Head for the Mountains

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	One county’s trout magic Yesterday at 9:00 am Jackson County is a rising star in the world of trout fishing. It has the longest and most popular delayed-harvest waters in the state. It has the first and only official Fly Fishing Trail, featuring 15 of the area’s finest trout streams, and it will soon have the distinction of joining the state’s Mountain Heritage Trout Waters program.

	Fishermen in Carolinas will have longer black sea bass season this year. May 15 at 8:53 pm The upcoming black sea bass season will likely be at least twice as long as it’s been in recent years, thanks to a May 13 decision by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council.

	Lexington pair tames High Rocks 'bush bass' for tournament win May 15 at 1:48 pm While most teams got bushwhacked in the buttonwood bushes at the May 11 Yadkin Team Tournament at High Rock Lake, Sam and Michael Smith of Lexington probed the vegetation for 19.21 pounds to take the first-place prize of $386.

	Emily Post at the ramp? May 15 at 9:00 am During the boat and fishing shows over the winter, I had the opportunity to talk with a lot of readers, and one topic that I heard a lot about was proper behavior and manners at launching ramps. With Memorial Day weekend, the largest boating event of the spring, on the horizon, it might be a good idea to go over them.

	Trolling for walleye May 15 at 7:00 am Trolling for walleye is a productive tactic that more resembles what southerners view as the northern style of walleye fishing. As the waters in Fontana warm through the spring and summer, walleye will move offshore to deeper drop-offs and may be in 60 to 100 feet of water. Guide Ronnie Parris said summer trolling is a great way to catch walleye, provided you can locate fish.

	Fontana walleye? Where did they come from? May 15 at 7:00 am Fontana Lake is a TVA reservoir impounded by Fontana Dam on the Little Tennessee River located in Graham and Swain counties in North Carolina. The lake forms part of the southern border of Great Smoky Mountains National Park and the northern border of part of the Nantahala National Forest. Depending on water levels, the lake is about 17 miles long. The eastern end is the Tuckasegee River near Bryson City. The lake has many inlets into coves and many islands formed from former mountain peaks, especially near the eastern end. As with most impounded lakes, steep banks are exposed when water levels are low. Several small towns were submerged shortly after the creation of Fontana Lake, including Proctor and Judson.

	A fisherman’s full-service dream May 15 at 7:00 am Almond Boat and RV Park is occupies an important chunk of real estate on the banks of Fontana Lake — just downstream from the junction of the Nantahala and Little Tennessee rivers.

	Striped bass “fights” aren’t knock outs May 15 at 7:00 am Even though many North Carolina fishermen have seen striped bass “fights,” this type of activity doesn’t indicate a willingness to eat a lure.

	Fly rods now popular for Roanoke stripers May 15 at 7:00 am The Roanoke River is a catch-and-release fisherman’s paradise.

	Mountain Island losing power plant, gaining fish attractors May 15 at 7:00 am Mountain Island Lake was created by Duke Power in 1924 with the construction of the dam and, in 1929, with the beginning of operation of the Riverbend Steam Station.

	Bald Head Island is unique May 15 at 7:00 am Bald Head Island, often shown on older maps as Smith Island, is the only part of Brunswick County east of the Cape Fear River at its mouth. The island features a village with a year-round population of less than 200. It is also the southernmost point in Brunswick County and the only place in North Carolina where palm trees are native.

	Tying the loop knot May 15 at 7:00 am Capt. Rick Bennett ties a loop knot to secure his line to every lure or jighead he uses. He said the knot allows the lure to move in the most-natural way, and he believes it helps draw strikes. When tied properly, any of the several versions of the loop knot will not slip or cinch down on the eye of the hook or lure.