This website is a testing environment only. The contents of this site are not refreshed regularly and should not be relied upon.
For up-to-date information on North Carolina licenses, regulations and other wildlife resources, please visit the agency’s website NCWildlife.org.
BASIC INFO:
River sampled:
Roanoke River
Fisheries Biologists conducting sampling:
Katy Potoka, Chad Thomas and Trey Riddle
Date of sample:
March 26, 2015
Area(s) of river sampled, and water temps:)
Highway 48 to Powerlines near Gaston (52–57oF)
Boat ramp(s) used to access river:
Gaston BAA
Species (spp) information:
Spp. captured:
American Shad
Numbers by spp:
20 American Shad
Size range by spp:
Males: 16-21 inches
Females: 19.5–22 inches
Max size for spp:
Female: 22.3 inches, 4.1 pounds
Sex ratio by spp:
10 males, 10 females (1:1 males to females)
Were the fish tagged?
No, but American shad were fin clipped for samples to assess stocking contribution by genetic analysis
ADDITIONAL OBSERVATIONS:
River level and other water quality observations (turbity, etc.):
Flows were at 6,600 cfs on March 26th during our sampling events.
Weather conditions on sampling date?
Overcast and raining (65 oF),
Your observations of other people fishing on the river:
Fishing activity was light near the Gaston BAA on Thursday; one angler fishing above the Hwy 48 bridge was catching American Shad.
Comments to anglers about your sampling results, and fishing-related conclusions that can be drawn from your data:
Water temperatures have continued to rise and American Shad are showing up on the spawning grounds in good numbers. Equal numbers of males and females were observed during our sampling efforts. Weekly surveys will continue and the peak spawn for American Shad should occur in the next couple weeks, as water temperatures continue to rise.
Roanoke River Creel Survey Information:
Hickory Shad Update: In the upper Roanoke, anglers reported “multi-hundred” fish days and our creel clerks intercepted 15 boating parties on Sunday, March 22 during the creel session and number of Hickory Shad reported caught totaled 1,428 fish! Similar reports of “hundred fish days” continued throughout the week by both boat and bank anglers fishing for Hickory Shad at Weldon. Anglers fishing on the Roanoke River near the Edwards Ferry boating access area as well as on the Cashie River in Windsor also caught Hickory Shad last week. Creel clerks also advised that anglers were talking about two Hickory Shad tournaments on Saturday, March 28, with one at Weldon and the other in Windsor.
Striped Bass Update: A few striped bass are being caught in the upper Roanoke River near Scotland Neck and Weldon, yet the vast majority of harvest in the Roanoke River last week was in the lower Roanoke. Our creel clerks documented harvest of Striped Bass in the lower Roanoke River near Jamesville, Williamston and Hamilton this past week. Anglers were using both artificial and cut bait to catch striped bass in good numbers with striped bass harvested between 18 and 22 inches weighing between 2 and 4 pounds.
In addition, anglers caught channel catfish and blue catfish at Weldon, Hamilton and Jamesville as well as Black Crappie near Jamesville. No white perch were observed during the creel survey last week.
Click here to view map. Note: This map is to be used for general informational purposes only and not for navigation of the Roanoke River. Rocks, logs, and other hazards are likely to be encountered anywhere in this area.
Click here to view map. Note: This map of the Roanoke River Boating Access Areas is to be used for general informational purposes only.
Trey Riddle, NCWRC Conservation Technician, holds a female American Shad collected from the Roanoke River on March 26, 2015 near the WRC Boating Access Area near Gaston, NC.