(Top of Page)
Caught by Bryan Shishido of Lindsey, on Pine Flat Lake on April 21st.
On 4/27/01, Mike Long caught this monster largemouth on Lake Dixon. Mike was using the popular Castaic Trout. This catch will certainly be a nice addition to the "Top 25" list.
PETA's (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) recent ad campaign against fishing is shown below:
Also included is Rick Reilly's, a columnist from Sports Illustrated, response to the recent ad.
"People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) has new billboards out that claim fishing is cruel. I totally agree. The last time I went, all I caught was a sunburn, three hooks in the back of my thigh and hell from my pals for forgetting the Off.
Unfortunately, this is not what PETA means. PETA means fishing is cruel to the fish. Seriously. PETA plans to put up billboards across the U.S. and in Canada that show a Labrador retriever with a hook in his bloody lip. IF YOU WOULDN'T DO IT TO A DOG, the signs say, WHY DO IT TO A FISH?
And, of course, the answer is: Because fish do not bring me my slippers.
Look, I wailed for the whales. I fumed over fur. I emotionally clubbed myself over the baby seals. But I'll be damned if I'm going to weep over a walleye.
PETA says fish feel pain and that to snag one with a steel hook, drag it along for 50 yards or so and then haul it out of the water so it suffocates is sick. "Why do we throw a Frisbee to some animals and a barbed hook to others?" PETA asks on its website.
And, of course, the answer is: Because fish really suck at catching Frisbees.
PETA thinks it's evil to eat fish, too. But why should we stop eating them when they eat each other? Besides, they had their chance to evolve. They could've crawled out of the primordial ooze with us, but they didn't. They decided to stay behind and swim in the water they pee in and go around never blinking. When fish lift their scaly butts past us in the food chain, they can eat us. Until then, pass the tartar sauce.
PETA even says catch-and-release is cruel. They say the harm and stress caused by being caught and released is sometimes enough to kill the fish later on. As if the fish go straight into therapy after being caught.
Fish: I'm telling you, Doc, I was just minding my own business when I got hauled into the sky, examined by some weird beings and then thrown back!
Fish psychiatrist: Lemme guess. A UFO, right?
I mean, what's PETA going to do? You'll be sitting at the counter in the deli, and suddenly, the PETA police will come running in, shouting, "All right, back away from the tuna melt and nobody gets hurt!" My God, we're talking about fish here. Fish have a brain the size of a corn kernel.
Professor James Rose, a University of Wyoming neuroscientist, studied fish for years and determined that they lack a neocortex (parts of which process the brain's response to pain), much like Cubs fans. Besides, if fish are so smart, why can you catch a fish, throw it back and then, two hours later, catch the same fish? I mean, do you really want to save something dumber than Robert Downey Jr.?
Didn't Jesus fish? He seemed like a pretty sensitive guy. When He zapped up all those fishes for 5,000 people, what do you think He did with them, throw them back?
I know, I know -- I hate hunting. But sitting in the back of a pickup, taking a rifle with an infrared scope and killing a deer from 1,000 yards away is not nearly the same thing as standing up to your spleen in icy rushing river water, trying to cast the perfectly tied fly into the perfect eddy to catch a rainbow trout. Is it our fault that the trout falls for it? Tell you what: I will get behind hunting when hunters come up with a shoot-and-release program.
Why does PETA stop at fish? Where does PETA stand on the plight of the worm? And plankton? And the 1,000,000 micro-organisms that are crushed by your boots every time you go on a nature hike? Have these PETA vegetarians ever gotten close to a broccoli to hear its screams as it's violently yanked from its birthplace and boiled to death?
Fishing is cruel? I always thought fishing was one of the most peaceful things you could do. What are fathers and sons supposed to do together, knit sweaters out of each other's navel lint? What are we supposed to read, Hemingway's Old Man and the Parking Lot?
I'll tell you one thing. Before I agree to this whole fish-human truce, somebody had better have a long face-to-face with the sharks about it. I say we send a bunch of PETA members down right away."
Issue date: July 2, 2001
(Top of Page)
The High Voltage Bass Anglers will be having their annual meeting on 02/22/2002 at the EMC auditorium located in Jefferson, Georgia. The meeting is scheduled to start at 7:00PM EST. This meeting for both existing members and new members. Members are also asked to bring their $30 yearly membership fee. Many items will be voted on including both rule and lake changes for the 2002 season. If you are unable to attend, but are going to fish the 2002 season or simply want directions, please e-mail information@highvoltagebassanglers.com.
Issue date: January 6, 2001
(Top of Page)
The Georgia DNR has scheduled a meeting on May 2, 2002 to discuss the future of Bear Creek Reservoir. This meeting will be held at the Jackson EMC building in Jefferson, Georgia at 7:00PM EST. All anglers, from all clubs, are encouraged to attend. Many important issues will be discussed, including the possibility of "slot limits". The Georgia DNR is looking for some suggestions from anglers, to aid them in setting this up correctly to manage "trophy" sized largemouth.
Issue date: April 22, 2002
(Top of Page)
The meeting hosted by the Georgia Department of Natural Resources was held at the EMC Building located in Jefferson, Georgia. The meeting got a late start, 7:15PM, but lasted for well over an hour. The meeting started with a short fifteen minute preview by Jeffery P. Durniak, Regional Fisheries Supervisor. The preview was meant more of an overview of the entire DNR "decision making process. It was made clear all the proposed regulations still have to be ratified by the Board of Natural Resources later in the year.
The proposed opening of the recreational facilities is still on schedule for the Spring of 2003. While the last creel study has shown the growth of the F-1 Largemouth are slightly behind schedule, the coming year is suspected to make up the different.
Mr. Reggie Weaver, Fisheries Biologist, gave a detailed talk on the expectations of the "trophy" lake, and some history how the DNR is using other success stories to model this lake. Lake data has be collected from Texas, Louisiana, and Oklahoma to name just a few of the states researched. Several DNR Law Enforcement Officers were also present to answer any questions. The balance of the official meeting was question and answers.
What the DNR is proposing is a slot limit from 16 - 22 inches on all largemouth bass caught. Any fish caught in this size slot must be immediately released back into the lake. This includes ALL anglers, including tournament anglers. All species of pan fish will have the normal Georgia limitations. There were other discussions about a 14 inch minimum and also a 16 inch minimum for largemouth bass.
While turnout for this important meeting was light, about 25, the attendance vote for this slot limit was slightly split. TV Channel 32, out of Toccoa, Georgia was there for both before and during meeting interviews.
The Georgia DNR is very anxious to know how you feel about trophy management and this proposed slot limit. Please e-mail the following information and put "Bear Creek" in the subject matter line:
1. Full name
2. County/State you live in
3. Your idea for size limit's
4. Any other details you deem appropriate
Remember, this lake is an experiment and the DNR is being very open minded and is trying to please as many anglers as possible. All information will be forwarded onto Mr. Jeffery Durniak and will be held in the strictest of confidence.
Issue date: May 3, 2002
(Top of Page)
On May 31st, Mike Smith (Smitty) pulled a 9.50 pound "bucket mouth" from Sandy Creek, located just north of Athens, Georgia. Mike caught this monster at approx. 9:30 AM. A total of nine fish were caught, the best five going better than 23 pounds. This fish was released shortly after these pictures were taken.
Issue date: June 1, 2002
(Top of Page)
Winter bassin on Black Shoals! Anthony Garcia caught a respectable 8.25 pound lunker while dropshotting a chartreuse finesse worm in 26' feet of water. Large schools of baitfish could be targeted in and around main lake points.
Issue date: January 31, 2003
(Top of Page)
This fish was caught by Russell Coil of Crawford. He caught the fish on Tuesday Feb.11th at about 10 a.m. on his forth cast. He caught the fish on a spinnerbait on the edge of a deep drop-off. The fish weighed in at 11lbs. and 15 oz.
Issue date: February 15, 2003
(Top of Page)
Summer days can be rewarding as Randy Dover can tell you at Sandy Creek. This nice 8 pounder was caught at an undisclosed location, using an undisclosed bait. Randy was heard telling others he owes his success to an undisclosed "helper".
Issue date: August 7, 2004
(Top of Page)
Britt Daniels & Chad Proctor had a great day at the scales. 5 fish totaling over 35 lbs. at a new 1,200 acre lake located in Henry County. The big fish caught by them went over 7.5lbs. Britt had mentioned "it's a great day fishing when you are culling 6 lb. fish"
Issue date: February 16, 2003
(Top of Page)
The High Voltage Bass Anglers annual meeting has been set. On Tuesday, December 16th 2003, the meeting will be held at the Jackson EMC building located in Jefferson, Georgia. The meeting will start promptly at 7:00PM, and run for approx. 2 hours. All new members are welcome to this meeting.
In a demanding victory, Britt Daniels showed the 7 man field, how to get the job done at Lake Varner on 06/29/2005. Britt's best five fish yielded an amazing 29.56 pounds. His largest hawg was 9.44 pounds shown here. Rumor has it, not only did Britt take home all the tourney fee money, he also bagged an additional $20 side bet made with Smitty. One can only wonder what Smitty was thinking making this side bet.
Issue date: May 29, 2005
(Top of Page)
John Reed snapped this as he was driving by the other day
Issue date: July 26, 2005
(Top of Page)
