Go Fish Education Center Opens in Perry

Gov. Sonny Perdue, along with local community leaders, cut the celebratory ribbon at the official dedication of the Go Fish Education Center October 7 in Perry. Developed as part of the Go Fish Georgia Initiative, the Center, which opens to the public on Friday, Oct. 8, will promote better water stewardship and increased fishing participation around the state.

“The Go Fish Georgia Initiative will allow us to improve our fishing resources and boat access, drawing not only more tourists but also major fishing tournaments that will have a positive economic impact in communities across Georgia,” said Gov. Perdue. “It also promotes conservation and encourages families to spend time together outdoors, making memories that will last a lifetime.”

The Go Fish Education Center features an interactive and educational journey through Georgia’s diverse watersheds. It also serves as a great resource of fishing information for any level of angler, with tips on where to go, what gear to use and when to fish. With 76 species of fish on display in tanks and ponds, the Center offers an unparalleled opportunity to learn about Georgia’s aquatic wildlife and habitats. Boating and fishing simulators let visitors test their skills on the water. And a state-of-the-art fish hatchery offers a look at the science of fisheries management. The hatchery will expand research and increase fish production to improve the quality of fishing in Georgia.

The Center also will offer educational programs to school systems and to the public, including kids fishing events, on-site classroom programs and teacher development sessions. Classroom and educational programs are aligned with the Georgia Performance Standards.

“Whether you are new to fishing, mentoring a young angler or are a seasoned professional, you will find exhibits here that educate, excite and encourage you to get outdoors and go fish,” said Chris Clark, Commissioner of the Department of Natural Resources.

The Center is part of the Go Fish Georgia Initiative, a $30 million initiative that leverages $19 million in state bond financing with private donations and financial support from local communities. It includes development and improvements of mega-ramps and other access areas that improve the quality of fishing throughout Georgia and increases participation in fishing through active promotion and marketing of Georgia’s exceptional fishing resources.

Construction of the Center began in 2008 and was completed in September 2010. The Go Fish Education Center is part of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources’ Wildlife Resources Division (Fisheries Management Section).

The Center is located next to the Georgia National Fairgrounds in Perry. The Center will maintain special hours Oct. 8-17, 2010, during the Fair: 10 a.m.-9 p.m. Monday-Saturday and 12-9 p.m. Sunday. Standard hours post-fair will be 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Friday-Saturday and 1-5 p.m. Sundays.

Fees are as follows: Adults - $5, Seniors 65 and up - $4, Children 3-12 - $3; Children 2 and under - free.

For more information, visit www.gofisheducationcenter.com or call (478) 988-7187.

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Go Fish! Angling Opportunities Plentiful in Georgia

Spring is on the way, and as the weather warms and people begin venturing outside, the Georgia Department of Natural Resources (DNR) encourages families to get outdoors and Go Fish!  Whether you are fishing for trout in the mountains, bass on a lake, or red drum on the coast, Georgia has a place for you.

“There are year-round fishing opportunities in Georgia,” said DNR Commissioner Chris Clark.  “And beyond that, fishing gives everyone a chance to participate, from kids trying for their first fish to the angler who wants a serious challenge.”

Opportunities for First-Time Anglers

Research shows that most people are introduced to fishing by a family member, and most consider a family member to be their best fishing friend.  For adults who want to give children their first angling opportunity, consider joining other first-timers at a Kids Fishing Event.  Held throughout the state, these popular events provide instruction from knowledgeable professionals and are meant to make a child’s fishing experience fun.  To celebrate that first catch, be sure to print off a “My First Fish” certificate and frame it together with a photo.  Tips on taking children fishing, kids fishing events and the “First Fish” certificate can be found at www.gofishgeorgia.com (select “Fishing,” then “Kids Fishing”).

Know Where to Go

Looking for a place to Go Fish? Georgia’s ten public fishing areas are outstanding family-friendly examples, and there is one within an hour’s drive of all residents.  These areas are managed for fishing, with bass, catfish and bream the main species to target. Many of these areas also provide other activities, such as hiking trails, picnic areas, camping and more.  Visit www.gofishgeorgia.com and select “Fishing” and then “Public Fishing Areas.”

State Parks Offer Great Fishing Opportunities

Many of Georgia’s state parks also provide great fishing opportunities, and 25 of them even allow visitors to borrow fishing equipment as part of the Fishing Tackle Loaner Program.  Anglers and their families can also enjoy the parks’ nature trails, picnic areas, playgrounds and ranger programs.  For a relaxing getaway, state park visitors can stay overnight in rental cottages, hotel-style lodge rooms and cozy campgrounds.  Visit www.GeorgiaStateParks.org for more information.

Head to Georgia’s Coast for More Angling Opportunities

Saltwater fishing calling your name?  Be sure to check out angling information on red drum, sea trout, flounder and more at the Coastal Resources Division website - www.CoastalGaDNR.org. and click on Saltwater Recreational Fishing.  Also visit www.MarineFishesofGeorgia.org to learn more about saltwater fishes of Georgia.  Along the coast, state parks such as Crooked River and Skidaway Island offer affordable places to stay.

Fishing Prospects

Want to find out how the fishing is on a water body near you?  Experienced and beginner anglers will find helpful information in the annually updated Georgia Fishing Prospects.  These documents detail the “need-to-know-info” on more than 30 lakes and 18 rivers, including best bets and species specific techniques.

Catch one for the Record Books?

Anglers have two opportunities to receive recognition for great catches with the Angler Award Program and the State Record Program. Angler awards recognize those who catch a fish that meets or beats established weights (for kept fish) or length limits (for catch and release).  State records recognize those who catch a fish that beats a current state record.  For more information on these programs, visit www.gofishgeorgia.com and select “Fishing” and “Angler Resources.”

“Go Fish, Georgia” is the latest in a series of outdoor adventure tips from DNR Commissioner Clark that highlight affordable getaways, outdoor activities close to home, and creative ways to support conservation in Georgia.  The series is part of DNR’s “Get Outdoors, Georgia” initiative, which encourages citizens to lead healthy, active lifestyles in the great outdoors and includes hiking, biking and paddling clubs, as well as outdoor events.

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Georgia Top Black Bass Fishing Destination

T2F Note: Memories of long, hot lazy days fishing with the family bring sweet smiles. Go make your own memories as the Fayette Front Page designates the wonderful streams, lakes and rivers in Georgia with the coveted Fayette Front Page Day Tripper Award.

Seventy-seven years later Georgia still holds the coveted title for the world record largemouth bass – a 22-lb., 4-oz. catch lured out of Montgomery Lake in Lumber City in 1932. Yet, the world record catch isn’t Georgia’s only bass bragging right. Georgia also remains the only state in the nation where anglers can target six of the seven species of black bass.

The most sought after, the largemouth bass, is just one among the state’s black bass population, including smallmouth, spotted, shoal, redeye (or Coosa) and Suwannee.

“Fishing for bass is an all-time favorite passion of many anglers in Georgia and is the most popular type of freshwater fishing in the nation,” says John Biagi, Fisheries Management chief for the Georgia Department of Natural Resources’ Wildlife Resources Division. “Bass are appealing because they are relatively abundant in most water bodies throughout Georgia, they grow to a quality size, are aggressive fighters and provide a fun challenge to catch.”

Species breakdown by locale, technique

Largemouth

The most widely distributed and popular member of the black bass species, largemouth bass are easily distinguished from other black bass species by their elongated lower jaw that extends past the eye and a wide stripe running down their sides.

They commonly are found in the sluggish waters of rivers, lakes and ponds and are more tolerant of turbidity and salinity than other black bass. Consequently, they are found in most areas of the state.

Largemouth bass anglers can choose from a variety of methods, including plastic worms and jigs, topwater plugs, spinnerbaits and crankbaits. Fishing with live shiners is popular for those seeking trophy-sized bass. Success typically increases when fishing near some type of cover, such as submerged trees, plants or rocks.

This spring, the Wildlife Resources Division recommends the following locations: Cedar Creek Reservoir, Walter F. George Reservoir, Lake Blackshear, Lake Seminole, Silver Lake WMA, Altamaha River, Ocmulgee River, Paradise PFA, Dodge County PFA, Hugh Gillis PFA, Ocmulgee PFA, Rocky Mountain PFA, Weiss Lake (Georgia portion) and the Coosa River (main channel).

Spotted

Spotted bass, commonly known as Kentucky bass, are a smaller species that live in streams and rivers and often are found in lakes and reservoirs. They closely resemble largemouth bass, but differ in that they have parallel rows of spots below the lateral line and a tooth patch on the tongue.

Spotted bass are a popular target and are known as willing biters and aggressive fighters. Angling techniques vary depending on habitat, but stream fish can be caught using plastic worms, small crankbaits and spinners in flowing water. In reservoirs they commonly are caught in deep water using small plastic worms or jigs, or by crawling a large spinnerbait or crankbait over deep river channel ledges.

This spring, the Wildlife Resources Division recommends Lake Lanier and Carters Lake.

Shoal

The quintessential Georgia black bass, shoal bass are native only to the Apalachicola River basin, including the Flint and Chattahoochee River systems in Georgia. They also were introduced into the Ocmulgee River below Lake Jackson, and therefore can be found all the way to Macon.

Shoal bass are dark olive green on the back, fading to a light green on the sides, with 10-15 vertical dark blotches on the sides. Shoal bass are similar to spotted bass with noticeable rows of spots on their lower sides below the lateral line, and usually a dark blotch on their tails. They are distinguishable from redeye bass in that the tail of shoal bass lacks the white margins characteristic of redeye, and they also lack the redeye and spotted characteristic of teeth on the tongue.

Solely found in rivers and streams, shoal bass are a fly angler favorite and are easily caught on a variety of wet and dry flies and popping bugs. Other lures, such as plastic worms, crankbaits, spinnerbaits and flukes, can be very effective. Most shoal bass are caught in shallow rapids and rocky shoals, with a few taken each year below dams or in deep pools.

This spring, the Wildlife Resources Division recommends the Chattahoochee River (above Lake Lanier), lower Flint River (between Blackshear Dam and the Big Slough near Bainbridge), the upper Flint River and the Ocmulgee River.

Redeye

The smallest member of Georgia’s black bass group, the redeye or “Coosa bass” look similar to spotted bass in that they have a tooth patch on their tongue and rows of spots along their lower sides, but they lack the spotted’s lateral stripe. They easily can be distinguished from other black bass species by the iridescent white or frosted orange color along the outer margins of their tail.

They inhabit upland warm streams in northern Georgia, and are native to small streams above the Fall Line in the Coosa, Tallapoosa, Savannah, Oconee, Ocmulgee, Ogeechee and Chattahoochee River systems.

A secretive fish, they usually remaining close to heavy cover such as undercut banks, logs and aquatic vegetation, and like shoal bass, are generally intolerant of reservoir conditions. Anglers can catch redeye bass by wading in small streams and casting crankbaits, jigs and spinners. Due to the small size of redeye bass, lure size should be very small (two inches or less).

This spring, the Wildlife Resources Division recommends the Chattooga River (between Hwy. 28 down to Lake Tugaloo) and the Cartercay River (a tributary to the Coosawattee River).

Suwannee

The rarest of all, Suwannee bass only are found in the Ochlockonee and Suwannee River systems and generally only in the Ochlockonee, Withlacoochee and lower Alapaha rivers.

Though sometimes mistaken for smallmouth, redeye or spotted bass, the Suwannee has some very distinctive features, like a shallow dorsal fin notch, a jawbone that does not extend past the back of the eye and several diamond-shaped vertical bars along its sides. The most distinguishing attribute is the turquoise tone on the cheeks and breast.

Anglers can use similar methods as described for shoal and redeye to catch Suwannee bass, but lures and baits fished near the bottom usually out-produce other offerings.

This spring, the Wildlife Resources Division recommends the Ochlochonee River (Thomasville to the state line), Withlacoochee River and the Alapaha River (below Statenville).

Smallmouth

Smallmouth bass are usually bronze-colored, often with dark bars on their sides and their eyes are commonly red. As their name suggests, the mouth is smaller than the largemouth bass and the lower jaw does not extend past the eye.

They typically inhabit clear rocky creeks, rivers and lakes, and usually prefer areas with current in moving water. Anglers should target mountain rivers, creeks and reservoirs in the northern part of the state.

Aggressive and scrappy fighters, smallmouth can be caught using a variety of methods, including plastic worms, jigs, spinnerbaits and crankbaits. Downsizing the lures to accommodate their smaller mouths will usually lead to greater success.

This spring, the Wildlife Resources Division recommends Lake Blue Ridge.

For more information on bass fishing in Georgia, visit www.gofishgeorgia.com .

Take Me Fishing! ™ A recent national survey indicated that 87 percent of Americans believe fishing and boating have a positive effect on family relationships. So take your family fishing and you will always have something in common.

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