The N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission recently certified two new freshwater state records, one for freshwater drum, the other for white crappie. Jonathan Wilkerson of Oxford took a 23-pound, 8-ounce freshwater drum from Kerr Lake on March 20. He was using a plastic fluke and 10-pound-test line and trying for striped bass in the evening hours.
He had the drum weighed on certified scales at Southern States in Oxford and verified by NCRWC fisheries biologist Jessica Baumann.
Wilkerson’s fish topped the previous record drum by more than 12 ounces.
In the past 10 years, Kerr Lake has yielded four record drum.
On April 1, Joey Boretti, 17, of Holly Springs caught a record 3-pound, 15-ounce white crappie from a private lake in Wake County using a Storm Wildeye Swim Shad lure with spinning tackle. The old record for white crappie was 3 pounds, 2 ounces.
While fishing for crappie with his parents, Boretti decided to change lures to try for bass since the crappie weren’t biting. On his second cast, the record white crappie hit.
Boretti and his dad got the fish weighed on certified scales at Tractor Supply Co. and verified by NCWRC biologist Bill Collart.
To apply for a state record, an angler must have caught the fish with rod and reel or cane pole, have the fish weighed on certified scales and verified by a NCWRC biologist, and witnessed by one observer. The application must come with a full, side-view photo of the fish.
For a list of current state records and information on the State Record Fish Program, visit www.ncwildlife.org.