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.. 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 Ym 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) ~ ... < ... ~.:, :;:~ ;::~ l.f..!. .~ , 1r.-\1 ~ 'r\-' "~ ~ ..''. .. 1~ '~li Dral: , =""'~ . '"' .. ., 9 7~ "' r- .. or- 6c!a "'"' l:ll.: "'.,1;. ;:> ral "' ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~~ ~= ~~ ~ ~f.J. MO 7~ ~~ '"{.!) ':';:> ~< 0 ~7 ~ !;:1"1 '!:l ~~~ 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.