Monthly Archives: October 2013

Do Red Snapper Provide Protein For America?

Protein for America?

By Ted Venker

Early in October, news came that more than 130 chefs, restaurant owners, fishermen and seafood industry leaders had partnered with the Environmental Defense Fund to launch a new propaganda campaign called “Share the Gulf.” The goal of this benignly labeled effort is to maintain 51 percent of the red snapper harvest for commercial fishermen and 49 percent to recreational fishermen – an allocation that was set using harvest data from the mid-1980s.

Red Snapper

Red Snapper

Sportfishermen say there are more big red snapper in the Gulf of Mexico today than there have been in decades, maybe in generations–but they’re not happy about a commercial fishing campaign to take away a portion of the share allocated to recreational anglers. (Photo Credit David Rainer, Alabama DCNR)

Coalition members maintain that any change to allocation could be a blow to commercial fishermen that could take red snapper off restaurant menus and out of grocery stores. Keep in mind, this is an allocation literally set about 30 years ago in a very different time with a very different stock.

“We need to draw a line in the sand,” John Schmidt, a Florida-based commercial fisherman and co-chairman of the coalition, said in a recent article. “Recreation groups need to stop taking away America’s fish and start managing their fish better.”

Just chew on that thought for a moment: Recreational angling groups are taking away America’s fish. Then consider that the commercial red snapper sector is currently comprised of less than 400 “shareholders” who personally own 51 percent of all the red snapper in the Gulf of Mexico.

A bit infuriating, isn’t it?

Those 400 shareholders didn’t pay a dime when they were gifted that public resource through the federal catch share program in 2007, a gift recently valued by one Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council member at more than $79 million. Those shareholders to this day don’t pay enough in administrative fees to cover the cost of monitoring their own program. Many of them don’t even fish anymore and instead lease their shares to others to fish for them.

Yet those 400 shareholders are demanding America’s recreational anglers – me, you, my kids, your friends and family – stop taking away “America’s fish.” Who exactly would we taking those fish away from? Why, the people making money from the capture and sale of a public marine resource, of course – those few shareholders, some chefs, and a few seafood dealers.

Red snapper are a long-lived species and take some time to reach maximum sizes, but tight harvest rules seem to have worked very well in the Gulf over the last decade.

The commercial sector does offer a different view of the situation. The snapper barons who own 51 percent of the red snapper resource are quick to tell anyone who listens that they are feeding America with those snapper. It is not uncommon at a Gulf Council meeting to hear several of them state the importance of their work providing protein for America. Providing fresh red snapper for the millions of people who don’t live near the coast and don’t go fishing.

That’s a noble sentiment until you start to do the math on exactly how many Americans are turning to red snapper fillets that often run as high as $18 to $20 per pound for their daily protein. How many families of six on a budget pass by the hamburger and choose a $100 snapper dinner instead? How many Americans depend on that weekly visit to a five-star New Orleans restaurant with white tablecloths to feed their family vital protein?

Let’s be real here. These folks are not providing protein for America. They’re providing protein for a very few Americans. And they’ve gotten very wealthy doing it.

Given that, it is easy to understand the very real influence of greed on the part of the snapper barons in this coalition, but less clear is the motivation of the chefs and restaurant owners. I would assume that they don’t have the full picture here. As business owners and professionals removed from the front lines of fisheries management, I would be willing to bet they aren’t completely tuned in to the politics of the Gulf red snapper fishery.

Those chefs and restaurant owners who depend on the good will of the public may not realize that there are far fewer commercial red snapper fishermen today than there have ever been, and yet they are currently harvesting more red snapper than the commercial sector ever has. No one is close to getting run out of business – far from it. Through consolidation and the gift of a public resource, the remaining snapper barons have a degree of job security that most in this country would envy.

And like good business owners, the shareholders are looking to diversify. One of the primary motivations behind their efforts in this coalition to prevent reallocation is not to provide more protein for America (at $20 per pound), but to have the ability to lease some of their red snapper shares to recreational charter/for-hire boats and headboats.

One of the tastiest fish in the sea, the red snapper is a favorite with reef fishermen from Key West to Brownsville, Texas.

Ironically, the shareholders who are chastising recreational anglers to stop taking away America’s fish are banking on schemes under discussion at the Gulf Council to allow them to lease their red snapper shares to … recreational anglers. If the Gulf Council reallocates, it may dampen the market for leasing their red snapper shares to the recreational sector.

Perhaps the chefs and restaurant owners weren’t made fully aware of that little detail.

Lastly, there is the Environmental Defense Fund which is often found lurking somewhere in the background of any plan that may result in fewer people on the water catching red snapper. EDF has poured millions into threatening the sportsmen’s ethic of wildlife management in the marine environment in pursuit of its distorted view of conservation.

The latest result is a coalition of 400 wealthy shareholders who are in it for the money, a few chefs and restaurant owners who are risking the wrath of the sporting public because they may not be aware of the real game here, and an environmental group that made the bizarre decision to champion the industrial gear of the commercial fishing sector against America’s sportsmen.

No wonder Gulf red snapper is such a mess.

The next Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council meeting is in New Orleans Oct. 28- Nov. 1. Many local supporters of the “Share the Gulf” campaign are expected to be on hand to make sure “America’s recreational anglers stop taking away America’s fish.” If you are an American angler, perhaps you should be there, too…so that the Council hears a slightly different point of view.

Watching the World Wake Up From A Deer Stand

In honor of deer season opening here in Georgia – yes, I do hunt since I love venison!

There is something special about sitting 30 feet up in an oak tree during deer season. You have made your way to your stand in the dark, easing through the still woods with nothing to guide you but your flashlight and any markers you put up during daylight. The woods look completely different and nothing is the same.

When you finally settle on your seat and arrange everything carefully so you can move into shooting position without a sound, you relax. It is about 30 minutes before legal shooting time and far too dark to see a deer on the ground, anyway.

The first thing you notice are the stars. Clear and bright beyond anything you can see from town, they are hard and cold. And if the air is icy they do not blink at all, they just stare at you wondering how you intruded into their night world.

Then you hear a sound, a slight crackling in the leaves. Is it the big buck you seek, moving past you well before you have any chance to take it? Or is it a raccoon making his last food forage before the sun runs him into hiding? Or is it Bigfoot coming after you for his breakfast?

Then you remember the mountain lion killed near LaGrange last year – not nearly far enough away. In the dark you will never know what it is, but your imagination sure can go wild.

Then there is a little lightening of the sky to the east. The stars seem to fade a little in that direction and within minutes vague shapes emerge on the forest floor. That one beside the big pine has to be a trophy buck staring at you, doesn’t it? You don’t dare move for fear of spooking him. Please let him stay there for just long enough to get shooting light.

Shooting light proves the big buck to be a stump. You knew it was there but the gray light changed it. Bushes, trees, rocks and stumps take on a different life before the sun comes up.

Suddenly you notice your breath. Foggy plumes issue from you into the air, like waving a white flag for any wise old buck to stay clear. So you breathe gently, trying to make it disappear.

When it gets light enough to shoot, you keep your head still and move only your eyes. When you hear a distinct crunch in the leaves behind you, there is absolutely no doubt it is a squirrel. No deer ever makes that much noise. There is no reason to even look. So you inch your head around as carefully as possible, with tiny movements. Sure enough, there is that bushy tail.

Birds appear like out of a magician’s hat, suddenly perching on limbs around you and greeting the sun. They go about their breakfast business as you watch. It is amazing how many different kinds of birds inhabit Georgia woods. And when a woodpecker drums on the tree just over your head you almost jump to the ground in fear.

Minutes drag, but suddenly you have been in the tree for hours. The sun is high and bright and there has not been a sign of a deer. But just as you decide to leave for the day, you see a whitetail standing broadside to you not 30 yards away in the open. How in the world did it get there? It must have popped out of the ground like a mushroom.

Your heart pounds louder than the woodpecker’s racket until you see it is a doe and you are not meat hunting today. You watch her browse on acorns and enjoy her beauty, and wonder again about the conflict you feel shooting such a pretty animal, but knowing you will when the time comes, and enjoy venison cooked many ways.

It never fails. The doe leaves so you decide it is time to return to the real world. As you lower your gun to the ground a snort behind you snaps your head around and there stands the biggest buck you have ever seen, watching you intently. And your gun is 30 feet below. No matter, you would not have time to raise it to fire even if it was in your hands.

You watch as the buck bounds off, knowing this stand will be avoided for the rest of the season. But you have other stands and plans in mind. His time will come.

As you climb down, get your gun and start walking out of the woods, you wonder how anyone could consider such a day unsuccessful.

Ronnie Garrison

Ronnie Garrison is an outdoors internet, magazine and newspaper writer who has won many awards for his magazine, newspaper and internet columns, and the author of The Everything Fishing Book and “Keys To Catching Clarks Hill Bass” eBook. He fishes almost everyday and has been a bass club tournament fisherman for 39 years.
Experience:

Ronnie Garrison has written a weekly outdoor column for the Griffin Daily News since 1986 . His has been writing feature magazine articlse for state magazines since 1987 and he has over 500 articles published in Georgia Outdoor News, Alabama Outdoor News, Georgia Sportsman, Kitchen Drawer, Bassin Times, Bass Champions and Sporting Clays magazines and in 2002 wrote The Everything Fishing Book published by Adams Media. Those articles have won more than 30 “Excellence in Craft” awards from the Georgia Outdoor Writers Association. He is a member and past president of that organization and a member of Southeast Outdoor Press Association and Profession Outdoor Media Association.

From Ronnie Garrison:

Some of my earliest memories are of following my grandmother to local farm ponds, trying to catch anything that would bite. I never met a fish I didn’t want to catch. If you love fishing as much as I do, I think you will enjoy my About Fishing web site.

I love all kinds of fishing, both fresh and saltwater and enjoy trying to catch any kind of fish. Let me know what you like. What is your favorite. Give me a question about your specialty and I will help you find an answer!

What Is Fine Tuning Your Spinnerbait Selection?

Fine-Tuning Your Spinnerbait Selection
from The Fishing Wire

Matt Herren carries a selection of spinnerbait blades

Matt Herren carries a selection of spinnerbait blades

An assortment of spinnerbait blades makes it possible to match changing conditions where ever you fish says Yamaha pro Matt Herren.

Among his contemporaries, Matt Herren has long been considered one of the best spinnerbait fishermen competing on the Bassmaster® Elite Series, but all are surprised to learn the Yamaha Pro actually keeps very few of the popular blade-type lures in his boat.

Instead, Herren carries boxes of spinnerbait components, including blades, skirts, and heads, and makes his lures on the water as he needs them.

“I wouldn’t have enough room in my boat to carry all the different spinnerbaits I might want during a tournament,” laughs Herren, “so I keep boxes of parts in different colors and weights and put them together as the conditions dictate. It only takes a minute or so to make one, so I’m really not losing much time at all, and I can have exactly what I want.”

Herren likes double willowleaf baits

Herren likes double willowleaf baits

Herren likes a double willow leaf spinner in autumn, but is always ready for a quick change as needed.

Herren believes spinnerbaits are far more specialized than most anglers realize, and he uses several criteria to fine-tune his selection, including water temperature, water color, and the type of structure and cover he will be fishing. During the autumn months, for instance, he normally fishes spinnerbaits with double willow leaf blades, or a combination of Colorado and willow leaf blades.

“Fall is perfect for spinnerbaits because the primary bass forage this time of year is shad, and with willow leaf blades I can match the size and even the color of that forage very closely,” Herren explains. “Normally, the water is clear in the fall, too, so if I’m fishing 10 feet deep or less, I’ll make a spinnerbait with double willow leaf blades, because those blades keep the lure from sinking very deep. If I want to fish deeper, I’ll replace the front willow leaf with a more rounded Colorado-style blade so the lure will sink.

“I believe a lot of fishermen overlook the importance of blade size and color, but at times these can be critical in determining whether bass hit or not. I’ve experienced many days where a slight blade change made all the difference in the world. That’s why I prefer to make my spinnerbaits while I’m fishing.”

Spinnerbait bass

Spinnerbait bass

Chunky bass like this one are chasing shad in fall, and the flashing blades of a spinner are a good imitation.

The Yamaha Pro’s favorite blade color in clear water this time of year is copper, since it isn’t as bright as gold or nickel, but still provides enough flash to attract bass. In his component boxes, Herren has not only these three blade colors, but also white and chartreuse in a variety of sizes.

“My blade and color choices now as summer changes into fall are quite a bit different than they are in the spring,” points out Herren. “In the spring, when the water is often more stained and the temperature is cooler, I want more vibration from my spinnerbait blades, so I really prefer the more rounded Colorado blades. In extremely dingy water, I’ll even make spinnerbaits with double Colorado blades. You don’t find many spinnerbaits like this in the tackle stores, but they’re a major part of my fishing.

“Depending on how deep I want to fish, I’ll make them in weights ranging from as light as ¼-ounce to as heavy as 1 ½-ounces. Then, as the water temperature gradually warms, I’ll switch one of those Colorado blades for an elongated willow leaf. For me, it’s easier to make the exact spinnerbait I want rather than try to carry so many with me and then try to find it.”

Herren changes baits as neededc

Herren changes baits as neededc

Herren says he’d rather make up his own spinnerbaits as needed, fine-tuning them to match whatever a tournament throws at him.

Herren’s ability to make his own spinnerbaits while on the water has also allowed him to fine-tune his presentations, as well. Few think of making vertical presentations with spinnerbaits, for example, but this is one of the Yamaha Pro’s favorite fall techniques. Instead of casting, he makes short underhand pitches and lets the lure free-fall straight down on a slack line. He uses this technique around rock bluffs, at the ends of laydowns, and even around boathouse pilings.

“I’ve a lot of caught bass doing this with ¼-ounce spinnerbaits with a single large size 4 blade, and also with heavier ¾-oz. spinnerbaits with size 4 ½ and 5 blades,” continues the Yamaha Pro, “blade and weight combinations you’ll never find on the store shelves.

“Building my own spinnerbaits has allowed me to experiment like this and not only create my own favorite combinations, but also to learn to fish the lures a little differently than the other tournament pros, and over the years it’s really paid off for me.”

Fishing During the Full Moon

Middle Georgia Full Moon Fishing

“I got another one,” Hal said to me, but I was too busy reeling in my own bream to pay any attention to him. We already had full stringers of nice bluegill at our feet but we continued to catch one on almost every cast.

Hal and I had dug some red wigglers behind the chicken house on my family’s farm then rode our bicycles to Black’s pond to fish for bass and bream. We were very happy since school would be out in just two more weeks and the long summer filled with fishing trips would start.

When we got to the McDuffie County pond owned by the family of a teacher at Dearing Elementary School we tried for bass for several hours without much luck. Then we went to our favorite place to catch bream in the upper end of the pond. There were two boards on the bank so we could stand side by side and cast without sinking into the soft bottom.

Most days we would catch a few bluegill near the scattered stumps in this spot then move one when they quit biting. Our tackle was simple, both of us had Mitchell 300 reels on Conlon six-foot spinning rods. The ten pound test line was good for all kinds of fishing. On the end of the line was a #6 hook, a small split shot and a cork.

We stood on those boards and caught fish until it started to get dark. We had to hurry back to our bikes and head home fast to beat the night. As we rode home we commented that the full moon would keep it from getting completely dark and that could be our excuse for being so late.

All week we talked about going back and catching a pile of bream again. The next Saturday we went back to the pond and caught one or two small bluegill from the same area that had been so good the weekend before. We had no idea what happened to change the fishing, and did not realize that full moon had anything to do with our good luck. We had hit a bedding area without knowing it.

Bluegill are common in all Georgia waters and are always cooperative. You can catch them on just about any bait and they are great fish to start kids with since they can enjoy the thrill of catching something. But the full moon in May is a special time for Georgia bream fishermen.

The full moon is the time bream bed. Although bluegill will start bedding as early as late March in middle Georgia and some will bed every month from then until fall, May is the height of the bedding for them. Add in the spawn of shellcracker that bed just on the full moon in May and you have a bonanza of great fishing this month.

May 2 is a full moon so fishing should be good the first week of the month. There is almost a blue moon in May, with another full moon on June 1, so the end of the month will also be good.

Starting about a week before the full moon bluegill move into the shallow bedding areas and fan out a depression on a hard bottom. The female will lay her eggs in the depression and the male fertilizes them. Both fish will stay and guard the nest until the eggs hatch several days later. They will hit anything that looks like a threat to their eggs, as well as anything that looks like food, for about a week.

Many bream fishermen claim they can smell out bluegill beds, and you will often notice a distinctive odor near them. It is described as smelling like watermelon but not exactly. It is a musty smell that you will recognize once you experience it, and will remember it. If you hit that smell, look for beds nearby.

To find beds, go to the upper ends of coves and look for them in shallow water, from two to six feet deep. If the water is not muddy you will see the beds as light spots against a dark background. This is the depression fanned out by the male to make the bed.

Bream like to bed in large groups so you are not looking for one or two scattered beds. A good sandy spot protected from the wind in the back of a cove will often look like a waffle on the bottom, with beds almost touching each other. In muddy water the beds will be more shallow, in real clear water a little deeper.

If you find beds one year they are likely to be in the same place the next year. Any hard bottom will do but sand seems to be preferred, and some scattered stumps make it even better.

You can find beds from the bank but a boat makes it easier. Cruise the shallows very slowly until you spot them. You will probably spook the fish but if you back off and wait about 15 minutes the fish will be back. It is a good idea to anchor your boat a long cast from the beds so you don’t get too close and spook them while fishing.

From the bank ease around until you spot the beds. Wear dark or camouflage clothing and don’t make fast movements. Stay low, too. Try to keep any bushes on the bank between you and the beds. While fishing stay low and don’t approach too close. Long casts are best to keep from scaring fish away.

You can find bluegill beds on any of Georgia’s waters from rivers to big reservoirs, but smaller public ponds are your best bet. Scattered all across middle Georgia are small public lakes and ponds you can fish. The following list should contain some within a short drive of you.

Indian Springs State Park Lake is a 105 acre lake in Butts County four miles southeast of Jackson on Georgia Highway 42. There is a good paved boat ramp and you can rent a boat there, too. Camping and cabins are available for longer stays. A $2.00 parking fee gives you access to bank fishing or boat launching.

Boat motors are limited to 10 horsepower or smaller and you can fish from sunrise to sunset year round. The lake has many protected coves where the bream bed and the upper end has good shallow spawning flats.

Contact the park at 678 Lake Clark Road Flovilla, GA 30216, phone(770) 504-2277

John Tanner State Park has two lakes, one 15 acres and one 12 acres in size. They are located in Carroll County six miles west of Carrollton off Georgia Highway 16. You can camp there if you want to stay but a $2.00 daily parking fee gives you access to both lakes for fishing from the bank. You can rent a boat but you can launch your private boat only on the smaller lake.

Boats are limited to electric power only. You can fish from 7:00 AM to 10:00 PM daily all year long. The lakes are small enough to cover easily to find the bedding areas. If you have a boat look for beds in areas not easily accessible to the bank fishermen.

Contact them at 354 Tanner Beach Road Carrollton, GA 30117, Phone (770) 830-2222

Blalock Reservoir is a 260 acre lake in Clayton County south of Jonesboro near US Highway 19/41. A boat ramp allows you to launch and there is bank fishing allowed for a small access fee.

Boats area limited to 16 feet or shorter with electric motors only. You can fish from dawn to dusk Wednesday through Sunday year round. Many shallow areas are good for bedding bream and a boat will cover this lake better than fishing from the bank.

Contact them at 2755 Freeman Road Hampton, GA 30228, phone (770) 603-5605.

J. W. Smith Reservoir is a 250 acre lake in Clayton County 10 miles south of Jonesboro on Panhandle Road. There is a boat ramp on the lake and you need a season pass or pay a daily fee.

Boats are limited to electric only and the lake is open

Wednesday through Sunday, April 1 through September 30 from sunup to sundown. There are many areas of this lake you need a boat to fish effectively.

Contact the Clayton County Water Authority at 2755 Freeman Road Hampton, GA 30228, phone (770) 603-5605.

Shamrock Reservoir is a 68 acre lake in Clayton County south of Jonesboro near US. Highway 19/41. There is a boat ramp and this lake is designated a “Kids Lake” so no adults may fish the lake unless they have a kid 12 years old or younger with them. There is a user fee.

Boats are limited to 16 feet or less and electric motors only. Open from dawn to dusk Wednesday through Sunday year round. Since access is limit to those with kids, this lake is a great choice to take your kids fishing.

Contact the Clayton County Water Authority listed above.

Lake Horton is a 780 acre lake in Fayette County south of Fayetteville near Georgia Highway 92. There are two boat ramps and the daily fee is $10 for non-Fayette County residents.

Boats are limited to electric only and the lake is open 6;30 AM to 6:30 PM daily. This lake is known for big bass but its sunfish population is good and spawning area are scattered all over the lake.

Horton is owned and operated by Fayette County P.O. Box 190 Fayetteville, GA 30214, phone (770) 461-1146.

Lake Kedron has 235 acres with a boat ramp. It is in Fayette County off Georgia Highway 54 near Peachtree Parkway. There are no special fees.

Boats are limited to electric only and the lake is open daily from 6:30 AM to 6:30 PM. It is owned and operated by

Fayette County, see contact above.
\Franklin D. Roosevelt State Park has two lakes, Franklin at 23 acres and Delano at 18 acres. They are located in Harris County east of Pine Mountain on Georgia Highways No private boats but boat rental is available. . Camping and cabins are available.

You can fish Delano year round and Franklin with a permit from September through May. There is a $2.00 parking fee.

Contact them at 2970 Hwy 190 Pine Mountain, GA 31822, phone(706) 663-4858.

Barnsville Reservoir in Lamar County has 160 acres and is located off Highway 36 near Barnsville. There is a boat ramp and yearly permits are required for fishing and for boat use.

Boats are limited to electric motors only and the lake is open year round.

Contact the City of Barnesville at 109 Forsyth Street, Barnesville, GA 30204, phone (770) 358-3431.

McDuffie Public Fishing Area has 13 ponds from 1 to 28 acres and is located in McDuffie County four miles southwest of Dearing off U. S. Highway 278. There are boat ramps on some of the lakes and camping is available. Boats are limited to electric only and a state fishing license as well s a WMA stamp is required. Lakes are open from sunrise to sunset daily year round.

I grew up less than two miles from these lakes. They were private until I was a teenager. My mother loved these lakes and I have the mount of a 2 pound, 6 ounce bluegill she caught there. The lakes are managed for fishing and all lakes are excellent for panfish.
Contact them at 4695 Fish Hatchery Road Dearing, GA 30808, phone(706) 595-1684.

Lake Meriwether in Meriwether County has 144 acres and is located one mile southwest of Woodbury on Georgia Highway 85 Alt. Camping is available and there is a daily fee for fishing. Boats are allowed but restricted to electric motors.

Owned the County Commissioners Office, P. O. Box 428 Greenville, GA 30222, phone (706) 672-1314.
High Falls State Park has a 650 acre lake and is in Monroe County 10 miles east of Forsyth near I-75. There are two boat tramps and boat rental as well as camping available. There is some bank fishing but most of the lake shore is private.

Motors are limited to 10 horsepower, a $2.00 parking fee is required and the lake is open from sunrise to sunset daily. This lake is very fertile and has good populations of bluegill. The back ends of most creeks are sandy and offer good bedding areas.

Contact the park at 76 High Falls Park Drive Jackson, GA 30233 at phone (912) 994-5080

Lake Olmstead in Richmond County is an 87 acre lake in northeast Augusta near Georgia Highway 28. There is a public boat ramp but no camping. There are no fees to fish here and there is good bank access.

Motors are limited to 9.9 horsepower except on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays when there is no limit. The lake is open 24 hours a day all year. This lake gets a lot of pleasure boat traffic on days big motors are allowed, so plan your fishing trips on the days motor restrictions apply.

Contact Augusta Parks and Recreation, 2027 Lumpkin road Augusta, GA 30906, phone (706) 796-5025

Hamburg State Park Lake is 225 acres located in Washington County north of Sandersville off Georgia Highway 102. There is a boat ramp and you can rent boats as well as camp. A $2.00 parking fee is charged.

Motors are limited to 10 horsepower and the lake is open all year from sunrise to sunset. There is excellent bluegill fishing in the pockets and coves.

Contact them at 6071 Hamburg State Park Road Mitchell, GA 30820, phone (912) 552-2393

Big Lazer Creek Public Fishing Area has a 200 acre lake and is located in Talbot County northeast of Talbotton near Pobiddy Road. A boat ramp is available as is primitive camping and you are required to have a Wildlife Management Area stamp a well as a fishing license.

There is no motor limit size but all must be operated at idle speed only. The lake is open from sunrise to sunset daily all year. It is managed for good fishing and the lake has excellent populations of bluegill and shellcracker.

Contact Manchester Fisheries Office, 601 Third Avenue Manchester GA 31816, phone: (706) 846-8448

Houston Lake is 180 acres in Houston County east of Perry on Georgia Highway 127. There is a boat ramp and good bank fishing access. No fees are charged at this lake.

Motors of any size can be used but at idle speed only. The lake is open during daylight hours year round and offers good bluegill fishing from boats or the bank.

Contact Region 4 Fisheries Office, phone (912) 987-4280

This is just a partial list of lakes open to the public in middle Georgia. For a complete list, go to http://georgiawildlife.dnr.state.ga.us/content/displaysmalllakes.asp to find lakes by name or by county. Find one near you, hit it on the full moon this month and enjoy some fast panfish action.

Government Shut Down and Fishing

Anglers and the Sportfishing Industry Are Falling Prey to the Federal Government Shutdown

Today’s feature is a commentary on the Federal government shutdown from the American Sport Fishing Association.
from The Fishing Wire

Industry urges resolution to government shutdown that is crippling fisheries access and conservation

Millions of anglers are now locked out of federal lands and waters and thousands of small businesses are suffering because Congress and the Administration can’t agree on the nation’s finances.

According to the American Sportfishing Association (ASA), federal agencies across the nation are warning anglers that they are not permitted to use public waters managed by the federal government during the federal shutdown. A statement from one federal land management agency says, “…facilities and lands are now closed to the public and public use activities have been suspended nationwide.”

“This is ludicrous,” said ASA Vice President Gordon Robertson. “We understand that public facilities that require staffing, such as buildings and federally-operated marinas and hatcheries, are not open and that federal employees are not permitted to operate these facilities. But let’s face it, most of the federal areas used by anglers are undeveloped and the recreational user typically visits them many times without seeing a federal employee of any type.”

Robertson further said, “We know that many of the complaints being voiced to the Department of Interior are from angry anglers who have planned trips, spent money on plane tickets, guides, lodging and new equipment who now can’t make their trip.”

As the stalemate between the Administration and Congress continues, the damage to the recreation industry mounts. Federally-controlled waters have a sportfishing community support system that is comprised of lodging facilities, restaurants, guide services and bait and tackle shops, just to name a few of the services used by anglers. Sportfishing in the United States on federal lands supports more than 100,000 jobs, providing $984 million in federal taxes to the federal government and contributing $13.8 billion to the nation’s economy each year.

“The public knows where staff is needed to manage facilities and developed areas and where they are not,” continued Robertson. “More baffling are statements from federal agencies saying that law enforcement staff will be on hand to enforce the closure of these waters during this federal shutdown. For example, law enforcement staff in areas like Everglades National Park and Biscayne National Park will be on hand to stop the public from entering park waters during the federal shutdown. Attempting to ban the public from areas of the ocean due to budgetary restrictions – while paying law enforcement officers to enforce the ban – defies logic and can only be viewed as intentionally burdensome. Where will the closures stop? Will the federal government close down the oceans’ entire exclusive economic zone too?”

Aside from the edict from the federal government that all federally owned waters are closed to anglers and all outdoor enthusiasts, the impacts to conservation are considerable. Every day that passes represents approximately $2 million that doesn’t get spent on fisheries conservation and federal fish hatcheries that don’t meet their schedules for fish production. Not to mention the inability of thousands of federal conservation employees to do their job and an even greater number of volunteer fishery conservation efforts that fall by the wayside. The cost to fishery conservation is incalculable.

“Many segments of the economy are being damaged by the failure to come to agreement over the nation’s finances and the recreation community is not exempt,” concluded Robertson. “The American Sportfishing Association encourages anglers to go to www.KeepAmericaFishing.org and send a letter to their Members of Congress saying it is time to stop the shutdown and get the nation back on its financial track so resource conservation can move forward and the public can once again enjoy its public trust lands.”

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The American Sportfishing Association (ASA) is the sportfishing industry’s trade association committed to representing the interests of the entire sportfishing community. We give the industry a unified voice, speaking out on behalf of sportfishing and boating industries, state and federal natural resource agencies, conservation organizations, angler advocacy groups and outdoor journalists when emerging laws and policies could significantly affect sportfishing business or sportfishing itself. ASA invests in long-term ventures to ensure the industry will remain strong and prosperous, as well as safeguard and promote the enduring social, economic and conservation values of sportfishing in America. ASA also gives America’s 60 million anglers a voice in policy decisions that affect their ability to sustainably fish on our nation’s waterways through KeepAmericaFishing™, our angler advocacy campaign. America’s anglers generate over $48 billion in retail sales with a $115 billion impact on the nation’s economy creating employment for more than 828,000 people.

How and Where To Catch Georgia Spotted Bass

I saw this bass holding under a dock and caught it on a Trick

I saw this bass holding under a dock and caught it on a Trick

Chasing Georgia’s Spotted Bass

We have a Jekyl and Hyde bass here in Georgia and it is taking over more and more of our waters each year. The Hyde side of spotted bass is that they are aggressive, meaning you can catch them easier under tough conditions. They are prolific, meaning you can catch a bunch. And they fight hard.

The Jekyll side is that they are aggressive, taking over habitat and eating food largemouth need. They are prolific, meaning they can take over a lake and crowd out largemouth and smallmouth. And they don’t grow nearly as big as largemouth, meaning your may give up catching a five pound largemouth to catch five one-pound spots.

Spots are native to a few north Georgia lakes and streams but misguided anglers have illegally transplanted them to many other waters. They do provide a good fishery in some of them, but often at the expense of other bass. Spots have almost eliminated smallmouth from most Georgia lakes where they once existed and have hurt populations of largemouth on many lakes.

The impact of spotted bass is reflected in the Georgia Bass Chapter Federation Creek Census Report compiled by Dr. Carl Quertermus at the University of West Georgia. Many middle Georgia lakes showed a spotted bass catch of less than ten percent in the early 1990s when they were first introduced. That percentage has increased to higher than 50 percent in many club tournaments now.

I remember the first spotted bass I ever saw at Jackson Lake. It was weighed in during a Spalding County Sportsman Club tournament in the early 1990s. Although the club fished Jackson several times a year that was the first one ever caught in a club tournament there. In December 2006 in a Sportsman Club tournament on Jackson 69.7 percent of the bass weighed in were spots.

Unless you have seen a lot of spots it is not easy to tell them from a largemouth without careful examination. Spots are usually a brighter color than largemouth, with more defined differences between the green blotches and the other areas. They have small black spots on their lower body below the lateral line, made up of the dark ends of scales there. And they have a smaller mouth.

The way most club fishermen identify spots is by rubbing their “tongue” and feeling a small rough spot. These so-called teeth are present in almost all spots and are absent in almost all largemouth. The identification is important because of the different size limits for spots and largemouth on some lakes.

The specific way to identify spots is the jaw does not extend back past the eye. Spots have scales on the base portion of the second dorsal fin and largemouth do not. A spot’s first and second dorsal fins are clearly connected and a largemouth’s are almost completely separated by a deep dip.

Spots seem to fight harder than largemouth. For some reason they pull harder for similar size largemouth. For that reason they are popular with fishermen. But spots do not grow as fast or as big as largemouth. The record largemouth was caught in Georgia and weighed 22 pounds, 4 ounces. A 25 pound plus largemouth was caught last year in California but was not submitted for the record.

The world record spot weighed 10 pounds 4 ounces and was caught in California. The Georgia record spot weighed 8 pounds 2 ounces. Ten pound largemouth are caught every year in Georgia but there has never been a ten pound spotted bass caught here. In most lakes spots average about a pound and you will seldom see a four pounder, but four pound largemouth are more common in those lakes.

Many of our middle Georgia lakes have cleared up significantly over the past 20 years and they helps spotted bass. Spots tend to bed deeper than largemouth and clearer water makes their spawn more successful. That habit also helps their spawn survive when lakes are pulled down during the spawn since their deeper beds are less likely to be left high and dry.

No matter how spots got in so many of our waters, and no matter their effect on other fish, they are fun to catch so we might as well take advantage of them. If you target spots you might need to change your tactics a little if you are used to fishing strictly for largemouth.

Rocks are a key to spots, as is deep water. Although you can catch them around other cover and structure, deep rocks are a favorite for them. Since they like open water the main lake is usually better for spots. So a deep rocky main lake point is ideal habitat for spotted bass.

Spots will hit a variety of baits but smaller baits seem to be better. They will take a 5 inch worm over a 10 inch worm most days, and they prefer a 1/4 ounce spinnerbait to a half ounce. Since they tend to be more aggressive a fast moving bait is usually better. So fishing a 1/4 ounce crankbait fast will produce more spots than a big crankbait reeled slowly under most conditions.

For some reason spots seem to have an affinity to chartreuse. Chartreuse crankbaits, spinnerbaits and worms all work well for spotted bass. Even the tip of a worm’s tail dipped in chartreuse dye increases your chance of catching a spot.

Since you are more likely to find spots in clear water and down deeper, lighter line is better. It also helps in throwing the smaller baits. And since spots tend to be smaller than largemouth and hold in more open water the lighter line on lighter outfits will allow you to take advantage of their stronger fight without as much risk losing them.

The preference of spots for smaller baits and lighter lines has lead to the popularity of small jig heads with small worms on them. Several brands like Spotsticker, Spot Remover and others attest to the popularity of fishing this kind of rig for spotted bass.

Some of our lakes are very good for spotted bass. If you want to target spots, give one of the following a try.

Lake Lanier

Lanier is Georgia’s premier spotted bass lake. Spots have been in it at least since the 1960s and may have been present when the lake was dammed in 1956. The introduction of blueback herring and the increase to 14 inches for the minimum size for bass at Lanier has made it a trophy spotted bass fishery.

Lanier has the qualities spots love. Deep rocky points cover the lake and the water is clear. There is also a lot of deep standing timber, another type cover spots like. Those characteristics combine with the herring and the size limit to make Lanier a special case in Georgia.

Spotted bass fishing is good all over the main lake. From the rocks at the dam to the riprap at Clark’s Bridge you will catch spots. In the 2005 Creel Census Report 87 percent of the bass weighed in at Lanier are spots, the second highest in the state. That is up from 78 percent in 1996.

By early summer there are two good ways to catch spots. Boat traffic makes fishing during the day tough, but if you can ride out the waves a topwater lure or soft jerkbait worked over humps and standing timber will bring spots up to eat them. Sunny days are best since blueback herring come toward the surface when it is sunny and spots wait to ambush the schools of herring as they pass over. Make your bait act like a herring being chased by a bass.

Fishing at night is a way to catch spots and avoid some of the boat traffic. Target humps and rocky points with spinnerbaits, crankbaits and Texas rigged worms. Try the Spotsticker jig on the bottom, fished with a shaking action. Fish as many different places as you can and you are likely to catch some good spots, often with a four pounder in your sack.

Lake Allatoona

Spots are native to Allatoona and they are plentiful there but not as big as at Lanier. That may be changing with the illegal introduction of bluebacks, but the long term impact is yet to be seen. Boat traffic is a problem at Allatoona like it is at Lanier.

Although once called “The Dead Sea” by bass fishermen, the Creel Census Report actually shows Allatoona with the highest number of bass weighed in per angler hour of any Georgia lake. Almost 88 percent of the bass weighed in during 2005 tournaments are spots, and this may be skewed some since largemouth tend to weigh more than spots so spots are often culled in favor of largemouth. In 1996 it was 78 percent spots.

Night fishing is the way to go at Allatoona in warm weather. Target rocky points and sheer bluff walls with small jigs and worms, or try a crankbait and spinnerbait run parallel to them. Say on the main lake since spots like deeper water. You can catch some up the creeks but bigger spots tend to hold on bigger water.

The points and bluffs on the Etowah River from Little River down to the dam and back up the Allatoona Creek side to Clark Creek are best. Fishermen have put out a lot of brush piles on Allatoona and you can find them with a good depthfinder. Fish a Texas rigged five inch worm or small jig and pig in them for big spots, too.

Lake Burton

Burton is a small lake with lots of big spots. They have been present there for a long time but the introduction of blueback herring made the population grow fast and now Burton is a trophy spot lake. The state record 8 pound, 2 ounce spot was caught there in 2005.

Burton gets crowded in warm weather and night fishing is best on the weekends. If you can fish during the week when the lake is not too crowded, try topwater baits over the points near on all main lake and bigger feeder creek points. After dark look for brush or fish the same points with a jig and pig or small worm.

Burton has limited access and is lined with docks. The fishing can be good around the deeper docks, too. Many have brush piles around them and the best ones are on rocky banks near points. Find that combination and there should be some quality spots nearby.

Lake Russell

Russell is a good spot lake and its undeveloped shoreline make it a joy to fish if you like nature, not cabins and skidoos. The clear water and standing timber make it a perfect spot lake and they have really increased in number since being illegally introduced by bass fishermen.

In 1996 the Creel Census Report shows 98 percent largemouth weighed in during club tournaments with an average weight of 1.59 pounds and an average big fish of 4.04. By 2005 that changed to 48 percent spots with an average weight of 1.47 pounds and a big fish of 3.27 pounds. That gradual decrease in size is typical of lakes changing from mostly largemouth to mostly spots.

Russell has telephone poles as channel markers. They sit on the ends of points marking the edge of deep water. They also mark good spot holes. Many are rocky and a lot have brush piles around them. There is standing timber off most of them.

Spots at Russell like to hold in the timber and run in on the points to feed. You can sometimes catch them by fishing topwater baits over the timber or bouncing a Texas rigged worm through the limbs. Use a 1/4 ounce sinker and a green pumpkin five inch worm. That also works in the bigger feeder creeks with visible standing timber. Follow the channel and fish the timber near it.

Throw big crankbaits and Carolina or Texas rigged five inch worms on the points. When you hit rocks or brush shake the worm in it. Make repeated casts to any brush you find since it will often be the place feeding bass move to and look for food.

Lake Jackson

In the 1970s and 80s Jackson waters were often pea soup green from the discharge of sewage from Atlanta. The water is now much clearer and more suitable to the spots stocked there illegally. In the 1996 Creel Census Report over 95 percent of the bass were largemouth and by 2005 43 percent of the catch was spots. During the 1980s six pound and bigger largemouth were common in tournaments but now a six pounder is rare.

Spot fishing is good at Jackson and on this old lake you can catch more bass now than you could back when it was mostly largemouth. From the points at the dam up the Tussahaw Creek and up the river to Berry’s Boat Dock, spots abound in rocky areas and around brush. The lake is small enough to fish a lot of it in one day.

Hit rocky points with topwater early then switch to small worms during the day. Night fishing is also good with a jig and pig or a Texas rigged worm. If you catch a spot on a point make repeated casts to it since spots tend to school up with lots of fish in the same area.

West Point

Spots probably got into West Point naturally since Lanier upstream was full of them when West Point was built, but they have increased in number as the water cleared up. From almost 95 percent largemouth in the 1995 Creel Census Report with an average weight of 2.69 and a average big fish of 4.81 to a 62 percent catch of spots with an average weight of 1.75 and an average weight of 4.62, the lake has changed like many others. Some of that change is the reduction of size limit on largemouth from 16 inches to 14 inches in that time.

The main lake from Highland Marina to the dam and in Wehadkee, Stroud and Veasey Creeks spotted bass fishing is good. Fish rocky points and banks with a small crankbait, jig and pig or worm. Early in the morning throw a topwater bait like a Pop-R or Tiny Torpedo. A jig like the Spotsticker with a five inch green pumpkin worm is also good around the rocks.

There is no size limit on spots anywhere except at Lake Lanier because they don’t grow as fast or as big as largemouth. If you want some bass to eat target spots. Their average size of about a pound is a good size for filets and smaller ones can be cooked whole. Removing spots, especially the smaller ones, will not hurt the lake.

Target spots for some hard fighting fish that are good to eat. You will have fun, catch a bunch of bass and can take home some to eat without feeling guilty about practicing catch and hot grease.

Expansion of Hunting, Fishing Opportunities in National Wildlife Refuge System

Interior Department Proposes Expansion of Hunting, Fishing Opportunities in National Wildlife Refuge System
from The Fishing Wire

Six More Refuges Open to Hunting; 20 Refuges Expand Hunting and Fishing Opportunities

WASHINGTON, D.C. – In advance of National Hunting and Fishing Day on September 28th, Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell today announced that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is proposing to expand fishing and hunting opportunities throughout the National Wildlife Refuge System, opening up new hunting programs on six refuges and expanding existing hunting and fishing programs on another 20 refuges. The proposed rule also modifies existing refuge-specific regulations for more than 75 additional refuges and wetland management districts.

“Sportsmen and women were a major driving force behind the creation and expansion of the National Wildlife Refuge System more than a century ago and continue to be some of its strongest supporters, especially through their volunteer work and financial contributions,” Jewell said. “Keeping our hunting and angling heritage strong by providing more opportunities on our refuges will not only help raise up a new generation of conservationists, but also support local businesses and create jobs in local communities.”

Under the National Wildlife Refuge System Improvement Act of 1997, the Service can permit hunting and fishing along with four other types of wildlife-dependent recreation where they are compatible with the refuge’s purpose and mission. Hunting, within specified limits, is permitted on more than 329 wildlife refuges. Fishing is permitted on more than 271 wildlife refuges.

Dan Ashe, Director of the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, called the proposals “one of the largest expansions of hunting and fishing opportunities on wildlife refuges in recent years.”

“Hunting and fishing are healthy, traditional outdoor pastimes deeply rooted in America’s heritage and have long been enjoyed on hundreds of national wildlife refuges under the supervision of our biologists and wildlife managers,” said Director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Dan Ashe. “After careful consideration and review from the Service, this proposal represents one of the largest expansions of hunting and fishing opportunities on wildlife refuges in recent years.”

National wildlife refuges generate important benefits from the conservation of wildlife and habitat through spending and employment for local economies. According to the National Survey of Fishing, Hunting and Wildlife-Associated Recreation, published every five years by the Service, more than 90 million Americans, or 41 percent of the United States’ population age 16 and older, pursued wildlife-related recreation in 2011. They spent more than $144 billion that year on those activities. Nearly 72 million people observed wildlife, while more than 33 million fished and more than 13 million hunted.

The Service manages its hunting and fishing programs on refuges to ensure sustainable wildlife populations, while offering historical wildlife-dependent recreation on public lands.

Other wildlife-dependent recreation on national wildlife refuges includes wildlife photography, environmental education, wildlife observation and interpretation.

The Service proposes opening the following refuges to hunting for the first time:

New York

• Shawangunk Grasslands National Wildlife Refuge(http://www.fws.gov/refuge/shawangunk_grasslands/): Open to big game hunting.

Oregon

• Baskett Slough National Wildlife Refuge(http://www.fws.gov/WillametteValley/baskett/): Open to migratory bird hunting.

• Nestucca Bay National Wildlife Refuge(http://www.fws.gov/oregoncoast/nestuccabay/index.htm): Open to migratory bird hunting.

• Siletz Bay National Wildlife Refuge(http://www.fws.gov/oregoncoast/siletzbay/): Open to migratory bird hunting.

Pennsylvania

• Cherry Valley National Wildlife Refuge(http://www.fws.gov/refuge/cherry_valley/): Open to migratory bird, upland game and big game hunting.

Wyoming

• Cokeville Meadows National Wildlife Refuge(http://www.fws.gov/seedskadee/cokevillemeadows.htm): Open to migratory bird, upland game and big game hunting.

Meanwhile, under the proposal, the Service would expand hunting and sport fishing on the following refuges:

California

• Colusa National Wildlife Refuge (http://www.fws.gov/refuge/colusa/): Expand migratory bird and upland game hunting.

Florida

• Arthur R. Marshall Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge(http://www.fws.gov/loxahatchee/): Add big game hunting. The refuge is already open to migratory bird hunting.

• St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge (http://www.fws.gov/saintmarks/): Expand migratory bird hunting, upland game hunting and big game hunting.

Idaho

• Kootenai National Wildlife Refuge(http://www.fws.gov/refuge/kootenai/): Expand upland game hunting. The refuge is already open to migratory bird hunting and big game hunting.

Illinois

• Cypress Creek National Wildlife Refuge(http://www.fws.gov/refuge/cypress_creek/): Expand migratory bird hunting, upland game hunting and big game hunting.

• Middle Mississippi River National Wildlife Refuge(http://www.fws.gov/refuge/middle_mississippi_river/): Expand migratory bird hunting, upland game hunting and big game hunting.

Indiana

• Patoka River National Wildlife Refuge and Management Area(http://www.fws.gov/refuge/patoka_river/): Expand migratory bird hunting, upland game hunting and big game hunting.

Iowa

• Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge(http://www.fws.gov/refuge/Neal_Smith/): Expand migratory bird hunting, upland game hunting and big game hunting.

• Northern Tallgrass Prairie National Wildlife Refuge(http://www.fws.gov/refuge/northern_tallgrass_prairie/): Expand migratory bird hunting, upland game hunting and big game hunting.

• Port Louisa National Wildlife Refuge(http://www.fws.gov/refuge/port_louisa/): Expand migratory bird hunting, upland game hunting, big game hunting and sport fishing.

Maine

• Rachel Carson National Wildlife Refuge(http://www.fws.gov/refuge/rachel_carson/): Expand migratory bird hunting, upland game hunting and big game hunting.

Missouri

• Mingo National Wildlife Refuge (http://www.fws.gov/refuge/mingo/): Expand migratory bird hunting, upland game hunting and big game hunting.

New Mexico

• San Andres National Wildlife Refuge(http://www.fws.gov/southwest/refuges/newmex/sanandres/): Expand big game hunting.

Oregon

• Bandon Marsh National Wildlife Refuge, OR and WA(http://www.fws.gov/oregoncoast/bandonmarsh/index.htm): Expand migratory bird hunting. The refuge is also already open to sport fishing.

• Julia Butler Hanson Refuge for the Columbian White-Tailed Deer, OR and WA (http://www.fws.gov/jbh/): Expand migratory bird hunting. The refuge is already open to big game hunting.

• Malheur National Wildlife Refuge (http://www.fws.gov/malheur/): Expand migratory bird hunting and sport fishing. The refuge is already open to upland game hunting and big game hunting.

Texas

• Aransas National Wildlife Refuge (http://www.fws.gov/refuge/aransas/): Add migratory bird hunting. The refuge is already open to big game hunting.

• Balcones Canyonlands National Wildlife Refuge(http://www.fws.gov/refuge/balcones_canyonlands/): Expand hunting for migratory birds, upland game and big game.

Vermont

• Silvio O. Conte National Fish and Wildlife Refuge(http://www.fws.gov/r5soc/): Expand migratory bird hunting, upland game hunting and big game hunting.

Washington

• Willapa National Wildlife Refuge (http://www.fws.gov/refuge/willapa/): Expand migratory bird hunting and big game hunting. The refuge is already open to upland game hunting.

Notice of the 2013-2014 proposed Refuge-Specific Hunting and Sport Fishing Regulations will publish in the Federal Register September 24, 2013. Written comments and information can be submitted by one of the following methods:

• Federal eRulemaking Portal (http://www.regulations.gov/) Follow the instructions for submitting comments to Docket No. [FWS-HQ-NWRS-2013-0074];
or

• U.S. mail or hand-delivery: Public Comments Processing, Attn: [ FWS-HQ-NWRS-2013-0074]; Division of Policy and Directives Management; U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; 4401 N. Fairfax Drive, MS 2042-PDM; Arlington, VA 22203.

Comments must be received within 30 days, on or before October 24, 2013. The Service will post all comments on regulations.gov. The Service is not able to accept email or faxes.

Comments and materials, as well as supporting documentation, will also be available for public inspection at regulations.gov under the above docket number. In addition, more details on the kinds of information the Service is seeking is available in the notice.

To view a complete list of all hunting/sport fishing opportunities on refuges, click here (http://www.fws.gov/refuges/hunting/huntFishRegs.html).

Savannah River Lakes Linesides

Linesides On The Savannah River Lakes

The Savannah River is a silver strand of water separating Georgia from South Carolina like a necklace. There are three pearls on this strand, Lakes Hartwell, Russell and Thurmond. In these pearls are some silver sided fish that make anglers forget about all other kinds of silver.

Hybrid and striped bass are stocked in all three lakes by both Georgia and South Carolina. Those are some of our hardest pulling fish in fresh water, and once you hook one of them you will be hooked on fishing for them. Tie into a 20 pound striper and you will have a fight you won’t forget.

Hartwell, Russell and Thurmond (known as Clarks Hill by most) contain over 150,000 acres of water for the linesides angler. That is a tremendous area to fish and can get confusing. These lakes share some similar characteristics but differ in several ways, too.

Hartwell is on the very upper end of the Savannah River where it forms when the Tugaloo and Seneca rivers join. Russell is stuck between Hartwell and Clarks Hill, with waters backing up to the Hartwell dam and its dam releasing water directly into Clarks Hill. Clarks Hill is the last lake of the chain and the largest of the three.

Georgia and South Carolina share responsibility and authority for the fish in three lakes and they are also managed by the Corps of Engineers. Both states and the Corps maintain boat ramps that offer easy access to fishermen to all parts of each lake. Hartwell and Clarks Hill both have some shoreline development, concentrated in specific areas, but Russell is completely undeveloped and there are no private shoreline homes and docks.

Size and creel limits are agreed on by both Georgia and South Carolina and apply to fishermen from both states. Anglers may have a total of 10 stripers and hybrids combined on all three lakes and there is no size limit. Fishing licenses from either state are honored on all waters of all three lakes.

Blueback herring baitfish are found in all three lakes and they are a favorite food of stripers and hybrids. The proliferation of this baitfish has changed the thinking about management and stocking rates on these lakes and both Georgia and South Carolina agreed to make some changes about six years ago. These changes will affect your fishing this year.

The differences among these lakes might help you decide which one to fish, or help you catch fish on the one you like best.

Lake Hartwell

Uppermost and second oldest on the chain, Hartwell has 55,950 acres of water to fish. Its main lake stays fairly clear and it has many deep points and areas of underwater standing timber. Herring have been in it for many years and are an established baitfish.

In 2001 Georgia and South Carolina agreed to raise the numbers of hybrids and stripers stocked in Hartwell to 15 per acre, almost doubling the numbers of linesides put into the lake. The stocking rate is about half stripers and half hybrids. Those fish are showing a good growth rate and will be a good size this year.

Both stripers and hybrids grow to about one pound the first year they are stocked then put on about two pounds each year after that. A two year old hybrid or striper will weigh around three pounds, a six year old with push 12 pounds. There are a lot of fish in that range in Hartwell from the past six years of increased stocking rates.

Hybrids will not grow as big as stripers because they do not live as long. A five year old, 10 pound hybrid is very old and rare. A five year old striper is just getting started and some will live to be over 20 years old and weigh over 40 pounds.

Anthony Rabern is the Georgia fisheries biologist working with hybrids and stripers on Hartwell. He says there is an excellent year class from 2005 stocking, so there will be a lot of two and three pound hybrids to catch this year. As these fish grow each year they will offer more bigger fish for anglers.

Several things help hybrids and stripers survive at Hartwell. A few years ago biologists changed the way linesides were stocked. Up until then a hatchery truck would pull up to a bridge or ramp and dump its whole load of fry. That might be 300,000 little fish going into one area where food became limited and predators could gang up on them.

Now they spread the stocking out, aiming for releasing no more then 35,000 in one area. That should increase the survival of the fry and mean more fish to catch as that year class grows.

Water temperatures do put a squeeze on hybrids and stripers at Hartwell each summer. As the water gets warmer there is a small band of water that is ideal for hybrids and stripers to live in. This layer of water is the right temperature and has enough oxygen for them.

When the water gets too hot this layer of water becomes smaller. That is not good for the fish. During a drought like we had last year you would think the layer of good water would get thinner, and it does on other lakes in the chain, but Anthony says that does not happen at Hartwell.

Less rain means less runoff into the lake. Less runoff means less nutrients running into the lake. That produces less algae and means more oxygen at the depths the hybrids and stripers need.

Last year Anthony found a 40 pound striper and an eight pound hybrid in their surveys, so there are some good size fish to catch. Those shocking and netting surveys have also given Anthony an idea of where the fish live and where you should fish to catch them. He has come up with six tips for finding them. They should work on any lake you fish.

Anthony’s tips are: 1. Time of day – stripers and hybrids are more active in the early morning and late afternoon. 2. Topography – these fish hold on points and nearby flats. 3. Temperature – find water from 55 to 65 degrees to fish. 4. Turbidity – stripers and hybrids feed better in water that is not muddy, so find clear water to fish. 5. Forage – find the blueback herring and shad and the stripers and hybrids will be nearby. 6. Wind – Wind is your friend, fish wind blown banks and points.

Based on these tips, be on the lake at dawn and fish points near flats at the depth the water is 55 to 65 degrees and clear. Make sure baitfish are in the area and if the wind is blowing get on the windy side. Use either live herring or artificials like spoons and bucktail jigs.

Lake Russell

Russell is the smallest of the three lakes in the chain at 26,650 acres, it is the newest of the three and in some ways the most unusual. Not only is it affected by the water running into its upper end from the Hartwell dam, there is a pumpback facility at its dam, pumping water from Clarks Hill back into it. Its water level does not change as much as the level in the other two.

Georgia and South Carolina agreed to try to make Russell a trophy striper lake. To do that, no hybrids are stocked and only one to two stripers per acre are stocked each year. This should allow the stripers to grow faster and offer fishermen bigger fish to catch.

There are a few hybrids in the lake. They can come downstream through the turbines and overflow at the Hartwell Dam, and a few might survive coming through the pumpback from Clarks Hill. They are not a significant fishery on Russell though.

Russell is a deep, clear lake and offers good habitat for stripers. Growth rates are a little better than two pounds per year and there are already some in the 20 pound range. These fish should continue to grow at a fast rate and produce some trophy fish.

Fisheries biologist Ed Bettros urges fishermen catching tagged stripers to return the tag. Bigger fish are hard to sample so tagging is the best way they can monitor the growth rate of the fish and the success of the program. Help the state keep up with the stripers by returning any tags in fish you catch.

Habitat was a concern at Russell due to the cold, low oxygen content water coming in from the bottom of Lake Hartwell and the cold, low oxygen content of the water being pumped back from Clarks Hill. Oxygen injectors have been added to some of the turbines at Hartwell and others are planned, and oxygen is being added to the water at the Russell dam, too.

By injecting oxygen into the water the layer of water that is suitable for stripers should say wider, allowing them to grow better even during the summer when growth rates slow. The survival rate should also increase.

Both states are looking at a change in the numbers of stripers you can keep at Russell. By lowering the numbers fishermen can keep they hope to increase the numbers of bigger stripers. That change has not been made yet but watch your regulations. Any change will be for anglers from both states.

Stripers are harder to catch than hybrids and the bigger they get the harder they are to hook. You will have to change your tactics to catch stripers on Russell. Use the tips from Anthony’s studies at Hartwell to locate the best areas and times to catch them. Then use big artificial or live bait. Live blueback herring seven inches long or bigger will usually catch more stripers than other baits.

Concentrate on the lower lake below the railroad trestle and drift live herring at the depth the water temperature is best for stripers. Make sure you find baitfish schools near flats and points before dropping your bait down. Use stout tackle, a big striper will head for one of the many patches of underwater timber and wrap you up if you can not turn them.

Clarks Hill

Clarks Hill is the oldest lake on the chain and on the lower end. It is also the biggest at 71,535 acres and has had stripers and hybrids stocked in it for many years. The lake varies a lot from the upper ends of rivers and creeks where water is more stained and gets warmer to the lower half of the lake where the water usually stays clear.

As on Hartwell, blueback herring abound on Clarks Hill and are a favorite food of the linesides. The increase in bluebacks over the past 10 years has led Georgia and South Carolina to increase the stocking here to 15 per acre like at Hartwell. The states coordinate their stocking so each year about eight hybrids and seven stripers are put into the lake.

That is up from the 10 fish per acre done up until 2001. Those stocking levels put three stripers and seven hybrids per acre into the lake. There were a lot more hybrids than stripers, but some of those stripers are still in the lake but most of the hybrids have been caught or died. Some of those pre 2001 stripers are big, with a 50 pound striper possible.

This year there should be good numbers of ten pound stripers in the lake, according to Ed Bettros, fisheries biologist. That is relative to the numbers in the past, he reminds fishermen. They will be easier to catch but not as easy as a three pound hybrid.

There is a concern about the colder, less oxygenated water from Russell coming into the upper Savannah River. An oxygen system has been put in at the Russell dam to increase oxygen content, but that does not extend downstream very many miles. There is hope of another oxygen system being put into the Savannah River several miles downstream of the Russell dam to help the main lake.

Droughts hurt both Russell and Clarks Hill. With less water filling the lake, the band of water ideal for linesides is squeezed thinner and growth rates as well as survival is impacted. Last year we got through the summer without major problems but if the drought extends through this summer there may be problems.

Growth rates in Clarks Hill are similar to Hartwell with both stripers and hybrids adding about two pounds per year to their weight. Stocking is spread out on this lake, too, to help survival rates.

Anthony’s tips for Hartwell will help you locate stripers and hybrids on Clarks Hill. They can be caught from above Raysville Bridge in the Georgia Little River to the dam and up the Savannah to the Russell dam. Clarks Hill has big flats where baitfish and hybrids congregate and you can catch them there.

Always watch for gulls diving on the water, too. This will work on all three lakes. When the schools of stripers and hybrids start hitting the blueback herring the gulls join in the feast, picking off injured herring that float to the surface and grabbing live ones that are trying to escape and get too close to the top.

Dave Willard guides on Clarks Hill for both stripers and hybrids. He says you will be surprised how shallow big stripers will get at some times of the year. He will use a side planner board to take his bait up into three feet of water on points. The planner board allows him to keep his boat out away from the shallows and does not spook them.

Drifting live blueback herring on points and flats on the mail lake will produce stripers and hybrids. Always look for baitfish. Drop several blueback down on a “Carolina Rig” with a one ounce sinker above a swivel. Have a 36 inch leader tied from the swivel to a 3/0 hook and put the herring on it.

As you ease around the flats and points, try to keep your bait down just above the level you are seeing bigger fish on your depthfinder, and just below the schools of baitfish. Make it look like a baitfish that got separated from the school and is an easy meal.

Also drift a couple of live herring on flat lines behind the boat. Tie a hook directly to your line with no weight and let the herring swim freely. That will often attract a roaming striper.

If you want numbers of hybrids and stripers, go to either Hartwell or Clarks Hill. For fewer bites but bigger stripers try Russell. Each of these lakes will continue to get better over the next few years as the increased stocking numbers grow and become more plentiful. The future of linesides fishing on our eastern border looks bright as polished silver.

Visit Dave Willard’s web site at http://www.crockettrocketstriperfishing.com/index.shtml

Does Our Fishing Need Defending?

Robert Montgomery

Robert Montgomery

In Defense of Fishing

Robert Montgomery, widely-recognized as one of the nation’s top fishing writers, voices the growing concern with anti-fishing attitudes that seem to be spreading in some parts of the country.

Written by Robert Montgomery
from The Fishing Wire

At the bank the other day, the teller told me that I had shortchanged myself a thousand dollars on my deposit slip.

I know why it happened. Each of the checks that I was depositing included a fraction of a dollar. I was so concerned about getting the pennies correct that I neglected to devote sufficient attention to the dollars.

In other words, I focused too much on minor details and completely missed the big picture.

That’s an easy thing to do. Most of us have done it at one time or another, and, fortunately, consequences usually aren’t catastrophic. We have spouses, friends, and friendly tellers to set us straight.

But too many of us are missing the big picture right now regarding the future of recreational fishing, and consequences could be catastrophic.

As the administration leads the country in a direction that the majority of Americans oppose, those who dislike recreational fishing or, at best, are indifferent to it, are using their White House alliances to push for massive federal control of public waters. And here’s the dangerous part:

As conservationists, anglers believe in sustainable use of fisheries, while protecting habitat, opposing pollution, and preserving the resource for future generations to enjoy.

By contrast those pushing an anti-fishing agenda are preservationists who believe in “look but don’t touch.” They assert that humans exist apart from nature, rather than as a part of it. They think that we act immorally when we manage or alter it in any way.

Montgomery says angling opportunities are under fire in many parts of the nation due to mistaken or misdirected efforts at environmental sustainability.

Consequently, the big picture is that a concerted effort is underway to deny us access to a public resource, and, in so doing, to deny and destroy a significant portion of our history, culture, and economy — not to mention our right to enjoy a day on the water with friends and family.

Granted, the movement is only now gaining momentum. Chances are, if you live inland, you might not see any closures in your life time. But the snowball has begun to roll downhill.

Arguably, it began when environmentalists convinced President George W. Bush to designate two remote areas in the Pacific as marine reserves. It has strengthened with the recently created National Ocean Council, which has been given authority to zone uses of our oceans, coastal waters, and Great Lakes, as well as the option to move inland to rivers, lakes, and reservoirs.

Also, it’s taking shape via the Magnuson-Stevens Conservation Act and a “catch shares” management strategy in which recreational participation would be capped.

And as preservationists seek to “protect” oceans from anglers, lake associations want to do the same on inland waters. Knowing a good excuse when they see one, they insist that closures of public access areas are needed to prevent spread of invasive species.

Inland access might seem unrelated to the ocean management. But they are two fronts of the same battle.

You need only look to California to see what is coming our way. Fisheries are falling one after the other, like dominoes, as emotion trumps science-based fisheries management.

Mostly the closures are coming under the auspices of the state Marine Life Protection Act (MLPA). But they’re also occurring through local regulations. Four out of five members of the Laguna Beach City Council supported a five-year moratorium on recreational fishing along its 7 miles of coast.

“There’s no such thing as a five-year moratorium,” said dissenter Kelly Boyd. “You turn something over to the state and you’ll never get it back.”

Dave Connell, an angry angler, added, “We’re fighting a fad, an environmental extremist wacko fad about closing the ocean. I do not know what their agenda is, but it is not to save the fish. It is not to keep the ocean clean.”

For our side, the fishing industry is spearheading a Keep America Fishing campaign (http://keepamericafishing.org). In particular, member Shimano deserves recognition. Along with donating $100,000 a year and considerable staff time annually to the cause, it has been one of the most outspoken critics of the way in which the MLPA has been implemented.

As a consequence, it has been the target of the Natural Resources Defense Council and other environmental groups, who have deep pockets with which to voice their zealotry. Filled with invective and inaccuracy, the Shame on Shimano website (www.shameonshimano.com) is but one example.

“The ‘Shame on Shimano’ campaign by NRDC is an outrageous misrepresentation of the facts about a company who has led the outdoor industry in supporting scientific research, habitat improvement, youth programs and fishery conservation efforts across North America for twenty years,” said Jeff Crane, president of the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation (CSF).

Starting to see the big picture yet?

Robert Montgomery is the author of Why We Fish, a collection of essays exploring the many reasons that we go fishing. Bill Dance also contributed to the book, as did nine others. It is available from Amazon ($12.03) and other booksellers, as well as from the publisher, NorLights Press ($15.95).

www.whywefish.info

http://www.amazon.com/Why-We-Fish-Wisdom-Fishermen/dp/1935254782/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1372125081&sr=8-1&keywords=why+we+fish