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Monday, August 30, 2021

Rock Fishing in Roanoke River, August 1921 and Today

Rock Fishing in Roanoke River Unique Way of Catching “the Big One”

One of the most dangerous and fascinating of sports is fishing for the famous rock fish in the Roanoke River, according to Henry Cochran, tobacco farmer, who lives near the river at Tillery, N.C.

It is generally agreed by fish eaters that the rock, or white striped bass, as they are often called, is one of the most delicious fish that can be placed on the table. Aside from its backbone, the fish is practically void of bones. The meat is as white as snow and almost as delicious as chicken. When the season is on on, rock fish adorn the tables of those who live near the river, and each day is a day of feast.

These unique fish are caught weighing from 2 pounds to 80 pounds. Strange to say, the Roanoke River is almost the only river in the country in which they can be caught in abundance. The fish come up from the sea about the middle of May to lay their eggs in the rocks of the rapids near Weldon. From that time until the middle of June they swarm up and down the river by the thousands. Scores of fishermen make the river their haunt during this period.

The rock is caught with a huge net. Most of the fishing is done during the night from small boats, each boat having a tiny searchlight on its bow. Two men usually occupy the boat. One man sits in the rear and keeps the boat moving exactly with the current, so that the meshes of the net will hang down towards the bottom of the river. The other man holds the net, which is sunk down in the water to the end of its handle, which is generally 10 feet in length. The fish are always swimming like lightning when they are headed upstream. They strike the net with terrific force. The jar is felt by the man who is holding the net handle.

GIVES UPWARD JERK

He immediately gives a quick upward jerk, which throws the fish in the loose meshes that dangle near the river bottom. The net is then hoisted up as quickly as possible, the fish being entangled and unable to escape in the meantime. When the net has been brought clear of the water, the long 10-foot handle sticks out beyond the fisherman and serves to balance the net. With little difficulty, the fisherman then swims the net around and dumps the fish into the boat. Sometimes, he catches several at once. Some of them are perhaps a foot in length, while some are as long as four feet.

“And it is a dangerous sport, let me tell you,” explained Mr. Cochran. “I came near losing my life for those rock fish during this last June. With a friend, I had been fishing almost every night in a small canvas canoe. At first we were hardly able to keep from turning over as we drifted down the river at night, but we gradually became proficient in the handling of the boat, and eventually got careless.

“The danger lies in the fact that as one drifts down the river in the darkness, the net is liable to get caught on submerged roots or stumps in the water. As the nets are valuable, the fisherman invariably endeavors to save it. He does not let go of the net until it is absolutely necessary. Therefore, it is with frequency that a boat turns over in the middle of the river and dumps its occupants into the dark water. The good swimmers reach shore. The bum swimmers sometimes drown in the swift current. Several persons have drowned each season for the last few years.

“As I explained, we had become careless in the handling of our small boat. At first we wore light clothes in fear of turning over. As the nights passed, we dressed more heavily to keep off the dampness. It was one night in the early part of June that I was steering the boat while my friend used the net. I had on a heavy overcoat, for the night was extremely damp. Several pounds of nails, which we were using to string the fish, were in my pockets.

THE BOAT TURNED OVER

“As luck would have it our net suddenly was caught on some object at the bottom of the river. My friend held on. I tried to turn the boat around. This movement, coupled with a sharp tug on the net by my friend, was too much for the small boat. Over she went. Before we could say Jack Robinson we were struggling in the water.

“And a struggle it was. A gasoline motor which we had attached to the stern of the boat pulled it immediately to the bottom. The nails which I had attached to my clothing came pretty near playing the same stunt on me. Despite my best efforts I could not get out of my overcoat. It took every ounce of my strength to keep myself on top of the water. The shore was far away, and it was only a few seconds before I realized that I could never reach it. I shouted to my friend, who frightened for his own safety, had already place a good many yards between himself and my seemingly doomed frame. With something like a quart of water in my lungs and more coming in, it looked like the jig was up with yours truly.

“Suddenly, I saw a tiny ray of light shoot round a bend of the river above me. The faint chug-chug of a motor reached my ears, and with renewed strength I yelled out in distress, again. My S.O.S. was heard, and, with increased speed, the boat came towards me. I was completely exhausted when they hauled me in.

“Such an accident is a casual event in the life of a Roanoke River fisherman, however, and I was right back on the river the next night—more lightly dressed this time. Our small canoe was never recovered, but the experience gained more than repaid us for our loss. I, for one, expect to be on the look-out for a tumble in the river from now on.”

From The Charlotte News, August 28, 1921. The method’s changed over the years but fishermen are still catching rock fish (striped bass) on the Roanoke River. The photo above is from a Capt. Mitchell Blake, a fishing guide, and it shows Captain Mitch and Dalton with their rock fish catch of the day. catch. chloesblog.bigmill.com/roanoke-river-rock-fish-stew-recipe/

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