Fish still being caught in these dog days of summer

Tight Lines

August 3, 2012

Fish still being caught in these dog days of summer

Tight Lines Rick Goines The Daily Southerner Fri Aug 03, 2012, 03:45 PM EDT

TARBORO — Air and water temps are a little toasty, but serious, determined anglers are still catching fish. Of course, early morning is the desirable time to go. Best solution these hot days is to arrive early, catch your fish, and leave early. By the time the day starts to heat up, and the fishing action slowing down, you should be home in your comfortable easy chair sipping a cool drink, and cranking up that a/c.

I admire those guys that go fishing rain, shine, hot, or cold. Gary Bateman definitely fits that mold. Pastor Gary goes as often as his ministerial duties allow, and always catches his fair share. Gary is one of my shad catching friends, who, like me has a special place in his heart for those big beautiful White Shad.

This time of year the Swan Quarter area gets most of his attention, as he likes to target flounder. Gary always gives us the straight scoop, and he tells us it is sometimes a hit or miss proposition chasing those flatties, and that he does draw the big goose egg occasionally. Even the best of fishermen get skunked sometimes, and I consider Gary Bateman an “A” team player.

On a recent Swan Quarter trip with his brother Richard Bateman, and Dr. Boyd Bailey of Bethel, it was “action city.” Using Gulp! Shrimp and Mullet, they caught over 80 flounder, 10 puppy drum, and a few speckled trout. Of course, many of these fish were undersized, and immediately returned to the water. He recalled a good trip several weeks ago where they caught a bunch, including 16 keeper flounder and 3 legal size trout.

Wayne Harrell is another one of those guys that loves to fish, and goes every chance he gets, regardless of weather conditions. Wayne is mostly a weekend warrior fisherman these days, but is starting to think about retiring. That’s good news for him, but bad news for the fish. Watch out fish, here comes Wayne. Largemouth Bass usually get Wayne’s undivided attention, but he will cast for other species when his bucket-mouths have a case of lockjaw.

On a recent trip to the Belhaven area, Wayne and George Long had a good day tossing grubs from Tackle Joe’s. They caught 40 speckled trout that included 6 keepers over 20-inches, 20 flounder, and 10 puppy drum. Other than the 6 keeper specs, all the other fish were released to live, grow, multiply, and fight another day. Wayne-O is a big believer in catch & release, and wants a healthy fish population to thrive and survive for future generations to enjoy. I definitely like the way the man thinks.

Hotspot of the Week – Got to be Freddie the Flatfish! Summer flounder are biting all over. Since puppy drum and trout dine at the same table, no telling what might be pulling on the other end of that line. Gulp! Baits in a variety of flavors and styles are doing the trick.

Rick’s Soapbox – September 1 marks the opening of dove season. Depending on the location of your fishing destination, you might need to share some space with hunters if your chosen body of water is close to a dove field. Be aware of their presence, and always make them aware of yours. Nothing would ruin a pleasant fishing outing quicker than an unwanted shower of shot raining down on your body.

Care to share? Tight Lines enjoys your fishing success stories and snaps at CarolinaAngler@Gmail.com.

See you on the water, my friend.

Text Only

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
More Tight Lines Headlines

Tight Lines

Search Results

Fish still being caught in these dog days of summer

Site Map