“FORWARD CASTING”

Important Dates - See you there!

July 11 & 12 (Tues & Wed) Electro-Shock Sampling of Chattooga River (USFS, SC DNR & GA DNR). Lots of Volunteers needed! Meet Tuesday morning at 9 AM at the Cherry Hill CG entrance on SC Highway 107 (pack a lunch and water). There will be a campout Monday & Tuesday night in Cherry Hill CG (with hot shower, flush toilets & tables). Contact Terry Rivers, he plans the menu and buys the grub - Ph 706 782 7419 E-mail tlr1121@alltel.net

July 18 (Tues) Family Picnic, 6 PM, Kelly’s Water Falls Park

July 25 (Tues) Board of Directors meeting, Location TBD

Aug 4 & 5 (Fri & Sat) Campout and Instream Work Day on Ramey Creek (A “Back the Brookie” Project)

Aug 15 (Tues) Chapter Meeting, 6:30 PM, Clayton Presbyterian Church Program: by Rusty Rhea, USDA Forest Health Specialist “Update – Hemlock Woolly Adelgid”

Aug 22 (Tues) Board of Directors meeting, Location TBD

Rabun Rendezvous – Saturday, Jan. 20, 2007

Program Presenter – Jeff Durniak

FLY OF THE MONTH

by Terry Rivers

GOLDEN STONE NYMPH

THIS PATTERN SHOULD ALSO BE WEIGHTED TO GET IT DOWN. THIS FLY SHOULD WORK GREAT DURING JUNE AND JULY. DROP THIS FLY BEHIND A GOLDEN STONE STIMULATOR AND THE RESULTS SHOULD BE GOOD.

HOOK: 10/12 2X LONG NYMPH

TAIL & FEELERS: LIGHT BROWN GOOSE BIOTS

BODY: BROWN RABBIT DUBBING LIGHT/OR DARK

RIB: MED. VINYL RIB OR WIRE

WING CASE: BROWN SWISS OR TURKEY QUILL

"Flies have a strong, marvelous power, and each is meaningful as a point of contact with nature.

Embodied in the fly is a message that reflects the tyer's point of view about nature.

By creating an enduring fly, you convey your message to future fly fishers."

Nori Tashiro

"Have you ever noticed that trout seem to take better as our fly gets more ragged?

Think I'll start tying ragged flies.

On second thought, I don't even have to think about it, because all my flies come out of the vise ragged."

Jimmy D Moore

JULY HATCHES

The Bugs Time of Month Time of Day Suggested Flies

Brown Stonefly All Month Early to Mid AM 10-14 Brown Stimulator

10-12 Brown Stonefly Nymph

Golden Stonefly All Month Early AM 8-12 Ginger Stimulator

6-10 Golden Stonefly Nymph

Light Cahill Mayfly All Month E to L pm 12-14 Light Cahill

12-14 Light Cahill Nymph

Trico Mayfly Early Mid AM 20 Parachute Trico

Trico Spinner Fall Late PM 20–22 Poly Wing Black Spinner

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

18-22 Midge Pupa

Terrestrials – Ants, Beatles, Crickets, Inch-Worms, Hoppers, Etc Various Times & Sizes

TU Chapter ‘Website-of-the-Month’: http://www.tailwatertu.com/

(Take a look at Here's Pictures of Duane's Trip to Wyoming, July 2005”

The Fifth of a Series:

Traditional Southern Appalachian Trout Fly Patterns

(These photos have been removed to avoid copyright infringement)

(LJ DeCuir’s Version) (Hugh Hartsell’s Version) Soft Hackle (Hugh Hartsell’s Version)

A set of 3 Different Smoky Mountain Black Bird Wet Flies

“By Golly Boys - - You’ll never have athlete’s foot fungus if you wade wet in THE RIVER.” A Kellyism

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.

"Fish sense, applied in the field, is what the old Zen masters would call enlightenment: simply the ability to see what's right there in front of you without having to sift through a lot of thoughts and theories and, yes, expensive fishing tackle." John Gierach

50 YEARS AGO THIS MONTH

Hunting squirrels with a long bow??? By golly - - You don’t have to believe it - - if you don’t want to!

Visitor Use Capacity Analysis, Upper Chattooga River

For the past 30 years, most of the W&S Chattooga and all of the W&S West Fork have been zoned to permit boating. The remaining river corridor above the Highway 28 Bridge has been zoned for "foot travel only" (no horses, no bicycles, no boats). This area is a haven for hikers, hunters, naturalists, bird watchers, swimmers and trout fishermen. It is among the few remaining wild places in the tri-state area that is still providing a high-quality solitude and wilderness experience. Now the private boaters are suing the Forest Service for immediate and unregulated access (any number of boats, anytime, any water level) for rafting, canoeing, and kayaking the Upper Chattooga. This threatens the area’s Outstanding Remarkable Values, including solitude and remoteness.

Chattooga Headwaters Boating Controversy

Excerpt with permission from the Chattooga Conservancy newsletter, “Chattooga Quarterly”, Spring 2006

The Chattooga Conservancy favors keeping the ban for two very simple and intertwined reasons. First, the Forest Service has not been able to enforce the mandate to limit use in the Chattooga’s lower sections to protect a “wilderness experience” as prescribed by the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act, so how could we expect them to protect the experience in the headwaters, should the ban be lifted? Secondly, AWA has stated that they are demanding access without limitations. AWA’s demand violates our basic, ethical litmus test for conservation: You should be willing to make sacrifices in terms of reasonable limitations in order to protect the natural resource. To read the complete article: http://www.chattoogariver.org/index.php?req=updateSp2006&quart=Sp2006

Why does the Chattooga Conservancy endorse keeping the ban on boating above the 28 bridge?

Excerpts with permission from the Chattooga Conservancy website

The Chattooga Conservancy was established as a conservation organization in 1991 to "protect, promote and restore the natural ecological integrity of the Chattooga River watershed ecosystems; to ensure the viability of native species in harmony with the need for a healthy human environment; and to educate and empower communities to practice good stewardship on public and private lands." The Conservancy places protection of this resource at the forefront of all programs.

The Chattooga Conservancy believes the key issue in the current debate about opening the Chattooga River to boating above the highway 28 bridge is protecting the "outstandingly remarkable resource" values of the area, both social and environmental.

We realize that this is a sensitive issue and accept that this is a difficult position to take. However, as a conservation organization we have an obligation to protect the Chattooga River Watershed first, despite our own personal wants and activities. In this case, that is exactly what we have done.

More details: For as long as the Chattooga has been Wild and Scenic, there has been concern for potential use conflicts. The 1971 Wild and Scenic Study Report on the Chattooga River concluded that the river was not "overused," but it cautioned that future demand could reach saturation and cause a degradation of the Chattooga's wilderness "experience". Consequently, the report recommended development to be guided by preserving a primitive experience as a priority over demand.

To read the complete article: http://www.chattoogariver.org/

Actions must protect all Outstandingly Remarkable Values, regardless of where they are located. When Outstandingly Remarkable Values lie within the boundary of the Wild and Scenic River, the value must be protected and enhanced. When values are in conflict with each other, the net effect to Outstandingly Remarkable Values must be beneficial. The Wild and Scenic Rivers Act stipulates that agencies be given discretion to manage a river system with “varying degrees of intensity for its protection and development, based on the special attributes of the area.” http://www.nps.gov/yose/planning/sfbridge/ch5.htm

What’s New with the Upper Chattooga?

On May 18^th, the boaters filed suit against the Forest Service: As reported in the June issue of TIGHT LINES, several boating organizations and 3 individuals signed-on as the plaintiffs for the filing of a lawsuit against the Forest Service. The suit seeks to overturn the 30-year old zoning for immediate and unregulated access for rafting, canoeing, and kayaking on the Upper Chattooga. The stretch of river at issue is presently zoned for foot travel only (no horses, no bicycles, no boats) for those visitors seeking solitude, remoteness, and a true wilderness experience.

On June 12^th, the Forest Service (FS) moved to dismiss the boater’s complaint on 3 separate grounds:

First, their claims are not yet ripe for judicial review. The FS is currently studying the issue and, as ordered, must issue a new decision regarding the prohibition after the study is complete. Plaintiffs claim that delaying immediate judicial review will cause them undue hardship is baseless. The floating prohibition that they claim creates a judicial emergency and intolerable hardship has been in place for thirty years. Primitive floating is already permitted on the majority of the river (and all of the West Fork). Second, plaintiffs lack standing because their claimed injury – the inability to float on a portion of the Chattooga – is not traceable to the challenged 2005 Forest Service Administrative Appeal Decision at issue, nor would their claimed injury be redressed if the Court were to invalidate that Order. Third, it does not appear that plaintiffs have served the Attorney General with a summons and complaint as required by Rule 4(i) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure.

On June 15^th, the Georgia Wildlife Federation (GWF) joined Friends of the Upper Chattooga (FOTUC): GWF began as a sportsman's organization in 1936 and since then has grown to become Georgia's oldest and largest conservation organization. Today, GWF members include bird watchers, hunters, anglers, educators, gardeners, hikers - a diverse group of individuals united by their concern and compassion for the environment. As an organization, GWF takes stands on issues based on ecological and wildlife principles. Jerry McCollum, GWF President and CEO, said, “We will be glad to be listed with the Friends of the Upper Chattooga.” “ We intend to keep this river an angler's paradise.” http://www.gwf.org/

On June 19^th, the Atlanta Fly Fishing Club (AFFC) joined FOTUC: AFFC promotes stream stewardship, catch and release, and enhancing fly-fishing skills. The Upper Chattooga is favorite destination for members because of its unique combination of solitude, remoteness, river size, spectacular scenery, and the wild brown trout fishery. http://atlantaflyfishingclub.org/

On June 26^th, the South Carolina Wildlife Federation (SCWF) joined FOTUC: Founded by sportsmen in 1931, the SCWF has maintained a diverse membership. The SCWF facilitates effective habitat conservation and respect for outdoor traditions for current and future generations through statewide leadership, education, advocacy and partnerships. Angela Viney, Executive Director, said, “ - - everyone [on the Fisheries Committee] is in full agreement that SCWF should be included - -”. http://www.scwf.org/

Q & A

Q. With the boaster’s lawsuit pending, is the Forest Service going ahead with the Visitor Use Capacity Analysis?

A. Yes. On May 26^th, the FS updated their user analysis plans: http://www.fs.fed.us/r8/fms/forest/projects/chattdata.shtml

The FS presently is in Phase 1 Data Collection, Item 1 Literature Review – Includes review of existing literature on the Chattooga River and studies of similar rivers.

In an official document the boaters are telling the Forest Service, “Boaters Coexist Peacefully With Other River Recreationists on All Other Southeastern Rivers” “As on every other similar river in the southeast, anglers and paddlers can peacefully coexist on the Headwaters of the Chattooga River.” Quotes are from page 47 & 48 of the American Whitewater appeal to the Forest Service. http://www.americanwhitewater.org/resources/repository/Final%20Chattooga%20Appeal%20Document.pdf

Do you have knowledge of some “similar rivers” the Forest Service should study?

Have you experience user interference from boating on a trout stream? Have you had your day spoiled by a parade of boats going through? Have you been displaced to another stream because of conflict, disgust, or interference caused by boating? Are there trout streams you now avoid because of boating? (i.e. Lower Chattooga, West Fork/Overflow, or Upper Chattahoochee (in Helen) in GA; Davidson, Nantahala, Tuckasegee, Wilson Cr, or Green in NC; Tellico or Little R. in TN; or any other stream in the Southeast) What about up North? (i.e. AuSable & Pere Marquette in MI or the Farmington in CT) What’s it going to be like in another 20 years? Do we need more stream sections zoned like the Upper Chattooga, for “foot travel only”?

If so or if you have an opinion, please take a few minutes and tell the Forest Service.

Please be specific as to stream, time of year, type of boats involved, behavior of boaters, effects on fish behavior, effects on fishing experience, etc. Once you have shared your own experiences, please pass this request on to other anglers.

Send your comments to: Project Coordinator - John Cleeves, E-mail jcleeves@fs.fed.us ; US Forest Service, 4931 Broad River Road, Columbia, SC 29212. For more info on the User Analysis, click on: http://www.fs.fed.us/r8/fms/forest/projects/chatt.shtml

Sent: Thursday, June 08, 2006 Subject: Friends of the Upper Chattooga

As an example of incompatibility: trout fishing & boaters, the West Fork of the Chattooga is a fine example. I've been "in the way" by these kayakers & canoeists while trying to have a bit of trout fishing solitude there. Of course they scare the fish, so I either have to wait a long while or just give up & go elsewhere. Paddlers do indeed affect the trout fishing. The Chattahoochee in Helen is a "bust" for summer trout fishing. I don't want the Upper Chattooga to end up being another loss to the boaters who then ultimately control this river experience. There are many alternative places they can paddle nearby but few alternative places like this left in the entire east coast of North America for fisherman. What a mess. Brian Sandven - Clarkesville GA (OK to share)

Note: Unlike narrow mountain trout streams, there are locations where trout fishing and boating ARE compatible. The Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area through Atlanta is a very wide tailwater trout stream. Because the river is so wide, boaters can usually avoid infringing on and interfering with the wading anglers. Most stretches of the river are too deep for wading. The water level can rise rapidly when water is released at Buford Dam, making wading in some locations hazardous - even with a PFD. Solitude for anglers can be achieved only by boating away from access points.

The Eighth in a Series:

Stream Habitat Protection and Enhancement

The Forest Service defines Large Woody Debris (LWD) as any piece(s) of dead woody material [e.g., dead boles (the main stem of trees), limbs, and large root masses] on the ground in forest stands, or in streams. “A variety of aquatic species depend on the natural accumulation of trees, branches, and root wads known as large woody debris (LWD). LWD slows the flow of water, dissipates energy, traps sediment and organic matter, and creates microhabitats for fish and macro invertebrates. LWD in the form of overhanging logs, debris jams, and especially root wads forms pools and provides complex cover. Removal of LWD typically results in habitat simplification and fewer, smaller fish.” A quote by Dr. Andy Dolloff, PhD in Fisheries and Wildlife, a researcher at VA Tech’s Southern Research Station. http://www.cnr.vt.edu/fisheries/Dolloff.htm

What’s New Elsewhere?

An Idea Worth Throwing Back

Reprinted from the New York Times (6/2/06)

After a yearlong experiment with rainbow trout, researchers at the University of Missouri have announced that feeding them creatine — the body-building supplement Mark McGwire made infamous — can improve their fighting ability. Actually, these experiments demonstrate that trout eating a 5 percent creatine diet can swim against the current far longer than fish that aren't taking the supplement. No one has tested these creatine rainbows against an actual angler. But that has not prevented the researchers from leaping to an economic conclusion. "Fishermen probably would pay a premium for a chance of catching fish that fought longer and harder," one of them said.

Probably. But also probably not. A trout that is being fed creatine is being fed by humans. The ones at the University of Missouri were tested in double-walled plexiglass tubes. The ones that anglers are likely to hook would be living in ponds, where their diets could be supplemented with creatine. They would be hatchery fish. And that's where the irony of a study like this becomes apparent.

If you've ever caught a wild rainbow trout — truly wild, like those in the Delaware or the Madison River — you know that it doesn't need any help from creatine. A hatchery trout is a different creature entirely — a wan spirit reared in concrete tanks, fed trout pellets, and dumped into a foreign world on opening day. Creatine might make a difference to these fish and the anglers who catch them, but it's the wrong difference, especially since the F.D.A. hasn't approved creatine as a food additive. Anglers don't need creatine-enhanced hatchery trout. What we need are more wild trout in more wild rivers.

Editor’s Note: Our thanks to Rabunite Elizabeth Allan for the heads-up on this story. http://agebb.missouri.edu/news/ext/showall.asp?story_num=3769&iln=259

Congratulations to Bruce Bunch

BLUE RIDGE, GA (5/28/06) - Top Honors were awarded to Greenville, SC artist and illustrator Bruce L Bunch for his artwork at the 30th Annual Art in the Park in Blue Ridge, GA. Bruce participated along with over 100 other Southeastern artists in this year's event which draws over 10,000 people. When asked, the surprised artist said, "I was so busy talking to people about my work, that I had forgotten about the contest. When I turned around to see what the commotion was, there was the Arts Committee with cheering people, cameras, ribbons and awards. I was stunned! I felt fortunate enough to be juried in the show, let alone win 1st place for my art." Known as the "Audubon of the Upstate", Bruce Bunch, an avid outdoorsman and conservationist, has combined his passions for the arts and the outdoors by creating "Art on the Fly". This series of bird and fly-fishing art have been collected by sportsmen worldwide. Editor’s note: Bruce has been a big supporter of Rabun TU, donating his framed L.E. prints of trout for silent auctions at past Rabun Rendezvous. http://www.brucelbunch.com/

Stekoa: To Fish or Not to Fish?

By Jenny Sanders, Chattooga Conservancy

Stekoa Creek Monitoring Project Manager

(Reprinted from June 2006 issue of “Rabun’s Laurel” magazine by permission of the author) http://www.themountainlaurel.com/

Ever notice Stekoa Creek as you pass through downtown Clayton? Chances are you’ve overlooked it, because it generally looks more like a drainage ditch than a creek. Officially, Stekoa Creek is designated by the state of Georgia as a trout stream, but it has not been supporting a native brook trout population for many years. This decline is largely caused by over development along the creek bank and pollution from the city of Clayton’s sewer collection system. Trout prefer cool mountain stream water, and when brush and plants that provide shade are removed from a waterway, this can lead to increased water temperatures. Additionally, increases in fecal coliform bacteria as a result of leaking sewer pipes can harm the fish as well. As a result, other species that can tolerate increased temperatures and who are not susceptible to the bacteria produced from sewage that enters the creek have become the dominant species found here.

We at the Chattooga Conservancy are concerned about this trend because Rabun County is and historically has been a wonderful source of recreational opportunity in North Georgia. As such, we have started the Stekoa Creek Water Monitoring Project to help bring Stekoa Creek back to its designated use as a trout stream and to make it a safe waterway for the citizens of Rabun County. Each month, volunteers and staff members test Stekoa Creek for fecal coliform, turbidity, pH, temperature, dissolved oxygen and conductivity. Unfortunately, there are some tests that we cannot perform ourselves, which means that we have to send them out to a certified laboratory for analysis. This part of the program has become costly and as such, we have created the Adopt-a-Sample program to generate the funds needed to continue this important project.

Several local businesses and individuals have become Adopt-a-Sample supporters already. When a person becomes an Adopt-a-Sample contributor, he/she can agree to contribute on a monthly basis for a minimum of one year to ensure the reliability of data. There are three levels available for this program: “Warpaint Shiner” at $20.00/month or $240/year, the “Coosa Bass” at $45.00/month or $540/year and the “Brook Trout” at $75/month or $900/year.

Our Adopt-a-Sample donors are the backbone of this project. Without the support of the community, the Chattooga Conservancy would not have been able to continue its important work on Stekoa Creek. We also feel that this project is particularly significant not only because it can help bring an end the pollution plaguing Stekoa Creek, but also because it has the potential to instill a sense of community pride in Rabun County. Here, we have the opportunity and responsibility to pull together collectively to make a change in our community which will benefit everyone. If you want to become a part of this collaborative effort, contact the Chattooga Conservancy about becoming an Adopt-a-Sample donor or a water monitoring volunteer at 706-782-6097. http://www.chattoogariver.org/

Editor’s note: The Rabunites have notified the GA TU Council that Stekoa Creek is the most polluted trout stream in our area. Rabun & Upper Chattahoochee (Roswell) Chapters, and the GA Council have become supporters with a joint contribution of $900. We encourage our readers to get involved “hands-on” in this important project and become a water-monitoring volunteer.

New Wild Brook Trout Stream Improvement Projects – 5 Are Approved and 2 More Are Being Scoped: The USFS has decided to carry out stream habitat enhancement activities on 5 brook trout streams in Union, Fannin, and Lumpkin Counties. http://www.fs.fed.us/conf/sopa/documents/2006_StreamImprovementDecisionMemo.pdf

On June 20, the USFS issued a scooping letter that proposed 2 more brook trout stream projects for the Tallulah District. They are on Flat Branch and North Fork of Moccasin Creek. Public comments are due in by 7/24/06.

The Administration’s USFS Land Sale is Unlikely to Occur:

http://www.fseee.org/forestmag/0803mill.shtml

The Stop I-3 June Newsletter: A “must read” for the latest update! http://www.stopi3.org/newsletter.html

From: Tom Landreth

Sent: Saturday, May 06, 2006 8:29 PM

Subject: Shenandoah Fishing Report

Headquartered at Graves Mountain Lodge, Syria, VA (West of Culpepper on the eastern side of the Shenandoah National Park. Was within a half hour or less of the Conway, Rapidan, Richardson and the Rose Rivers. Fished the Conway and the lower reaches of the Rapidan one day. Caught nice Brookies ranging from 5-6” up to 10-11”. Both are freestone streams with huge boulders in the stream bed, similar to the Tallulah..

However, the Rose was the jewel as far as I am concerned. Hiked in from the park boundary about one mile before I got in the stream. Only fished for two hours but it was fast and trout were willing to hit anything as long as it was a beetle. Largest was about 11”.

Beautiful water. Ran into three park rangers doing an aquatic insect study, and naturally, they advised me that I should have gone further up stream for bigger Brook Trout…oh, well, next time! Graves is most definitely the place to stay!!! Tom

From: Jim Barrett – On the Road somewhere in PA

Sent: Wednesday, June 07, 2006 9:18 AM

Subject: Recalling old memories and making new memories!

1st. Fishing report on the Brandywine (PA): Fished yesterday from 9 - 4. Not the best time but had conflicts. "0" Hatch, mostly sunny, and low 70's. Caught 5 fish...all Browns - 10 to 14 inches. 3 were obviously stocked fish. I guess for no particular reason, I was expecting Rainbows. I think, under optimum conditions, it could be excellent fishing. Easy wading, very scenic. Did not see another fisherman. Not a big stream but adequate room to work a fly wood. Used a parachute coachman, irresistible, and a #10 grasshopper. Caught the two biggest fish on the latter, (ala B.K.) Big flies, big fish. Also, I can see the sucker. Fly, not B.K.
Oh by the way, stream has lots of large hornyheads. Wish you could be here to fish with me. Take care and keep'em tite.

From: Jeff Durniak

Sent: Wednesday, June 14, 2006 11:55 AM

Subject: Fwd: A Wonderful Day (S!)

     Enjoy this attached (below) tale from Rabunite Mike Fuller. You might catch him at Clayton Wal*Mart's sporting good counter if you need some good tips.
     I woulda thought ole Mike was stretching his river measuring tape just a wee bit if.... I hadn't had a heartbreaker myself last Friday, where I was reminded of the distinct difference between fishing and catching. C...... River above Burrell’s Ford. Best friend "Ski" flies down from MI for a long awaited getaway with his fishing buddy from our undergraduate days at VA Tech. I take a long weekend off and we go to a traditional hangout to celebrate younger, carefree days afield (and some backcasting without laurel snags).
     Water temp 69 at lunch (ouch!!) goes up to 71F. We manage about a half dozen each for the day, slap til dark. Not too bad, considering the hot water. But that first strike of the day.....
     You may remember I call the Chattooga's wild browns "groundhogs" because of where they hide. Well, I found some good looking water in a shaded boulder field somewhere in the wilderness area (where, exactly - - - I DON’T BELIEVE I SAID), tossed my tandem fly rig in there, and it swept into the shadows under a rock.
     It stopped. Then it moved, slowly and deliberately. And then he showed himself. And then I hollered for my buddy to see the biggest GA river brown I've ever hooked (shocked 'em up to 27 inches, but have only angled them to 14 here in GA, not counting one Norris tailwater monster). Big and brown and copper, with spots as big as quarters and a dorsal fin wider than a dollar bill. Ski waded around the bend, sprinted the last hundred yards, and had a ringside seat to our war.
     Down thru 3 pools we go, with Adrenalin Dude babying the 6X leader and freeing it from two debris jams that the groundhog dove into. So close, I even touched him as I backed him out of jam #2. Alas, on the third, the tippet parted, we parted, and my thrill of victory plummeted straight down into the agony of defeat (felt like the Wild World of Sports ski-jump dude that cart wheeled off the side of the ski-jump ramp, bounced and broke, and slid to a crumpled heap on the bottom of the course).
     I asked Mike to hold his hands apart at the unexaggerated length of the fish he saw just a couple feet from his vantage point in the low, crystal clear water. I held my marked fly rod up to his hands and it said 24 inches.     Sympathy cards welcome.
     I know 'ole General Lee's address. He won this battle, but the war ain't over yet. As Arnold once proclaimed, I'll be back!   But I'll give this magnificent fish the summer off to catch his breath in the unbearably hot water. When the leaves turn, I'll go a-dredging up there again.
      As Rabunites say, you don’t have to believe our stories if you don’t want to. But Fuller and I have witnesses, by Golly. And my buddy's got a photo of an anxious dude with a bent rod wading thru gin clear Chattooga waters after some ghost. ..... right before he was admitted to the clinic for depression.
     Grab you best friend and go hit the woods and water. Win some and lose some, but enjoy them all with folks who share your passion for the outdoors. The "Good Old Days" are here among you right now. Don't fail to recognize your gifts at hand.
     Good luck. Just stay away from MY fish! (Iffin' he was a tarpon, the "touch" woulda counted, right?)

Sincerely, Short One "Grip and Grin" Photo www.gofishgeorgia.com

From: Mike Fuller

Sent: Monday, June 12, 2006 12:15 PM

Subject: A Wonderful Day

Good morning Jeff;

I hope you are having as much fun on the waters as I think you are. The streams and rivers are really low up here in Rabun County and I hope we get the much-needed rain soon. I just wanted to give you an up date on the Chattooga fishing. A friend Danny and I left the truck at 7:00 AM yesterday morning; I think we should have been about 1 hour earlier, and walked in. And hour later we came to a spot on the river that looked good. Let me preface all this by saying that both Danny and myself have lived in the County many years we have never fished the upper reaches of the Chattooga and we were both a little unsure about the outcome of the fishing since the river is very low and the water is relativity warm for this time of year.

After getting in the water and after no hits for about 100 yards things began to turn around. It seemed as if Mother Nature rang Her dinner bell and the fish started hitting. Danny opened the trip with a nice 11-inch Rainbow. Danny almost always fly fishes even when fishing on our local area lakes. I was using my UL outfit with 2 lb test line attached. After Danny caught that 11-inch Rainbow I countered with a nice 10-inch Rainbow. We had not covered too much water when Danny caught a real nice 16-inch Rainbow. Not to be out done and after Danny said, “There has to be some trout under that rock.” I hooked another 16-incher but during the fight, the hook came loose and he swam away to maybe be there the next time. I again cast my lure next to the rock and was reeling it in when a real nice Brown Trout in the 24-inch class grabbed my lure. I lowered my rod tip to give him time to get it in his mouth then I tightened the line and away he went. I did not have a good hook set and on the first run the hook came loose. Oh Well That’s fishing!!!. We fished on up the river picking up trout every now and then. We both had a mixed bag which included River Bass, Sunfish and of course Trout.

The fishing trip turned out to be great with action all day. We liked what we saw. The Chattooga is real low but the fishing is good in the Morning and dies in the heat of the day. We got back to the truck at around 4:30 PM in the middle of a thunder and lighting storm. Really a not so good thing. I don't like the lighting.

Have a good day and I am enjoying the e-mails. Your Friend, Mike

Sent: Tuesday, June 06, 2006 10:20 AM

Subject: Re: TIGHT LINES June 2006 Newsletter

     Hi Doug, I certainly appreciate you including my email address on all your mailings. It's fun to read about the Rabun chapter. I'm going to retire in June of '08 and hope to be much more active in several chapters. Sounds like you have one of the best.
     I especially appreciate the hatch chart and comments about the fly tying. yes, I would like patterns to the flies you are presenting. I've been collecting insects at my cabin, photographing them and then studying hatch activity, etc.
     Thanks, Julie Tallman - Athens, GA

Editor’s note: Julie has been a big supporter of Rabun TU, donating her framed photographic art of trout for silent auction at past Rabun Rendezvous.

Sent: Sunday, June 04, 2006 8:17 AM

Subject: Great Newsletter!

Dear Sir: Just received my first copy of your newsletter and really enjoyed it. Lots of news, professionally laid out and interesting to read. Please keep me on your mailing list...

Al Owens, Chattooga River TU Chapter – Seneca, SC

Editor’s note: Thank you for your kind comments. We exchange E-newsletters with your Editor, Ben Morton. Ben will continue to forward TIGHT LINES to the confidential E-mail address list for your chapter. You can read back issues of TIGHT LINES at http://www.rabuntu.com/

Sent: Wednesday, May 31, 2006 12:04 PM

Subject: Re: TIGHT LINES June 2006 Newsletter

Thanks Doug, always enjoy the newsletter. Side note on that photo from 50 years ago, "highlights of 1955" ............... See the reel on that rod? I have one of those, it was my father's and the thing weighs a ton! How old is the reel? Well, sir, legend has it the reel is even older than Tom Landreth! : - -))
Tight lines and thanks again! John C. Kies – Laurel Park, NC

Editor’s note: I have one of those reels, also. The difference is I bought mine - - new! Guess that shows how old I am!

Sent: Friday, June 02, 2006 10:20 AM

Subject: Re: Friends of the Upper Chattooga

Thanks for keeping me posted on this all-important issue (zoning of the Upper Chattooga for foot travel only). I can't believe that our heritage, the place where fly-fishing started for you and I is being threatened in this way.

Russ Tyre – St Petersburg Beach, FL

Editor’s note: Russ is a charter member of Rabun TU. We have been buddies since 1948 and have fished the Upper Chattooga together for over 50 years. See, I told you I was old!

Letter to the Editor of the Asheville Citizen Times

Published May 29, 2006

(Reprinted here with permission of the writer)

Regarding the editorial, “Open up the Chattooga,” (AC-T, May 22): The Chattooga boating restrictions were established in order to balance use among diverse visitor interests. Currently, boating is allowed on two-thirds of this river. Like restricting a few land-based trails from Mountain biking to protect hikers, the USFS has zoned one small section of Chattooga River to protect other activities.

Our National Forests are a limited resource while recreational growth is not; user demand is outpacing the resource’s ability to self-manage unrestricted growth. We should not let lobbyists for the loudest special interests group monopolize our public lands. Today it is the boat lobbyists and tomorrow it will be PWCs, bikes, ATVs. Use limits help protect more passive activities and the resource itself. The most utilized public resource is the public road system. Imagine roads and sidewalks, without speed limits or without lanes; this could soon be our national parks. Our forests were never established to be limitless playgrounds, they were established to protect our national heritage for future generations. We all need to realize it is not what can be gained for the selfish few but rather what is given up in order to protect wilderness for future generations.

Mike Bamford – Cashiers, NC

Editor’s note: Mike is a supporter of Friends of the Upper Chattooga.

Sent: May 24, 2006

To: Rabun Chapter of Trout Unlimited

Thank you for your recent $100 contribution toward the Stop Interstate-3 Coalition. You represent a growing confederation of local county groups, conservation organizations and interested citizens who realize that an interstate would do irreparable harm to mountain economics, forest, farms, and streams, and to our rural qualities of life that are rooted in a strong sense of place. For helping to protect our regions wild places, I thank you and extend my best wishes. Mark Shelley – Director, Southern Appalachian Forest Coalition. http://www.stopi-3.org/

Sent: Tuesday, June 06, 2006 11:39 AM

Subject: Fw: Kids Fishing Rodeo Success, Free Fishing Day on June 10

Thanks in large part to the help of David Vinson, Bill Elliott, Wes Bentley, Thomas Black, several TU volunteers, the DNR, local donors and Rickey Hemphill (the hot dog cook), our Tallulah River Kid's Fishing Rodeo was a huge success! I think the attached pictures (below in "Backcasting") say it all......

Mike Brod, Wildlife Biologist - Chattooga & Tallulah R.D., CONF

Editor’s note: Welcome to the land of the Rabunites, Mike!

Sent: Saturday, June 03, 2006 10:55 PM

Subject: Re: Kids Fishing Event -Tallulah

Mr Adams, Thank you very much for sending me this picture of my grandson Dominic. He really had a great time. I believe I will have to make room for him on my next trout fishing trip!

Thanks again, Don Hoffmeyer – (home town unknown)

Editor’s note: We believe that would be a wonderful thing for you to do! Passing on the fishing heritage to kids like Dominic is the very reason Rabun TU is a sponsor of Kid Fishing Events.

Dominic with his grandpa, a stringer of good’uns, and a big smile!

      There are 24 potential trout bums out there now. Twenty-one boys and three girls just completed a great week of casting, tying flies, reading the water, studying bugs, improving stream habitat and, most of all, fishin'. Every kid in camp caught a trout this week and most caught several.
    Once again we had strong support from the USFS and DNR, along with donations from many manufacturers and vendors. The campers represented 10 of the 12 chapters in Georgia and volunteers from 7 chapters helped with everything from instruction to mentoring to driving busses to cleaning blisters and playing mama and daddy to the campers. Once again the camp was highly organized because my wife Kathy did it and I stayed out of the way.
    A sincere thanks for unselfish work goes to the following (in no particular order): Garland Stewart, Eedee and Doug Adams, Mack Martin, Carol Berger, Patsy and Ray Gentry, Frank Tolbert, Bob Foster, Terry Rivers, Ray Kearns, Tom Landreth, Josh Barnett, Bill Kelly, Fritz Vinson, Jim and Louise Nixon, Dick Albertelli, Charlie Trettel, Craig McKay, Bart Burgess, Vic
Aloisio, Jimmy Whiten, Larry Walker, Lea Richmond, Duane Stalnaker, Bob Parker, Jimmy Harris and Jeff Durniak.
     Once again Georgia Women Fly Fishers (GWFF) and NGTO supported our camp. A big thanks to both.
    David Cannon from GON (Georgia Outdoors News) spent two days with us...look for his story on Trout Camp in the July issue of GON.
    Our camp got a nice picture and write up in The Clayton Tribune thanks to Grey Huddleston.
    Thanks also to Wanda Taylor who spent a day with us and worked with the kids. Once again Harlin Smith got our t-shirts and Emmilyn Rivers (Terry's wife) sewed the patches on the vests. We were fortunate to have Liz Oglivie, Volunteer Operations Organizer from TU National, with us for a couple of days and she jumped right in (literally) and mentored the kids as they fished.
    I feel certain that we'll do this again next year so start looking for campers and start planning to be part of the volunteer group...we need more help! We'll start on the Sunday before Father's Day and finish up on the following Friday. Be there.
    Thanks again to all, Charlie Breithaupt - Trout Camp Coordinator

(watch for camp pictures in the Aug. issue of TIGHT LINES)

A BIG Thank You to the 17 Donors and Sponsors of the 2006 Georgia Trout Camp

Unicoi Outfitters, Temple Fork Outfitters, Umpqua Feather Merchants, Fly Box Outfitters, Bass Pro Shops, Cabela’s, R. L. Winston Rod Co., Atlanta Fly Fishing School, Hooked on the Outdoors, Dr. Slick Co.,

NGTO, Georgia Women Flyfishers, GA DNR Wildlife Resources Division, USDA Forest Service,

Chevin Woodruff, William Stephens Charitable Trust and North Georgia Community Foundation

June 20 (Tues) Chapter Meeting was attended by 18 folks. The outstanding program was presented Mack Martin, Ray Gentry, and Carol Berger. These three TU’ers have made trips together to Alaska’ Kodiak Island to fish for salmon, rainbows, and Dolly Vardens. As you probably know, Kodiak is the home of a huge population of grizzly bears, in fact the largest grizzly bears anywhere. This can lead to some very innovative solutions for tent camping up to 2-weeks in the Kodiak backcountry. Thanks for sharing your wonderful adventures through awesome videos and great stories! The meeting raffle raised $135 and there were 11 buckets (of which Prez Terry won 3) with some really neat items, including fly casting/knot tying lessons won by Maria, 4 separate fly selections, a bag of fresh veggies, a device to refill small LP gas cylinders, and a worm blower (?? I don’t know – ask Larry, he donated it !). A BIG “thank you” goes to all the Rabunites that donated the items.

June 27 (Tues) Board of Directors meeting was attended by 6 officers and directors. The business discussed included the nomination of Tom Landreth for F/Y 2007 Chapter Secretary, Ray Kearns taking over hospitality duties, the Chapter will write a letter to the USFS in support of the 2 proposed brook trout stream projects, volunteers for the July 11 & 12 electro-sampling will camp Monday & Tuesday nights at Cherry Hill CG, and Prez Terry will invite other interested community organizations to hear Rusty Rhea’s August meeting presentation “Update – Hemlock Woolly Adelgid”

June 27 (Tues) Upper Chattahoochee Chapter (UCC) TU Meeting (in Roswell) was attended by Rabunites Doug & Eedee A. Doug gave the meeting program on the Chattooga River and the ongoing Forest Service User Analysis. Members of the UCC purchased 39 of the Rabun TU Rod Raffle tickets.

"There is not the slightest doubt, of course, that the fishing is better on some days than it is on others, and that frequently certain parts of the day are better than others. All fishermen know that. My thesis is that I do not believe anyone can predict those times - at least for any appreciable period in advance -."

From "Trout Madness” by Robert Traver

"Love affairs, viewed from the sanctuary of middle age and bittersweet memory, are almost impossible to document, because human emotion is a merciful thing. It is different with trout. Trout are absolutely unique in that a man's initial involvement seldom becomes a wry memory dismissed as the folly of youth. It is simply love at first sight, perpetuated and strengthened through a lifetime. One's affection for this lovely creature steadily increases as the years slide by."
From "Trout Hunting" by Frank Woolner (1977)

MEMBERSHIP UPDATE

A Big Rabunite welcome to 6 new members this month: Mark Sanford, 309 Homerwright Rd, Ellijay, GA 30536;

Donna Claridad, PO Box 363, Clayton, GA 30525; Jim (CC) Barrett; 5451 Highway 35N, Rockport, TX 778382;

Chris Bedea, PO Box 493, Rabun Gap, GA 30568; Frank Holden, 30 Twisting Lane, Clayton, GA 30525; and

Evan Chumbler, 208 Jacob Hunter Lane, Ellijay, GA 30536

Thanks for re-upping: Jim Blalock, Ralph Morgan, Stephen Weinelt, Bill Kelly, Russ Tyre, Randall Corbin,

Daniel Wall, Joe Gatins, Terry Rivers, Hal Avery, and George Custer.

It is time to renew your membership: Mike Fuller, Jeremy Strauss, Robert Womsley, Eugene Nolte, Daniel Rabern,

Patrick Gorman, Andy Gaston, and M. Pierce

Congratulations to Rabunites:

Don & Sally Atkinson on the birth of their first grandchild, Eloise Jane-Marie Wescott, born on May 30.

Frank & Elizabeth Allan on the birth of their ninth grandchild, Sophie Grace Allan, born on May 31.

Lindsey Gilbert on being named the new President and Head of Menaul School in Albuquerque, NM.

Terry Seehorn on his new teaching position with Stevens County Schools in Toccoa, GA.

James (Nugget) Nixon upon his retirement after 43 years (or seasons) of employment at Rabun Plant.

David Cannon on his new GON web-page about GA fly fishing for trout: http://gon.com/page.php?id=94&cid=124&PHPSESSID=74t0pu4fb44ta1k051nkplhne1

Q & A

Q. Do you have to live in Rabun County to be a Rabunite?

A. No, not at all. It does not matter where a Rabunite lives. Even if you live too far away to attend monthly Chapter meetings you can still support the Rabun TU mission (to conserve, protect and restore Northeast Georgia’s trout fisheries and their watersheds) and be a Rabunite. Support can include volunteering for work projects, mentoring youth at summer camp or a KFE, writing letters to elected officials and agencies, make financial contributions, and/or writing educational articles/letters for our newsletter. Rabun TU has members living in NC, SC, FL, TN, OH, MI, PA, NJ, & TX. We have 57 members that live in GA but not in Rabun County. Some live as far away as St Simons Island, St Marys, and Americus. Only 38% of the membership lives in Rabun County. But we all share a common bond, the love of clean cold streams and rivers, trout and trout fishing.

Sad News: Ted Bogle, a founding member of the Cohutta TU Chapter, passed away Sunday, June 25th.

As his wife Estelle put it, "My beloved Ted is now in heaven with his fishing buddies."

Ted has been active on the council level in the past and was formerly the Treasurer for the Georgia TU Council for a long time.

Rabun TU Officers & Directors

President - Terry Rivers, PO Box 371, Clayton, GA 30525 Ph 706 782 7419 E-mail tlr1121@alltel.net

Vice President - Jimmy Whiten Ph 706 886 6546 E-mail jimmywhiten@alltel.net

Treasurer (w/Newsletter & Meeting Raffles) - Doug Adams Ph 706 746 2158 E-mail edadams1@alltel.net

Secretary - Tom Matthews Ph 706 782 0369 E-mail tmatt@hemc.net

Past President (w/Membership) - Ray Kearns Ph 706 782 9913 E-mail raykearns@alltel.net

Director (w/Programs) - Bill Kelly Ph 706 746 2104 E-mail bkjk1@alltel.net

Director (w/Website) - Kathy Breithaupt Ph 706 782 6954 E-mail knc615@hughes.net

Director (w/Campouts & USFS Work-outings) - Charlie Breithaupt Ph 706 782 6954 E-mail knc615@hughes.net

Director (w/Publicity, Letters, & Hospitality) - Tom Landreth Ph 706 746 2295 E-mail landreth@alltel.net

Director – Larry Walker Ph 706 244 4345 E-mail amosndixie@alltel.net

Director – Lea Richmond Ph 706 782 6898 E-mail learichmond@alltel.net

News from the President...... Terry Rivers

Hi Folks,

I would like to personally thank the members that attended and mentored the 2006 GA Trout Camp. Without your help it would just about be impossible.

Those of you that missed the June meeting missed a terrific program presented by Mack Martin, Ray Gentry and Carol Berger. Thanks again folks for such a wonderful presentation. The bucket raffles at the monthly meetings have been a huge success. Also I was glad Lea Richmond was unable to attend this month because that allowed THE PREZ to be the big winner! Sorry Lea, there were some great flies offered. Those members that donate items are appreciated. The next meeting will be the family picnic at Kelly’s Waterfall Park. Be sure to attend and bring a covered dish.

The Winston Custom rod raffle seems to be going great and only a few tickets are left. The time is drawing near for the drawing at the September Chapter meeting so contact Ray Kearns for tickets. Those that are interested in building a custom fly rod should be thinking about what you want to build. We plan to hold a session in November at my shop. If there are enough that want to participate, Garland Stewart has said that he would meet with us to show us what he can get. He can buy blanks and hardware at wholesale. So if you want to learn to build yourself a custom fly rod and save some money, this would be a great time to do so.

Fishing has been good this year and continues to be, but the catching will slow down as the water warms on the big rivers. Find a small headwaters stream and the results should be good.

Thanks again for all the support you all give me.

See Ya’ll On the stream,

Terry

Have a great day - Hope you catch a lot of fish!

For more pictures, info, and back issues of TIGHT LINES, visit the Rabun TU website: http://www.rabuntu.com/ Georgia TU Council website: http://georgiatu.org/ & National TU Website: http://www.tu.org/index.asp We would love getting your “Letters to the Editor”, suggestions, stories, articles, and questions for our panel of experts in the Q & A section, or your comments about our Website and Newsletter.

Send them to: edadams1@alltel.net Or to: Rabun TU, PO Box 65, Rabun Gap, GA 30568

Please tell us if you have E-mail, it will save the chapter $1.23 per newsletter mailed: E-Mail edadams1@alltel.net

RABUN CHAPTER of TROUT UNLIMITED PO BOX 371 CLAYTON, GA 30525

Kelly’s Water Falls Park – Dillard, July 18th, 6:00 pm

Directions: Travel north on US-441, on the north side of Dillard turn right at the traffic light on GA-246, go about 1.7 miles, turn right on Wayfarer Ln., then go 1/4 mile to the end of the gravel road.