Jason DeBacker
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I totally agree that building has really been the downfall of the Hooch. While the bacteria bothers us, I think the nutrients from the sewage are a net plus for the trout (I know one disgusting spot where you can catch football shaped fish on blood worms til you get tired). It’s the building and the warm water run-off that “killed” the Hooch (rather, returned it to its natives). I think building (and especially the almost universal violations of stream buffers) is/has now ruined the Toccoa. It was the dam work that recently killed the fish (though they’ve been replanted), but the insect populations have been dwindling for years as the river has seen much more development.
I think the striped bass decimating trout in the Hooch is a bit overblown (see, for example, http://www.sdafs.org/meetings/99sdafs/sbasseco/hess1.htm), but I’d be interested to know more about experiences on other rivers, especially Southern tailwaters like the Cumberland. On the Hooch, I thought this was used as an excuse to curtail the striper/hybrid stocking in West Point, when in fact environmental factors were causing the decline in the trout fishery.
And let me defend the Hooch below Buford a little. It’s not all that artificial – unless it’s resumed in the last few years while I’ve been paying less attention, they haven’t stocked brown in many years. Also, it does lay claim to the state record brown trout, so it’s not just small fish: http://www.georgiawildlife.com/node/181 (I’m really getting old when 2001 doesn’t seem that long ago).
That said, I’m glad to see the Hooch below Morgan Falls having been returned to it’s natural residents – stripers and shoalies.
Jason
Lastly, of any gear that I’ve bought in the last five years the purchase of our kayaks was by far the best investments we’ve made
x2 on this. I bought a used Tarpon 12 in 2004. The cost has come out to about a dollar a day on the water (including maitnenance and fuel :)).
I will likely be looking for another boat soon – so that I can have a second to take friend in and to have one that allows me to fish standing up. The Native 12 and the Jackson Coosa are at the top of my list. What it comes down to is whether I want the open cockpit/canoe-style boat or a true sit-on-top. The advantage of the open cockpit seems to be that it could be a nice place to strip flyline and it could improve access to gear (to me, the biggest advantage here will be easier access to my DSLR). You also will have a drier ride. And the Native is a great looking boat. The the disadvantages, relative to a sit-on-top would be that it’s not self-bailing (only really a major concern on rivers with larger rapids or fishing in open water on large lakes/ocean) and you don’t have the built-in hatch to store gear (yes, you can get some dry bags and tie them down in an open cockpit, but I’ve enjoyed being able to quickly tuck gear under my deck for rougher water and then pull it out once I’m through).
Good luck with the decision. Whatever you get, I think you’ll really enjoy it.
Jason
I’d check out the fly fishing forum over at stripersonline… lot of guys from your area.
I’ve done quite a bit of surf fishing – in TX, FL, NC, ME, MA for stripers, blues, jacks, mackerel, reds, etc.
I’m glad to hear the support for Smith’s Action Optics photochromatic lenses. It’s now been 10 years since I switched from Costa copper lenses to the Action Optics photochromatic copper lenses. Costa has great glass and frame styles, but I can’t think about switching away from my Smith’s if I’m just going to have one pair for a full day on the water. These lenses consistently give me 15-30 minutes at each end of the day versus those wearing other lenses. This generally some of the best fishing of the day, so being able to improve visibility at this time a big advantage over other lenses.
Jason
How much of this do you think are people who are not really serious about selling their work, but want to have the pretense of a business for tax purposes?
