Striper Fishing the Roanoke River in Weldon North Carolina

If you have never traveled to Weldon, North Carolina in the spring to fish for striped bass during their spawning migration, you have been missing out! The Roanoke River is home to the largest spawning population of striped bass still located in our state today! This fishery offers incredible fishing for the novice angler and the experienced fly and light tackle enthusiast. Hundred fish days are not uncommon here on the Roanoke River and topwater action both early in the morning and the last hours of the day is a daily occurrence. Your day in Weldon will start with an early meeting at the ramp just below the rapids. If you see the larger than life “Rockfish” statue you know you are in the right place!  We will blast off from the ramp just before the sun comes up and cruise down river in search of striped bass feeding on shad right on the surface.  These stripers are fired up and hungry first thing in the morning so you better be ready for some nonstop action!  

Fishing for striped bass in heavy current is a total adrenaline rush. These fish will eat flies and jigs with reckless abando and if you’re not paying attention the heavy thump of a big fish will easily catch you off guard! Striped bass are not very picky, but there are a few baits and flies that seem to work best year after year. On my spinning rods you will find Eye Strike redfish eye jig heads paired with all white or all chartreuse 4 inch diezel minnowz by Zman.  These baits work great either jigging them or even “slow rolling” them back to the boat.  For topwater, I like to throw a Spook Jr. by Heddon in either white or chartreuse. As far as my fly choices go, I like to keep it simple. I keep a variety of different colored clouser minnows ready to go with my favorite color being chartreuse over white. I am usually throwing these flies on a 350 grain sinking line.  When the fish are on the surface, it’s hard to beat throwing topwater flies to them!  The two different topwater flies I will throw are the double barrel popper or a crease fly! Both of these flies work great, but if the fish are a bit picky in the calmer water the crease fly seems to work a little better! 

We hope you will join us this spring in Weldon for some incredibly fun fishing!