Rockin' in Roanoke

[Slowriser]

Hello folks,
I went up to the Roanoke River on Saturday the 19th with a friend. We put in at Weldon around 7am and headed east. The Rock have finally gotten up here and even though they are three weeks late and the season ended on May 6th, the catch was very good. Lots of people fishing with live bait and doing real well. Some boats had three or four hook-ups at a time. The fish were plentiful, showing everywhere from 5' to 14' deep. We stopped and got out our 9' 8wt rods and Mach IV large arbor reels. I got a chance to use some of the clouser minnows that I've been tying. With lead wire wrapping and large hour glass lead eyes, and intermediate line they got down to where the fish were and the stripping began. On the second cast I hung into about a 4lb Rock and boy was that fun on that rig. Good fighters and good pulls. We just drifted with the current until we got way downstream and then go back up the river and do it again. By lunch we headed in for my friend to go to a wedding. All in all, lots of fun, beautiful day, and lots of fish. I think that I may go up to Kerr Lake and try them one evening on top water poppers. I understand that they are being caught up there now too. Tight lines.