Head for the Mountains

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	One county’s trout magic May 20 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.

	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.

	Crappie on fire, bass biting on Yadkin system reservoirs May 08 at 5:21 pm Nearly every species of gamefish is biting at the Yadkin chain of lakes now — especially crappie and largemouth bass.

	Commission certifies two new freshwater state-record fish May 05 at 7:40 pm After more than a year without a new state-record freshwater fish, the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission recently certified two new record breakers — a freshwater drum from Kerr Reservoir and a white crappie from a private lake in Wake County.

	Fishing is wide open at Lake Wylie May 03 at 6:39 am Largemouth bass, crappie and catfish are biting at Lake Wylie, according to guide Jerry Neeley.

	Southern Fried Walleye - Post-spawn walleye are a May Day staple on North Carolina’s Fontana Lake May 01 at 7:00 am Few people associate North Carolina with a fish that practically defines the word “fishing” in the Great Lakes and upper Midwest. Walleye conjure up images of an angler in a snowsuit with a heavy northern accent trolling rough, open water with crankbaits and nightcrawler harnesses from a big, closed-bow, deep- V boat. Now, picture an easy going, laid-back, slow-talking angler casting a whole nightcrawler threaded on a light jighead from a flat-decked bass boat on a warm spring afternoon, and you’ve got western North Carolina’s version of walleye fishing.

	Stripers on a platter - Water conditions are right in second half of Roanoke River striper run for great topwater action May 01 at 7:00 am Perhaps no fishing technique provides more excitement and satisfaction than using topwater lures. The anticipation of a surface attack is almost as thrilling as actually watching a fish smack a lure on the surface. Freshwater fishermen especially like to find striped bass willing to attack topwaters. The problem is that unless one happens to be at the right place at the right time, it’s a hit-or-miss proposition. Stripers must be visible, slamming baits, before anglers can motor to within casting range, and lake-bound stripers feed in deep water most of the time. That leaves rivers as the best places to engage in topwater fishing for stripers.