[remington]

I went today and caught only a couple shad. The rockfish are not up here good yet. You could probally grab one here and there but they still need a good week or so. About the time the season goes out the fishing will get good.

 

[TRACK'M DOWN REEL'M N]

WE FISHED THE ROANOKE RIVER WEDNESDAY APRIL 20,2005. WE PUT IN AT WELDON WENT DOWNRIVER TO THE "BIG ROCK" AND STARTED AT ABOUT 8:00A.M. FISHED TO ABOUT 5:00P.M. TWO OF US CAUGHT AND RELEASED AROUND 70 STRIPERS. LARGEST FISH IN THE 5LB. RANGE. WE ONLY CAUGHT A HANDFULL OF SHORT FISH, MOST WERE 18-22" RANGE. WE DID CATCH TWO ROWS BUT THE REST WERE BUCKS. THE BUCKS ON AVERAGE WERE BIGGER,HEALTHIER,FATTER THAN WE HAVE EVER CAUGHT. REALLY NICE FISH!! WE CAUGHT SOME ON A JIGGING SPOON HOPKINS,COTTON CORDELL CHROME BUT FOUND OUT THAT GOLD WORKED BETTER. WE REALLY CAUGHT THEM GOOD BETWEEN 12:30-3:00. WE JIGED A 1/2OZ. JIG HEAD WITH A FIN-S FISH AND HOPPED IT OFF THE BOTTOM A COUPLE OF FEET, THEY WERE HITTING THE JIG AT THE TOP OF THE HOP JUST AS IT STARTED TO FALL. THE BEST COLOR WAS ALEWIFE? WE ASLO COUGHT THEM ON A ZOON BABY BASS AND PEARL W/ BLACK FLAKE. THE WATER IS CLEAR THE DEPTH IS DARN CLOSE TO NORMAL. THE CURRENT IS JUST LIKE IT NEEDS TO BE TO FISH BAITS THIS WAY. THE HEYDAY WILL BE IN ABOUT TWO WEEKS AS THE SOWS START SHOWING UP IN MASS NUMBERS. IF YOU CAN GO, GO DURING THE WEEK IF POSSIBLE, JUST GO UP THERE AND CATCH THE CRAP OUT OF THEM!! TAKE A KID FISHING AND THEY WILL BE RUINED FOR LIFE. YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN. HOPE TO SEE YOU THERE!! JIMMY

 

[DW Fletcher]

thanks for the report. going to the river next friday. did you try to catch any bait (herring) or hear of anyone that did? looking for some bait info, where,whenand what color. thanks DWF

 

[TRACK'M DOWN REEL'M N]

GOOD MORNING. I DID NOT CATCH ANY BLUE BACK HERRING. I THINK THIS IS WHAT YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT. THESE BLUE BACK HERRING ARE THE BEST BAITS TO CATCH THE LARGEST STRIPERS ON THE RIVER BAR NONE. WE WENT UP TWO YEARS AGO WHEN THE WATER WAS HIGH PUT IN AT THE 48 BRIDGE AND FISHED IN FRONT OF THE WEYERHOUSER PLANT. WE CAUGHT ONE IN THE 25-30LB. RANGE AND HAD ANOTHER ONE ON ABOUT THE SAME SIZE. WE CAUGHT THE HERRING ACROSS FROM THE RAMP WHERE THERE ARE THREE BIG PIPES COMING OUT INTO THE RIVER. WE USED SABAKI? RIGS. SOME GUIDES WERE GOING UP THERE AND THROWING CAST NETS ON THEM. JUST MAKE SURE THE CAST NET YOU TAKE HAS THE BIG HEAVY WEIGHTS ON THE NET OR YOU WILL BE WASTING YOUR TIME. THE OTHER SPOT I HEARD CATCHING THEM IS BELOW THE DAM AT LAKE GASTON, I HAVE NEVER BEEN THERE. THE WATER IS NORMAL POOL OR VERY CLOSE AND I DON'T THINK I WOULD PUT A FIBERGLASS BOAT IN UP THERE. ALUMINUM BOAT I MIGHT WOULD CHANCE IT. I HOPE THIS WILL HELP YOU. WE ARE GOING UP SATURDAY AFTERNOON ABOUT 3:00PM AND WILL FISH SATURDAY AFTERNOON AND SUNDAY. HOPE TO SEE YOU THERE. JIMMY

 

[DW Fletcher]

look forward to seeing you there jimmy. i'll be in a grumman boat. cream colored on the bottom,dark green on the top, with 3 idiots in it! a friend of mine is there now. i'm gonna talk to him tommorow and get the scoop. holler at me if you see me and i'll tell you what i've found out. looking forward to pulling all the kinks out of my lines. be safe DWF

 

[TRACK'M DOWN REEL'M N]

MR. FLETCHER, I WILL BE IN A BLUE RANGER. I WILL HAVE MY SONS ON THE BOAT WITH ME. ILL BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR YOUR BOAT. JIMMY