Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, November 25, 1993 TAG: 9311250069
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B5 EDITION: HOLIDAY
SOURCE: BILL COCHRAN
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
You never know what the surf will serve up, but fishermen by the hundreds will be standing in line hoping a slight change in the tide or temperature will lavish them with a flurry of unforgettable action.
So far, bluefish angling has been disappointing. Giant schools of jumbo blues have funneled down the coast to migrate to their wintering grounds. But early in the week they were hanging nine miles off the beach.
It could take a downward turn in the temperature to lure then within the range of surf casters, said Damon Tatem, who operates a Nags Head tackle shop.
"It is 60 to 62 degrees [water temperature] now," he said. "We should be 54 degrees."
But Tatem is optimistic.
"I've seen them miles off the beach in the morning and on the beach that evening," he said.
That's what Greg Hancock and a group of surf casters from the Roanoke Valley - they call themselves Team Mully AKA Blues Brothers - had hoped to witness during a pre-Thanksgiving Day trip. But it didn't happen.
"It was slow all week," said Hancock. "Small croaker, small blues, small trout, small puppy drum, a couple of skate."
Offshore, Joe Cutler of Roanoke hit a day when king mackerel were gobbling up every bait that came their way. He and five buddies landed more than 800 pounds of fish aboard Capt. Ron Whittaker's "Release" out of Hatteras.
"Sometimes we had four on at a time," said Cutler.
Speckled trout have been schooling in many of the holes along the surf, from north of the Nags Head Pier all the way down to Buxton. But the red drum action has merited the highest billing.
"There was a good bite Monday night," said Bob Eakes, who owns the Red Drum tackle shop in Buxton. "Probably 30 to 35 citation fish [drum 40 inches or better] and maybe 40 to 60 altogether. Believe it or not, all but one fish was let go. That was neat."
About 10 days earlier, the copper-hued drum invaded the surf in even more impressive numbers. Maybe as many as 300 were caught, Eakes said.
So, what if anglers had the chance to write their own menu for the Thanksgiving Day weekend? Would they prefer red drum or bluefish?
"That's a tough question," said Eakes. "I would say the normal guy who is here would rather have blues, but the little more professional guy would rather have drum. But I think both would take either one of them if they could get them."
\ SKITTISH TROUT: The Department of Game and Inland Fisheries has had a tough time finding enough water to stock trout this fall. And when stockings have taken place the trout often have been shy and uncooperative.
"Statewide drought conditions have reduced stream flows to the point where many steam stockings were not practical," said Gary Martel, the department's assistant fish chief.
Martel has a word of advice for fishermen casting to streams and small impoundments where trout have been stocked. It is to be "careful." With the water low and clear, the trout are extremely wary, he said.
"Even stocked fish learn to quickly flee from shadows or vibrations," he said.
Here's a list of streams in the region that have been stocked, followed by a list of streams scheduled to get fish when water conditions improve: STREAMS STOCKED:
ALLEGHANY COUNTY: Clifton Forge Reservoir.
AUGUSTA COUNTY: Braley Pond, Upper Sherando Lake, Lower Sherando Lake, Hearthstone Lake, Elkhorne Lake, South River (delayed harvest section).
BATH COUNTY: Spring Run, Douthat Lake, Back Creek (delayed harvest area.)
CARROLL COUNTY: Little Reed Island Creek, Laurel Fork.
CRAIG COUNTY: Potts Creek.
FLOYD COUNTY: Little River, Burke's Fork.
GILES COUNTY: Big Stoney Creek.
GRAYSON COUNTY: Hales Lake.
HENRY COUNTY: Smith River (dam and lower sections).
MONTGOMERY COUNTY: South Fork of Roanoke River.
PATRICK COUNTY: Dan River (below powerhouse).
ROANOKE VALLEY: Roanoke River (Salem and Roanoke).
SMYTH COUNTY: South Fork Holston River (lower).
TAZEWELL COUNTY: Lake Whitten.
WASHINGTON COUNTY: Bear Tree Lake and Whitetop Laurel.
WYTHE COUNTY: Cripple Creek. STREAMS TO BE STOCKED:
ALBEMARLE COUNTY: Sugar Hollow Reservoir.
AMHERST COUNTY: Lower Pedlar River.
AUGUSTA COUNTY: North River (delayed harvest section).
BATH COUNTY: Back Creek, Jackson River (Hidden Valley, special regulations area, Virginia 623).
GRAYSON COUNTY: Elk Creek.
HIGHLAND COUNTY: Bullpasture River.
NELSON COUNTY: Tye River.
ROCKBRIDGE COUNTY: Maury River, Mill Creek, South River.
ROANOKE VALLEY: Glade Creek, Tinker Creek.
ROCKINGHAM COUNTY: North Fork Shenandoah River, Hone Quarry Lake, Briery Branch Lake.
by CNB