http://www.kodakgallery.com/gallery/creativeapps/slideShow/Main.jsp?token=203339816310:1257378503
]]>
1.jpg)
http://www.journalpatriot.com/news/article_8d18d5de-6464-11e0-8bb1-0019bb30f31a.html
]]>
Over the past few years several unique fishing opportunities have occurred within Elk Creek. In 2008, the Laurelmor Development known now as Reynolds Blue Ridge established a fishing agreement with the NC Wildlife Resources Commission (NCWRC) that allowed anglers to fish Laurel Creek and Dugger Creek for wild trout. Anglers can currently check in at the guard house off of Elk Creek Road and receive a set of instructions for getting to both streams within the development. Currently, the guardhouse is open Monday through Friday from 8 AM to 5 PM.
Possibly as a result of Reynolds Blue Ridge allowing anglers to fish, additional landowners and developments within the area begin to contact NCWRC concerning other angling opportunities. In 2009, Leatherwood Mountains contacted NCWRC and offered the opportunity for managing approximately one mile of Elk Creek for public fishing. As a result, NCWRC has established a Delayed Harvest reach on the property, which will receive its first stockings of trout in October 2011. NCWRC has since been talking with Reynolds Blue Ridge and a private landowner with a combined total of 2 miles of Elk Creek along Elk Creek Road near the Watauga and Wilkes County line. NCWRC plans to submit a regulation this year that would allow this two mile section to also be managed as Delayed Harvest.
Individual landowners have also requested that NCWRC extend the Hatchery Supported reach of Elk Creek. As a result, NCWRC plans to submit a regulation this year that will extend the Hatchery Supported section by almost two miles.
Finally, Powder Horn Mountain and Brightwood Developments, both of which own property along Laurel Creek, have agreed to allow anglers to fish for wild trout within Laurel Creek. As a result, NCWRC will submit a regulation this year that will connect the already accessible portion of Laurel Creek within Reynolds Blue Ridge property to where the stream crosses Elk Creek Road (practically the entire main stem and South Fork of Laurel Creek). This will open up approximately 10 continuous miles of wild trout fishing. Anglers will be able to access Laurel Creek through Reynolds Blue Ridge, as previously mentioned, or by parking at a soon to be constructed parking area at the lower Powder Horn entrance, where Laurel Creek intersects Elk Creek Road.
If all goes as planned, by October 2012 there should be miles of diverse trout fishing opportunities within the Elk Creek drainage. This will include over 10 miles of Catch and Release artificial lure only wild trout water, 3 miles of Delayed Harvest water, and over 8 miles of Hatchery Supported water (see attached map). However, all of these fishing opportunities are dependent on maintaining good relationships between landowners and anglers. To help facilitate and preserve good working relationships, the NCWRC plans on assisting with the maintenance of parking areas along these streams, and in providing signage to inform anglers of these newly acquired fishing opportunities.
I would also like to request that TU consider “adopting” the Elk Creek drainage by possibly holding one or two annual stream clean-ups along Elk Creek and at/near the parking areas established for fishing on Laurel Creek. By doing so, TU will be able to assist the NCWRC in maintaining good relationships with landowners and the local community. This has been the case on several streams, such as the Mitchell River, Helton Creek, etc, and maintaining fishing opportunities on these and other streams would likely not have been possible without the help that TU has provided.
I recently spoke with Stone Mt. Chapter members and hope to speak with the new Boone Fork Chapter members as well about the Elk Creek drainage. It is my hope that this will be a great opportunity for TU chapters to join forces and assist NCWRC with maintaining public access to these newly acquired opportunities on Elk Creek. Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions and I look forward to speaking with you in the near future about these opportunities.
Thanks a bunch and best of luck fishing!
Kevin
NCWRC Fisheries Biologist I
Fleetwood, NC
336-877-1087
kevin.hining@ncwildlife.org
]]>
Some of the projects we are working on include working with the NCWRC on some possible parking areas on streams they are working to procure access for fisherman. These would be new waters for fisherman to enjoy. We will also continue to work with the NCNR or stream sweeps with one in the spring and one in the fall. We plan to have another BBQ or cookout at one of the stream sweeps which was a big hit last year. We are also continuing with our Trout in the Classrooms, and yes I said classrooms, as we have added another school this year. We are working with a newly formed fishing club at Appalachian State University and will be a “big brother” to their efforts and help in any way we can. There is also a new TU Chapter in Boone and we will work with them and help them to be successful.
As I have said, next year is shaping up to be a busy year with something for everyone in our chapter. I employ everyone to become more active this coming year so that we can continue to grow our chapter and work to conserve our area streams.
You President,
Jeff Payne
A quick Google search tells me that there’s over 307 Million folks living in the U.S., and almost 9.4 Million of them in my home state. That is a mind-boggling number, budget numbers thrown around by the Federal government notwithstanding (exactly what is a quadrillion?), and all those people have to live somewhere. My point is that it’s getting harder to find places where there’s even a feeling of remoteness. The sad truth is that there’s not much actual wilderness left, especially in our part of the country. Plus, to get to streams that are fairly remote usually takes time, effort, and of course money. I’m thinking at least along the lines of a multi-day trip to the Smokies and backpacking in to some stream for a few days of fishing. Even then you may very well run into others in the backwoods who are there to ‘get away from it all’ themselves. The good news is that there are still some streams….not far from home even…..that can give you that feeling of solitude and of being in a wild place.
Our faithful treasurer Bob Pearson and I fished in just such a place the other day. There we were, virtually in the midst of dense population centers, major thoroughfares and shopping for about anything one might want. And yet, no houses, just a small amount of litter washed downstream and stuck at the high water mark, and not another human being in sight the whole time. Due to the wonders of mountain topography the only reminder that we were not in a truly wild place was an infrequent sound of a vehicle passing by above far us. It reminded me quite a lot of being in a place like the Smokies and, in a way it was better since we didn’t drive 4 hours or even have to hike in. Oh, and there were trout too! Quite a few wild specimens were brought to hand in fact. We had a great and relaxing day in a little piece of ‘wilderness’. The point is that there are such places still out there, even some fairly close to home. You just have to get out, ride the roads, explore and find them. Sometimes just hunting for them is a big part of the fun too!
Scott
]]>
We also had another “Stream Clean Sweep” with the help of the National Committee for the New River’s very own Courtney Waite. This girl has enough energy for everyone, which is good since we aren’t as young as we once were. We cleaned up another stretch of the Upper New and ended up with to canoe loads of various trash. Thanks to both organizations for helping us continue our mission to educate and give back to the resource that is so important to our communities.
We will meet at 9:00 to start the adventure. NCNR will provide boats to haul trash in as well as gloves.
Directions to the meeting spot are as follows:
US421 NB
Just before entering Boone proper, you will cross the South Fork.
Take a left on the road immediately past the bridge after crossing the river.
Continue on this road until you come to a low-water bridge. There is parking there around the bridge.
]]>
Saturday, April 10th will mark our 6th annual “Kid’s Fishing Day” in Wilkesboro. We plan to start the fishing at 9:30 am and then have lunch between 11:00 am and 12 noon. Kevin Hinning from the North Carolina Wildlife Commission will be bringing the trout the night before and providing bait and some fishing rods for children who don’t have one. We will need help with netting trout and making sure that everyone is safe and has fun.
April 17th will be our Spring Stream Clean Sweep that is being set up with the help of National Committee for the New River. I will be posting the time as the date gets closer so if you are interested be sure to check back for that. We should know the time within the next week.
Despite the slow start of the 2010 due to all the weather situations we have had to deal with, we are ramping up for several things for our members to participate in. I will try to remember to e-mail the members I have on my SMTU e-mail list and if you read this and want to be added to that as an extra reminder for yourself be sure to let me know at my e-mail address. jeff@tristateangler.com
Your President,
Jeff Payne
Meeting date is April 6th, 7:00 PM @ the Foothills Arts Council Building in Elkin.
Officers
President -Jeff Payne
Vice President-Rick Parish
Treasurer-Bob Pearson
Project Coordinator-
Dick Everhart
Newsletter Editor-
Nancy Payne
We have several events coming up in the next few months and we are hoping to have good participation from our members. In the month of April we have our 6th annual “Kid’s Fishing Day” at Cub Creek in Wilkesboro which is in Wilkes County. April 17th we will be doing a stream clean up with the help of the National Committee for the New River. After both of these events we have been known to do a little fishing so everyone is invited to help and then hit a stream for some fishing. Be sure and keep check on our SMTU web-site for everything coming up.
Your President,
Jeff Payne
Meeting date is April 6th, 7:00 PM @ the Foothills Arts Council Building in Elkin.
Officers
President -Jeff Payne
Vice President-Rick Parish
Treasurer-Bob Pearson
Project Coordinator-
Dick Everhart
Newsletter Editor-
Nancy Payne
While we’ve spent years sampling the reservoirs and trout streams in western North Carolina, very little is known about our smallmouth bass populations. In part to an increased interest by anglers coupled with limited fish data, North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission biologists started a three year project intended to obtain some baseline information on smallmouth bass from western North Carolina rivers and streams. We completed the final year of data collection in 2009, and plan to submit a final report by 2011.
Our primary goals were to (1) collect life history information for smallmouth bass so that we could determine management possibilities, (2) better educate NC anglers on where good smallmouth fishing opportunities exist, and (3) improve angler access to smallmouth populations. In order to obtain this information we have collected length, weight, and age information for smallmouth bass from throughout western NC, and surveyed public access opportunities to these rivers and streams.
From 2007-2009 over 3000 smallmouth bass were collected from approximately 40 different populations. All fish were measured for length and weight, and aged. We have not completed analyzing the data from 2009, but our findings from 2007-2008 suggest a few things:
1) Although the vast majority of smallmouth collected were less than 11 inches (84%), fish in excess of 14 inches were collected from most of the streams (70%), and fish greater than 17 inches were collected from 12% of the streams surveyed.
2) There appears to be a huge variation in the growth rates of smallmouth bass from the streams sampled. This wasn’t to surprising since we collected fish from a wide range of streams, varying from 600 feet to only 30 feet in width. Furthermore, the elevation of the streams sampled ranged from 600 feet to 2600 feet above sea level.
The size and elevation of a stream often plays a role in the potential growth rates of smallmouth bass. Unlike trout, smallmouth bass are a coolwater species, so high elevation streams and rivers will likely have shorter growing seasons and slower growth rates than similar sized waters at lower elevations. A good comparison might be the Yadkin River and the South Fork New River. Many anglers would assume the South Fork New River would be the better of the two for catching smallmouth bass, but actually your chances of catching an 18 inch smallmouth bass are much better on the Yadkin River. It is lower elevation, and therefore has a longer growing season for smallmouth bass. Another important aspect controlling the size of fish is the nutrient levels. We often associate clear, clean water with big fish, but this is often not the case. A stream must also have nutrients to support fish growth. Streams in the southern Appalachians are natural low in nutrients. As a result, streams with nutrient inputs from agricultural runoff, wastewater treatment plants, etc. are often better at growing big fish than similar pristine streams. Obviously it’s a balancing act, and streams receiving excessive nutrients can be counterproductive for fish growth and survival.
3) On average, it takes a smallmouth bass 5 to 6 years to reach 12 inches in size in NC streams. In some streams fish reached 12 inches in only 3 years, but in others it might take 7 or more. This information is important when modeling the impact of possible regulation changes to these fisheries. As a general rule, faster growing populations offer the best opportunity for improving fish sizes through restrictive creel and size limits. Putting restrictive regulations on slow growing populations often results in limited improvement or may even reduce growth rates/fish sizes. Stunted bluegill in a farm pond offers a good example of this. Anglers sometimes assume the best way to improve the size of fish is to release them and give them more time to grow. This can be counterproductive in cases where food availability is low. In those cases, a reduction in the number of fish might be the best way to improve overall sizes, unless of course you can improve nutrient levels. There is much data analysis needed before we can suggest any regulation changes, but the majority of streams surveyed appear to be moderate to slow growing.
4) In northwest NC we have a wide variety of smallmouth streams – from small streams where you might catch as many wild brown trout as smallmouth, to streams 2 to 3 football fields in width and more rocks and ledges than you could fish in a lifetime.
Here’s a quick synopsis (without providing to much detail in case one of these is your favorite ). The Yadkin has the potential for big smallmouth anywhere below W. Kerr Scott Reservoir that has habitat (think rocks!), but I personally prefer the stretch between the Mitchell River and the HWY 67 bridge in Donnaha. I know that’s a long stretch, about 40 miles, but I guess my point is there’s plenty of room to spread out. In addition to the Yadkin, the area around Wilkes and Surry County contain numerous fun smallmouth destinations. Practically all of the sizeable tributaries of the Yadkin hold smallmouth. The Elk, Reddies, Roaring, Mulberry, Mitchell, and Fisher all offer some great fishing opportunities. They all have numbers, but a few have some nice surprises for the angler willing to give it a trip or two. Maybe just as important, these rivers along with the New (Ashe and Alleghany County), Watauga (Watauga County) and Dan River (Stokes County) have some gorgeous areas. The numerous tall, hemlock bluffs on the Dan River are worth a float trip even if the fish aren’t biting!
5) We have encountered some exceptional landowners during this study, and have recently worked out agreements for smallmouth bass fishing and small boat access at a few new spots in northwest NC. These access sites were basically obtained from generous landowners that wished to provide anglers an opportunity to get in the river and fish. We are working with various state agencies and local governments to obtain additional access sites, and hopefully the list will continue to grow.
Feel free to give me a call for additional information or more specifics - Thanks,
Kevin
Kevin Hining
Fisheries Biologist - NC Wildlife Resources Commission
336-818-0283
hiningk@charter.net
I would also like to remind everyone about the 6th annual “Kid’s Fishing Day” coming up in April at Cub Creek Park in Wilkesboro, NC. This is usually the second Saturday in April so tentatively speaking that would be the 10th. For those of you who haven’t helped with this event before it is a fun time for our members, kids, parents, grandparents and guardians. Be sure to check back with our web-site for more details as the date approaches.
It has been a snowy winter so I hope as the weather improves everyone can find time to do a little fishing and volunteer for some of the events and programs we have coming up. Help us help our communities by making young people aware of the need to protect the environment and the world around us in general. By getting young people outdoors and involved and educated we help to guarantee that our grandchildren can enjoy the world around us as we have been able to do.
Please remember you do not have to be a member to come to our meetings and you are encouraged to bring family and friends concerned about our water and environment in general. Thank you.
Your President,
Jeff Payne
Meeting date is March 2nd, 7:00 PM @ the Foothills Arts Council Building in Elkin.
Officers
President -Jeff Payne
Vice President-Rick Parish
Treasurer-Bob Pearson
Project Coordinator-
Dick Everhart
Newsletter Editor-
Nancy Payne