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BASIC INFO:
River sampled:
Cape Fear River
Fisheries Biologists conducting sampling:
Michael Fisk
Justin Dycus
Date of sample:
March 31, April 1
Area(s) of river sampled, and water temps:
Rock Arch Ramp (Lock and Dam 1)
Lock and Dam 2
Lock and Dam 3
Raven Rock State Park
Buckhorn Dam Tailrace
51-53 F
Boat ramp(s) used to access river:
Lock and Dam 1
Lillington BAA
Buckhorn Dam
Species (spp) information:
· Spp. captured:
American Shad
· Numbers by spp:
American Shad = 101
· Size range by spp:
American Shad 17 in –21.5 in
· Max size for spp:
American Shad 21.5 in, 3.9 lbs Female
· Sex ratio by spp:
Females = 39 Males = 62
· Were the fish tagged?
No fish were tagged
ADDITIONAL OBSERVATIONS:
River level and other water quality observations (turbity, etc.):
The Cape Fear River has cleared up some and returned to normal flows.
Weather conditions on sampling date?
70’s
Your observations of other people fishing on the river:
American Shad are being caught at all three lock and dams. No Striped Bass are showing up in our samples yet.
Comments to anglers about your sampling results, and fishing-related conclusions that can be drawn from your data:
Catch rates of American Shad continue to increase at lock and dams 2 and 3. Shad have been collected from the Rock Arch Ramp upstream to the Buckhorn Dam tailrace showing fish are distributed throughout the river.
Cape Fear River Creel Survey Information: March 24th to March 30th
Lock and Dam No. 1 had been closed but is now open. Anglers utilizing this ramp have taken just a few American Shad on hook and line. The muddy water makes using artificial baits a bit problematic. Samplers intercepted anglers with the first hook and line American shad caught this season.
Assistant Fisheries Biologist Justin Dycus holding a largemouth bass collected at Lock and Dam 3.
Fisheries Biologist Michael Fisk holding a flathead catfish collected at Buckhorn Dam tailrace