8-27-08 Hope Mills

Hope Mills lake is once again a lake.  Rain from the past several days has been enough to top of the lake.  However the construction wasn't quite finished .  Equipment is still sitting at the waters edge, some was even in the water.  Hopefully, all will be completed soon  and the lake will be well on the way to being a local Hot Spot.










Raleigh-WRC

Justification for the New Rule Defining Artificial Lures and Natural Bait When Fishing on

Public Mountain Trout Waters

A new rule enacted by the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission defining artificial lures and

natural bait becomes effective July 1, 2008, when fishing on designated public mountain trout

waters (DPMTW). Several factors made it necessary to do so, including: the repeal of legislation

that defined natural bait in 2006; angler confusion over the classification of flavored and scented

baits; and biologist concerns over increased catch-and-release mortality attributed to these

attractant baits. Artificial lures are now defined as a fishing lure that neither contains, nor has

been treated with any substance that attracts fish by the sense of taste or smell. Natural bait is

defined as any living or dead organism (plant or animal), or parts thereof, or prepared substances

designed to attract fish by the sense of taste or smell.

In July 2006, the N.C. General Assembly repealed legislation that provided license exemptions to

state residents who fished with hook and line in their county of residence using natural bait,

which was defined as “bait which may be beneficially digested by fish.” As a result, there was no

longer a legal definition of natural bait and by extension, artificial lures, which are specified for

mountain trout fishing. Artificial lures with one single hook are required on DPMTW classified

as Wild, Catch and Release/Artificial Lure Only or Delayed Harvest trout waters. Natural bait is

allowed in DPMTW classified as Hatchery Supported Trout Waters or Wild Trout/Natural Bait

Trout Waters. Without clear definition, anglers could not easily determine what category

attractant baits, which attempt to mimic natural baits, fit into. This rule change allows people

to clearly distinguish between natural and artificial lures.

Originally, artificial lure requirements were implemented on certain trout streams to minimize

catch-and-release angling mortality. This is particularly important for the delayed harvest

management classification, which requires each stocked trout to be captured and released

multiple times during the 8-month catch-and-release period for the program to be successful. The

use of these natural bait-mimicking substances had become increasingly popular on delayed

harvest and other waters requiring that only artificial lures be used. Research suggests that these

attractant baits can lead to increased catch-and-release hooking mortality. It has been found that

deep hooking wounds are primarily responsible for catch-and-release mortality of stocked trout.

Deep hooking wounds usually result when trout ingest bait deep into the esophagus or stomach

prior to being captured. Angler dissatisfaction with the catch-and-release trout management

program would probably increase should catch rates decline significantly as a result of this

mortality.

The new rule defining natural bait and artificial lures received widespread public support during

the Commission’s public hearings in January 2008. In addition, a 2007 survey of resident trout

anglers indicated that more anglers opposed (44 percent) the use of artificial bait substances in

Delayed Harvest waters than supported (33 percent) it. Based on public support, the regulation

was approved at the March 2008 meeting of the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission.

Justification for the New Striped Bass Rules on the Tar, Neuse and Cape Fear Rivers

New rules enacted by the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission (WRC) for striped bass fishing when

fishing on the Tar, Neuse and Cape Fear Rivers become effective July 1, 2008. These rules are designed

to conserve spawning stock by reducing harvest and catch-and-release mortality so as to ensure the longterm

viability of North Carolina’s striped bass fisheries.

WRC biologists collect striped bass each spring from the Tar, Neuse and Cape Fear rivers to characterize

the abundance, size and age distribution, and growth of the spawning stock. These annual electrofishing

surveys began in 1994 on the Neuse and Tar rivers, and in 2003 on the Cape Fear River. Sampling begins

each spring as the water temperature approach 57o F, prior to the optimum spawning temperatures range

of 64o-71o F, and ends when spawning is completed. Striped bass are aged by examining scales and when

age and abundance are tracked across years, we can estimate total and fishing mortality (death) mortality.

Fishing mortality is a measure of how quickly striped bass are removed from the population due to

recreational and commercial fishing.

It is especially important for striped bass to maintain an abundance of older fish because annual

reproductive success ranges from poor to good depending on a number of factors, including the volume

and stability of river flows and water temperatures. As such, populations and fishing are sustained by the

periodic good year classes. Adequate spawning stock is necessary to weather the years when reproduction

is less successful. In addition, older females produce the greatest numbers of eggs and contribute

significantly to the spawning population. Producing large numbers of eggs is important because striped

bass are broadcast spawners that do not take care of their eggs or young as do some other fish species.

Estimates of fishing mortality from the Tar, Neuse and Cape Fear rivers have greatly exceeded the rate

necessary for population growth and sustainability for a number of years. Populations in these systems are

well below their potential and although larger fish (>27 inches) are occasionally found, the population is

dominated by age-4 and younger fish. While good numbers of young fish are seen, they quickly drop out

of the population in subsequent years as a result of fishing mortality. Our work on the Neuse and Cape

Fear rivers continues to indicate low numbers of fish returning to spawn each year.

In order for these fisheries to rebuild, fishing mortality must be reduced substantially. The protective slot

limit of 22 to 27 inches will protect 5- to 8-year-old sexually mature female striped bass. The 7-month

harvest season will concentrate harvest during cool water months when hooking mortality is lowest.

Based on our research with striped bass in coastal North Carolina, we know that hooking mortality

increases significantly as water temperatures exceed 70o F. By avoiding harvest during the primary

spawning month (May) when temperatures begin to exceed 70o F, we hope to provide maximum

protection to the spawning populations. The striped bass population in the Cape Fear River is at such low

abundance that it has become necessary to close the harvest season until it begins to rebuild.

Management responsibility for striped bass populations in the Tar-Pamlico, Neuse and Cape Fear rivers is

shared by WRC and the N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries (DMF). Data collected by DMF is conclusive

that gill net bycatch is the greatest source of striped bass mortalities in these systems, with annual

commercial gill-net discards estimated at nearly 95,000 pounds. WRC has no regulatory authority

governing gill nets in joint or coastal waters. However, DMF has agreed to implement new gill net

restrictions that are designed to significantly reduce commercial interactions with striped bass. Specific

gill net rule changes include mandatory float line tie-downs and minimum distance from shore

requirements. WRC and DMF will work cooperatively to evaluate the effectiveness of these new

recreational and commercial changes. We are also working to better understand and quantify

environmental factors, including spring flows, water, temperature, and accessibility to spawning grounds

that may affect striped bass spawning success.