TASS Summer Trout Tournament a big success

Tight Lines

July 13, 2012

TASS Summer Trout Tournament a big success

FOR THE DAILY SOUTHERNER Rick Goines The Daily Southerner Fri Jul 13, 2012, 01:34 PM EDT

TARBORO — The 2012 TASS (Tarboro Association of Saltwater Sportsman) Summer Trout Tournament at Manns Harbor was a huge fish catching success. Timing must have been perfect because everyone caught Speckled Trout. Not just a few, but a boatload! Some boats caught over 100. Most of the fish, caught in the Croatan Sound adjacent to Manns Harbor, were in the 13-14 inch range, but some specs measured up to 20 inches. Each participating boat was allowed to weigh-in their 3 biggest fish. Also a prize was awarded for single biggest trout, and largest flounder.

In a tournament where everyone catches plenty of fish, everybody is a winner. It is always interesting to me when some of these tournament winners’ categories are determined by a fraction of an ounce. The difference might be how long the fish was out of the water, and how much body fluids were lost which reduced its weight before the official final weigh-in. All fish lose body weight out of the water.

Scott Watson, once again hosted this annual affair, and did his usual good job. Scott, and Sam Anderson were the official grill masters for the after tournament cook-out, and no one left hungry.

Young Anglers Net Fishing Prizes Including Two Lifetime Licenses:

Fayetteville angler Tyler Bineham reeled in more than just catfish during the “Take a Kid Fishing” event at the John E. Pechmann Fishing Education Center on June 2. The 11-year-old also reeled in a unified lifetime sportsman license, donated by Neuse Sport Shop in Kinston. The lifetime sportsman license was the grand prize in a statewide random drawing for participants in 45 kids’ “Fish for Fun” events, held in May and June in celebration of National Fishing and Boating Week 2012.

The first-prize winner was Rheannan Parks, 12, of New London, who won a lifetime freshwater fishing license, which was donated by the N.C. Council of Trout Unlimited. Rheannan registered for the drawing at the Kids’ Fishing Day at Kings Mountain Point Recreation Area at Badin Lake on June 9.

In addition to Tyler and Rheannan, 150 other kids netted prizes — from rods and reels and tackle boxes courtesy of Bass Pro Shops in Concord to mini-tackle boxes and fishing hand towels from NCWRC.

Tyler’s unified lifetime sportsman license will let him fish and hunt in North Carolina for free for life — even if he moves out of state. These fishing and hunting privileges include fishing in all public waters — from the mountains to the coast — as well as hunting for big game, hunting on game lands and waterfowl hunting.

Rheannan’s lifetime freshwater fishing license gives her fishing privileges in all public inland waters in North Carolina, including designated mountain trout waters, trout waters on game lands and joint waters.

NCWRC, along with Neuse Sport Shop, N.C. Council of Trout Unlimited, Bass Pro Shops, and the U.S. Forest Service, supported these free fishing events during National Fishing and Boating Week to promote fishing as a fun outdoor activity the whole family can enjoy.

Visit the NCWRC web site for a wealth of good information at www.ncwildlife.org.

Care to Share? Tight Lines welcomes your fish tales and snaps at CarolinaAngler@Gmail.com.

See you on the water, my friend!

The following are where the fishermen finished in tournament and for the fishermen who caught the biggest fish in each category during the tournament.

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Tight Lines

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.

May 24, 2013
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
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