Fishing news

Lake level: Down 1.09 feet Clarity: Main lake clear, creeks stained Temperature: 40s

Bass fishing is still tough but warm weather is on the way. Look for the better fish on deep points, main lake humps, and ditches of the last deep water going up into coves. Areas where there are brush piles and bait in about 25 to 40 feet of water are best. Try jigging with a small spoon or blade style bait with a small profile and a slow flutter. The points in Shady Grove Park and main lake marker #7 have been holding spots all day. Get out to 30 feet on any location before looking for the fish. Many fish are dead on the bottom and a spoon or a Shakey Head dropped to them will get them up off the bottom. Use a small Flex It and Silver Buddy Cicada type bait in the ¼ and 1/2 ounce sizes. Use white or silver color on sunny days and gold or solid white on a cloudy day. On sunny days, some fish are being taken on deep rocky banks out of the wind on suspended jerk baits. Use Strom Suspend style baits in silver and blue or an orange and copper color; or a Zoom finesse worm rigged on a 3/16 ounce round plain jig head. Use green pumpkin and natural blue colors. Spots will get moving soon and look to any area that will warm the quickest. Pick sun baked early morning pockets like the ones in the mouth of any down lake creek. Sand and rock areas out of the wind with stagnant water that has no wind blowing into it are the better areas. In the back of Shoal Creek right across from the ramp are a set of points and banks that warm during the afternoon. Try a 1/8 ounce plain lead head and half a live night crawler on a spinning reel and 8 pound test Sufix Elite line on points and deep double wide docks in the middle of the creeks.

This report was filed by guide Phil Johnson: Pjohnson15@hotmail.com or 770 366-8845.

Crappie fishing is good. The hot bite target zone is 12 to 15 feet deep. The crappie are getting fat. They are on the docks and when you find them they are loaded. The bite still is super soft. Keep your pole in your hands and feel for the slightest bump. Look under docks that are in 20 to 40 feet of water and have brush or structures. Crappie love the shade so cast into the shadows of a dock. Try down lining crappie minnows with a sinker or set up a slip bobber. Use jigs for short casting, vertical jigging or dock shooting.

This Lake Lanier Crappie report is from Captain Josh Thornton: 770 530 6493. Fishing line contest could net big bucks

Winter is annual maintenance time for many anglers, and respooling with new line and recycling the old is a common task. Ever thought about what happens once you dispose of the old line in a fishing line recycling tube? It’s not pretty. Turning fishing line into new products is labor-intensive, requiring workers to manually comb through, sort, clean, remove hooks and weights, and separate out miles of encrusted debris in entangled fishing line. So as you pile up a few reels of line to be recycled this winter, the BoatUS Foundation for Boating Safety and Clean Water is asking for ideas on increasing the volume of line recycled.

Teaming up with fishing tackle company Berkley, the BoatUS Foundation’s Recast & Recycle Contest seeks out new ideas and improvements to the process, new ideas for recycled products, or technology breakthroughs for the current process. Entry is simple –all you have to do is send a short video or one-page summary explaining your idea. A total of $30,000 in prize money is at stake for the three best ideas submitted through May 14, 2021.

“It’s great that anglers recycle,” said BoatUS Foundation Director of Outreach Alanna Keating. “Now we need to ask for help with scaling up recycling with a greater volume of line, whether it’s a time- and labor-saving process improvement or creating a new market to fully sustain recycling efforts.”

Judges will add weight to contest submissions that actually work, are practical, innovative, and have the potential to have a significant impact.

First-place prize is $15,000, second place $10,000, and $5,000 will be awarded for third place. Contest submissions can address any part of the process (or multiple parts) of taking discarded fishing line and soft plastics from end of life to a new beginning. Professionals, amateurs and students alike are encouraged to apply, as are school teams and groups. Contest entries can be submitted with as little as a link to a video demonstration of the idea or a one-page graphic summary. Videos are limited to four minutes.

Contest rules and details can be found at the Recast & Recycle website: www.boatus.org/contest.

CREDIT BOAT/US Recast Line Recycling tube.

“the connection between boat buyers and sellers” www.boatsplusga.com

The best choice if you want to sell or trade your boat

1989 Jefferson 450 45' Aft Cabin w/ Diesel Price $69,900

2002 Hydra Sports 2596 CC 26' w/Twin Mercury 200Hp/Trailer Price $42,900

1986 Pursuit 2200 Tiara 22' Cuddy w/ 250hp & Trailer Price $12,900

1987 Bayliner 2455 1996 Skeeter 18' Bass Boat 1968 Flying Scot 19'

25' Cruiser w/Trailer Price $10,900 120 HP & Trailer Price $6,900 Classic Daysailer w/ Trailer Price $3,200

Other listings on our website: www.boatsplusga.com Consignment Program • Boat Locator Service Financing Available • Trades Considered Phone: 770-965-4215 • Fax: 770-967-4561 • Email: jim@boatsplusga.com 6470 Lanier Islands Parkway • Buford, GA 30518 • Gauges & Controls • Electronics/GPS & Navigation • LED Lights (including Underwater Lighting) • Performance Upgrades, Exhaust & External Steering • And all your Engine and Drive needs

Continued from Page 2 oyster fisheries. Following up on Garre’s description of Apalachicola Bay as a unique ecological treasure that is being decimated by Georgia’s water use, Alito questioned Primis how to factor in alleged damage to the ecosystem. “It’s not going to be purely a question of money,” he said. Primis asserted Florida had not met its burden of proof in showing Georgia caused environmental harm in the bay, but that any harm was self-inflicted by Florida’s mismanagement.

Other topics raised during the hearing included: – Florida’s repetitive comparison of its plight to a 1931 New York v. New Jersey water case in which the court ruled in New Jersey’s favor to avoid injury of the oyster industry in Delaware Bay. A ruling in favor of the more populated and prosperous state “would have crushed New Jersey,” Garre said. – What’s really killing the oysters? Chief Justice John Roberts likened conflicting evidence on what caused oyster fishery collapse to the mystery novel, Murder on the Orient Express. – What’s happening to the water? “This is like the case of the disappearing water,” said Justice Clarence Thomas. “Where is it going if Georgia is not responsible?” – If Florida is allocated an additional 500 cfs would it be of substantial benefit? Would it outweigh the cost to Georgia?

Lanier area residents and water users have followed the lawsuit for seven years after initially worrying that Florida wanted to tap more water from Georgia’s largest reservoir. After collecting data from Georgia municipalities and industries in the ACF, Florida eventually pointed a finger at Georgia farmers along the Flint River, who use more water than all other entities combined. The Feb. 22 hearing was the second go-round before Supreme Court justices, who in 2018 remanded a former Special Master’s recommendations to deny Florida’s claims. A second Special Master has also recommended denial. The composition of the court has changed since it originally voted 5-4 to allow further consideration of Florida’s allegations. Two justices who voted in Florida’s favor – Ruth Bader Ginsberg and Anthony Kennedy – were replaced by Kavanaugh and Barrett.

By Pamela A. Keene

Just in time for lake season, the Friends of Lake Lanier volunteer group is seeking donations of life jackets to stock the lake’s free loaner stations. “With 14 life-jacket loaner stations at 11 Corps parks around the lake, we like to start the season with a full stock of life jackets in sizes ranging from baby to adults,” said Stephen Cahn, navigation ranger with the Corps. “That means we need at least 190 PFDs by the time we open the parks and beaches. The goal is to provide people with life jackets and help reduce the risks of drowning. By the end of season, we easily need at least 400 PFDs to keep the stations fully stocked.”

Donation locations include Hideaway Bay, Bald Ridge, Gainesville Marina and University Yacht Club. People can drop off gently-used life jackets any time starting in March. “As a member of the lake community, University Yacht Club is always glad to support programs that benefit the lake and its visitors,” said Chris Ferris, UYC general manager. “Being a collection point for life jackets for this project is a great way to participate.” Once received the PFDs are cleaned, repaired if necessary, sized and labeled by members of Friends of Lake Lanier.

“This year we’re fortunate that this project has also been undertaken by a group of Eagle Scouts from several different troops around the area, who will be upgrading and repairing the stations around the lake,” Cahn said. “They will also be building several more, including a station in Two Mile Creek that we expect to have installed and PHOTO BY PAMELA KEENE stocked by early April.” A life jacket loaner station at Lake Lanier.

The life jackets are available in the parks with the in- spearheading the life-jacket tention of people using them. “If loaner program, the group sells they don’t have a life jacket of firewood, ice and soft drinks in their own, we would rather the the campgrounds and uses the borrower keep it and continue to proceeds to provide support for reuse it,” he said. “Our safety un-funded Corps projects. For message about wearing life jack- instance, last fall the group reets saves lives is so important. ceived a donation of a boat and Wearing a life jacket can save motor. Monies collected by the lives.” Friends group was used to repair

Friends of Lake Lanier is a the motor before donating the volunteer group. In addition to See Lifejacket, page 39

6127 Lights Ferry Road • Flowery Branch, GA 770-519-7975 • Anchorinnstorage.com

Our state-of-the-art facility is located just 3 miles away from Old Federal Park, 3.5 miles from Burton Mill Park, and 4 miles from both Van Pugh and Chestnut Ridge Parks. We kept the customer in mind when deciding on this prime location - come see what we have to offer!

• 24-hour Access • Keypad Entry • Security • Digital Video Surveillance • Online Bill Pay • Variety of Unit Sizes Available • Conveniently Located • Onsite Dump Station • Wash Area with Vacuums & Air • Pull Thru Spaces Available • Completely Paved • 20 & 30 Amp Limited Power at Each Space

RV & Boat Storage