Newspaper Page Text
Outdoors
•The following fishing\re
port is compiled each
week by the Houston
Times - Journal. Lake,
weather and fishing con
ditions are reported by
telephone from contacts
listed at the end of each
report. If you would like
additional lakes or rivers
listed, please call the
newspaper at 987-1823. If
you would like a free picture of a catch you are proud
of printed in the paper, we will be happy to shoot and
publish the photo.
Fishing forecast
1994 predictions from the Fisheries Section, Wildlife Re
sources Division, Georgia Department of Natural Re
sources.
Jackson Lake: The 4,750 acre impoundment is located in
Jasper, Butts and Newton counties in Central Georgia, and is
owned and operated by Georgia Power. Access is generally
good with eight boat ramps. For additional information on
fishing access, including the location of boat ramps and bank
fishing opportunities and lake drawdown schedules, contact
Georgia Power's Land Department, 180 Dam Road, Jackson,
Ga., 30233 or phone 404-775-4753.
The Georgia Wildlife Resources Division (WRD) maintains
15 fish attractors which are provided to enhance angler's suc
cess. These are marked with a white buoy and maps showing
their locations are available at WRD offices and from local
marinas.
WRD has tagged several hundred bass and crappie in recent
years. There is a $5 reward for the return of each tag. Infor
mation obtained from returned tags will be used to formulate
management plans for these popular sport fishes. If you de
sire to release a tagged fish, simply cip off the tag before re
turning the fish to the water. Postage-paid envelopes for the
return of these tags are available from marinas, bait shops and
boat dealers around the lake.
Lake Jackson may be the best bream lake in middle Geor
gia. Bluegill and redbreast sunfish typically range in size from
five to seven inches. However, redear sunfish (shellcracker)
are also numerous and much larger. Serious panfish enthusi
asts targeting redear will be rewarded with catchers from
seven to ten inches, and individuals weighing one to one-and
a-half pounds are available.
Catfish are the second most harvested fish on the lake. The
catfish fishery is comprised primarily of white catfish and
several species of bullheads. Look for the average size of
these species to be three-quarters to one pound. Large channel
catfish 10 pounds or better are there for the dedicated catfish
angler, but expect the average size to be about two to three
pounds.
Crappie abundance and average size have not changed no
tably in recent years. Look for the most often harvested sizes
to be nine to ten ounces. On the other hand, catches of "slabs"
(one-and-a-half to two pounds) by seasoned crappie anglers
will not be uncommon.
Largemouth bass abundance has not changed in recent
years. The average bass should weigh just over three-quarters
pound. On the average, better than one-quarter of the bass
eight inches or larger in size are 15 to 25 inches. Because
most bass anglers on Jackson release their catch, bass are
abundant enough to satisfy all bass anglers. Look for lunkers
to be fairly abundant and the average bass in the creel to be
about two pounds.
hybrid bass have been stocked annually since the early
1980 s. Plans are to maintain the fishery with annual stockings
at levels based on available prey (shad) abundance, which is
vital to the survival and growth of hybrids as well as other
sport fishes. Hybrid catches should average two to three
pounds, with some individuals up to seven or eight pounds.
Oconee Lake: This 19,050 acre Georgia Power impound
ment was formed by the construction of Wallace Dam in
1979, The lake was approximately 60 miles east of Atlanta
near the towns of Madison and Greensboro. Lake Oconee's
primary function is hydropower generation and is operated by
with Lake Sinclair as a pump-storage facility.
This unique operation in combination with the lake's long
and narrow shape produces noticeable water flow during
power generation. Standing and topped timber plots were left
along creek and river channels as fish attracting structures.
Public access is readily available through eight USFS and Ge
orgia Power facilities and several lakeside marinas, which of
fer lodging, food, bait, tackle and related services.
Primary fisheries include largemouth bass, crappie, white
and hybrid bass.
Crappie account for the largest portion of fish harvested
each year. Crappie are caught year-around, but the best condi
tions for good catches occur from February through April. As
water temperatures begin to hover around 60 degrees, try
catching crappie around stickups in shallow water, looking for
bedding fish.
Spawning white bass up the Oconee and Appalachee rivers
during March and April may force anglers to make a tough
decision between this fishery and crappie. Appreciable num
bers of white bass begin to move upstream as river tempera
tures break 55 degrees. Hybrids tend to make this same migra
tion a little later than white bass during years with strong river
flows.
A major peak in hybrid fishing coincides with the threadfin
shad spawn during April. The shoreline spawning habits of
the shad attract and concentrate hybrids to accessible areas.
Many breaking and submerged hybrid schools will be found
in the middle third of the reservoir from late spring through
Please see Predictions, page 9A
Plastic Moon Time Calculator available.
Send $5.70 to: Moon Time Calculator, SPR Sports,
P.O. Box 177, Mound, MN 55364
oceaotiao
' vV*
Anglers go vertical for the big bass
Merely mention the concept of
vertical fishing or doodling to most
fishermen and their response is,
"Get out of here!"
Most fishermen are just not
willing to position a boat over 35
feet or more water and fish a worm
or jig straight up and down in old
standing timber or brush piles.
Only when there is a case of have
to will most of them do it
Admittedly, it can be some of
the most boring fishing known.
But, on the other hand, it can also
be one heck of a productive method
of catching big bass. To me, catch
ing is a lot more fun than being, no
matter how you catch your fish.
There is also the age old feeling
among bass fishermen that in order
to catch a fish, you must cast to
ward some type of structure. A
rock, tree, flat with stumps or a
point that breaks gradually with
structure are prime targets.
Casting towards structure is a
very tried and true method; but,
there are occasions and lakes where
vertical fishing is most productive.
Lake Lanier is about the best ex
ample I can give you.
Vertical fishing sounds easy and
simple; but, it takes a good bit of
patience and ability to accomplish
this.
You must have good electronic
locators to vertical fish. The choice
of electronics is whatever you have
confidence in. Over the years I have
used most of the electronic locators
on the market
Bottom Line Electronics, as far
as liquid crystal goes, is about the
best electronic locator on the mar
ket for bottom resolution and fish
pinpointing. Liquid crystal will
never take the place of a good paper
Garden tips offered for growing season
With the gardening season com
ing in, check the following tidbits
to help in your gardening endeav
ors.
Centipede grass has been known
for its ability to tolerate a low pH
(4.5 to 5.5), but it actually will do
better at a more normal pH range of
5.5 to 6.5.
Since Georgia soils tend to be
low in pH, lime can be of benefit
on centipede lawns. To determine a
soil's pH, take a soil sample to
your local county extension office
and have an analysis done.
If no soil analysis is available
and if the soil has not received lime
in two years, apply 50 pounds of
lime per 1,000 square feet of turf.
You Caladium lovers are no
Conservation pays for endangered game
In 1900, white-tailed deer num
bered only about 500,000. Today,
they number nearly 20 million.
In 1900, the Rocky Mountain
elk population was around 40,000.
Now, it’s close to one million.
The wood duck population was
heading for extinction in 1900.
Now, the wood duck is the most
common waterfowl in the eastern
United States.
The National Shooting Sports
Foundation reports that at one time
these three examples of wildlife
woe considered endangered species,
but today each is flourishing thanks
to to the science of wildlife man
agement. This successful new
science studies the needs of a par
ticular species of wildlife, what it
needs to maintain its numbers in its
habitat, and how it relates with
other animals and with men.
Early research in this new
science revealed that if habitat con
ditions were favorable for a given
species, its numbers could quickly
increase. This understanding stimu
lated the growth of state wildlife
agencies.
Today, state wildlife agencies
now manage more than 42 million
acres of prime wildlife habitat
across 50 states.
Only 50 years ago, pronghorn
antelope faced possible extinction.
Wildlife managers implemented
stocking, transplant and habitat im
provement projects aided by a new
law that placed a tax on sporting
firearms and ammunition.
Between 1937 and 1947, more
than 7,000 pronghorn antelope were
rounded up and released to new
ranges in an effort to start new
herds.
By 1946, the pronghorn popula
tion had increased to more than
230,000, nearly 20 times the total
that had existed two decades earlier.
, Today, wildlife management
I Gone L
tjg J| :; I
I '**' :<* David and
I Susanne Andel
graph, but economics is pushing
most fishermen over to liquid crys
tal.
It doesn’t matter what you use,
rather you must be proficient in
what you use and have confidence
in what it is showing you. This can
only come by use and practice.
fr y f iS
' [}s\ WfcNtefra Jit
0; ■ ■ .’7 " 'y.' •’ w ' ' - -y- -y
** mm mMHHBm =3 w mH■■■■H
Vertical fishing, or doodling, will help anglers land those hard to find large lunkers.
doubt anxious to plant your tubers
for the summer Caladium crop.
However, the best results will be
obtained only until the soil temper
ature reaches a consistent 70 de
grees. Ordinarily, this will be
around May 1.
An alternative to planting them
directly in the ground is to plant the
tubers in nursery pots and force
them to sprout early. Place the pots
outdoors on a two inch layer of
pine straw to insulate them from
the ground.
With forcing the tubers to
sprout, it is possible to have leaf
ing Caladiums three-to-four weeks
earlier than if they were planted in a
bed.
Now that the yellow blooms of
IPSPff , W|» . ' V- *. V-'.'"
>* ‘i *-t - v 'I, • i *. *• * . •*.
tV' <. * ’ yU: f *
' *'’r
Many endangered game species, such as the whltetall deer, have been saved
through hunter and conservation groups.
programs, combined with regulated
hunting to maintain herds at
healthy levels, have raised the
pronghorn antelope population to a
healthy level.
Regulated hunting is an impor
tant part of managing wildlife.
Wildlife experts agree that a species
with adequate habitat can be hunted
during a regulated season without
adversely affecting its future.
Hunters and organized sports
men's groups have long been ardent
financial supporters of wildlife con
servation by their purchase of hunt
ing licenses, payment of special
taxes and fundraising efforts.
Today, outdoor enthusiasts fur
nish more than $1 billion for con
Houston Times- Journal
Saturday, Apr! 23, 1994 Houston Times -Journal -
Using your electronic locator,
locate brush piles, old standing
timber or rock piles. Scan these ar
eas well looking for bass holding
right in the tress or rocks suspended
above them.
The weather will dictate their lo
cation. Position your boat directly
over the fish and drop the bait right
in front of their nose. It won’t take
long before you’ll know if they are
interested.
Don’t waste a lot of time over
the area if the bass are not biting.
Leave and go on to the next spot,
remembering to return later in the
8 Tim L
Lewis I
Ag. instructor, J|
Perry High School B
forsythia have faded, it is time to
begin the spring pruning season.
Shrubs such as forsythia, quince,
spirea, and camellia can be shaped
now for summer growth. Older
forsythia limbs will be dark brown,
while younger ones will be green.
Remove about one-third of the older
servation a year. Yet, these same
people have been criticized as the
biggest threat to a species’ exis
tence.
In 1844, the New York Sports
man's Club organized an effort to
capture and penalize poachers for il
legally killing game that was sold
UCP slates bass contest
Unitcd Cerebral Palsy (UCP) of
Greater Atlanta announces the 2nd
Annual Moby-ln-Thc-Morning
Bass Tournament on Saturday,
April 30.
The tournament will take place
oijl Lake Allatoona at Allatoona
Page 7A
day.
This type of fishing is very easy
to do. Once you get the hang of it,
feeling strikes becomes second na
ture.
If you are new to this fishing
method, the best way to start is to
let the spoon free spool to the bot
tom. Once the spoon has reached
the bottom, reel out the slack with
the rod tip pointing in the five
o clock position. When ready, raise
the rod tip to the eight-to-10
o'clock position.
Make several snappy, quick jerks
Please see Vertical, pace 9A
wood and half of the newest
branches to promote vigorous flow
ering next year.
If you notice white grubs in
your garden soil, you will want to
know that they are the immature
stage of several flying beetles that
appear annually in June.
The grubs are much more vul
nerable to insecticides during this
time of their busiest root-feeding
activity, which is in late summer
and early fall.
If you see from eight-to-ten
grubs per square foot of soil now,
then treatment will be necessary in
the fall. If you see fewer grubs than
that, most likely natural forces will
control them, making poisons un
necessary.
to fancy city restaurants.
This effort became a catalyst for
the formation of similar clubs in
other eastern cities as early as 1850,
and their efforts to preserve wildlife
resources continues today.
Please see Animals, page 9A
Landing Marine Resort from 6:00
a.m. - 3:00 p.m. Anglers will be
competing for over SIO,OOO in cash
and prizes.
Moby of KICKS 101.5 FM is
chairing the tournament. Over
Please see Moby, page 9A