The fishing destination is Weldon where the shad are biting

Tight Lines

March 16, 2012

The fishing destination is Weldon where the shad are biting

FOR THE DAILY SOUTHERNER Rick Goines The Daily Southerner Fri Mar 16, 2012, 02:44 PM EDT

TARBORO — The Roanoke River at Weldon is a wonderful, abundant fishery. During Shad and Rockfish season, it’s a good place to hang out. March and April, I spend so much time in Halifax County I joke that I should have my mail forwarded there. I usually fish until exhausted, saving just enough energy to limp home. Those back road farmers between Tarboro and Weldon know my old red Jeep, and always give me a toothy grin and a big wave.

Last weekend, my brother, Charles, drove down from Maryland, and met me in Weldon to chase some shad. We had a large time catching White Shad. We caught a few Hickory Shad, but mostly “Whites” were the blue-plate special of the day. My Jimmy D Custom Shad Rig with a gold spoon and orange jig was the catnip. Surprisingly, I caught more on the orange jig than I did the gold spoon. I was also throwing a secret weapon provided by a friend. It was a custom painted red spoon with glitter. It should be named, “The Shad Killer.” I even caught a Racoon Perch which was a first for me in the Roanoke River.

It was a mystery to me why the White Shad have recently invaded the Roanoke River at Weldon until someone clued me in. The Tar River at Rocky Mount has always had a good rep for White Shad. This did not go unnoticed by the boys at the Wildlife Resources Commission. They sent the shock guys to stun some Tar River White Shad at Rocky Mount, tank’em, breed’em, and relocate the fry to the Roanoke River at Weldon.

Sources tell me that this has been going on for a couple of years. Apparently, the program is working because White Shad are chewing up the rigs at Weldon these days.

Tight Lines regular reader, Pastor Gary Bateman, fishes the Tar and the Roanoke River at Weldon frequently, and he says he has never seen so many White Shad. I consider Rev. Bateman an expert on White Shad. The man catches his fair share of “Whites,” and also mine and yours, too. I hope to meet Gary in Weldon soon to watch him perform a little White Shad magic. Between Gary and his fishing pal, Chuck Riddle, those White Shad hardly have a fair chance. These guys can flat-out catch some fish.

Hotspot of the Week – It’s all about shad out there. Because of the mild winter, shad season started early this year. I hope I’m wrong, but I think that means it will end early, too. Drat!

Rick’s Soapbox – You have until 5:30 this Friday evening March 16th to sign-up for the 11th Annual TASS Hickory Shad Tournament. Roberson & Dupree Shoe Store, or TASS Central as I call it, is your headquarters. This weeklong fun tournament is not to be missed. I look forward to it every year.

Shad Hole Shout Out – Say hello to Al Keen. Al is a Shad Hole regular, and all-around nice guy. Born in Wilson, and raised in Tarboro, Al has been fishing the Tar River for 10 years. Recently retired from DOT, Al has a little extra time these days to throw his favorite dart and spoon tandem rig. Wife, Brenda and daughter, Michelle, know where to find Al during shad season. Al is always helpful and supportive of his Shad Hole buddies.

Catching fish? Tell us about it. Better yet, send us a picture with all the details. We love to hear from you at CarolinaAngler@Gmail.com.

See you on the water, my friend!

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Tight Lines

Banner Day at Battle Park
Sunday was Mother’s Day. I am not a mother, but I played one in a school play years ago, so I figured that entitled me to go fishing on Mother’s Day. Need an excuse or rationalization to go fishing? Check with me, I’ve got plenty!
After suffering through 2-3 days of a rain induced swollen, unfishable Tar River at Battle Park in Rocky Mount, it was jackpot time on Sunday. Without a doubt, I had my best white shad fishing day ever, fishing from sunrise to early evening. Action was good all day, with a little lull for about 2-hours in the heat of the afternoon.
I am proud to report to you that I enjoyed a 50-fish day. I caught a personal best 46 white shad, 3 hickory shad, and foul-hooked a very angry, upset 3-foot gar. I thought I had two large white shad, or maybe a big rockfish, so I was a little surprised to see Mr. Gar. It was like reeling in an uncooperative 2x4 piece of lumber.

May 17, 2013
NCWRC enforcement officers doing a great job
North Carolina Wildlife Resource Commission has two enforcement officers assigned to each county. That’s 200 dedicated, educated, and highly trained individuals protecting our North Carolina environment and natural resources. To become an enforcement officer applicant, one must participate in a highly competitive selection process. A typical candidate is required to pass extensive background and psychological screening. Also included is a vigorous 19-week training academy that is patterned after a military boot camp, with an emphasis on physical fitness.

May 10, 2013
Tight Lines declares Ginger Perry of Nashville the shad queen
One of my favorite places to bank fish is the boat ramp at Battle Park in Rocky Mount. I have met a lot of interesting people there. Three or four times this season, I have watched this amazing lady, Ginger Perry, fishing with her friend, Big Kelly, for white shad. Simply put, she is one good angler! She casts and retrieves like a pro, and always catches her fair share of fish. Maybe a few more than her fair share! This lady can flat-out fish!

April 19, 2013
Time for the John Cherry Rockfish Rodeo on the Tar river
Tarboro Association of Saltwater Sportsman (TASS) presents the annual John Cherry Rockfish Rodeo on the Tar on Saturday, April 27th. Entry fee is $100 per boat.
Registration and information is available daily at Roberson & Dupree Shoe Store, Main Street, Tarboro. The absolute registration deadline is Friday, April 26, by 8 p.m., at the boat landing on River Road, or when the maximum limit 40 boats have been signed-up. Attendance at the Captain’s meeting Friday night, 7 p.m. at the boat landing on River Road, is highly recommended. Rules will be read, questions answered, and you will receive your Captain’s Bag, tournament t-shirt, and other goodies. Each boat is allowed to weigh-in 2 of their largest rockfish, as chosen by the Captain.

April 12, 2013
Sign-up this Saturday for John Cherry Rockfish Rodeo
One of the TASS premier events that local anglers always enjoy is the annual John Cherry Rockfish Rodeo. Registration is limited to the first 40 boats. Full grown men, me included, will be standing in line like giddy teeny-boppers looking concert tickets early Saturday morning waiting for Roberson & Dupree Shoe Store to open at 9 am to plunk down that registration fee.

April 5, 2013
Bottoms Up! Greg Bottoms Wins TASS Shad Tournament
To my knowledge, Greg Bottoms does not smoke or drink, but he does have another habit, and an enviable one at that. Greg wins fishing tournaments. He won the Fall Speckled Trout Tournament, and last week claimed top honors in the shad tournament. Obviously, the man knows his way around a rod & reel. Greg is a skilled angler, and a nice guy, deserving of that success.

March 29, 2013
Shad Tournament participants weighing-in some good fish
All indications are that this will be a banner year for the 12th Annual TASS Hickory
Shad Tournament. The timing is perfect because the shad “bite” has turned on
considerably everywhere. At the halfway point through the week-long tournament, the leader board is already showing some impressive fish weights. Charles Strickland leads the top tier adult category with a healthy 2.56 Hickory Shad. That will be a hard “Hick” to beat!

March 22, 2013
Time to sign-up for the 12th Annual Hickory Shad Tournament
The TASS Twelfth Annual Hickory Shad Tournament week is one of my favorite weeks of the year. This year’s tournament dates are Saturday, March 16th through Noon, Saturday, March 23.
Entry fee is only $10, but you must sign-up before 5:30 p.m. Friday, March 15, if you wish to be involved. You do not need to be a member of TASS to participate, but you must be a member of TASS to receive TASS bonus-money. Registration is at Roberson & Dupree Shoe Store, 418 Main Street, in downtown historic Tarboro.

March 8, 2013
Anglers kindness and generosity never fail to amaze me
The “Shad Hole” on River Road in Tarboro functions not only as a great place to fish, but also a good place to meet and greet like-minded fishing enthusiasts. An informal group usually congregates at the “Shad Hole” nightly during shad season to wet a hook, or simply to exchange pleasantries. These “Shad Hole” friends come in different ages, and walks of life. These are salt-of-the-earth type guys. If it ever comes down to “Us” versus ‘Them,’ I want these guys in my foxhole watching my back.

March 1, 2013
Martin Marietta Materials plans to dump into Blounts Creek
Martin Marietta Materials has applied for a discharge permit to dump groundwater and stormwater directly into Blounts Creek. One person close to the situation tells me we are talking about 12 million gallons of discharge a day. I don’t profess to be an expert on the matter, but that doesn’t sound really healthy, or harmless, for the environment, and specifically Blounts Creek. (Filed documents say the average discharge would be about 9 million gallons a day, but could increase to 11 million on some days.)

February 22, 2013
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