Well, I just got home. No computer up at Gaston so I have ALOT of catching up to do.
Fished Thursday morning 6am by the railroad bridge just off I-85 in 20-25 ft of water. Used UL tackle tossing red wigglers for bait right up against the bridge pilings with a slipbobber set to 5-6 ft. Also using surf rods and 30lb test with live bream with slip sinkers(3oz) on the bottom.Didnt buy minnows the night before so i had to do without. And cut perch also on bottom.
As luck would have it, I caught 3 nice Flatheads 22-26 inches and one Channel cat 18 inches within the 7-8am hour..ON THE ULTRALIGHT!!!! Now that was intense!! 6lb test Stren mono on a "inexpensive" ultralight spinner made for a great game of "run-n-reel"! Wife was quick with the net and very much needed... I had one wrap the anchor on me but got it in anyway.. Caught a bunch of small bream and had no luck with a few various topwaters/crankbaits.
Fished until 12 noon as it was just too hot to bear.... Got up early Friday to hit it again and had starter trouble on my friends boat so I ended up fishing from one of the private docks. Caught 5 nice pansized white cats and threw a dozen more away that were smaller. Tossed back several 2-4lb mudcats and more little bream than I cared to count. Then I had one surf rod out with a small bream under a king float-rig. I was reeling in a pansizer when I actually heard the thing "POP" when it was hit... HARD! I let it run a bit and set the hook and spent the next couple of minutes wondering what kinda' monster I had... He ran hard and fast for the center of the channel pulling drag like a king..LOL! I finally put enough pressure on him to get him too close to the top too far away and he did the prettiest skyrocket I have ever seen!!! It was a very healthy, nice sized Striper... I know he looked 30" long so I figure with fishermen's eyes he was at least a keeper..LOL!! He shot down when he hit the water and spooled me a bit more and turned around... I got him 20ft from the dock and he made 2 circles and did a tail-walk with me trying my best to keep the rod-tip down...then it happened....... A 4/0 Kahle came flying right at me and he was just a story for NCAngler...... of course I would have release him anyway, but I would have liked a good picture to share!!!!!
I can't wait to get my own boat up there and do a serious overnighter or 2 or 3 LOL !!!! It is a nice lake with good water and all of the people at Americamps, Bracey VA and Holly Grove Marina were real nice...We had a good time riding the golf cart around the campground and swimming in the pool...My buddies camper/house/bungalow has a deck and hot-tub as well as a nice grill so it was fine-living..LOL!!! he said I'm welcme to haul some buddies up anytime so I may have to get a trip together in the fall or spring...
**I'll post pics as soon as I get them uploaded**
