N.C. white crappie, freshwater drum records broken
RALEIGH New listings among North Carolina’s freshwater fishing records have been approved by the Wildlife Resources Commission for a freshwater drum caught at Kerr Reservoir and a white crappie taken at a private lake in Wake County.
On March 20, Jonathan Wilkerson of Oxford landed a 23 ½-pound drum while fishing on Kerr Reservoir in an area known as Beaver Pond Creek. The fish struck a plastic fluke that Wilkerson was casting on 10-pound test line.
Twelve days later, on April 1, Joey Boretti of Holly Springs was fishing a private lake in Wake County when he reeled in a 3-pound, 15-ounce white crappie while using a Storm WildEye Swim Shad lure on a spinning rod.
Boretti, 17, was fishing along the shoreline with his parents, Robert and Christine, but having little success. So, he figured he would switch tactics – and lures – to see how well the bass were biting. On his second cast with the Swim Shad he felt what he thought was a bass strike. But while bringing it ashore and seeing the shape of the fish, he knew it was a crappie.
Boretti and his dad did some fish identification when they got home and decided that it was a white crappie. They got the slab crappie weighed on certified scales, and Bill Collart, a Commission fisheries biologist, verified the catch as a white crappie.
The previous state record white crappie was a 3-pound, 2-ounce fish caught by Nashville angler Ray Patterson in April 2010 from the Tar River Reservoir.
Wilkerson was targeting striped bass when he hooked the freshwater drum. The fish fought hard – hard enough that Wilkerson, after catching it, put it back in the water to revive it, only to watch it swim away. Luckily for Wilkerson, the fish didn’t get very far, floating belly up a short distance away. He scooped up the fish, weighed it and realized that he most likely had a chance at the state record.
Wilkerson had the drum weighed on certified scales in Oxford, and Jessica Baumann, a fisheries biologist with the Commission, verified the catch.
Wilkerson’s drum exceeds by 12 ounces the former record holder, a 22-pound, 12-ounce drum caught by Brown Summit angler Daniel Stotts in January 2007. It is the fourth record drum to come from Kerr Lake in the last 10 years. Observer News Services
Southeastern fly fishing event in Cullowhee
CULLOWHEE The Southeastern Council of the Federation of Fly Fishers has selected Jackson County to host its 2013 Fly Fishing Festival.
The event is scheduled May 17-18 in the Ramsey Center arena at Western Carolina University in Jackson County, a popular destination for fly fishing enthusiasts and home to the Western North Carolina Fly Fishing Trail. There's an extensive lineup of guest speakers, fly-tying experts and industry exhibitors, as well as an educational component for novices who wish to learn more about the sport.
Hours are 8 a.m.-4 p.m. both days. Daily admission is $5 for individuals and $10 for families. Further information is available online at: SoutheastFFF.org. ONS
Paddle Mountain Island Lake, raise funds
The North Carolina Wildlife Federation will hold its annual Canoe & Kayak-a-thon at Mountain Island Lake on June 1 to raise awareness of the watershed and help fund wildlife conservation and habitat protection.
The event, covering 7 miles, is part of the Federation’s “connecting people to nature” campaign.
The Mecklenburg County Parks and Recreation Department plans to donate canoes and kayaks for those individuals who do not have vessels. Volunteers from Duke Energy will help with handling of the boats and provide safety craft.
Participants are eligible for many incentive prizes, including the grand prize, an Impulse kayak.
Registration is $50, but for paddlers who raise more than $100 from their sponsors the fee is waived. Also, paddlers who register by Friday pay a fee of only $25.
For more information, registration forms and sponsor information visit http://ncwf.org/Canoe/. ONS
Flooding forces delays in trout stockings
MARION The N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission has postponed trout stockings scheduled this week for the Delayed Harvest sections of the Little River in Alleghany County and Big Horse Creek in Ashe County due to flood conditions.
Also on hold is a planned release of fish into the Delayed Harvest stretch of the Nantahala River in Macon County.
The stockings will be rescheduled after the flooding brought on by recent heavy rains recedes on the streams.
Commission fishery personnel had planned to stock 1,500 trout in Little River and 1,675 trout in Big Horse Creek. The Nantahala is to receive 3,300 trout, including 1,320 brook, 1,320 rainbow and 660 brown trout. ONS
Catches of the week
• A largemouth bass of 7½ pounds, along with two 6-pounders and four 5-pounders at Lake Lee in Union County by Bill Sims of Monroe.
• Twenty-eight largemouth, including an 8-pounder, at Lake Lee by Mike and Courtney Cox of Monroe. Most of the fish were released.
• A 50-inch red drum in the Ocracoke Island surf by Kyle Beckner of Aiken, S.C.
• A 48-inch red drum at Ocracoke Island by Sean Mulligan of Kitty Hawk.
• A 44-inch red drum in the Ocracoke Island surf by Danny Fletcher of Elizabeth City.
• Limits of smallmouth bass boated and released at Fontana Lake by Danny Williams of Robbinsville. The fish struck a Lucky Craft jerk bait.
