The Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Wildlife Resources Division (GAWRD) and the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission (NCWRC) will hold two public meetings in March to discuss the Lake Chatuge sport fishery. Fisheries biologists from both agencies will provide management updates and will also give the public an opportunity to comment on proposed hybrid striped bass stocking in Lake Chatuge. Those interested are encouraged to bring these meetings to the attention of others that also may be interested in participating.
Bonneau Ferry Wildlife Management Area, located near Cordesville in Berkeley County, opens to adult/youth public fishing March 3.
A 9-year-old angler from Tigerville recently caught a brook trout that tied a 31-year-old South Carolina state record for the species.
The deadline to turn in trout tags is approaching – so anglers fishing the 15-mile stretch of the Toccoa River (between Blue Ridge Dam and the Tennessee state line) should get busy and make sure all tags removed from tagged trout are sent in by April 9, 2010. Why? Because thanks to the Blue Ridge Mountain Chapter of Trout Unlimited, one lucky person will win a lifetime license at the drawing to be held on Sat. April 10!
Planning a day on the water is now easier than ever with a new search feature at the S.C. Department of Natural Resources Web site.
The new 2010 Georgia Sport Fishing Regulations are now available. The Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Wildlife Resources Division recently distributed printed versions of the regulations to all Division offices and facilities, a number of State Parks and fishing license retailers statewide. An online version of the new regulations currently is available at http://www.gofishgeorgia.com.
Angler Earnest Timpson of Edison (Calhoun County) reeled in the new state record blue catfish from Lake Walter F. George on February 2, 2010. According to the Georgia Department of Natural Resources’ Wildlife Resources Division (WRD), this 80 lbs., 4 oz., 49-inch catch beats the former state record by more than five pounds. The previous record weighed in at 75 pounds and was caught in 2008 from a private pond near Carrollton by Tyler Dodson.
South Carolina Wildlife’s Twenty-Sixth Annual Outdoor Photography Competition and Print Exhibition is open to anyone interested in photography. The magazine’s award-winning photography staff will serve as judges for the contest and winning prints will be displayed at the 2010 Palmetto Sportsmen’s Classic to be held March 26-28 at the State Fairgrounds in Columbia.
Anticipating more than 10,000 visitors each year, the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Wildlife Resources Division opened a new fishing pier below the Hartwell Dam on Jan. 15, giving anglers greater access to fishing areas adjacent to the facility on the Georgia side of the Savannah River. The fishing pier includes a 400-ft boardwalk and 400-ft aluminum fishing pier that will be accessible to the public 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Fisheries Divisions for both Georgia and South Carolina will continue stocking trout in the tailrace in order to make for great fishing at this new facility. Restroom facilities also are under construction and are expected be completed soon.
There is good news for the upcoming year. At SCDNR’s annual “State of the Lake” presentation at Midlands Striper Club’s December meeting, preliminary results from this winter’s sampling indicate that 2010 will be a better year for striped bass fishing on the lake.
