“FORWARD CASTING” Important Dates - See you there!

Nov 1 (Wed) Start Date of GA’s Delayed Harvest Season

Happy Second Season!

Nov 8 – 12 (Wed – Sun) Campout and Fishing with Camping in Long Bottom and with Fishing in the Chattooga DH, backcountry, and front-country.

Contact Terry Rivers: Ph 706 782 7419 E-mail tlr1121@alltel.net

Nov 14 (Tues) Rod Building Workshop at Terry River’s shop. 6:30 PM

Nov 21 (Tues) Chapter Meeting, 6:30 pm, Community Bank & Trust Community Room Program – Jeff Fields, President of NGTO: Who Are We and How We Can Work Together (i.e. Trout Camp)

Nov 28 (Tues) BOD Meeting and Rod Building Workshop at Terry River’s shop. BOD at 6:30 PM & Rod Building at 7 PM.

Dec 2 (Sat) GA TU Council Annual Planning Meeting with USFS, GA WRD, and NPS. 9 AM at USFS office.

Dec 12 (Tues) Annual Rabun Chapter Christmas Dinner Social starts 6 pm and Dinner served 7 pm in the Rock House at the Dillard House. Entire family invited, $20 / person, BYOB.

Rabun Rendezvous: Saturday - January 20, 2007

Program Presenter – Jeff Durniak

The TU National Conservation Professional of the Year

FLY OF THE MONTH

by Terry Rivers

ZEBRA MIDGE

THIS FLY IS VERY EFFECIVE WHEN YOU SEE BIG SWARMS OF MIDGES, TIE THIS IN OLIVE COLOR AND DROP BEHIND A BLUE WING OLIVE WHEN YOU SEE THEM HATCHING AND THIS COULD LAND YOU A BIG SURPRIZE OR MAYBE A ‘GOODUN.’

HOOK: TIEMCO 2487; SIZE 14-20

HEAD: BLACK GLASS BEAD OR TUNGSTON

BODY: BLACK THREAD AND PALMER WITH SILVER WIRE

“John Harder (of Orvis) tells me that though Orvis gets frequent requests for hackle necks with size 20 to 28 hackles on them, the company receives so few orders for hooks in those sizes that it’s hardly worth keeping them in stock. His opinion is that precious few people actually get around to tying up many size 24s compared to the attention those small flies get in the magazines. “

From American Fly Fishing by Paul Schullery

NOVEMBER HATCHES

The Bugs Time of Month Time of Day Suggested Flies

Small Dun Caddis Early Mid AM to Late PM 18 Brown Elk or Deer Hair Caddis 18 Grey Caddis Pupa

Blue Winged Olive & All Month Late AM to Mid PM 16-18 BWO, Blue Quill or Adams Parachute

Blue Quill 16-18 BWO nymph or Pheasant Tail

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

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

Read about Safety Concerns on Tailwaters: http://saludatu.org/news/www/articles.cfm?fo=Articles&method=story&RecordID=402

The Chattooga Conservancy is working to clean-up Stekoa Creek

He has a Bachelor's degree in Biology from Virginia Tech and a master's degree in Fisheries Management from the University of Tennessee.

Durniak was promoted to Region Supervisor in 1995 and oversees a 16-county area, which includes two state trout hatcheries (Burton and Buford), many major reservoirs and much of the trout waters in Georgia.

During his career with WRD, Durniak has achieved an impressive list of accomplishments including: Initiating and coordinating an annual Outdoor Adventure Day that provides over 1,000 participants an opportunity to begin or improve hunting, fishing and other outdoor activity skills, working with the U.S. Forest Service on a management plan to assure good watershed restoration and protection, implementing the first "delayed harvest" program for the State, through which portions of certain streams are managed as "catch and release" through part of the year in order to ensure high catch rates, and his tireless efforts of encouraging those he comes in contact with, whether they be conservation organizations like TU or just individuals, to introduce someone new to fishing.

Visit, http://www.gainesvilletimes.com/index.shtml

Editor’s notes: Congratulations, Jeff ! Jeff was the Charter Director of Rabun TU in charge of arranging meeting programs.

Coleman Awarded AW Steward of the Year Award

Charlene Coleman Recognized for River Access, Conservation, and/or Safety Contributions

Annual Gauley Festival in SUMMERSVILLE, WV (9/27/06) [The following are excerpts from the American Whitewater (AW) website] American Whitewater and Wave Sport presented the AW Steward of the Year Award to Charlene Coleman of Columbia, South Carolina, at the annual American Whitewater Gauley Festival in Summersville, WV this past weekend. Coleman is the first recipient of the annual river stewardship achievement award, which recognizes individuals who make outstanding contributions to river access, conservation, and/or safety on behalf of American Whitewater. Along with the recognition Coleman was awarded the Wave Sport boat of her choice. When speaking about her work, Charlene states “The Chattooga River raises such soul wrenching emotion in so many people, it makes it hard for many to understand what we are doing is pointing out a wrong, that if not corrected could effect all natural resource users in the future. It’s not just about boating, it’s about the law.”

To see the complete article, visit http://www.americanwhitewater.org/content/Article/view/articleid/10191/display/full/

Editor’s notes: Congratulations, Charlene ! Charlene is an active and valued member of Saluda (SC) Chapter of TU and a SE Regional Coordinator for American Whitewater (AW). She has been an integral part of the AW "Chattooga Defense Team”, along with AW Vice President Don Kinser (a member of Rabun TU – see Don’s Letter to the Editor elsewhere in this newsletter). Charlene was a signer of the April 2004 Appeal Document that AW submitted to the USFS for opening the North Fork of the Upper Chattooga to unrestricted year-around private boating.

Ticket price is $10 and proceeds will go to the Georgia Council of Trout Unlimited to help fund the annual Georgia Trout Camp and the Back the Brookie campaign which helps brook trout restoration and educational projects.

Contact Prez Terry Rivers for your raffle tickets: Ph 706 782 7419 E-mail tlr1121@alltel.net

"The best fishermen I know try not to make the same mistakes over and over again;

instead they strive to make new and interesting mistakes and to remember what they learned from them."

From "Fly Fishing the High Country" by John Gierach

On Nov. 7^th Vote “YES” on Constitutional Amendment 2 - The Right to Fish and Hunt

The future of Fishing & Hunting in Georgia is up for a vote. A Constitutional Amendment to protect our Outdoor Traditions will be on our ballot in November.

While most folks in Rabun County would probably assume that our right to pass along our heritage would be an easy choice, there is reason to be concerned.

There are now about 4 million people in the greater Atlanta area. Many have little or no roots in the rural South where hunting and fishing are mainstays of our lifestyle.

Passage of Amendment 2 in November will provide the highest legal protection for the preservation of these outdoor traditions. It will ensure our grandchildren can enjoy the real outdoors and not have to experience it on some hand held computer toy.

Many people know that hunters and fishers have provided the overwhelming majority of funding for forest and stream habitat conservation for generations. License sales and special taxes on fishing and hunting related gear have provided hundreds of millions of dollars for conservation projects. We need to support the continuance of this funding for our wildlife by voting for Amendment 2.

Remember, there are millions of people in Georgia who do not fish or hunt. They are likely to be badgered by radicals who would oppose protecting our outdoor traditions under the guise of animal rights. Their misdirected advertising won't mention how members of the hunting and fishing community are the true conservationists.

Please plan to vote for the "Right to Fish and Hunt" by voting for Amendment 2 in November.

MORE IMPORTANTLY, talk with your friends who do not fish or hunt, and make sure they understand how important this issue is. Help them understand that it is those who fish and hunt that are the true defenders of wildlife, and they can provide their support by voting "Yes" on Amendment 2.

For more information, go to the Georgians for Outdoor Traditions" web site at http://GaOutdoorTraditions.org.

Article submitted by Larry Walker (a Rabunite) – Lakemont, GA

This publication was funded (in part) by your purchases of fishing tackle and motorboat fuels. Excise taxes are collected and distributed to state agencies through the Federal Aid in Sport Fishing Restoration Programs. Visit www.fish.state.pa.us

Visitor Use Capacity Analysis, Upper Chattooga River

For the Appeal Response and Data Collection Process details, visit http://www.fs.fed.us/r8/fms/forest/projects/chattimpplan.shtml

The current division of the river into boating and non-boating activities is a perfect example of the wisdom of earlier planners, something for everyone, but not everything for everyone on the same acres.

POINT> and <COUNTERPOINT The First of a Series:

Frequently Asked Questions Regarding the Chattooga Headwaters

Editor’s note: A boater recently posted a link on the Sumter National Forest Bulletin Board to “ Frequently Asked Questions.”

To read the all 17 boater questions and answers, visit http://www.americanwhitewater.org/content/Wiki/aw:chattooga_faq We believe readers also should have the “counterpoint” answers provided by the “foot travel only” stakeholders. Here are the first 2.

Do kayaks, canoes and rafts belong in Wilderness areas?
Boater’s Point: Yes. The Wilderness Act explicitly states that non-motorized boats are wilderness compliant uses. The Wilderness Act is clear that Wilderness areas are to be managed to allow and encourage backcountry recreation on foot, in boats, and on horseback. As Aldo Leopold wrote in “Wilderness” from A Sand County Almanac in 1949, “Wilderness Areas are first of all a series of sanctuaries for the primitive arts of wilderness travel, especially canoeing and packing.” The right to paddle down Wilderness rivers is at the very core of the Wilderness Act and the concept of Wilderness.

Counterpoint: We agree that the Wilderness Act of 1964 recognizes that non-motorized boating is a wilderness compliant use. However, each Wilderness area is managed differently to protect its unique wilderness character. There is nothing in the Wilderness Act that says all compliant uses must be permitted in all Wilderness areas. To allow otherwise would set a precedent that would open all Wilderness lands to all activities and thus destroy everything embedded in the concept of Wilderness and the Act that led to its establishment. The Wilderness Act speaks to administration for "future generations the benefits of an enduring resource of wilderness ", "unimpaired for future use as wilderness", "preservation of wilderness character", and "solitude", - it does NOT say “unlimited use” for recreation.

The Ellicott Rock Area provides an example of the importance of balancing competing uses. In 1975, Ellicott Rock Scenic Area was re-designated as the Ellicott Rock Wilderness (ERW). Like a magnet, the new Wilderness label soon made ERW the most visited Wilderness in the entire Forest Service system (measured as visitors/acre/year). However, only 13% of those visitors were anglers (from page 29, “Ellicott Rock Wilderness Management Plan”, prepared 1982). The Management Emphasis for ERW: “The emphasis is to allow ecological and biological processes to progress naturally with little to no human influence or intervention, except the minimum impacts made by those who seek the wilderness as a special place that offers opportunities to experience solitude.” (Quote from page 3-1 of the Sumter NF RL&RMP) Obviously, LWD (large woody debris) in the river should not be manipulated, especially to facilitate visitor recreation. And trout have never been stocked in the ERW. The management must not in any way degrade the wilderness character of the ERW, including its biophysical or social / experiential values.

The ERW management plan does not allow recreational gold panning, horses, or floating (all are Wilderness compliant uses). With the ERW already experiencing impaired wildness and solitude, the Limits of Acceptable Change (LAC) must be established before there is any consideration for adding another user group. For more on LAC, http://www.fs.fed.us/r8/fms/forest/projects/steps.shtml

To review the Wilderness Act, visit: http://www.wilderness.net/index.cfm?fuse=NWPS&sec=legisAct&error=404

Is the boating ban illegal?
Boater’s Point: Yes, the US Forest Service is breaking the law. The office of the Chief of the USFS determined that the ban was totally unjustified and thus violated the Wilderness Act and the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act. We agree. The Chief’s office then decided to allow the illegal ban to be continued for 2-5 years. This decision to allow an admittedly illegal action to continue is what paddlers are challenging in court because it is arbitrary and capricious. The greater legal issues remain: primarily that the USFS has been breaking the law for thirty years by banning a use they are mandated to protect and enhance under both the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act and the Wilderness Act.

Counterpoint: No, the USFS is not breaking the law. Rather the USFS is complying with the decision of the Reviewing Officer of the Office of the Chief of the USFS. Although the Reviewing Officer reversed the Regional Forester’s decision to continue the no-boating zone above Highway 28, the appeal decision confirmed that the zoning should remain in place while additional studies are performed, which, in the end, could continue to support the present zoning. AW has raised this issue with the Chief of the USFS and he responded to AW, consistent with the decision of the Reviewing Office, in a letter dated 5/12/06, “Associate Deputy Chief Manning provided interim management direction instructing the Regional Forester to manage boating above Highway 28 by applying the management direction from the 1985 Forest Plan, which includes direction maintaining the boating closure that had been established previously. In your letter, you state your belief that it is wrong for the Regional Forester to “interpret and implement [the appeal] Decision in a way that maintains the pre-Decision status quo”. However, the Regional Forester is required to follow the interim management direction provided in the appeal decision until such time as a new decision can be reached. The interim management direction is fully consistent with the National Forest Management Act and the regulations governing appeals of land and resource management plans.” Six days later the boaters filed a lawsuit in federal court demanding immediate and unrestricted access to the foot travel only zone. After hearing arguments from both sides, the Judge threw out their lawsuit.

Further, the Chief’s position is supported fully by the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act (W&SRA), which directs the Agency (in this case the USFS) to protect and enhance the Outstandingly Remarkable Values (ORVs) that caused the river to be included in the W&SRA in the first place. For the Chattooga, the ORVs include geology, biology, scenery, recreation, and history. "The recreational values of the river and corridor are outstanding along its 57-mile course. The river offers a wide variety of activities in a high-quality setting. Activities range from swimming to hiking and horseback riding with spectacular scenery, to excellent trout fishing and nationally recognized white-water rafting opportunities. Other activities include backpacking, photography, and nature study. Most of these activities take place in largely unmodified natural surroundings, with many opportunities for remoteness and solitude." (Quote from page 3-52 of the Sumter NF RL&RMP.) Protecting the aesthetic, scenic, historic, archaeologic, and scientific features is to be done in the context of administering the ORVs. [Definition: aesthetic - Features or qualities that are pleasurable (as contrasted with the utilitarian features of a resource) such as opportunities for remoteness and solitude.] There is absolutely nothing in the Wilderness Act and/or the W&SRA that says all compliant uses must be permitted in all sections of the river.

To review the Wild & Scenic River Act, visit http://www.nps.gov/rivers/wsract.html

Zoning of conflicting uses is good stewardship, not discrimination. Stewardship encompasses far more than picking up litter; it includes the protection of the aesthetic values of natural resources such as remoteness and wildness, the proper regard for the rights of others to solitude, and the responsibility of preserving those values intact for future generations.

Lessons Learned in the Lower Chattooga

The Forest Service should heed the lessons learned in the Lower Chattooga where the growth of whitewater boating activities has impacted all visitors, has displaced most non-boaters, has resulted in recreational conflicts (anglers vs. boaters, private boaters vs. commercial boaters, and boaters vs. horseback riders) in addition to decreased opportunities for remoteness and solitude.

For the benefit of present and future generations (and to avoid more recreational conflicts) the North Fork of the Upper Chattooga must continue to be managed with lower degrees of intensity to protect and enhance the ORVs of backcountry solitude, wildness, and remoteness.

Excerpts from the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act

SECTION 1. (b) “…shall be protected for the benefit and enjoyment of present and future generations.”

SECTION 10. (a) “...Management plans for any such component may establish varying degrees of intensity for its protection and development, based on the special attributes of the area.”

SECTION 10. (a) “…administered in such manner as to protect and enhance the values which caused it to be included in said system…”

“Good fences make good neighbors”- Robert Frost The Highway 28 Bridge has been a good fence.

What’s New in the Chattooga Zoning Issue?

Oct 5 (Thur) USFS posted on their website the names of the Expert Panel Members and information about how they were selected. Visit, http://www.fs.fed.us/r8/fms/forest/projects/expertpanels.shtml

Oct 5 (Thur) USFS posted on their website the Public Comments received from July 20 through October 5.

Visit, http://www.fs.fed.us/r8/fms/forest/projects/CommentsJuly_Oct.pdf

Oct 6 (Fri) Court dismisses the boater’s lawsuit. Senior U.S. District Judge William C. O’Kelley issued a 20-page opinion to throw out the lawsuit that sought to immediately open the North Fork of the Wild and Scenic Chattooga River (above the Highway 28 Bridge) to unregulated boating access.

In part, the decision said, "The court can think of no greater waste of time and effort than to proceed to consider the merits of this action, - -" "Simply having to litigate this action diverts personnel away from the study, and the court’s opening the Headwaters to unanticipated users would certainly substantially interfere with the agency’s ability to conduct its visitor use capacity analysis."

The Judge concluded, “Judicial resources should not be wasted on such fleeting relief, especially where, as here, the court has found that judicial intervention would inappropriately interfere with ongoing agency efforts, that the court would benefit from further factual development, and that plaintiffs would suffer little, if any, hardship from the delay.

Frankly, no party, including those not before the court, would be served by a “temporary” decision from this court. A floater should be able to easily determine whether he can float on a given part of the Chattooga River without worry of fine. Likewise, a fisherman should know whether he will have to cast around floaters while enjoying the quiet solitude of the Headwaters. The possibility that this court could reach a decision opening the Headwaters, thereby overriding thirty years of agency policy, only to have that decision superseded by a valid amended revised management plan less than a year later counsels in favor of judicial restraint. The law ought not be seen as so whimsical, and although there are circumstances where justice demands that a court intervene despite the real possibility of its decision being immediately overridden, those circumstances are not present here."

The boaters react to the dismissal: The AW website stated the plaintiffs (boaters) “will promptly appeal this decision.”

Editor’s notes: To do so will be a further waste of taxpayer’s money. And the Judge agrees as he stated, “The court thus agrees with defendants (USFS) that judicial intervention at this time would inappropriately interfere with ongoing agency efforts to amend its revised management plan, causing the agency, but ultimately United States taxpayers, substantial harm.”

If you want an E-copy of Judge O’Kelley’s complete decision to dismiss the boater’s lawsuit, E-mail edadams1@alltel.net

Oct 12 (Fri) USFS posted on their website the Implementation Plan with the Protocols for the Data Collection Process.

Visit, http://www.fs.fed.us/r8/fms/forest/projects/chattimpplan.shtml

Obviously, however this issue is resolved it will be precedent setting with far reaching consequences into the future and across all federal agencies that manage and zone recreational waters. You need to share your views NOW.

Have you experience user conflict or interference from whitewater boating on a mountain trout stream? Is it worse now than it was 20 years ago? What’s it going to be like in another 20 years? Do we need more stream sections zoned like the North Fork of the Upper Chattooga, for “foot travel only”? If you have an opinion, please take a few minutes and tell the Forest Service.

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

Happy 20^th Anniversary to the Rabun TU Chapter!

On September 30^th we concluded our 20^th Complete Fiscal Year. We were chartered in July 1986 with 28 members.

At that time, Rabun was the only TU Chapter North of Metro Atlanta and East of Dalton.

Now Rabun TU has 150 members and there are 5 additional TU Chapters in NE Georgia.

“I’LL MEET YOU IN MONTANA”

by Donna Claridad (a Rabunite) - Clayton, GA

Most vacations are anticipated with excitement and pleasure. The trip to Montana had that, along with the potential for failure and embarrassment. I was to hook up with a couple of world savvy anglers; men who had experience on rivers from Scotland to South America and places in between.

I’ve been enchanted (but not devoted) with the fly rod for about 10 years, which included two seminars, a few private casting lessons, about six days with various professional river guides on some pretty good water, plus approximately twenty fishing days of low intensity. The fact that I recently married a great fly fisherman has not particularly improved my abilities. It did escalate my stress factor, as it was his dearest friend we met in Montana. The latent agenda in my mind was to show whether he had or had not married a woman worthy of world-class water.

The plan was three days reserved private spring creek and one day on the Yellowstone. Sure enough, my waders leaked. I slipped in the mud, stepped in cow pies, forgot my sunscreen and failed to pack drinking water. Awkward rod management the first day resulted in the premature loss of a nice trout and the resolve to pay proper attention. The nonchalant quasi-accidental capture of a Yellowstone white fish served to focus on the real deal, i.e. a rainbow, to be caught in the proper manner and on my terms. The next day would be different.

Thus, reading the local hatch report was a good idea. Careful analysis of local flies, flies brought from Georgia, determination and pure heart resulted in my own “Zen” on the water.

Montana spring creeks have stretches that are crystal clear. In August, tall slippery waterweeds grow abundantly, hiding holes in the creek bed and providing cover for elusive trout. Having succeeded in gaining a good standing place mid-stream and up from a clear pocket containing a targeted rainbow of exceptional size, I presented a #22 last-chance crippled yellow PMD. The target stayed low, foregoing three perfect drifts. I moved away, attached a #18 serendipity to a 7x dropper and provided my lazy guy a feast directed dead-on the nose. (Inexperience yields unconventional combinations.) AHA! Luck combines with skill! I set the strike and he’s a’ running. Two beautiful jumps! The splashes of my devoted spouse and his hulking buddy place me as the center of a whirlpool of fly-fishing splendor.

My darling takes notice, “Oh! It’s a big one. Where’s the camera?” Naturally, it’s in the dry pocket inside my vest. This fish is strong and there is plenty of time between runs to fumble for a killer Kodak moment featuring one disappointed trout and the usual goofy smiles.

Having entered the realm of people-who-actually-land-trout was good; but, I wanted more. Now, there remained the joy of the sport in solitude. I would land trout, release without harm and without group participation.

Some folks make great fun of anglers who insist on taking only with a dry even when nymphs and woolly buggers are going like gangbusters. I like to watch a dry fly, if it’s mine. I would give the sublime elitist method a go on the spring creek.

Ankle-sucking four-inch deep mucky mud and a slip-slide total emersion baptismal necessitated a temporary retreat to the bushes. I discreetly stripped and dumped a gallon of water from the leg of my wader, which did not leak while making a mental note to get a better wader belt. I gladly found my duds really were quick dry and the trail mix had survived. Soon revived, I sallied forth again.

The lure de jour appeared to be something yellow. A nice #20 white-dot parachute PMD was visually easy to track. I stationed myself at another hopeful spot, casting above any sign of ring or roll. Neither does, fawns, pintail ducks, swallows nor any other living thing noticed the next trout slurp the fly. How good it felt to sing out, “I’m good. Stay your place!”