Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, February 24, 1991 TAG: 9102250298
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B11 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: BILL COCHRAN OUTDOOR EDITOR
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
When it comes to catching big fish - and little ones, too - March is a top month.
Last year, March produced more striped bass, crappie, smallmouth bass, trout, speckled bass and white perch citations than any other month. It was the second best producer of largemouth bass, white bass, yellow perch and pickerel.
Here's a species-by-species look at the finny characters that make March something special:
SMALLMOUTH BASS: Many fishermen consider the smallmouth a species of the late spring, even the summer and fall, but last year nearly one-fourth of the citations were landed in March, according to the department of Game and Inland Fisheries. A smallmouth must weigh a minimum of 5 pounds to earn a citation.
There were 139 citations for the season, 43 in March, 19 in April and 14 in September.
For the first time in recent memory, the New River outproduced the James as the state's top smallmouth hot spot. The New had 59 citations; the James 28; Smith Mountain, 10.
The biggest catch of the year was a New River giant that weighed 7 pounds, 2 ounces. It was landed by Christopher Elliott of Blacksburg.
The state record smallmouth is a 7-pound, 7-ounce New River fish hooked by John Justice of Richlands on Nov. 22, 1986.
STRIPED BASS: Ninety of last season's 414 citations were caught in March. April was second with 78 and May third with 58.
Smith Mountain remains the biggest producer - by far - with 286 stripers registered last year that weighed 20 pounds or more.
While the 20,000-acre lake accounted for eight of the top 10 fish, a 41 1/2-pound Leesville fish landed by Jerry Betterton of Gretna was the season's largest. Betterton caught it early February on a Red Fin plug.
The state record is a 42-pound, 6-ounce Smith Mountain fish landed by North Carolina angler Joe Harris on May 3, 1988. Many fishermen believe the record is overdue to be toppled, and the best time to do it is March through mid-May when the fish are heavy with roe.
CRAPPIE: March fishermen landed 154 of the season's total of 549 crappie citations. Kerr lake produced the most, 167, and that included the largest, a 4-pound, 3-ounce trophy for Joseph Burton of South Boston, which tied the record. The record was landed by Jeff Bates of Forrest who was casting a spinnerbait during a mid-April, 1987 bass tournament at Gaston.
Next to Kerr in crappie citations last season was Gaston and Smith Mountain, which had 20 apiece.
BROWN TROUT: March eased out April and May as the best month for catching citation-size browns. March had 24; April, 21 and May, 19. There were a total of 92.
The season's catches included a 14-pound, 12-ounce state record for 23-year-old Mike Perkins of Bland. The 30.6-inch fish was eased from the South Holston River in Smyth County on a Joe's Fly and 4-pound line.
Eight out of the top 10 browns were Moomaw Lake fish, the biggest a 10 1/2-pounder for Danny Sargent of Hurley.
RAINBOW TROUT: March was the top month for catching big rainbows, accounting for 83 of the season's 279 total. Next came April with 52 and May with 29.
The best of the year was a 9-pound, 1-ounce Little River catch for Clarence Coward Sr. of Christiansburg.
The highest number of citations, 37, were Moomaw Lake fish. Next was Crooked Creek, a state-owned pay fishing stream that produced 13. The Dan River was third with 12.
The record is a 12-pound, 9-ounce fish landed from a private pond in early August 1986, by David Gladwell of Bedford.
BROOK TROUT: March produced well over half of the brook trout citations, a total of 106. April was a distant second, with 47, and May had 12 of the 187 total.
The largest of the year was a 5-pound, 7-ounce fish caught from a private pond by Dennis Kincaid of Hot Springs. A couple ounces under it was a Roanoke River fish landed by Ronald Ward of Salem.
The record is a 5-pound, 10-ounce brookie taken from Big Stony Creek in late October 1987, by Greg Orndorff. The trout season opens March 16.
LARGEMOUTH BASS: March is second only to April as the best month to catch a citation largemouth bass. Last season there were a total of 470 citations. April claimed 107; March, 85 and May 45.
The majority of the citations, bass 8 pounds or above, annually come from the state's unnamed farm ponds and small private lakes. These impoundments are a top spot for locating an early season trophy because they tend to warm up early.
But big lakes, like Gaston and Anna, also are quick starters. Gaston was the public lake with the highest count of citations last year, 28. Anna had 17; Chickahominy, 13. Anna is off to a fast start this year.
The state record is a 16-pound, 4-ounce giant landed from Lake Conner in mid-April, 1985 by Richard Tate of Ringgold.
WHITE BASS: March was the second best month, next to April, for white bass citations. April had 54, March, 32 and June, 15. The season's total was 137, and nearly half of them, 61, were Kerr Lake catches. Second was Claytor Lake with 30. While Smith Mountain had fewer citations, 29, it accounted for five of the top 10.
The biggest fish of the season was a 5 1/2-pounder for Kerr Lake fisherman Thomas Major of Amelia.
The state record, which also is the world record, weighed 6 pounds, 13 ounces and was landed from Lake Orange in late July 1989, by Ron Sprouse of Orange.
PICKEREL: March lacked only a few citations of being the best chain pickerel month last season. January had 39, March, 36 and February, 31.
Douthat Lake, best known for its pay trout fishing program, was the top producer with 26. Next came Chickahominy with 20. The statewide total was 254.
Douthat accounted for six of the top 10 citations, including the two heaviest. Bernard Bowling of Covington and Robert Short of Roanoke both landed Douthat pickerel that weighed 6 1/2 pounds.
The record is a Douthat fish that weighed 7 pounds, 1 ounce landed Oct. 7, 1989 by Mark Agner.
by CNB