RECREATION
a tournament. I believe there are
as many now, but they’re smarter.”
“This is the only place I’ve ever
fished that you can’t pattern fish,”
said Glenn Gordon of Jones County, explaining that you can fish
the day before to find the pattern
of where the bass are swimming
in most lakes but not at Juliette.
He thinks it is because there is
no river flowing into Juliette a nd
therefore no current. “It is probably
the hardest in Georgia, like a big
pond. One day it makes you feel
like a genius and the next like you
don’t know how to fish.”
Hencely said he loves to fish
so much that he has callouses
from holding a rod and sometimes
wakes up dreaming that he is fishing. Stanley said there is nothing
like the excitement of pulling in a
big bass in a tournament. They
remembered one Sunday tournament when a group of Atlanta area
fishermen showed up thinking
Large boulders on Lake Juliette’s shore makes for some fun jumping in the summertime. Above, from left, Rylan Woodell, Jaden
they would show up the regular
Bankston and McLane Smith plunge into the water.
Lake Juliette fishermen. Over 40
Turkey hunters come to the
one monthly tournament in all
3 p.m. when they come out for
boats signed up for the tournacampground in March, often
that time. He enjoys the lake so
weighing the fish. Families of the
ment that day.
bringing children for the youth
much that he moved to Juliette a
fishermen show up then to see the “We scorched their fannies,”
hunting days on the Rum Creek
few years ago, and he has taken
day’s results.
recalled Hencely.
wildlife refuge that surrounds
At the July tournament, the
over as the go-to man for the
Stanley said the tournament
Lake Juliette. Duck hunters come bass tournaments since his good
biggest fish of the day weighed in
is usually like a brotherhood, with
to stay at the Dames Ferry camp- friend, Greg Putnal, passed away
at 6.99 pounds, the biggest total
a combination of folks who have
ground in September when their
catch at 22.83 pounds, just beating come for many years and a good
in March.
season is open. Some people
out a competitor at 22.68 pounds. assortment of newer anglers from
Car tags seen at the Dames
rent the pavilion for weddings,
“I could use a fork lift,” said
Ferry boat ramp during the July
around the states.
reunions, graduation parties,
Scott as he lifted the big load onto “It’s a real nice lake, different
27 tournament found cars from
baptism celebrations or company
Jones, Lamar, Bibb, Bulloch,
the scales.
from Oconee, Sinclair, Jackson,
parties. A group gets together
Houston, Forsyth and Monroe
The big fish netted the angler
where it’s like you’re fishing in
to play blue grass music at the
counties, and Scott said there are
$75, while the biggest total catch
someone’s back yard,” said Scott.
pavilion regularly, and Cesar joins usually some regulars from Stone
for the day was worth $322. There He said people also fish from the
the other musicians in adding
were cash payouts for second and lake’s banks, often surrounded by
Mountain. There are normally
music to the tranquil atmosphere. 15-25 fishermen who team up and third places, too. Wiley Hencely
trees as they fish.
But the attraction for most visitors pay $60 per boat. There is 100
of Monroe County recorded the
Scott has seen good years
is simply the lake and surrounding percent payback in prize money,
weights as they came in. He said
and off years for fishing at Lake
forests.
he has been coming to Lake
including a bigger payback at
Juliette. He said the record catch
“They like the peacefulness,”
Juliette since before it opened to
the the Classic in October. The
in a tournament was five fish that
said Cesar. “The only noise is the
the public, which he estimated
participants accumulate points by
weighed in at 32 pounds. The
highway.”
the weight of the fish, and the top
was about 1982.
15.9 lb. record large mouth bass
15 boats are invited to the Classic. “It has produced more
for Lake Juliette was caught the
Stanley Scott has been fishing The boats put into Lake
10-pound bass than I can remem- first or second year after the lake
in bass tournaments at Lake
ber,” said Hencely. “It’s the only
Juliette at “safe daylight,” usually
opened. Strictly artificial bait is
Juliette for 17 years, missing only about 6:30-7 a.m. and fish until
place I can remember with three in used in the tournaments.
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