10/18/23 GA House Meeting Update
Rodney Tumlin, local Cohutta chapter member and Chairman for The Georgia Council of Trout Unlimited, recently advocated for all of us and something many anglers take for granted: Georgia Stream Access. Hear what he had to say at 1:30:45 in the video or read the transcript below:
Stream Access Meeting
Gentlemen, my name is Rodney Tumlin and I am the Chairman for The Georgia Council of Trout Unlimited. Thus far, I have attended the first 3 meetings you have held. Thank you for allowing me to speak today. I will be brief. We have over 4,000 dues paying members in the state of Georgia and over 300,000 members nationwide. We are a cold-water conservation organization that was formed 64 years ago to ensure the health of trout, their habitat and the sport of angling.
Our Mission is to bring together diverse interests to care for and recover rivers and streams so our children can experience the joy of wild and native trout and salmon.
Here in Georgia, we have a long and successful working relationship with the Forest Service, Fish and Wildlife, Park Service, and Georgia’s Department of Natural Resources. Each year, we work on stream restoration projects, youth education programs such as TIC. We support college and high school 5 Rivers clubs, we conduct clinics for veterans, first responders, cancer survivors, scouts, seniors, handicap anglers and the list goes on. I tell you this, not to brag, but rather to show you the commitment we have to our mission.
You also have a mission. A difficult mission! We understand and appreciate the monumental task that you have before you. Your decision will have an impact on fishing in Georgia for generations to come.
From what I have gathered in my research on this topic, the question of property rights and fishing access will be determined by how this committee defines navigability. On the larger rivers and streams in the
piedmont and coastal plain, the question of navigability seems somewhat straight forward. However, in the trout water of North Georgia, our smaller, faster, colder rivers and streams pose a different set of considerations. We have a trophy trout fishing industry that has developed on many of our smaller rivers and creeks which by common sense, are Non navigable. This multi-million-dollar industry is dependent on the ability of property owners to restrict access to waters that flow through their property where they own both sides of the stream bank. I urge you to consider this as you determine navigability.
Here in North Ga., We are blessed with tens of thousands of acres of public land that offer access for over 170,000 licensed trout fishermen. State and federal hatcheries keep the rivers and streams on these lands stocked with over a million trout each year!
As you move forward in the decision-making process, I pray that you consider the uniqueness of our part of Southern Appalachia. I pray that you can come up with a reasonable and defendable definition of navigability that protects both property rights of landowners and public access to our rivers and streams. You have a monumental task before you that will have a generational impact. Thank you for your time and hard work on this difficult job!
Rodney Tumlin
Chairman, Georgia Council of Trout Unlimited