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  1. #1
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    Jun 2009
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    Why do SH, Falls and Jordan sux?

    I'm blessed to have some incredible large ponds to fish and I catch more big fish out of them than what I see posted on here with the rare exception. I started fishing all three back in the 80's and remember how good they were. Did a lot of tournaments on them and Gaston and Kerr too which I though both were way overrated even back then.

    I don't think the fishing is so poor because of aging lakes, but rather tournament delayed mortality. I'd like to see the lakes good again or at least a shadow of their former greatness. Anybody support the idea of banning tournaments for a few years to see if things could recover some?

    If you didn't fish SH, Jordan or Falls back in the day I know this will sound crazy, but I know there's enough on here that remember what it was like. I can't imagine running a high dollar bass rig around the Triangle and gas , etc. and settling for what an average day is like these days. At this rate the sport of bass fishing will be dead in 10 years. Except for maybe perfect conditions late winter/early Spring on Jordan you couldn't pay me to waste a day on the water when I know what I can catch on these ponds on average. I grew up fishing the Potomac before people realized the place was stupid full of nice bass back in the 70's and even though it's still good it's also nothing like it was. Anna was great ( for Virginia ) for a few years and for a few more on the hot side, but pretty much everything that gets pounded has about died compared to the good old days.

    If I was just starting out bass fishing now. I'd have lasted 6 months and taken up golf

  2. Banned
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    Dec 2010
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    Elm City, NC
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    #2
    Yep, those days of catching 200-300 a day when they first opened them for fishing after the stocking programs was the norm. Whatever bait you fished you would have one one each hook just about every single cast.

  3. Member
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    Nov 2020
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    Springlake Nc
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    #3
    I heard yesterday by someone that there is a meeting this week with Duke energy, the public and the wildlife division about what has happened with the local lakes. Not sure where he heard it from but he did tell me that last night when I returned home.

  4. Member
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    Mar 2009
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    Autryville, NC
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    #4
    is there anything being done to actually help the fish populations in any of these lakes , I dont hear of anything
    1996 Javelin 409T DC /225 Johnson Venom

  5. Member
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    Apr 2017
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    Jordan Lake
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    #5
    Quote Originally Posted by darryl1966 View Post
    is there anything being done to actually help the fish populations in any of these lakes , I dont hear of anything
    Hard to get support for poor fishing when 35-40lbs bags are being weighed.
    Unfortunately, those weights seem to be reserved for a gifted few. I am not one of them.
    I can’t seem to catch a thing in Jordan, especially south of rt 64.

  6. Member
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    Grover NC
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    #6
    Quote Originally Posted by Nat's Dad View Post
    .................................................. ....... Anybody support the idea of banning tournaments for a few years to see if things could recover some?............................................. .................................................. .......

    Probably not popular around here, but I support banning tournaments forever....everywhere.

  7. Banned
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    Oct 2021
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    #7
    Quote Originally Posted by Bairn View Post
    Hard to get support for poor fishing when 35-40lbs bags are being weighed.
    Unfortunately, those weights seem to be reserved for a gifted few. I am not one of them.
    I can’t seem to catch a thing in Jordan, especially south of rt 64.
    Yeah I honestly think it is fishing/boat pressure more than anything. Boat sales and use have been at record levels and that alone beats up the fish. Most of us are shallow water guys, not all but many, and those are the fish that would be most affected by the traffic (then add the vegetation eradication at Harris). Wakes beating the banks all day and even weekday traffic has increased the past couple of years. My guess is that is a cause and affect of many "working from home" and having more freedom during the week. The wake boats are throwing bigger and bigger wakes to a point it really is ridiculous.

    Quote Originally Posted by Woody b View Post
    Probably not popular around here, but I support banning tournaments forever....everywhere.
    Id like to see a boat limit like Randleman does. "X" number of boats per ramp and once the number is hit you have to wait for someone to leave before you can launch. Would work out well for the bass fisherman as we are usually the first ones on the lake. ... Never happen though

    I am even ok with ramp fees if it would go to restocking programs.

  8. Member
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    Jun 2009
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    Mebane, NC
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    #8
    When I was in HS we used to try to fish Pohick Bay on the Potomac about Weds or Thurs after a big week end Tournament. We did this because hundreds of bass were released there and if you hit it right all the docks at the mouth of the river were LOADED with bass. It was crazy, but I also saw it where there were dozens and dozens of dead bass too. And this was repeated week after week year after year. I once saw an underwater video of the cove of a weigh in site that's bottom was paved with dead bass. Seems like it was Lake Anna if memory serves. The guy told me most don't float up for some reason.

  9. Member
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    Wake Forest North Carolina
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    #9
    [QUOTE=old4runner;12431871]Yeah I honestly think it is fishing/boat pressure more than anything. Boat sales and use have been at record levels and that alone beats up the fish. Most of us are shallow water guys, not all but many, and those are the fish that would be most affected by the traffic (then add the vegetation eradication at Harris). Wakes beating the banks all day and even weekday traffic has increased the past couple of years. My guess is that is a cause and affect of many "working from home" and having more freedom during the week. The wake boats are throwing bigger and bigger wakes to a point it really is ridiculous.


    I agree. I pass the Barton Creek ramp at Falls everyday on my way to and from work. On the days when there is decent weather, by the time i pass by there at 5:00 the lot is surprisingly crowded. Has been that way since Covid started. And of course the weekends are ridiculous.
    2005 Ranger 185VS

  10. Banned
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    Oct 2018
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    #10
    I’ve said it on here a thousand times. Those lakes all are complete cess pools compared to days gone by. They could blow up the dams on all 3 of them and drain them for all i care and I used to fish all of them multiple times per week. If our state had any brains whatsoever we would still have 5 of the best largemouth fisheries of all time in one state…..instead now they are all worthless. If I lived in Raleigh I would probably sell my bass boat. Those lakes are way too small to receive the beating they get 365 days per year. There are way too many people in Raleigh in general and it seems like all of them
    own a bass boat.

  11. Banned
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    #11
    Quote Originally Posted by darryl1966 View Post
    is there anything being done to actually help the fish populations in any of these lakes , I dont hear of anything

    There are still 5+ tournaments going on every week on every lake right in the middle of the spawn so no……nothing is being done. There’s a new tournament trail every weekend that pops up it seems.

  12. Banned
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    #12
    I really don't think it is the bass boats as much as it is the wake and pleasure boat traffic that has picked up. The fish are still in these lakes they are just conditioned to all this human activity. We got boats with three diff transducers in the water clicking along literally in every direction now. We have smart trolling motors whose motorized head has to be louder than well lubed cable steer. I really wonder if with all this tech we are not just handing out a sign for the fish saying we have arrived.

    I have been rewatching the MLF Heavy Hitters from last year in Ral as it was this exact time frame. Those guys were catching, no 5-6 graphs, and I don't think they have FFS (they are in MLF boats for those events). Some even using push poles to move around.

    https://majorleaguefishing.com/watch...search=raleigh

    These lakes may not be what they were but they are still really good and I am glad to have them.

  13. Member Coastal Mountaineer's Avatar
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    #13
    Yes, tournaments are hurting our lakes. I fish Lake Sutton, a 1,100 acre lake near Wilmington. Seems there's a tournament every weekend.

    On March 19th, Bojangles held a tournament there with Pro and Amateur divisions. Two man teams entered 97 boats catching 254 bass totalling 788 pounds for an average weight of 3.1 pounds. Of course, culling resulted in lots of fish caught but not weighed, and many boats did not weigh in at all.

    I fished Sutton the Friday afternoon before the tournament for a few hours and caught 4 bass weighing approximately 12 lbs. anchored by a 5.1 bass. I've been back to Sutton several times since and my biggest was around 2lbs. I know there could be many reasons for this and I'd be irresponsible to say it's all because of this tournament. None the less, it's a pattern I've seen play out for the last few years.

    I firmly believe large tournaments on this small lake have a detrimental impact. I also believe NCWRC should limit the number of tournaments and boats entered during the prime spawning periods on Sutton and perhaps other lakes as well.

    To be fair, I don't fault Bojangles or their anglers. Their tournaments are well run and they do a good job taking care of the fish during the weigh in process.
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  14. Banned
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    #14
    If you really want to know. Lots of interesting facts based on data.

    https://www.ncwildlife.org/Fishing/L...ry-Fact-Sheets

  15. Banned
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    #15
    I think there are a lot of factors. Pressure is a big one. I am sure putting fish in the livewell isn't great for a fishery especially when their are multiple tournaments per week (spawing season especially/ Summer being #2). I have seen a lot of people box fish that weren't in tournaments for the classic "glory pic" at the end of the day. I don't think anyone can put 100% blame on one thing but when you add up all the factors it makes a difference. Rec Traffic, tournaments, fish handling, no off season, amount of fisherman on the water etc.

  16. Member
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    #16
    Sam Rayburn (as an example) has 1000's of boats every weekend from January through April because of tournaments (amateur, high school, college and pro levels) and recreational fisherman.

    It is a multitude of things. It's not just a fish population problem, it's a fishing pressure problem. Especially the last 2 years. I think the cormorants or water turkey's or whatever have a bigger impact on fish population than fisherman. Lakes in NC have no cover for bait fry. They need cover to grow big enough to evade predators.

    NC Wildlife should work on the vegetation, or lack thereof, problem in local lakes. Get the native vegetation to grow and fishing will get better. One of the greatest lakes I ever fished went to hell when it lost the grass, hydrilla, millfoil and reeds.

    The bass move with the bait, here today, gone the next, get some healthy cover in the water (not decaying trees) and the bass will stay for a while, that's my 2 cents

    Lakes cycle, get old, but can become new again. Look at OH Ivie in Texas.
    Kyle

    2010 Nitro Z-7

    PB: 11 lbs, 1 oz

  17. Member
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    #17
    Great post here and I believe also that there's many factors. I work on boats for a living. 1 factor for sure is pleasure boat's, when covid hit, everybody and there brother was buying boats.
    Our shop was flooded with new boat owners that don't have a clue, and I mean don't even know how to start boat they just purchased. We were thinking about giving classes on how to.
    In my opinion the state should have stepped in. And I mean these people no nothing. The newer wake boats that I work on are shoreline destructive type boats. 100%, they have 5, 20-30 gallon ballast bags, they have hydraulic swing panels ( under water)
    to direct water. I believe this is a factor! No chance for native vegetation to grow.
    I came back to N.C. in late 80's early 90's. I started fishing the Wensday afternoon tournaments at Harris, fished with G. Cameron, he would tell me 2 rods, both with 17 lb. test and no tackle box . We would leave merry oaks ramp, go past split and fish mouth of cove's outside of grass, only bait he had on boat t-rig culprit junebug. Always caught fish. Always finish in $. I know he'd be rolling in grave, if he seen what has happened.

  18. Banned
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    #18
    They have programs going on at Harris by Wildlife to try to reestablish native plants.
    https://www.ncwildlife.org/Portals/0...ent-Update.pdf

    Jordan struggles with oxygen levels to this day form the runoff of fertilizer up stream in the Haw river. Nitrogen and Phosphorus from fertilizer used upstream kills the O and adds to algae blooms. You guys remember the big solar powered rotating disks they had for a while?
    https://www.saw.usace.army.mil/Porta...File_Size).pdf


    The biggest concern of Jordan are and always have been dissolved oxygen issues.
    1) What are the sources of nutrients impacting the water quality in Jordan Lake?
    2) What are the nutrient management options and how cost-effective are these options?
    https://collaboratory.unc.edu/wp-con...nal-report.pdf

  19. Member
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    #19
    And on another note. I've gotten back in to bass fishing , in the last 4 years. And have struggled unbelievably. I've purchased more baits than I ever have. If a small pond or lake no problem catching fish. But Harris, Jordan have been elusive as a pattern.
    Alton Sr. Was sight fishing heavy hitters, before COVID.
    Thankfully I meet Eddie , he's a true 100% bass man , with lots of knowledge. He's asked me what's happening all I can say is I don't have a clue. Yes you can have a decent day sometimes. 1 out of 10. But as said before, there are some hammer's that bring in big bags. They obviously have something going for them or they know something we don't. And are tight lipped about anything. When these guys pull in 21.+ Bags , it obviously the same guys ( if y'all follow results). I told Eddie I'm going by my self. When they have a tournament, I'm going to watch. I'm the one that posted about temporarily stocking fish on the northern part near Farrington ramp in Jordan.

  20. Member
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    #20
    Quote Originally Posted by magfluker View Post
    .................................................. ...........Lakes in NC have no cover for bait fry............................................... ........................................
    Mentioning fry brings back something an old man told me 40+ years ago. He said you would never have good Bass populations in lakes with a bunch of Crappie. He said Crappie eat all the small fry. The lakes around here with the least amount of Bass are packed with Crappie.

    How's the Crappie fishing in SH, Falls and Jordan?


    Also, I've heard of other states helping Bass populations by stocking Shad and Herring. Has anyone heard of that in NC?

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