04-16-2004, 06:34 AM
[font "Comic Sans MS"][#ff0000][size 4][font "Arial"][black][size 2]April 15, 2004
Roanoke River Anglers are reporting catching striped bass averaging 16-22 inches this week near Williamston. Reports of catching between 5 and 15 striped bass a day are common. I fished today at Williamston. Two in the boat we got our limit in 4 hours and put back 4 or 5. Herrings are still being caught on bait rigs near the Williamston. Reports that catches of striped bass have been good over the last two weeks from sections of the Roanoke River between Hamilton and the U.S. Highway 45 bridge below Plymouth has been productive, reports of some of the larger, 27-inch plus fish showing up. Also anglers should note that the harvest season on the lower Roanoke River closes April 15, Thursday night, at midnight. The lower Roanoke River is: The Roanoke River and tributaries, downstream from U.S. Highway 258 bridge near Scotland Neck to Albemarle Sound, including Cashie, Middle and Eastmost rivers:
WELDON
“Also, folks fishing upstream of the U.S. Highway 258 bridge need to be fishing with a single barbless hook or a lure with a single barbless hook,” Thomas said. “You can use a hook with its barb bent down with pliers.” In the immediate Weldon area, anglers are reporting catching striped bass averaging 16-21 inches, according to Bobby Colston, owner of Colston’s Tackle Box near Gaston. “I’ve been getting reports of anglers catching stripers from the boat ramp at Weldon down to the power lines that are about two or three miles down the river,” Colston said. “I talked to some guides too. They’re catching fish down at Halifax. The guides are the only ones who go that far down river from Weldon.” Colston said that anglers are not reporting catching 100 fish per day, as they sometimes do when the fishing gets red-hot, but many anglers are reporting catching between 10 and 20 striped bass a day. “For numbers of fish, large minnows and cut bait are best,” he said. “If you can get live herring, that’s the best bait to use. But no one is catching herring up here yet. You can use shad as cut bait but it’s not as good as herring.” Anglers wanting to throw lures should thread soft-plastic lures such as Flukes, Sassy Shads or Bass Assassins on lead jig heads. Chartreuse or white bodies fished behind red jig heads are best. “Bucktails usually work good too, but folks have been telling me that the Sassy Shad-type baits are producing better than bucktails right now,” Colston said. “Also, some people are fishing a spoon like a Hopkins or the short Stingsilver. They’re fishing heavier sizes – about two ounces – and jigging them up and down off the bottom.”
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Roanoke River Anglers are reporting catching striped bass averaging 16-22 inches this week near Williamston. Reports of catching between 5 and 15 striped bass a day are common. I fished today at Williamston. Two in the boat we got our limit in 4 hours and put back 4 or 5. Herrings are still being caught on bait rigs near the Williamston. Reports that catches of striped bass have been good over the last two weeks from sections of the Roanoke River between Hamilton and the U.S. Highway 45 bridge below Plymouth has been productive, reports of some of the larger, 27-inch plus fish showing up. Also anglers should note that the harvest season on the lower Roanoke River closes April 15, Thursday night, at midnight. The lower Roanoke River is: The Roanoke River and tributaries, downstream from U.S. Highway 258 bridge near Scotland Neck to Albemarle Sound, including Cashie, Middle and Eastmost rivers:
WELDON
“Also, folks fishing upstream of the U.S. Highway 258 bridge need to be fishing with a single barbless hook or a lure with a single barbless hook,” Thomas said. “You can use a hook with its barb bent down with pliers.” In the immediate Weldon area, anglers are reporting catching striped bass averaging 16-21 inches, according to Bobby Colston, owner of Colston’s Tackle Box near Gaston. “I’ve been getting reports of anglers catching stripers from the boat ramp at Weldon down to the power lines that are about two or three miles down the river,” Colston said. “I talked to some guides too. They’re catching fish down at Halifax. The guides are the only ones who go that far down river from Weldon.” Colston said that anglers are not reporting catching 100 fish per day, as they sometimes do when the fishing gets red-hot, but many anglers are reporting catching between 10 and 20 striped bass a day. “For numbers of fish, large minnows and cut bait are best,” he said. “If you can get live herring, that’s the best bait to use. But no one is catching herring up here yet. You can use shad as cut bait but it’s not as good as herring.” Anglers wanting to throw lures should thread soft-plastic lures such as Flukes, Sassy Shads or Bass Assassins on lead jig heads. Chartreuse or white bodies fished behind red jig heads are best. “Bucktails usually work good too, but folks have been telling me that the Sassy Shad-type baits are producing better than bucktails right now,” Colston said. “Also, some people are fishing a spoon like a Hopkins or the short Stingsilver. They’re fishing heavier sizes – about two ounces – and jigging them up and down off the bottom.”
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