Outdoors Back to Nature

It is definitely time to do some fishing in North Carolina’s Lakes, Ponds, Rivers, Inland Coastal waters and Oceanside Piers. You need to know the size limits and daily creel limits, if you are planning on keeping your catch. The Black Bass(largemouth, smallmouth & spotted) range from a minimum length 12″ in Lake Lure to a minimum of 16″ in Jordan, Falls of Neuse & Buckhorn Lakes, with a creel limit of 5. The Striped Bass season from June 1st - September 30th has no size limits in most locations, with creel limits ranging from 0-4, depending on location. The Crappie have a 10″ minimum in Jordan Lake and an 8″ minimum in most other public waters except Buckhorn Reservoir(no minimum size), with a creel limit of 20 in all locations. The Walleye have a 15″ minimum only in Lake James, with a creel limit of 8(except 4 in Linville River). Other Sunfish have no size limits or creel limits in most places(some designated areas have limit of 30 total(just 12 Redbreast). Spotted Sea Trout: 12″ minimum & 10 creel limit; Flounder: 14″ minimum & 8 creel limit and Red Drum/Puppy Drum: 18″ min.-27″ max. & only 1/day. For more detailed information, go to the NC Wildlife Commission website.

Camping is also on a lot of peoples mind this time of year. The Sycamore Lodge Resort offers RV sites & Cabins in Jackson Springs, North Carolina(Moore County) approximately 10 miles from Pinehurst. Activities include beach volleyball, swimming, fishing(Bass stocked lake), canoeing, hiking, relaxing in the jacuzzi, childrens play ground, horseshoes, etc. on the 194 acre resort. Ameneties include a state of the art Bath House and a Historic Lodge with wireless internet access. They have a special for first time visitors, 2 nights 3 days FREE(lunch included). For more detailed information go to www.campnorthcarolina.com       

 Lake Rim Park(Cumberland Co.) is offering 3 Archery Clinics: June 30th, July 20th & August 4th, 9:00 am-12 noon; 2 Kayak Trips: July 10th at Falls of Neuse Lake & August 7th at Jordan lake. For more details call the park office @ 910-424-6134. Cumberland County has a great escape for leisure paddlers, fisherman, nature watching and hunting, in Rhodes Pond. This Beautiful pond is just off of I 95, on US 301HWY, between Godwin & Dunn. Sampson County, NC also has some great waterways for leisure floating(canoe, kayak), fishing and duck hunting. Friends of Sampson County Waterways will announce future opportunities for group trips. 

  For those folks who prefer Mountain area recreation, check out Valle Crucis, and nearby Boone and Blowing Rock area.  The outdoor activities range from Bird Watching to Horseback Riding. The Valle Crucis Park hosts morning Bird Watching walks every Wednesday, from March-October. There is also a one mile paved Trail for walking, roller blading and running. Horseback Riding is another way to enjoy the beautiful countryside. Dutch Creek Trails is a great place to visit for new or experienced riders. The trail provides a diverse trail ride, passing through forests and old farm fields, with great Valley Views along Dutch Creek. River and Earth Adventures, Inc. will change the pace from leisurely to adrenelin pumping action. They have professional guides for Rafting, Kayaking, Canoeing and Tubing trips on four different rivers. The trips can range from a mild rumble down the river to a challenging, heart pounding shoot through the rapids. For more information go to: www.vallecrucis.com and click on Valle Crucis Park and Area Information. 

I was in the Mayesville area(Onslow County side of river) on June 11th and noticed White Oak River Campground and White Oak River Outfitters right there on US 17 Highway. The campground offer sites for tents, RVs and trailor campers. Fishing ponds(fee) canoe and kayak rentals are also available. Your White Oak River paddling trip starts at the campgrounds almost narrow enough to jump across and widens as you paddle toward the coast. As you paddle through the Croatan National Forest, seclusion is yours as you veiw some 1500 year old Cypress trees and other unspoiled scenery along the river. There are four landings between the campground and the Stella Road bridge. The fisherman along the southern coast are experiencing good catches on the piers and offshore. Check out a fishing tournament in the NE coastal plain “Alligator White Perch Tournament” on June 27th(see Palmetto Peartree Preserve in 3rd paragraph). A boat trip on the Cape Fear River can be a rewarding and relaxing experience. If you do not have your own boat you can take advantage of River Cruises offered in Fayetteville and Wilmington. Freddie Mims offers Pontoon trips from Cambellton Landing(Fayetteville) to Wilmington. The cruise lasts two days/one night and includes camping at Lock No.1 near Riegelwood, with three hot meals. Freddie Mims is well versed in local history along the way and experience going through three lock & dam systems. Wildlife sightings are also a bonus, ranging from wild turkeys to alligators. For more information call Mr. Mims @ 910-391-1246 or 910-630-1475. Cape Fear River Boats, Inc. in Wilminton, NC offers a variety of river cruise opportunities. They have a 4 hour nature oriented trip up the Black River(recognized by the Audobon Society). They also offer Dinner cruises and Narrated Lunch & Sightseeing cruises on the Cape Fear River. Private cruises are also available. For more information check out www.cfrboats.com   Clark Park Nature Center in Fayetteville is offering several events in June. On June 13th you can enjoy a 2 hour Pontoon Boat Tour of the Cape Fear River, join a park ranger and a historian for an interpretive tour at 11:00 am-1:00 pm. On June 11th(11:00 am-noon) come for Snakes Alive!, a hands-on program about the dangers and yes, benefits of snakes in our environment. For bird enthusiasts on June 16th(9:00 am-1:00 pm, ages 16 & up) the nature center will host a Birding Identification Program. It will help participants indentify Neo-Tropical Migratory birds by sight and sound and also cover biology, habitats & life cycles. They even have something for you Star Gazers out there. On June 26th(8:30 pm-10:00 pm) a local Astronomer and park ranger will help participants explore constellations, planets and other heavenly bodies. For more information and to register for any of these events, call 910-433-1579.  

June is also a great month to go camping in the NC Mountains. There are so many State Parks, State Forests, National Parks, National Forests and private campgrounds to choose from, it may take you a while to decide which one to visit. My personal favorites are Stone Mountain State Park(yes NC has one too) and Hanging Rock State Park. They both have good facilities, great hiking trails, magnificent views and beautiful water falls. I almost forgot, Hanging Rock State Park also has great Horse Riding Trails. Speaking of horse riding, I found a farm in Sampson County, NC that offers a Summer(horse riding)Camp this June 15-19 and July 6-10. The Ban-Lynn Farm at 2432 Hobbs Road, near Roseboro offers children 5-12 yrs. a camp for beginners as well as advanced riders. Each session ends with a family cook-out at 5:00 pm follwed by a Horse Show(to show off their new skills). Camp hours are 9:00 am-3:00 pm, but the camp also offers After Camp Care until 5:30 pm for an extra $10.00/day/child. The camp fee is $250.00/camper with a 10% discount for siblings. For more info on the Farm see www.banlynnfarm.com  

Check Out NC’s Newest Nature Preserve, Palmetto Peartree Preserve. The preserve offers a variety of opportunities: BIRDING, HIKING, BIKING, HORSEBACK RIDING, WILDLIFE VIEWING, PADDLING, FISHING & CAMPING. You might see the Rare Red Wolf or Red Cockaded Woodpecker and many other animals you will not find in more populated areas of NC. The Preserve is located in Tyrell county(NE coastal plain) near Columbia. For more info and detailed direstions check www.palmettopeartree.org


 

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July is quickly coming to a close, but we have all of August and most of September to enjoy a Variety of summer outdoor activities across North Carolina. On the Coast the fishing will get better as fall approaches. The NC beaches are also the premier location on the East Coast for surfing. Cape Hatteras National Seashore is great for surfers who prefer less company. Wrightsville Beach and other Beachfront Towns along the coast, have good waves but more fellow surfers, swimmers and sunbathers. The NC coastal waters are aslo a great place to scuba dive. While we do not have any barrier reefs, we do have plenty of shipwrecks to exlpore(many are off Cape Hatteras). A popular destination for Sailing Vessels(and crew) is Oriental, NC on the Neuse River and Inland Water Way. In Wilmington, NC the paddle boat Henrietta III offers Cape Fear River Cruises(including dinner cruises)April-December.

Heading inland you can find plenty of watersport opportunities. White Lake in Bladen County is a popular destination for waterski enthusiests. In the piedmont we have many large lakes that can handle waterskiing traffic and still provide quiet fishing in the numerous coves along the shorelines(Kerr Lake, Lake Gaston, Falls Lake, Lake Norman, Jordan Lake, etc.). Largemouth Bass is the most sought after prize. The serious Bass Fishermen(and women) start 30 minutes before sunrise and usually prefer an overcast day. Buzzbait is the lure of choice in the summer months. The bass are more active this time of year and excitement from an explosive strike, can add to the experience. The mountain region of NC is usually cooler during the summer months(than the other regions). It has many great places for the hiking enthusiests, rivers for rafting and kayaking, and trout fishing streams. THE DAN RIVER