted and the information on different .1pecie.1 and different si::.es is recorded.
Center: Three .1hrimp are found off the Gtorgia coast: white shrimp. pink shrimp, a111l hrown 1hrimp. They are not glarinr:h dillim:ui~lwble. The spot o n the 11de of the bottom 1hrimp means it i1 a pink . Tilt top shrimp is a nhite.
14

Commercial Shrimp of Georgia," we find his goal is to increase the yearly catch of shrimp and to sustain the higher catch year after year. Great. But that is the top of the mountain. Right now he is checking over the mountain to find the best way to climb it.
Looking into the life of the white shrimp, the most abundant Georgia shrimp, he believes the baby shrimp start life offshore, anywhere from one to 15 miles; so far, biologists haven 't found any in the sounds and tidal rivers. The newly hatched shrimp spend a period of time offshore as members of the plankton (tiny microscopic open water critters) . Then when they get about Y<l to \12 inches long and are called a post larvae, the little shrimp catches a ride on the tidal currents .and come inshore. Charlie believes they then go into the coastal tributary streams, and on up as far as possible into the marsh seepages. Here is a shrimp nursery area where the little ones find protection from the hordes of salt water predators whose desire for shrimp exceed man's. After a few weeks in this play area the shrimp have grown rapidly and move downstream, moving now along the bottom. Charlie says, for some unknown reason, a portion travel only out to the tidal rivers, a portion travel out to the sounds, and a portion travel farther out offshore. Concentrations of Georgia shrimp usually do not go over five miles offshore, but at times they will

Tagged shrimp have travelled 120 miles in five weeks, 150 miles in the same length of ti me, and one long distance walker traveled 345 miles. In the estuary nursery area, shrimp will migrate an average of about five miles a week.
As the spring sun warms the water the shrimp migrate north and mate. Then the shrimp's circle of existence has made a complete spin.
Off Georgia, there are three kinds of shrimp: white, pink, and brown. All are about the same size. An adult averages four to five inches, including tail, body, and head. Jumbo shrimp you buy at the grocery come from shrimp about seven inches or longer. Jumbos are taken mostly from the Gulf of Mexico. The white shrimp spawns from May through September, the brown spawns in the fall. The seldom-found pink shrimp spawns from March through October. Charlie says, "Georgia is a desert for pink shrimp. North Carolina and Florida have a lot of pinks. Off both states the ocean bottom is sandy, the water clear, but our ocean bottom has a lot of mud along with the sand, and the water is muddy. This is probably the reason for the scarcity of pinks."
There is no great glaring way to tell the three apart. A spot here, a groove there, but the differences can be seen upon close examination.
"Shrimp have a life span of only about a year, one and a half at the

most, and most shrimp are caught commercially when they are less than a half year old," says Charlie. "This is why it is so important to manage this fishery. Shrimp are a yearly crop. If you completely destroy it in one year, there wi ll not be a next year."
To manage anything effectively, you have to know a lot about whatever is to be managed. And the spectrum of man's knowledge about Georgia shrimp is fairly well riddled with question
marks. Enter research. Marine research has been sorrily
lacking along the Georgia coast. About the only prior Georgia shrimp research Charlie can use for comparison, is work done in the early 1930's by W. W. Anderson, a federal biologist, who was the first marine biologist working in Georgia. Anderson's marine projects, however, were terminated after only a short duration. Charlie has established sampling stations in the Ossabaw, Sapelo, and St. Andrews areas. Some of the stations are in approximate areas where Anderson sampled.
By sampling three areas, 21 sampling stations, for three years, Charlie will have a good picture of Georgia shrimp. "At any time during the year, I will be able to find shrimp in at least one of the stations," he commented. "I believe my sampling station arrangement covers the differences fou nd along the Georgia coast and will give me the total picture."
At each station, a trawl net is lowered from the research boat and pulled along the bottom for 15 minutes. The net, a small version of the net commercial shrimpers use, is 20 fee t across the mouth. Shrimpers use nets from 3090 feet across the opening, depending on the size of their boat. The most popular size is 40 feet. As the net is pulled along the bottom, it scoops up any life it comes upon. Besides shrimp - squid, sand dollars, star fish , sea pan ies, crabs, and an array of fish are sometimes trapped. This neptune's grab bag is important. By checking it over the biologists might find a species of fis h, say the sea trout, is very numerous and could actually be consuming so many shrimp as to keep the total number down.
The net is pulled aboard and the c.atch is checked. The shrimp are sexed , measured, and stage of sexual maturity determined. Notes are made of everything caught.
"It's a boy," Charlie tells biological aide Marvip Shell. Marvin records the information. Doc Jones, biological aide and boat pilot, sits by the wheel, watching, slapping a flock of pesky king-sized horseflies. As oon as the net is in the

boat, catch emptied , and the recording

started, Doc revs up the 26 foot boat

and travels to another sampling station.

Over the roar of the engine and the

splashing wake, Charlie continues,

"girl, 148 millimeters. Another boy ..."

At each sampling station the salinity

(how salty the water is) , temperature,

turbidity (how clear the water is) and

tide stage are recorded. They need en-

vironmental information to see what

type of water the shrimp are found in,

and what season of the year they are

there.

Soon the project will be expanded

to look into the activities of the post

larvae (the young shrimp drifting back

into the marshes) . And if the project

gets a much needed large offshore-size

research boat, further expansion will be

poss ible .

Surprisingly, Charlie says that the

drop in the shrimp catch doesn't ap-

pear to be caused by over fishing by

the shrimpers, but from undertermined

ecological factors and perhaps man's

change of the shrimp's habitat. Pollu-

tion, for example.

So, the shrimp sti ll hold man y of

their secrets. And if we are to have

an increased, steady shrimp catch,

these secrets have to be found out.

Charlie is out to eliminate some of the

question marks.

,.-

-l hon Fri1hie checks the weight of cau~ht 1hrimp. Thi.~ hatch '''af lar~e. 16 of tht>m wt'i~hcd a poulld.
Top: Friihie let\ j/v a caft 11l'l i11 the slwlloll' nwr.1h arl'a. This is the tcl111iquc hl' u.w1 for f,?athcri11g shrimp i11 11wl/(>11' arra .

15

Does Georgia Need a Saltwater Fishing License?
(Continued from inside front cover)
tion, as well as an increase in tax reven ues reflected by the ge neral improvement which would result in the local economy.
But what abou t action by the State Game and Fish Commission to improve coastal fishing through research to discover the problems; and management enforcement, and development to help correct them? Activities such as those now carried on by the Commission on freshwater lakes, rivers, and ponds cost a substantial amount of money, primarily paid for by fishing license fees paid by anglers who receive the benefits.
At present, Georgia saltwater sport fishermen are not required to purchase a fishing license of any kind. For this reason, they do not receive the benefit of a ny Commission sport fishing improvement activities. Boating safety enforcement is paid by boat registration fees, and commercial fishermen purchase licenses.
Some sport fishing groups on the coast have begun a move to ask the Commission to begin projects to improve coastal fishing, especially offshore. Before they do, these persons should ask themselves serious questions about where the money for such projects should come from, and whether the adva ntages of such a management plan, if feasible, will offset any disadvantages of a requirement that saltwater anglers pay to improve their fishing as freshwater a nglers do now.
Arguments on both sides are heated. Coastal residents for centuries have enjoyed the privilege, if not the "right" of fishing without a license in saltwater. True, they received little or no benefit from the operation of the State Game and Fish Commission, and appeared to not need or want any, so why should they pay for nothing?
But now, the picture is changing, as forward looking residents of the coastal area begin to see the promise of a bright new future of improved economic development as a result of tourism, and fishing is a primary attraction to the area. But as holes in the apple of parad ise begin to pop up, applying worm killer will cost money.
Actually, an overwhelming majority of saltwater fishermen already purchase fishing licenses, but only for use in freshwater. If all fishermen were required to buy the same license, regardless of where they fished , only a few thousand persons would actually be affected. It is extremely di{ficult to believe that more than a handful of these persons over 16 years of age or under 65 cannot pay $2.25 a year for 'the privilege of catching fish worth many times that price if they were sold, rather than eaten for the meat alone, not even counting the

sport involved. Yet, the fact that perhaps 20,000 individuals are not purchasi ng a fishing license is a strong, valid argument by sportsmen and conservationists from other areas of Georgia to stringently object to the spending of their money on the Georgia coast. Removal of this objection could be easily accomplished by requiring all anglers to buy the same fishing license, rather than an additional separate saltwater license.
A frequently heard objection is th at purchasing a license would drive tourists on to Florida, where no license is presently required for saltwater fishing. Here the situation is different, due to the easy accessibility of the sea on all sides of the state a nd the huge influx of tourist dollars which permeates the entire area. Here, general tax dollars can fairly be devoted to improving saltwater fishing, but this is not the case in Georgia, where general tax funds are quickly drained by urgent needs like education, highways, mental health, prisons, hi ghway safet y, etc. Thus, little if any tax money is available or should be ava il ab le in large amounts from general state funds to promote the primary interest of six coastal counties out of 159 in Georgia. Obviously, a special tax for a special purpose, such as a requirement for a fishing license in saltwater, is the only answer.
Experience has shown in the past th at fishermen will go where good fishing is, especially if good facilities are available and are well advertised, regardless of the license fee. Each year , more than 180,000 non-resident fishermen each go to both Tennessee and Florida and purchase non-resident fishing licenses and permits for freshwater fishing that cost as much or more than Georgia's non-resident $2.25 permit for five days or $6.25 for the season. Non-resident children under 16 are not required now to purchase any license, except for fishing in mountain trout streams. Thus the average family could fish for $5.50 for almost a full week for the price of a good movie, a medium priced seafood dinner, or one footb all ticket. If they can't afford it, chances are they can't afford to take a vacation, either.
The trend in this direction is clear. Already, Alabama, Texas, Louisiana, and California have begun licensing saltwater fishermen. Georgia must follow suit, if programs to improve sport fishing are to be successfully initiated on the Georgia coast.
It is up to the people of the Georgia coast, and of the rest of the state, to decide if the Georgia coast should have something for nothing, rather than paying for what it gets.
We believe the price should be right.- J .M.

SSPpoearktsme~. :.

-~ l :;

Being a hunter and fisherman we really

do have problems as to how to preserve

ir_~;,~ the little game we have left. Surely our so

.

~ called sportsmen ruin our deer herd , tear

I have just received my copy of Geor-
gia Game & Fish and want to let you know how pleased I am with it and how much I look forward to receiving future



down our farmers' fences , and kill any- issues.

Short, thought-provoking letters from thing that moves day or night. But, the

The format and stories are well done

readers are welcomed. Because of space roving dogs really kill a lot of our game. and give every promise of truly being "a

limitations, not all letters can be printed. We have a law against man whi ch keeps new voice for wild life conservation".

The editor reserves th~ right to edit the our wardens busy all the time, but we Please convey my congratulations to Jim

length of letters to bong out the cogent should have a state law prohibiting dogs Morrison, his staff and your Board mem-

points and to insure grammatical correct- to run free and strictly enforced by our bers who have so loyally supported your

ness and clarity.

local authorities.

efforts.

DOGS AND DEER
I enjoyed reading the article, " Dog Versus Deer : A Losing Contest. " I agree that we must enact stronger laws to take .

How many times have you seen someone drop a dog out in the country to roam? We know what happens in a case like this, pretty soon we have a pack of dogs killing our second best heritage.

Robert H. Walling

State Representative

District 118, Post 3

Decatur

.,

care of the wild or unwanted dogs. I have

Enicw~d your article verv much , but

also noticed that rab ies is on the increase. would like to see more on this. A real fine

There has been two known deaths in magazine.

We want to congratulate you and the

humans during 1966 in spite of the new

Thomas W. Schuhoff, Valdosta Commission on the beautiful Georgia Game

and better rabbies vaccine. If I can be of help to you in any way, call on me.
C. F. Davis, D.V.M. Columbus
In relation to your story in the January issue of Georgia Game and Fish "They

GEORGIA GAME & FISH
Congratulations for a very fine , professional-looking magazine! I just received my copv of Georgia Game and Fish and was greatly impressed with the layout and co ntents .

& Fish. if this quality is maintained you will have the top publication in this field.
We hope you will keep us on your mailing list as we undoubtedly will want to reprint some of your very excellent articles in our lzaak Walton magazine.

Were Eating Her Alive, " I would like very

Frank Craven, Chief

Royal B. McClelland

much to comment about this and see it

Forest Education

Information Director

printed in the next issue to see how our

Georgia Forestry Commission

lzaak Walton League

readers feel about this.

Ma co n

of America

16

Sportsman's Calendar

1967 GEORGIA TROUT

Wednesday Saturday-

Wednesday- Saturday-

Saturday - r,v_e d neada)'

Wednesday- Saturday-

-

Thu rsday

Sunday

Thursday

Sunday

Sunday

Thursd::J)'

Thursday

Sunday

c

MANAGEMENT STREAM SCHEDULE

~

. . . . . MANAGEMENT AREA
........ .... ... .......I.,*... ...... . ... ...... . BLUE RIDGE

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

~ ...
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ral "'

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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.

. . .
.
. .

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

.
. . . . . .

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

. .

. . . .

. .

.

.

.

.

.... .

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

. . .

. . .

. .
. . . .. . . .

. .
. . . . .

.
. . . . .

. .
. . . . .

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

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

.. .. .. .. .

.

. .

. .

. .

. .

.
. . . .

Ooen Wed. Only

EARN MONEY FOR YOUR CLUB

by selli ng subscriptions to Georgia Game & Fish.

TROUT STREAMS

- --- OF GEORGIA

. ~:-..:.::.:.....--

.~ .~..- ...

SEASONS NOW OPEN
TROUT Mountain Trout Open Stream Season-April! , 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 fishin g at night on Reservoirs is permitted. Special R egulations-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 mmtmum 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 Regu/ations- 14 inch minimum size limit on all species of trout in Lakes Blue Ridge, Burton, Clark Hill, and Lanier. o 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 Sl.OO, 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.