Important meetings on fishing access- Flint River

[NCHillbilly]

(Sidebar fact)

Ranch owner.

Iron Bar Holdings LLC and its owner, Fred Eshelman of North Carolina.....Billionaire

Yep. He tried to push it, and it backfired on him, bigtime. Just got done listening to the Meateater podcast where they had the lawyer for the corner-crossers on interviewing him.

 

[Liberty]

Those kind of jerks will cause bad things to happen like “right to cross the land” as is the case some places overseas where there is essentially no such thing as trespassing unless the person is doing something else other than walking. Too big a push by elites eventually causes backlashes by the masses.

 

[oliver bass]

Battle over fishing rights on Flint River sends ripples across Georgia

YELLOW JACKET SHOALS, Upson County, Ga. — Scott Ellington has followed his love of fishing around the world, from the Seychelles off the east coast of Africa to Kodiak, Alaska. But the Flint River, with its swirling eddies and famously feisty shoal bass, ranks among his favorite places.

www.ajc.com

 

[cowhornedspike]

As hard as it is to say this, that is a good article in the Atlanta mullet wrapper.

 

[longrangedog]

 

[fredw]

So, can we fish Yellowjacket shoals?

 

[cowhornedspike]

I didn't hear anything in this meeting that makes me think that we will be able to.

 

[fredw]

I didn't either.

 

[FloridaFF]

The rights of private property owners prevailed. Recommendation number one should establish which rivers are navigable based on the current Georgia Code and historical definitions.

 

[cowhornedspike]

The rights of private property owners prevailed. Recommendation number one should establish which rivers are navigable based on the current Georgia Code and historical definitions.

That is the only thing they really recommended that does anything about this issue. Even though I don't agree with the status quo, I will be glad IF they actually define the rivers according to GA code rather than simply assuming that the COE map is adequate without regard to GA code.

 

[FloridaFF]

The recommendation for removing the Public Trust Doctrine from SB 115 is a strong statement. The lawyers represented at each meeting made it clear that the doctrine is troublesome (slippery slope).

 

[cowhornedspike]

Just as a refresher; here is the wording of SB 115 currently:

“The General Assembly finds that the state procured ownership of all navigable stream beds within its jurisdiction upon statehood and, as sovereign, is trustee of its peoples’ rights to use and enjoy all navigable streams capable of use for fishing, hunting, passage, navigation, commerce, and transportation, pursuant to the common law public trust doctrine. The state continues to hold title to all such stream beds, except where title in a private party originates from a valid Crown or state grant before 1863. The General Assembly further finds that the public retained the aforementioned rights under such doctrine even where private title to beds originates from a valid grant.”

 

[Throwback]

That is the only thing they really recommended that does anything about this issue. Even though I don't agree with the status quo, I will be glad IF they actually define the rivers according to GA code rather than simply assuming that the COE map is adequate without regard to GA code.

I believe many years ago there was a list in DNR LE policy manual stating what rivers were navigable and at what point it stopped.

 

[lampern]

https://www.house.ga.gov/Documents/CommitteeDocuments/2023/House%20Study%20Committee%20on%20Fishing%20Access%20to%20Freshwater%20Resources/HR_519_Fishing_Study_Committee_Report_Signed.pdf

Final report

 

[kayaksteve]

Id bet nothing much gets clarified and this just fades away and gets forgot about

 

[NCHillbilly]

Id bet nothing much gets clarified and this just fades away and gets forgot about

Money talks.

 

[Semi-Pro]

So basically the conclusion is nothing, and have some more meetings about the same questions.

 

[lampern]

So basically the conclusion is nothing, and have some more meetings about the same questions.

Exempt the streams where money talks from the navigable waters and increase fines for trespassing.

Thats what I get out of it.

Question is, what streams get classifed as 'non navigable'?

 

[pbradley]

15 pages is a lot. All I need to know is: can I wade Flat Shoals without getting shot or arrested?

 

[JustUs4All]

It would need to be a dark night.