ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Thursday, April 25, 1996 TAG: 9604250024
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-4 EDITION: METRO
COLUMN: OUTDOORS
SOURCE: BILL COCHRAN
Anglers can fish a half-mile stretch of the Roanoke River in Virginia's Explore Park, but it is going to cost them $8, and it will be more restrictive than many had hoped.
Park officials classify the new fishing program, announced Wednesday, as ``better than nothing.''
Nothing is what fishermen have had the past several seasons under the park's no bank fishing policy. That has upset sportsmen who savor the opportunity to cast for striped bass, white bass and walleye that run upstream each spring to spawn. The river also contains black bass and sunfish.
``We have been real sluggish about getting the fishing program going,'' said Rupert Cutler, Explore's executive director. ``There is so much involved in it, but we are dipping our toe in the water.''
Under the new setup, fishermen are requested to purchase a $4 daily fishing permit in addition to the $4 park entrance fee. Angler access will be permitted only during the park's regular operating period, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday through Monday.
``Explore Park policy allows for the use of artificial lures only - no live bait - and encourages the use of barbless hooks and fishing on a catch-and-release basis to help sustain the fishery,'' Said Chet Simmons, the park's general manager. Youngsters under 18 can fish free when accompained by an adult.
The fees reflect the need to control the number of people coming into the park during a period of construction and planning, said Simmons. ``It's really not the money,'' he said. ``We are really starting slowly. It is an experimental program.''
The fishing area is located along the south bank of the river, between Palmer's Creek and Chestnut Creek.
``Fishermen using Explore Park should enter at the park's main entrance off Rutrough Road, buy their permits and obtain a special fishing brochure with map at the ticket booth, park their vehicles in the park's main parking lot and walk the short distance to the river bank,'' said Simmons.
The stretch of river open to public fishing is located from just below the parking lot upstream for about one-half mile.
``We will try this and see how it goes,'' Cutler said. ``We wanted to get something going this spring.''
The white bass already are in the river, he said.
BOSS GOBBLERS: Spring gobbler hunters have been toting home big toms, but few have been better equipped in the beard department that a 20-pounder killed by James Whitlock of Bell Springs. Whitlock's bird had four beards.
``One of them was 11 inches, the other three were between 7 and 8 inches,'' said Dewayne Linkous, a Blacksburg taxidermist.
Hunters have been killing an impressive number of turkeys that weighed more than 20 pounds. Bill Breeding of Roanoke County got one that was 22-pound, 6-ounces one day, and followed up on a later hunt with a 19-pounder.
Jerry Haywood of Roanoke killed a 22-pounder.
CRAZY CRAPPIE: Most lakes are reporting good crappie fishing, but it's better than that at Smith Mountain.
``The crappie are going crazy,'' said David Webb of the Fishing Hole tackle shop in Roanoke. ``The boys are telling me that they can catch 60 to 100 crappie while sitting on one tree.''
For many, the major challenge is finding crappie minnows. Webb sold out last weekend, and it was the same at many other minnow dealers, he said.
Jumbo-size largemouth bass continue to hit at Briery Creek Lake and Lake Anna. At Briery Creek, bass fishing has slowed as the largemouths move onto their beds; even so, a 10-pound, 13 1/2-ounce bass was reported, along with a 9-pound, 1-ounce catch.
Anna has produced several trophies, including an 8-pound, 4-ounce bass for Gerald Almy of Sports Afield Magazine.
Timmy Weikel of Dublin landed an 18-pound, 4-ounce striped bass from Claytor Lake. David Murray of Roanoke caught a 4-pound,12-ounce smallmouth at Claytor. Russell Garst of Salem reeled a brown trout that weighed just under 6 pounds from Lake Moomaw.
LENGTH: Medium: 76 linesby CNB