No bullheads have been collected from this section of the Yadkin River since the 1980s. Fish & Wildlife Service and ALCOA Power Generating Inc. entered into an agreement to help protect one of the nation’s rarest plants. River flows into Lake Tillery are largely controlled by the schedule of upstream releases from APGI's four-development Yadkin Project. “Sharp declines in bullhead abundance have been documented in other river systems in North Carolina and throughout the southeast where flatheads have been introduced,” Hodges said. “The introduction of exotic fish species into North Carolina waters is among the most significant threats to populations of both game fish and non-game fish alike.”. Get an email notification whenever someone contributes to the discussion. The Blewett Falls Dam is located approximately 17 miles north of the North Carolina-South Carolina state line. 526 S. Church St. Low 31F. Share with Us. Good Places to Fish. Were you looking for the following information? Snail bullheads and flat bullheads, on the other hand, are much smaller catfish that typically weigh a pound or less. The powerhouse contains six horizontal shaft turbines. Low 37F. N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission fisheries biologists recently completed a series of electro-fishing surveys in Surry, Yadkin and Wilkes counties and found that bullhead collection rates near Elkin dropped from a high of 120 fish per hour in 2005 to less than three fish per hour in 2012. Notifications from this discussion will be disabled. Snail bullheads and flat bullheads, also known as mudcats or yellow catfish, have declined significantly throughout the upper Yadkin because of flathead catfish—a voracious predator with an appetite for bullheads. PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK. On your next view you will be asked to log in to your subscriber account or create an account and subscribepurchase a subscription to continue reading. It harbors several species of catfish, particularly huge blues. Cloudy skies this evening. Look for spotted bass around aquatic vegetation, submerged logs and rock or riprap walls in small-to medium-flowing streams and rivers. You have permission to edit this article. Clear skies. Due to their opportunistic feeding habits, flatheads commonly reach weights of 20 to 30 pounds in North Carolina. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, P.O. Also, Bass and Morone (striped bass) Identification Charts. Spotted bass can also be caught in Lake Norman and in the upper Cape Fear River, where they co-exist with largemouth bass. An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. Don't Threaten. Based on your ZIP code, we need to know your street address so we can customize your experience. Flathead catfish are the dominant predator in waters they inhabit, eating mainly live fish. We're reloading the page to show you content for your location. © Duke Energy Corporation. Welcome! Be Nice. Spotted bass are native to southern Illinois, Missouri and Ohio, southward to eastern Texas and the Gulf, covering major drainages of the Mississippi River. For more help, see, Yadkin-Pee Dee FERC Order Issuing the New License, Final Environmental Impact Statement FERC Project No. Tuesday, April 17, 2012. the yadkin river basin is full of rare species of fish and plant life. Hodges said that until flathead catfish were introduced into the Yadkin River, bullheads were the primary catfish species in the river and a favorite target of anglers because they were plentiful, easy to catch and good to eat. Regulatory authority between the Wildlife Resources Commission and Division of Marine Fisheries. The latest survey results from the upper Yadkin confirm what Hodges and other biologists have long suspected—when flathead catfish are introduced in a river system, other fish populations decline significantly, either through direct predation by flathead catfish or through indirect competition for food. Highs in the mid 50s and lows in the low 30s. Winds light and variable. racist or sexually-oriented language. The powerhouse contains four vertical shaft turbines. Low 38F. Charlotte, NC 28201-1006. Showers ending by midday. Winds light and variable. or anything. Because flatheads aren’t native to North Carolina waters east of the Blue Ridge Mountains, biologists speculate that they have been introduced mainly by anglers who want to increase fishing opportunities for a large and hard-fighting fish. Your current subscription does not provide access to this content. Prime rivers to pursue catfish include the Cape Fear, Roanoke, Tar, Neuse and Yadkin. Biologists documented an even more extreme decline of bullheads in the Yadkin River below Idols Dam near Winston-Salem, where flathead catfish have been present for decades after being introduced into High Rock Lake downstream. Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription to continue reading. For this reason, introductions of spotted bass can often have negative impacts on existing sport fisheries, 2019 - Synopsis of Black Bass Stocking in North Carolina Rivers and Reservoirs (PDF), 2019 - Largemouth Bass Stunting and the Prevalence of Small Bass (PDF), NC Freshwater Fishing State Record Program, Spotted bass (Illustration by Duane Raver), State Record Spotted Bass (6 lbs, 5 oz; from Lake Norman by Eric M. Weir on 12/26/2003), Mailing Address:1701 Mail Service CenterRaleigh, NC 27699-1700, Report Wildlife Violations:1-800-662-7137, Copyright © 2020 N.C. 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