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#1 May-02-15 8:48PM

CrankbaitGuy
Member
Registered: Mar-08-11
Posts: 90

April 25th Roanoke River, NC

A bit late to the board with this, but it's been busy at work.  I was originally going to Weldon, NC to fish the shad run on the Roanoke River back in March, but got sick and had to reschedule.  The next available date that worked out was April 25, the last weekend of striper keeper season in NC.  Weldon promotes itself as the Rockfish Capital of the World and I was eager to see if they could make a credible claim to that title.

Myself, my buddy Ken and his 11 year old son were out with Dean Lamont of Crystal Coast Adventures.  The water was high, Dean said 8 or so feet above usual, but not muddy.  I had hoped to fly fish, but was advised to stick with drifting live shad due to the conditions.  Lots of boats on the river as there was tournament going on. 

We parked in a spot just off the main channel.  I got into a nice 5-6lbs. channel cat to start things off.  Ken's son followed up with another and then pulled up a sublegal striper.  Things really slowed down after that.  The boat behind us was getting steady action from stripers and cats and a few stripers broke the surface to taunt us. 

After an hour and a half, we pulled anchor and drifted down river with no luck, before pulling into a side channel next to a big island.  Things changed for the better here.  I pulled in the first keeper, a good solid 20" fish:
https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8862/17323701896_692965e8af.jpg/

and we followed with a good run of sublegals.  Ken's soon bested me with a 22" fish that headed for the livewell.  It continued like this for the next four or five hours, bursts of action as we would drift over a school.  All in all the three of us boated 23 or so fish, six to eight a person, all in the 16-22" range, with these four keepers:
https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8742/17323702156_1c0c15e7e6.jpg
providing a fine dinner on the grill and in the oven.  Naturally, the boy got two keepers, while me and his dad added one each.  It was funny to hear him go from catching his biggest fish (his previous best was a sunfish) that morning to "oh, that's not a keeper, we're going to have to let it go."

A great way to get the skunk off the year.  I'll need to fish a fall blitz off of Montauk some time to compare, but Weldon made a good showing.  Give Dean a call if you're down that way, he's on the Roanoke until middle of the month and then works out of Emerald Isle on the coast the rest of the year. He's 75 years young, but sharp and tough.  I honestly thought he was in his 60s.

Last edited by CrankbaitGuy (May-02-15 8:51PM)

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#2 May-03-15 5:01AM

Ernie
Administrator
From: Ashburn VA
Registered: Feb-03-06
Posts: 15560

Re: April 25th Roanoke River, NC

Nicely done Herman....but I think that a fall blitz in Montauk would spoil you!


Time to go fishin' again!

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#3 May-03-15 5:12AM

captmikestarrett
Patagonian Toothfish
From: Potomac River
Registered: May-06-08
Posts: 2164
Website

Re: April 25th Roanoke River, NC

I have fished with Dean for fat alberts and reds.

Capt Mike


Light Tackle Fishing Guide on the Potomac

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#4 May-03-15 7:20AM

drxfish
Patagonian Toothfish
From: Sterling
Registered: Jan-04-14
Posts: 2973

Re: April 25th Roanoke River, NC

Nice report!  Thanks for sharing.


Always wishin' I was fishin'

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#5 May-04-15 7:07AM

firemunkee
Patagonian Toothfish
From: Ashburn, VA
Registered: May-23-13
Posts: 1766

Re: April 25th Roanoke River, NC

Not shad, but still sounds like a great time!


Together we'll fight the long defeat.

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#6 May-04-15 7:33AM

Bryan
Patagonian Toothfish
From: Bealeton, VA
Registered: Mar-18-11
Posts: 1194

Re: April 25th Roanoke River, NC

Really nice report, thanks.


tight lines

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