Coastal Rivers Fisheries Reports – Roanoke River(3/20/2014)
BASIC INFO:
River sampled:
Roanoke River
FisheriesBiologists conducting sampling:
JeremyMcCargo and Katy Potoka
Dateof sample:
03/20/2014
Area(s)of river sampled, and water temps:
Hwy. 48 bridge to Powerlines near Gaston Boating Access Area
Weldon Boating Access Area to Big Rock, including Little River
48 degrees
Boatramp(s) used to access river:
Gaston BAA and Weldon BAA
Species (spp) information:
· Spp. captured:
American shad at Gaston area
Hickory shad at Weldon area
No striped bass sampled at either site
· Numbers by spp:
10 American shad at Gaston area
23 Hickory shad at Weldon area
· Size range by spp:
Hickory shad – 12 inches to 20 inches
American shad – 16 to 20 inches
· Max size for spp:
500mm (20 inches), 1.7kg, Female
· Sex ratio by spp:
American shad: 5 females, 5 males
Hickoryshad: 4 females, 19 males
· Were the fish tagged?
No tagging of American or hickory shad
ADDITIONAL OBSERVATIONS:
River level and other water quality observations (turbity, etc.):
High, flows at 16,800; muddy
Weather conditions on sampling date?
Sunny, bluebird skies, 60 degrees by mid-afternoon; beautiful
Your observations of other people fishing on the river:
Lots of shoreline activity at the Weldon Boating Access Area ~30 anglers; 4-5 boats on the river
Comments to anglers about your sampling results, and fishing-related conclusions that can be drawn from your data:
Spawning migration of hickory shad appears to be in its early stages.
Creel Survey Information
Forthe first two weeks of March, creel clerks interviewed anglers throughout the upper and lower Roanoke River with most striped bass catch and harvestoccurring in the lower Roanoke with anglers interviewed at Williamston toJamesville to Plymouth to Hwy 45 with some keepers as well as some smaller striped bass released. A few striped bass were caught and harvested around Gaston and Weldon.
Anglershave caught hickory shad throughout the Roanoke, mostly at Weldon, as well as some anglers catching hickory shad on the Cashie River near Windsor this year.
River conditions: High flows with water temps creeping towards 50 degrees.
First day of spring: anglers seeking their harbinger
Fisheries Biologist Kirk Rundle holds an American shad that was sampled on March 17 from the Tar River.