TARBORO —
Lucky me, I have three speckled trout outings on my calendar this week. I could go every day, but I am afraid Wifey would change the locks on the doors, and the menagerie of dogs and cats at our house would forget who I am.
My newest fishing buddy, Greg Bottoms, kicked his recent flu bug in the hindquarters, and was ready to chase some speckled trout. Two things in life you only need to ask me once. Ready to eat, and do you want to go fishing? My response is always a predictable affirmative.
It was bone-chilling cold, windy, and raining off and on all day Monday. Most intelligent, reasonable people would be seeking shelter and comfort. Not me! I was as happy out there in those dicey elements as a fat man at an AYCE buffet.
No matter whatever is the temp on land, it is always going to be a few degrees cooler on the water. The older I get, the colder I get, so I had on about three layers of clothes. I looked like the Michelin Man.
We put in at Lee’s Landing near Reelsboro in Pamlico County at oh-dark-thirty.
MirrOlure’s MR-17 was our choice of offering, and Electric Chicken and 808’s were the flavors of the day. At day’s end, the weather had beaten us up a little, but we had our hard earned two-man limit of eight pretty Specs. It was not the easiest fishing I have ever done, but it was fun, and I am ready for an encore performance. Greg says the Friday after Turkey Day looks promising. Count me in, pal!
My mid-week spec outing was with angling expert Wayne Harrell, who is always a pleasure to fish with, and a real fish magnet. Again, it was a little frosty out there before sunrise. We tried our luck in the Pungo River. MirrOlures were not working, so Wayne switched us to 4” Green Bass Assassins that resulted in a mixed bag of speckled trout (5 keepers), Rockfish, Puppy Drum, and a courageous jumbo white perch that smacked my MR-17 with authority and attitude. Another beautiful day on the water!
Wayne-O will retire at years end, and that’s bad news for the fish population, but good news for his fishing friends. Wayne has a confirmed reservation for a space next to me at the River Road “shad hole” in Tarboro. The extra good news is Harrell’s grandson, Cam, eventually gets a full-time first-rate hands-on fishing instructor; boat, equipment, and expertise included. What a lucky kid!
I saw my good friends, Bobby and Phyllis Mason, out on the water catching Specs. The Masons had a 20-plus fish day. Of course, most of those were catch & release. Bobby is an exceptional angler and a Tight Lines cohort during shad and rockfish season.
Rick’s Soapbox: TASS Toys For Tots Speckled Trout Tournament is going full blast. A field of 30 trout chasers is out and about. As of Thanksgiving Day, John Dupree is on top of the leader board with a 3.12-pound spec. Final weigh-in is Saturday with a 3 p.m. cutoff. Tight Lines predicts somebody will bring to the scale a 4-plus pounder or larger before the fat lady sings. The waters are full of trout, and my guess is somebody is going to fool a big’n.
Care to share? Tight Lines welcomes your fish snaps, tall tales, and outrageous lies at CarolinaAngler@Gmail.com.
See you on the water, my friend!
Tight Lines
Cold weather trout fishing is for the Hale and Hardy souls
- Tight Lines
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Battle Park is a cornucopia of nature
Fifty-seven acre Battle Park, in the heart of Rocky Mount, is named after the Battle
family of Tarboro, founders of Rocky Mount Mills. Water-powered, the mill dam was hewn of the rocks of the Great Falls, past the westernmost point of Edgecombe County. -
Take a kid fishing this summer
As you put the final touches on your summer vacation plans, consider a fishing outing for the youngsters. They might not remember or appreciate that expensive beach cottage rental, or that high-dollar meal at that trendy waterfront restaurant, but I would bet a pretty penny they will recall every detail of a fun-filled family fishing experience.
Just about anywhere you chose to go this summer will offer fishing -
Shad Season in Review
All things considered, 2013 was a good shad season, thoroughly enjoyed the fishing activity and usual camaraderie among shad fishing friends. Shad fishing to me is about so much more than just catching fish. It’s a total package of enjoyment as it captivates and dominates my life February through May.
Wayne Harrell kicked off the season winning the first shad contest catching his hickory shad on a cold 19-degree Saturday morning, February 2.
The shad hole on East River Road in Tarboro was a little disappointing this year. Untimely flood waters might have limited our regular peak run. Fish were caught and we had some good days, but not the action we have experienced in past years. -
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. -
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.
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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!
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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. -
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.
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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.
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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! - More Tight Lines Headlines
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Battle Park is a cornucopia of nature
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