“FORWARD CASTING” Important Dates - See you there!

April 1 (Sat) Oconee River TU Chapter Banquet – Athens; for more details: http://www.orctu.org/

April 8 (Sat) Trout Day – Reeves Hardware, Dillard; Rabun TU Membership Drive; demonstrations 10 am to 3 pm, we need our members to come out and help.

April 18 (Tues) Chapter Meeting, 6:30 pm, Clayton Presbyterian Church

Program: Roy Lovell, County Marshall – Erosion Control & Sedimentation Laws and Enforcement

April 20 – 22 (Thurs – Sat) Camping, Fishing & In-Stream Work Day (Sat Morn) with USFS leading work on Heddon Creek and camping at Double Bit. Come join in the fun and give something back – contact Charlie Breithaupt, he plans the menu and buys the grub: Ph 706 782 6954 E-mail knc615@direcway.com

April 22 (Sat) High Country Boil - Blue Ridge Mountain TU Chap fundraiser; for more details E-mail John Pool jpool1@pickensprogress.com

April 25 (Tues) Board of Directors meeting, Location TBD.

April 28 – 30 (Fri - Sun) 5th Annual Regional Rally, Abington, VA contact Charlie Breithaupt for details E-mail knc615@direcway.com

May 6 (Sat) Betty Creek In-Stream Clean-up: preparing for GA Trout Camp

May 16 (Tues) Family Cookout 6 PM at Indian Lake;

Fishing Mentoring of Clayton Boy Scout Troop (our guests)

May 17-21 (Wed - Sun) Fishing & Camping Chattooga Backcountry with Camping at Cherry Hill C.G. (with hot shower, flush toilets & tables) Nice place, great fishing & fellowship.

May 23 (Tues) Board of Directors meeting, Location on a stream for the Green Drake Hatch

REMEMBER - GEORGIA TROUT CAMP! June 11-16th! We need you to mentor our campers – put it on your calendar!

FLY OF THE MONTH

by Terry Rivers

PARACHUTE ADAMS

A great fly to have in your box at all times. The reason for the parachute is the brown and grizzly hackles are hard to detect in the water. I have fished this fly since I started and have had good results. It’s also a great strike indicator when trailing a nymph. If you are lucky, you might even have a double hookup.

HOOK: Dry fly, size 12- 20

TAIL: Grizzly and brown mixed

BODY: Dark gray

PARACHUTE: Calf tail or synthetic antron

WING: Grizzly and brown hackle to match hook size

“There can be no hard and fast rule covering the flies used in trout fishing.

One can only experiment and then apply the results of such experiences to his fishing.”

From “Just Fishing “ by Ray Bergman (1943)

April Hatches

The Bugs Time of Month Time of Day Suggested Flies .

Quill Gordon Mayfly Early L am to M pm 12-14 Quill Gordon

12-14 Quill Gordon Nymph

Blue Quill Mayfly Early L am to M pm 16-18 Blue Quill, BWO, or Blue Dun

16-18 Prince or Pheasant Tail

Small Dun Caddis All Month L am to M pm 16-18 Gray Elk Hair or Deer Hair Caddis

(Important) L pm to dark 16-18 Gray Caddis Pupa

March Brown Mayfly All Month L am to M pm 12-14 March Brown or Adams Parachute

(Important) 10-14 March Brown Nymph, Dark Hare's Ear, or Pheasant Tail

Cream Caddis All Month M day to L pm 12-14 Elk Hair Caddis

(Very important) 12-14 Dark Cream Caddis Pupa

Yellow Stonefly Late E to L am 14-16 Yellow Stimulator or Elk Hair Caddis (Yellow)

L pm to dark 14-16 Yellow Stone Nymph

Light Cahill Mayfly Late E to L pm 12-14 Light Cahill

(Important) 12-14 Light Cahill Nymph

Speckled Gray Caddis Late M to L pm 12-14 Dark Elk Hair or Deer Hair Caddis

12-14 Dun & Yel/Brn Caddis Pupa

Midges All Month All Day 18-22 Griffith's Gnat

18-22 Midge Pupa

TU Chapter ‘Website-of-the-Month’: http://www.orctu.org/

(Take a look at their Endowment Fund )

The Second of a Series:

Traditional Southern Appalachian Trout Fly Patterns

Hazel Creek: Size 12-16 Smoky Mountain Fork Tail: Size 12-16 Smoky Mountain Candy: Size 10-16

First 3 of many in the Smoky Mountain Series of Dry Flies

“Sometimes the trout will just slap the fly with their tail to kill it and then they come back to eat it” A Kellyism

“By Golly, - - you don’t have to believe it - - if you don’t want to!” Another Kellyism

Would you like to have the original receipt for any of these Traditional Southern Appalachian Trout Flies?

Do you have a favorite Traditional Southern Appalachian Trout Fly Patterns you would like to see featured here?

Just send an E-mail request to: edadams1@alltel.net

Rabunite Clay Hudgins has spent about 10 years researching, information collecting, and compiling a wealth of pictures and data on the Traditional Southern Appalachian Trout Fly Patterns.

Clay has given us permission to share the results of his hobby with the readers of TIGHT LINES.

"I look into ... my fly box, and think about all the elements I should consider in choosing the perfect fly: water temperature, what stage of development the bugs are in, what the fish are eating right now. Then I remember what a guide told me. 'Ninety percent of what a trout eats is brown and fuzzy and about five-eighths of an inch long.'"

From "Love the Man, Love the Fly Rod" by Allison Moir

Visitor Use Capacity Analysis, Upper Chattooga River

"Fishing puts me in touch with another of nature's species, in beautiful surroundings that are as old as time.

That is where I want to be; that is how I'm renewed."

Joan Salvato Wulff

(The following is reprinted with permission from the “Chattooga Quarterly”, March 2006 newsletter of the Chattooga Conservancy.) http://www.chattoogariver.org/

Director's Page by Buzz Williams

By now, most people are aware of the reanalysis of recreational use on the upper section of the Chattooga Wild and Scenic River, that currently is being conducted by the Forest Service. This reanalysis concerns an earlier decision by the Forest Service to continue the existing ban on whitewater boating above the Highway 28 bridge in the latest Sumter National Forest Land Management Plan (revision dated January 2004), and was the result of an appeal by American Whitewater Association (AWA). AWA argued that the Forest Service had not adequately considered their preference that boating above Highway 28 should not be banned, and that boating in the area would be compatible with management guidelines set forth in the National Wild and Scenic Rivers Act of 1968. The Washington Office of the Forest Service agreed with AWA that the lower decision had not been adequately studied, and in April 2005 directed the Supervisor’s Office in Atlanta to revisit the question of boating above Highway 28. This direction for reanalysis did not make a judgment on whether the ban was justified, but only that it needed additional analysis. The outcome of this decision will be a very important milestone in the management of not only the Chattooga, but for all wild and scenic rivers under federal jurisdiction.

The ban on boating in this section has been in place since the Chattooga River was added to the National Wild and Scenic River System in 1974. In making this decision, the Forest Service had reasoned that the upper reaches of the Chattooga River should be reserved for those recreational uses most compatible with the specific “outstandingly remarkable values” (ORV) of those sections of the Chattooga River above Highway 28. The outstandingly remarkable values found in the Chattooga River corridor as defined by the Forest Service in the Final Environmental Impact Statement for the revised Land and Resource Plan for the Sumter National Forest (2005) are water quality, biological/wildlife, ecological, botanical, fisheries, scenery and recreational (obvious omission here is geological). The specific ORVs found in the sections of river above Highway 28 are spectacular scenery, extremely rare plants, unique fisheries, and recreational opportunities for a “wilderness experience.”

Case law regarding agency decisions about management of activities within a wild and scenic river has often hinged on ORV provisions in section 1281(a) of the National Wild and Scenic Rivers Act of 1968, which gives direction that managers should limit only those uses that “substantially interfere” with the enjoyment and use of those ORVs established for that particular section of designated river in question. In one case in Oregon, a court even defended a decision by the Bureau of Land Management to totally eliminate grazing from the Owyhee River based on direction in the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act to “protect and enhance” the ORVs of the river. According to recent court decisions, the authority to limit, or in some cases to entirely eliminate, a particular use of a designated river in order to protect its ORVs is ultimately the management agency’s role.

In remanding the decision to ban boating above Highway 28 on the Chattooga, the Forest Service has made an internal decision to reanalyze the question based on pressure by one powerful special interest group, the American Whitewater Association. AWA does not believe that boating in the headwaters of the Chattooga will substantially interfere with the outstandingly remarkable values of the headwaters of the Chattooga River. Undoubtedly, additional use will degrade vegetation along the river especially on portage trails around rapids. Some of the rarest plants in North America inhabit the sunny cliffs and dark, moist grottos near the river around Chattooga Cliffs. Damage to these areas are of great concern. Scenic values are really not a factor. Boating would inconvenience fishing in some cases but not substantially. However, the one outstandingly remarkable value of the headwaters of the Chattooga River is the opportunity to have a wilderness experience and the chance to seek solitude in a natural setting. Even though most of the Chattooga River is classified as “wild” where management direction amplifies the mandate to enhance and protect outstandingly remarkable values, the overcrowding, excessive infrastructure development, and commercialization of the lower Chattooga have long eroded the opportunity for a wilderness experience below Highway 28 bridge. In fact, the upper Chattooga remains one of the only places in the whole of the Southern Appalachians where one can still experience a vestige of primitive America.

Information already gathered by the Forest Service predicts that boating potential on the upper Chattooga could be as many as 81 days per year. The significant increase in private boating in the last 10 years, especially on small headwater streams, is due in part to better boat designs and higher skill levels. One could only expect this trend to produce a dramatic increase in numbers of people using the headwaters of the Chattooga with the lifting of the boater ban. The result would certainly and substantially interfere with the wilderness experience potential of the headwaters of the Chattooga River.

If the Forest Service should be so wise as to conclude its reanalysis with a decision to continue the ban on boating above Highway 28 in order to protect the outstandingly remarkable values of a place where one can have a true wilderness experience, we at the Chattooga Conservancy would wholeheartedly support and applaud that decision. This would be a loss for paddlers, but a victory for the concept of conservation of wild places. After all, conservation is not about what you gain from a resource but what you are willing to sacrifice for the greater good.

x x x

“Trout fisherman at one time or another dream of that perfect trout stream. The place, type of water and even type of trout may vary, but in general it must offer hungry trout, beautiful scenery, a test of skills and, above all, few other fishermen. In recent years it is this idea that has led me away from many popular rivers and into the backcountry.”

Daniel J. Reid (1981)

Visitor Use Capacity Analysis, Upper Chattooga River (continued):

Editor’s notes: Brian Sutphin (a.k.a. carolina yaker) is a boater from Winston Salem. He wrote a "Letter to the Editor" that was published in the Feb issue of the Rabun TU newsletter, TIGHT LINES. He also sent an E-mail to Steve Moyer, National TU Vice President for Government Affairs & Volunteer Operations. http://www.tu.org/site/pp.asp?c=7dJEKTNuFmG&b=277834#Moyer Here is Steve's reply reprinted with his permission:

Sent: Wednesday, February 22, 2006 1:36 PM

Subject: your questions about the Chattooga

Brian, I am sorry to be slow getting back to you regarding your question about where we stand on the boating ban on the Chattooga River above the Route 28 bridge, and the Forest Service’s new study on the ban. I know that you had looked at the TU Rabun Chapter’s website, and originally you had asked the following questions:

“I would think that the two different groups that are involved with this. Both being strong enviromentalist, that we would be working together rather than portraying the negative image of a certain group as this article does.

I would like to know if this is the stance of the National Charter. Knowing that the two groups involved have worked together before, why is that same attention not shown here. Where TU and the AWA work towards improving the entire area and help protect it from the real dangers to this incredible enviroment. Development and water pollution from said development and runoff from numerous areas.
Thank you and look forward to your response. Brian”

My response: As the Rabun chapter website says, the Rabun chapter, the Georgia Council of TU, and National TU are all in the same place on this issue in support of continuing the ban. I have visited the Route 28 bridge site once, and have discussed the issue extensively with our members in the area and with the Forest Service personnel on the ground. As you may know, the area is very well protected now, and we would like to keep it that way. My conclusion is that, if there were a substantial increase in the numbers of new users (boaters) of the resource in the area, that the Forest Service would have a very hard, if not impossible, time managing the potential resource impacts (greater erosion from increased trail and path use; potential new roads) and the potential user conflicts. Thus, I think there is substantial risk from the proposal to lift the ban, to the existing ecological and recreation values of the area.

TU members have been deeply involved in all phases of the study and will look carefully at any new options that the Forest Service might develop. Until we see an option that clearly improves on the current resource and recreational values that our members hold dear on the Chattooga, our position will remain.

We do work well with AWA and other boating groups around the country in most cases. We value those relationships. Rarely, but occasionally, our positions are at cross purposes. It has happened at other places and on other issues around the nation. We try to minimize the discord and maximize the accord for the good of the resource. But we will not arbitrarily alter what we think is best for the river solely to reach agreement with our usual allies.

If you haven’t already, I urge you to discuss this with the TU folks in the Rabun chapter who know this issue the best. Likewise, feel free to contact me if you would like to discuss it further.

Regards, Steve

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Excerpt from the National Wild and Scenic Rivers Act “The W&SRA directs the Agency (in this case the USFS) to protect and enhance the values (Outstanding Resource Values) which caused the stream to be included and the primary emphasis shall be given to protecting its aesthetic, scenic, historic, archaeologic, and scientific features.“

Since May 2001, the leadership for American Whitewater (a boaters organization) has been demanding unlimited access to the Upper Chattooga (any time, any water level, any number of boaters, and no compromising). The traditional backcountry visitors such as anglers, hikers, swimmers, backpackers, bird watchers, hunters, and nature lovers want to preserve and protect the unique Upper Chattooga Outstanding Resource Values of remoteness and solitude, avoiding the overuse and user conflicts that have plagued the Lower Chattooga for decades. We are very concerned by the growth rate of "creeking" in the last 15 years. We want to maintain the zoning because that is what is best for the long-term future of the Upper Chattooga.

Take a few minutes, tell the Forest Service what the Upper Chattooga means to you by sending your comments to: Project Coordinator - John Cleeves, E-mail jcleeves@fs.fed.us USDA Forest Service, 4931 Broad River Road, Columbia, SC 29212

For info on the User Analysis, click on: http://www.fs.fed.us/r8/fms/forest/projects/chatt.shtml

“Fly fishing is a magic way to recapture the rapture of solitude without the pangs of loneliness. “

Robert Traver

It was in April thirty-plus years ago. Spring flowers were blooming and the caddis flies and mayflies were once again hatching on the Chattooga. Jim and I decided to take a day or two of vacation from the carpet plant (a place where we worked - - ahhhh, I mean a place where we were EMPLOYED between trout fishing forays). We needed to go survey THE RIVER.

It was early on a beautiful Sunday afternoon when we pulled out of Rabun Gap and headed up the Highlands Road. Our plan was to cross-over the divide at Scaly and go down the Hale Ridge Road and then the Overflow Road with a brief stop at Bailey Branch to gather some crispy critters for supper later that evening at camp on Reed Creek.

After a successful foray at Bailey, we headed out on the Overflow Road towards John Teague Gap. About halfway between the Billingsley Creek Road turnoff and the Gap on a sharp right turn, the rear end of the ’67 Chevy pick-up lurched to the left and came to a wheel-dragging stop. I was downhearted when I saw all of the lug bolts holding the left rear wheel had snapped off. But good fortune arrived just a couple of minutes later. A car pulled up and it was Woodrow Blalock out showing the countryside to a couple of folks. What a stroke of good luck!

He gave Jim a ride into Clayton. I went off down the side of the mountain to Holcomb Creek to harvest a few more trout, - - which I did! What a stroke of good luck!

When Jim got to Clayton, he went to a pay phone and called Carlton Junior (on his unlisted phone number I had written down on a scrap of paper). Carlton was home. He agreed to meet Jim and open up Jones Auto Parts. He gave Jim a set of lug bolts and nuts. What a stroke of good luck!

From there Jim called Frank of Darnell Mechanical at home. Frank’s brother Yank happened to be visiting there. Jim told Frank what had happened and that it “broke all 5 lug bolts” and would he please come with tools and help get the truck repaired. Frank said “Doesn’t Doug’s truck have 6 lug bolts?” Jim said “Ahhh - - Yea, that’s right – all 6.” Yank said, “Frank, I wouldn’t go if I was you – them boys is up to something.” But Frank ignored his brother’s advice. What a stroke of good luck!

Frank picked Jim up in town, drove out to Holcomb Creek and replaced all 6 lug bolts. Jim and I were on the road again and arrived at our chosen Reed Creek campsite after dark. What a stroke of good luck!

We made our usual pre-camp walk around with flashlights. Just checking the lay of the land, where to place the truck, where to string the tarp, where to set the stove and table, and so forth. While we were doing this we began to discover our camp was almost already set. There was a table made between 2 trees, a stove stand, a lantern hanger, a pile of firewood, a stack of lighter wood, and a double bit axe! What a stroke of good luck!

I said “Jim, with all this good luck we are having today, just keep looking.” Jim asked “Why?” I replied, “Because I know there must be a bunch of money laying around here someplace!”

We didn’t find the money, but we did make wonderful memories. And we named the campsite “Double Bit”.

Back to the Tallulah - - again (3/8/06): “I just had to go back to the Tallulah on Monday afternoon and fish again. The fish were there and the fishermen were not. Didn't see too many fishing. My buddy Carl and I found a BIG'UN and really hoped to do some good with it. Carl tried first with a honey worm and a piece of night crawler. The trout took and we shook. It had Carl's reel screaming and I was amazed at the strength of a good old big trout. After about 5 minutes of playing this thing and at one point I thought Carl had him whooped, the hook bent and the Rainbow swam on down stream to fight another day. I estimated the length to be, and I am being conservative, around 25 inches. That was a real nice day on the water. I talked to Carl yesterday and he was going back and fish again. Maybe he will catch the BIG’UN today.” Rabunite Mike Fuller

Copperheads and Buzzworms are out (3/13/06): “I fished Deep Creek over the weekend. I have never seen as many Copperheads and Buzzworms (rattle snakes) on the crawl. The warm weather had those deadly pizzen boys on the move. We had to be very careful where we put a foot or hand down.

Remembering a fishing friend who completely lost his hand from snake poison (or maybe is was from a Black Widow bite...Deep Creek is known for those bitches, also) last year - made the extra caution very easy to tolerate. At any rate, to beat all, the fishing was awful. Please advise all our TU brothers to NOT waste their time coming up to Deep Creek. If they do decide to try it, be sure to wear SNAKE PROOF KEVLAR CHAPS...” Rabunite John (Banjer) Duncan

2005 Trout Camp Trip to Nacoochee Bend donated by Unicoi Outfitters (Jimmy Harris) and awarded to Camper Morgan Marks for his winning performance in the casting competition:

Morgan, his trophy rainbow trout, and his Excellency, the Grand Exalted Fishing Guide Larry “Boones Farm” Vigil - - - priceless!!

Photo provided by Duane Stalnaker

Every Day is Different on THE RIVER

THE RIVER on 3/9: “Fished the DH today from 3 PM till 5 PM. Saw no bugs and no rises. Caught 6 rainbows (9-10")...5 on a Prince and one on a wet fly I found in my box. Caught all in the Honey Hole; then tried the next two places upstream. Even tried a booger. No luck. Had 4 pieces of lead on. Saw 2 other anglers but no action. Water is warming up..48 degrees. If I'd had a bar of Ivory soap I could have bathed, but it wasn't Saturday nite.” Rabunite Charlie Breithaupt

THE RIVER on 3/10: “Great day on THE RIVER last Friday. You know how nice the weather was that day. Lots of bugs hatching on the upper end when we arrived about 11:30 - BWO's, dark gray caddis or stoneflies (couldn't tell which) and some "blue duns" about size 14 (Quill Gordons?). Then about 4:00, some tan and dark gray caddis but no March Browns. My partner and I did real well on nymphs throughout the afternoon - size 18 bead head pheasant tail for the olive nymphs fished as a dropper behind a tung bead prince or hares ear was the best producer - both dead drift and on the swing. Switched to a tan deer hair caddis emerger with a soft hackle dropper about 3:30, then to a dark gray caddis emerger w/o a dropper as the hatch progressed. Lots of 10-12" rainbows on the dries and dropper but missed one about 18 - 20" that rolled on the dry emerger and may have nudged the leader to the dropper because I never put steel on him. Couldn't bring him back unfortunately. Did get two other nice rainbows of about 16" on nymphs earlier in the day. My partner got a nice brookie about 16" out of the first pool he fished.” Rabunite Doug (Banker) Hickman

THE RIVER on 3/11: “Fished the Chattooga just above 28 bridge Saturday. Good BWO hatch and a lot of risers. Also some big Quill Gordons. Couldn't catch anything on dries. Managed to get 4 on nymphs. My purpose here is to find out what you fish to the BWO hatch. I tried parachute Adams, BWO emergers. Didn't have any duns. What is he magic fly for this hatch?” Gold Rush Chapter’s Pat Pattillo

GA - Land Conservation Tax Credit bill passes: The bill is designed to encourage farmers, timber owners, and other property owners to protect their land from development by providing them a tax break on their income tax. The landowner can donate a conservation easement and keep the land. A farmer could continue to work the land while prohibiting development and would be allowed to claim a tax credit of up to 25% of the land’s value. This is an initiative to preserve “green space” for future generations. http://www.gaconservancy.org/News/News_GEC_2006_updates.asp

Rabun Co – GA EPD Requires Contractor to Clean Silt from Trout Streams: (see “What’s New” Nov ’05 & the 3 letters in Dec ’05 issue of TIGHT LINES) Complaints about Highway 76 reconstruction causing siltation of trout streams and Lake Burton got results. A consent order was issued by GA EPD requiring the contractor (Wright Brothers) to maintain soil erosion control on fill areas located outside of the state right-of-way until all sites are permanently stabilized. The contractor must also restore stream buffers and restore two trout streams by removing sediment (3,000 cu yds from Jones Branch and up to 1,500 cu yds from Acorn Creek). The contractor is also required to remove sediment from Lake Burton. The clean up is underway under the watchful eyes of the Rabun County Marshall’s Office. (Editor’s note: We can thank County Marshall Roy Lovell in person when he presents the program at the April 18^th Chapter meeting!)

GA - Senate Bill 510, threatening stream buffers and water quality in Georgia, passed on the Senate floor. Thanks to your involvement the bill has been neutered from its original version. However it is still a rollback on stream buffers, thereby threatening the quality of drinking water for Georgians. SB 510 has recently passed out of the House Natural Resources Committee to the House floor. More details: http://www.protectgeorgia.net/default.asp Please contact your Representative: http://www.legis.state.ga.us/legis/2003_04/house/

http://www.legis.state.ga.us/legis/2005_06/sum/sb510.htm

GA – House Bill 1211, naming the southern brook trout as the official Georgia coldwater fish has passed in the House and the Senate. House disagrees with Senate amendment. http://www.legis.ga.gov/legis/2005_06/search/hb1211.htm

NPS - Smokies Opens Park Streams to Brook Trout Fishing: (3/21/06) For the first time in over 30 years anglers at Great Smoky Mountains National Park will be allowed to catch and keep brook trout under new experimental Park fishing regulations that take affect April 15. After over 25 years of monitoring trout and non-game populations in fished vs. closed streams, Park biologists had observed that natural occurrences such as floods and droughts were the major force behind changes in fish populations in both open and closed streams. In 2002 Park biologists tested allowing angling for brook trout by experimentally opening eight streams (4 in TN, 4 in NC) to fishing and harvest for 3 years under the normal GRSM fishing regulations (i.e. 5 fish per day limit, 7-inch minimum size, and single hook artificial lures only). Each stream that was open had a nearby control stream which remained closed. Biologists analyzed population data within each stream (both open and closed) for three years prior to and three years after brook trout fishing was opened. The study found there were no significant differences in brook trout density or the number of legal brook trout brook trout in any stream opened to brook trout fishing during the study period. Variation which did occur was attributed to natural variation and was not related to open vs. closed. (Editor’s note: The Banker sez, “They obviously didn't take into account the ‘Kelly Factor’.“) http://www.nps.gov/grsm/

GA TU Council – Dream Trip Raffle Winner is Charlie McCrory of Duluth, GA. Rabunite Steve Raeber said, “I know this guy--"Doc" McCrory--Nice guy, very friendly, great family. His stick of preference is a golf club rather than a fly rod.” Rabunite and GA TU Council Chairman Charlie Breithaupt said, “He bought one ticket at the Atlanta Fly-Fishing Show. He fishes but not fly-fishing; he's very excited about learning and going to Wyoming. Charlie is a dentist. He learned about his good fortune March 12th, on his 67th birthday (a good age). His son Roddy (age 42) will accompany him on the trip. He's ready to go!!! Thanks to all...Duane, Mack, Chapters, Kathy...that made this raffle so successful.” http://64.30.174.56/gatu/

The Trust for Public Land (TPL) Purchases 36.5 Acres and Donates to USFS: The tract lays along the west bank of the Upper Chattahoochee River above Helen from the Spoilcane Creek confluence downstream to below the confluence of Rice Cabin Creek (a.k.a. The Abernathy Tract). Jim Kidd with the USFS said, “Getting federal LWCF appropriations and other federal funding is always a very high priority and usually the preferred way to go. But in this instance we had to explore private avenues to leverage available conservation monies so we can add this land to the national forest. We’re really pleased that TPL and the Georgia Land Trust Service Center (GLTSC) stepped in to help.” The Forest Service will now provide for the permanent protection of the property and the public now has access to this section of the river. (Editor’s note: Our thanks to TPL http://www.tpl.org/tier2_rl.cfm?folder_id=249 and GLTSC http://www.gepinstitute.com/ )

USFS - District Consolidations (3/13/06) Forest Supervisor Kathleen Atkinson announced last week her decision to recommend consolidation of four Ranger Districts on the Chattahoochee National Forest into two units. The Tallulah Ranger District, located in Clayton, and the Chattooga Ranger District, located in Clarkesville, will be combined into one unit. The Toccoa Ranger District, located in Blue Ridge, and the Brasstown Ranger District, located in Blairsville will be combined into one unit. http://www.fs.fed.us/conf/press/index.htm

National TU Awards 2006 Embrace-A-Stream (EAS) Grant to Georgia TU Council for Brook Trout Restoration Efforts: WASHINGTON, D.C (3/8/06). – Trout Unlimited awarded a $9,840 EAS grant to its GA Council. The grant will support an ongoing effort to improve conditions for the Southern Appalachian brook trout throughout the state’s mountainous regions. The EAS grant will support monitoring and research as well as restoration and education efforts as part of TU’s regional “Back the Brookie” (BtB) campaign. The grant will support these goals in partnership with the USFS, GA DNR, University of GA, North GA Technical College, Southern Co and others. “This Embrace-A-Stream grant will provide a huge boost to our restoration work in the state,” said Alex Watson, Conservation Coordinator for the GA Council’s BtB campaign. “Our membership is already rallying around the brookie, and this grant gives us the support to energize and expand our efforts.” This is in addition to the Southern Co grant of $5,000 per year for 3 years GA TU BtB was awarded last fall. (Editor’s note: Our congratulations and thanks to Alex for his work preparing this grant application.) http://www.brookie.org/

Clayton Presbyterian Church (Located behind the Post Office) - Clayton, GA 3^rd Tuesday of the Month 6:30 pm – Social & Yarn Spinning 7:00 pm – Program & Meeting (you don’t have to believe the yarns - - if you don’t want to)

At every regular chapter meeting there will be a raffle for fishing or camping items to help pay the cost of mailing the newsletter to members without E-mail. Bring an item to donate and a dollar or two for raffle tickets - you might win something.

PARACHUTE ADAMS

Visitor Use Capacity Analysis, Upper Chattooga River

Director's Page by Buzz Williams

Fishing Reports

Clayton Presbyterian Church (Located behind the Post Office) - Clayton, GA 3rd Tuesday of the Month 6:30 pm – Social & Yarn Spinning 7:00 pm – Program & Meeting (you don’t have to believe the yarns - - if you don’t want to)

At every regular chapter meeting there will be a raffle for fishing or camping items to help pay the cost of mailing the newsletter to members without E-mail. Bring an item to donate and a dollar or two for raffle tickets - you might win something.

PARACHUTE ADAMS

Visitor Use Capacity Analysis, Upper Chattooga River

Director's Page by Buzz Williams

Fishing Reports

Clayton Presbyterian Church (Located behind the Post Office) - Clayton, GA 3^rd Tuesday of the Month 6:30 pm – Social & Yarn Spinning 7:00 pm – Program & Meeting (you don’t have to believe the yarns - - if you don’t want to)