new here, first time

[Ira R (Rick) Jones]

retired USMC,live near Camp Lejeune,  Have a RV site near Henderson and Butner,  still learning how to fish in NC,  Experimented on the Trent River, and saw of all things a Northern Pike follow my lure, right up to the boat

need to work that river some more. fished Kerr and did not do well, caught some bass and some perch but no bluegill, but did not see any area that looked good

have a small 14ft alumacraft with 15hp and trolling motor

[Andy is OptiMystic]

Welcome! I am thinking you likely saw a pickerel (southern cousin of the N pike; sometimes called a jack) or gar following your lure. I think there are some northerns in cooler water, but not the Trent. Panfish at Kerr are tough in the cold. Crappie fishing reports have been very good up there.

[Ira R (Rick) Jones]

might have been a pickerel as you suggest.  been fifty years since i saw or caught a northern

but it sure had the classic pike head,  there were two of them  about 24 inches or so, have to admit got somewhat excited.  figured the trent might be a interesting place to fish  launched in Polloksville and went towards the neuse

might have to go other way

[Marty Lemons]

welcome to the group Rick

[Berle W. Wilson]

When the water warms up a bit, You mite want to look East. The Rivers/streams that end up in the sounds tend to hold excellent numbers of  hungry"Gills. I Fly fish with a boat rig, like yours. Good luck, Berle

[Ira R (Rick) Jones]

what kind of run is it from polloksville or better to go to new berne and launch, but there has to be some nice places near deadfalls on that river,

i have a nice old 10' fly rod and wide assortment of poppers and such

[carl hendrix]

you need to meet tooty!!  he is also retired USMC  some times;; but not often he goes by a alias-- david eitius !!  

[Jeffrey D. Abney]

Welcome to the group Rick........

[David, aka, "McScruff"]

Semper Fi, marine!
By now, you probably know it was a chain pickerel you saw, and not a northern. In the South we call em "jack fish."

Good to have you and good luck in your endeavor.

[Ira R (Rick) Jones]

this is the guy i saw, well at least his NC cousin arent they a cross between ??

i know we have tiger muskies doing what they are supposed to NOT do and that is reproduce NC fish and game have caught 6" tiger muskies in the mountains and these were not released fish

that is what makes living in nature fun

[Jeffrey D. Abney]

yep...chain pickerel.....

[Andy is OptiMystic]

Jacks and pike are more like siblings than cousins; they look and act very much alike. The Trent is definitely home to many jacks and the odds of a northern being there are slim to none. It would have to be a released fish. I see a lot more jacks than I catch, which also makes me think that's what you saw. They follow stuff around a lot.

Like you muskie story, they have had trouble with hybrid bass (white/striper) that were supposed to be mules reproducing and inbreeding and so they have stopped stocking them anywhere there is much chance of them reaching coastal rivers. They are trying to keep the sea run bass pure.

[Ira R (Rick) Jones]

i was a northern kid fished Wisc, Mn never caught a muskie, tried, but never did,  had a "follow" once

got real excited when this 5' submarine followed my beat up grand dads lure,  big jointed red and white thing..

i do three things, still shoot high power rifle in all competitions i can get to,  love to fish, and have model railroad (three expensive hobbies aint they)

but i got to tell you i got excited when i saw them two inches behind the   red and white jointed plug, one of then actually bumped it, just ran up and nosed it.  got to tell you, i was 16 yrs old again and sitting in my George L herters 14' glass boat