2010 Saltwater Forecast
By Craig Holt
Although fisheries biologists reported that four saltwater fisheries improved their status in 2009, the overview for 2010 — particularly for popular species that anglers pursue — isn’t that bright.
Deer Dynamics: Casting and Hierarchy
By Tommy Kirland
The rut has come and gone. Bucks that survived hunting season are dropping their battered racks. Though the whitetails are no longer at war for dominance, the competitiveness still exists — even in the off season.
Steam Machine
By Craig Holt
From mid-February through mid-March, bass fishing often grinds almost to a halt in North Carolina because of cold weather.
Mountain Island Blues
By Phillip Gentry
Mountain Island Lake is nestled between Lake Norman to the north and Lake Wylie to the south on the Catawba River system.
Southport’s Spring Slam
By Jerry Dilsaver
If the howl of the clicker on a large Penn International reel doesn’t jack your adrenaline, accelerate your heart rate and cause the little hairs on the back of your neck to stand up, this story probably isn’t for you.
Slabs on Stage
By Dan Kibler
Crappie fishermen look to the time each spring when the dogwoods bloom as prime time to put spawning slabs in the cooler — and somewhere down the line, into the frying pan.
Catting Around the River By Mike Marsh
Apparent at a glance was the fact that few fishermen had taken off work at the last-minute notice of a fair-weather forecast. There were just two vehicles towing boat trailers parked at the Wilmington’s Dram Tree Park ramp. A classic 16-foot tri-hull had been launched and was in the water with its outboard warming up. The angler aboard was busy stowing gear for a fishing trip.
Cover
North Carolina Sportsman
As hints of spring fill the air, crappie take center stage in the Tarheel State.