Below is the OCR text representation for this newspapers page.

PAGE 2B THE BANKS COUNTY NEWS WEDNESDAY, APRIL 30, 2008 Outdoors With Skipper Plenty of fun fishing with neighbor friend I had been fishing with a preacher friend and his two boys a few weeks ago. As we were loading up to head home, I met a fellow standing by his truck. He asked how we had done? I asked him where he was from, and he replied, “Homer.” “Oh, where do you live in Homer?” and he said, “at the golf course.” “ Well, it so hap pens I live across the street.” From that conversation, we have had two good fishing trips together. Being retired, Len Camden can go when I can go, and he loves to hunt and fish as I do. It’s great to have a neighbor who enjoys everything that you enjoy. Well, during our first trip we went to the Soque, and fished the private property area. I wanted Len to catch a nice trout, as he hadn’t caught a big one before. It wasn’t long before we both were hooked up with some of the stock ers that we had recently put in. They leaped out of the water, and we both had fish on at the same time. We wanted to get a bigger one though. I hooked up with about a five pounder and was able to land him. Now, I felt real bad, that I had caught it instead of Len. A bit later, I hooked into another one around the same size, and felt even worse about hooking it. I even had to ask Len to net it for me. I was really feeling awful at this point. It was time to head back to Homer, with me feeling terrible about my catching the two big ones. I teased him about how bad I felt about the trip, and he replied, to the effect he could tell I was all torn up about it. We laughed. We went again last Friday so that I could show him some of the trout spots that I like to fish. From Moccasin Creek, to Helen, to Unicoi, as we made the rounds. We found some left overs at one of the spots, and ended up with 12 trout for the frying pan. Len loves to eat trout, so he went home with a couple of meals for him and his wife, Pat. We had a great time together and look forward to many more. We are planning a camping trip up at Lake Burton in the next couple of weeks. I appreci ate meeting up with Len, and feel it wasn’t just by chance, particularly after losing my dear friend, Dr. Blumer, last year. We’ll keep you posted on our trips together, and yes, I will let him catch a big one, cause I just hate feeling so bad. By the way, when trout fishing how about a little courtesy for the other person fishing next to you? Had a call from a reader, about fishing recently over at the Broad River. Seems the guy next to him was cleaning the fish and throwing the heads in the water right next to where he was fishing. How about a little kindness and consideration? Don’t hog the guy’s spot next to you. Give him some room, and don’t keep over the limit of eight fish a day. If you have an outdoors story, give me a call. Skipper Smith is an outdoors columnist for The Banks County News. His column appears weekly. Let him know about your hunting or fishing adven ture at 706-677-1520. FISHING TIME Len Camden gets into the action during a fishing trip at the Soque. skipper smith Get your record catch recognized by state DNR Each year, the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Wildlife Resources Division (WRD) recognizes anglers for outstanding and state-record catches. Submit a clear photograph of the fish for proper identifica tion and length verification (the photo should at least show the entire length of the fish and the ruler or tape used to measure the fish). In addition, a photo of the angler with the fish is also required. Complete an applica tion and submit with photos. State record applications must be received within 90 days of the catch. Information regarding angler awards and state record fish can be found on the WRD website at www.gofishgeorgia.com or in the Georgia Sport Fishing Regulations Guidebook avail able at all WRD offices. Middle School Baseball BCMS players prepare for next level BY CHRIS BRIDGES At the middle school level, it’s not always about wins and loses. Banks County Middle School baseball coach Kelby Cronic knows that. One of his objectives is to pre pare his players for the next level. The BCMS baseball team recently completed its 2008 season and the players had a season of learning, their coach said. While having bat tle cancelled games due to weather conditions and other factors, the middle school Leopards were able to take the field for eight contests. “It’s tough on the players to prac tice and then the games be can celled,” Cronic said. “The players start to lose a little interest in play ing. Despite the cancellations, we did do very well on the field this year.” The BCMS coach had several players turn in standout seasons including Jacob Blalock at the plate. Blalock led the team in batting aver age, stolen bases and doubles. He only struck out one times in 53 plate appearances. “You knew that Jacob was going to find a way to get on base,” Cronic said. Tanner Thompson was also a lead er at the plate and from his catcher 2008 BCMS Baseball Player Grade Jacob Blalock 8 Avery Chastain 8 Chad Day 8 Jameson Flynn 8 Tyler Hewell 8 John Morgan 8 Jonah Thomas 8 Gregory Cannon 7 Tyler Hellmeister 7 Billy Hudgins 7 Tanner Thompson 7 Thomas Ward 7 Head coach: Kelby Cronic position behind it. “He is a solid line drive hitter and a standout catcher,” his coach said. “Actually, he is also a great infielder but he knows the game very well and that’s what you need behind the plate. I think he’s going to do big things at the next level.” Defensively, Billy Hudgins also made several big plays for the BCMS team. “If the ball went to him, it wasn’t getting through,” Cronic said. “You could bet that he was going to get dirty.” Other players who stepped up this spring for the middle school Leopards included Jameson Flynn, who continued his progression on the baseball diamond. In addition, Tyler Hellmeister was the team captain doing as much on the field as well, his coach said. “We learned from this season,” Cronic said. “By the end of the sea son I saw what every coach wants to see and that was the players helping each other. They were picking up their teammates who made mistakes and telling them what they saw.” While Cronic says he would have liked for the team to have posted more wins, there is more to a middle school season than victories and defeats. “I have heard some people whis pering in the background saying we had a bad season,” the coach said. “But in my eyes we didn’t. As a middle school coach, my job is to teach these kids and get them ready for the high school level. We spent half our season fixing batting stances and swings, showing pitch ers the value of hitting their spots, games situations and fundamental baserunning. Yes, winning is great, but I can send them to the high school level ready to play then los ing doesn’t matter because they win in the long run.” Region... continued from page 1B BIG DAY Banks County High School's Alex Gailey had a big day at the plate Friday against Oglethorpe County. Photo by Lyn Sengupta Following play in the region tournament Thursday, the Diamond Leopards will begin preparing for the state play offs. It will be the first time since the 2001 season BCHS will compete at state. Led by coach Michael Williams, the Leopards advanced to the sec ond round of state that season but have not been back since. Williams is now an assistant principal at BCHS. The opening round of state, which will also be a two-of- three format, begins Friday, May 9. The higher seeded teams will host the series. Teams from Region 8-AA will be matched up against Region 6-AA in the open ing round of state. Some of the schools competing in 6-AA include Greater Atlanta Christian, Wesleyan and Holy Innocents. BCHS would have to finish first or second at the region tournament to host a state series. See a preview of the state tournament in next week’s edition. Custodian Position Banks County Board of Education Deadline for receiving applications May 9, 2008. Contact: Banks County Board of Education P. O. Box 248 102 Hwy. 51 South Homer, GA 30547 706-677-2224 The Banks County News MEMORIAL DAY AD DEADLINE Classified and Display Ads 12 Noon, Friday, May 23 for the May 28 publication 33 Lee Street • P.O. Box 908 Jefferson, Ga. 30549 (706) 367-5233 www.mainstreetnews .com i We Buy All Gold & Silver Neec/. Including: Class Rings • Wedding Bands • Coins • Broken Jewelry • Dental Gold WM 770-532-2592 1020 Jesse Jewell Pkwy. • Gainesville, GA Mon. - Thurs. 10-6:30 • Fri. - Sat. 10-7 The only local GM dealer ottering Saturday Service OIL CHANGE, LUBE & FILTER, TIRE ROTATION, FREE BRAKE INSPECTION & ALIGNMENT $ 89 95 Home of the $14.95 Oil Change Wednesday Only Senior Citizen $12.95 Oil Change 10 % Off All Other Repairs Hwy. 441 in Commerce 706-335-3196 800-798-7435 www.wayneneal.com SERVICE HOURS: M-F 7:30-6:00 • Sat. 8:00-4:00 MAY 3 100 Laps Pro Late Model plus: Mini Stocks, Super Trucks, Sportsman, and Outlaw Late Models AFFORDABLE FAMILY FUN! Grandstands open at 4:00 p. m. Racing at 7:00 p. m. Located Off I-85, Exit 140 706-387-7490 www.peachstspeedway.com www.georgiaasphaltseries .com AdmissiOn only $10’ with this coupon Children 12 and under FREE