Days GON By December 2017

Each month we turn back the clock to see what was being reported in the pages of GON, 30, 20 and 10 years ago. Here’s a look back at what appeared in GON.

30 Years Ago: December 1987

Lake Jackson: Cold-water Hawg Heaven: This article from 30 years ago says, “It seems that the reputation of Lake Jackson at this time of year is well known: Jackson is an excellent place to catch a big bass during November, December and January. Most bass club tournaments will have at least one bass weighing more than 7 pounds during November and December.”

December 1987: GON writer Ronnie Garrison with a 7-lb., 4-oz. largemouth he caught on Jackson Lake 30 years ago.

The young guns on the bass trails these days may read this and scratch their heads, but Jackson used to be a bucketmouth factory in the wintertime. In fact, GON  fielded a call from an old-timer last month who bragged about the heyday of Lake Jackson. He once caught 10 bass in an afternoon that went 77 pounds. There are several stories like that we’ve heard through the years. “Spots have taken over the lake and changed everything,” the caller said.

December 1997: Blake Voltz, of Columbus, with his 231 2/8-inch Muscogee County buck that is currently the No. 4 best non-typical buck ever killed in Georgia.

20 Years Ago: December 1997

Muscogee County 32-pointer: Blake Voltz, of Columbus, knocked down a giant, 32-point Muscogee County buck that later netted 231 2/8 non-typical inches. Today, it’s the No. 4 best non-typical ever scored in Georgia.

An outdoor tip: Dave Pritchett, of Valdosta, provided this. “Many deer hunters hunt alone and have difficulty getting their deer from the ground to the truck bed. Not many of us can lift 200 pounds of dead weight.

“To overcome this, I carry a 6 1/2- foot deer-stand-type ladder in the back of my truck. To load the deer, I simply put the ladder on the ground, roll the deer onto the ladder and then lift one end up to the tailgate. With one end propped on the tailgate, I then walk to the other end and lift it up and slide the deer into the truck bed. No more backaches.”

Terrible Champion of Champions: A 256-boat tournament on West Point, the Champion of Champions, only had two limits of bass weighed in during the two-day event, which seems nearly impossible no matter what the weather or lake is doing.

“A rising muddy river shut down the action,” the article stated.

The winning team caught their  fish using jigs in Wehadkee Creek.

10 Years Ago: December 1997

Interesting Calls to WRD (written by former WRD Game management biologist Steve Ruckel: A woman called the WRD Game Management office one day and asked if they could come out and  fix a pinball machine.

“‘Ma’am, this is the Department of Natural Resources,” the secretary replied.

“Well,” the caller snorted, “It says right here in the phone book, ‘Game Management,’ and ain’t pinball a game?’”