JULY 2024
$3.99
CarolinaSPORTSMAN.com
CHANNEL
CHANNEL
CATFISH
CATFISH
DESTINATIONS
DESTINATIONS
LAKE RUSSELL’S
LAKE RUSSELL’S
STRIPERS AND BASS
STRIPERS AND BASS
NC’S
NC’S SHOOTING
SHOOTING
RANGES
RANGES
NC DROPS
NC DROPS
FLOUNDER
FLOUNDER
SEASON
SEASON
JULY 2024
HOT WEATHER
HAWGS
SHARKS FROM
THE BEACH
CarolinaSportsman.com
July 2024 | Carolina Sportsman
Volume 31 | Number 7 | July 2024
DEPARTMENTS:
19 Sportsman Showcase
66 Astro Tables
67 NC/SC Fishing Regulations
69 Hunting/Fishing Scrapbook
74 Advertiser Index
CONTENTS
CAROLINA SPORTSMAN (USPS #012969) is
mailed at periodicals postage rates and paid
at Boutte, La., and additional mailing offi ces.
POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Carolina
Sportsman, PO Box 1199, Boutte, LA 70039-1199.
All rights reserved. Reproduction of contents is
strictly prohibited without permission of Carolina
Sportsman. EDITORIAL information and guidelines
can be obtained by emailing Brian Cope at brianc@
carolinasportsman.com.
14236 Highway 90
P.O. Box 1199, Boutte, LA 70039-1199
800.538.4355
Volume 31 | No 7
www.CarolinaSPORTSMAN.com
ADVERTISING INQUIRIES:
sales@lasmag.com
985.758.7217
PUBLISHER
Lisa Lottinger Cuccia
EDITOR
Brian Cope, brianc@carolinasportsman.com
ASSISTANT PRODUCTION MANAGER
Desiree P. Lewis
ART DIRECTOR
Kevin Orgeron
GRAPHIC DESIGNER
Alissa Zeringue
DIGITAL MARKETING DIRECTOR
Anna Gourgues
SUBSCRIPTION MANAGER
Theresa Peltier
CONTROLLER
Juanita Guidry
ADVERTISING SALES
Bradley Hulin
336-688-0273, bradleyh@carolinasportsman.com
Asa Faulkner, Jonathan Menard,
and Mark Hilzim (National Sales)
Carolina Sportsman is published monthly by
CAROLINA PUBLISHING INC.
FOUNDER
Allen J. Lottinger
FOR SUBSCRIPTIONS
OR SUBSCRIPTION ISSUES,
CALL 1.800.538.4355
Monday thru Thursday, 8 am to 4:30 pm
or email subscriptions@lasmag.com
ON THE COVER:
The heat of July is the
perfect time for bass anglers
to catch some big ones.
Photo by Brian Cope
FEATURES:
10 HOT WEATHER HAWGS
These summer patterns work on Santee’s
summertime bass
▶By Terry Madewell
20 NORTH CAROLINA’S
SHOOTING RANGES
10 public shooting ranges are available for
NC hunters, shooters.
▶By Brian Cope
34 SHARKS FROM SHORE
Grab your beach chair and settle in for some
land-based shark fi shing
▶By Phillip Gentry
46 SENSATIONAL STRIPERS AND
BLACK BASS AT RICHARD
B. RUSSELL
This Upstate SC lake provides surprisingly
hot action for numerous species of
summertime fi sh
▶By Terry Madewell
56 THE UNDERRATED
CHANNEL CAT
Channel catfi sh are great fi ghters and
excellent table fare
▶By Terry Madewell
COVER STORY
16 LUNKER LINES By David Fritts
26 GREENER PASTURES
By Jeff Burleson
28 ALL DOGS GO TO HEAVEN
By Pat Robertson
30 FULL DRAW By Pete Rogers
38 SOUND & SEA By Chris Burrows
40 SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY
By Phillip Gentry
44 COOKING ON THE
WILD SIDE By Capt. Jerry Dilsaver
52 SPORTSMAN’S NOTEBOOK
By Brian Cope
62 SANTEE STRINGER
By Terry Madewell
6 NC SAYS NO FLOUNDER
SEASON
OUTDOOR UPDATE:
18 Hit ‘em early on Lake Murray
42 Sharks in the harbor
43 Redfi sh at dawn in Oriental
54 Davidson River trout
55 Switch it up for High Rock slabs
64 Bush hooking the Waccamaw
FISHING HOTSPOTS:
COLUMNS:
10
HOT WEATHER
HAWGS
20
NORTH
CAROLINA’S
SHOOTING
RANGES
Carolina Sportsman | July 2024
CarolinaSportsman.com
July 2024 | Carolina Sportsman
Carolina Sportsman| July 2024
he NC Marine Fisheries Commission halted any
plans for a recreational flounder season for 2024.
The Commission states the reason for the clo-
sure is to “preserve the southern flounder resource.”
North Carolina anglers were
hoping for a fall season, much
like the state held for the past
two years. But the MFC has
had a quota in place, thanks to
Amendment 3 to the Southern
Flounder Fishery Manage-
ment Plan, and that quota was
exceeded in each of the past
two years.
Amendment 3 calls for a
pound-for-pound payback
when the quota is exceeded.
When the MFC met on May 23,
they subtracted the recreational
overage from 2023, and deter-
mined the recreational quota
remaining for 2024 was not large enough to allow for a
season this year.
“The leftover quota will be used to account for the
anticipated dead discards that will occur due to inci-
dental catch and release,” MFC’s press release stated.
They discussed holding a special meeting to come
up with alternatives to not holding a 2024 recreational
season, but in the end, they decided not to hold such a
meeting, and canceled plans for a season this year.
WHAT ABOUT 2025?
What does this mean moving forward? According to
their data, the state should be able to hold a recreational
season in 2025, although that decision has not been
made yet, and likely won’t be made until next spring.
“Following Amendment 3 and not opening the 2024
recreational flounder season, combined with the
increased quota in 2025, should allow enough quota
for a recreational season next year,” they said.
North Carolina’s commercial flounder season for 2024
has not been set as of the date of this article. MFC
states they are still finalizing data from the 2023 com-
mercial season to see if any overages are in play. If they
are, payback will be applied before any season dates
are announced.
South Carolina anglers are still allowed to catch and
keep flounder year-round, with a 5-fish daily limit (not
to exceed 10 per boat) and a 16-inch total length mini-
mum. Gigging for flounder also remains legal in South
Carolina, with the same limits for hook-and-line anglers.■
UPDATE
OUTDOOR
Brian Cope
with
NC SAYS NO FLOUNDER SEASON
RECREATIONAL FLOUNDER SEASON IS A NO-GO FOR 2024
Brian Cope of Borden
S.C., is the editor of
Carolina Sportsman
Magazine and
CarolinaSportsman.
com. You can reach
him at brianc@
carolinasportsman.com.
James Brooks
caught this North
Carolina flounder
last year.
At 70-years-old,
Susan Schambach
caught her first
flounder in 2023
while fishing in
Wilmington, NC.
NC SAYS NO FLOUNDER SEASON
CarolinaSportsman.com
July 2024 |Carolina Sportsman
On May 16, NCWRC officials adopted new rules for the
2024-25 seasons, effective Aug. 1, 2024. The new rules
were approved at the Commission’s February business
meeting and approved by the Rules and Review Commis-
sion in the spring.
The new rules include the following:
Wildlife Poacher Reward Program: Include inland fisheries-
related crimes for eligibility in the Program.
Deer Hunting: Shifted several blackpowder and gun
seasons.
Game Lands: Create the Caswell Small Game Focal Area as
a draw permit only area for all quail and woodcock hunting
and point-of-sale permit only for rabbit and squirrel hunting
outside the normal three days-per-week framework.
Trout Waters Classification: Remove the Wild Trout Water/
Natural Bait Waters classification from Public Mountain
Trout Waters. ■
NCWRC ADOPTS NEW
REGULATIONS
ylan Scott of New Hanover County, NC and Nicholas
Rackley of Duplin County, NC have been found guilty of
15 counts of killing deer at night while spotlighting.
Scott and Rackley have been ordered to pay $9030 for illegally
killing 15 deer.
The investigation began on Nov. 28, 2023, and the two were
found guilty in late May 2024.
Scott was fined an additional $1500 and his hunting license
has been revoked for 10 years. He also received 5 years of super-
vised probation.
Rackley was fined an additional $750 and lost his hunting license
for 5 years.
The two were arrested by NCWRC officials thanks to an anony-
mous tip to the Commission’s NC WILDTIP program. The tip
included a photo of Rackley posing with the 15 antlerless deer.
Rackley had allegedly sent the photo to multiple people.
Rackley admitted he and Scott shot all 15 deer on the night of
Nov. 27, 2023 in Duplin County.
“We hope this penalty sends a strong message,” said Capt. Chad
Arnold, head of NCWRC’s Investigative Unit and NC WILDTIP
program. “We typically don’t see punishments like this, but we
also typically don’t find individuals who kill 15 deer in one night’s
illegal escapades.”
After receiving the tip, officers obtained a search warrant for a
Pender County residence, where Scott and Rackley had taken
the deer to have them processed.
While searching the residence,
they found four coolers full of deer
meat, which the resident admitted
to processing for Rackley.
CHARGES
Scott’s truck and phone were con-
fiscated for evidence.
Rackley was initially charged with:
• 15 counts misdemeanor shine/
sweep light for deer
• 30 counts misdemeanor pos-
session deer taken during
closed season
• 15 counts misdemeanor spot-
light deer/night deer hunt
Scott was initially charged with:
• 15 counts misdemeanor spot-
light deer/night deer hunt
• 15 counts misdemeanor shine/
sweep light for deer
• 30 counts misdemeanor
possession deer taken during
closed season
• 22 counts misdemeanor failure
to report/tag big game
• 14 counts hunting with the use/
aid of a vehicle
POACHERS BUSTED, FINED
FOR NIGHT HUNTING
The NC WILDTIP program allows anyone to anonymously turn
in poachers to NCWRC. The Commission issues rewards ranging
from $100 to $1000 for tips that lead to arrests and conviction.
In the past 6 months, NCWRC has received almost 600 tips and
rewarded a total of $3478. ■
Two NC men illegally killed 15
antlerless deer during one night.
Carolina Sportsman| July 2024
UPDATE
OUTDOOR
he SCDNR began taking applications for the public alliga-
tor lottery on June 1. The deadline is July 15 at 11: 59 p.m.
Don’t fret if you haven’t applied yet. All applicants have
the same chance of being picked, depending on preference
points, regardless of how early or late they applied, as long as
they apply before the deadline.
A $10 nonrefundable application fee is required of all appli-
cants, and tags will be awarded through a randomized com-
puter drawing based on the preference point system. Every year
a hunter applies and fails to be drawn, they earn one preference
point. These points increase your chances of being drawn next
time around.
The 2024 alligator season will begin at noon on Sept. 14 and
end at noon on Oct. 12. In addition to the $10 application fee,
those chosen will have a tag fee of $100, with additional fees for
nonresidents.
Applicants can only apply and pay fees online or at one of
SCDNR’s walk-up counters at a regional office in either Clemson,
Florence, Columbia, Aynor, or Charleston. ■
APPLY FOR
GATOR TAGS
The NCWRC opened 32 NC trout streams and two lakes
classified as Delayed Harvest to trout harvest on June 1. The
Delayed Harvest season runs through Sept. 30. During the
season, anglers can keep up to seven trout per day with no
minimum size limits, and no gear or bait restrictions.
Delayed Harvest trout waters are posted with diamond-
shaped, black and white signs. A list, maps, and other infor-
mation on Delayed Harvest waters is available at ncwildlife.
org/trout. ■
DELAYED TROUT WATERS
The 2024 gator season will begin
Sept. 14, but the deadine to apply
is July 15.
CarolinaSportsman.com
July 2024 |Carolina Sportsman
NEW LIFE FOR LOWCOUNTRY
BOAT RAMP
he Russ Point Boat Landing at Hunting Island State Park
in Beaufort County, SC, which was scheduled to close for
good earlier this year, has been given a new lifeline. It was
reopened, temporarily, on June 12.
According to Samantha Queen, director of corporate commu-
nications for South Carolina Parks, Recreation and Tourism said
the temporary infrastructure repairs to the landing were open for
bidding in April. Then in late May, the state awarded the contract
to O’Quinn Marine Construction of Beaufort (SC).
“O’Quinn Marine Construction was awarded the contract for
the Russ Point Boat Landing Shoreline Stabilization project,”
said Queen.
An estimated timeline was not available, but Queen said they
are looking forward to seeing progress.
“We were eager to begin
construction, and are happy
with the contractor’s ability to
get this done. We expected
tides, water levels, and
weather events to impact
progress,” she said.
The landing remained closed
while members from Hunt-
ing Island State Park worked
on grading the road to the
landing in preparation for
O’Quinn’s repair of the facility.
Queen pointed out that
the current contract has
addressed safety concerns
and allowed Russ Point to
reopen to the public. How-
ever, she said these repairs are
a temporary fix.
“These are temporary repairs.
Efforts are also in progress to identify a more permanent solution
at Russ Point, and the funding required to support it,” she said.
Russ Point is the closest boat landing to the open ocean in
South Carolina’s lowcountry. A quick trip through Fripp Inlet
puts boaters right in the ocean and headed offshore. Numerous
inshore waterways are also available from the landing, and the
closest boat landing to Russ Point is on a small creek with limited
options for bigger boats.
Russ Point was slated to permanently close earlier this year, but
public outcry caused officials to rethink the closure. ■
Google Maps
The Russ Point Boat Landing
offers easy access to inshore and
offshore boaters.
BOOK ONLINE AT
www.FishOceanIsle.com
FISHING
CHARTERS
Ocean Isle Beach, Sunset Beach, Holden
Beach; and in Little River SC.
Half-Day & Full-Day Inshore & Nearshore
Charters for Trout, Redfi sh, Flounder,
Spanish Mackerel, King Mackerel.
GIFT CERTIFICATES AVAILABLE
ALL
EQUIPMENT & BAIT
PROVIDED!
Carolina Sportsman| July 2024
10
HAWGS
HOT WEATHER
▶ By Terry Madewell
THESE SUMMER PATTERNS WORK
ON SANTEE’S SUMMERTIME BASS
Terry Madewell