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Will Mahone and Kathy White Join the Halifax County Tourism Board |
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The Halifax County Tourism board and staff are pleased to have two such enthusiastic and energetic members of the community join the tourism efforts in Halifax County.
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Will Mahone, the president of Halifax Regional, likes calling North Carolina home, although he has spent much of his career in Virginia. He graduated from Elon University and earned his Master’s degree in Health Administration from Duke University. When at Elon he met and married Bonnie, who is a native of the Burlington area.
Bonnie and Will have two children. Their son Will is a Second Lieutenant in the Marine Corps., and Anna, who is a senior at the University of Virginia. Bonnie and Will enjoy living here in the Roanoke Valley, especially the friendly people and the countryside.
“I am very interested in serving on the Tourism board to learn more about the attractions in our region," said Mahone. "We are blessed with abundant natural resources and outdoor activities that should attract people and investment to strengthen our local economy.”
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Kathy Neal White is a native of Roanoke Rapids and taught at Roanoke Rapids High School for 25 years. She is an active member of First Methodist Church and chair of the Friends of the Roanoke Canal Museum and Trail. Kathy enjoys sharing her passion for history as a consultant for the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History in NY. She was named “Woman of the Year” for the Roanoke Valley in 2009. She received her undergraduate degree from the University of Richmond and her masters degree from UNC-Chapel Hill. Kathy and her husband Bill are the parents of three sons—Brien, Neal, and Matt White—and the grandparents of Bo White and Colton White.
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Celebrate the Year of the Birds at Birds of the Roanoke Valley Event |
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
08/26/10
FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, CONTACT
CHRISTINA GORDON, HALIFAX COUNTY CVB, 1-800-522-4282
Halifax County Tourism Partners to Host Birds of the Roanoke Valley Event
Event Celebrates North Carolina State Parks’ Year of the Birds
Scotland Neck, NC - The Roanoke River region is one of the premier birding destinations in North Carolina. Attend the first Birds of the Roanoke Valley symposium to learn more about birding opportunities here and across the state.
Birds of the Roanoke Valley, co-sponsored by the Halifax County Convention & Visitors Bureau, Medoc Mountain State Park and Sylvan Heights Waterfowl Park, will be held on Saturday, September 18, at Sylvan Heights, which is the world’s largest waterfowl park, located in Scotland Neck, NC. The day will begin at 9 a.m. with a symposium of birding, wildlife and habitat experts from across North Carolina, including such representatives as The Nature Conservancy-Roanoke River Project, Roanoke River National Wildlife Refuge, Carolina Bird Club, Sylvan Heights Waterfowl Park, Medoc Mountain State Park, Roanoke Canal Trail, and featuring the Carolina Raptor Center in Charlotte, NC.
Following the symposium Q & A session, lunch will be provided in the Sylvan Heights Golden Leaf Room, sponsored by the Halifax County Convention & Visitors Bureau. Birds of the Roanoke Valley attendees will then be invited for a complimentary guided tour of Sylvan Heights Waterfowl Park with paid park admission.
That evening Medoc Mountain State Park will host a Hike into the Night, as part of the Birds of the Roanoke Valley celebration. Check out the sights and sounds of the wildlife that come out at night in Medoc Mountain State Park’s pine and hardwood forest and learn a little bit about identifying who is making those sounds. A park ranger will meet the group for a guided trip leaving from the picnic shelter at 9 p.m. Bring a flashlight with fresh batteries and walking shoes.
On Sunday morning an optional one-hour Roanoke River cruise by pontoon boat with Roanoke River Rentals & Guides will be available at 10 a.m. for an additional charge - $10 for adults, $5 ages 10 & up, free to those 10 & younger.
There are only 50 spots available for the Birds of the Roanoke Valley symposium and fewer than that for the hike and river cruise. Please RSVP with your plans for the symposium, guided tour, hike and/or river cruise by Monday, September 13, to Christina Gordon, Halifax County CVB, at 800-522-4282, 252-519-2603 or
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Halifax County CVB Welcomes New Board Chairman |
 The Halifax County Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB) is pleased to announce that effective July 1, Gene Minton has taken the helm as chairman of our Board of Directors. In so doing, however, the staff and board said farewell to immediate Past Chair Jim Frazier, who served the board for two three-year terms.
A native of Warren County, Frazier has been married to wife Lelia for 45 years, has two children, James and Trish, and two grandchildren, Parker and Karleigh. He is an elder at First Presbyterian Church of Roanoke Rapids. Frazier initially lived in Roanoke Rapids from 1973-75, then returned in 1985 as the Southern Division Vice-President of Dominion North Carolina Power.
 Frazier has been a volunteer with a great number of significant community projects since 1985. He chaired the Roanoke Rapids Library fundraising committee, which raised money to build the new library wing. He also served as the chairman of the Centennial Committee that organized a gala, parade and fireworks in 1997 to celebrate Roanoke Rapids' 100th birthday. He also worked with the help of others to raise funds for the Centennial Park sidewalk, benches and clock through a brick campaign. Frazier has spent the last ten years as the co-chairman of the Roanoke Canal Museum Committee and worked closely with countless other committee members and volunteers to open the Roanoke Canal Museum in 2005. He also serves on the Roanoke Canal Commission, Inc., which maintains the Roanoke Canal Trail.
“We can’t thank Jim enough for the time, energy, creativity and integrity he has brought to our board. He will be truly missed,” said Lori Medlin, Halifax County CVB President/CEO.
The Halifax County CVB will miss the leadership and creativity that Frazier brought to the board and to the organization as a whole, but we wish him well as he continues to give of his time and energy to better our community.
Gene Minton has served on the board of directors for the Halifax County CVB since 2005. He is active in many national, state, and local political organizations, serving as a Commissioner and past chairman for Halifax County, as well as former mayor and city councilman for Roanoke Rapids. He is also a platinum member and serves on the board for Halifax Horizons.
In addition to his political service, Gene maintains memberships in NC Association of Pharmacies and NC Pharmaceutical Association and operates three pharmacies in Northeastern North Carolina which offer full service Pharmacy, DME, and Respiratory. He also serves on the NC Board of Pharmacy. Gene is a 1975 graduate of the UNC School of Pharmacy who started out his pharmacy career as an intern with Kerr Drugs in the Raleigh area during school. This early training during school was a great vehicle that developed a true admiration and appreciation of the pharmacists with whom he worked and the many patients and customers that came into the practice area. Gene was one of the founders of the Association of Community Pharmacists and served as Chairman and Vice Chairman of this group. In September of 2007, he received the Bowl of Hygeia award for Community Service to Pharmacy.
Gene and his wife Sybil live at Lake Gaston and have two children, Jeanie and Jenna, who are both pharmacists, and one grandson. Many people don't know that Gene was the North Carolina State Waterskiing Champion in 1977. Currently, he breeds and shows quarter horses and competes in reining competitions. Originally from Roxabel in Bertie County, Gene is an asset to the tourism board and Halifax County as a whole.
“I am committed to the CVB’s continuing to do the job it was created for. Jim Frazier has been a strong leader, and we will continue to do a good job of growing tourism in Halifax County,” said Minton.
“We are ready to move forward with Gene at the helm of our organization,” said Medlin. “We are ready to work even harder to grow our industry with his leadership and ingenuity.”
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Halifax County's July 4th Events Listed on National Travel Website |
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The Halifax County Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB) is excited to announce that our county’s many Independence Day celebrations are listed as some of the Best 4th of July Hometown Celebrations and Trips on national family travel website roadtripsforfamilies.com.
“This is the best kind of advertising,” said Lori Medlin, Halifax County CVB President/CEO. “Families are making their travel decisions predominately via the Internet, and this is a great website.”
The Halifax County CVB presented all of our Independence Day events to the website in hopes of being featured. Our listing, which has the great fortune of being #2 on the list reads as follows: “Halifax County is just over the VA/NC border on Interstate 95. On the 3rd, Lake Gaston at Morningstar Marina in Littleton will have fireworks visible either by boat or by car or choose fireworks over the Roanoke River at Weldon. Both events also feature food and live entertainment. On July 4th, celebrate Independence Day with a day-long festival in Historic Halifax, the birthplace of independence (where the first resolution to declare independence from England by any colony was adopted), culminating with excerpts from the historical outdoor drama First for Freedom (that tells the story of the Halifax Resolves and the Revolutionary War) and a magnificent fireworks display. Or travel to the Town of Hobgood and enjoy a classic, small town July 4th celebration with music, delicious food and a pie-eating contest on the town commons, followed by fireworks.”
Halifax County ‘s events are in great company, listed with community celebrations in some significantly larger communities: New Castle, PA; Estes Park, CO; Lake County, CA; Mystic Country, CN; Stone Harbor, NJ; Sandfest, OR; Southport, NC; Bristol, RI; Wilmington, NC; Stowe, VE; Charleston, SC; Salem, MA; and Cleveland, OH.
The Halifax County CVB is optimistic that this national publicity will garner attention for the national significance of celebrating July 4th here in the Birthplace of Independence!
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Celebrate the Power of Flight and Honor Our Veterans |
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All eyes in Halifax County will turn skyward this Saturday, June 19, for the first annual Roanoke Valley Veterans Center Fly-In. This public event will be held at the new Halifax-Northampton Regional Airport (IXA) and is proudly supported by the Halifax County Convention and Visitors Bureau and a large group of volunteers. Gates open at 9 a.m., and opening ceremonies begin at 10 a.m.
Bring family and friends for a day of “flight-astic” fun in the spirit of the Wright Brothers. There will be military airplanes and helicopters on display and a World War II re-enactor encampment, as well as military and aviation vendors. Don’t miss giving your children the opportunity to sit in Vietnam War-era helicopters, sponsored by the NC Vietnam Helicopter Pilots Association.
One of the highlights of the event will include “Honoring Local Veterans,” wherein Fly-In attendees will learn about some of the local heroes of World War II, Korea, Vietnam, Gulf I and Gulf II. Come and hear what your neighbors did to be awarded some of the nation’s highest military honors.
Kids will marvel at seeing radio-controlled, large-scale war birds. There will even be inflatable games on site for the children’s entertainment. You can participate in ping pong and Easter egg drops to win prizes and airplane rides! Get into the spirit of the upcoming Independence Day festivities with patriotic music by the KIPP Charter School Band and Captured Hearts.
Visitors will be fascinated by the Coast Guard Rescue C-130 fly-by, a K-9 demonstration, Andy the Ambulance, a T-6 Huge Training Airplane, a High-Mobility Multi-Wheeled Vehicle demonstration and much more! There is no need to leave the grounds for lunch, as there will be a large number of local vendors selling such items as BBQ sandwiches, funnel cakes, popcorn, shaved ice, pretzels, baskets of potatoes, bowls of salad, bakery-style cakes and muffins, hotdogs, nachos and much more!
In addition to being a major sponsor of the event, the Halifax County CVB will provide a complimentary shuttle from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. to take passengers from the fly-in grounds to visit the Dallas Jones Veterans Museum, located at Becker Village Mall in Roanoke Rapids, NC, and return to the fly-in.
Don’t forget that in addition to being a wonderful day of family fun, the first annual Roanoke Valley Veterans Center Fly-In will raise funds to benefit the Dallas Jones Veterans Museum, which is an entirely volunteer-driven organization.
For more information, contact Ralph Johnson, airport manager, at
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Tight Lines: 4 Fabulous Fishing Days, Part II |
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Week of May 2, 2010
By Rick Goines
Last week I told you about my exciting Roanoke River trips with Bobby Mason and John Partlow at Scotland Neck, and my morning on the water in Weldon with Captain George Beckwith of Down East Guide Service (DEGS). WOW! Two great days! I have two more fantastic outings to share with you now.
 Saturday April 24th - By this time my crew had grown a bit. Rich, Adam, and I were joined by my stepson, Thomas Tharrington of Wilmington, and my old Havelock pal, Dennis Scoggins, who now calls the Atlanta, GA area home.
We shoved off about 7 AM from J.W. Shearin’s river front pier with Mike Shearin at the helm of one of his 24-foot Sun Catcher pontoon boats: Very roomy and comfortable for my oversize, aching body. Captain Mike is definitely one of the most knowledgeable, respected professional guides in the Weldon area. He grew up fishing the Roanoke River, and puts that experience to good use helping his parties catch fish. The man knows his business. It was interesting seeing the other boats watch and copy his movements. As they say, imitation is the finest form of flattery. You da man, Captain Mike!
In less than 15 minutes we were below the Big Rock drifting and bouncing small shad minnows on the bottom. Four of our crew posted the $40 entry fee to compete in the 2nd annual Rockfish Rodeo going on that day. It wasn’t long before rods were bending, and Captain Mike was working up a sweat running up and down the boat netting fish. We caught a bunch that morning, and broke off about lunchtime to hit Frazier’s for grub, a local Weldon favorite eatery.
About 2 PM we were back at ‘em. My brother Charles from Lanham, MD, and Mike’s very attractive, capable business manager, Jill Dawes, that was functioning as our mate, joined us. I have fished with professional guides and charter boats for 45 years. Hands down, Jill was the best looking fishing mate I have ever fished with. I have had mates on some trips that looked like they had been beat with an ugly stick, and had to put their teeth back in before they could answer a question. Jill is the total package, and the real deal! She is a pretty lady that knows her way around a fishing boat. What a combination!
Fishing was a little slower in the afternoon than the morning, but we still caught some fish. Adam Brosius led the pack in catching striped bass Friday and Saturday with his superior fishing technique and skills. Adam is a fish catching machine, and loads of fun to watch. He has the “touch,” no doubt.
About 4:30 we called it a day, a full box of fish, tired, sore, and worn slam out, but very happy! Rockfish action is a very small part of what Captain Mike has to offer. Get the full story at www.roanokeriverrentalsandguides.com. J.W. Shearin’s cabin rental info is also available at that web site.
Cook Shack, of Louisburg, NC, deliciously catered our Saturday evening meal at J.W. Shearin’s picturesque, beautiful waterfront cabin on the Roanoke River. What a view! Head chef, Austin Murray, cooked us a beautiful 87-pound pig with all the trimmings. I have been to more than a few pig pickings in my day, but this one was special. Austin is a great cook, and served up good eats all around. If you walked away hungry, it was YOUR fault. Check out the nice folks at Cook Shack at www.cookshackcatering.com. They are a full service catering company that does it all, and does it well!
Sunday April 25th – My big brother, Charles, and I climbed aboard a DEGS boat Captained by Ray Massengill in the boat ramp cove in Weldon early Sunday morning. Like most DEGS people, Ray REALLY knows his stuff. We caught fish immediately in Little River, and quickly had fish flopping around in the cooler.
We watched a gentleman nearby catching fish repeatedly with a Zoom White Fluke type bait. You don’t have to tell us twice. We started tossing similar baits, and had some success. Charles lit up with excitement when a healthy Rockfish inhaled his yellow fluke. Seeing the joy and unbridled enthusiasm that Charles got from catching fish on that fluke was worth the price of admission to me. I love to see Charles catch fish and enjoy himself. My lifetime of fishing fun all started with him 50 years ago on the Potomac River in Maryland. Charles taking me fishing and teaching me to fish was a priceless gift that keeps on giving 50 years later.
The richest man in the world with all his money could not buy a more exciting, pleasurable 4 days than I enjoyed recently pursuing Rockfish on the Roanoke River. Good fishing, great quality time with family and friends, tasty eats, and a head full of pleasant memories. I know it’s a worn out cliché, but it just doesn’t get any better than that.
Hotspot of the Week – It’s all catch and release now, but the rivers are still chock full of spawning Rockfish. May usually sees some exciting top water action. Throw your favorite top water lure, and hold on with both hands. Please remember that the single barbless hook rule is still in effect in the Roanoke River anyplace upriver of Highway 258. Ease those beauties back in the water ever so gently to survive, thrive, propagate, and fight another day.
Want to see a neat picture? Go to www.ncwildlife.org, scroll down and key Roanoke River Fishing Report, click on the 4/29/10 report, and feast your eyes on a picture of a 52-pound Rockfish the WRC shock troops buzzed up recently in Weldon. Gadzooks!
Rick’s Soapbox – Sorry, no room this week.
Catching fish? Tell us about it. Better yet, send us a picture with all the details.
See you on the water, my friend!
Caption for picture: Adam Brosius, of Ft. Lauderdale, FL, Rich Goines of Tampa, FL, and Thomas Tharrington, of Wilmington, NC, participated in the 2nd Annual Rockfish Rodeo on the Roanoke River in Weldon. The trio enjoyed the tournament competition, fishing with professional guide Mike Shearin of Roanoke River Rentals and Guides, but did not place in the money. Tharrington recently returned from NC National Guard’s 1/120th Combined Arms Battalion deployment to Iraq. |
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Tight Lines: 4 Fabulous Fishing Days, Part 1 |
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Week of April 30, 2010
By Rick Goines
I do not keep a daily fishing diary or journal, but I thought the best way to convey to you my excitement and enthusiasm for my 4 fabulous fishing days last week was to put it in diary/journal form. Names, places, and events have NOT been changed to protect the innocent, but rather reported accurately to honor the worthy. I’ll bet sometimes you think I get paid by the word, don’t you? NOT!
Thursday April 22 - I met Bobby Mason and John Partlow at 5 a.m. on the Roanoke River at Scotland Neck. Bobby and John are regular fishing buddies, and work very efficiently and well together. They are a team with a capital “T.” We were fishing on one of Bobby’s boats. He is a little sensitive about giving up his favorite fishing spots, and I respect his position. Let’s leave it at “in the Roanoke River Scotland Neck area.”
We were anchored and fishing with cut bait. The bait was White Shad that Bobby caught earlier this season on the Tar River in Rocky Mount. I even contributed a few Whites to Bobby’s bait bucket along the way. I think that’s how I got invited to fish there, or was it my good looks and charming personality? We caught 17 Rockfish and one confused catfish that thought he was a striped bass. We explained the facts of life to him, before sending him on his way. We easily got our limit, and wifey, Linda, and I had delicious grilled Rockfish that evening for supper.
Bobby and John bent over backwards to show me a good time, and make it a most pleasant, enjoyable fishing outing. It was obvious from the beginning that their goal was to provide me the best circumstances and situation available to catch fish. Mission accomplished! Thanks for a great time, guys!
Bobby Mason is a nice man and one heck-of-a-good fisherman. I admired Bobby’s fishing style and technique from a distance before I ever met him. Bobby has all the tools to become a very good professional guide if he should ever desire to move in that direction. It is my intention to feature Bobby and his interesting style of fishing in a future “Tight Lines” article. This man is all about fishing, and very, very good at it. He always catches more fish than the people around him, present company included. Bobby is not a talker, so if you keep your mouth shut and your eyes open, you will get schooled on the art of catching a fish.
Friday April 23 - I am in Weldon, “The Rockfish Capital of the World,” fishing with my son, Rich, and his friend, Adam Brosius. These Florida boys flew in to RDU, and rented a snazzy car to drive and meet me in Weldon. Adam is a very skilled, experienced fisherman that is usually successful and always fun to watch. The man knows how to catch a fish. “Tight Lines” featured Adam and his south Florida canals Peacock Bass fishing a while back. When I visit family in south Florida, a Peacock Bass hunt with Adam is always on my agenda and to-do list.
We were booked to fish with Captain George Beckwith of Down East Guide Service. That’s DEGS to those in the know. I have fished with professional guides and charter boat captains for 45 years, and George is one of the best. He introduced me to Weldon Rockfish action almost 20 years ago. I am proud to tell you that I was George’s first paying customer when he decided to become a professional guide. We caught Rockfish that day on the Neuse River in New Bern. I knew then that George was a special guy with very marketable skills. Although highly successful and well respected these days, he is the same polite, humble, friendly young man I met and fished with many years ago.
We met Captain George at the Weldon Boat ramp at 7 AM. Ten minutes later Rich caught our first fish of the day. Rich has become a good fisherman, I’m proud to say. Those stripers are pretty looking to me. We fished upriver towards the Roanoke Rapids, and caught some nice Rockfish. George fishes his very own secret bait that has hooked more than a few BIG Rockfish. Contact him, and he will share that secret with you. We saw plenty of action all morning, most of it from small minnows. Small baits can catch big Rockfish, believe it or not. Our little group had 7 keepers in the box. We donated them to a fish fry at J.W. Shearin’s cabin on the Roanoke River on River Road in Weldon, Friday night. Good eats were had by all!
I highly recommend the services of Captain George Beckwith and his other captains at Down East Guide Service. The good thing about DEGS is that they offer numerous, different and unique fishing opportunities all over with, experienced, qualified, professional guides. Visit the DEGS web site at www.pamlicoguide.com to get started on a memorable, enjoyable fishing adventure.
Hotspot of the Week – One word, Rockfish! Keeper season ends Friday April 30th. It’s all catch and release after that. Get out and catch some of those striped beauties.
Rick’s Soapbox – Next week I will tell you about my Saturday and Sunday fish-o-rama on the Roanoke River at Weldon with 4 Fabulous Fishing Days, Part II.
Catching fish? Tell us about it. Better yet, send us a picture with all the details.
See you on the water, my friend! |
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Tight Lines: Rockfish Tournament Time |
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Week of April 23, 2010
By Rick Goines
 This weekend will find several Rockfish tournaments in our locale. Tarboro’s TASS club is the force behind the annual John Cherry Memorial Rockfish Rodeo On The Tar. Your last chance to register is this Friday night 7 PM at the Captain’s meeting at the boat landing in Riverfront Park, Tarboro. Fishermen or not, they have some nice, fun family activities and entertainment scheduled for Saturday on the waterfront. This tournament and related activities is getting bigger and bigger every year. Pretty soon the word “festival” will probably be included in the name of this much-anticipated annual event.
Benefiting the Boys and Girls Club of Halifax County, the 2nd annual Rockfish Rodeo, on the Roanoke River, at the Weldon Wildlife Landing, is also this Saturday. Your registration deadline is Saturday morning 7:30 AM at the Rockfish Park in the “Rockfish Capital of the World,” Weldon, NC!
Both of these events are very worthwhile with appropriate, deserving beneficiaries. Support them, please, in whatever way you can.
Steven Scott tells us his dad, Wayne Scott, bought some fresh herring at the local fish market, and headed for the Bell’s Bridge area of the Tar River. Of course, he was targeting Rockfish. After a while with no rockfish action, he decided to tie on a shad spoon to hopefully catch SOMETHING. Bam, his rod started doing the funky chicken, and lo and behold, on the other end was a beautiful 21” six-pound Rockfish! You never know….
David Mears joined the “look-what-I-found” club recently when he was tossing his shad rig at the pipe on NC Hwy 97 in Rocky Mount. With his rod doubled over, he thought he had a nice “White,” but those horizontal stripes on the fish told a different story. It was a feisty 22” Rockfish.
Way to go guys! Alls well that ends well!
I am excited about this upcoming weekend. I will be out chasing Rocky and Rockette with family and friends Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday in the Roanoke River. It’s my very own, personal super bowl of fishing. I am like a kid at Christmas with enthusiastic anticipation. I intend to tell you all about it next week, if I don’t expire from all the excitement, and if I do perish, please know that I died with a smile on my fat face.
NCWRC shock troops have been electro-shocking the Tar and Roanoke Rivers to survey shad & rockfish, as well as collect specimens for the state’s fisheries. Several years ago, sitting in Captain George Beckwith’s boat, I watched these guys juice-up a 40-pound Rockfish on the Roanoke River in Weldon. Very impressive! More can be seen in the video on their website at http://www.ncwildlife.org/videos/Fishing/Electrofishing.htm. It’s your license fees and tax dollars at work for YOU! Check it out!
Hotspot of the Week - Shad and Rockfish don’t co-exist very well together, mainly because shad is on the A-Y-C-E buffet for Striped Bass. As the Rockfish invade the Tar and Roanoke to spawn, most self-respecting shad in eastern NC are heading for either the Pamlico or Albemarle Sounds pronto. Mission accomplished, and head for the hills, so to speak. Reports come in daily that Rockfish action is getting better and better every time the sun rises. Keeper season is over April 30, so if you want some fresh Rockfish fillets on the grill, you better hurry. Familiarize yourself with specific rules and regulations that apply BEFORE you get out there. I guarantee you; those high-dollar fines will ruin your day. Don’t let it happen.
Rick’s Soapbox – Wifey, Linda approached the TASS brass recently about adding a ladies category/division to their famous annual March shad tournament. “Tight Lines” mentioned it in our shad tournament wrap-up article. The board met, and agreed to do so in 2011. I just love it when a plan comes together.
Advertising and promotion was my life for 35 years. Pardon me, but I always think in those terms. Old habits die hard, you know. I have an idea. To encourage the ladies participation in future shad tournaments and overall fishing, I propose that “Tight Lines” organize a hands-on seminar the Saturday before the shad tournament begins in March 2011. We could hold it at River Front Park in Tarboro and include some good instruction and demonstrations from several experienced, knowledgeable shad anglers. I am NOT an expert, but I know where they hang out. If they won’t help us, I will write bad things about them! Take casting for example. You can read all about it in a book, but there is no substitute for actually flinging that sucker out there a few dozen times, under the watchful, helpful eyes of some of the Tar River’s finest shadsters. Is shadsters a word, or did I make that up?
Shad fishing is NOT about brute strength, but more about finesse. Let’s face it guys, ladies usually have us beat in the finesse department. Ladies could and should be excellent shad fisherwomen. All I want to do is help point them in the right direction. Whadda ya think?
Give me some feedback on this. Any interest out there? Talk to me, please!
Stories, pictures, tall tales, and little white lies are always welcome at
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Caption for picture – Bryan Gentry of Roanoke, Virginia, fishing the Roanoke River in Weldon with Captain George Beckwith of Down East Guide Service caught this 25-pound Rockfish jigging a White Berkley Gulp! Alive! 5 inch Jerk Shad. Bryan said this big girl was full of eggs, so they gently released her back in the water to go forth and multiply.
See you on the water, my friend! |
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Tight Lines: Rockfish Rodeo |
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Week of April 16, 2010
By Rick Goines
The Second Annual Rockfish Rodeo on the Roanoke River in Weldon is scheduled for Saturday April 24th. All proceeds from this tournament will directly benefit the Boys and Girls Clubs of Halifax County. Registration is $40 per person in advance, and $50 on the day of the event. Under 16 youth division is $25. You can win cash prizes, fishing gear, even a chance to win a new boat, motor, and trailer courtesy of Davis Marine, Roanoke Rapids, NC. Lunch will be provided at Weldon Wildlife Boat Landing. A copy of official tournament rules and more contact information can be found at www.halifaxbgc.org
It is not by chance that this tournament is being held the same day as the John Cherry Memorial Rockfish Rodeo on the Tar in Tarboro. All things being equal Saturday April 24th SHOULD be a very productive Rockfish day in both the Tar and Roanoke Rivers. Both of these tournaments are well organized and well run, by good people. Proceeds from both tournaments go towards very worthwhile projects. Pick one out that works for you, and join the fun! The only thing that could upset the apple cart would be an unforeseen storm that would shake things up. Keep your fingers crossed the weather gods are kind to us.
Weldon bills itself “The Rockfish Capital of the World,” and for most of April and May that is a hard fact to dispute. People travel long distances to get in on that exciting Rockfish action. Catches of 100 fish a day are not uncommon in late April and early May. Down by the Big Rock, boats are lined up like somebody is giving away something free. In a way, I guess they are: Free access to thousands of Striped Bass, Rockfish! It’s hard for some of my Maryland friends to comprehend the Rockfish action we enjoy in eastern NC each spring. They think the Chesapeake Bay has about 95% of the world’s Rockfish population and activity.
I tease family and friends and tell them to send my mail to Weldon during rockfish season. Honestly, I DO spend a lot of time in Weldon during April and May. I prefer to use the services of professional guides on the Roanoke River. Two of the very best are George Beckwith and Mike Shearin. You can’t go wrong with either of these experienced pros.
Almost 20 years ago, George Beckwith introduced me to the spring Rockfish action on the Roanoke River in Weldon. George and his host of quality, knowledgeable captains at Down East Guide Service are second to none in my book. Give them a call at (252) 671-3474.
Last year I had the pleasure of meeting and fishing with Mike Shearin. One very memorable day last season, I caught a 33+ pound Rockfish fishing with him. Captain Mike is a local boy that grew up fishing the Roanoke River and knows it well. He operates several very comfortable pontoon boats that cater to larger groups, families, and children. Mike is all about catching fish and having fun. Book Mike at (252) 537-9364.
If you are heading to Weldon, your first stop needs to be at Roanoke River Trading Company. Owners Reed and Sharon Garris have a well-stocked store with everything you need for a successful outing. If they haven’t got it, you don’t need it! Chubby Birdsong is the man with the plan at RRTC, sharing his vast knowledge and experience with you. I like to consult Chubby because he will give you the straight scoop. They answer the phone at (252) 536-5160.
Hotspot of the Week – Tarboro shad fishing has slowed w-a-y down. Some of my “experts” are saying the run is over for this year. I hope not, but I haven’t caught a “Hick” in Tarboro since last week. The Tar River in Rocky Mount is still producing some White Shad action. Not like it was several weeks ago, but a few fish now and then to keep it interesting. I have had a little luck at the boat ramp in Battle Park, and at the pipe on Hwy 97 across from the wastewater treatment plant. Not great fishing, but OK! Jimmy D Custom Shad Rigs, green on green on green continue to fool those “Whites.” Fishing is a little slow, but it sure beats daytime TV, and working on that honey-do punch list. I plan to keep going back, weather permitting, until I get skunked, at which time I will hang-up my shad rigs until next season.
Rick’s Soapbox – Take advantage of this beautiful weather, and take a youngster out fishing. It could start a lifetime of healthy recreation. Teach them to fish now, and maybe you won’t have to fish them out of trouble later. Fishing is the largest participation sport/activity in the good old US of A. Must be a reason for that, huh?
Stories, pictures, tall tales, and little white lies are always welcome at
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See you on the water, my friend! |
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Frazier has been a volunteer with a great number of significant community projects since 1985. He chaired the Roanoke Rapids Library fundraising committee, which raised money to build the new library wing. He also served as the chairman of the Centennial Committee that organized a gala, parade and fireworks in 1997 to celebrate Roanoke Rapids' 100th birthday. He also worked with the help of others to raise funds for the Centennial Park sidewalk, benches and clock through a brick campaign. Frazier has spent the last ten years as the co-chairman of the Roanoke Canal Museum Committee and worked closely with countless other committee members and volunteers to open the Roanoke Canal Museum in 2005. He also serves on the Roanoke Canal Commission, Inc., which maintains the Roanoke Canal Trail.
