Blue Ridge Mountain Chapter of Trout Unlimited

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August, 2008

Coming Up For the Gang:

August 9: Monthly Chapter Meeting – Guest speaker will be Jim Wentworth (Jim’s not really a guest in that he’s a chapter member), supervisor with the local office of the U.S. Forest Service. The Blue Ridge TU chapter works on several stream restoration projects annual that are under Jim’s direction and he’s also involved with several Back the Brookie projects. He will discuss fisheries-related and general information about what’s going on at our area National Forests. The meeting begins at 9:00 a.m. on the second Saturday of the month at the Kiwanis building in Blue Ridge.

Directions to the Kiwanis Community Center: From E. Main, W. Main or E. 1^st Street (the main north/south streets in downtown Blue Ridge) turn onto Church Street heading east. Go up the hill on Church St. past the big Baptist Church parking lot and in about a block, turn left onto Austin Street. The Kiwanis building will be at the fairgrounds at the corner of Austin and Jones Streets.

SPECIAL REGS. UPDATE

Earlier this year, the Blue Ridge TU Chapter approached the Georgia DNR concerning the feasibility of implementing special regulations on the tailwater section (or some portion of the lower river) in some form or fashion if this could improve the fishery. At the time, the DNR fisheries folks pointed out several obstacles that would have to be addressed before implementing any changes to the present fishing status.

One of the issues is property owner acceptance of a change in fishing regulations. The Department of Natural Resources, of course, has the prerogative to set fishing regulations for all bodies of water in the state whether private- or public-owned. And while special regulations could be implemented on the Toccoa after required public meetings, Wayne Probst, region DNR fisheries supervisor, told the TU group that since almost the entire Toccoa tailwater flows through private property, the DNR board would almost certainly want to be assured of landowner support before enacting special regulations.

To gauge sentiment toward special regulations among riverside property owners, the TU chapter sent letters asking for input to owners of the more than 400 parcels abutting the tailwater. Names and addresses were provided by the Fannin County tax office and the letters were sent out by chapter VP Jay Campbell with the conscripted assistance of Martha. The letter said, in part, “On behalf of the Blue Ridge Chapter of Trout Unlimited, this memo is being sent out to all landowners on the Toccoa Tailwater seeking your input, guidance, and thoughts on TU working with the DNR and others to establish special trout fishing regulations on the tailwater or on parts of the tailwater.” The letter explained that the special regulations could include slot size limits designed to ensure the non-harvesting of bigger fish and brood fish or other measures that would improve the fishery. Some of the benefits of improving the fishery were suggested. Landowners were asked to indicate whether they would support special regulations or be opposed to the concept.

The chapter asked the landowners to mail the responses back to the Blue Ridge TU group which some 70 did. The TU chapter did not provide any postage paid response form – this was a cost the respondents had to bear along with taking the time to complete their reply. Jay Campbell said under these circumstances, a five percent response rate would be considered very good and in this case, more than 15 percent of the letter recipients replied. Out of all the responses, only four were opposed to special regulations, citing such things as: “It’s my property, I paid a lot for it and I should be allowed to fish how ever I please without any authorities telling me what I can or cannot do.”  But an overwhelming number of property owners indicated they would be very supportive of stricter fishing regulations.

On another front, state fisheries personnel said special regulations would have to be based on hard, scientific data and not just anecdotal evidence. While many regular river-using laymen are quite sure that special regulations could help the angling, fisheries managers say a scientific analysis of river conditions (surveying such factors as fish and invertebrates present, water quality factors, carrying capacity, etc) need to be evaluated and only then could  special regulations be developed to take advantage of the river’s unique conditions. In the past, a limited amount of data-gathering has been done on the Toccoa tailwater, but according to fisheries biologist John Damer, this information is very sketchy at this point. However, toward gaining a better understanding of the river, Damer and fellow DNR staff members have been busy doing electro-sampling in recent weeks (see report below by Ralph Artigliere).

Chapter leaders have a meeting scheduled with regional DNR fisheries and law enforcement staff to present the property owner survey findings and to further discuss special tailwater regulations and how the TU chapter can contribute to this process. A report of this meeting will be included in next month’s “Up The Creek.”

Helping the DNR Survey Toccoa Trout

By Ralph Artigliere

It began with an email from Georgia Department of Natural Resources biologist John Damer to members of Blue Ridge TU:  “Would any of you Blue Ridge TU members be able to help out on a sampling trip tomorrow (7/17), or know of anyone else who might be available?”  The release conditions were right, and John needed one more hand to get out on the river from mid-morning until evening to collect trout for a sample to gather data for his study of trout.  Since I was available, I shot back an email to John volunteering my services, and I am glad I did.  This was one of the most enjoyable and educational outdoor volunteer activities I have done yet.  I observed hard-working and capable DNR employees doing strenuous and somewhat dangerous field work, I saw lots of beautiful trout, and I participated in an extremely worthwhile sampling effort. 

After volunteering, I received a telephone call from John Damer telling me where, when, and what to bring (basically myself and a lunch and water). I met two biologists and a technician at Riverwalk on the Toccoa at 10:30 a.m. Two large johnboats were launched and we began our work after the rise from generating water reached us.  John Damer, the biologist in charge and whose study will use the data gathered, was in the boat collecting the samples with Mark Bowen, the technician.  I was in the “measure and record” boat with veteran DNR biologist Gary Beisser (pronounced buy-sir).  Gary is a 30 plus year veteran of DNR who is extremely knowledgeable and friendly.  Since Gary and I had quite a bit of time together waiting for the other boat to finish collection, we had ample time to talk.  Obviously, one on one time with an expert on trout who oversees the stocking of rivers from a hatchery that has contributed hundreds of thousands of fish to my home river was priceless!  All three biologists were generous and open in answering my questions, but I had much more opportunity to talk to Gary, and talk we did!  In turn, the biologists asked me questions about what has been happening on the river from a lay perspective.  They are interested in such things as how many people are feeding fish on the Toccoa.  My guesstimate was far more than they had thought.  I suggested they go down to the local feed store and ask how many customers buy trout food.  It would be unscientific, but I would say the information could be the only real way to tell.

But back to the activity at hand:  sampling the trout.  We sampled from just below Curtis Switch to McCaysville.  The first boat was equipped with direct current applied through two antenna-looking wire devices off the bow and through the boat’s hull.  The trout rise to the electro current and are netted by a biologist off the bow.  The technician uses the jet motor to keep the boat’s bow oriented generally toward the bank and drifting downstream at about the same speed as the current.  The idea is to have the electrodes close enough to the bank and to the bottom to bring up as many fish as possible to see the fish so netting is possible in muddy water.  The fish rise once or twice and show themselves briefly, so netting is a challenge.  Also, because the fish rise and go under and may come up again, the netter frequently is waiting for one fish to come up when another rises nearby.  When the netter turns to that one, the first comes up.  To me the netting activity reminded me of the old arcade game named “Whack-a-Mole where the player uses a hammer to try to strike heads that pop up in a matrix and then go back down.  It can be very challenging and physical work. The netting went reasonably well despite having to dodge the bank, branches, rocks, currents, eddy, and even a hornet’s nest.  Remember, this all happened during full out release.  

The river is divided into sampling sections for comparison from survey to survey.  Once a section is completed, the trout were transferred to a tank in our boat for measurement and observation.  I was the recorder, while Gary Beisser handled the fish, measured length in millimeters, determined weight in grams, and looked for hook injuries, wounds, sores, and anomalies like a clipped adipose fin indicating recapture.  The fish were briefly placed in a bucket of water with Alka Seltzer to calm them down before putting them on a ruler device then a scale.  For each fish sampled, Gary would say, “Rainbow (or Brown or Brook) trout, 235 (millimeters), 185 (grams), hooking injury.” I wrote everything down on a form using abbreviations supplied by Gary.  The form also calls for information on amount of electricity used, side of the river sampled, and the section of the river sampled.  My job was pretty straightforward.  By-catch (suckers, war paint shiners, rock bass and sculpins in our case) were discarded and not sampled.  There was one largemouth bass netted and released.  John said he saw several largemouth during the day and that a small population probably inhabits the Toccoa and/or its tributaries despite cold water temperatures.

On the day, we netted and recorded data on 109 rainbows, 60 browns and 10 brook trout.  The brookies are obviously from recent stocking efforts.  John said there were less fish gathered on this part of the river than the sampling last month (June 6-9), but that does not mean there are less fish.  There are a lot of factors affecting the ability to net fish for sampling, including turbidity for visibility.  The water below Curtis Switch was muddy indeed after the recent rains.  The good news is the fish were extremely healthy and the water quality tested good.  I am sure you want to know if we got any big ones.  Yes, there were a few hawgs, many nice sized and fat trout, and lots of stocker-size from 6-10 inches.  There were a few “young of the year” fingerlings (3 inchers), mostly rainbows, which were also measured and surveyed along with the rest.  A couple small browns (3-5 inch) could have been “young of the year” Browns who are “young of the year” would be slightly bigger having spawned earlier. Based on the lack of a recent stocking of fingerlings, it is likely these trout were hatched in the river or feeder streams.  I told the biologists that I have caught some of these tiny trout on small flies in my section of the river as well.  It is easy to be excited about the big guys, but it’s these tiny trout which signal hope for effective natural reproduction in and around the Toccoa that are encouraging to me.  Catching big fish that have been out of a hatchery for a couple or three years is fun, but the opportunity to catch fish born in the wild is special. 

One section of the Toccoa delivered more than twice as many fish as any other sampled this time.  I know where it is because I was there.  To find out you will need to volunteer yourself.  Some portions of two different sections delivered far bigger and fatter fish than other areas.  I surmise that those fish are regularly being fed fish food by landowners.  There were only a few hook injuries noted, and surprisingly a couple of them were in two of the biggest fish sampled.  To me, that was both somewhat surprising and encouraging that someone caught, fought, and safely released such large fish.  With the exception of fish caught by my good friends Jay Campbell and John Pool, most of the big fish I have seen caught on the Toccoa were dead and headed for frying pan or trash can.  During the sampling, Gary carefully handled one medium sized trout with a hook in its gullet and line coming from its mouth.  All Gary could do was clip the line before releasing the fish, as efforts to extract a deep hook would most likely fatally injure the trout.

Throughout the day, my questions about trout, their forage, the stocking programs, and even plant life were answered by Gary.  During a rest break, I found and photographed an orchid-looking flower I had never seen before, and Gary was able to tell me the most likely species it could be.  Gary also informed me about the flood of 1996 and was able to show me the levels to which the water rose on McCaysville buildings and streets we passed.           

I came through it all right for an old guy.  It was a long, physical day.  Our boat was not as new and powerful as the sampling boat, so we were able to get the boat up on a plane only once.  When up on a plane, a jet boat like these draws inches of water and goes over rocks.  An underpowered boat struggles, stays lower in the water, and bumps into rocks that we could have skirted easily if we had the power to put the boat on a plane.  This brings up a point of personal observation:  budgetary constraints being what they are, these DNR biologists did not have the newest, state of the art stuff with all the bells and whistles.  They did not complain or gripe.  Instead, they went about their business:  it is quite a bit harder for them and frustrating, to be sure, but they got the job done.  I am proud of them as public servants.  They also like their work, they like each other, and they work well as a team.  Suggestions back and forth were considered and applied.  We had a few citizen encounters, and the biologists were courteous, congenial, and interactive with the public we encountered.  One 11 year-old kid in McCaysville was loud and swinging a hook and line around us while we worked, which was annoying as hell, but all three biologists showed patience and actually tried to teach the kid something about trout and the river rather than running him off.   

At the end of the day, all three of the biologists thanked me for my help, but I felt that a thank you was owed to them for an enriching experience and a great opportunity to serve trout and our community while learning and actually having fun on a river I love.  I am actually pleased they were doing a section of the river I have seen only twice in the last 8 years rather than my part of the river.  The area from Curtis Switch to McCaysville has changed, with construction and bank disturbance being the most alarming development to me.  But the river still retains its beauty and grace, and I observed that the Toccoa still has some big trout waiting for me and you.  But one of the best things I learned is that folks employed by Georgia DNR as experts care deeply for this resource and for the natural bounty of trout, other fish, flora, and fauna, and they are committed to learning more to protect this great resource.  It was a privilege to play a small part in helping them gather information to do just that.   

TU Chapter Looks To Improve River Information

As many of you who have followed local events know, issues surrounding the Toccoa River are more prevalent than ever before. Tailwater usage -- recreational floaters, fishermen, commercial guide trips, etc --  are at all time high, partly because of the more favorable generating schedule as a result of the drought and also because the river is becoming better known to more people via a plethoria of recent publicity. As a result, property owner / river-user confrontations, private property rights, public access, poaching, riparian buffer encroachment, and safety are all being discussed and all too often, cussed. A number of letters to the editor on these subjects have appeared in the News Observer and several threads on these matters have run their course on the North Georgia Trout Online message board. In addition, floaters are frequently caught by darkness while still a long ways from their intended take-out and unknowing anglers sent scrambling to safety when an unexpected generation flow surprises them.

These issues were discussed at length at the Blue Ridge TU chapter’s July meeting and the consensus was that many of the problems/conflicts are simply based on a lack of information and/or misinformation. In an effort contribute to a better understanding of several aspects of the Toccoa, the TU group decided to place signs giving some basic river information at public access points on the tailwater. The signs will indicate public access points and remind river users that the rest is private property and should be respected, that this is trout water and regulations apply, that DNR maintains a toll-free “Turn In Poacher” hotline and the number to call and also the TVA’s toll-free number to get generating schedules, estimated float times between river points and the elapsed times for generation flows to reach various points. Chapter member Sandy Reinaur is heading up the sign project -- refining the wording, obtaining permission from TVA, DNR and Fannin County Parks and Recreation to place the signs, and making arrangements with a sign printer for production. Those of you who are subscribed to the TU chapter’s Yahoo email group account have seen some of the discussion and are encouraged to add your thoughts there.

In addition, Jay Campbell wrote a letter to the editor on the TU chapter’s behalf which was published in the July 18 edition of the News Observer, explaining TU’s position on a number of issues and seeking public discussion. Jay wrote, “Trout Unlimited, Blue Ridge Chapter, has noted the recent letters to the editor regarding trout fishing and regulations, private property rights, landowner confrontations, and related issues pertaining to the lower Toccoa River. As watchdogs of the tailwater, we welcome the debate and the thoughts of all tax paying citizens and users of the river who love the river, love the trout in that beautiful river, and who want to preserve, conserve, and enhance this coldwater fishery for their children and generations to come.”  Jay laid out the Blue Ridge TU group’s thinking on many issues and closed by writing, “In the end, the issues here are complex and involve history, culture, legal precedent (a section of the upper Toccoa is already posted off limits to fishermen not living in the surrounding community), private property rights, practicality, river access, DNR capabilities, TVA work, spawning and fish growth possibilities, on-going management and the future of the resource.” On behalf of Blue Ridge Mountain Chapter of Trout Unlimited, he asked for public input and support of efforts to improve this important area resource.

In Memory of Donald Forrester

The following arrived earlier from Doug Adams, member and newsletter editor of the Rabun TU chapter: “This month your Editor received 2 checks in the mail made out to “Trout Unlimited.”  They were donations made in memory of Donald Forrester and both were ear marked for restoration work in the Coopers Creek watershed.  One donation came from the employer of Donald’s son.  The other came from Donald’s daughter in law.  She said in her note, “I am sending this donation in honor and memory of my wonderful father in law, Donald Forrester, who grew up fishing Cooper Creek.  This would mean the world to him!  Please put the money to improve and restore Cooper Creek.  Lori Forrester”

Donald was not a member of Rabun TU and I didn’t know him, - - I wish I had.  I shared with him a love of trout and places where trout live.  The note from Lori brought back wonderful memories that I made on Coopers Creek with a good buddy over 50 years ago. I sent Thank You letters to the donors and forwarded the checks to Mike Maginn, President of the Blue Ridge TU Chapter. Coopers Creek is just up the Toccoa River Valley from Blue Ridge. I’m sure those TUers will use the funds wisely and as requested.” At an upcoming meeting, the Blue Ridge TU Chapter will determine specifically how these funds can best be used for their intended purpose. The chapter participates in annual stream improvement projects with the Forest Service in the Cooper Creek watershed and the funds will be earmarked for one of these future projects.

Fly-Fishing for Sharks: An American Journey,

Richard Louv, Simon & Shuster, 2000, 482 pp.

A book review by Ralph Artigliere

While intriguing, the title of this book was not an attraction for me, as I had scant interest in fly-fishing for sharks before reading this book and even less after reading it.  Yes, there is a small part of the book describing the author’s encounter with a fishing enthusiast who specialized in tossing flies to sharks in the Pacific Ocean from a small jon-boat.  But that story was one of many diverse fishing experiences around the country sampled by Richard Louv in his quest, and focusing solely on any one of the many types of fishing depicted in this book misses the whole point of the exercise.  The book is about a year-long journey across America by a good writer to discover the attraction of fishing to Americans.  What the author uncovers along the way is important to hear, heed, analyze, and learn from at this important juncture of dwindling resources and conflicting interests that impact the sport and culture of fishing in America.

I admit that I almost lost track more than once in reading this book as I became impatient with stories about ice fishing in Michigan or “mall fishing” or Bass‘n Gals professional bass fishers.  My fly-fishing snobbery showed through until I realized the true message of this book.  I remained engaged because the excellent and comfortable writing style and the intelligence of the author brought me back in over and over with a subtle thread of the importance and diversity of fishing and the ever increasing threats to our heritage and our ability to fish.  Ignoring the warnings occasioned by man-made (PETA, poaching, over-fishing, environmental degradation) or natural perils that endanger fishing and nature resources creates risks we cannot take.  So, if you are looking for another fly-fishing book about searching for a great experience with rainbow, brown, cutthroat, or golden trout in a beautiful setting, this is not the book for you.  I like those books too, but sometimes we need to sit down and read something with a realistic and true meat and meaning beyond the “River Runs Through It” view of fly fishing.  Instead, the author’s journey uncovers questions like: Why is fishing a religion to some?  What does fishing mean to Native Americans?  To Poachers? To fly-fishing icons like Joan Wulff?  To the next generation (assuming we can get their attention away from video games and computer screens long enough)?

 This comprehensive book begins and ends in a fly shop.  Along the way, the author encounters (among others) people who fish in many different ways, people who support and defend fishing, people with an agenda to open fishing for certain groups (Bass N’ Gals), people who oppose fishing, people like Ted Turner who are buying up land to protect and privatize fishing opportunity, people who want to open up private lands for fishing, people who make a living from fishing or fishing related products, people who fish as a religion, and those who claim the right to fish as a heritage and sustenance.  Along the way, the issues of catch and release, public access, preservation of resources, and the very future of fishing are addressed in quite balanced fashion by an author who is an accomplished and fair reporter.  The book is about people and about the ethics of fishing.  Mr. Louv is an award-winning journalist and columnist for The San Diego Union Tribune.  This is the first book by Mr. Louv that I have read.  If the author has a slant other than pointing out the magnificence and importance of fishing to mankind, I did not detect it.  If you do not think his varied stories affect the present and the future of our sport, read the book and see if your view changes.  

Quite honestly, I never thought much about why folks poach and trespass until I read this book.  I never admitted that as an adolescent I was a poacher as I trespassed and gigged frogs on a pond on property owned by a wealthy person.  On part of his journey, the author interviews and analyzes poachers.  What he found may surprise you or, like me, it may reawaken an understanding you already had.  Either way, it is a story important to all of us who fish and especially those who profess to care about the preservation of trout and conservation and renewal of resources for trout fishing through Trout Unlimited.  When the book came full circle toward the end, I could not put it down.  This book helped me focus and better understand myself and others.  As a member of TU, there is special significance to the stories told and issues raised in this book.  The answers remain for us to uncover, which made the book even more intriguing.   

Whether you fish out of love of the sport or you make your living from fishing, this book addresses important ethical conflicts.  While I sat at the computer writing this review, one of my river neighbors telephoned me to report a couple bait fishermen who pulled eight big fish from the river on his property while ignoring his “no anchoring” signs.  What he called me about was not the spurning of his signs or the fish they took perhaps within the legal limit, but frustration over the fact that these men were biting off line and hook as they released small trout, leaving some line and a bait hook in the mouth of the small fish in order to quickly retie for bigger quarry.  If that doesn’t beat all??!!??  A book on the ethics of fishing seems even more relevant to me now than it did a few minutes ago.  Please do not misunderstand me.  I do not consider fly-fishing or barbless hooks or careful release as “the solution.”  Furthermore, some consider fly-fishing catch and release as horrible or worse, because we presumably hurt and play with the fish rather than taking them for the table. However, we will not reach solutions to our many conflicting views and interests over fishing resources if we cannot understand and address all sides of the issues.  All I know is that fishing is too important to not merit our attention.  A book like Fly-Fishing for Sharks that helps you to sit back and question not only what others are doing but what you are doing and what you are not doing is well worth the time and investment.   

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