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>> This is a largemouth black bass.
Take a good look at it.
It's special not because of its size, but because it comes from
a very special kind of lake, a community lake.
In many communities once miles from good fishing waters,
sparkling manmade lakes form new recreation centers.
These lakes are the result of cooperation between local citizens
and the Conservation Commission.
Each one begins with the interest of local citizens who appreciate
the wholesome recreation a good water area can provide.
From this simple beginning stretches a long chain of events linked by
a lot of work for the great day when the idea becomes reality.
Let's see how this comes about.
The first step in creating a lake is to secure community backing.
Then local leaders contact the Conservation Commission
for technical advice in selecting the best available site.
Experienced commission engineers can save a lot of time and trouble
by examining a topographic map.
From the map's contour lines they can spot good possibilities
and rule out poor ones.
A deep ravine is a poor location for a lake and can be eliminated.
With most of the poor choices discarded,
local leaders and a conservation agent examine
the best possibilities in the field.
Topography is only one problem.
Other features may show up on the ground.
Ledge rock can cause trouble,
it raises construction costs and can cause leaks.
The choice is narrowed.
This site looks promising, let's check it closely.
The map shows a good basin, gentle slope,
narrow neck for the dam and the ground bears this out.
Looks like a good bet.
The next thing is to see if the land owner will sell.
If he's agreeable an option is taken pending tests of the site.
A hand clasp seals the bargain.
With acquisition likely Conservation Commission engineers
make a preliminary survey of the dam site
and the potential water area.
Test borings are made to see if the soil will hold water
and if it's suitable for building a watertight dam.
This core sample shows good clay, fine for dam building.
The findings are favorable and Conservation Commission engineers
approve the site and that of course makes news.
Now it's up to the local leaders, the approved project must be
further sold to the community and funds raised to buy the land.
That's the community's part in this cooperative program.
Photos of lakes in other communities are good sales materials.
But much of the selling is person to person contact
with the best salesmen those who know that a community
isn't just buildings and streets.
Contacting people takes footwork,
but such personal interviews are chances to answer questions
and to describe the many benefits a good lake can bring to an area.
Fishing, picnicking, sunlight on water,
the feeling of a community creation.
These are the things that interest most citizens
in getting a lake nearby.
It takes hard cash to buy the necessary land,
but when many are interested
their contributions soon mount up to the sum needed.
After the citizens have purchased the land
the warranty deeds are given to the Conservation Commission.
The commission will plan and construct the dam
and all the facilities needed.
Draftsmen convert the information from preliminary surveys
to specification figures.
Then they draw plans for excavations,
elevations and many other details.
When they are through the plan is ready for field use.
The site of the dam and spill way,
and the water levels are carefully laid out.
Modern lake building is a precision job
and the numbers on each stake
tell the construction crew what they need to know.
All locations are staked out exactly where they will fall.
With the paper plan transferred to the land, the big machinery goes into action.
Clearing timber isn't the job it was in grandfather's day,
most work is done now with power tools.
But the old cry, "timber!" is still standard warning.
With the big cat unleashing its tremendous power,
a tree is pushed out of the way almost as fast as it falls.
Once the dam site is cleared, a deep trench is dug,
down below any loose soil,
sand or gravel that might permit water to leak out.
This trench is then filled with a core of the best clay available nearby.
The core acts as a water barrier
and also gives strength to the entire dam.
No two dams are alike.
They vary according to the lay of the land
and the planned size of the lake.
Big dams require heavy equipment to move and pack dirt efficiently
and to meet many problems that come up on a job of this size.
Technical knowhow is important too,
along with a background of lake building experience.
More than anything else perhaps,
the development of big, powerful machinery
has boosted the construction of community lakes.
Even before men and machines are done,
runoff from rainfall has begun to collect in the basin.
The water, muddy at first, clears soon after the lake is full.
Trees are left not only along the shore line, but in the water.
These snags provide hiding places for fish and attract fishermen.
Jetties give bank fishermen easy access to deep water.
Roadways and ramps make it easy to launch and remove boats.
As soon as there is enough water to support fish
often before the lake is completely filled,
Conservation Commission fisheries crews move in
to make the first stocking of fish.
Fish are stocked in spring and fall,
with only those species being plant that had are best suited to the lake.
Largemouth black bass do well in our lakes,
these bass fingerlings will soon grow to fulfill the angler's dream.
The water temperature in the truck and the lake
must be checked to see if they agree
so as to not shock the fish upon release.
If they're within a safe limit
a large hose from the fish tank is placed in the lake.
Valves are opened permitting
the young bass to flow from the tank into the lake.
In addition to largemouth black bass,
other suitable species are stocked as they are available.
After the fish are released a community representative signs
a receipt for them which becomes part of the lake's official record.
But stocking does not end the interest
of the Conservation Commission in a new lake.
Fisheries technicians check growth rates and survival of fish.
The original stock grows fast.
Six months after release the fish have reached a respectable size.
An electric sein, a comb of dangling wires
electrified by a portable generator is used in making periodic checks.
It shocks the fish mildly,
stunning them long enough to permit examination.
From these fish scale samples are taken,
rings on the scales show the rate of growth.
The fish are measured and weighed,
this two pound bass is only two years old.
Tags identify the fish if caught later.
The fish are released unharmed.
It usually takes two years for a lake to be ready for good fishing,
meanwhile under winter's chill waters
the development of the manmade habitat continues.
Migrating Canada geese mark the passing of the seasons
and herald a new resting place along their ancient fly way. (geese honking)
Finally the great day arrives,
the last link in the chain of the lake's development.
"Community fishing lake opens here tomorrow."
By word of mouth, TV, radio, and newspaper,
the news spreads to fishermen; it's a call to action.
These lakes are open to the entire fishing public,
every fisherman who buys a fishing permit has a stake in it.
His money has helped the Conservation Commission
finance the cost of construction and stocking.
People of all ages and both sexes come to enjoy the sport.
There's relaxation to be had as well as fishing.
Adults savor the anticipation as much as kids do
the opportunity to catch some fish.
Regulations are as simple as possible,
for community lakes are designed for all the people without distinction.
Bringing a lake right into the community
helps make the use of it a family affair.
The parents take the opportunity to introduce the kids to a sport
that they themselves enjoy so much.
Fishing is a nice change from house work
and years are no handicap to its enjoyment.
The older folks relive their youth using the methods learned
at the old fishing hole in years gone by.
And those methods are just as effective now as then.
Where bluegill are abundant, taking plenty of them out
is good management as well as good fun.
Otherwise they overcrowd and stay small.
But mother's having a real tussle.
"Pa, quit fooling with them little fish
and give me a hand with this thing."
Wouldn't you know it,
mother caught the biggest fish, a nice channel cat.
A balanced stocking of channel cat, bass, and bluegill
give fishermen a chance at a variety of fish and sport.
And there's plenty of fine eating here too.
More and more women are turning to the sport of fishing;
and why shouldn't they?
Nearly one third of our anglers are women.
A shared interest makes for closer companionship,
which in turn enriches both family and community life.
Here's a fine stringer of fish.
Largemouth black bass, bluegills, and red eared sunfish.
A good lake affords many enjoyments.
One of these is the thrill of a contest
between a thin line and a thick bass.
Another enjoyment is the simple pleasure of being outdoors,
doing something different and relaxing.
This one would look good on any man's string.
The small boy fisherman
is a cherished figure in American folk lore.
There's something encouraging in the sight of a youngster
engaged in such wholesome activity.
As long as his interest and need for action are claimed by fishing,
he's not likely to be drawn into less desirable pursuits.
And the bond of companionship forged between brothers
makes for better relationships now and in the years to come.
The community lake fulfills other roles than fishing.
It attracts many kinds of wildlife and observing these creatures
gives pleasure and information to many people.
The red-winged black bird adds color and song
to the lake's other charms.
Its nest is built in cattails above the water.
The wood duck, which nests in hollow trees,
finds a community lake a good place to rear its young.
But fishing's the main object and success depends
on knowing how to use the right baits.
Insects like this cicada are often available on the spot.
And some fishermen use them effectively as live bait.
They should be hooked lightly through the shell
so they can flutter freely attracting fish.
Fish are accustomed to feeding on insects
that fall in the water, so insects make good bait.
This nice bluegill proves the effectiveness of the choice.
It will weight a quarter pound easy.
Minnows, a natural food of many fish, are another favorite.
That old stand by the earthworm is probably the best known
and most used natural bait
for the most kinds of fish the country over.
Spitting on the bait is a good idea too.
Obviously it works.
But when fish are biting,
they'll take a bait with or without this extra touch.
You can bet that with results like this
the boy will be spitting on his bait from now on.
On the other extreme from the bait fisherman
is the angler who uses nothing but artificial lures,
often created by himself.
The lures are supposed to imitate natural foods,
but some resemble nothing that walks, crawls, or flies on this earth.
This fisherman really has bugs on his bonnet.
From the looks of it this community lake offers him
about as many varieties of fishing spots as he has different lures.
The idea here is to drop this top water bug
on the far side of a clear area where a bass may be lurking.
He retrieves his lure slowly, jerking it like a struggling insect.
Wow! That fellow means business!
Uh-Oh, the line's caught in the weeds
where a lunge could break it.
What this guy ought to do --
what I ought to do is stop kibitzing, he knows what he's doing.
The line is loose from the snag.
Play it cool; you're doing all right.
He made it.
It's tricky to handle a fish like that in the brush with a fly rod;
many an angler has lost a prize there.
But here it is, a fitting trophy from a community lake.
Now there's a lad with his hands full.
He's tied onto a big one.
Let's see how he's going to handle it.
That spinning outfit he's using is stringier than a casting rod
and gives plenty of action.
From the way the rod tip is bending this fish is really a nice one.
If more fishermen used nets
there'd be fewer stories about the big one that got away.
It's almost unbelievable,
but these three and a half pound bass are only two years old.
They've grown fast on the abundant food provided by this lake.
In less fertile water growth is much slower.
This fellow's been snagging big ones.
Hey mister, what's that rig you're using?
This is a jointed strip of dyed pork called a black eel.
It's fished slowly, bumped off the bottom.
It's good when fish are lying deep.
But let's see some other kinds of lures.
Plugs like this can be fished at medium depth.
Others like this are deep running baits.
There are many more like this surface popper for top water fishing.
A few days after the excitement of first opening,
things quiet down and serious fishermen can find secluded coves
and stalk the big ones that
usually stay in hiding when there's too much disturbance.
These wise ones have to be approached quietly,
especially when using a surface lure as this fisherman is.
He's after it. Nope, he's changed his mind.
Maybe he'll be back.
Missed!
But this fellow's anxious, he'll try it again.
No time to get excited.
Put the popper right back in the same place,
not too fast now.
Got him!
Man, he's active, look at him go!
Good light tackle responds to every tug of the fish
and to every reaction of the fisherman
making it a contest of skill against desperate energy.
Sometimes an excited angler will grab his line to hoist the fish in.
That's not smart;
a sudden jerk could break the line or tear out the hook.
But a fish played until he's spent is easily landed.
This popper is a scarred veteran of many such battles.
Our lives have become increasingly tuned to a faster tempo of living
as there are more people and more machines
and more restrictions.
This speed results in nervous strain that can be relieved only by relaxation.
Relaxation from noise and hurry and restraints.
A way from the accelerated pace of living we have adopted.
In the outdoors, in a boat, on a lake, time slows down
and our tempo changes from the rat race chasing
of a thousand objectives, to the simple pursuit of a fish.
Nerves relax as we turn from what society says
we have to do to what we like to do.
And in the sport of fishing all people are equal,
regardless of age or sex or position in life.
Blue water, warm sun,
and just the chance to tangle with a fish are all we could ask.
And the thrill of a strike and the excitement of the battle
make us forget all our other worries in complete absorption
with the simple contest between a man and a fish.
This is not the face of a man troubled by worldly cares.
In his moment of final triumph
he is, for this little while, completely happy.
This is relaxation, a relaxation available to more and more people
as the community lake program expands.
There's an added pleasure in this program too,
from the realization by the people that they had an important part
in bringing sport and fish like this to their community.
Could we take one more look at those fish?
Real dandies, and you earned them sure enough.
You and your fellow citizens when you
and the Conservation Commission built a lake for your community.