Columbia County is widely known as a preferred destination for anglers, but most of them don't spend their dollars in local motels, according to a marketing survey conducted for the Convention & Visitors Bureau.

"Amazingly enough, we have a 66.2 overall occupancy, filled with a majority of business travelers," said Beda Johnson, the bureau's executive director. Military travelers are the second largest spenders, followed by small percentages of convention attendees and those on sports and leisure trips.

"Anglers are in that small group with sports and leisure," Johnson said.

The survey results prompted the county to alter its marketing strategy, which in past years has involved allocating the majority of its marketing budget to luring anglers.

Next year, those funds -- about $15,000 -- will be spread around to attract other groups.

Anglers, she added, are already visiting the county in huge numbers and will continue that trend in future years.

During 2010, for example, ESPN's Bassmaster Elite Series is coming back to Wildwood Park, as it has several times already. The event is scheduled for May 20-23. Also on the calendar is a major FLW tournament Sept. 16-20 that will be aired on Fox Network.

Such events also help market Columbia County to a national audience, Johnson said.

The marketing survey about motel patronage also bolsters a point that county officials have been making for more than a decade now: lodging is needed at Thurmond Lake.

"If we had a place up there, it would be a slam-dunk," she said. "This shows a need for lodging at the lake."

ANOTHER PANTHER? Georgia officials confirmed last week that additional panther sightings are under investigation in Troup County, where a cat killed last fall by a deer hunter was found to be an authentic Florida panther.

"These are citizen reports, and we're doing what we can to look into them, but so far we haven't come up with anything concrete in the way of evidence," said Melissa Cummings, spokeswoman for the Georgia Wildlife Resources Division.

The most recent report came in last week. "Someone reported seeing one seven or eight miles east of where the earlier cat was shot," she said. "We weren't able to substantiate anything, though."

About six weeks ago, another sighting came from the same region. "That one reported a panther being seen north of LaGrange," she said. "It was seen drinking from a pond, but again -- there was no physical evidence to back it up."

Wildlife biologists even placed trail cameras in the area, hoping to confirm what was reported. But they had no luck. "We will continue to check out all the reports," Cumming said.

Federal law enforcement authorities are continuing to evaluate whether charges should be filed against the deer hunter who killed the panther last Nov. 16 at West Point lake. Although the cat was confirmed by DNA tests to be a Florida panther, authorities still have not ruled out the possibility it had been kept in captivity.

PADDLEFEST TIME: Registration is under way for one of the best floating parties of the year.

Paddlefest is scheduled for Saturday, Aug. 29, and will include a canoe and kayak race that begins at the Augusta Canal headgates area; and a homemade raft competition that will launch from the North Augusta boat landing.

Preregistration is $35, or $45 the day of the event and includes a one-year membership to Savannah Riverkeeper, along with a water bottle and other items donated by sponsors.

To find out more details, visit paddlefestga.com.

HUNTING ALREADY? Saturday marked the opening of two of the region's earliest hunting seasons: squirrel in Georgia and whitetail deer in lower South Carolina.

Beanfield hunters can expect another good year in areas like Aiken County, which ranked among the state's top three trophy buck counties in 2008.

In Georgia, whitetail season is still a few weeks away, but small game fanciers are welcome to brave the hot weather for squirrels.

The daily limit is 12 and the season runs through Feb. 28, 2010.