Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, May 25, 1995 TAG: 9505250073
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-4 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: BILL COCHRAN
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
The extra fish are the result of good growing conditions in hatcheries and more funding for the trout program from a boost in the trout license fee, said George Duckwall, the department's trout cultural supervisor.
The fish are scheduled to be stocked in a 42 streams and ponds, including Glade Creek and Tinker Creek in the Roanoke Valley, Potts Creek in Craig County, Burke's Fork in Floyd County, Big Stoney Creek in Giles County and the Jackson and Bullpasture rivers in Bath County.
``These fish aren't the culls, they aren't the holdovers. They will average one-half pound each and will provide those anglers pursuing them an excellent angling opportunity,'' Duckwall said.
The spring stocking program is scheduled to be extended to June 9.
``Without the extra fish, we would have been done by June 1, with maybe one or two exceptions,'' Duckwall said. ``Some of the streams may start getting trout as early as Monday. It is a lot of fun to give fishermen something extra.''
The stocking schedules will be listed in the Scoreboard in the June 1 edition of the Roanoke Times & World-New.
DUDLEYS DO RIGHT: Contestants in the two-day Smith Mountain Lake Chamber of Commerce/Partnership Bass Tournament must have felt they were competing for second place when James and David Dudley showed up to fish as team.
James is a veteran of the BASS Masters Classic and the Wrangler/B.A.S.S. National Championship. David, his 19-year old son, has qualified for the 1995 BASS Masters Classic.
At last weekend's Smith Mountain tournament, the Dudleys reeled in the winning 28.92-pound catch, which earned them $2,000. Second were Trevis and Danny Towe of Salem, with 24.52 pounds. Third place went to Tim Meadows and Bernie Elmore of Waynesboro, who entered 21.92 pounds.
MOOMAW IS HOT: Following a lackluster early spring, trout fishing has turned on at Moomaw Lake, where some of the brown trout catches are pressing the 8-pound mark. Eddie Hoffman of Covington hooked one that weighed 7.78 pounds. Donald and Brandon Childs of Iron Gate docked with browns that weighed 4.41, 3.77 and 3.75 pounds. Ralph Perry of Grundy had four trout that ranged in weight from 3.50 to 4.75 pounds.
Most of the fish are being caught on live bait under lights during after-dark hours.
BLUEFISH APPEAR: Big bluefish have made an impressive showing along the Virginia coastline, delighting anglers at Virginia Beach, Wachapreague and Chincoteague. The fish have ranged in size from 8 to 14 pounds and should hang around the Virginia capes into late June.
The leading bluefish in the Virginia Saltwater Fishing Tournament came from the Chesapeake Bay off Smith Point. The 16-pound, 12-ounce citation catch was made by Howard Sampson of Reedville.
The season's first rod-and-reel catches of black drum also have been recorded, showing up off Cape Charles and in the Latimer Shoals area. The first cobia of the season have been taken in the bay.
Striped bass fishing is excellent in the bay, with catches of up to 100 fish per day, Capt. Billy Pipkin of Heathsville reports.
HONORS: Virginia Watson of Dublin caught a 44-pound flathead catfish during a trip to Santee Cooper Lakes in South Carolina. That earned him a citation in the Santee Cooper Trophy Five Award program.
Peggy Hodges of Bedford placed fourth recently in the 65- to 69-year-old recurved archery division of the National Golden Olympics in Texas.
Memo: ***CORRECTION***