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]

Muskie fishermen average like 40 hours or so per fish. They will talk about a swirl for days or weeks... :)

[Derrick Bustle]

I was a Wisconin kid too. But Muskie wasn't to hard to get a hold of. River fishing they showed up and the occasion lake muskie.

[Derrick Bustle]

Where are the Tiger Muskie I have been looking. Nobody seems to know. Also looking for Smallmouth and walleye.

[Andy is OptiMystic]

Tiger - dunno

Smallies - New River up in the mountains is best IMO

Walleye - Lake James

[Derrick Bustle]

There is suppose to be all 3 in Lake james just wasnt sure. I am not far from James.like a hour or so

[Andy is OptiMystic]

I think they may all be there. I was thinking of places I would go to feel like I had the best shot at catching each.

[Derrick Bustle]

Yeah, I havnt fished there yet I catch all my big Bass at Norman. so Just havnt taken the trip

[Ira R (Rick) Jones]

Lake James  walleye,small mouth and crappie and supposed to have tiger muskie

forgot the name of the lake but it is south west of the nantahala reservation it has tigers in it

i caught a ton of smallmouth in the nantahala river on the reservation  all about 12"  would keep a couple for shore lunch . 

i am fortunate married to a cherokee and can fish up there as long as she s with me with no license

and can fish higher up where the white folk can not go   caught a 20" brownie above the trout farm  maybe 3900 foot  stream was not even 15' wide,  but caught him  on a tiny fly they sell and make locally.  I felt he was just too pretty to  put in fry pan,  and too big, i like em 12" perfect size  little house autry,  some bacon grease, can of white potatoes and pork and beans, with some bacon slices used for grease

when i let that guy go,  her relatives went into  huddle and said.  "you are now part of the oxendine family, you are welcome here anytime and all three of these guys gave me a bear hug, and asked me to go hog hunting when it was colder

my wife said, they just dont do that i felt honored and damn if those little brownies werent good, we all devoured two each right next to the river, she said they were just being polite to me for the day but you impressed them a whole lot and what you did with that big trout really got to then

so they went from being nice to me and sociable to you and they  changed a whole lot

[Derrick Bustle]

I just figured I might give it a shot this year just for fun..I like fishing for trout too but they just dont have very large trout here in NC. Mine were caught out of state.

[Ira R (Rick) Jones]

that hurts, this is as close as i will get, looking at your monster fish  what a beauty

[Derrick Bustle]

18lbs

[Andy is OptiMystic]

Awesome story!

Are you thinking of Fontana? I have heard lots of different reports on it; full of fish but you need to know it well or be really lucky to catch more than stocker trout.