Members Shad Outing

Raleigh Saltwater Sport Fishing Club

Weldon Shad Fishing Trip

Saturday, March 18, 2023

Come fish from Boat, Kayak, or Bank!

• Fishing will be in the Roanoke River at Weldon, NC.  Weldon is east of Roanoke Rapids NC, off I95 towards Virginia.  About 100 miles from Raleigh.
• Captains can organize parties to fish from boat, kayak, or bank
• Sign Up Genius will allow Captains to sign up first.
• Captains can designate whether they will provide a boat, a truck to ferry kayaks, or a car/truck to ferry bank fishermen.
• Then fishermen can sign up to join a boat captain on a boat, join a kayak captain with their own kayak, or join a bank captain to carpool to Weldon and fish from the bank.
• Each captain will choose where to rendezvous with their crew.  The Zebulon McDonalds/Food Lion Parking lot where US 64 meets NC 96 (Wakelon Street) is a common meeting place.
• Roanoke River Shad Regulations - Roanoke River: The daily creel limit per angler is 10 Hickory Shad and American Shad in combination, only one of which can be an American (white) Shad, in all waters and tributaries downstream of Roanoke Rapids dam. From April 1–June 30 in Inland Waters of Roanoke River upstream of U.S. Highway 258 bridge, only a single barbless hook or lure with a single barbless hook (or hook with barb bent down) may be used.
• Roanoke River Striper Regulations – Stripers are a not infrequent bycatch when Shad fishing.  Striper Season on the Roanoke is April 23-24 and April 28-29, so it is closed on March 26.
• Launching at the wildlife ramp is free, but can be very busy on weekends.  The early bird gets the parking spot, and maybe the fishing spot of choice.
• The Weldon boat ramp is steep.  Don’t unhook your boat until it is in the water.
• The Roanoke River is rocky.  The current can range from gentle to swift.  After high water, there are many logs floating in the river.  Use caution while boating.
• The river bottom is full of debris and if Striper fishing, losing rigs is common.
• Roanoke River rapids are just upstream from the boat launch.  Boat traffic cannot get upstream over the rapids except in very high water (and at significant risk).
• Kayak anglers can launch upstream of the rapids.  This is most easily accessed from under the NC 301 bridge instead of from the boat ramp.
• Bank fishermen can park at the boat ramp and fish from the ramp downstream a space and upstream a couple hundred yards.  Upstream near the old railroad bridge is where I have caught them.
• There are restrooms at the ramp.