ROANOKE TIMES 
                      Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times

DATE: Monday, December 23, 1996              TAG: 9612240020
SECTION: SPORTS                   PAGE: B6   EDITION: METRO 

MUSKIE ACTION HAS BEEN HOT

Cold weather has brought hot muskie fishing to Claytor Lake and the New River.

Jim Whittaker of Christiansburg used a plug to catch a 17-pound, 10-ounce muskie at Claytor Lake. The lake, located in Pulaski County, has been enjoying its best muskie season in recent memory. It also recently has been yielding striped bass and black bass. The hot spot for black bass has been the Dublin Hollow area.

On the New River, which has been flowing high and discolored, Mel Shepherd of Richmond caught three muskie. Their weights were 9, 14 and 18 pounds.

Last season, the New led all Virginia water in muskie catches. Anglers registered 29 citations, including the three heaviest in the state. Two of those, both better than 30 pounds, were early January catches.

LENGTH: Short :   24 lines