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Outdoors Notebook: Number of finfish caught is down
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Published: May 7, 2009
■ The N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries said this week that the number of finfish caught in N.C. waters by recreational fishermen dropped about 18 percent in 2008. The total fell to about 12 million fish, even though the number of recreational-fishing trips remained roughly the same, at 7 million.
"There was a decline in for-hire and private-boat trips, but an increase in shore and pier fishing," said Doug Mumford, the recreational-statistics program manager for the NCDMF.
"It appears the high fuel prices and other economic factors may have influenced fishermen to choose the piers, with blanket fishing licenses, over their boats."
Mahi-mahi remained the top recreational species with 3.6 million pounds (405,784 fish) caught, followed by grouper at 1.2 million pounds (99,468 fish), bluefish at 1 million pounds (1.3 million fish), striped bass at 921,051 pounds (44,006 fish) and spotted seatrout at 911,097 pounds (576,703 fish).
■ The second weekend of June promises to be a big one for fishing at Salem Lake.
The lake will stay open for fishing all night Friday, June 12 for the semiannual Salem Lake All-Nighter.
The lake will have its annual Kids Fishing Derby on Saturday, June 13.
Anyone interested in information on fees, operating times and tournament schedules can call the Salem Lake Fishing Station at 650-7677.
■ North Davidson finished second in the 31st Youth Hunter Safety Tournament at Camp Millstone near Ellerbe on April 25. West Montgomery won the competition with a score of 3,034. North Davidson had a score of 3,003.
North Davidson's hunter-skills team finished first with a score of 732. The team members were Tyler Leinbach (186 points), Shane Strange (184), Drew Denny (182) and Andrew Leinbach (180).
North Davidson scored 760 of a possible 800 points in the trap shoot. Kyle Clodfelter and Andrew Leinbach had perfect scores of 200. Tyler Leinbach had a 190, and Kelby Bently a 170.
The Black Knights' rifle team had a score of 729. The team members were Strange (189), Casey Thomason (181), Samuel Green (185) and Denny (174). The archery team had a score of 732. The team members were Strange (199), Thomason (194), Tyler Leinbach (195) and Clodfelter (194).
The team's coaches are Dennis Snyder and Tom Kearns.
■ The N.C. Wildlife resources Commission yesterday announced the results of a young artists' competition of original wildlife compositions, sponsored by Wildlife in North Carolina magazine, and two local schoolchildren were among the 12 winners.
Winston-Salem's Chris Reid, 13, an eighth-grader at Northwest Middle School, won for his drawing of a Baltimore oriole. Kernersville's Grace Reaves, 5, who is in kindergarten at First Christian Academy, won for her drawing of an Eastern bluebird.
Students attending kindergarten through eighth grade in North Carolina were eligible to enter an original work of a wild fish, bird, mammal, reptile, amphibian or invertebrate native to the state. There were 2,898 entries.
The winners will receive $100 each and their work will be published in a 2010 calendar, available for sale Aug. 1 at www.ncwildstore.com.
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