Hybrid bass tops 10-pound limit to claim Va. record

Virginia has its first state-record hybrid striped bass.

Robert Rakes of Christians-burg caught the initial record while fishing in the New River in the western portion of the state.

Rakes' fish weighed 13 pounds.

The state game department's angler recognition program required a 10-pounder for the first record, and none that size had been caught.

The hybrid is a cross between a white bass and a striped bass.

A fierce fighter, the fish averages around 5 pounds. The International Game Fish Association does not recognize the hybrid, so no record is kept.

The world-record white bass is a 6-pound, 13-ounce fish caught on Lake Orange in Virginia.

Hybrids can be found locally, with Lake Smith in Virginia Beach the best bet.

The state lists lakes Claytor, near Salem, and Flannagan, in Dickinson County, as the two top spots for hybrids.

Rakes, who said he had never caught a striper or hybrid before, was fishing from the shoreline of the river, just below the Claytor Lake dam. He was using a Rapala Super Shad Rap.

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GOING QUICK

There are only a few spots left for the North Carolina Beach Buggy Association's inaugural red drum tournament Oct. 22 to 24 on Hatteras Island.

Tournament headquarters will be at Frank & Fran's tackle shop in Avon.

Registration is $100.

There will be divisions for red drum, striped bass, bluefish and sea mullet. The largest drum of the tournament will win $2,000, plus a week's lodging for the 2010 event.

For information, visit www.ncbba.org.

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Bays restoration funds

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has given $2 million to the Virginia Seaside Bays Restoration Project.

Over the next 18 months, 24 acres of oyster reefs will be built, 100 acres of seagrass will be planted and 2.4 million scallops will be introduced along seaside bays.

The restoration work will happen at sites from Wachapreague Inlet to the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay, including Burton, Bradford Swash, Hog Island, Spider Crab, Ramshorn, Mockhorn and Magothy bays.

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CAROLINA STATUS REPORT

The North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources' Division of Marine Fisheries last week improved the grades for four species in its annual stock status report.

The biggest improvement was with bay scallops, which moved from "depleted" status to "recovering."

The stock has not recovered from a red-tide event in 1987. Several hurricanes during the 1990s also damaged the stock.

Summer flounder and monkfish moved from the "concerned" category to "recovering."

Scup moved from "concerned" to "viable."

For three species, the news wasn't so good. The stocks of speckled trout, king mackerel and croaker dropped in status.

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NEW OFFICERS

The state game department has announced that 20 new conservation police officers, or game wardens, have been sworn in.

Locally, there will be five new officers: Daniel Corley and Robert Drummond of Virginia Beach, James Marchese of Southampton County, Megan Vick of Chesapeake and Austin Wakefield of Suffolk.

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PWC licenses

According to the state game department, those between the ages of 14 and 20 operating a personal watercraft must have proof that they completed the state boater safety course.

It is unlawful for anyone younger than 14 to operate a personal watercraft.

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Results

From the Chowan River Bass Challenge last weekend out of Tunis, N.C.: 1. Mark Wilkerson of Franklin and Marty Porter of Newsoms, five fish, 10.65 total pounds (including the 3.78-pound lunker award winner caught by Wilkerson); 2. Casey Griggs, Conway, N.C., five fish, 10.43 total pounds.

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UPCOMING

• Great Bridge Fisherman's Association monthly meeting, at 7 p.m. Monday at Great Bridge Baptist Church, 640 S. Battlefield Blvd., Chesapeake. Capt. Bill Burkett of the Virginia Beach Fire Department will speak. For information, call Butch Pierce at (757) 287-0330.
• The 13th Virginia Beach Invitational Marlin Tournament, July 23 to 26 out of Fisherman's Wharf Marina in Rudee Inlet. A kickoff party and registration will be held at 7 p.m. Thursday at the marina. For information, call Paula Owen at (757) 652-8409.
• The Virginia Hunter Safety Class, from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. July 25 at Branch 40 of the Fleet Reserve Association, 4060 Military Hwy., Chesapeake. Participation is free, but registration is required. For information, call Gerry McGowan at (757) 771-1248.

Lee Tolliver, (757) 222-5844, lee.tolliver@pilotonline.com