Fishing family with Tarboro history suffers on-water tragedy

Tight Lines

February 15, 2013

Fishing family with Tarboro history suffers on-water tragedy

Tight Lines Rick Goines The Daily Southerner Fri Feb 15, 2013, 04:39 PM EST

ROCKY MOUNT — Twenty-eight year old Graham Patrick Hoard’s young, promising life ended Jan. 12, as he was fishing from his kayak in the waters of Queens Creek near his home in Swansboro.

Graham. a highly skilled fisherman, experienced waterman, and probably the last individual most would associate with a water-related mishap. His cause of death was listed as drowning with hypothermia contributing.

Graham was fishing alone, and, for some reason he removed his vest. This is a tragedy for all fishermen, as Graham was an accomplished outdoorsman and environmentalist who gave back much to the sport he enjoyed.

Graham’s father, Tom Hoard said, “Graham's loss has left a huge hole in my world. He was my best friend, my teacher, and my inspiration. He was the best fisherman I've ever known; meticulous... even relentless in his approach. I will miss him all of my days.”

Tom spent much of his youth in Tarboro and Edgecombe County, fishing and exploring the Tar River. His parents, Tom and Jibby Hoard, now deceased, and sister, Deena, lived on West Saint James Street. As Hoard is a familiar Edgecombe County name, Graham left a large extended family to mourn his passing.

Tom is a regular Tight Lines reader online and a contributor of fishing info and intel for outings in the Wilmington area where he resides, fishes, and practices emergency medicine at three Vidant Medical Group hospitals.

The Tackle Box in Southport is honoring Graham by naming its annual speckled trout event after him.

March 2, family and friends will gather at Snows Cut Boat Ramp at Carolina Beach to return the remains of Graham Patrick Hoard to the water he revered and loved so much. The Hoard family extends an open invitation to all that wish to attend.

Facebook readers are encouraged to “Like” Graham’s tribute page that has numerous stories, photos, and comments about the exciting fishing life he led.

Tom hopes this unfortunate tragedy will make all anglers more alert and aware of the dangers of fishing alone, and of the consequences of not wearing a personal flotation device (PFD). Tom gave his son the life vest that inflates upon contact with water, and even sets an unconscious man face up. That PFD has not yet been found.

If you are so inclined, you may make a donation in Graham’s memory to the N.C.

Aquarium at Fort Fisher, 900 Loggerhead Road, Kure Beach, N.C. 28449, Attention: Angie Leary

A man of faith, Tom looks forward to seeing his fishing buddy and soul mate once again in Heaven. Our thoughts and prayers are with the Hoard family.

Rick’s Hotspot — As I prepare this article in mid-week, recent rains have the Tar River at flood stage levels and highly unfishable. The good news is that experienced shadsters tell me that when the waters recede, it is likely that shad fishing will significantly improve.

I can’t explain how or why, but the excess water flow usually brings the fish upriver seeking their habitual spawning grounds, and providing rod-bending action for shad anglers.

Rick’s Soapbox – Call me crazy, but even in these flooded, unfishable conditions, I sling my Custom Jimmy D Shad Rigs at the shad hole on River Road in Tarboro. Fish or no fish, the act of fishing makes me happy as a lark. I know that my chances of catching a fish in that swollen river are slim to none, and slim just left town; but I can’t help myself.

However, I did manage to catch and release a big, healthy hickory shad Wednesday afternoon at Swift Creek, casting between the rain drops.

Care to share? Tight Lines welcomes your stories, fish snaps, tall tales, and even your outrageous lies at CarolinaAngler@Gmail.com.

See you on the water, my friend!

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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.

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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