Annual Roanoke River trip

This year was our 11th consecutive year fishing the stripers at Weldon, NC. The last few years I tried to go Tue, Wed, Thur the last 2 weeks of the season. The 1st week Zach and I usually go and invite family and church friends to go with us, and the 2nd week my father in law goes up with us and we spend the week together fishing. Zach is now 18, graduated from high school and now working a full time job so I was up there the first week by myself. I did that twice in that first week . . . my first and my last. That is about too much for me trying to get bait and provide a day of fishing by myself. Anyway, here is the report.

The first day I was up there my uncle Roger came up and fished with me. The water was the lowest I've ever seen it or fished it. We started drifting below the power lines and drifted almost to Halifax and then started anchoring in different places. We ended the day with 19 stripers, 12 catfish (2-15 lbs.), a bowfin, and a 20 lb. snapping turtle. We had our limit and threw back probably 10 keeper sized fish.

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The 2nd day I was on my own. Slept in and left the river early and did a lot of riding around and looking around up and down the river. Only caught 2 keepers and 7 total, but had a nice relaxing day on the river.

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The 3rd day of the 1st week had my Pastor and his son come up and fish with me. We forgot to take a picture as we were both in a hurry to get fish cleaned and get on the road heading home. We ended up catching 13 stripers with 5 being keepers along with 8 catfish. We did loose a nice 20 lb. cat right at the net.

The 2nd week had my father in law and Zach joining me along with my buddy Jesse and his dad and son in their boat. We caught 26 and had around 12 of those being keepers. Also caught several catfish and also got a NC State tagged fish. All of the fishing was done down below the power lines again. My buddy also got their limit.

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Day 2 found us back down below the power lines at it again. We missed more fish this year than ever, lost more fish that were half way to the boat than ever, and caught more little fish this year than ever. Ended up with 21 for the day with a dozen keepers and caught one with 2 tags in it. Couldn't figure out why they would put 2 in one fish, but oh well. Jesse's boat also got their limit.

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Day 3 began with fish hitting in the rapids right at the dock. AWESOME!!!! Stripers were chasing bait across the top of the water and we had our limit in the first 10 minutes we were there. I don't like anchoring in the rapids there as I'm afraid of loosing my anchor or getting hit by someone who has problems up the river from me. I drove the boat holding us in position while my father in law and Zach fished and then Zach and I would switch places. We had a blast catching fish after fish and enjoyed watching others fish as well. We stayed up there a while then went on down river to have some different type of action. Drifted and anchored the rest of the day and really enjoyed ourselves. Ended the day with 44 along with some more catfish and Jesse's boat getting his limit as well. We probably had 25 keeper sized fish come in the boat.

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The final day on the river we found the fish back in the rapids and picked up the same way as the day before. Picked up our limit pretty quick and then headed down river. Just before and after the rock we eased by probably 100 boats and only saw 1 fish come into a boat so we headed back up to the rapids and anchored just below the rapids to fish till lunch before heading home. My brother came up for the day so I called him to come up and take my spot. I gave him the last of my bait and we headed to lunch. While we were eating we got a text that they had their limit with plenty of other fish brought in the boat as well. We ended our day with 28 stripers and all but a few were keeper sized.

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We had a great time on the river this year. The bait was a little tough to get and the numbers weren't as good as we've had other years, but it was still fun to spend time with my son, father in law, friends, and several that I've gotten to know on the river over the years.

Saturday found Zach and I fishing the Oxford Children's Home Tournament. It really isn't a tournament, it's really a day for taking one of the kids from the home and his "sponsor" from the home fishing for the day and give them a break from their routine. This is a ministry that a friend of mine and her husband started doing 11 years ago and it has been an honor and joy to volunteer for it. We longlined trolled up on Buggs Isalnd and the little fella we took out weighed in 97 crappie, catfish, and perch to take the award for most fish weighed in, 2nd heaviest single fish, and 2nd heaviest total weight. Seeing the smile on that kids face made the day well worth it. They don't want us putting pictures of the kids on the internet so this is a picture of the 2 nicest crappie that we caught.

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I love fishing and having the opportunity to share God's love with those kids through His creation has been an absolute joy over the last few years.
Mike

Take a kid outdoors!

mikefish, WTG...What a report and great pics...the last was the best, not taking anything away from the rest. When we lived on Kerr...we used to adopt an Oxford kid at Christmas. A great way to share GOD'S love and see a child have some much needed happiness. Smiles, G

Mike, Thanks for the report and pics!! Do you mind sharing what you were using to catch them in the rapids and how you were fishing the bait? This is my 2nd year fishing Weldon and I have strictly been using live shad. I really want to get on a good jig bite one day. Planing on going a few more time in the next 2 weeks. I picked up a bunch if 1/2oz jig heads and many different types of fluke baits. Have tried them on each trip but just cant seem to figure it out.

Thanks, BUZZZZ

Typically if you see 2 tags it is a fish that is being used to test how good the tags are staying in the fish. It is rare for them to be lost and would be twice as rare for both to be lost so if a fish that was double tagged only has 1 tag when caught and reported it means it lost one. That would bring some questioning in to whether that is happening with other single tagged fish. If it still has two tags that means your info should be pretty good.

We use live shad and fish in the rapids kinda like we do for mountain trout, just pitch it across the current and drift it down. At the end I'll usually let it sit a while before reeling it in and catch a few like that. We don't use artificials much but have caught them with flukes and sassy shad on jig heads. I just like live bait better.
Mike

Take a kid outdoors!

Thanks for the report. Is that a dock at the Weldon ramp?I'd like to go back, however the pontoon and I like a dock to tie up to

yes there is a dock there.

Mike. Are u using any type of weight when u are casting the live bait? Same rig as if I were drifting? Sorry for all the questions.

No problem. I use a 1/2 oz. egg sinker Carolina rigged with about an 18" leader.
Mike

Take a kid outdoors!

Awesome trip. Congrats.
Thanks for sharing. Keep taking those kids and making memories.