C M Y K [email protected] 1ST SECTION, ZONE: SPORTS, STATE 19:31:33 The News & Observer AF CAROLINA OUTDOORS Thursday, January 15, 2015 7B+ ‘Prop Alert’ can save boaters New product can solve old problem

By Teri Boggess Correspondent W e ’ v e all done it – spied a display at a or show, stopped in our tracks and exclaimed the same words: “I wish I’d thought of that.” The same thing happened numerous times this past weekend at the State Fair- grounds in R a l e i g h . Notebook Only Jo- n a t h a n Hughes and brother Knox re- ally did think of that. The boat-loving entrepre- neurs have a patent pending on their invention, The Prop Alert, a cover for boat propel- lers that serves as a bright- orange warning to keep driv-

ers from bumping the motor - PHOTOS COURTESY OF MIKE MARSH jutting from a trailered boat. Chris Foster fights a chain pickerel at White Lake. “People say, ‘I don’t know why no one has come up with that idea,’ ” Jonathan Hughes, an account executive in Ra- leigh, said at the product’s first show, last weekend’s Bass CHAIN OF EVENTS LEADS and Saltwater Fishing Expo. Knox Hughes said the idea came from his “experience of a tiny bump at a launch ramp.” The bump barely dented the offending bumper but left the TO LAKE FISHING TRIP boat with $1,200 in damage. The Prop Alert, a bright- Day’s fishing at White orange round cover made ‘White Lake has from PVC-backed fabric, re- Lake leads to week’s flective strips, mesh and a catch of chain pickerel clear, acidic water, drawstring, enhances the chance that drivers will recog- By Mike Marsh rather than the nize that the engine is jutting Correspondent out from the back of the boat Normally, captain Butch Foster muddy, neutral ahead. and his son, captain Chris Foster of “When you see something Yeah Right Charters, are fishing for water of the orange, we’ve all been trained grouper on their offshore boat or to recognize it as a warning,” their 21-foot skiff for speckled trout. Piedmont lakes, so Knox Hughes, a financial ad- However, grouper season had viser, said. closed. The weather was too cold we find different and windy for anyone to book a Over the past year and a trout charter. It was even too windy fish.’ half, the brothers have re- for them to fun fish for whiting. This searched U.S.-made materials, chain of winter events found them ANGLER BUTCH FOSTER found a manufacturer in heading to White Lake on a pickerel North Carolina, launched a trip. website in June and now hit “On days when we can’t fish in the show circuit, including saltwater, we like to head for one of “Before I got the latest in sophisti- Richmond, Va., this weekend the nearby lakes,” Butch said. cated sonar, I thought I was marking and Greensboro next month. “When we come to White Lake this grass,” he said. “But, what I was “We really wanted to find time of year, we have the lake all to marking were schools of yellow out what people with boats ourselves.” perch and the chain pickerel that thought about our product,” The anglers stuffed the required $8 were feeding on them. Today, I’m us- Jonathan Hughes said. “The into an envelope and tucked the enve- ing a Berkley Flicker Shad, and I will feedback we’ve gotten will lope into the slot at White Lake Water add a drop of Pro-Cure Crappie and help us … to be able to sell to Sports and Marina, which has the only Panfish Super Gel to each side of the the mass market.” public access ramp at the lake. In sum- lure. If you don’t enhance the lure The top request is for colle- mertime, the lake is a vacation and wa- Butch Foster and his son, Chris Foster, caught these chain pickerel at with the scent, you will catch a lot giate logos to be printed on ter-skiing mecca well known to most White Lake. The fish are members of the pike family. fewer fish.” the fabric. Current images are North Carolinians. However, before The Fosters trolled a minute or the product logo, a bass, a red the summer tourist season arrives, two before the first strike. The fish drum, a duck, a skull and a only the few hardy anglers who have ern pike. They are both in the pike enjoy eating the meat without the leaped from the water when it felt unlocked the lake’s secrets discover family.” bones.” the hooks. skier. Two sizes sell for about the treasure trove of interesting spe- Another good reason to go after The anglers set out a “A chain pickerel strikes and $25 and $30 on the website cies in its clear waters. such an off-the-radar fish is that spread as though they were offshore jumps just like a barracuda,” Chris www.thepropalert.com. “I fished in freshwater lakes long North Carolina has no creel limit for fishing. However, they downsized said. “It puts up a great fight and is Gun and knife show: The Dix- before I came to the coast,” Butch them. Foster said, despite their poor the rods, reels and lures. everything you could ever want out ie Gun & Knife show will be at said. “Chris and I have caught every- reputation among bass anglers, “We use ultra-light spinning rods of a game fish. Some bass anglers the State Fairgrounds this thing you can image. In winter, we chain pickerel are great to eat. and reels with 6-pound monofil- hate to catch them because they tear weekend. Hours will be 9 caught largemouth bass, stripers, “I clean them two ways,” he said. “I ament line,” Chris said. “Chain pick- up their lures and cut their lines.” a.m.-5 p.m Saturday and 10 catfish and crappie at High Rock, cut the fillet off and feel with my fin- erel have rows of sharp teeth. They The anglers caught 33 chain pick- a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday. Admis- Tillery and Badin lakes. White Lake gertips for the Y-bones. Then I use my cut off a few lures, twist and break erel during a day’s fishing. Most of sion will be $9. has clear, acidic water, rather than knife to cut outward and away from the hooks and scar up the lure finish them went into an ice chest for the Comment sought: NOAA the muddy, neutral water of the them. That makes two strips from something awful. But, if you use trip home. seeks comment by Piedmont lakes, so we find different each fillet, almost the same way as we heavier lines and lures or tie the lure “It might take us a week to eat Jan. 23 on Amendment 29 to fish. fillet a . However, the method to the line with a heavy leader, you them all,” Butch said, “but I like the Management Plan “We really like catching the lake’s wastes a lot of meat along the center of won’t get as many strikes. The water chain pickerel so much I can eat for the Snapper-Grouper Fish- chain pickerel, which are more prev- a chain pickerel fillet. So, most of the is so clear that the fish see anything them for every meal.” ery of the South Atlantic Re- alent in the lakes of the Northern time, I just cut off the fillets and skin that doesn’t look just right.” Capt. Butch Foster has posted a g i o n . G o t o h t t p : / / states. I figure that if they can catch them. Then I fry them like any other Butch used a GPS unit and down- video on Youtube that has received sro.nmfs.noaa.gov/ northern pike by boring a hole in the fish fillet. I break the fillet open along imaging sonar he had purchased re- thousands of hits showing how to sustainable_fisheries/ ice, chain pickerel must be biting the center after it is cooked and that cently. Less than five minutes after c l e a n a c h a i n p i c k e r e l a t s_atl/sg/2014/am29/ here, when it’s cold. All a chain pick- reveals the Y-bones. It only takes a launching he found a good fishing w w w. y o u t u b e . c o m index.html. erel is is a smaller version of a north- minute to pick them out, then I can spot. /watch?v=qjcelLOjh1E. Register soon: The Salt Wa- ter Sportsman National Semi- nar Series will make an inland Fishing Report N.C. stop 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Jan. 24 CAPE LOOKOUT/BOGUE INLET SOUTHPORT/SUNSET BEACH KERR LAKE at the Embassy Suites, 201 Saltwater When the weather is good, trout are be- Trout have been biting by the piers and in Bass, stripers and crappie are biting at Harrison Oaks Blvd., Cary. OREGON INLET ing caught in the creeks. Offshore, the backwaters. Contact: Dutchman depths of 10-30 feet and are being George Poveromo, host of bluefin and tuna can be found.Contact: Creek Bait & Tackle 910-457-1221; caught with live bait and Alabama rigs. Tuna is biting consistently. Offshore, yel- EJW Outdoors 252-247-4725; Portside www.yeahrightcharters.com; or Water level: normal 300, Wednesday “George Poveromo’s World of lowfin and blackfin are being hooked. Marina 252-726-7678; www.ncoif.com. www.oifishingcenter.com. 299.52, full pool 320. Contact: Bobcat’s Saltwater Fishing” on NBC Contact: Oregon Inlet Fishing Center Bait & Tackle 434-374-8381; www.kerrla- 252-441-6301, www.oregon-inlet.com. Sports and editor-at-large for TOPSAIL ISLAND Freshwater ke.com. Salt Water Sportsman, will BUXTON/HATTERAS In good weather conditions, drum, sea LAKE WHEELER mullet, and speckled trout, dog fish FALLS LAKE headline the program. When the weather is good, offshore tuna, and flounder are being caught near the Crappie are biting at 2-37 feet and can be The fee is $55. Attendees wahoo and king mackerel are being piers and in the surf. Speckled trout, Bass are biting are biting at15-25 feet and found around the bridges. Catfish can caught. Inshore, some blue fish are bit- flounder and red drum are biting in the are being caught with blade baits. be found on the bottom. Contact: Wil- will get free admission to a ing. Contact: Red Drum Tackle sound. Offshore, red snapper, sea bass Crappie are biting at 15-20 feet and are sonville General Store 919-362-7101. post-seminar event at Bass 252-995-5414, www.hatteras-is- and bluefin are being hooked. Contact: being caught with minnows. Water lev- land.com; offshore news, Oden’s Dock East Coast Discount Tackle el: normal 251.5, Wednesday 252.62, full SHEARON HARRIS LAKE Pro Shops. Call 800-448-7360, 252-986-2555, www.odensdock.com; or 910-328-1887, www.eastcoastsport- pool 264.8. Contact: Outhouse Tackle www.hatterasharbor.com. s.com. 919-217-0085; www.wmi.org. Bass are biting in the mouths of the or visit www.nationalseminar- creeks and are in 20-30 feet of water series.com. OCRACOKE/PORTSMOUTH JORDAN LAKE and are being caught with spoon baits. WILMINGTON/ WRIGHTSVILLE Crappie can be hooked at 25-30 feet By the beach, some puppy drum are bit- Crappie are biting at 2-37 feet and can be Send news and announcements BEACH with minnows. Contact: The Tackle Box ing. Offshore, bottom fishing has be de- found around the bridges. Catfish can 919-557-8255; www.wmi.org. to [email protected]. cent on days the weather is good. Con- Striper fishing in the Cape Fear River has be found on the bottom.vWater level: tact: Tradewinds Bait & Tackle been good. Some drum are being normal 216, Wednesday 217.08, full pool (For water levels go to http:// 252-928-5491, www.fishtradewind- caught along the docks. King mackerel 240. Contact: Wilsonville General Store epec.saw.usace.army.mil/) Boggess: [email protected] s.com; Morris Marina 252-225-4261, are biting by the tower. Contact: Tex’s 919-362-7101; Crosswinds Marina www.portsmouthislandfishing.com. Tackle 910-791-1763, www.texstackle- 919-362-5391. Twitter: @Boggess .com. +

PAGE: 7B, PUB. DATE: THURSDAY, JANUARY 15, 2015 C M Y K