Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, September 23, 1993 TAG: 9309230027
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B3 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Bill Cochran
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Here's a whirlwind look at what the big cats have been up to:
The tidal James River produced one of the largest blue catfish of the season the other day when Mike Harding of Seven Pines caught a 41 1/4 -pound lunker at Deep Bottom. Richmond angler David Wilburn got a 26 1/2-pounder at Dutch Gap.
Fishermen casting to the upper James have been landing huge flathead cats the past couple of years. The reason you haven't heard much about it: they have been keeping it quiet.
Jasper Booth of Roanoke has landed 77 catfish during 14 trips to Carvins Cove. Most were caught on chicken liver baits at 22-to 28-foot depths.
Danny Crawford and Randy Hamm of Christiansburg docked with a 23 1/2-pound catfish at Claytor Lake recently. Bobby Johnson, a North Carolina angler, got cats that weighed 19 pounds, 2 ounces and 14 pounds, 12 ounces. While the Claytor catfish action hasn't been as brisk this year as last, a couple carp fishermen from England recently complained that catfish were gobbling up the "boilie" baits they were putting out for carp.
Lake Moomaw has built a reputation on trout fishing and Briery Creek Lake on Florida-strain largemouth bass, but both impoundments have provided some fine catfish sport this season. So has Philpott Lake.
The Staunton River below Leesville Dam is one of the state's flathead hot spots. Larry Hall of Evington got a 23 3/4-pounder there recently.
\ SECOND PHASE: Officials at the state hatchery in Brookneal plan to harvest Phase II striped bass from rearing ponds next week. Some 25,000 are scheduled to be stocked in Smith Mountain Lake.
About 5-inches long, these are larger fish than the fingerling traditionally released in the lake. Biologists will be observing them in an effort to determine if stocking bigger stripers results in better survival.
\ HOLEY MACKEREL: Everett Cameron was practicing for the Virginia Beach Anglers Club King Mackerel Tournament the other day when he landed a different kind of mackerel, one that put his name in the state record book. It was a 9-pound, 13 ounce Spanish mackerel that topped the old state record by 1 pound, 1 ounce.
The fish gobbled up a live menhaden that Cameron was slow trolling southeast of the Chesapeake Light Tower off Virginia Beach. He is from Atlantic Beach, N.C.
\ GOOD INVESTMENT: If you would like to make an investment in North America's most valuable real estate, you'll have the chance next Thursday. It's called the Roanoke Chapter of Ducks Unlimited banquet, and it is held annually to raise money for waterfowl habitat.
The banquet begins at 5:30 p.m. (dinner at 7 p.m.) at the Roanoke Airport Marriott. Tickets cost $45; couples $70. The price covers Ducks Unlimited dues and a subscription to Ducks Unlimited Magazine.
Since its founding in 1937, Ducks Unlimited has preserved 5-million acres of habitat in North America. Wetlands have been disappearing at the rate of more than 400,000 acres per year.
Tickets to the banquet may be purchased at Orvis, Trebark, On Target and at the door.
\ BEETLE BLITZ: The southern pine beetle has been eating its way through the northern portion of the Jefferson National Forest. The critters don't just destory timber and create a fire hazard, they also can degrade the visual impact of campgrounds and recreation areas.
A significant outbreak has occurred in the popular Cave Mountain Lake and North Creek Campground areas.
\ BIG FISH: Garry Kendrick of Axton landed a 34-pound, 11-ounce striped bass at Smith Mountain Lake. Robert Tory of Spencer caught a 9-pound, 2-ounce largemouth at Philpott Lake.
by CNB