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Monthly Archives: July 2014
Dem State Senator: Calling A Fish From Asia An ‘Asian Carp’ Is ‘Hurtful’ and Offensive http://t.co/pGpztmTNHW via @BreitbartNews
— Citizen Sportsman (@Citizentweet1) July 30, 2014
Big Brown Trout Caught in Chattahoochee Becomes New Georgia State Record
ATLANTA, Ga. (7/29/2014)
Catching a big fish is awesome, how about if the first fish you catch that day is a new state record? 
Chad Doughty, age 27, of Winder hooked and “battled” the new state record brown trout for about 45 minutes while kayak fishing on the Chattahoochee River below Buford Dam on July 27. Doughty, using a rooster tail with spinning tackle on 6 lb line, even had to abandon his kayak to “run down” the fish as his spinning reel almost ran out of line.
According to the Georgia Department of Natural Resources’ Wildlife Resources Division, this 20 lb, 14 oz, 31 ½” catch beat the existing state record, established in 2001 by 2 lb, 8 oz. A new state record has to be at least one ounce greater.
Being that it was his first fish of the day, Mr. Doughty wanted to keep fishing. His co-anglers convinced him that he might have a new state record, so off they went to seek certified scales (scales certified by the Georgia Department of Agriculture, often found in marinas, grocery stores and at Georgia DNR Fisheries Offices).
“Congratulations to Mr. Doughty! What a tremendous catch and it just goes to show you never know what a day of fishing will get you until you get out on the water,” says John Biagi, chief of fisheries for the Wildlife Resources Division. ”That is two new state records and one record tied this summer – what are you waiting for folks, get outdoors and go fish Georgia!”
The brown trout is golden brown to olive brown with yellowish sides. Its back and sides have dark spots encircled with light yellow or white. Some brown trout also have orange or red spots on their sides.
You can catch good numbers of browns on small lures and flies, but for the big ones it is best to use larger lures or streamers. Research by DNR biologists show that brown trout in the Chattahoochee grow rapidly after they become large enough to eat other fish. The big ones are usually found in deep holes near rocks or downed trees. Use 6-10 pound test monofilament on spinning gear or 3-5x tippet on fly rods.
Anglers must possess a current Georgia fishing license to fish in public waters. And, for trout fishing, you will also need a trout license. Where can you get a license? Buy it online, find a list of retail license vendors at www.georgiawildlife.com/licenses-permits-passes or buy it by phone at 1-800-366-2661.
By purchasing a license as well as fishing equipment and related items, you and your fellow anglers help fund sport fish restoration programs, thanks to the Sport Fish Restoration Act. This Act allows funds accumulated from a federal excise tax on fishing equipment and related items to be directed to activities that benefit recreational anglers. A portion of these funds is provided to the Georgia Department of Natural Resources based on several factors, including the number of paid sporting licenses. Sport Fish funds make the following activities possible: managing sport fish populations, raising freshwater fish in hatcheries and stocking them in public waters, maintaining and operating public fishing areas and building boat ramps, and much more!
Information about state-record fish, including an application and rules, can be found atwww.georgiawildlife.com/Fishing/RecordProgramor in the current Sport Fishing Regulations Guidebook.
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Fall Hunting Classic to begin Aug. 1 at Bass Pro Shops Stores t … – http://t.co/jOdfZVEJtX pic.twitter.com/s6niWCNFrZ
— Average Outdoorsman (@AverageHunter) July 28, 2014
Amberjack, gray triggerfish reopen Aug.1 in Gulf state waters
Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission
July 28, 2014
The recreational harvest of greater amberjack and gray triggerfish in Gulf of Mexico state waters (shore to 9 nautical miles) reopens Aug. 1.
In Gulf federal waters, greater amberjack will also open Aug. 1, but gray triggerfish will remain closed through Dec. 31. Continue reading
Georgia Deer Management Plan Public Meetings
SOCIAL CIRCLE, Ga. — Georgia’s white-tailed deer population is a great natural resource that provides aesthetic, consumptive, and economic value. Each year, approximately 300,000 deer hunters harvest nearly 400,000 deer over the course of the deer season. The annual economic impact of deer hunting in Georgia exceeds $890 million and supports more than 11,000 jobs. In addition to hunting, a number of key issues and opportunities are linked directly to this resource. These include, among others, wildlife viewing, ecological functions, agricultural damage, and deer-car collisions. Properly managing this resource is vitally important and can be a challenging and, at times, controversial topic. Continue reading
Red tide causes large fish kill in northeast Gulf of Mexico
Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission
July 25, 2014
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) has confirmed a large-scale offshore fish kill in the northeast Gulf of Mexico. Citizens have reported observations of thousands of dead and dying bottom-dwelling reef fish, including grouper, hogfish, white grunt, triggerfish and snapper, as well as sea turtles and crabs, to the FWC’s Fish Kill Hotline. Water quality is poor in the region with several reports of black water. Continue reading
Georgia Alligator Quota Hunt Deadline Approaching
In 2013, a total of 246 alligators were harvested with an average length of 8’2” and the longest gator measuring 13’11.” 
“We anticipate that alligator quota hunt application interest will be on par with past years, and expect more than 10,000 applicants,” said John Bowers, Chief of the Game Management Section. “If you have been fortunate enough to be selected for an alligator hunting permit, be sure to encourage friends and others to apply for the experience of a lifetime.”
In Georgia, alligators typically live south of the fall line (which roughly traverses the cities of Columbus, Macon and Augusta), occupying a variety of natural wetland habitats including marshes, swamps, rivers, farm ponds and lakes. Opportunistic carnivores, they eat small mammals, aquatic insects, crayfish, frogs, fish, turtles, water birds and more.
How to Apply
To apply, go to http://www.gohuntgeorgia.com/hunting/quota. Applicants must be sure to enter their Social Security Number correctly when creating an account to ensure the transfer of any priority points from previous seasons. Those applying also need to be sure to keep their email address current in order to receive quota updates, confirmations and any notices about quota hunts.
Applicants can check their application status through their account after the July 31 deadline. Selected hunters will receive a temporary harvest tag and information packet by mail in early August.
Want to know more about alligator hunting in Georgia? Check out the newest video on the Georgia Wildlife Resources Division YouTube channel: http://www.youtube.com/georgiawildlife and select “2014 Georgia Alligator Season.”
For more information, visit http://www.georgiawildlife.com/Hunting/Alligator .
Citizen Sportsman 