Stacy Price and Dennis Thompson of Mill Spring took first place with a five bass limit totaling 30 lbs. 11 oz. and a giant bass of 10lbs., 5oz. at the Southern Sportsman March 20.

Spring Bass Tournament.

The Southern Sportsman will be hosting another tournament April 10 at Lake Bowen to benefit Autism. If you are interested in fishing, contact David Corn at The Southern Sportsman at 864-592-0700.

Lake Adger Fishing Report

Last week the water temperature climbed from 48 degrees to 58 degrees triggering a huge turn on to the fish bite. Largemouth Bass are moving into the pre-spawn staging areas of the lakes. The males are starting to move shallow with the females just a little farther out. Nice catches are being reported using spinner baits. &bsp;

Minnows as always are taking their fare share, including a 7lb. 6 oz. from a local pond.

Crappie have also started the move to shallow water with most hovering in 6 to 8 ft of water about 4 ft down. Sliders, small jigs and minnows have all been making nice catches.

Catfish are also on the increase at Laughters pond with many people taking their limit.&bsp; Remember, trout season starts the first Saturday in April, so dust off those rods, clean your reels, change the line and stop buy our tackle dept to see whats new. Thanks Ken Haynes, Silver Creek Campground.

Laughter Pond

Last week I went fishing at Laughter Pond; the bass were hitting on gold blade spinner baits and with this warm weather coming, night fishing should become good, but with all the lights off from the mill closing, fishing at night there will become a little bit darker. If we can only get the lights turned back on, family fishing would be great!

Saltwater Updates

I received this e-mail yesterday morning.

Dear Saltwater Angler,

As you may know, Jean Beasley and the lead attorney from Duke Environmental Law, Michelle Nowlin, had their first appearance in Federal Court recently. It appears that the NC commercial fishing industry has launched a campaign to deflate, discourage, and dismantle this once in a lifetime opportunity. Obviously, a lawsuit could reveal the corrupt inner workings of fish for sale that are harvested from public waters! The NC commercial fishing industry will do everything in their power to keep this lawsuit from going into the discovery phase! They claim that gill nets are harmless and target specific! Signs have started showing up here on Topsail Island and elsewhere (especially at the fish markets) that say, People not Turtles! Maybe Jean and Michelle could use a little encouragement from those of us who are weary with this politically managed NC Marine fisheries system. Would you be willing to take a minute to send Jean and Michelle an email encouraging them to go the distance? Just use your own words to thank and encourage!

Jean Beasley, loggrhead@aol.com

Michelle Nowlin, nowlin@law.duke.edu

We all could use a little encouragement every now and then, couldnt we? Please take a moment and do this.

Sincerely, Coastal Fisheries Reform Group

CFRG@northstate.net

www.cfrgnc.blogspot.com/

If you are interested I will be showing Redfish Cant Jump – A Documentary film on the North Carolina Redfish.

Mountain Biking in Spartanburg

Croft Passage Mountain Bike Trail in Spartanburg, South Carolina, This is an intermediate trail. The beginning of this trail is flat and follows Kelsey creek for a mile or so. This is a good warm up for the hills that come. This is a network of 20+miles of single track that has been built and ridden by a handful of ex mountain bike racers. These are very challenging trails that consist of logs, jumps, and hills. This trail system is harder than anything in SC. Very little signage, if you have a GPS, go to motion based and enter dairy ridge or croft passage for routes. To get there; take Hwy 56 (union St) south. You will cross hwy 295 and the School for the Deaf and Blind will be on your left, approx 1 mile. The road after the school will be Carolina Country Club Rd. take a left. Follow this road until the stop sign, approx 1 mile. The trail head will be to your right at the stop sign. Park on the easement of the road next to the sign.