Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, April 27, 1995 TAG: 9504270039
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C-2 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: BILL COCHRAN
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
The recent rain wasn't enough to reverse the trend that has water levels diminishing and water clarity increasing. Fishing can get tough when you peer into a lake or stream and it is more like a window than a mirror.
Even so, some anglers are hooking bragging-size fish. Michael Terry Jr., a 13-year-old from Goodview, is one of those anglers.
Terry has a lucky black-and-yellow Roostertail spinner that he has been attracting trout on in the Roanoke River. After catching several fish on it the other day in the Wiley Drive area, he decided to move upstream to a new hole.
``I threw the spinner in the first time and a small one followed it in,'' Terry said. ``I threw it in the second time and something hit and and I jerked and I stared reeling . Then I saw a big back sticking up out of the water.''
Terry had hooked a trout of a lifetime, an 8-pound, 14-ounce brown.
Marlo Jeter of Salem also had a memorable day on the Roanoke River, upstream in the Salem section. While casting a Rapala lure, he landed browns that weighed 5 pounds, 4 ounces and 6 pounds, 14 ounces.
A few big largemouth bass continue to delight fishermen at Briery Creek Lake. One of the latest trophies was an 11-pound, 15-ounce catch by George Wright of Wytheville.
Claytor Lake has been turning out trophy smallmouth bass. Mike Morgan of Roanoke got one that weighed 5 pounds, 6 ounces. Robert Tiller of Bluefield landed a 5-pounder. Low, clear water has hampered bass fishing in the New River.
The best striped bass fishing is in Kerr Lake and up its tributary, the Roanoke [Staunton] River. The river is low, but beautiful and full of fish, said Bobby Whitlow, who operates a store in Clover. Mingling with the river stripers are white bass and huge catfish. Whitlow has weighed blue cats that tipped the scales at 21, 28, 33 and 42 pounds.
TURKEY TALK: Maybe Tom McClung has a right to ask: ``What's all this hype about spring gobbler hunting being so difficult?'' McClung, who is from Salem, was hunting in Botetourt County the other day when he confronted a gobbler that wouldn't come to his call.
``I called for awhile and he didn't respond, so I basically stalked him,'' said McClung. ``I went in after him.''
While some hunters will tell you that McClung's technique is a sure way to spook a wise, old gobbler, it worked for him. He came out of the woods packing a 231/4-pound tom.
It was only the second time McClung had been spring gobbler hunting. Last season, on his first hunt, he killed an 18-pound, 13-ounce bird.
Luck? Sure. But on his third hunt earlier this week, McClung came out of the woods with still another tom.
A couple of young hunters from Huddleston, Lacy Burnette, 11, and Rob Ashwell, 10, have killed gobblers in Bedford County. Burnett's bird weighed 20 pounds, Ashwell's 18 pounds.
WATER RODEO: Whitewater rodeos have become popular events, offering kaykers an opportunity to display some hot moves and be seen doing it. One of the oldest of these river gatherings in the East is the New River rodeo at McCoy.
``This unique whitewater competition draws competitors from all over the East,'' said Bill Sgrinia, of the Roanoke County Parks and Recreation Department. ``It has even attracted Olympic kayak athletes.''
Organized by the parks department and Back County Ski and Sports, the event is scheduled for Saturday and Sunday. Information is available by calling Sgrinia at 387-6091.
by CNB