Kids

The question most asked me is "How old should my child be before I can allow him to come fishing?"

A picture can tell a thousand words, and these pictures do just that. They were taken during a trip on the Roanoke River in May 2010 with Dusty Field and his sons Zack and Chase. Zack is in the first grade and Chase is in kindergarten.

Here's a dad taking time to make some great memories for his boys that will last a lifetime... the expressions on their faces were priceless.

So, how young is too young? It truly depends on the maturity of the child. Some start fishing at 5 or 6 and some start when they are 9 or 10. The parent is to be the judge of that. Safety is the top priority and all children thirteen and under must wear a life jacket... and it will be my pleasure to make some great fishing memories for you and your children and grandchildren.

When you get hooked on fishing, it's all about getting yourself the feeling and excitement of catching fish... then you long for that same feeling with big fish, trophy fish... then you come full circle when you're greatest joy is seeing the same excitement in others.

Hello,

I'm Capt. Rod Thomas, and I'd like to thank you for your interest in a fishing trip with Captain Ponytail Guide Service.

Capt. Rod Thomas interviews Ray Scott, the founder of B.A.S.S.

That nickname "Captain Ponytail" was certainly not my idea...... that's a funny story I'll tell you later, and it's got a lot to do with how I got in the guide business in the first place. Most guides are good fishermen, and they get into the business because they know their water so well, people are willing to pay for their knowledge. I came to the business a different way. I've been in the broadcast television business for twenty five years. Live sports was my passion. I started in 1982 as a cameraman for ESPN shooting golf and NASCAR racing. I freelanced for CBS, ABC, TNN, HGTV,and shot and produced sports for ten years. In 1992 I got a chance to produce a fishing show for The Outdoor Channel. Over the next ten years I produced four fishing and outdoor shows for TOC and Fox Sports South. Because of my job, I got on board with some of the best fishermen and saltwater charter guides from Alaska to Mexico and Venezuela. not to mention most all of our fifty states as well. I learned a ton about fishing, boating, and how to give 100% effort to give you a day of memories that will last you a lifetime. That's why I've chosen the Roanoke River in spring and Georgetown, S.C. in summer and fall as my destinations. They both offer awesome fishing opportunities.

The Roanoke is THE BEST PLACE I've ever fished for taking families, kids, grandparents...... anyone who can't or doesn't want to wait on a bite. From 25 to 125 fish on a five hour trip is the norm. Georgetown doesn't offer the numbers, but the rewards in big Spot Tails and Tarpon that are truly trophy fish are remarkable.

Check out the Adventures section of the site, and I'll look forward to an unforgettable....... and most importantly.... safe.... day on the water with you!

Now back to how I got the nickname "Captain Ponytail" and let me tell 'ya. IT TOOK A LONG TIME TO GET USED TO.

Capt. Rod Thomas aka "Captain Ponytail" and Capt. Mike McDonald aka "Gul-R-Boy"

It started with Capt. Mike McDonald from Gul-R-Boy Guide Service in Georgetown, South Carolina. I met Mike while shooting a tarpon show in the mid nineties when I was producing a show called "The Outdoor Journal" with Tom Richards for The Outdoor Channel. We hooked two tarpon one September morning, and landed one that weighed close to 150lbs, just like Mike had promised. Good show and easy show... but I got my first taste of Gul-R-Boy. Mike is a former assistant police chief in Georgetown and during our day, he told me I was lucky I met him when he had a fishing pole in his hand and not a gun. "In the good old days, when guys who looked like you showed up in my town, they were going to jail, whether they did anything or not", is how he put it.

I don't know how or why, but he's become my partner and one of my best friends. He convinced me to get my Captain's license, and I started covering charters for him when he was booked. I would never talk to the client, and Mike had been calling me Capt. Ponytail for a while... part of his endless effort to try to get under my skin, just like the first day I met him. So he'd tell the client to walk out to the middle of the dock at South Island Ferry and yell "Hey, Captain Ponytail" as loud as he could. That way he could embarrass the customer and tick me off all at the same time and that was a great way for him to start his day.

But the name never left Georgetown for quite a while. Then Mike and I were doing a fishing show together somewhere and I was walking down the hallway with Henry Sykes, a friend and fishing buddy that I've known for 10 or 12 years who's a boat manufacturer's rep and knows everybody in this business. Mike was 30 yards behind us and screamed, "Hey, Capt. Ponytail... where you headed?" Henry stopped dead in his tracks... looked at me with this funny look on his face and said, "What'd he call you?" It was over. Since that day it's been my nickname, and now there's lots of customers who have no idea what my name is. Just Capt. Ponytail.

It still took six or seven more years before I decided that the only way to get Mike back for "Captain Ponytail" was to make some money with the name and not give him any. That's how CAPTAIN PONYTAIL GUIDE SERVICE got started. Thanks Mike.

My Equipment

The boat we will be fishing in is a 2011 Sea Hunt BX-24 Bay Boat. It's equipped with a 2011 Yamaha 250 4 stroke, Humminbird sidefinder electronics and large screen GPS, and a Minn Kota Riptide saltwater trolling motor with co-pilot remote. Also from Minn Kota we have their Talon, shallow water anchoring system designed for quiet and efficient boat positioning. Safety first ... safe day on the water with a VHF marine radio with weather and emergency band and a variety of commercial Type 1 pfd's as well as SOSpenders and fanny pack pdf's for a comfortable save day on the water.

Watch a video about Sea Hunt Boats.

We are equipped to carry up to 4 fishermen comfortably. All you need to bring is Sunglasses, rain gear and what you want to eat and drink! The boat is fully insured for carrying passengers for hire and is registered as a charter vessel in North & South Carolina. We would not trust any other trailer but a Wesco to travel the miles we put on our rig!

Capt. Rod Thomas Joins Team Sea Hunt!

We are happy and pleased to announce that Sea Hunt Boats and Marine Service Center of Murrell's Inlet, S.C. are new sponsors of Capt. Rod and Captain Ponytail Guide Service.

We will be running a Brand Spanking New 2011 Sea Hunt BX-24 Bay Boat this spring on the Roanoke as well as in Georgetown this summer and fall. You'll enjoy the efficient, spacious decks and storage on this comfortable and extremely fishable bay boat.

Watch a video about Sea Hunt Boats.

A new Yamaha 250 4 stroke will provide the smooth dependable power to get us there and back quickly and safely.

Thanks to David and Zach Perry for putting the deal together with Capt. Larry Jett from Sea Hunt Boats.

She looks great sitting on a Wesco trailer, so thanks to Jerry at Wesco for all the help.

The Humminbird Electronics and Minn Kota trolling motor are both thanks to Fuzzy Lambert from Johnson Outdoors.

Watch a video about the Humminbird side imaging fish finder.

Watch a video about the Minn Kota Pilot remote.

Minn Kota will also be providing the newest member of it's product line....... the Talon. Talon is a shallow water anchoring system designed for quiet and efficient boat positioning....... no anchor involved.

Watch a video about the Minn Kota Talon shallow water anchoring system.

Thanks to everyone involved in putting the deal together and special thanks to Craig Cooper from Cooper's Marine for the best rigging available anywhere.

The best and newest product rigged perfectly on a boat you're gonna love chartering, a 2011 Sea Hunt BX-24.

Roanoke River Spring Striped Bass Spawning Run

In the spring we travel up to Weldon, North Carolina to fish the Roanoke River during the Striped Bass Spawning Run. If you've never had the chance to fish for ocean stripers that come up the river to spawn, you're missing one of the most remarkable adventures of a lifetime. From the "Old Pro" to the "I've never fished before", the experience is truly unforgettable. It's great for kids, grandkids and Grandmas too! The height of the season is usually April 15 until May 15, and catching eighty to one hundred fish in a day is possible at this incredible fishery.

Watch a video about what to expect on this amazing fishing adventure of a lifetime!

Now for those of you who've never heard of Weldon, let me tell you a little bit about it. Weldon is a small town in North Carolina located right next to the Virginia border on I-95. It's known as the "Rockfish Capitol of the World". "Rockfish", also known as Striped Bass, come from the Atlantic from as far away as coastal New Jersey and Massachusetts to spawn there every spring. Weldon has a great small town feel to it. It’s not overrun with traffic (except of course, during Striper season!), and they have cool hometown restaurants to eat at too! If you hang around a few of them at dinner time, you'll most likely hear about what the day on the river was like. You'll hear a few fish tales too, just try and figure out how “long” that tale was !!

Can you imagine catching a hundred pound striper in a river that’s a cast and a half wide and three to twelve feet deep? Sound like heaven? It is... it’s called the Roanoke River... Click here to read the full story!

Read the latest article from the Ronoke Rapids Daily Herald on April 27, 2009

• Find out where to stay.
• Get Directions.
• Check the Weather.

We schedule two trips per day, morning and afternoon. We still have a few trips that haven't been booked yet.
Check the calendar below to find the best date and time for your adventure. The red checks designate booked trips.

Give us a call at (336) 240-5649 to book your trip but you better hurry cause they're going fast!

If the day and time that you want have already been booked then Click Here.

If the day and time that you want have already been booked then Click Here.

If the day and time that you want have already been booked then Click Here.

Where to Stay

Now if you've made it this far you must be getting serious about booking a trip and you're probably wondering where you're going to stay.

Our favorite place to stay is the Ponderosa Campground. It's just one mile from the boat ramp, an easy 5 minutes drive. We try to get our same spot every year. Just down the path is a small stream where you can clean your catch of the day for supper. If you walk down the path at the other end of the campground, there is a walking trail that has a natural aqueduct! It is beautiful.

The trail is part of a 7 mile walking trail, the Roanoke Canal Trail, mostly flat and absolutely breathtaking for it's natural beauty. (Click here for more information on this beautiful and historical trail)

Ponderosa Campground/RV Park
100 Ponderosa Road
Weldon, N.C. 27890
Contact: Greg Stephenson
Phone: (252) 536-4741
e-mail: ponderosarv@embarqmail.com
(1.1 miles from boat ramp)

Now for the folks who prefer motels over camping there are many fine motels in the Roanoke Rapids/Weldon area just minutes from the boat ramp. Here are a few that I would recommend.

Hampton Inn Roanoke Rapids
85 Hampton Boulevard
Roanoke Rapids, NC 27870
Contact: Percilla West and mention me, Capt. Ponytail.
Phone: (252) 537-7555
(2.3 miles from boat ramp)

Directions (Click here to print these directions)

If you are traveling from the south on I-95:

• Take I-95 North to exit 173 (Roanoke Rapids/Weldon)
• At top of the ramp turn right going east on Hwy. 158 toward Weldon.
• Go through downtown Weldon.
• Get in left lane. At T-intersection with Hwy. 301 Go left.
• The NC Wildlife boat ramp is IMMEDIATE right after you get on Hwy. 301.

If you are traveling from the north on I-95:

• Take I-95 South to exit 173 (Roanoke Rapids/Weldon)
• At end of the ramp turn left going east on Hwy. 158 toward Weldon.
• Go through downtown Weldon.
• Get in left lane. At T-intersection with Hwy. 301 Go left.
• The NC Wildlife boat ramp is IMMEDIATE right after you get on Hwy. 301.

If you are traveling from the south on I-85:

• Take I-85 North through Durham toward Henderson.
• Follow I-85 North to exit 229 . (Oine Rd.)
• Go to top of the ramp and turn right on Oine Rd.
• Follow and stay left on Oine rd. to T-intersection at Hwy. 158.
• Turn left on Hwy. 158.
• Go to stop light and turn right on Hwy. 158 east.
• Follow Hwy. 158 east to Roanoke Rapids.
• Go through Roanoke Rapids and underneath I-95
• Go through downtown Weldon.
• Get in left lane. At T-intersection with Hwy. 301 Go left.
• The NC Wildlife boat ramp is IMMEDIATE right after you get on Hwy. 301.

Extreme Roanoke River Spring Striped Bass Spawning Run

Want to kick your Roanoke River Spring Striped Bass fishing adventure up a notch or two? ..............
How 'bout all the way to Extreme!

Imagine fishing in areas that are not accessible by conventional propeller driven boats because to get there requires boating over rocks, debris, rapids and shallow water. There are many areas like this on the Roanoke River that are teaming with huge stripers that are rarely fished.

WELL, NOW YOU CAN! Let NC Licensed Guide Russ Gobble take you there in a RiverPro Jetboat, the most extreme fishing boat on the planet.

Russ's RiverPro Jetboat features an all Welded Aluminum HD Hull and it's 175 horsepower Mercury Sport Jet Drive can get you there over rocks, debris, and shallow water only three inches deep at speeds up to 50 MPH.

Russ has been fishing North Carolina rivers his whole life, and several years ago he decided that it was time to get the perfect boat for river fishing. He's able to take you where the big ones live, and once you get there, he knows how to catch them.

Book a trip with Russ Gobble on his RiverPro Jetboat and not only will you enjoy a fishing adventure of a lifetime but you'll have a ride of a lifetime too. This is an experience that you don't want to miss.

Watch these videos on the RiverPro Jet Boat like the one that will take you on your EXTREME FISHING ADVENTURE!
For more information on RiverPro Jetboats visit: www.Riverpro-Boats.com

We schedule two trips per day, morning and afternoon. We still have a few trips that haven't been booked yet. Check the calendar below to find the best date and time for your adventure. The red checks designate booked trips.

Give us a call at (336) 240-5649 to book your trip but you better hurry cause they're going fast!

If the day and time that you want have already been booked then Click Here.

If the day and time that you want have already been booked then Click Here.

If the day and time that you want have already been booked then Click Here.

Georgetown Saltwater

June thru October you can find us in Georgetown, South Carolina fishing for Red fish, Trout, Flounder & Tarpon... Red fish is the main game here...everything else is just a bonus! We fish in Winyah Bay, North Inlet and the backwaters in Georgetown. We've been fishin' these waters for a long time ... our knowledge of the area is sure to please!

Watch a video about what to expect on this amazing fishing adventure of a lifetime!

• Find out where to stay.
• Get Directions.
• Check the Weather.

Give us a call at (336) 240-5649 to book your trip.

Directions Click here to print these directions.

From Myrtle Beach, SC (Approx: 50 miles):

• Take US-17 or Hwy-17 Bypass South towards Georgetown
• Cross the Great Pee Dee River (two bridges) before entering Georgetown
• Enter Georgetown Hwy-17 is called Church St.
• At the McDonalds go Left onto N. Fraser St which is still Hwy-17.
• Cross the Sampit River Bridge.
• At Graham Funeral Home Turn Left onto Britt St.
• Turn right onto S. Island Rd.
• Go to the end of S. Island Rd. (about 8 miles) to the ferry crossing and boat ramp.
• There's plenty of parking space.

From Charleston, South Carolina (approx: 56 miles):

• Take US-17 North through Mt Pleasant towards Georgetown
• Go about 40 miles Cross South and North Santee River Bridges
• US-17 is called S. Fraser St. after crossing bridges
• Turn Right onto N. Santee River Rd.
• Turn Left onto Estherville Dr.
• Turn right onto S. Island Rd.
• Go to the end of S. Island Rd. to the ferry crossing and boat ramp
• There's plenty of parking space

The Dream Hunt & Fishing Program

This is a story about a new Super Hero and his side kick, their names are Captain Rod Thomas and his wife Smokey.

My name is Terry Boyce and I am the Director of a non-profit organization named Dream Hunt & Fishing Program. The Dream Hunt & Fishing Program is a wish granting service for youth with Life Threatening Diease/Illness or a Disabling Physical Handicap. These youth have Dreams of going Hunting, Fishing or just enjoying the wildlife and the great outdoors. The program is not just about the taking of wildlife.

In January of 2011 I received three applications from youths to go fishing. I work very close with the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission, Enforcement and Inland Fishery Divisions. They had put the word out that I was looking for some help to put three fishing trips together.

It didn't take but a day or two to hear back from Jeremy McCargo, NC Wildlife Inland Fishery. He called me and said that he had someone who wanted to help out and his name was "Captain Ponytail."

I had meet Captain Ponytail the year before during the stripped bass season at Weldon, NC. I called him and the first thing he and Smokey said was "What can we do to Help Out?" Just think what it takes to plan a fishing trip for one person,then multiply that times three, plus one of them in a wheelchair. After getting some dates that the kids and their families could go with,Captain Rod & Smokey moved some paying trips around so they could make it work for these kids.

Ryan Hart

Then on April 16, 2011 I meet with the first youth, Ryan Hart, age 9 from Elm City, NC at the boat ramp in Weldon, NC. What a great facility it is, it has to be one of the best in North Carolina.

Ryan was very shy when he first meet Captain Rod, maybe it was the "Ponytail". Ryan,his dad, granddad, Jennifer Snell (volunteer to take photos) and Captain Rod took off from the ramp.

Four hours later the boat returned but not with the shy little boy that had left earlier. I could hear little Ryan when they came around the turn in the river, it was "Captain this and Captain that." Ryan had just fell in love with Captain Rod, they had landed only four fish. The wind was blowing 35-40 mph. Little Ryan had a ball and had a new friend, Captain Rod.

Joshua Winter

The next morning was Joshua Winter, age 15 from Wilson, NC turn.

Again we have a shy young boy before leaving the ramp. This trip would include Joshua, his mom, dad, Jennifer Snell and Captain Rod.

About four hours later the boat returned with SMILES on everyone. I am thinking they must have really got into the fish but no they had only landed three or four fish. They were are smiles because they had all had the time of their life.

The first thing Joshua's mom said to me was Captain Rod is just "SUPER."

Nicholas Cain

The last trip was for Nicholas Cain, age 19 from Salemburg, NC who was already at the boat ramp waiting to go.

This was going to be a special trip, Nicholas is in a wheelchair and he couldn't wait to just get into a boat for the first time in his life. Before and after each trip we had assistance from Officers of the NC Wildlife Resources Commission, Sgt. Glen Hatcher, Officer Dustin Etheridge and Officer Patrick Brown.

This trip would include Nicholas,his dad,mom,Jennifer,Captain Rod and Smokey.

I waited at the boat ramp and after three or four hours they returned again with smiles all around. they had landed some fish this time and Nicholas had two keepers. The fish was not what Nicholas and is mom and dad were talking all about. It was about Captain Rod & Smokey and how they were just "HEROES." So now you know were I get they are both "SUPER HEROES."

There were others who helped make these trips great for these boys and their families: Pricilla West, Manager Hampton Inn, Chad Thomas,Kevin Dockendorf,Jeremy McCargo,Ben Ricks, NC Wildlife Resources Commission Inland Fishery, Ronnita Spence, Elizabeth City Wal Mart, Jimmy Simpson, Frito-Lay Chips, Lt. Norman Watts, NC Wildlife Resources Commission and all the nice people that help out at the boat ramp. Thanks to all of you for making great memories for these boys and their families.

Special Thanks to Jennifer Snell for taking all those photos.

Captain Rod & Smokey all the kids and their families said it over & over "YOU ARE SUPER PEOPLE." THANKS

Terry W. Boyce, Director, Dream Hunt & Fishing Program

email: terry.w.boyce@roadrunner.com

"To Put A Smile on A Kids Face, Take Them Hunting or Fishing. It's A Memory They Will Never Forget."

Comments from the Roanoke 2011

Here's some of the emails I've received this year while fishing on the Roanoke River in Weldon, North Carolina.

WELDON, NC - Bait battle: Businesses, entrepreneurs at odds

Here's some of the emails that I was copied on that were sent to Ms. Tracey Storey, the Weldon town clerk, concerning the Weldon county commissioners meeting relating to zoning changes and permit ordinances regulating bait sales for fishing on the Roanoke.

River’s bounty feeds angler’s desires, guides’ businesses

Rod Thomas, or Captain Ponytail as he is known professionally, and Lauren Stephenson hold one of the "keeper" striped bass Lauren caught Friday morning fishing on the Roanoke River.

WELDON — For a month or so, the Roanoke River is home to several professional fishing guides who have found the shiny, silver striped bass that swim up the river from the Albermarle Sound to spawn, a great springtime bonus.

While there are several local guides like Bryan Davis, Bobby Phillips, Richard Lee and Mike Shearin who realize the economic value of the Roanoke River and the reservoirs it helped man make, visiting anglers and the professional guides who have come to service them often go unnoticed.

Rod Thomas, better known from his work with television shows and N. C. Wildlife videos as Captain Ponytail, a professional fishing guide from Lexington, lives with his wife Smokey on Highrock Lake. Friday, he reserved a morning of fishing for Ponderosa Campground owner Greg Stephenson and his daughter, Lauren. Thomas is making his temporary home at the Ponderosa and invited the Daily Herald along to see what these guides do on the river.

"There are actually 10 to 12 guys here from other areas, guiding trips up and down the river," Thomas said as he and Smokey prepared the huge tanks full of live herring minnows and threadfin shad they sell at the campground with Stephenson.

The Thomas pair had trouble finding bait the first few years the captain guided trips on the Roanoke. They solved the problem by starting their own bait service with Stephenson, who sells Christmas trees in the location during the holidays.

Thomas has one of the larger boats seen on the river this time of year, a 24-foot Triton center console, fiberglass-hull boat that can comfortably carry four anglers. He launches the boat each morning and hauls it out each afternoon with his brightly colored sport utility vehicle, which acts and looks like a rolling billboard for Captain Ponytail's Guide Service.

Once six-dozen live shad were transferred from the huge water tanks at the campground, to the large bait tank aboard Thomas' boat, it was off to the Weldon boat landing.

The Friday morning launch pointed out one of the glaring difficulties anglers face fishing the river in Weldon and Roanoke Rapids, a lack of good boat ramps and tie-off areas for launching boats.

"That problem really should be addressed and frankly I'm surprised it hasn't by now," Thomas said diplomatically. He faces the same problem every morning and afternoon and said he was surprised no one has been injured so far this year.

Once loaded and underway, Thomas' first stop was directly across the river where he purchased larger gizzard shad from Adam Brooks, a neighbor of Thomas from Highrock Lake, who is selling bait from a boat anchored on the river.

There is big money in the bait business here, and other than the Roanoke River Trading Company located near the Weldon boat ramp, there were no other locals selling bait in the area.

Thomas explained he was interested to see which bait the hungry stripers preferred as he motored down river past what locals call the “big rock.” He expertly wove the large boat through a maze of boats of all kinds drifting or anchored.

Captain Ponytail made the process look simple, but one look at less experienced anglers trying to fish and keep their boat positioned, brought a new sense of appreciation for his skills.

With the bow of the large boat perpendicular to the shoreline and enough space between surrounding boats, the entire river seemed alive with boats sitting still, but moving as one, as if they were all on some escalator going down river towards the sea. Everything flowed well until the escalator found a boat or two anchored in the river. Then, everyone had to move and re-position themselves until past the obstruction.

Once Thomas had three anglers baited up and fishing, Lauren was the first to boat a striper. She boated the first three fish and seemed to have found the perfect spot on the boat to catch all the fish. Later, her father began matching her fish for fish.

Another problem when fishing the river is snagging, or hooking, underwater obstructions. With the river’s current, the snag will often snap the fishing line leaving the angler without hook, line, sinker or bait.

Captain Ponytail is usually quick to the rescue with a freshly baited rod. "If customers aren’t catching fish, they're not happy," Thomas said while tying on another hook and expertly repositioning the boat at the same time. "If they don't have a baited hook in the water, there is no way they can catch fish," he said matter-of-factly.

After what many called a slow morning on the river, which meant that in just three hours drifting and catching a dozen-or-so fish, the three happy anglers were deposited back on shore with their limit of two fish per angler, where they smiled and greeted Captain Ponytail's next group of out-of-state anglers as they scrambled aboard for their half day of fishing fun.

“That is what it's all about,” Thomas said. "We provide people a half or full day of fishing and they don't need to bring a thing. We provide everything for them and for most people that is how they want to fish. We (fishing guides) take all the hassles and trouble out of fishing. They can sit back, enjoy it and go home with fish to cook and hopefully, stories to tell."

Roanoke River Reborn - A story of conservation

Can you imagine catching a hundred pound striper in a river that’s a cast and a half wide and three to twelve feet deep? Sound like heaven? It is… it’s called the Roanoke River and it stands a shining example of how conservation efforts by government agencies as well as individual fishermen can return a decimated fishery to complete recovery.

There are records of many hundred pound fish being caught out of the Roanoke in the early nineteen hundreds – at least hundreds and possibly thousands of years before that we knew that Native American fishermen came here every spring for the great striper fishing. All those year and the action has always happened within a few miles of what’s now know worldwide as “the Weldon boat ramp”. When you enter Weldon, the sign welcoming visitors to this small town in the northeast corner of North Carolina says “Striped Bass Capital of the World”… and for about two months in springtime, they have every right to that title.

Stripers that live their adult lives in the ocean travel through Albemarle Sound and up the Roanoke River almost one hundred sixty miles every spring to spawn. Depending of water level and temperature, they always end up within a few miles of the boat access area in Weldon, N.C.

For roughly four to eight weeks it’s literally a fisherman’s paradise. Thousands of fish from up and down the eastern seaboard and even beyond have congregated each spring for hundreds of years in the same tiny piece of river and that spring spawning ritual is what makes the Roanoke River such a unique and special fishery. Chad Thomas, district Fisheries biologist for the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission, explains why this happens. “We know that hundreds of years ago, long before there were any dams on the river, Native Americans fished for stripers on this exact same site. What makes the river near Weldon so unique is the presence of a fall line, a change in elevation where the coastal plain ends and the piedmont begins. A combination of factors including good spawning habitat and a good flow of water draw the migrating stripers to this spot, the same spot they have come to for hundreds and possibly even thousands of years.”

By the late 1980’s, what had been an unbelievable fishery for many years was nearly totally gone. Legal over fishing as well as illegal catch and sale of stripers from the Roanoke took a tremendous toll and we lost a special spot here in North Carolina. People like Chad Thomas at North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission were determined to bring the fishery back to its glory – and they’ve succeeded in a big way.

“In the late 1980’s the Wildlife Commission began introducing new regulations to protect spawning striped bass. The make-up of the fishery at that time consisted of mostly three, four, and five year old striped bass in very low abundance.” Thomas explained. “Reasons for the decline in the fishery were numerous and included over fishing throughout the system, illegal activity, poor water quality, and highly variable flow regimes from Roanoke Rapids Dam. About that same time a group of individuals consisting of anglers, scientists, power company officials and others formed what became known as the Roanoke River Flow Committee. The objective of this committee was to look at the relationship between survival of eggs and fry of striped bass in the Roanoke and the amount of flow from Roanoke Rapids Dam. The group came up with a series of guidelines that showed what flow levels in the spring would help the striped bass population spawn most successfully. The changes to the flow regime have proven to be a significant benefit to the fishery. We have also seen marked improvements in water quality over the last thirty years. So we now have optimum spawning flows, improvements in water quality, and fishing regulation in place to protect the existing spawning stock. Those three things in conjunction with one another are primarily responsible for the tremendous increase in the numbers of striped bass in the system. The anglers have had to endure continual changes to their fishing regulations. Since 1991, it seems like the regulation have been modified in some way almost every year. Without the angler’s commitment to these regulation and to the way we’re trying to manage the fishery, we wouldn’t have the recovered population that we have today.” Thomas said.

The best news is that these fish are returning and as time goes on, we move closer and closer to getting those giants back to Weldon. One of the tools Thomas uses is a boat with charged electrodes that stun the fish so they can be netted and weighed, measured, and tagged, and his data reinforces what fishermen already knew. “Back in 1991 most of the fish we observed while electro-fishing were small three to four year old males around eighteen inches. As time has gone by, now we’re seeing ten, eleven, twelve, and occasionally thirteen year old fish in this population. Once you get a striped bass to thirteen years old that fish is over forty inches, and usually between 33 – 37 lbs. So each year we’re seeing bigger and bigger fish and that’s a really good sign, especially when those fish are males.”

The big question Thomas asks now is “What could the fishery look like in the future? We have a river now that’s full of fish and the fish continue to get larger, but can we ever get back to a situation where we have 80 – 100 lb. fish here? It may be a little optimistic to think that we could, but that’s what we get paid to do – to take something that is already good and try to make it even better. Needless to say, I doubt there is an angler on the river that wouldn’t love to see and 80 lb. gravid striper grab their bait and head downriver.” Thomas said.

Fishermen plan an important role in making this system work, and there’s no place you’ll ever fish that you have to pay closer attention to details in terms of the regulations. The season in the upper Roanoke (above the U.S. highway 258 bridge near Scotland Neck) runs from March 15 – April 31. All fish caught before or after these dates must be returned immediately. Catch limits change yearly based on the success of the spawn the previous year. This coming spring anglers can keep 2 fish per day between 18 and just less than 22 inches, including one fish over 27 inches. Fish between 22 and 27 inches are in the “slot limit” and must be released. These fish are the ones between five and seven years old, the females that contribute the most to the spawning stock. Barbless hooks only and single hooks only. No treble hooks – even on artificials. Toward the end of the season there’s a great top water bite, and I have a special tackle box full of Red Fins, Zara Spooks, and poppers that are all rigged with a single barbless hook – where the middle treble hook normally hangs when you buy the lure.

When the top water bite is really going, you might get three of four strikes on a cast before you get a hookup. I’ve tried hanging the single barbless hook off the trailing split ring, but I seem to have better results hooking fish when the hook is midway down the bait. One trick that really works well is to tie a FrontRunner (Doyle Hodgin Sports) about a foot to eighteen inches above your Spook or Red fin. It’s a small bait, also rigged single hook and barbless, that doesn’t affect the action of your top water lure. Once you get a fish on, other fish are attracted to the excitement of the fight. You can end up with two fish at a time, one on each lure. You sometimes lose on or both, hook up again, lose another, hook up another, on and on – you get the idea. It’s a bait that works well in any schooling situation, and it’s hard to find a fishing hole with more fish in close proximity fighting for food than there are on the Roanoke in spring. When the season ends, I set my single hook barbless box aside and wait for next year.

During the rest of the season these fish can be taken on live or cut bait, buck tails, sassy shad, and a great variety of herring between 12 and 15 inches long. These bait fish are caught in the river, usually at current breaks, using Sabiki Rigs or with a cast net. Most of the fish over twenty pounds came on those big lively baits last year.

Leave your rod holders at home. Bites come often enough that I tell even the most inexperienced client to set the hook on anything they feel. That way they get to feel the strike without gut-hooking the fish.

You catch fish either anchored with three-way swivels and river sinkers 1 or 2 ounces on the bottom or drifting with baits on a 12 to 18 inch leader from a barrel swivel with a split shot or two to get them down a little more toward the bottom. 12-15 lb. test on a light drag works fine. Once in a while you may have to chase a big fish to land him, but it’s amazing how easy it is to become more sporting in terms of tackle and line size when you know that if you happen to lose a fish, it’s not the end of the world. The next bite is never more than a couple of minutes away and lost chances are easily forgotten when you’re constantly hooking up.

A bad day last year was 25 fish, and 100 fish days are not uncommon. It’s a great place to take kids or people with little patience to wait on a bite. You really stay busy. On the other hand, it’s a fairly narrow river that has a good flow and guaranteed you’ll be fishing around more people and boat traffic than you’re used to, especially in moving water. Last year heavy rain totals caused near flood conditions for at least the first half of the season. Low overhanging branches from flooded trees were a real hazard. You’ll see everything there from ten foot Jon boats to 24 ft center consoles with 225’s, all having fun and catching fish.

Every year, it seems that more and more people are catching bigger fish. Water levels were so high last year the fishing remained strong all the way to late May. After the keeper season ends May 1st, fishing pressure eases greatly and with surface temperatures rising – the top water bite is usually on by then. North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission does a great job at keeping fishermen informed through their web site at ncwildlife.org. You can go there any time to get regulation and general information and during the season. They update a weekly fishing report every Friday.

The ramp at Weldon in located just a couple of miles off I-95 on Hwy. 301. You can contact Halifax County Travel and Tourism for information on accommodations, guides, and anything else you might need at 1-800-522-4282.

It’s a spot completely unique to itself and unlike any other place you’ll fish all year. Friends like guides Capt. George Beckwith and Capt. Brian DeHart spend the year anywhere between Hatteras and Costa Rica – following the best fishing. They always show up in Weldon in spring. It’s been a ritual of spring for hundreds… possibly even thousands of years, and I assure you that once you experience this fishing spot, you’ll never live through another spring without wishing you were there.

Sponsors

Many thanks to our sponsors who help make your fishing adventure possible. Click on a sponsor's picture to visit their website or you can click on their links below.

• Sea Hunt Boats
• Marine Service Center, Murrells Inlet S.C.
• Minn•Kota Trolling Motors
• The Minn•Kota Talon, Shallow Water Anchor .... "Stand Your Ground"
• Humminbird Fishfinder and GPS Products
• Wesco Trailers .... Quality You Can Count On
• Deka Marine Master^™ Batteries
• Fishers of Men National Tjournament Trail
• Signworks of North Carolina, Inc.
• Water Bugz Planer Boards .... "Expand Your Fishing"
• Coopers Marine, Lexington N.C. .... Specializing in Service
• Creek Bank Bait Tanks .... Life's Hard, Weekends Shouldn't Be