Sidebars

Previous12 3 4 5 6...90 Next

	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.

	Bonito are popular fly-rod targets May 15 at 7:00 am Although most anglers use spinning or baitcasting tackle for bonito, fly-rod fishing has become popular in recent years — probably because false albacore will hit the same flies as bonito.

	Bonito are best on the dinner plate May 15 at 7:00 am Atlantic bonito are probably the only member of the Scombridae family caught from Atlantic Ocean waters that anglers will prepare as food. And anyone who accidentally has tried an albacore, thinking it was a bonito, understands the difference.

	What’s ‘The Point’? May 15 at 7:00 am The Point is 34 to 42 miles southeast of the Oregon Inlet sea buoy, at 35.32.57 to 35.33.00 (north) by 74.50.67 to 74.84.00 (west). It appears as a box canyon where the deep shelf has eroded into the upper shelf, as though a chunk was removed from the slope. Start searching for a steep drop-off once you’ve reached the 560-590 line and dropped from 40 to 50 fathoms. The bottom of the “box” is 400 fathoms and appears suddenly.

	How to identify bigeye tuna May 15 at 7:00 am Bigeye tuna school with their own or with other tuna, including skipjacks, true albacore and yellowfins.