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Wildlife Commission Fisheries Biologists Jeremy McCargo and Ben Ricks collected 431 striped bass, one hybrid striped bass and 45 American shad earlier this week during their weekly spawning stock surveys for striped bass and American shad in the Roanoke River.
Joined by Coastal Region Fisheries Supervisor Chad Thomas for the striper sampling on May 21, they surveyed the Roanoke in an electrofishing boat from the Weldon boat ramp downstream to Troublefield Gut. On May 23, McCargo and Ricks were joined by Wildlife Technician Charlie Davis for shad sampling between the Hwy 48 bridge to the power lines.
Commission Marketing Director Jenny Harris accompanied fish staff on the striped bass sampling effort, tweeting her observations to Wildlife Commission Twitter followers.
Although sample numbers were higher this week than last, the sample was dominated by small males around 16 inches. “We collected very few female striped bass this week and many of the males appeared spent,” McCargo said. “The disappearance of females in this week’s sample indicates another Roanoke River spawning seasonis coming to an end.”
Once the last few females spawn, the males will head back down river as well. McCargo said they will sample next week to further document the end of the season, but anglers wishing to catch a few more fish should do so soon.
“Boats were catching lots of fish from Mush Island to the Big Rock,” McCargo said. “Most of the fish were small males — similar to what we saw in our sample — but they were catching a few fish near 24 inches.”
River temperature was 67°F and the discharge was 13,500 cubic feet per second (CFS), which is a fairly high level so most of the normal rocks were covered with water and the current was swift.
The 431 stripers that McCargo, Ricks and Thomas sampled ranged in length from 10 to 45 inches. The largest tipped the scales at more than 48 pounds. Male stripers were collected at about a 10:1 ratio over females.
Catch rates for American shad on the Roanoke decreased by 50 percent this week. Most of the females McCargo, Ricks and Davis collected were spent and only a few were fully gravid.
“The males are skinny and look ‘beat up,’ indicating that they have been spawning heavily,” McCargo said. “The American shad spawning run will only last a short while longer on the Roanoke.”
High water is making the river navigable at the Gaston area, but angling is probably difficult.
“Shad anglers wishing to try their luck for a late season American shad should head to the river as soon as possible before the fish finish their spawning run and head back to the Atlantic Ocean,” McCargo added.
The 45 shad they collected ranged from 17 to 21 inches with the largest weighing in at 3.7 pounds. The sex ratio was 1 to 1.
Water temperature had risen one degree to 68°F and the water was clear but high and relatively fast due to high flows from upstream dams.
Anglers fishing the Roanoke near Weldon reported exceptional days of catching and releasing striped bass. Kevin Dockendorf, the Coastal Research Coordinator, encourages anglers who catch a tagged bass to report it. Depending on the tag color, anglers can get a $100 reward (red tags) or $5 or a fishing towel (yellow tags). Find out more the striped bass tagging program here.
"The majority of reports included folks catching mostly smaller fish in the 12-to 16-inch range, some anglers were able to catch and release some larger specimens up to 29 and 30 inches," Dockendorf said. "Striped bass spawning activity was reported, but not nearly as frequent as the previous week. Most anglers were having luck using live bait, artificial baits and flies, although a few parties reported catching no striped bass.”
Dockendorf submits weekly creel reports from the Roanoke — 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.
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.
Wildlife Commission Marketing Director Jenny Harris holds a nice 48.4-pound female striped bass while Coastal Fisheries Supervisor Chad Thomas looks on.