ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Sunday, August 25, 1996 TAG: 9608270023
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C-9 EDITION: METRO
COLUMN: OUTDOORS
SOURCE: BILL COCHRAN
The Jackson River flows out of the depth of Gathright Dam, cold and clear, a fully born trout stream with rainbows and browns finning around the downstream rocks and riffles.
There are days when a dozen or more fly anglers fish the tailrace, their chest waders cutting the swift current, their graphite rods swishing line through the air that carries flies only a little larger than wind-blown specks.
Alongside the fly anglers are bait fishermen, often dry shod on the bank, their closed-faced spinning reels loping nightcrawlers into the pools.
Despite the obvious differences in their approach to trout fishing, the two groups appear to coexist peacefully, but it is an uneasy brotherhood. This past week, Trout Unlimited asked the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries to designate the Jackson from Gathright Dam downstream to the Westvaco Dam at Covington for fishing only with artificial lures bearing single hooks.
``Our members watch people repeatedly catch trout on bait and return them to the Jackson River seriously injured, and they often find fish there with damaged gills or throats or other injuries from rough handling that are obvious causes of death,'' said Tom Evans, a spokesman for the Virginia Council of Trout Unlimited.
In a catch-and-release stream such as the Jackson, where no trout can be kept, artificial lures are easier on fish than bait, Evans said.
The request was made with a barb of contention. Evans said TU members believe the state's trout program places emphasis on 9-inch put-and-take trout at the expense of providing trophy-fishing opportunities. TU has been requesting an artificials-only regulation on the Jackson tailrace for two years without success, he said. Some 15 other TU recommendations also have been overlooked, he told board members of the game and fish department.
At TU's request, the board proposed an artificials-only regulation for the Jackson and will vote on it in October, following a series of 10 public hearings across the state that will address recommended changes in fishing regulations.
Controversy on the Jackson is nothing new. In June, the Virginia Supreme Court heard arguments from landowners and fishermen over whether the public has a right to fish the steam. A court decision is expected later this year.
Gary Martel, fish division chief for the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries, said his staff had been told by state lawyers to hold off on proposals for the Jackson until after the court's ruling.
The fish division has discussed proposing a variety of regulations for the Jackson, which could range from trophy fishing in some sections to put-and-take sport in others.
In the meantime, the trout population is prospering under the current regulation, Martel said.
``At this time, biological samples are showing that population levels are very high in some of the areas that are most heavily fished,'' he said.
``Claims that the Jackson River trout population is growing at an acceptable rate, in spite of any bait-related deaths, are not sufficient justification to continue this practice,'' Evans said of bait fishing. ``The great minds of the Supreme Court would not become confused by an action to correct this distressful problem.''
The appearance of Evans before the board followed a stormy TU council meeting a week earlier.
``We need to do a better job with TU,'' said Fred Leckie, assistant fish division chief. ``If we have a constituency group that is upset, we need to deal with that.''
The TU artificials-only recommendation for the Jackson isn't expected to be received with glee by bait fishermen who enjoy working the stream. The trout program must consider their feelings and interests, too, Martel said.
LENGTH: Medium: 71 linesby CNB