North Carolinas coastal red drum numbers are a monument to nearly a decade of effective management by the N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries and, yes, even the N.C. Marine Fisheries Commission.
More than 100 years ago, in his classic Book of the Black Bass, Doc Henshall annointed the smallmouth bass as inch for inch and pound for pound, the gamest fish that swims.
Floating on the featureless surface of Lake Moultrie reminded me of my honeymoon.
My bride and I spent several days fishing in Baja, Mexico. We started the trip offshore in typical sportfishing boats out of Cabo San Lucas, boats equipped with the latest rods, reels, navigation and fish-finding equipment.
The sun was peeking over the horizon when three goose hunters became convinced they were about to get some company. They laid back in their coffin blinds, side-by-side on the half-acre sandbar as the flock of Canada geese winged its way down the deserted cove. When the lead goose was 20 yards from the decoys, Dwayne Padgett of Monks Corner and his buddies emerged from their blinds and cut loose on the Canadas, which were backpedaling in mid-air.
Dennis Hardwick and his brother planned to spend the morning scouting for hogs along the Pee Dee River in Dillon County, then hunt in the afternoon if they found promising sign.
Even after sleeping an extra hour and leaving the dock at 8 a.m. rather than 7, the morning air still had a cool nip, one of the first signs of falls arrival.
A common problem Lowcountry deer hunters have to deal with is too many options. Whitetails simply have plenty of areas where they may potentially be found.
Good things often happen in threes at many sporting events.
Ice hockey has hat tricks celebrating the player who scores three goals in one game; basketball has its 3-pointer for long-range shots, and baseball designates the Triple Crown for the ballplayer who ranks first in his league in batting average, runs batted in, and home runs — all in the same season.
Good things also happen in threes in the sport of black bass fishing at W. Kerr Scott Reservoir.
Hunger is a great motivator. The thought of going through the winter with an empty stomach is enough to make even the wariest of speckled trout throw down its guard and slash around at just about anything that happens to float or swim past its nose.
Follow the advice in this issue to put a big September buck on your wall.
