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Toccoa Tailwater Update

 

Trout Unlimited Hosts Panel on Toccoa Tailwater

Posted by Becky Hulsey

The Toccoa River Tailwater (below Blue Ridge Dam) is a premier trout fishery with enormous importance to the economic, social, and recreational well-being of Fannin County. *Trout fishing and the quality of water in the Toccoa is at risk of collapse as a result of a drawdown of Lake Blue Ridge so the TVA can make essential repairs to the dam and penstock. *Water temperatures and clarity are suffering, and the weather thus far is not cooperating. *The reason the river is in extremis is the timing of the protracted drawdown, which coincided with an unusually hot and dry summer and start to the fall season. * The full extent of damage to the fishery, if any, has yet to be determined. *However, it is not too soon to develop a plan for recovery of the river post-drawdown in order to minimize damage or improve the fishery.*​

No one doubts that the dam repairs were needed, and that the TVA carefully considered many factors in timing the drawdown, including weather patterns, safety, environmental impact, and the like, with input from the public and the Georgia Department of Natural Resources. * The question is, however, where do we go from here if trout die and the fishery collapses? *This question and more will be answered in a public forum hosted by Blue Ridge Mountain Trout Unlimited at the Fannin Chamber of Commerce, 9 am, October 9, 2010. *Representatives of the TVA, DNR, Trout Unlimited, and the Chamber of Commerce will comprise a panel to discuss the immediate future of the Toccoa Tailwater and to answer questions from the audience. The purpose of this discussion is not to probe how, why, or when the drawdown was done or to criticize anyone in the process. *This meeting focuses on what can be done from this point forward to protect and restore the fishery.*​

Trout Unlimited is an organization dedicated to the preservation, restoration, and protection of coldwater (trout) fisheries like the Toccoa.


Latest Report On The Toccoa Tailwater
Posted by Becky Hulsey 10-20-2010

Well, latest news from the Toccoa River is a 83.6% fish kill. Most of us are not surprised at this news due to the reports and posts of fishing the Toccoa tailwater. In the shop, David, Chad, and I have spoken numerous times to people coming to fish the tailwater. And, we have given tailwater reports to people concerned about the river over the phone so as you can imagine its been rough on us and the local economy of Fannin County.
However, we have decided to focus on what we can do and not what we can't. So, here are a few things you also can do to help restore the Toccoa tailwater:

You don't even have to leave your computer:
Send an email to TVA asking them to do the "neighbourly" thing and supply funds to help in the restoration.
Send an email to Rep. David Ralston telling him how important the Toccoa is to you and how you want to get the fishery back. (OR other govt reps)
Send an email to John Damer and Wayne Probst offering to help them in the restoration and how important the Toccoa is to you.

Contact your local Trout Unlimited Chapter and ask them to get involved in the restoration project.
Look for future fundraisers posted on NGTO that support the recovery of the tailwater.
Volunteer to help with the restocking of trout.
Tell your fellow fishermen to keep what they need and not to waste the fish.
Educate other fishermen about the recovery efforts on the tailwater.
Turn in poachers!!!

Remember you can make a difference and your support is greatly appreciated!

Rainy Humpday Tuneage

Are you a real man? If not this could save your life on The River...

During this Summer a man was attacked by a beaver on the Hooch tail waters below Buford Dam. This recent event heightened my curiosity and I thought to myself,"What would KPV do in that situation?" Well I did a very thorough search on the Interweb and could not find any tips or advice on beaver attack awareness so I found the next best thing...Gator Wrastlin'. I know, I know what you're thinking. Crazy! But think about it. You could get attacked by a gator on the Hooch and if you never do at least you are prepared for an attack by a beaver(not that beaver, bud, you(I) wish). Enjoy this article below from The Art of Manliness.
Keep it real ya'll!


How to Wrestle an Alligator

Editor’s note: This is a guest post from Ty Karnitz.

Imagine this situation—you take a break from your exploration of cannibal-infested, uncharted jungle to set up camp along the river when your female traveling companion informs you she’s off to bathe in the river. She leaves you to set camp and start the fire. And start a fire you do, without matches.

But just as you’ve gotten the fire going, a scream breaks the jungle’s tranquility. You race down to the river bank and find yourself faced with a situation bred to test your mettle.

An alligator is approaching your lady love, and the only way to save her is to wrestle the cold-blooded terror into submission.

Here’s how to wrestle an alligator.


Step One: Getting on the Alligator’s Back
Possibly the most dangerous part of wrestling an alligator is getting on its back. Never attempt to jump an alligator from the side or from the front. Doing so is the easiest way to get bit. You want to approach the alligator from behind. If possible, have someone distract the animal so it doesn’t turn to keep an eye on you.

However, if that’s not possible, take off your shirt and use it as a blindfold (or use a towel). Throw your shirt on the top of the gator’s head, making sure to cover its eyes. Without sight, the alligator is much slower to react.

Draw a straight line down the alligator’s head and back, and tail if possible. Get a running start down that line and, staying low, leap onto the animal with hands extended forward. You want your hands to land at the alligator’s neck, between the back of its jaws and the front legs. When you land on the animal, push down with all your might on the neck to force the head to the ground.

Alligators open their mouths the same way humans do. That means the bottom jaw moves—the top doesn’t. By pinning the head to the ground, you’re preventing the jaws from opening.

You should be high on the gator’s back, near the front shoulders. Your knees should touch the ground but squeeze the animal’s flanks. The lower part of your legs should be pinning the hind legs while keeping the feet from touching the ground.

Keeping the rear legs from the ground helps prevent the alligator from “death rolling” (spinning around violently). When an alligator does this, you’ve lost control of the animal.

Step Two: Getting Control of the Mouth
Once on the gator, it’s important to gain control of the mouth. Both hands should still be firmly on the alligator’s neck, pressing down hard with your full body weight.

Rule of thumb: you’re not going to hurt the alligator, but it can certainly hurt you. Always use all your strength. But remember, technique is more important than brute force.

Rotate the dominate hand (right or left) forward. Remain in contact with the alligator and keep pressing down as you slide the hand forward down the middle of the alligator’s head. You want to cover both eyes with your hand. Alligators retract their eyes into the skull, so just coming into contact with them should be enough. Again, you’re blinding the animal to give yourself the advantage.

Now, press down on the eyes with all your weight. Again, pin the head to the ground to prevent its jaws from opening. Slide your other hand forward and down and run it along the bottom jaw line. Put your fingers under the gator’s jaw and you’ll feel soft skin around bone. With fingers under the jaw and palm and thumb on top, grip firmly.

All of an alligator’s jaw power is on the down stroke. They have almost no muscle power when it comes to opening their jaws. What that means is that you can hold the animal’s mouth shut with one hand. It doesn’t mean you should hold it closed with one hand, though.

Still keeping the head pinned to the ground, slide the hand covering the eyes down until it too can hook the lower jaw.

Both hands should now be holding the mouth shut.

Step Three: Submission
Lift the alligator’s head off the ground and toward your chest. Once the head is at close to a ninety degree angle, the gator can no longer fight back.

Congratulations, you’ve just wrestled an alligator into submission.

Step Four: Getting Away
Now comes the tricky part… How do you get off?

When you’ve saved your lady love, it’s time to release the animal and make a quick retreat.

Push the alligator’s head back to the ground. Slide the dominant hand back into a position to cover the eyes. Pushing down with the dominant hand, slide your other hand back along the jaw until it is pressing against the neck. Slide your dominant hand back from the eyes to the neck. You should be in the same position now that you were in when you first jumped onto the animal.

Take your knees off the ground and get your feet under you, so you’re squatting on the gator’s back. Keep your legs tight against the gator’s body. It’s much more difficult for the alligator to bite you when you’re on its back than when you’re off to the side. If the animal struggles, push down again. Don’t let the animal struggle free.

Grip around the neck. In one motion, throw the alligator as far forward as you can while you jump back. Depending on the alligator’s weight, you might not be able to throw the animal far and that’s okay. Six inches may be all you need to throw it forward. By throwing the animal forward you’re putting it off balance and giving yourself more time to escape.

Jump back as far as you can, and then keep moving backward. The gator is likely to turn and open its mouth at you and snarl or hiss. Let it. Keep your eyes on it and slowly back away. If the gator chases you, run directly away from it in a straight line. It will quickly grow tired and turn back to the water.

That’s how to wrestle an alligator.

Now you too can be like Michael Douglas in Romancing the Stone or Tarzan. You can save your Jane.

Friday Wishin' I Was Fishin' Pics...

Dave & Warren Killin' Some Neil!

Size Matters

Anyone who has fished for any length of time knows size matters. Whether your quarry is stripped bass, large chrome, or freshwater bones stories are relived in inches, feet if the gods smile on you. The more I fish, the more I find myself chasing scenery. The quest for solitude will take you to some amazing places, and while the big browns are moving in the tailwaters, and rivers where the fishing is nut to butt… I’ve come to the conclusion that size, well… it really doesn’t matter.

J

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Friday Pin Up...

Behold Layla the FLY German Shorthair Pointer. Go ahead girl... do ya damn thang!

And You Wonder Why He Hasn't Asked...

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