GEORGIA MARCH, 1971 ~ Oiiio ofish MARCH 1971 Volume VI Number 3 CONTENTS The Call of Spring Aaron Pass 1 "Wish I Had Your Job" Dean Wohlgemuth 4 Let's Go Fishing ... Now Dean Wohlgemuth 8 A Look At The License Proposal Bob Wilson 11 Fast Shooting- No Limit Bob Wilson 12 Sportsman's Friend . Marvin Tye 14 Outdoor World 15 Sportsmen Speak 16 Sportsman's Calendar 17 Jimmy Carter Governor Joe D. Tanner Director State Game & Fish Commission COMMISSIONERS J. B. Langford Chairman Calhoun-7th District William z. Camp, Sec. Newnan-6th District James Darby Vice Chairman Vidalia-1st District Rankin M. Smith Atlanta-5th District Leo T. Barber, Jr. Moultrie-2nd District Judge Harley Langdale Valdosta-8th District Dr. Robert A. Collins, Jr. Americus-3rd District Clyde Dixon Cleveland-9th District Charles L. Davidson, Jr. Leonard Bassford Avondale Estates-4th District Augusta-lOth District Jimmie Williamson Darien-Coastal District TECHNICAL SERVICES DIVISION Jack A. Crockford, Assistant Director Leon Kirkland, Fisheries Chief Hubert Handy, Game Management Chief LAW ENFORCEMENT DIVISION Bill Cline, Major Deputy State Chief, Atlanta J. D. Atchison, Major Deputy State Chief, Metter David Gould, Major Supervisor of Coastal Fisheries Brunswick GEORGIA GAME & FISH STAFF Dean Wohlgemuth Editor Bob Wilson Managing Editor Staff Writers Marvin Tye Aaron Pass Ted Borg Photo Editor Margaret Howard Circulation Manager Georgia Game and Fish ;.. the official monthly magazine of the Georgia Game and Fish Commission, published at the Commission's offices, TrinityWashington Building, 270 Washington St., Atlanta, Georgia 30334. No adver- tising accepted. Subscriptions are $1 lor one year or $2.50 for three years. Printed by Stein Printing Company, Atlanta, Ga. Notification of address change MUST include both the address label from your latest magazine and the new address and ZIP code, with 30 days notice. No subscription requests will be accepted without ZIP code. Articles and photographs may be reprinted. Proper credit should be given. Contributions ore welcome, but the editors assume no responsibility or liability for loss or damage of articles, photographs, or illustrations. Second-class postage paid at Atlanta, Ga. Conservation-A Career For You? In just a few months, schools- both high schools and colleges- across the country will present diplomas to thousands upon thousands of youngsters. Some of these young people will begin the search for a job. Others will continue their education. And. of course. most probabh. many will have to enter the Armed Services. But by the same token some of these young veterans will be completing their enlistments and begin looking toward a career. The questions in the minds of these young folk, to whom we must entrust the future, are many. Some know where they are going. career-wise. A great many do not. Some, just beginning college, still have ample opportunity to choose ... if they could just be sure what choice is the right one. We do not propose that everyone should choose a career in wildlife conservation. However. there are probably thousands of youngsters who would like to enter this field, if they were more aware of the opportunities and requirements. Good, qualified youngsters can be, indeed, hard to come by for conservation agencies. Most state and federal agencies would welcome more qualified candidates for positions they have open. Therefore, Georgia Game & Fish Magazine has decided. with this issue. to begin a series of articles, which will answer most if not all of the questions in the minds of those sincerely interested in the field. It is very probable that the answers may also guide someone already out of school, currently in an unsatisfying and unrewarding position, who wants to get into conservation work. We know that many persons envy those of us who do work in conservation. That is why we came up with the title. "Wish I Had Your Job," written by your editor. for the first of this series. There probably isn't an employe of a conservation department anywhere who hasn't been told this thousands of times. This is especially true of the game wardens (we call them wildlife rangers in Georgia). So we chose law enforcement as the first subject. In fact, many people don't stop to realize that there are jobs other than wildlife rangers and wardens with the Game and Fish Commission. There are several other positions, excellent ones, in our department and with other similar agencies. Not everyone could be suited to any one kind of position offered by conservation agencies. Perhaps. however, you may, upon reading this series, find a position that will interest you. Articles will appear in succeeding months on these topics: game biology, fisheries biology, biological aides. and public relations. The articles will describe what it's like to spend your life in these fields. and will advise you how much and what kind of education you need to prepare yourself for each field. If you do find your heart's desire, maybe you'll be guided in selecting your career and the proper course of study so (continued on page 15) ON THE COVER: The Wildlife Ranger is not simply the man who gives you a citation for breaking the law; he's much more than that Georgia's Ranger of the Year, Ed Friend takes time to help a youngster catch a fish. Read about him in "Sportsman's Friend," Page 14, by Marvin Tye. Also, you'll learn more about a ranger's life if you'll read the first in a series about finding a career in wildlife conservation, "Wish I Had Your Job" by Dean Wohlgemuth, Page 4. Cover photo by Ted Borg. ON THE BACK COVER: Is there any need to try to put into words the feeling of this hunter? He's just bagged the king of game birds, the most elusive of all Georgia game, the wild turkey. You'll learn more about how you can collect your trophy gobbler by reading "The Call of Spring," by Aaron Pass, Page 1. Photo by Gene Pollack. This fortunate hunter has succeeded in calling in a fine gobbler, and he has a good ,. open shot. He had better take it fast, before the turkey gets suspicious and makes his escape. The Call of Spring Photo by Jim Morrison By Aaron Pass The yelps of a hen turkey drifted through the swamp, and in immediate response came the rushing gobble of a tom. There was also a rustle in the leaves as the gobbler strutted with his wingtips dragging the ground and his tail fanned, to draw the female to him. This time he was being mislead, for the (Please turn page) object of his attention was not a turkey hen but a camouflaged hunter expertly imitating the sound of a fe male. The reason for the deception was, of course, to bring the turkey close enough for a shot, since it is around the mating instinct of the birds that the sport of spring gobbler hunting developed. Now don't get the idea that all one has to do is strike a couple of discordant notes on a turkey call and take cover from the stampede of lust-crazed gobblers . . . it isn't like that at all. The wild turkey gobbler is one of the most suspicious and intelligent game animals in the world, and even when the mating urge is on him he is no pushover. It is these very qualities of extreme caution and intelligence which make the wild turkey gobbler one of the most admired trophies in the east. There are other qualities about the turkey which, coupled with his caution, make him a tough and challenging target. Not only does he have an excellent sense of hearing, but his vision is second to nothing else in the woods, including the hawk. His sight is roughl y comparable to that of a man with 8X field glasses, demanding near perfection in the hunter's camouflage and blind . A veteran turkey hunter was once heard to comment that, "lf those darn toms could smell as well as they can see and hear, nobody would ever kill one." There is one chink in the wild turkey's seemingly invincible armor, however; he will , in the spring, seek a hen . Actually, he much prefers that the hens seek him out, but if necessary he will go to them. The courting display of gobblin g and strutting is designed to attract the hens to him , and call it masculine vanity or whatever, the male is hestitant about going to a hen . This is another factor the successful turkey hunter must overcome by expert calling and "turkey sense". Turkey sense means essentiall y thinking like a turkey, and it is acquired I Photo By Aaron Pass only after much experience. Basically it is a blend of woodscraft, hunting ability, and an intimate knowledge of turkey habits. After it ha been developed, the hunter has an almost instinctive knowledge of which call to u e, how much to call and what looks to be a good stand. He may not be able to say why he made any given decision , he just knows it is right. This quality is possessed by all consistently successful turkey hunters, who can not only think like their quarry, but can almost converse with him in his own language. Rudimentary calling is not hard to master with the help of a good call and a demonstration record. A beginner can. with conscientious practice, do a fairly credible job in a relatively short time. Reall y good calling is quite another matter, with the truly expert caller havi ng spent years developing and refin ing his ability. It is a true art, best learned by matching wits and skill Photo By Aaron Pass Good camouflage is essential to turkey hunting. The use of trees or brush as a blind in addition to camouflage clothing is recommended. The se hunters have selected stands using trees as blinds to conceal them from their sharp-eyed quarry. 2 ' ,. In particularly dense cover two hunters often sit back to back to cover all directions. The turkey, on the other hand, can see within an arc of almost 360 degrees, and can watch his own back quite well. with a wild gobbler, the most critical of all judges of calli ng technique. An y mistake in tone or rhythm is a major one, and this wil y bird isn't prone to giving hunters a second ch ance. Turkey calling, like most other forms (,. of wild animal calling, was originally practiced by the Indi ans. The calls themelves have taken many forms over the years, from human vocal cords , through turkey wingbones to modern calls. There are many form s and variations, but the mo t popular types are the mouth ~ di aphragm , and the cedar box. The mouth type utilizes a principle originall y used by the Indians, who blew on certain leaves held between the thumbs to make artificial turkey noise. The modern va riety substitutes latex for leave , and it is held entirely in the 1 mouth , freeing both hands. More popular with beginners are the friction type calls which can be more easily mastered. The cedar box is a friction call , and is perhaps the most widely used type. In expert hands it can produce almost any sound a turkey can. It consists of a smal l holl ow box with a moveable lid, which is drawn across the top edges, producing resonant clucks and yelps. Although these two types of calls are the most popular, there is an almost infi nite variety of other types whi ch include pipestems and hollow reeds. In fact , there are sti ll a few old masters around who quite effectively use the original turkey call , the human voice. The spring gobbler hunt usuall y begins on a stand near an area where turkeys are known to be roosting. The object is to wait for the toms to begin their morning calling to attract hens. TheY do this calling before leaving the roost, and the hunter can use it to pin- point their location. The next step is to trY to attract one to. your stand ~y imitating the hen. A simple process m theory but the extreme wariness of the - ,. wild turkey makes it one of the tough- est tests of anyone's hunting ability and woodscraft. A good stand and good camouflage are just as important to successful turkey hunting as is good calling. A , good stand should have many qualities, and one of the most important is com- fort . Si nce the hunter has to rema in virtually motionless in deference to the keen eyesight of his qu arry, the comfort facto r can be tremendously important to the success of the hunt. A natural . blind such as a log or a tree in front of the stand is highly recommended as long as it doesn't interfere with the ability to see or raise the gun. If no natural cover is available, a few shrubs can be cut and stuck into the ground to break up the hunter's outline. Camouflage clothing, as has been indicated , is almost a necessity. A face mask and camouflage gloves may sound a bi t extreme, but the eager, shining face of a novice turkey hunter or the movement of ungloved hands has been the warning signal for many a wise old _. tom . When dealing with the wild turkey gobbler on his own ground, the odds are greatly in his favor, and the wise hunter cuts them as much as he can. As for firearms , most southern turkey hunters use shotguns, and owing to the large size of the birds, the 12 gauge with magnum loads is preferred. Most experienced turkey hunters use number 6 or number 4 shot and aim only for the head and neck, feeling that the small shot gives better pattern density on the small target than larger hot, such as number 2 or BB. Body shots, even with large shot, are not recommended since they will not reliably anchor a tough old gobbler unless he is close enough to absorb virtually the whole charge. Hunters who use rifles prefer a small caliber centerfire cartridge, often handloaded to a moderate velocity. There is orne controversy over bullet choice, with many hunters using a quick expanding bullet in the interest of quick humane kills, while others prefer tougher bullets which cut down meat loss but increase the chance of wounding. The .22 ri mfire, though legal , is definitely not a turkey gun, sadly lacking in the power necessary to insure clean kills. The turkey is a ground dweller and he relies on his legs to carry him away from danger. Since he had rather run than fly, shooting a turkey on the ground is not considered unsporting. turkey's needs. The draining of river The sport in turkey hunting is derived swamps, expanding agriculture, and the from the difficulty of outwitting this practice of eliminating hardwoods in wary bi rd in his forest habitat. favor of faster growing pines have all The wild turkey is a true wilderness led to a general turkey decline. More bird , needing extensive tracts of wood- recently however the growing southern land interspersed with clearings for timber industry has been turning farm- prime habitat. The clearings provide lands into forestl and and this holds the "bugging" areas where the young potential for a possible turkey come- turkeys, called poults, hunt for protein- back if these forests were to be man- rich insects in the spring and sum- aged with a view toward wildlife values mer . Later in the year the staple of the as well as timber production. turkey's diet becomes mast and buds of The wild turkey is a magnificent hardwoods, particularly the smaller gamebird with all the sporting qualities acorns. The turkey has little love for of true troph y game. So intriguing is the close association with humans and sport of hunting turkeys many of its much prefers his hard wood forest with devotees pursue the spring gobbler, as little human encroachment as pos- almost to the exclusion of everything sible. else, with the zeal of true fanatics. The turkey has, in modern times, "Turkey Fever" it's called, and it starts been losing ground rather steadily in in the early spring when the gobblers his competition with what man calls begi)l calling before daylight. This is progress. Man's land use practices have the time of the turkey hunter, and a gone directly contrary to the wild fine time it is. ~ m,~~~~~~~~~~ ... Photo by Aaron Pass This fine trophy is the result of patience, skill, and luck. Since the gobbler will mate with as many hens as he can attract, some males can be harvested on the spring hunts without hurting the breeding stock. 3 CONSERVATION: A CAREER FOR YOU? Article 1 of a Series Editor's Note: "Gee, I sure wish I had your job. It must be great to be working outside all the time, with fish and wildlife. I bet you get to do a lot of hunting and fishing. I imagine you have a lot of fun in your work. How could I get such a job?" Nearly everyone who has ever worked in the field of wildlife and fish conservation has heard this many times. There is so much feeling, from so many people, wrapped up in that paragraph that this series of articles was born in an attempt to answer the questions posed. Students and youngsters still seeking a career will, it is hoped, find the answers to many of their questions in this series. Further, many persons already employed are interested in the possibility of changing to this field, and may be guided. Even those who know they cannot make the change, at least at present, will find this series interesting. And even those not considering conservation as a career may enjoy learning more about what their State Game and Fish Commission does, and what it's like to work for this agency. 4 The Wildlife Ranger does much more than simply enforce laws. Much of his time is spent helping the hunter and fishermen in various ways. For example, here a ranger on water safety patrol helps a stranded fisherman back to the landing. By Dean Wohlgemuth Editor Photos by Ted Borg ''Wish -I ... Had Your Joll'' So you want to work with wildlife? What sort of position are you considering? "Well , 'you say,' I guess I want to be a game warden. lsn't that what you call people who work for the Game and Fi h Commission?" In Georgia, we call them wildlife rangers. Some states call them game wardens , others game protectors, still others conservation officers. It all amounts to virtually the same thing. There ARE many other types of work you can do with a conservation agency, but these positions will be described in future succeeding articles. Right now, let's take a look at what it's like to be a Georgia wildlife ranger, and what is requ ired of such a man . Basically, the wildlife ranger is a law enforcement man. He wears a badge and a gun , and enforces law regarding game and fish. He can make a case against you and arrest you . To say, however, that he is a police~an is not an adeq uate description. He I much more th an that. H e is an upholder of the law, a friend of wildlife and a frien d of the hunter and fisherman . Yet, while being almost a "kissing cousin" of the sportsman, he must know when to stand firm. He must know when to make a case and he must know, through more or less a sixth sense, when justice would best be served by giving a stern lecture. He must not play favorites with friends or relatives or persons in high places. He must be totally impartial . A ranger's day might begin with a radio call from district headquarters to talk to a landowner about trespassers hunting on his land. Before that assignment is complete, he may be sent to another landowner's property to give advice on game management or on how to solve a weed problem in a farm pond, or whether the pond should be restocked. Actu ally, this is out of the ranger's field .. . he can do little except advise the man to have a biologist pay a visit. But stiiJ , to assure the man the Commission is sincerely interested, he takes time for a personal visit, then makes the arrangement for the biologist to make the investigation. On hi s way from thi s call , the ranger notices some fishermen on a river bank. Routinel y, he checks to see if all have 5 The dai/y routine of a ranger is, basically, that of law enforcement. During hunting seasons, he keeps busy making sure that hunters have their licenses, and that their firearms are legal, and in the case of shotguns, that the gun is plugged so that it will contain no more than three shells. their fishing licenses and are within the legal limits on their stringers. While doing this, he answers a question as to where the best catfishing is on this river. Another angler, obviously a novice, gets personal advice on how to rig his Hne. At noon, the ranger attends a local civic club meeting, showing a wildlife film and answering questions . . . or perhaps it was the meeting of a sportsman's dub at night . . . or a school class thllt needs a lecture on either hunting safety or water safety. If the ranger lives near a lake, he may spend most of his day patrolling that lake, checking licenses and limits, and at the same time assuring t:hat every boat, whether registered or not, whether a fishing boat or pleasure boat, has proper legal safety equipment aboard. He may have to chase down a speedbo~tt that is operating recklessly, and write a citation. And, among the more di~agreeable of his tasks, is that of helping to find a drowning victim. In hunting season, he may have to check a dove field or a duck pond to see if it is illegally baited. Then later, he'll have to return to see if shotguns are properly plugged, and whether the hunters abided by the bag limits. In deer season, he may have to leave his home for a full week or more at a time, to assist in operating a managed hunt. Here, he'll sell permits each morning, check kills as they come in during the day, then ride around the area later in the day to be certain all kills are checked in, and that hunters' guns are unloaded at all times except when hunting. Should a hunter be lost in the woods, the ranger will have to join the search party, and may be on the job for hours, perhaps all night long, or even for several days. In the case of a hunting accident, he must thoroughly investigate the incident, writing a full report, and seeing to it that charges are made if necessary. He may spend a day assisting a fisheries biologist doing research work on a farm pond , or stocking trout in a stream. He may help to do some work in planting a food plot for deer or Boating Safety Patrol duty is varied. Th, at least one approved life preserver for e safety equipment and boat registratio'l: turkeys on a management area. Maybe he's helping conduct a population study on a large reservoir, or in a game management area. When the day is done ... in his case, usually well after dark . .. he may receive a phone call that someone is ~- shooting deer at night, and out of sea- son. With other rangers, he may have to lie in wait for hours on a cold night, in hopes of apprehending the offend- ers. This kind of work may not make the position of wildlife ranger seem as won- derful as you thought. If not, then you needn't consider such a job ... it isn't for you. To many, however, this might be just what they're looking for. There are, to be sure, pleasant as- pects of the work, perhaps more obvious than any indicated by these duties. The ranger is out of doors nearly ali the time. He meets people, and makes friends. If he can ever find time, he knows where the best hunting and fish- ing in his area can be found. ... The ranger mostly is self responsible in his job. While he works under the The Coastal Patrol has the duty of checking commercial fishermen and shrimpers as well as sport fishing . 6 biggest job is to ensure that boats carry -person on board. They also check other In checking fishermen , the ranger not only makes certain his "customer" abides by safety regulations, but checks to see if he has a fishing license, and that his catch is within the legal limits. direction of his district chief, most of "I would ask a man what type of increased to $515.50 per month after the time he is on his own. work he has done, and what interests a six-month working test. Top salary is It may appear by now that a man for he has that made him inquire into the $648.50. Opportunities for advance- such a job must have many qualifica- position," Cline said. ment include possible promotion to tions. He needs to be something of a "The man must be interested in the sergeant, lieutenant, captain and major. lawyer, policeman, public relations outdoors and in conservation. He must To be a ranger, he must pass a written man, public servant, minister, friend want to make hunting and fishing in merit exam, physical, and agility test, and so forth. - Georgia better, from a conservation and pass a police investigation. During These are, to be sure, part of the job. standpoint. his first two years, he may not work in But these qualifications can't actually "A ranger is not altogether a police- his home county or an adjacent county. come from formal education. They are man . . . he has to have deeper inter- Weekends and holidays find rangers the type of requirements that must ests," Cline said . "He must be willing working when other people are having - largely come from a man's personality, to be a public servant." fun. Forty-hour weeks are not the rang- enhanced by on-the-job training, and While he has to be something of a ers' lot. He might work as many as 80 years of experience. mother, brother or friend , he still has hours, and perhaps at times 24 hours The basic requirements for a person to be firm when dealing with everyone. or more at a time. seeki ng a job are: he must be a high He can't play favorites when making The life of a ranger is not an easy school graduate, five-feet eight-inches cases. He has to have an open mind , one. It can be pleasant, at times, and it tall or more, and at least 140 pounds. however, and be willing to understand can be difficult. It can, to be sure, at He must be between the ages of 21 and each situation . "He must have .impartial times be dangerous. Nonetheless, there 40, with no police record and of course, feelings toward each individual," Cline is usually a long waiting list of people a U.S. citizen. said . wanting the job. This is because the job There are other things that are "If you're just looking for a job is a rewarding one .. . offering rewards needed, that are difficult to describe. where you'll make money, you need to that are not easily described. They must Bill Cline, Wildlife Major, described the go somewhere else," Cline said. Rang- be felt. If you have ilie personality to qualities he looked for in a man when ers' pay will never make you wealthy. have these feelings , perhaps you, too, hiring a new ranger. Starting salary is $492.50 per month, can be a wildlife ranger. ..- The Ranger may sometimes be called upon to help a lost sportsman find his way back to camp. After his regular day's work is done, he may teach a class in school, scout troup or local civic club, on the finer points of gun safety and conservation . '"""=--~ 7 ~()W! By Dean Wohlgemuth Editor Sure it's early in the year, and the air is brisk ... but it isn't too early for the fish to bite. This party, camped in South Georgia in early March, found the bass biting well enough to provide camp meat. Photo by Dean Wohlgemuth When does the fishing season begin of course, heavily dependent upon the rather cold. Minnows, minnow-like in Georgia? Actually, there is no be- weather. At this time of year, rains may lures and jigs are good for these two ginning and no end to "fishing season" be warm enough to hasten the warming species. When the water is still rather in our state ... you can fish, and quite of lake water, especially if followed by cold, walleyes will probably be at less successfully, all year long except per- days as warm as they sometimes can be depth than bass, but as the temperature haps for occasional bad weather in now. Even March wind can sometimes rises, so do the bass while the walleyes winter. help to warm waters more quickly. go deeper. Walleyes might also be found - You have to begin a year somewhere, Walter F. George Reservoir south of on upstream spawning runs out of however, and though the calendar peo- Columbus will be hot on the heels of lakes, both above and below Lake Bur- ple chose January, for the Georgia fish- Seminole in reaching spring. This lake ton, and above Lake Hartwell. By late erman a more logical month would prob- should again be among the state's very March, Chatuge and Blue Ridge will ably be March. This is the month that finest fishing spots. Moving northward, produce smallmouth bass. temperatures, both air and water, may largemouth bass will be close to shore- Trout fishermen who love to ply the .. climb to a point that stirs the restless- lines late in March in Clark Hill, Hart- streams for their quarry, and find it difness in every angler's soul, and make well, Sinclair, Lanier, Allatoona, Jack- ficult to wait for the regular trout seahim take his fishing rod from its winter son and other mid-Georgia reservoirs. son opening, which will be about the resting place. Before then, spring lizards and large first of April, can ease the pains of Though some folks fish all winter minnows fished deep wil! be productive. waiting in year-round trout streams. A long, the majority of the angling clan Minnow and jig fishermen will begin list of these waters is in your last year's prefer to wait for this dawning of spring. finding crappie in submerged brushpiles trout fishing regulation pamphlet, pub- Of course, the farther south you go not far from shore. lished by the State Game and Fish in Georgia, the sooner the weather and As buds and leaves begin to appear Commission. Spinners and natural baits water will bring out the inclination to in trees and bushes bordering the water, will catch trout now. seek a fish. In fact, good weather may fishing will continue to improve, and Late in March, Jargemouths can be have drawn fishermen out in February. the white bass will begin to feel the found on shorelines, with the best bets Okay, the weather's good and you're ready to go. Where, you ask, to begin and what kind of fishing should you try? Let's begin in south Georgia and work northward as the warmer weather moves that way. First signs of warm weather can make the largemouth bass restless in southern waters. Lake Seminole's most famous fi bing is during this season, for real Junker bass. If it hasn't been very warm, or hasn't been warm long, it may pay urge to move up out of the Jakes into the streams for their annual spawning pilgrimage. Rivers running into Lake Sinclair usually provide some of the first white bass spawning, along with perhaps Clark Hill , then Lanier, Allatoona and Lake Weiss. Mountain Jakes, including Burton, Blue Ridge and Chatuge, will probably yield walleyes first, and likely some trout, especially while the water is still being points of land extending out into the lakes. These points indicate shallow water out from the bank for some distance, usually accompanied by dropoffs to each side. Those points with brush or rocks to provide cover, are best. Anchor a long cast from land, casting toward shore. Deep running lures won't work here, unless they're very weedless. Plastic worms again are among the top baits, but so are shallow running lures. Some of the vibrating lures, meant to be to start with deep running lures in deeper water. Because of the heavy cover in Big Sem, one of the better Waders and a spinning rod, and shoal water are the ingredients tor catching fish in many places in Georgia. It might be tor white bass or walleyes, or it might even be on a year-round trout stream. choices is the plastic worm with a weed- less hook. The worm is usually a top fish-getter in Georgia almost any sea- son. Also, various types of jigs-and- spinners and similar rigs are good. Both are fished right down on the bottom with short jerks, though a jig may be reeled in steadily by some anglers. Generally a jig would be fished faster than a worm. Whichever you use, cast out into a bole, allowing plenty of time for the lure to sink to the bottom. Tighten your line, then move the lure along the bottom with your rod tip. After sweeping the line in the length of your rod, allow the lure to sink as you point the rod tip toward it, and take up slack line ... then repeat the process. Should the sun warm things sufficiently, shallow or topwater lures can be qu ite effective, particularly in the southem end of the state. Crappie fishing usually is at its best by mid-March as the water temperature , rises. By this time of the month, lakes in the middle section will begin to awaken t? spring, with crappie being the likely f1rst adversary, followed soon by bass late in the month . Each year's spring fishing season is, 9 fished quite fast, can be the most effective type for early fishing on the points. This writer has caught good stringers of sizeable bass in mid and late March fishing vibrating plugs off the points. It's one of my favorite methods and seasons for bass fishing. Warm clothing may be necessary to keep you interested in fishing, particularly in early morning. If the weather is quite nippy, there's probably little need to be on the water at the crack of dawn. Frequently, the bass begin hitting as late as 9 or 10 a.m., moving about mostly in the warmer part of the day. Later in the year, even perhaps in late March, the middle of the day would be better spent fishing deeper holes. Personally, in late March when the temperature can sometimes ease up to the 70's or even 80's, I like to begin the day fishing the points for bass. When the bass fishing slackens, I may dabble a minnow for crappie from late morning into mid-afternoon, grabbing a sandwich while watching the bobber. Then, by perhaps 3 p.m. , switch back to the points and work out the rest of the day going for bass. This provides a change of pace and rest from tossing a plug all day long, and keeps you sharper for bass fishing. River waters will usually be high and muddy most of March, and not particularly warm, until late in the month when the white bass spawning begins. About this same time, in rivers near the coast, sea-run striped bass, saltwater cousins of the white bass, should begin