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Fisheries Biologists Jeremy McCargo and Ben Ricks sampled the Roanoke River on Monday, March 25, capturing 29 American shad and 100 hickory shad. They put in at two different boating access areas — the Weldon ramp and the boat ramp associated with the town of Gaston near Hwy 48 — to conduct electrofishing work and survey the Roanoke’s fisheries in different stretches of the river.

The American shad ranged from 16 to 20 inches in total length. The hickories measured 12-19 inches in length. They did not weigh the shad that they sampled, but they did identify the fish by sex. The American shad sampled were a 1:5 female-to-male ratio (four females; 25 males). The hickory shad were virtually a 1:1 ratio (53 females; 47 males). None of the fish were tagged.

Sampling near Weldon, from the boat ramp down to “Troublefield Gut,” and near the town of Gaston from the Hwy 48 bridge to the Kapstone bridge, McCargo and Ricks observed a telling change in the sex ratio of hickory shad that will be of interest to anglers.

“We saw an increase in the number of female hickory shad this week,” McCargo said. “They were very gravid, which indicates they are preparing to spawn. A slight increase of water temperature will likely set off heavy spawning activity and then the fish will exit the river.”

The weather was cold and cloudy with sleet in the afternoon. Water temperature was 46º F on the Roanoke this past Monday. The river was muddy from previous rains.

“The cold water temperature seems to have the hickory shad scattered more throughout the river,” McCargo said. “As water temps warm, shad fishing should pick back up. Hickory shad fishing should be good for just a couple more weeks. With water temperature still cold, spawning hasn’t really started yet.”

McCargo and Ricks observed several anglers fishing for and catching hickory shad from the shoreline next to the Weldon boat ramp. There were also four boats on the river.

“They were catching quite a few fish as well,” McCargo said.

As an aside, McCargo and Ricks also saw a large mature bald eagle just downstream from the “Big Rock.” Not that the eagle siting will help anglers reading this report, but just to remind us of one of the reasons why we love the outdoors so much — for occasional moments like these.  

Water was being released from Roanoke Rapids Lake into the river at 6,200 cubic feet per second (cfs) on Monday. This discharge provides adequate water levels for safe navigation around Weldon and Gaston areas, McCargo said, but areas upstream of the Weldon boat ramp are pretty treacherous.

“River flows at Weldon have been fairly constant and relatively high the last several weeks, but flows and water level can change quickly in the Weldon area,” McCargo said. “Please be cautious when navigating the upper Roanoke River. During low flows, you need to watch for rocks. During high flows, be on the look-out for logs and other floating debris. Check USGS stream flow gages for current flow conditions.”


Additional Observations

Anglers reported good catches of hickory shad around Weldon during this week, according to Kevin Dockendorf, the Wildlife Commission’s fisheries research coordinator in the coastal region. Dockendorf’s weekly creel report from the Roanoke is gleaned from information collected by Chip Peele and Patrick Railey, Roanoke River creel clerks. Peele and Railey interview anglers coming off the Roanoke to collect information for the Wildlife Commission on angling effort as well as size, catch and harvest data on striped bass, hickory shad and other fish targeted by anglers over the 61-day striped bass harvest season on the Roanoke River.

“Catches of striped bass are spotty throughout the river with relatively few of harvestable size being reported,” Dockendorf said. “Anglers indicate size range of striped bass released were from 15 to 17 inches in total length.”

Dockendorf also noted that fishermen trying their luck around Williamston and Jamesville were reporting catching channel catfish, blue catfish and white perch this week.

Back to Coastal Rivers Fisheries Reports

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.

Fisheries Biologist Jeremy McCargo with a
nice American shad from the Roanoke River.