Thursday, February 12, 2009
Bill Cochran's Field Reports: Bill's pick of the Top 5 walleye fishing holes
Bill Cochran is a Roanoke Times outdoors columnist.
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New River angler Rick Fitpatrick with walleye caught on a trip with guide Mike Smith
Virginia doesn’t have the reputation of being a hot spot for walleye, but after considerable trial and error in both management and fishing efforts, this fishery has been making progress. What follows are my top 5 walleye fishing picks. You can find a bunch more information on walleye fishing in Virginia from state biologists.
UPPER NEW RIVER: This is the best place in Virginia -- from Allisonia upstream to Fries Dam -- to catch bragging-size walleye and even go for a state record. In 2007 and 2008, 15 trophy walleye, including a near-record 15-pounder, were taken here. Samplings made last year showed good numbers of walleye. TIP: Anglers catch the most walleye January through March, so get going.
SOUTH HOLSTON RESERVOIR: Walleye fishing here is a year-round affair and includes a February through April run up the South Fork of the Holston River near the community of Alvarado. It peaks in March. TIP: Surface fishing with top-water lures, like the floating Rapala, can be a source of great sport in the lake’s headwaters and along select shoreline following the spring run until the fish move deep for the summer.
STAUNTON RIVER: Biologists predict that walleye fishing from Leesville Dam to Brookneal should be excellent this year. Numbers and sizes are good. TIP: Early in the season -- like right now -- try immediately below Leesville Dam. Later, work downstream, concentration on the shoreline near fallen trees using lures to imitate the abundant shad, perch and suckers in the river.
LAKE WHITEHURST: Walleye won’t reproduce in this 500-acre water supply impoundment in Virginia Beach, but they are stocked at the rate of 48,000 annually and survival is good. Outstanding numbers of juvenile fish were sampled last November, the indication of a strong age class which should make itself known for several years. Some walleye nearing the 30-inch size also were sampled. TIP: Walleye cover a lot of territory here in the spring, so anglers need to do some extensive exploring. Many do this by trolling shallow-running lures on the flats.
PHILPOTT LAKE: The walleye fishing can be productive, but don’t expect to hook many big ones. It takes 2.5 years for a Philpot walleye to reach the 18-inch legal size, after which the males really grow slowly. TIP: Top-water fishing during the alewife spawn can be a ball after dark in May and June before the fish go deep for the summer.
BILL
A LOOK AT STILL MORE BILLS
HB 2282: Should you be able to use a .223 or 22-250 for hunting deer? The General Assembly has said no. I think that is a good call.
Sure, these calibers are legal for deer hunting in several states, especially in the West. In the right hands they are deadly. The .223 frequently is used in Virginia by conservation police officers to dispatch deer.
But overall, from my experience, they are a bit lightweight, especially in the hands of young and inexperienced hunters, who most likely would be the ones to use then because of their light recoil.
HB 2120: Pittsylvania County has a split deer hunting season. The section west of the Norfolk Southern tracks has one set of regulations while there is a more liberal season east of the tracks. Some people don’t like the split and have asked the General Assembly to mandate that the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries set a uniform season in the county.
I know, split seasons can be a pain. But I am a firm believer that it is the task of the DGIF to set hunting, fishing and trapping regulations. The General Assembly should do nothing to get in the way of that process. So I oppose this bill. If the split isn’t working, change should be handled by DGIF not the General Assembly.
HB 1950: Nearly every session of the General Assembly has at least one bill that would give away hunting and fishing license to select people or groups who the sponsor believes merit a free ride. This time the recipients of the gift would be active military personnel.
We certainly owe this group our appreciation, but you must remember that the DGIF operates on revenue from hunting and fishing licenses, not from tax money. It can not afford to give up a single license fee, much less the huge bloc composed of military personnel in Virginia.
When the sponsor of the bill was made aware of this, he wisely withdrew the legislation.
BILL
OUTDOOR BRIEFS
- The Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries and Virginia Marine Resources Commission have launched a monofilament fishing line recycling program across Virginia. The two agencies will install recycling containers at numerous public launching sites where anglers can discard their used line in order to protect fish, birds, turtles and other wildlife from becoming entangled.
- Popular Watkins Boat Landing on the James River in Powhatan County has been reopened following a $190,983 renovation project, according to the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries.
BILL
MEETINGS/EVENTS/SEASONS
Virginia’s grouse season closes Feb. 14.
Greater Virginia Sports and Big Game Show, Feb. 20-22, Rockingham County, details from vasportsshow.com.
Richmond Boat Show, Feb. 20-22, Richmond Raceway Complex.
Hunters for the Hungry Open Turkey Calling Competition, noon Feb. 21 in conjunction with the Feb. 20-22 Greater Virginia Sports & Big Game Show at the Rockingham County Fairgrounds near Harrisonburg from vasportsshow.com. Competition for senior open, friction open, intermediate open and youth open. Nearly $2,000 in prize money plus a chance for an exotic spring hunt. The sponsor is the Sportsman’s Warehouse. Entry fees range from $15 to $25. Additional information from Gary Arrington.
Fredericksburg Outdoor Show, Feb. 20-22, Fredericksburg, Va., $6.
Saltwater Sportsman 2009 National Seminar Series, six hours of fishing instruction from the pros, Feb. 21, Virginia Beach Convention Center, $55, nationalseminarseries.com.
Board meeting of the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries to consider hunting/trapping regulations, 9 a.m., Feb. 26, DGIF headquarters, 4000 West Broad St., Richmond.
Southwest Virginia Boat Show, Feb. 27-Mach 1, Roanoke Civic Center.
Western Virginia Sports Show, Augusta Expoland, Fisherville, Feb. 27-March 1.
Virginia’s rabbit season closes Feb. 28.
Hooked for Life silent auction, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., Feb. 28 Colonial Avenue Baptist Church.
Smith Mountain Striper Club swap meet, March 6, 7 p.m., Moneta Community Center.
National Capital Boat Show, March 13-15, Chantilly.
Third annual Mid-Atlantic Kayak Fishing Symposium, Wild River Outfitters, Virginia Beach, March 14, 8 a.m.-5 p.m.
Appalachian Highlands Chapter Ruffed Grouse Society Sportsmen’s Banquet, March 28, Holiday Inn, Johnson City, Tenn., information from Donna Vance
Smith Mountain Striper Club meeting, Aril 3, 7 p.m. Moneta Community Center, program on rod building by Paul Craven.
Tidewater Boat Show, April 3-5, Hampton.
Youth spring turkey hunting day, April 4, 2009.
Smith Mountain Striper Club Spring Striper Tournament, April 4, 5 a.m.-4 p.m., weigh-in at Captain’s Quarters, tournament chairman is Frank Skillman, 540-721-1220.
2009 spring gobbler season, April 11-May 16.
Ninth Virginia Fly Fishing Festival, April 18 and 19, on the banks of the South River in Waynesboro, $15.
North Carolina State University Sport Fishing School, May 31-June 4, Hatteras, N.C., $1,445, limited to 45 participants.
Board meeting of the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries to finalize hunting/trapping regulations, 9 a.m., June 2, DGIF headquarters, 4000 West Broad St., Richmond.
Got an event? Let us know: xtrails@earthlink.net.
