Outdoors report: Delayed-harvest trout waters set to open

The N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission will implement delayed-harvest regulations on 22 trout waters in 15 western North Carolina counties on Oct. 1, including two new streams, Wilson Creek, a 3.5-mile stream in Caldwell County, and Mill Creek, a 0.7- mile stream in McDowell County.

Under delayed-harvest regulations, no trout can be harvested or possessed from these waters between Oct. 1 and one half-hour after sunset on June 4, 2010. No natural bait is allowed, and anglers can fish only with single-hook, artificial lures. An artificial lure is 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.

Delayed-harvest waters are:

Ashe County: Trout Lake, Helton Creek (Virginia state line to New River)

Burke County: Jacob Fork (Shinny Creek to lower South Mountains State Park boundary)

Caldwell County: Wilson Creek (game lands boundary downstream of Lost Cove Creek to Phillips Branch)

Haywood County: West Fork Pigeon River (Queen Creek to the first game land boundary upstream of Lake Logan)

Henderson County: North Fork Mills River (game land portion below the Hendersonville watershed dam)

Jackson County: Tuckasegee River (N.C. 107 bridge at Love Field to the Dillsboro dam)

Macon County: Nantahala River (Whiteoak Creek to Nantahala hydropower discharge canal)

Madison County: Big Laurel Creek (N.C. 208 bridge to the U.S. 25-70 bridge) and Shelton Laurel Creek (N.C. 208 bridge at Belva to the confluence with Big Laurel Creek)

McDowell County: Curtis Creek (game land portion downstream of the U.S. Forest Service boundary at Deep Branch) and Mill Creek (U.S. 70 bridge to I-40 bridge)

Mitchell County: Cane Creek (N.C. 226 bridge to N.C. 80 bridge — also classified as Mountain Heritage Trout Waters, please refer to the Commission's Regulations Digest for additional information) and North Toe River (U.S. 19E bridge to N.C. 226 bridge — also classified as Mountain Heritage Trout Waters, please refer to the Commission's Regulations Digest for additional information)

Polk County: Green River (Fishtop Falls Access Area to the confluence with Cove Creek)

Surry County: Mitchell River (0.6 mile upstream of the end of S.R. 1333 to the S.R. 1330 bridge below Kapps Mill Dam)

Transylvania County: East Fork French Broad River (Glady Fork to French Broad River) and Little River (confluence of Lake Dense to 100 yards downstream of Hooker Falls).

Watauga County: Watauga River (adjacent to intersection of S.R. 1557 and S.R. 1558 to N.C. 105 bridge and S.R. 1114 bridge to N.C. 194 bridge at Valle Crucis)

Wilkes County: East Prong Roaring River (mouth of Bullhead Creek downstream to Stone Mountain State Park boundary line), Stone Mountain Creek (from falls at Alleghany County line to confluence with East Prong Roaring River and Bullhead Creek) and Reddies River (town of North Wilkesboro water intake dam to confluence with Yadkin River)

For more information on delayed-harvest regulations, weekly stocking updates or trout maps designating fishing regulations in effect on specific streams, go to www.ncwildlife.org.

Mountain lion hoax

The N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission is tellin the public that a photograph of a mountain lion purported to be taken in western North Carolina is actually from Texas.

A photograph that has been circulating, mainly via e-mail in the western counties, shows a mountain lion dragging a deer. Some report that the photo was taken in the Marion area. In reality, the photo was taken by a trail camera on a ranch in south Texas, where mountain lions are common.

Over the past several years there have been at least three such mountain lion hoaxes. There is no physical evidence to support the existence of a wild mountain lion population in North Carolina. The only mountain lions that have been recovered in the state over the past 50 years were two adults that were shot and killed at a trash bin in eastern North Carolina in the 1980s. Examination of the two animals revealed that they had identification tattoos, indicating that they were illegally held captive animals that either escaped or were released.

Coastal fishing

Master Capt. Dale McCorkle of Fish on Excursions operating out of Beaufort is reporting hot Spanish mackerel action just off the beach near Fort Macon.

Short charter trips under four hours are bringing in limits of Spanish mackerel, some weighing in just under 5 pounds.

King mackerel have started picking up, with fish ranging from 10- 20 pounds being caught regularly. These fish will become more active into October. Large red drum are being caught along the beaches as are good sized flounder. Bluefish around 2 pounds can be caught most days near the beach.

n n nE-mail Sgt. Anthony Sharum of the N.C. Wildlife Resources at huntfishguy66@aol.com.