Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, March 25, 1993 TAG: 9303250069
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B3 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: BILL COCHRAN
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
HIGH WATER MAKING MARCH FISHING JUST PLAIN AWFUL
"March Madness" is often used to describe basketball, but this is one year when it may speak more accurately of angling.The often good early spring bass and crappie fishing at Kerr Lake is buried under tons of water.
Striped bass fishing at Smith Mountain Lake is so sorry that some guides are telling clients not to come.
High water has all but shut down trout fishing in the Southwest part of the state.
The level at Kerr on Wednesday was pushing above the 312-foot mark.
"That's 12 feet up into the flood pool," said John Fields, the reservoir manager.
It could go as high as 314 to 316 feet, Fields said. Most boat ramps and recreation facilities are under water, as are some access routes.
"I would say that without an additional major influx of water, it will be two-and-a-half to three weeks before it is back to normal," Fields said.
Fishing at Kerr has been dismal. Several bass tournaments have been canceled. Fields heard about one contest that was won by someone who caught one bass.
March normally is a major producer of citation-size striped bass catches at Smith Mountain, but this time the water is cold and discolored well down the lake, and the fish are uncooperative.
John Burkett of Pulaski did catch a 24-pound, 15-ounce striper, but such trophies have been rare.
Black bass fishing hasn't been much better. The Smith Mountain Lake Ruritan Club tournament drew 46 teams, only four fewer than last year, but the 140.04-pound weigh-in total was less than one-third of the 1992 take.
The average size of the bass caught was off, too: 2.59 pounds this year; 2.71 last.
State officials were having to remap their in-season trout stocking Wednesday in the Southwest part of the state because of problems with high water.
\ HOW IT'S DONE: Jerry Rice and Robert Reynolds reeled in six keeper bass that averaged nearly 4 pounds apiece to win the Smith Mountain Lake Ruritan Club Spring Partners' Bass Tournament.
Nobody else even came close to their 23.56-pound total, which netted Rice, from Altavista, and Reynolds, from Hurt, $1,000 apiece.
Second was Roanoke native Rick Hawkins, who flew in from his home in Van Nuys, Calif., and James DeHart of Roanoke. Their five fish weighed 12.74 pounds.
Rice caught the tournament lunker, a 5.68-pound bass that netted him an additional $450.
\ TROUT STOCKING: Most trout streams will get anywhere from one to five additional stockings from now through May 29. Officials won't be giving advance notice of the releases, but they will provide a list of streams that have been stocked at the end of each week. Look for the list in the Friday Sports Scoreboard. It also will be available on our Sportsline, 981-3385, beginning Friday.
\ DON'T FENCE ME IN: The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation has turned down a proposal to fund a live elk display at Explore Park in Roanoke County.
The Blue Ridge Chapter of the foundation, which has raised about $50,000 for the organization during two banquets in the Roanoke Valley, likes the idea of the local Elk display. However, the foundation leaders in Montana balked at spending money on a fence.
"We understand the need to put the containment fencing in place prior to doing any other program; however, we feel this is not a good use of funds at this time," said Kevin Lackey, director of the foundation's conservation programs.
\ COMING CLOSE: Shawn Dulohery, 27, a newcomer to Roanoke, came close to making the U.S. world skeet team. Dulohery, the former Missouri and Kansas skeet champion, finished seventh in the team trials.
Matt Dryke of Summer, Wash., won the competition in San Antonio, Texas, then declined his slot on the team for work-related reasons. That left an all-military team composed of Dean Clark, Hendersonville, Tenn.; Todd Graves of Fort Benning, Ga.; and Bill Roy of Colorado Springs, Colo.