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BASIC INFO:
River sampled:
Tar River
Fisheries Biologists conducting sampling:
Kirk Rundle and Tom Fox
Date of sample:
4/28/2015
Area(s) of river sampled, and water temps:
From the WRC Dunbar boat ramp downstream to the WRC Bell’s Bridge boat ramp.
Water temperature was approximately 17 C, or approximately 65 F.
Boat ramp(s) used to access river:
WRC Dunbar boat ramp
Species (spp) information:
· Spp. captured:
Striped Bass
· Numbers by spp: 50 Striped Bass
· Size range by spp: Striped Bass 16-30”
· Max size for spp: Striped Bass female ~ 10 pounds
· Sex ratio by spp: Approximately 10% Females
· Were the fish tagged? Yes, with DMF individually numbered anchor tags
ADDITIONAL OBSERVATIONS:
River level and other water quality observations (turbity, etc.):
At time of sampling, Tar River was at optimal levels for sampling and moderately turbid.
Weather conditions on sampling date?
Cool and sunny.
Your observations of other people fishing on the river:
There were a few boat anglers fishing in the vicinity of Dunbar and Swift Creek.
Comments to anglers about your sampling results, and fishing-related conclusions that can be drawn from your data:
Striped Bass are increasing in number and size and should continue to do so over the next week as more females show up on the spawning grounds. All fish sampled were returned to the river in good condition. We are still observing a fair number of American Shad in the river. The river was at an ideal level for sampling and should be good for anglers as well, although caution should be used if levels continue to drop. Additionally, the harvest season for Striped Bass on the Tar River is October 1 through April 30, with Thursday April 30 being the last day that the harvest of Striped Bass was allowed in 2015.
American Shad catch has slowed down this week. Striped Bass fishing has been very good in the Falkland area of the Tar River, many anglers reported good catches. Anglers were very happy.
NCWRC Fisheries Biologist Tom Fox with a ~ 35 pound female STB sampled about 2 miles upstream of Fishing Creek on Tar River on April 29, 2015.