TARBORO —
I have been fishing for more than 50 years, and I would be hard-pressed to find a more productive, enjoyable two weeks of angling. Believe me, it’s not my fishing expertise and prowess. The only time I am the most skilled angler out there is when I am fishing alone.
Seriously, most accomplished fishermen I know also possess some good mechanical skills. Not me, ain’t got none! Anyway, regardless of my limited fishing skills and diminishing physical tools, NOBODY out there on the water enjoys it more than me, I guarantee you.
Several Roanoke River trips out of Scotland Neck with Bobby Mason are embedded in my pleasant memory-brain compartment forever. We bottom fished with hunks of White Shad, and shad minnows, and always got rod-bending results. It seemed like we had our limit before the sun came up. John Partlow joined us on one trip, and he is always pleasant company, and a heck-of-a-good-fisherman that only makes a good trip better.
My 18th Annual Goines Rock-A-Rama at Weldon was superb as usual. We caught a ton of Rockfish, and I got to spend some quality time with family andfriends. A special treat for me was fishing with the older two of my Grands, Hali and Morgan. They make Pop-Pop proud in everything they do. I love them too much!
By now most have heard that I was fortunate and privileged to join Dempsey Dupree in capturing first place honors in the 2012 John Cherry ROCKFISH RODEO On The Tar. Dempsey was our “A” team player. It just goes to show you that you don’t need to be an excellent fisherman to win a tournament, but you DO need to be good at selecting the right fishing partner.
We fished about 3-miles upriver from the River Road boat ramp. Most boats zipped by the very area where Dempsey caught his big tournament-winning fish.
He said his Daddy, Bill Dupree, brought him fishing to that same spot when he was 6-years old. That’s over 55 years ago, folks.
The winners’ money was great, but I would fish to win a free watermelon with my name carved on it, if that was the top prize. It’s considered impolite to discuss money, so let’s just say that I will be able to afford plenty of cigars and Jimmy D Custom Shad Rigs this month…and next month, too!
So, Bill Dupree, you get to share in the tournament win and glory, because it all started with you. He also mentioned that his Daddy, and Jimmy and Johnny Dupree’s Daddy, Jimmy, Sr., were a cracker-jack fishing duo that knew how to slay the fish in the Tar and Roanoke Rivers. Shad and Rockfish feared the sound of their boat, so to speak.
I often kid about writing a book about the “Fishing Dupree’s Of Edgecombe County.” Without a doubt, opening chapter would have to start with the Dupree first cousins, Bill and Jimmy, Sr. These guys were major contributors to the Dupree fishing dynasty in Tarboro, NC.
To top off my two glorious weeks of fantastic fishing, the White Shad are currently biting in the Tar River at Rocky Mount. Wifey brought back some good intel last week about the White Shad action at Battle Park. There I have caught fish every day since last week. A few fish and a little action will help get me up at O’Dark-thirty any day. I will keep going back every day I can until I get skunked. Care to share? We welcome tour fishing success stories and pictures at CarolinaAngler@Gmail.com.
See you on the water, my friend!
Tight Lines
Two incredible weeks of fishing for Goines
- Tight Lines
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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! -
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. -
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.
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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.)
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