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BASIC INFO:
River sampled:
Tar River
Fisheries Biologists conducting sampling:
Kirk Rundle and Tom Fox
Date of sample:
5/5/2015 and 5/6/2015
Area(s) of river sampled, and water temps:
May 5 – From Battle Park downstream to the Rte 64 bridge we sampled American Shad.
May 6 – From the WRC Dunbar boat ramp downstream to the WRC Bell’s Bridge boat ramp we sampled Striped Bass.
Water temperature was approximately 20 C, or approximately 70 F on both days.
Boat ramp(s) used to access river:
Battle Park and Dunbar
Species (spp) information:
· Spp. captured:
American Shad and Striped Bass
· Numbers by spp: 55 American Shad, 80 Striped Bass
· Size range by spp: American Shad 15-23”; Striped Bass 16-28”
· Max size for spp: American Shad – Female ~ 4 pounds; Striped Bass– Female ~ 8 pounds
· Sex ratio by spp: American Shad approximately 50% males; Striped Bass 50% males
· Were the fish tagged? The Striped Bass were tagged 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 level for sampling and only moderately turbid.
Weather conditions on sampling date?
Warm and sunny.
Your observations of other people fishing on the river:
There were a moderate number of bank anglers fishing at Battle Park and a few boat anglers fishing downstream of Dunbar.
Comments to anglers about your sampling results, and fishing-related conclusions that can be drawn from your data:
American Shad are still available in good numbers in the vicinity of Battle Park, while Striped Bass are still available in good numbers below Dunbar. We are seeing some larger, female Striped Bass as well and both species should be in the upper river in moderate numbers over the next week or two. All fish sampled were returned to the river in good condition. The river was at an ideal level for sampling and should be good for anglers as well, although caution should be used if levels drop, depending on any precipitation.
Bank anglers continue to catch American Shad in the Battle Park area of the Tar River. Anglers were catching and releasing Striped Bass around Dunbar and lower sections of the Tar River.
Doug Mumford from NCDMF shares creel survey information collected from different stretches along the Tar/Pamlico River, Neuse River and Cape Fear River. The DMF creel surveys are funded via through Coastal Recreational Fishing License funding, and the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission assists with design and data analysis for annual compliance reports.
Caitlin Forster, NC Division of Marine Fisheries Technician, with a 3-pound male Striped Bass collected a couple of miles downstream of the Dunbar Boating Access Area on the Tar River on May 6, 2015. NCWRC and NCDMF fisheries staff are working together on Striped Bass tagging projects in the coastal rivers this spring.